RTHK: Russian ambassador returns 'optimistic' to Washington

The Russian ambassador in Washington flew back Sunday to the United States saying he hoped to build "equal and pragmatic" ties after a US-Russia summit in Geneva aimed at reducing tensions.

The plane transporting ambassador Anatoly Antonov, who was recalled in March for consultations, took off at 9:20 a.m. (0620 GMT) from Moscow's Cheremetievo airport for New York, where he will travel on to Washington, Russian news agencies reported.

"Given the results of the meeting between the two presidents, I am counting on constructive work with my American colleagues to build equal and pragmatic relations," Antonov told the Ria Novosti agency, adding he was in an "optimistic mood."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow and Washington agreed for their ambassadors to return, after summit talks in Geneva with US counterpart Joe Biden.

Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington had all but broken down since Biden took office and accused the Kremlin of interfering in US elections and launching cyberattacks.

After Biden likened Putin to a "killer", Russia in March took the rare step of recalling ambassador Antonov and said the US envoy John Sullivan to Moscow likewise should return to Washington.

Sullivan left Moscow in April, as the two countries announced a wave of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats.

In May, Russia formally designated the United States an "unfriendly" state, barring its embassy from employing Russian nationals. The only other country on that list is the Czech Republic. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Sophia Chan visits vaccination centre

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today visited the community vaccination centre at the Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre to view the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine to ethnic minority residents.

Noting that more than 60 ethnic minority residents joined the vaccination activity arranged by Lok Sin Tong today, Prof Chan said the participants will not only protect themselves and their family members, but also contribute to the epidemic prevention and control work in Hong Kong.

She also thanked the organisation for arranging the activity to assist the ethnic minority community to get vaccinated, so that they can fulfil their civic responsibility and help build an immune barrier for the city.

To enable ethnic minorities to receive the latest news and information on COVID-19 vaccines, the Government's designated website is available in different languages to introduce the vaccination programme, the vaccines' protection and essential facts.

The health chief emphasised that the Government has so far procured and authorised a total of 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use, which are sufficient for all Hong Kong people to receive vaccination.

As the global pandemic situation is still raging, especially with the threat posed by mutant strains, it is imperative for the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect their own health and that of their families and others, she added.

In early May, Prof Chan met presidents and representatives of various charities to discuss the latest progress of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme and exchange views.

She called on the charities to join the Government in promoting the Early Vaccination for All campaign and encourage their staff members and service users of subsidiaries to get vaccinated.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Researchers explore microbial ecosystem in search of drugs to fight SARS-CoV-2

Washington, DC - June 20, 2021 - Researchers from Yonsei University in South Korea have found that certain commensal bacteria that reside in the human intestine produce compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2. The research will be presented on June 20 at World Microbe Forum, an online meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies that will take place online June 20-24.

Previous clinical findings have shown that some patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 have gastro-intestinal symptoms, while others showed signs of infection solely in the lungs.

"We wondered whether gut resident bacteria could protect the intestine from invasion of the virus," said Mohammed Ali, a Ph.D. student in Medicine at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.

To investigate this hypothesis, the researchers screened dominant bacteria inhabiting the gut for activity against SARS-CoV-2. Their search revealed that Bifidobacteria, which have previously been shown to suppress other bacteria such as H. pylori and have proven active against irritable bowel syndrome, had such activity, said Ali.

The investigators also used machine learning to search for potential illness-fighting compounds in databases containing microbially produced molecules, discovering some that might also prove useful against SARS-CoV-2. "To train our model we leveraged previous coronavirus datasets in which several compounds were tested against targets from coronaviruses," said Mr. Ali. "This approach seems to be significant as those targets share features in common with SARS-CoV-2."

Ali emphasized the ecological nature of his approach to this work, observing that many existing antibiotics and cancer therapies are compounds that bacteria use to compete with each other within the gastrointestinal tract, and that these were initially purified from microbial secretions.

"Finding microbes that secrete anti-coronavirus molecules will be a promising method to develop natural or engineered probiotics to expand our therapeutics prevention techniques, to provide a more sustainable way to combat the viral infection," said Ali.

###

Junebeom Kim, a master's candidate, also contributed to this research. Ali and Kim were supervised by Sang Sun Yoon, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

World Microbe Forum is a collaboration between the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies, which is breaking barriers to share science and address the most pressing challenges facing humankind today.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Myanmar's junta chief heads to Moscow conference

Myanmar's junta leader has flown out of the country to attend a conference in Moscow, state media reported on Sunday, his second trip abroad since seizing power in February.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing will attend the Moscow Conference on International Security, scheduled to be held from June 22-24, Myanmar military-controlled television network MRTV reported on Sunday. Since taking power he has travelled abroad only to attend a regional summit hosted by Indonesia in April.

The army overthrew a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi after her administration dismissed its allegations of fraud over her party's landslide election victory in November. International monitors had said the vote was fair.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a halt to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect the November election results and release political detainees, including Suu Kyi.

The trial of Suu Kyi, 75, resumes on Monday. She has been accused of charges ranging from the possession of radios to violating secrecy and corruption laws.

On Saturday, Myanmar's foreign ministry released a statement rejecting the UN resolution, which it said was "based on one-sided sweeping allegations and false assumptions".

The statement also questioned the legitimacy of Myanmar's UN ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who has been speaking on behalf of the country's elected civilian government. Protests have been held almost daily in Myanmar since the coup. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
It could be a milestone on the path to detecting life on other planets: Scientists under the leadership of the University of Bern and of the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS detect a key molecular property of all living organisms from a helicopter flying several kilometers above ground. The measurement technology could also open up opportunities for remote sensing of the Earth.

Left hands and right hands are almost perfect mirror images of each other. But whatever way they are twisted and turned, they cannot be superimposed onto each other. This is why the left glove simply won't fit the right hand as well as it fits the left. In science, this property is referred to as chirality.

Just like hands are chiral, molecules can be chiral, too. In fact, most molecules in the cells of living organisms, such as DNA, are chiral. Unlike hands, however, that usually come in pairs of left and right, the molecules of life almost exclusively occur in either their "left-handed" or their "right-handed" version. They are homochiral, as researchers say. Why that is, is still not clear. But this molecular homochirality is a characteristic property of life, a so-called biosignature.

As part of the MERMOZ project (see info box), an international team led by the University of Bern and the National Centre of Competence in Research NCCR PlanetS, has now succeeded in detecting this signature from a distance of 2 kilometers and at a velocity of 70 kph. Jonas Kuhn, MERMOZ project manager of the University of Bern and co-author of the study that has just been published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, says: "The significant advance is that these measurements have been performed in a platform that was moving, vibrating and that we still detected these biosignatures in a matter of seconds."

An instrument that recognizes living matter

"When light is reflected by biological matter, a part of the light's electromagnetic waves will travel in either clockwise or counterclockwise spirals. This phenomenon is called circular polarization and is caused by the biological matter's homochirality. Similar spirals of light are not produced by abiotic non- living nature", says the first author of the study Lucas Patty, who is a MERMOZ postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern and member of the NCCR PlanetS, Measuring this circular polarization, however, is challenging. The signal is quite faint and typically makes up less than one percent of the light that is reflected. To measure it, the team developed a dedicated device called a spectropolarimeter. It consists of a camera equipped with special lenses and receivers capable of separating the circular polarization from the rest of the light.

Yet even with this elaborate device, the new results would have been impossible until recently. "Just 4 years ago, we could detect the signal only from a very close distance, around 20 cm, and needed to observe the same spot for several minutes to do so", as Lucas Patty recalls. But the upgrades to the instrument he and his colleagues made, allow a much faster and stable detection, and the strength of the signature in circular polarisation persists even with distance. This rendered the instrument fit for the first ever aerial circular polarization measurements.

Useful measurements on earth and in space

Using this upgraded instrument, dubbed FlyPol, they demonstrated that within mere seconds of measurements they could differentiate between grass fields, forests and urban areas from a fast moving helicopter. The measurements readily show living matter exhibiting the characteristic polarization signals, while roads, for example, do not show any significant circular polarization signals. With the current setup, they are even capable of detecting signals coming from algae in lakes.

After their successful tests, the scientists now look to go even further. "The next step we hope to take, is to perform similar detections from the International Space Station (ISS), looking down at the Earth. That will allow us to assess the detectability of planetary-scale biosignatures. This step will be decisive to enable the search for life in and beyond our Solar System using polarization", says MERMOZ principal investigator and co-author Brice-Olivier Demory, professor of astrophysics at the University of Bern and member of the NCCR PlanetS says.

The sensitive observation of these circular polarization signals is not only important for future life detection missions. Lucas Patty explains: "Because the signal directly relates to the molecular composition of life and thus its functioning, it can also offer valuable complementary information in Earth remote sensing." It can for instance provide information about deforestation or plant disease. It might even be possible to implement circular polarization in the monitoring of toxic algal blooms, of coral reefs and the effects of acidification thereon.

Publication details:

C.H. Lucas Patty et. Al., Biosignatures of the Earth I. Airborne spectropolarimetric detection of photosynthetic life, Astronomy & Astrophysics

https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140845

Astrobiology

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Baoneng New Energy Vehicle Group (Baoneng NEV), the NEV unit of Chinese property conglomerate Baoneng Group, will locate its headquarters in Guangzhou Development District, according to an agreement Baoneng Group inked with local authority.



Baoneng, Guangzhou Development District signing agreement; photo credit: Baoneng Group



As part of the strategic cooperation, state-owned companies in Guangzhou Development District will pour 12 billion yuan ($1.873 billion) in Baoneng NEV. Under the agreement, Baoneng NEV will build the headquarters into a NEV base that integrates functions of manufacturing, R&D, and operation.

Before signing the new agreement, Baoneng Group has launched several projects in Guangzhou Development District, including a NEV production base, a power battery manufacturing base, and its headquarters for investment business.

Baoneng Group established its automobile arm, namely Baoneng Motor, in 2017. At the Auto China 2020, Baoneng Motor unveiled its self-developed xEV platform that is compatible with multiple power solutions like BEV (battery electric vehicle), PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) and REEV (range-extended electric vehicle). The first vehicle based on the platform rolled off the production line while the company announcing the production start of its self-owned Xi'an plant in November 2020.

Baoneng Motor also set up an automotive software company last year to support its in-house development of software and intelligent driving technologies. Named Foresea Seven Swords, the subsidiary engages in the R&D of smart car architecture, automotive-grade chips, car-to-cloud distributed computing platform, autonomous driving system, intelligent cockpit, vehicle control system, cloud service platform and other technical products.

Gasgoo not only offers timely news and profound insight about China auto industry, but also help with business connection and expansion for suppliers and purchasers via multiple channels and methods. Buyer service: buyer-support@gasgoo.com Seller Service: seller-support@gasgoo.com

All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce, copy and use the editorial content without permission. Contact us: autonews@gasgoo.com.
Reuters A fisherman carries a sword fish on his head from the Indian Ocean in the port city of Kismayu

Amid the current media frenzy about Somali pirates, it's hard not to imagine them as characters in some dystopian Horn of Africa version of Waterworld. We see wily corsairs in ragged clothing swarming out of their elusive mother ships, chewing narcotic khat while thumbing GPS phones and grappling hooks. They are not desperate bandits, experts say, rather savvy opportunists in the most lawless corner of the planet. But the pirates have never been the only ones exploiting the vulnerabilities of this troubled failed state  and are, in part, a product of the rest of the world's neglect. (Read "No Surrender to Thugs.")

Ever since a civil war brought down Somalia's last functional government in 1991, the country's 3,330 km (2,000 miles) of coastline  the longest in continental Africa  has been pillaged by foreign vessels. A United Nations report in 2006 said that, in the absence of the country's at one time serviceable coastguard, Somali waters have become the site of an international "free for all," with fishing fleets from around the world illegally plundering Somali stocks and freezing out the country's own rudimentarily-equipped fishermen. According to another U.N. report, an estimated $300 million worth of seafood is stolen from the country's coastline each year. "In any context," says Gustavo Carvalho, a London-based researcher with Global Witness, an environmental NGO, "that is a staggering sum."

In the face of this, impoverished Somalis living by the sea have been forced over the years to defend their own fishing expeditions out of ports such as Eyl, Kismayo and Harardhere  all now considered to be pirate dens. Somali fishermen, whose industry was always small-scale, lacked the advanced boats and technologies of their interloping competitors, and also complained of being shot at by foreign fishermen with water cannons and firearms. "The first pirate gangs emerged in the '90s to protect against foreign trawlers," says Peter Lehr, lecturer in terrorism studies at Scotland's University of St. Andrews and editor of Violence at Sea: Piracy in the Age of Global Terrorism. The names of existing pirate fleets, such as the National Volunteer Coastguard of Somalia or Somali Marines, are testament to the pirates' initial motivations.

The waters they sought to protect, says Lehr, were "an El Dorado for fishing fleets of many nations." A 2006 study published in the journal Science predicted that the current rate of commercial fishing would virtually empty the world's oceanic stocks by 2050. Yet, Somalia's seas still offer a particularly fertile patch for tuna, sardines and mackerel, and other lucrative species of seafood, including lobsters and sharks. In other parts of the Indian Ocean region, such as the Persian Gulf, fishermen resort to dynamite and other extreme measures to pull in the kinds of catches that are still in abundance off the Horn of Africa. (Read about illegal wildlife trade.)

High-seas trawlers from countries as far flung as South Korea, Japan and Spain have operated down the Somali coast, often illegally and without licenses, for the better part of two decades, the U.N. says. They often fly flags of convenience from sea-faring friendly nations like Belize and Bahrain, which further helps the ships skirt international regulations and evade censure from their home countries. Tsuma Charo of the Nairobi-based East African Seafarers Assistance Programme, which monitors Somali pirate attacks and liaises with the hostage takers and the captured crews, says "illegal trawling has fed the piracy problem." In the early days of Somali piracy, those who seized trawlers without licenses could count on a quick ransom payment, since the boat owners and companies backing those vessels didn't want to draw attention to their violation of international maritime law. This, Charo reckons, allowed the pirates to build up their tactical networks and whetted their appetite for bigger spoils.

Beyond illegal fishing, foreign ships have also long been accused by local fishermen of dumping toxic and nuclear waste off Somalia's shores. A 2005 United Nations Environmental Program report cited uranium radioactive and other hazardous deposits leading to a rash of respiratory ailments and skin diseases breaking out in villages along the Somali coast. According to the U.N., at the time of the report, it cost $2.50 per ton for a European company to dump these types of materials off the Horn of Africa, as opposed to $250 per ton to dispose of them cleanly in Europe.

Monitoring and combating any of these misdeeds is next to impossible  Somalia's current government can barely find its feet in the wake of the 2006 U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion. And many Somalis, along with outside observers, suspect local officials in Mogadishu and in ports in semi-autonomous Puntland further north of accepting bribes from foreign fishermen as well as from pirate elders. U.N. monitors in 2005 and 2006 suggested an embargo on fish taken from Somali waters, but their proposals were shot down by members of the Security Council. (See photos of dramatic pirate rescues.)

In the meantime, Somali piracy has metastasized into the country's only boom industry. Most of the pirates, observers say, are not former fishermen, but just poor folk seeking their fortune. Right now, they hold 18 cargo ships and some 300 sailors hostage  the work of a sophisticated and well-funded operation. A few pirates have offered testimony to the international press  a headline in Thursday's Times of London read, "They stole our lobsters: A Somali pirate tells his side of the story"  but Lehr and other Somali experts express their doubts. "Nowadays," Lehr says, "this sort of thing is just a cheap excuse." The legacy of nearly twenty years of inaction and abuse, though, is far more costly.

Read a brief history of pirates

See the Cartoons of the Week.
Additional 139 more Covid-19 infections confirmed, patient tally surpasses 13,000

The Ministry of Health announced 139 more Covid-19 patients in its Sunday noon report, raising the total number of patients in the country to 13,117.



According to the ministry's report, 130 of the newly-confirmed patients are locally-transmitted cases most of whom were detected in quarantine sites or areas under lockdown in some localities including 53 in Bac Giang, 34 in Ho Chi Minh City, 18 in Danang, 13 in Binh Duong, nine in Bac Ninh, and one each in Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, and An Giang.





As of Sunday noon, 9,849 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27, including 5,383 in the virus epicentre of Bac Giang. The outbreak has so far spread to 42 cities and provinces nationwide.

Nine imported patients are all Vietnamese people who recently returned from Cambodia, France, and Singapore. They had been sent to quarantine areas in Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Kien Giang, and Binh Duong provinces upon arrival and are now being treated at local hospitals.





With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 13,117 including nearly 11,000 locally-transmitted cases.



As of 6 pm on June 19, a total of 5,054 Covid-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital.



So far there have been 64 deaths, most of them being the elderly with serious underlying diseases.



At present, over 172,000 people who had close contact with Covid-19 patients or returned from virus-hit areas are being monitored at hospitals, quarantine facilities, and at home.



On June 19, an additional 122,056 people were given Covid-19 vaccine in Vietnam, raising the total number of vaccine doses used in the country to over 2.3 million. The number of people who have received two doses has risen to 115,315.
News  Vietnam

94 more Covid-19 patients confirmred, Sunday tally rises to 311
W. Africa suffered 700 terrorist attacks, 2,000 deaths since 2020: official

Xinhua) 10:13, June 20, 2021

ACCRA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- West Africa has suffered a total of 700 terrorist attacks resulting in 2,000 civilian and military deaths from 2020 to now, said an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) official on Saturday.

Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the president of ECOWAS Commission, said insecurity was still a major concern for the region as violent extremism threatened the stability of the region.

"Despite the significant efforts made by member states, particularly those on the frontline, terrorist attacks doubled between the first five months of 2020 and 2021," said Brou in his opening speech during the 59th Ordinary Session of the Heads of State of ECOWAS.

"These attacks occur largely in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, spreading to coastal countries, and increasing the number of displaced persons in the West African subregion," he said.

"The implementation of the Regional Plan of Action to Combat Terrorism, which you adopted in September 2019, has commenced and should complement the significant efforts made by each member state to combat the menace," he told the heads of state.

The official urged that the planned mobilization of funds for the implementation be done early to accelerate the process.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Ethiopian Red Cross Society receives Sinopharm vaccines from Chinese counterpart

Xinhua) 10:51, June 20, 2021

An airport ground staff and a staff member of Chinese side check the COVID-19 vaccines donated by Chinese Red Cross Society in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 19, 2021. A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese Red Cross Society to its Ethiopian counterpart, arrived here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

ADDIS ABABA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese Red Cross Society to its Ethiopian counterpart, arrived here on Saturday.

The doses arrived at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in the presence of senior Ethiopian government officials, representatives of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, members of the Chinese diplomatic community in Ethiopia.

Dereje Duguma, Ethiopian State Minister of Health, said during the handing over ceremony that a portion of the latest batch of vaccine doses will be used in Ethiopia's conflict-affected Tigray regional state.

"We are very much thankful for the Red Cross to work with the government of China and the Red Cross of China to bring this donation to Ethiopia," the state minister said.

"Our foremost gratitude and thanks will go to the government and people of China for providing different support since the first few months of the pandemic," he added.

Abera Tola, President of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, also echoed the state minister's remarks as he commended the Chinese Red Cross Society for the much-needed support, as he vowed to further strengthen the partnership among the two humanitarian organizations.

"The Ethiopian Red Cross will fulfill its assignment and obligation for delivering this vaccine to the most needy people through the Ethiopian Ministry of Health," Tola said.

"On behalf of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, again and again, I would like to say thank you very much. I hope it will not be the last, I hope it will continue," he added.

China has so far donated a total of 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ethiopia, according to figures from the Chinese Embassy to Ethiopia. The East African country had received the first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines that was donated by the Chinese government back in March.

Zhao Zhiyuan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, stressed that as a comprehensive strategic cooperative partner of Ethiopia, China will continue its capacity to Ethiopia's anti-pandemic efforts, and play an active role as Ethiopia undertakes to boost the economy and improve people's lives.

"The pandemic didn't stand in the way of China-Ethiopia relations, instead it has brought us even closer together," the ambassador said.

According to Zhao, China has donated and is donating vaccines to 88 developing countries in urgent need, and has provided support under COVAX for emergency use of vaccines in developing countries.

"Let us continue to work together to put COVID-19 under control, and jointly contribute to the building of a healthy community for all," Zhao said.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine support, China has been helping Ethiopia in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak in terms of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), testing kits as well as training and experience sharing.

China donated several batches of medical supplies to Ethiopia last year, and a Chinese team of medical experts has been sent to Ethiopia to support its fight against the pandemic.

As of Saturday morning, Ethiopia has recorded 274,899 COVID-19 cases and 4,276 COVID-19 related deaths, according to the latest figures from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Foreign friends reflect on CPC's success over past century

Xinhua) 11:12, June 20, 2021

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- "Never leave China," Dr. Hans Muller repeatedly told his wife before he passed away in 1994.

In 1939, World War II broke out. Muller, a young German with a medical degree from Switzerland, arrived in Yan'an in northwest China and fought side by side with the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and later in the War of Liberation. He devoted himself to China's socialist construction after the founding of the New China in 1949.

Since its founding in 1921, the CPC has attracted many foreign friends like Muller during different periods of revolution, construction and reform. Their interactions with Chinese Communists over the past century have opened a window through which the world can better understand the CPC.

Today, the CPC is the world's largest political party with more than 90 million members. The CPC has over the past century led the Chinese people to achieve national independence, bid farewell to a humiliating history of being arbitrarily exploited by foreign powers, and transform China from an impoverished country into the world's second-largest economy, which enjoys all-round moderate prosperity.

The CPC, which is about to celebrate its centenary, is leading the world's most populous country toward the goal of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

A bullet train passes by the fields dotted with blossoming plants in Luoxiang Township of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

INVINCIBLE, INCREDIBLE STRENGTH

What are the Chinese Communists like?

In 1936, American journalist Edgar Snow journeyed to the northern areas of northwest China's Shaanxi in search of the answer to this question.

In a cave dwelling, Mao Zedong and Snow had many long talks. In a period of approximately four months, Snow also interviewed Peng Dehuai, Xu Haidong and other senior CPC officials and ordinary soldiers, and experienced life in the Red Army.

In his book "Red Star Over China," Snow mentioned the tenacity with which the Chinese Communists clung to their principles, as well as the invincible, incredible soldiers led by the CPC and the indestructible energy behind them.

George Hatem, a U.S. doctor known in China by his Chinese name Ma Haide, visited northern Shaanxi together with Snow. Moved by the bravery of the Red Army, he decided to stay at the end of his tour. He joined the CPC in 1937 and became the first Westerner to gain CPC membership.

In order to make a contribution, one must have strong spiritual support, Ma Haide said in his late years.

Undated file photo shows George Hatem, a U.S. doctor known in China by his Chinese name Ma Haide. (Xinhua)

Over the past 100 years, the CPC has stayed true to its founding aspiration and mission, leading the Chinese nation in a tremendous transformation: It has stood up, become better off and grown in strength. The nation has achieved two feats rarely seen around the world: rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.

The CPC has arguably been the world's most successful political party over the last century, according to British political scholar Martin Jacques.

Corentin Delcroix, a French chef and entrepreneur who has been living in China for 15 years, runs a company in Shanghai.

Delcroix said he thought the Western stereotype of communism has stagnated since the Cold War. "A lot of people think communism itself is just scary, without understanding it at all," he said.

The judgment of a political party ultimately depends on tangible results. Under the leadership of the CPC, Chinese citizens' quality of life is improving generation by generation, Delcroix observed.

In this combo photo, the left part taken on May 10, 2019 with a drone shows children walking on their way home after school in Nongyong Village, and the right part taken on Sept. 3, 2012 shows children stepping down the hanging ladders to school in Nongyong Village, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

"The Communist Party of China makes every effort to think and act for the future of the country," said Shunsuke Nakajima, a Japanese national who has been promoting bilateral exchanges for years and has visited China many times.

Hans Muller joined the CPC in 1957, and made an important contribution to the country's hepatitis prevention efforts. Speaking of her late husband, Kyoko Nakamura, who joined the CPC-led army after Japan's surrender in 1945, said that after so many years in China, Muller felt China was a promising country.

Israel Epstein visited Yan'an in 1944 as a reporter for U.S. media. He interviewed Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and other CPC leaders. Epstein believed he shared a similar -- or even the same -- world outlook with the CPC, and was convinced that Yan'an represented China's future. He gained Chinese nationality in 1957 and joined the CPC in 1964.

"He supports China because the Communist Party of China is right," said Epstein's widow Huang Huanbi. "What he appreciated most was that the Communist Party is for the poor and helps the people."

ALWAYS CARING FOR AND SERVING THE PEOPLE

In "Red Star Over China," Snow detailed how and why the CPC had won strong support and trust from farmers, indicating the close bonds between the CPC and the people.

Undated file photo taken in 1936 shows American journalist Edgar Snow (1st R) on his journey for interviews in the northern areas of Shaanxi Province in northwest China. (Xinhua)

In an article for U.S. media, Epstein wrote that the Eighth Route Army, which was led by the CPC, maintained close ties with the people and never took a needle or a thread from the masses.

The CPC considers serving the people wholeheartedly to be its purpose. The Party is required to share weal and woe with the people, maintain close ties with them, and safeguard the fundamental interests of the people.

Snow once described northern Shaanxi as one of the poorest places in China. Now, it has shaken off absolute poverty along with other impoverished areas thanks to the CPC's targeted poverty reduction policy. China has lifted over 700 million people out of poverty since reform and opening-up began in the late 1970s.

David Osborn, an Australian sheep breeding expert, has been participating in China's anti-poverty drive. Over the past few years, he has visited Huanxian County in northwest China's Gansu Province several times to promote breeding technologies that can help raise the incomes of villagers, many of whom were in poverty for generations.

Australian animal husbandry expert David Osborn (L) talks with Li Guozhi, head of an animal breeding company, at a sheep pen in Huanxian County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Wenjing)

"The thought that the CPC has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty is just extraordinary. It is one of the world's great achievements," he said, praising CPC members' readiness to help and the Party's strong executive capability.

By the end of 2020, all remaining poverty-stricken counties had shaken off that label.

"The Communist Party of China leads the people, and its members are at the forefront. Nothing is impossible," said Hans Muller's son, Dehua Muller, in Beijing.

Yahia Mustafa from Sudan contributed to the Arabic translation of Xi Jinping's report to the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, and noted that the key concepts in the report -- from "a moderately prosperous society" to "a community with a shared future for humanity" -- were all about putting public interests above all else.

"The distinctive feature of the CPC is that it puts people first and always cares for and serves the people," said Mustafa, who has lived in China for over 20 years.

The people-oriented philosophy of the CPC is also evidenced by the nationwide mobilization to contain the raging COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. The CPC asked its members to take the lead by assuming the most arduous and dangerous jobs in the battle against the virus.

Jean Christian Nzengue from Gabon last year joined a team screening fever patients and offering consultations in a community in the southern city of Guangzhou, working closely with many CPC members.

"It was dangerous, but the CPC members did not complain because they love their country and want to protect its people," said the cardiac specialist.

Gabonese doctor Jean Christian Nzengue (R) is seen with a Chinese colleague, who is also a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

According to a white paper issued in June last year, more than 39 million CPC members and cadres fought against COVID-19 on the frontline, and nearly 400 died in the process.

"China's anti-epidemic fight has clearly demonstrated the solidarity and trust between the people, the Party and the government to a level rarely seen in other parts of the world," said Mustafa.

The Party's dedication to the people has boosted public support for the government. A report from Harvard University, based on its 13-year survey in China, showed that the Chinese people's overall satisfaction with the central government exceeded 93 percent.

CONSULTING THE PEOPLE

Epstein and Ma Haide later became members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, participating in the practice of socialist democracy. They made proposals on health, education and other fields. In 2015, China for the first time solicited opinions from foreign experts during the drafting of the annual government work report.

Mustafa, who had worked at the Sudan News Agency for about 10 years, now has an independent understanding of China and the CPC after working and living in China.

"In the West, the goal of political parties is to gain political power and serve their own interests. For the Communist Party of China, power is a means to serve the people, and all development strategies and plans are centered on serving the people," he said.

Yahia Mustafa speaks in an interview with Xinhua in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

Isabel Crook, a Canadian national, and her British husband David Crook, studied CPC-led land reform in 1947. They later trained a large number of foreign-language speakers for China.

In 2019, the Chinese government awarded Isabel Crook and five other foreign nationals the Friendship Medal for their great contributions to supporting China's socialist modernization, promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries, and safeguarding world peace.

What they felt most deeply was that the CPC was good at mobilizing ordinary people, accepting supervision from the masses, and discussing with them, said Michael Crook, son of Isabel Crook and chairman of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives.

The CPC has pioneered a socialist political system with Chinese characteristics and continued to improve it to ensure that the people partake in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight in accordance with the law.

Laurence J. Brahm, a senior international fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said that Chinese democracy, which is different from that in the West, is a system of consensus-building.

PATH OF COOPERATION

Over the past 100 years, the Communist Party of China has worked arduously for the well-being of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In today's world, China's solutions are an important contribution to improving global governance.

Undated file photo shows Michael Lindsay teaching radio skills during a training course to the Chinese army. (Xinhua)

Michael Lindsay, a British national, aided the CPC in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression by upgrading radio equipment and building radio stations for the Chinese army in the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1944, he helped with the launch of an English broadcasting service for the Xinhua News Agency in Yan'an, allowing news of the CPC to be heard across the Pacific.

Today, the voices and visions of the CPC are more widely transmitted across the globe, and have won more positive responses and support.

China plays an important role in world affairs. Other big countries must cooperate with China to solve global problems such as climate change, biodiversity conservation and pandemics, according to Jim Lindsay, son of Michael Lindsay.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 3.8 million lives worldwide. While making strategic achievements in its own COVID-19 prevention and control, China has been actively providing aid to other countries. It has exported large quantities of medical supplies and helped other countries fight the pandemic. Its COVID-19 vaccines have become global public goods.

File photo shows experts of the Chinese medical team and local medical staff posing for a photo amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, May 26, 2020. (Xinhua)

Such efforts fit into the CPC's vision of "a community with a shared future for humanity," which has gained wider recognition and support in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 138 countries and 31 international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to achieve policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. The BRI has become the world's largest international cooperation platform and a vital public product.

David Ferguson, a British national, came to China in 2006. He is now a senior English editor with the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and participated in the English editing of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" and several government white papers.

After translating a compilation of President Xi Jinping's discourses on the BRI, Ferguson said he believes the initiative has provided a major channel for the world to strive for globalization, peace and stability, prosperity and development.

Aerial photo taken on April 13, 2019 shows a container wharf at Qinzhou port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Mustafa noted that "a community with a shared future for humanity" is also rooted in traditional Chinese culture, which stresses the need for humanity to share weal and woe. China not only pursues its own development but also deeply integrates itself into the international community and shares its gains with others, he said.

In 2019, the movie "Red Star Over China" was screened in China. And Snow's books remain popular in China and worldwide.

China has come a long way from Snow's depiction in the 1937 book. While leading the people toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the CPC is also writing a new chapter on the joint construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Vehicle-mounted howitzers participate in desert maneuver

China Military Online) 13:34, June 20, 2021

A group of launcher trucks carrying new vehicle-mounted gun-howitzer systems are en route to a designated training field in northwest China's Gobi Desert on June 3, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wu Shengwei)

A group of launcher trucks carrying new vehicle-mounted gun-howitzer systems are en route to a designated training field in northwest China's Gobi Desert on June 3, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wu Shengwei)

Soldiers salute as a military vehicle, performing as the commanding car, passes along the road during a long-distance maneuver in northwest China's Gobi Desert on June 3, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wu Shengwei)

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
UK reports over 10,000 COVID cases for third consecutive day on Saturday

Xinhua) 13:38, June 20, 2021

People line up outside Bridge Park Community Leisure Center to receive the COVID-19 vaccines in Brent, northwest London, Britain, June 19, 2021. A new wave of coronavirus infections is "definitely under way" in England due to the Delta variant first identified in India, a British government advisory scientist said Saturday. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

LONDON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Britain reported more than 10,000 coronavirus cases for a third consecutive day on Saturday as there has been a 79 percent rise in the highly contagious Delta variant in the country in the past week.

Britain has reported another 10,321 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,620,968, according to official figures released Saturday.

The country also recorded another 14 coronavirus-related death. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,970. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

There has been a 79 percent rise in the highly contagious Delta variant, first identified in India, in the past week and cases have been above 10,000 for three days in a row.

The increase across Britain is being driven by younger age groups, many of whom have now been invited for a vaccination as the jab rollout extends to anyone aged 18 and over.

Hospital cases have almost doubled although most of those needing treatment have not had a vaccine.

Earlier Saturday, a British government advisory scientist said a new wave of infections is "definitely under way" in England.

"The race is firmly on between the vaccine programme... and the Delta variant third wave," said professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Acknowledging the recent surge in infections, Finn told the BBC: "Perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up -- so this third wave is definitely under way."

The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 percent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine is 96 percent effective against hospitalization after two doses.

More than 42.6 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine while more than 31 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

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.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Young Uygurs look to sue Australian think tank over report on 'forced labor' in Xinjiang

Global Times) 14:10, June 20, 2021

Nuradli Wublikas is at work. Photo: Courtesy to Nuradli Wublikas

Nuradli Wublikas, a young Uygur man from Kashi of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is seeking to sue Australian think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) for its report on the so-called forced labor in China's Xinjiang, as the ASPI report has hurt the image of the Uygur group and undermines their employment opportunities.

"We want them to stop slandering my hometown and to apologize for having defamed us," said Nuradli.

In April, led by the 26-year-old Nuradli, a group of young Uygur people living in Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan Province, co-authored a joint letter and called on more Uygur people whose interests have been hurt by ASPI's report on the so-called forced labor in China to join their activities to sue the Australian think tank.

In February 2020, ASPI released a report claiming that the Chinese government "forced" the massive labor transfer of Uygur people from Xinjiang region to factories in other cities in China. The report was cited by many Western media outlets, which turned a blind eye to the fact that the report had been refuted by China for its loopholes and slander.

In November 2020, the US Commerce Department announced sanctions on Chinese companies over allegations of "forced labor."

"I noticed my hometown Xinjiang has long been slandered. After hearing the news on ASPI's report, I found it and read through it with the help of a translator," Nuradli told the Global Times.

Nuradli was filled with anger and indignation after reading the report. "The report is full of lies! I was born and grew up in Xinjiang and know so many Uygurs living and working in other cities across the country, and no one is 'forced' to work outside! It really made me angry that we Uygurs are portrayed by the Australian think tank report as lazy people who need to be 'forced' to work," the young man said.

"Those who wrote the report know little about Xinjiang's real situation" said Nuradli, "There is a lot of surplus labor in villages and people are willing to work outside. A friend of mine worked in other cities outside Xinjiang for a year and earned enough money to build a new house. And after another year of working, he had the money to marry his girlfriend.".

He noted that in sharp contrast to the ASPI report's allegations of "forced labor," people from Xinjiang who choose to work in other Chinese cities are making their own decisions as to where they go to work and what kind of jobs they do. Those who want to start their own businesses in other cities also enjoy many favorable policies.

"Take myself as an example. After graduating from Jishou University in 2018, I started my own e-commerce business named Haobalang selling Xinjiang food. Since I began trying to start my business when I was in university, my teachers, the university and local government of Zhangjiajie [where Jishou Univerisity is located in Central China's Hunan Province] have helped me a lot," Nuradli said.

Haobalang literally means 'good boy' as "balang" is boy in the Uygur language.

In addition to damaging the Uygurs' image and dignity, the ASPI's slander also undermines Uygurs' rights, Nuradli pointed out

"One senior student who graduated from my university told me that he was sacked from a foreign trade corporation, as the US purchasing agent asked this company and other partners to look into the 'forced labor' of Uygurs. Although these companies hired Uygur employees in accordance with laws and regulations, they decided to sack them to avoid possible risks or sanctions from the US. We Uygurs' rights for development and employment have been undermined," said Nuradli.

Apart from ASPI, recently, some think tanks and individuals from the West and the US have actively joined the campaign to slander China over the so-called forced labor in its Xinjiang region, and have cited the untenable allegation to ban products, especially cotton, from the region.

In April, a court in Kashi Prefecture of Xinjiang accepted the lawsuit of a local yarning company named Xiongying to sue the infamous anti-China German "scholar" Adrian Zenz for his reports on the so-called forced labor, as Zenz's reports have severely damaged the company's reputation and caused economic losses.

The Global Times also learned from sources that more companies and individuals that have been affected by the "forced labor" hype and the ensuing sanctions, including labor services companies, are preparing to use the law to protect their interests.

Working together

Kudlik Kadir volunteered to be a teacher in a village school in Xiangxi of Human Province in summer vocation in 2018. Photo: Courtesy to Kudlik Kadir

The irresponsible slander on "forced labor" has angered not only Nuradli but also other people from Xinjiang. In April, when having dinner with a friend from Kashi who also worked in Zhangjiajie, Nuradli talked about his dissatisfaction toward ASPI and Western media reports.

"I told him that I wanted to do something and he said the same. We talked for a long time. That night, I wrote a letter of nearly 2,000 words in both Chinese and Uygur language, calling for more people to join us to sue ASPI. After jointly polishing it for more than a week, we posted it on WeChat," said Nuradli.

The letter was soon reposted and shared by many people, with more than 1 million people having read it and many friends calling to ask if they could join them. Kudlik Kadir, who graduated from Jishou University two years before Nuradli, is one of them.

"After reading Nuradli's letter, I felt touched and excited and felt we Uygurs are obliged to stand up to voice our dissatisfaction with slander from the West. I want to do this with Nuradli," Kudlik told the Global Times.

In order to draw more attention, they also organized some offline activities in a restaurant - all the waiters and waitresses wore T-shirts with the words "Support China-made products and support Xinjiang region" printed on them and customers at the restaurant were sent gifts decorated with Xinjiang cotton.

The T-shirt Nuradli Wublikas and Kudlik Kadir design for an offline activities to support the use of cotton produced in Xinjiang. Photo: Courtesy to Kudlik Kadir

Kudlik and Nuradli are now collecting facts and evidence on Uygurs who were subjected to damages brought by the ASPI report and seeking legal assistance.

"I learned that a company in Xinjiang and local residents are working to sue the infamous German individual Adrian Zenz, asking him to make an apology and compensate them for their losses. We also want to sue ASPI for having damaged the Uygurs' reputation," Kudlik said.

However, lawyers suggested that it will be hard to file the case since Nuradli and Kudlik are not directly affected by ASIP and the law cannot support a lawsuit against an infringement that has not yet happened. As for those who have lost their jobs due to the ASPI report, it is also hard to prove the link between their sacking and the impact of the report.

"Although we are facing many difficulties, we will not give up. We are encouraged that the local court in Kashi accepted the case against Adrian Zenz. We will do our best to make ASPI apologize for having hurt us!" Nuradli said.

On April 2, the Intermediate People's Court in Kashi of Xinjiang accepted the lawsuit brought by Xiongying Yarning Company against Adrian Zenz. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a press conference on April 14 that it showed Chinese people's increasing awareness of using the law to protect their interests.

"We support this much-applauded move As the case progresses, we believe the Chinese people and the international community will get to know more about the contemptible moves by Zenz to concoct rumors, and the attempt of Zenz and the malicious anti-China forces behind him to disrupt Xinjiang's security and stability and impede China's development will fall apart even faster," Zhao said.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Asian elephants Sweet home in Yunnan

14:14, June 20, 2021 By Yang Wenming, Li Maoying ( People's Daily

A worker of the Wild Elephant Valley scenic spot in Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, southwest Chinas Yunnan province, throws a birthday party for a one-year-old Asian elephant, in a bid to raise public awareness of protecting the animal and help more people learn the achievements in breeding and protecting Asian elephants, Feb. 22, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Li Ming)

Thanks to the scientific, meticulous, and fruitful efforts made by the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna, southwest Chinas Yunnan province, among other parties, the population of wild Asian elephants in Yunnan has risen to about 300 from 150 during the past nearly 30 years, signaling steady recovery and increase.

The largest land mammal on the Asian continent as they are, Asian elephants could still sustain injuries and catch diseases in the wild.

In August 2015, a baby elephant that was less than one month old strayed from the herd and accidentally barged into the house of a villager in Yunnan. After examination, the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center found the animal suffered from intra-abdominal infections and heart failure and was at risk of developing sepsis.

Luckily, the baby elephant finally recovered after proper treatment by workers at the center.

Later, a warm-hearted villager sent four black goats at the lactation period to the center to produce milk as food for the baby elephant.

As we saved the animal in the Year of the Goat and fed it goat milk, we decided to name it Yang Niu (Yang means goat in Chinese), said Chen Jiming, a worker at the center, who has been taking care of Yang Niu.

According to Chen, Yang Niu will celebrate its 6th birthday in two months. The female elephant is now 1.8 meters tall, weighs 1.3 tons, eats 10 kilograms of carrots every day.

A total of 11 Asian elephants now live at the center located in dense and lush tropical forests. Each one of them, whether its a baby elephant that fell behind or an adult elephant that got injured from a fight or attack, has embraced a new life under the help of workers at the center.

The 11 Asian elephants have been taken good care of by 27 workers, who clean their feces, feed them, keep records of their medical examinations, as well as bathe and observe them. These workers spend more than 10 hours a day with the elephants.

Since it was established in 2008, the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center has actively carried out field rescue of Asian elephants and research into assisted reproduction of elephants. It has so far helped and saved 24 wild Asian elephants.

Besides taking care of Asian elephants in their daily life and providing medical treatment for them, workers at the center also train them so that they can have a better chance of surviving in the wild.

Zhou Fangyi, a 26-year-old worker at the center, takes wild Asian elephants in good health to forests every day for at least 6 hours of field training, which aims to help elephants rebuild their capabilities of identifying and seeking food in the wild, adapt to the wild environment, so that bulls can better survive in the forests on their own and cows better team players in the herd.

The Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center has also put efforts into the breeding of Asian elephants. It has significantly improved relevant breeding technologies in recent years, and assisted female elephants in giving birth to 9 babies, with a survival rate of 100 percent.

Local committees of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and governments have tried many ways to keep wild elephants from hurting people. They have built food source bases for Asian elephants to lessen their dependence on crops and reduce their intrusion into human habitats.

Besides, they have advanced the construction of a system for monitoring, warning, and emergency responses, which monitors Asian elephants in real time through manual tracking and the use of fixed devices and drones, and releases real-time information on Asian elephant activities to the public in the distribution area of the animal to warn them to avoid encountering elephants.

At the same time, a compensation system and public liability insurance for wild elephant accidents have been adopted to reduce the property loss of local residents.

According to observations, basically each herd shows sign of activities of baby elephants, said Guo Xianming, a senior engineer at a research institute under the management bureau of the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in Yunnan, who stressed that the population of wild Asian elephants in China is steadily recovering and gradually increasing.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
China conscientiously fulfills its duty as UN Security Council rotating president

14:23, June 20, 2021 By Li Xiaohong, Zhang Mengxu ( People's Daily

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chairs the UN Security Council open debate on Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa" via video link on May 19, 2021. (Photo from the website of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

China held the UN Security Councils rotating presidency last month. With a responsible and constructive attitude, China worked closely with the members of the UN Security Council, held in-depth discussion of the issues on the agenda, took swift responses to the tensions in the Middle East in order to practice true multilateralism with real actions and push the Security Council to give play to the important role of maintaining international peace and security.

The council had held 31 meetings during the month, one for each day on average, three of which were at the high level of foreign ministers. The council also adopted the annual Security Council report and four resolutions, as well as two presidential statements, six presidential press statements, and two press elements.

Safeguarding and practicing true multilateralism have been the keynote of Chinas presidency of the Security Council, which is a concrete manifestation of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, said Chinas UN Ambassador Zhang Jun

Uniting countries to tide over difficulties with concrete actions

With the joint efforts of all member states, the Security Council reiterated its strong commitment to multilateralism, reaffirmed the correct direction of upholding true multilateralism; sent out a unified message on supporting international solidarity and cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular on advancing post-pandemic recovery and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa.

Under the initiative of China, the UN Security Council held a high-level meeting on Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Upholding Multilateralism and the UN-centered International System on May 7. It was attended by foreign ministers or vice foreign ministers from 15 member states, which mirrored the high importance placed by the member states on safeguarding multilateralism.

Pursue win-win cooperation, not zero-sum game. Seek equity and justice, not bullying. Focus on actions, instead of only talking the talk. Respect diversity, and refrain from pursuing supremacy. The four proposals raised by China at the meeting to promote true multilateralism have won broad recognition.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remarked that maintaining multilateralism and the UN-centered international system is as topical as ever and demands the UN Security Councils constant attention. Mexicos Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said multilateralism is not only an option, but a need.

Combating the COVID-19 pandemic still remains the most important task of the international society today. Under the initiative of China, the Security Council held an Open Debate on Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa. It adopted an outcome document on post-pandemic reconstruction that both addressed the urgent demand of pandemic alleviation and aimed to enhance the sustainability of development for the continent.

In a speech delivered at the Open Debate, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat called on certain countries to end vaccine protectionism and vaccine nationalism to fill the divide in pandemic control. Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said human beings must maintain solidarity when facing the virus. Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN Taye Atske Selassie Amde praised the unique role played by China in helping Africa cope with complicated challenges. Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan researcher of international relations, noted that China is helping Africa with concrete actions to make the continent better cope with political, economic and social governance challenges.

Advocating to solve regional conflicts and disputes with political resolutions

Facing new challenges such as stoked up regional hotspot issues, in particular the continuous escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict, China and other Security Council members, including Norway and Tunisia coordinated closely and convened four open debates in ten days to deliberate over the situation, forming a strong voice calling for immediate ceasefire.

The open debates chaired by China, which stressed to immediately cease fire, carry out humanitarian aid, enhance international support and advance the two-state solution, triggered active response from the international community. After the two sides stopped military and hostile actions, under the promotion of China and joint efforts of all parties, the Security Council issued press statement that called for the full adherence to the ceasefire, which was the first Security Council press statement about the Palestine-Israel conflict since 2014.

Chinas stand and proposals to solve the Palestine-Israel conflict with political resolutions are praised by parties concerned. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the open debates initiated by China came just in time as the tension between Palestine and Israel reached a peak in recent years. Nicolas de Riviere, Permanent Representative of France called to firmly follow the two-state solution and fundamentally realize peaceful coexistence between the two parties, or there would only be more pain and violence. A Representative from the League of Arab States pointed out that the two-state solution will help realize comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

On May, the Security Council also discussed issues on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria and Yemen, and also adopted a resolution to renew the South Sudan sanctions regime, so as to consolidate the trend to solve relevant problems with political means. Recently, the Security Council took timely actions in response to the coup in Mali and issued a press statement to alleviate the tension. China has made a lot of contribution to pushing the Security Council to cope with hotspot issues and emergencies, which showcases a strong leadership, said Selassie.

Making the work of the UN Security Council more effective and practical

In recent years, the world has been facing more diverse security threats. Under Chinas initiative, the Security Council held an Open Debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations: Improving safety and security of peacekeepers, and an Arria-formula Meeting on The Impact of Emerging Technologies on International Peace and Security in May, so as to better protect the safety of peacekeepers, regulate the development and application of emerging technologies, and safeguard international peace and security.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General of the UN for Peacekeeping Operations noted that China has made significant contributions to UN peacekeeping missions. He said China is an important troop contributor and financial contributor of UN peacekeeping operations, and also a staunch supporter and important participant in UN peacekeeping operations. China chaired an open debate and pushed for the adoption of a presidential statement, which proved the countrys consistent and firm support for UN peacekeeping operations, he said, adding that he also appreciates the professionalism and selflessness of the Chinese peacekeepers.

Pascale Baeriswyl, the Swiss Permanent Representative to the UN remarked that emerging technologies are a double-edged sword, saying China has showcased its foresight by promoting the Security Council to focus on the impact of emerging technologies on international peace and security.

When China held the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the country advanced UN Secretary-General election-related matters, and arranged for informal dialogues between Security Council members and Secretary-General candidates. China took active measures to improve the Councils working methods to enhance efficiency, transparency and inclusiveness while eliciting views from various sides and attaching importance to the legitimate concerns of the member states concerned. China also took steps to reinstate face-to-face meetings at the Council on the precondition of respecting science and ensuring safety.

Norways UN ambassador Mona Juul said Chinas exploration and practice during the special period has brought a new atmosphere to the Security Council, adding that the country has successfully held the rotating presidency with a more progressive attitude.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Chinas lawful seat in the UN. Participating in UN affairs, the country has always adhered to true multilateralism, and never put itself first, followed double standard, or practiced hegemonism despite the changing international landscape.

China will, as it has always done, firmly safeguard and practice true multilateralism, protect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, support the UN to play a bigger role in coping with global challenges, and support the Security Council to practically fulfill its responsibilities, in a bid to make more contributions to safeguarding international peace and security.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
11 including district police chief killed in N. Afghanistan battle

Xinhua) 15:46, June 20, 2021

TALUQAN, Afghanistan, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Four Afghan policemen and seven Taliban militants were killed in a battle in the northern province of Takhar during Saturday night, a local government spokesman confirmed on Sunday.

The heavy clashes erupted after Taliban militants stormed the suburban district of Namak Ab.

"The district police chief Abdul Zahir and three police officers were martyred as they tried to prevent militants from advancing," spokesman Hamid Mubarez told Xinhua.

There were two police and three militants wounded, he said, adding that the militants overran Namak Ab and the remaining security force retreated to a nearby district.

Besides, in neighboring Kunduz province, three civilians, including a child, were killed and four civilians were wounded after a Taliban mortar shell barrage struck Imam Sahib district during a fight between security forces and Taliban on Saturday night, district chief Nazakmir Amiri told Xinhua earlier in the day.

Taliban militants have been continuing heavy fighting against government security forces since the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1.

They said they have captured more than 40 suburban districts over the past one month.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Gen. Mark Milley testifies before the Senate Arms Services Committee on his nomination to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Capitol Hill in Washington DC,the United States, on July 11, 2019.Photo:Xinhua

The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said on Thursday during a congressional hearing that there was a low probability Beijing would try to take over the island of Taiwan militarily in the near-term. He said although Taiwan was still a core national interest of China, "there's little intent right now, or motivation, to do it militarily," according to Reuters. Milley also claimed a few days ago that crossing the Taiwan Straits and taking over an island the size of Taiwan is "an extraordinarily complex and difficult operation."

US senior military officials and the Congress have recently repeatedly talked about the possibility of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) taking over Taiwan by force. Admiral Phil Davidson who leads the US Indo-Pacific Command predicted in March that the mainland could attempt to take control of Taiwan "in the next six years." The US' intensifying attention on this issue has demonstrated Washington and the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' increasing anxiety over the possibility of the PLA's military actions.

It is well-known that whether the mainland will resort to force to take over Taiwan is first of all a political decision, and then a military issue. From a military perspective, the mainland undoubtedly has long had the ability to take over Taiwan militarily. Whether the mainland has made military preparation is a relative issue. What it will influence is how much an overwhelming advantage Beijing will have to eliminate resistance and reduce losses when taking over the island. As long as the political determination is formed, the military will obey and cooperate.

The US used to have an obvious military advantage in the Taiwan Straits, but the Chinese mainland's rapid development and military construction have dismantled the US' confidence in its advantage. The mainland's ability to resist US military intervention by then will be very real and feasible. The US has maintained its strategic ambiguity over whether it will militarily prevent the mainland from taking over Taiwan by force. Once a war breaks out in the Taiwan Straits, it will be a huge gamble for Washington if the US military ventures into it.

Now it is meaningless to discuss a war across the Taiwan Straits in detail. The US and Taiwan worry that the PLA is making serious preparations because they are aware that some of their provocative acts are increasing tensions in the Taiwan Straits. This has added to the mainland's reason to carry out practical preparations for military settlement of the Taiwan question. Even if the situation will not escalate to the mainland "liberating Taiwan" by force in the short term, the risk of serious military friction and confrontation in the Taiwan Straits is still increasing.

After all, the primary issue in Taiwan is political tension. The cross-Straits policy of the DPP authorities has become too malign to imagine in the past few years. Their words and deeds are completely hostile toward the mainland. They have placed themselves in a forefront position of the US' confrontational Indo-Pacific Strategy against the mainland. The DPP authorities are looking for trouble.

The tension in the Taiwan Straits brings worries, and even the US military frequently evaluates the situation there. Historical experiences tell us that many wars break out with no plan or little preparation, and were suddenly triggered under a highly tense situation.

It is hoped that the US can take real action to ease tensions in the Taiwan Straits. If it really doesn't want to see a war, it is more feasible for them to manage their own provocative words and deeds rather than calculating when and under what circumstances the mainland will resort to force.
In the upcoming week, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host the second Libya conference in Berlin.

What's on the agenda?

Germany and the UN will host a new round of Libya peace talks in Berlin on June 23, aiming to bring together powers with interests to mediate and contribute to the North African country's peace.

Libya's eastern-based army and its Tripoli-based government fought for more than a year in and around the capital before the conflicts ended last June. On October 23, 2020, Libyan delegations in Geneva signed a UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement.

At a meeting held last November in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, 75 representatives of the social and political spectrum of the Libyan society agreed to hold general elections in the country on December 24, 2021.

According to a German Foreign Ministry statement, the upcoming conference will take stock of the "next steps needed for a sustainable stabilization of the country."

The statement read that talks will mainly focus on preparations for national elections as well as the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from Libya. In addition, the meeting will also look at the creation of unified security forces for the country.

It will also be the first time that Libya's transitional government will take part in the talks, which were formed in March.

Underlining that the bid for peace has been a long process, Maas has voiced cautious optimism of the conference. "We ourselves were often not sure if the targets we have set can be reached."

Berlin hosted the first round of the UN-sponsored talks on January 19, 2020, in a bid to end hostilities.

Day by day

Monday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. Ethiopian House of People's Representatives election kicks off. EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting takes place.

Tuesday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in Moscow. EU holds General Affairs Council meeting. APEC senior finance officials hold virtual meeting (to June 23).

Wednesday: EU Commission vice-presidents Margrethe Vestager and Margaritis Schinas present an EU recommendation for a joint cyber unit. Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez visits Israel (to June 25). German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres host the second Libya conference in Berlin.

Thursday: Seventy-third anniversary of beginning of the Berlin Blockade. European Council meeting takes place (to June 25).

Friday: A quiet day in politics.

Saturday: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Sunday: France holds the second round of regional elections.

(With input from agencies)
"Wars, violence, persecution, and human rights violations" amid the pandemic led to a record high of 82.4 million people being displaced by the end of 2020, according to the latest data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The total, rising for the ninth straight year and more than doubling the level of a decade ago, represented a full 1 percent of humanity being uprooted and displaced.

The increasing numbers were all the more devastating because COVID-19 restrictions last year had been expected to limit displacement.

"Based on this trajectory, the question is no longer if forced displacement will exceed 100 million people  but rather when," said the report.

During 2020, an estimated 11.2 million people became newly displaced  exceeding the 2019 total of 11 million  most of which came from a handful of war-torn countries and regions.

They include Syria, which after more than a decade of war counts 13.5 million people uprooted either inside or outside the country  more than half of its population and a sixth of the global displacement total.

In fact, nearly 70 percent of those displaced abroad originate from just five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar.

The UN is also preparing for a likely further displacement of civilians in Afghanistan after U.S. and international troops leave the country in September, said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi.

Children are particularly affected during displacement crises, the report pointed out.

Girls and boys under the age of 18 account for nearly half of all forcibly displaced people.

Almost 1 million children were born as refugees between 2018 and 2020. Many of them may remain refugees for years to come.

COVID-19's impact

The pandemic also hit the forcibly displaced hard, who faced increased food and economic insecurity as well as challenges to access health and protection services, according to UNHCR.

A survey published on Thursday revealed the pandemic has had a devastating toll on the living conditions of refugees in Uganda, which hosts the largest refugee population in Africa.

Employment rates dropped sharply compared with pre-pandemic levels, and half of the refugees participating in the survey were projected to live under the poverty line.

The share of refugee households that have run out of food was about 65 percent. Refugees were forced to reduce the amount and frequency of meals eaten in a day.

On a global level, "the magnitude and severity of food crises worsened in 2020 as protracted conflicts, extreme weather and the economic fallout of COVID-19 exacerbated pre-existing situations," the report said. The UN body also said the forecasts for 2021 are "equally worrying."

Meanwhile, the World Bank expects the total COVID-19-induced new poor in 2020 to rise to an unprecedented level of between 119 and 124 million.

The UN refugee agency urged world leaders to step up their efforts to reverse the trend of soaring displacement.

Last month, China vowed to 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.

China had already provided $2 billion before the announcement. In addition, the country has provided free COVID-19 vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exported vaccines to 43 countries. It has delivered over 350 million doses  more than any other country in the world.

The world's biggest manufacturer has also sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits.

(With input from AFP and Reuters)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chairs the UN Security Council open debate on Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa" via video link on May 19, 2021. (Photo from the website of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

China held the UN Security Council's rotating presidency last month. With a responsible and constructive attitude, China worked closely with the members of the UN Security Council, held in-depth discussion of the issues on the agenda, took swift responses to the tensions in the Middle East in order to practice true multilateralism with real actions and push the Security Council to give play to the important role of maintaining international peace and security.

The council had held 31 meetings during the month, one for each day on average, three of which were at the high level of foreign ministers. The council also adopted the annual Security Council report and four resolutions, as well as two presidential statements, six presidential press statements, and two press elements.

Safeguarding and practicing true multilateralism have been the "keynote" of China's presidency of the Security Council, which is a concrete manifestation of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, said China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun.

Uniting countries to tide over difficulties with concrete actions

With the joint efforts of all member states, the Security Council reiterated its strong commitment to multilateralism, reaffirmed the correct direction of upholding true multilateralism; sent out a unified message on supporting international solidarity and cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular on advancing post-pandemic recovery and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa.

Under the initiative of China, the UN Security Council held a high-level meeting on Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Upholding Multilateralism and the UN-centered International System on May 7. It was attended by foreign ministers or vice foreign ministers from 15 member states, which mirrored the high importance placed by the member states on safeguarding multilateralism.

Pursue win-win cooperation, not zero-sum game. Seek equity and justice, not bullying. Focus on actions, instead of only talking the talk. Respect diversity, and refrain from pursuing supremacy. The four proposals raised by China at the meeting to promote true multilateralism have won broad recognition.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remarked that maintaining multilateralism and the UN-centered international system is as topical as ever and demands the UN Security Councils constant attention. Mexicos Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said multilateralism is not only an option, but a need.

Combating the COVID-19 pandemic still remains the most important task of the international society today. Under the initiative of China, the Security Council held an Open Debate on Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa. It adopted an outcome document on post-pandemic reconstruction that both addressed the urgent demand of pandemic alleviation and aimed to enhance the sustainability of development for the continent.

In a speech delivered at the Open Debate, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat called on certain countries to end vaccine protectionism and vaccine nationalism to fill the divide in pandemic control. Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said human beings must maintain solidarity when facing the virus. Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN Taye Atske Selassie Amde praised the unique role played by China in helping Africa cope with complicated challenges. Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan researcher of international relations, noted that China is helping Africa with concrete actions to make the continent better cope with political, economic and social governance challenges.

Advocating to solve regional conflicts and disputes with political resolutions

Facing new challenges such as stoked up regional hotspot issues, in particular the continuous escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict, China and other Security Council members, including Norway and Tunisia coordinated closely and convened four open debates in ten days to deliberate over the situation, forming a strong voice calling for immediate ceasefire.

The open debates chaired by China, which stressed to immediately cease fire, carry out humanitarian aid, enhance international support and advance the two-state solution, triggered active response from the international community. After the two sides stopped military and hostile actions, under the promotion of China and joint efforts of all parties, the Security Council issued press statement that called for the full adherence to the ceasefire, which was the first Security Council press statement about the Palestine-Israel conflict since 2014.

Chinas stand and proposals to solve the Palestine-Israel conflict with political resolutions are praised by parties concerned. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the open debates initiated by China came just in time as the tension between Palestine and Israel reached a peak in recent years. Nicolas de Riviere, Permanent Representative of France called to firmly follow the two-state solution and fundamentally realize peaceful coexistence between the two parties, or there would only be more pain and violence. A Representative from the League of Arab States pointed out that the two-state solution will help realize comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

On May, the Security Council also discussed issues on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria and Yemen, and also adopted a resolution to renew the South Sudan sanctions regime, so as to consolidate the trend to solve relevant problems with political means. Recently, the Security Council took timely actions in response to the coup in Mali and issued a press statement to alleviate the tension. China has made a lot of contribution to pushing the Security Council to cope with hotspot issues and emergencies, which showcases a strong leadership, said Selassie.

Making the work of the UN Security Council more effective and practical

In recent years, the world has been facing more diverse security threats. Under Chinas initiative, the Security Council held an Open Debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations: Improving safety and security of peacekeepers, and an Arria-formula Meeting on The Impact of Emerging Technologies on International Peace and Security in May, so as to better protect the safety of peacekeepers, regulate the development and application of emerging technologies, and safeguard international peace and security.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General of the UN for Peacekeeping Operations noted that China has made significant contributions to UN peacekeeping missions. He said China is an important troop contributor and financial contributor of UN peacekeeping operations, and also a staunch supporter and important participant in UN peacekeeping operations. China chaired an open debate and pushed for the adoption of a presidential statement, which proved the countrys consistent and firm support for UN peacekeeping operations, he said, adding that he also appreciates the professionalism and selflessness of the Chinese peacekeepers.

Pascale Baeriswyl, the Swiss Permanent Representative to the UN remarked that emerging technologies are a double-edged sword, saying China has showcased its foresight by promoting the Security Council to focus on the impact of emerging technologies on international peace and security.

When China held the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the country advanced UN Secretary-General election-related matters, and arranged for informal dialogues between Security Council members and Secretary-General candidates. China took active measures to improve the Councils working methods to enhance efficiency, transparency and inclusiveness while eliciting views from various sides and attaching importance to the legitimate concerns of the member states concerned. China also took steps to reinstate face-to-face meetings at the Council on the precondition of respecting science and ensuring safety.

Norways UN ambassador Mona Juul said Chinas exploration and practice during the special period has brought a new atmosphere to the Security Council, adding that the country has successfully held the rotating presidency with a more progressive attitude.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Chinas lawful seat in the UN. Participating in UN affairs, the country has always adhered to true multilateralism, and never put itself first, followed double standard, or practiced hegemonism despite the changing international landscape.

China will, as it has always done, firmly safeguard and practice true multilateralism, protect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, support the UN to play a bigger role in coping with global challenges, and support the Security Council to practically fulfill its responsibilities, in a bid to make more contributions to safeguarding international peace and security.
By Zhang Zhouxiang

A see-off ceremony for three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou XII manned space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, June 17, 2021. [Photo by Su Dong/for chinadaily.com.cn]

In their tweets to congratulate China on the launch of three 'taikonauts' on their Shenzhou XII mission to the Tianhe core space station module, both the European Space Agency and Roscosmos used the word "taikonauts".

Comprising the Greek word "naut", which means sailor, and "taiko", which comes from taikong, the Chinese word for space, the word specifically refers to Chinese astronauts.

Yet "taikonaut" is more than just a word. Its history mirrors that of China's space journey. The word was coined in 1998 by Chiew Lee Yih, a Chinese Malaysian, who used it first in newsgroups. However, back then few people picked up on it, as China was still relatively weak at that time and had not yet conducted any manned space missions.

It was not until 2003, when China sent Yang Liwei, the first taikonaut into space on board Shenzhou V, that the word became widely known. In his speech at Peking University on Friday, Yang told stories about that and shared how much is required of the taikonauts to prepare them for their missions.

China has 34 trained taikonauts, each of whom has passed tests that are unimaginable to common people. According to reports, they are all selected from top pilots, engineers and scientists, and must pass rotational chair tests, psychological tests, survival tests and other tests in order to become a qualified taikonaut.

And behind these taikonauts are hundreds of thousands of other workers that do their jobs to get the taikonauts into space and ensure their safe return. Those who have designed and manufactured the family of Long March rockets, those who have designed and constructed the Shenzhou spaceships, those who have designed and made the navigation parts and the life-support systems, the list is almost endless.

It is the efforts of everyone involved that has transformed "taikonaut" from just a word into an actuality, and all of them should share the honor of the taikonauts' missions. The connotations of the word will further expand and we hope more taikonauts will emerge as a result.
Sung Kim (R) stands after U.S. President Joe Biden announced Kim will serve as a special U.S. envoy for DPRK in Washington, May 21, 2021. /Reuters

The newly appointed U.S. special representative for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) policy, Sung Kim, arrived in Seoul on Saturday for talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. Officials are meeting to initiate a coordinated strategy to resume nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang.

It's the U.S. envoy's first visit to Seoul for five days until Wednesday since he took office on May 21.

On Monday, he will have talks with Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and join a trilateral meeting involving Takehiro Funakoshi, the director-general for Asian and Oceanian affairs of the Japanese foreign ministry, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, Kim said that he is looking forward to "productive meetings" with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Yonhap reported.

During his stay in Seoul, Kim also plans to meet with other senior South Korean officials and members of academia and civil society to discuss the outcome of Washington's recently completed review of policy on the DPRK, the U.S. State Department has said.

In April, Washington completed its months long policy review and said that it would pursue a "calibrated, practical" approach toward the goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

His visit also came after Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the DPRK, vowed on Friday to break through all difficulties facing the country at the end of a plenary session of the ruling party.

At the four-day plenary session, Kim expounded on how to cope with economic challenges, including food shortages and anti-pandemic efforts, as well as new policies toward the U.S. administration, which is set for both dialogue and confrontation.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

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BOISE  More than a year after the first COVID-19 outbreak in an Idaho meatpacking plant, the Idaho Statesman is concluding its tracking of coronavirus outbreaks in Idaho agribusinesses.

Since May 2020, the Idaho Statesman has identified approximately 1,500 coronavirus cases and at least four deaths linked to outbreaks in more than 40 agribusinesses across Idaho. Given that Idaho has recorded more than 190,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and how easily the coronavirus was transmitted in food processing and meatpacking plants across the U.S., this is likely an undercount.

Data about facility and business outbreaks included in the Statesmans online database and map reflect the cumulative positive and probable cases at each facility since March, as provided and verified by each facilitys regional health district. Sometimes, the case numbers provided by the company were higher than those provided by the health district, because workers at the facility live in a different district. In that case, the map used the companys count. At some locations, all employees have recovered, while others may still have had sick employees, or active cases at the time of the last data provided to the Statesman in May 2021.

Several factors contribute to undercount in COVID-19 cases

Idahos health districts and state health department did not proactively release information about outbreaks or clusters of coronavirus cases among employees of food processing facilities, meatpacking plants or farms. Instead, the Idaho Statesman collected this information via regular public record requests made to Idaho health districts. Inquiries about specific facilities were often prompted by anonymous tips in English and Spanish. Outbreaks at these facilities contributed to the viruss spread through immigrant and Latino communities in Idaho, which struggled with language barriers. Idahos demographic data show Latinos are more likely to contract COVID-19 than the rest of the states residents.

Given these challenges, Melissa Perry, a professor and chairwoman of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University who studies the meat processing industry, said data coming out of struggling facilities and health districts would invariably be underreported.

I would say that the pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the countrys ability to track an airborne infectious disease such as COVID-19, and that when it came to meatpacking facilities, they did not have the capability  nor did rural health departments have the capability  to accurately track every case, Perry said. We were sorely under-resourced and entirely ill-prepared to conduct the kind of thorough surveillance activities that would be necessary to capture each case, and also to do it in a timely way that could lead to timely prevention.

Brianna Bodily, the spokesperson for the South Central Public Health District based in Twin Falls, raised another concern. She said many people contacted by health district staff throughout the pandemic were reluctant to share employment information of any kind, whether because of a lack of trust or because they feared being forced to remain home and lose pay.

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When youre looking at some of these industries, many of those employees really rely on that income and having to go without work can be very devastating to the families, Bodily said. So, looking at a future where theyre not able to work  especially if their employers are unable to offer some sort of sick time or leave  it can be extremely concerning for them.

Not all of Idahos health districts tracked agribusiness outbreaks in the same way, and many of those efforts were hampered or stalled during spikes in case counts that made it difficult for contact tracers and investigators to keep up.

The South Central health district, which considered an outbreak to be five cases connected by epidemiological evidence within a two-week time frame, was among several Idaho agencies that struggled to keep up with an unrelenting coronavirus surge during the fall of 2020. District contact tracers were unable to immediately contact thousands of cases in the region during November. Although they were eventually able to catch up after cases slowed again, Bodily said a few cases might have flown under the radar.

What about future COVID-19 outbreaks?

Although coronavirus case counts continue to drop in Idaho, just under 50% of Idaho adults are vaccinated. That employees at food and meat processing plants often work in close quarters and in conditions that make it easier for the coronavirus to spread rapidly means there may be more outbreaks at Idaho agribusinesses in the future. Many employers in Idahos agriculture sector rushed to get large numbers of employees vaccinated as soon as vaccines were available in their area, and Bodily said the health district is still working with many to prevent further outbreaks, like keeping safety precautions and mask rules in place.

We might still have an outbreak, definitely, Bodily said. We dont rule that out. You know, we plan for the worst and hope for the best. What were trying to do is make sure that we keep enough epidemiologists on staff so we can respond to any kind of surge, and we still have all of our informational materials to provide to our facilities. But we do have a slight limitation in that. Because disease spreads through a community because of the actions of a community, it requires the actions of a community to stop that disease.

Perry said greater transparency from historically tight-lipped companies like those in the meatpacking industry will be necessary to prevent further outbreaks, as well as significant industry investment in making the COVID-19 vaccine attractive and available to their employees.

I think continued vigilance of infectious disease control is a value that I think meatpacking companies really need to take seriously, Perry said.
A new state audit has found counties across Indiana last year improperly spent nearly $100,000 in 911 fees that are collected from each Hoosier landline and mobile telephone subscriber at the rate of $1 per month.

State law strictly limits how 911 fees can be used. The money only can be spent on equipment, technology, personnel, maintenance, and supplies that specifically relate to the work of 911 response facilities, also known as public safety answering points (PSAPs).

According to the State Board of Accounts, 19 county PSAPs had ineligible expenditures totaling $94,379.90 between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020.

A comparison to prior state audits shows that's the highest amount of ineligible PSAP expenses since 2016.

Ineligible expenses in 2019 were $40,303.81, totaled $50,151.25 in 2018, and were just $14,321.99 in 2017.

Notably, none of the ineligible expenses appear to relate to the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted public and private workplaces across the United States and around the world last year.

The money instead went to more pedestrian non-permitted expenses, including $159.78 for a ladder, $63.80 for a signature stamp, $62.97 for American flags, $27.84 for business cards, $21.99 for weed killer, $11.99 for candy, and $5.46 for salt and pepper, the audit found.

In Northwest Indiana, only LaPorte County caught the attention of state auditors for spending $4,613 on ineligible computer maintenance expenses and $800 on unauthorized telephone costs.

According to the audit, LaPorte County has repaid the $5,413 to its 911 fund. Records show the reimbursement documentation was received May 25 by the State Board of Accounts.

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The audit found Grant County  located along Interstate 69 between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne  tallied the highest amount of ineligible expenses after spending $74,819.57 on building renovations and equipment.

Grant County now has until Sept. 1 to return the money to its 911 fund and submit documentation to that effect, according to the audit.

WATCH NOW: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops  Patrolling Lowell with Cpl. Aaron Crawford

Separately, the State Board of Accounts report on 911 fee revenue shows how much money was paid by Hoosiers through the $1 monthly 911 fee in each Indiana county during 2020.

It found Lake County collected $3,947,132.60 in 911 revenue, Porter County took in $2,162,076.28, and LaPorte County $1,864,443.43.

Altogether, Indiana counties and cities collected $81,062,165.24 in 911 fee revenue last year, a 7.1% increase compared to 2019, while total state spending on 911 services was $73,795,639.21 in 2020, a 16.8% year-over-year increase, according to the audit.

2020 State Board of Accounts report on 911 fees

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into LaPorte County Jail
Press Release

June 20, 2021 De Lima lauds reintroduction of PH Human Rights Bill in US Congress Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima applauded the reintroduction of the Philippine Human Rights Act to the US Congress which happened just few hours short of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) announcement of opening a full investigation into the killings under Duterte's drug war. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, thanked Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District Representative Susan Wild for filing H.R. 3884, which seeks to promote human rights in the Philippines by suspending the provision of security assistance to the country until the government has made human rights-related reforms to the military and police forces. "The US lawmakers' steadfast resolve to ensure that the laws of the land and the internationally accepted principles and standards on human rights are respected, protected and promoted in the Philippines is truly remarkable," she said. "I thank US Rep. Wild and the 13 other US lawmakers who co-sponsored H.R. 3884 for pushing this bill, which, along with the recent development on the ICC's drug war investigation, prove that the world never stopped watching and that Duterte should stop promoting violence and killings," she added. Last June 14, Wild filed H.R. 3884 which states that no federal funds are to be appropriated to provide assistance to the police or military of the Philippines, including assistance in the form of equipment or training, until all the human rights conditions are met. The 13 lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill include Reps. Alan Lowenthal, Janice Schakowsky, Henry Johnson Jr., Bobby Rush, Marc Pocan, Omar Ilhan, Dina Titus, Earl Blumenauer, Katie Porter, Grace Meng, Jimmy Gomez, Betty McCollum, and James McGovern. In an online event organized by Malaya Movement, Kabataan Alliance and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines last June 15, Wild said that the reintroduction of the bill is a sign of standing up for human rights. "By blocking assistance to Philippine security forces until such time that human rights standards are met, this bill makes a common sense proposition. Standing up for human rights requires more than rhetoric, it requires action," the US lawmaker said. Amid the human rights situation in the Philippines, De Lima said the passage of such bill in the US could play a crucial role in the fight for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the country. "This bill shows this government that there are great consequences to its blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law and that Duterte should finally rethink his approach to his murderous and fake drug war," said De Lima. Wild first filed the bill in 2020 and it is now with the US House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services.
Press Release

June 20, 2021 Lacson: Fast-Track Standard Quarantine Protocols to Benefit OFWs, Economy

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/06/20/lacson-fast-track-standard-quarantine-protocols-to-benefit-ofws-economy/ Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed for the fast-tracking of standard quarantine protocols for vaccinated Filipinos, to benefit not just returning overseas Filipino workers but also our economy. As he threw his full support behind the National Task Force Against COVID-19's move to draw up standard quarantine protocols for Filipinos vaccinated here and abroad, Lacson said economic recovery cannot afford to wait. "Please make it sooner, not later. Mind the economy for a change," he said in a post on his Twitter account. He was referring to reports quoting vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. as saying the national task force is working on the standard protocols where once an OFW is validated to have been vaccinated, he/she will have the same quarantine control with those vaccinated here in the Philippines; and that they will follow the same quarantine procedure. Lacson earlier batted for a vaccine passport system that will make traveling to the Philippines easier for vaccinated people, especially for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and foreign investors. He urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to fine-tune the protocols that will address these problems and make sure the protocols are in sync with those of other countries. He also threw his support behind the Department of Health's reported recommendation to scrap the COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound Filipinos who were fully vaccinated abroad, though this is still under study. "Way to go! This is one sensible adjustment that our 'kababayans' abroad who miss their families here have been wanting to hear from DOH," he said. On the other hand, Lacson pushed for fiscal discipline for economic recovery, which may entail a "barebones" national budget for at least the next three years, amid reports that Fitch Solutions sees the peso may weaken over the longer haul. "This is where a 'barebones' national budget in the next three years, at least - makes a good study. Agencies habitually scramble to realign/spend their appropriations at the start of the 4th quarter, wasting people's money," Lacson said. "We can't go on borrowing while wasting money on corruption and incompetence. 'Barebones' implies not sacrificing essentials including budget for economic recovery. It also includes fiscal discipline," he added.
Press Release

June 20, 2021 Obligate P173B for Bayanihan 2 before June 30 to ramp up Covid vaccination: Pangilinan THE government needs to obligate the 173 billion pesos for Bayanihan 2 before the end of the law's effectivity on June 30 to ramp up Covid vaccination and eventually recover from the lockdown-caused economic slump, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Sunday. Noting the spikes in Covid cases in the provinces, the senator also said government needs a lot of catching up to do to achieve its promised herd immunity of 70 million Filipinos inoculated by the end of the year. "Kami ay may agam-agam dahil right now 100,000 jabs a day pa lang tayo at ang projection ay dapat end of the year maka-70 million jabs tayo, at kung iko-compute natin 'yan, dapat 700,000 a day ang ating vaccine jabs. Kulang na kulang ito," Pangilinan said in a radio interview. "Kapag nabawasan na ang pagkalat ng virus, saka lang maaaring manumbalik ang normalcy, kaya nakasalalay ang malaking bagay sa vaccine roll-out," he said. Pangilinan said that while the Department of Health is seeking for an additional 66 billion pesos for Covid response, about 173 billion pesos from Bayanihan 2 law have not been obligated or released yet with the expiration of the law on June 30 just 10 days away. From the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing, Pangilinan said the 173 billion pesos will be sourced from the unspent funds of several government agencies and tax collections. Citing figures from the Department of Finance, he said at least 173 billion pesos or over a fourth of Covid-19 funds remain unspent. "Government agencies need to shape up because with this big amount, they can do a lot to ease the difficulties of the Filipinos impacted by the pandemic. It's a sin to have this much money and be sluggish in acting," he said. Pangilinan earlier led the call to convene the Senate Committee of the Whole which conducted two hearings on the government's vaccination program. He said efforts of the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force remain wanting in giving the jabs to Filipinos, which are seen as key to fully opening up the economy, making people go back to their jobs and giving opportunities to the jobless. The senator cited the case of Italy, one of the countries which imposed strict lockdown, which vaccinated around 13.7 million of its citizens. He said this resulted in an 80-percent drop in the spread of infection, 85-percent drop in the rate of hospitalization, and 95-percent drop in deaths. "Ang laking bagay nito sa ating kamag-anakan at mahal sa buhay. Bakuna ang solusyon kaya 'wag matakot dito," Pangilinan said.
Press Release

June 20, 2021 Villar pushes for more protected areas under NIPAS Senator Cynthia A. Villar has filed five separate bills to include additional protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) to ensure their management, protection and funding. Villar, chairperson of the Senate environment and natural resources commitee, said the NIPAS Act declared it is the policy of the State "to secure for the Filipino people of present and future generations the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals through the establishment of comprehensive system of integrated protected areas." The system, Villar said, shall encompass ecologically rich, unique and biologically important areas that are habitats of threatened species of plants and animals, biographic zones and related ecosystem, whether terrestial, wetland or marine. The 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rythm and harmony of nature. In line witn safeguarding a healthful ecology, the Constitution likewise provides that Congress shall determine the national parks, which shall be conserved and may not be increased nor diminished except by law. At pressent, Villar related there are 107 protected areas in the country that have been so declared through legislation. However, based on the records and suitability assessments by the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau, she pointed out there are still numerous sites in the country which necessitate 'protected area' status. The bills filed by Villar for additional protected areas are the following: -SB No. 2276 declaring a parcel of land in Naga and Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay a protected landscape to be called Naga-Kabasalan Protected Landscape. The initial assessment by DENR Region IX and Zamboanga Sibugay LGU in 2006 showed that its biological, physical and cultural resources are at risk and may face severe damage if current economic destructive activities will be unabated. -SB No. 2277 declaring 2 parcels of land within Sicogon Island, Carles, Iloilo, a wildlife sanctuary to be called Sicogon Island Wildlife Sanctuary. Its interesting biodiversity calls a need to declare the 282.867 hectares remaining forest land of the island a protected area. -SB No. 2278 declaring a parcel of lot in Balbalan, Kalinga, a protected landscape to be called Banao Protected Landscape. Dubbed as the "green heart" of the Cordillera, the park, known as the Balbasang-Babalan National Park, it is a rich biodiversity and landscape of the Cordillera mountain region with some of the most intact pine foress and rich endemic flora and fauna. -Senate Bill No. 2279 declaring a parcel of land in the municipalities of Gregorio del Pilar, Quirino, Sigay, Cervantes, and Suyo, Ilocos Sur a protecred landscape. The Tirad Pass Narional Park in Ilocos Sur is the only remaining mosh forest in the region, showcasing a rich terrestial ecosystem. -Senate Bill No. 2280 declaring a parcel of land in Kabayan, Bokod and Buguias, all in Benguet; Tinoci, Ifugao and Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya, a protected landscape. Mt. Pulag National Park is the highest peak in Luzon and second highest mountain in the Philippines. Its wildlife includes threatened mammals such as the Philippine Brown Deed, Northern Luzon Giant Coud Ratthe Luzon Pygmy Fruits bar. NIPAS was established by virtue of RA No. 7586, as amended by RA No. 11038, known as the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018.
Georgias High Council of Justice elects candidates despite calls for postponement

By Veronika Malinboym

The Georgian High Council of Justice has selected nine candidates to become judges for the countrys Supreme Court. The appointment has been made despite repeated calls of foreign diplomats and local NGOs to postpone the process until after the large-scale judicial reform is carried out in the country.The ambassadors of EU and USA, as well as members of the countries opposition and civil society representatives, have repeatedly called for the appointment to be postponed and for the body to adhere to the EU-brokered agreement signed on April 19.The new nine appointed candidates are Giorgi Gogiashvili, Gocha Abuseridze, Levan Tevzadze, Ketevan Meskhishvili, Giorgi Shavliashvili, Revaz Nadaraia, Bidzina Sturua, Eka Zarnadze and Lasha Kochiashvili, however, their candidacies must be approved by the Georgian Parliament in order for them to occupy their seats.Several Georgian NGOs have issues an open letter condemning the High Council of Justices violating the fundamental clauses of the April 19 agreement. Transparency International, Open Society Foundation, Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Georgian Democratic Initiative, Center for Social Justice, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy have expressed the following sentiment:Despite numerous calls, including from our international partners, they have not shown the will to improve the judiciary and make real reforms to the system, including changing the rules for electing non-judicial members and making decisions by the board to nominate the best and impartial candidates, the statement reads.The NGOs added that such bold steps could not have been taken by the so-called Klan and the High Council of Justice without the unconditional support of the government and commitments to the agreement reached through the mediation of Western partners.NGOs are calling on the High Council of Justice to end the violations of the EU-mediated agreement on the parliament to launch fundamental justice reform immediately.
The net new additions by retirement body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) grew 13.73 per cent on month to 12.37 lakh net subscribers in April, as per the provisional payroll data which gives an idea about the formal sector employment in the country.

The data released by the Labour Ministry provides a perspective on formal sector employment amid the coronavirus pandemic. During 2020-21, EPFO added 77.08 lakh new members as against 78.58 lakh in the year-ago period.

"Despite the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, April 2021 registered an increase of 13.73 per cent net subscribers addition as compared to the previous month during which around 11.22 lakh net subscribers were added to the payroll," the Labour Ministry said in a release.

The number of exits in April declined by 87,821, while rejoining increased by 92,864 subscribers as compared to March 2021.

According to EPFO payroll data released in May this year, net new enrolments in April 2020 were in the negative zone at (-) 2,84,576. This means that the number of members exiting the EPFO subscription were higher than those who joined or rejoined the scheme. This happened mainly due to the impact of nationwide lockdown imposed by the government from March 25, 2020, to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Of the 12.76 lakh net subscribers added during April 2021, around 6.89 lakh new members came into the social security coverage of EPFO for the first time, while around 5.86 lakh subscribers exited and then rejoined EPFO by changing their jobs within the establishments covered by EPFO and choosing to retain membership through transfer of funds rather than opting for final settlement.

Also read: M-cap of 4 of top-10 valued firms jump over Rs 68,000 cr; HUL, Infosys lead gainers

The 22-25 age group registered the highest number of net enrolments with around 3.27 lakh additions during the month, followed by 29-35 age group with around 2.72 lakh net enrolments.

Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had the highest net payroll addition, with the five states contributing 59.41 per cent of the total additions across all the age-groups by adding 7.58 lakh net subscribers during April.

"Industry-wise payroll data indicates that 'expert services' category (consisting of manpower agencies, private security agencies and small contractors etc.) constitutes 45 per cent of total subscribers addition during the month," the release said.

Besides, industries involved in making plastic products, beedi, schools, banks and establishments related to iron and steel sectors also registered above average growth in terms of net addition of subscribers during April 2021 as compared to the previous month of March 2021.

Since April, 2018 EPFO has been releasing payroll data covering the period September 2017 onwards. The data published comprises of members who have joined during the month and whose contribution has been received.

The EPFO manages social security funds of workers in the organised/semi-organised sector in India.

Also read: Govt open to taking additional measures to boost economy, says CEA Subramanian
Felicia Frazar is the managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail her at felicia.frazar@seguingazette.com .
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This Hubble Space Telescope snapshot reveals an unusual "see-through" galaxy. The giant cosmic cotton ball is so diffuse and its ancient stars so spread out that distant galaxies in the background can be seen through it. Called an ultra-diffuse galaxy, this galactic oddball is almost as wide as the Milky Way, but it contains only 1/200th the number of stars as our galaxy. The ghostly galaxy doesn't appear to have a noticeable central region, spiral arms, or a disk. Researchers calculated a more accurate distance to the galaxy, named NGC 1052-DF2, or DF2, by using Hubble to observe about 5,400 aging red giant stars. Red giant stars all reach the same peak brightness, so they are reliable yardsticks to measure distances to galaxies. The research team estimates that DF2 is 72 million light-years from Earth. They say the distance measurement solidifies their claim that DF2 lacks dark matter, the invisible glue that makes up the bulk of the universe's contents. The galaxy contains at most 1/400th the amount of dark matter that the astronomers had expected. The observations were taken between December 2020 and March 2021 with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. CREDIT Credits: SCIENCE: NASA, ESA, STScI, Zili Shen (Yale), Pieter van Dokkum (Yale), Shany Danieli (IAS) IMAGE PROCESSING: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

When astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope uncovered an oddball galaxy that looked like it didn't have much dark matter, some thought the finding was hard to believe and looked for a simpler explanation.

Dark matter, after all, is the invisible glue that makes up the bulk of the universe's matter. All galaxies appear to be dominated by it; in fact, galaxies are thought to form inside immense halos of dark matter.

So, finding a galaxy lacking the invisible stuff is an extraordinary claim that challenges conventional wisdom. It would have the potential to upset theories of galaxy formation and evolution.

To bolster their original finding, first reported in 2018 (Dark Matter Goes Missing in Oddball Galaxy), a team of scientists led by Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, followed up their initial study with a more robust Hubble look at the galaxy, named NGC 1052-DF2. Scientists refer to it simply as "DF2."

"We went out on a limb with our initial Hubble observations of this galaxy in 2018," van Dokkum said. "I think people were right to question it because it's such an unusual result. It would be nice if there were a simple explanation, like a wrong distance. But I think it's more fun and more interesting if it actually is a weird galaxy."

Determining the amount of the galaxy's dark matter hinges on accurate measurements of how far away it is from Earth.

If DF2 is as far from Earth as van Dokkum's team asserts, the galaxy's dark-matter content may only be a few percent. The team's conclusion is based on the motions of the stars within the galaxy; their velocities are influenced by the pull of gravity. The researchers found that the observed number of stars accounts for the galaxy's total mass, and there's not much room left for dark matter.

However, if DF2 were closer to Earth, as some astronomers claim, it would be intrinsically fainter and less massive. The galaxy, therefore, would need dark matter to account for the observed effects of the total mass.

A Better Yardstick Team member Zili Shen, from Yale University, says that the new Hubble observations help them confirm that DF2 is not only farther from Earth than some astronomers suggest, but also slightly more distant than the team's original estimates.

The new distance estimate is that DF2 is 72 million light-years as opposed to 42 million light-years, as reported by other independent teams. This places the galaxy farther than the original Hubble 2018 estimate of 65 light-years distance.

The research team based its new result on long exposures with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys, which provide a deeper view of the galaxy for finding a reliable yardstick to nail down the distance. They targeted aging red giant stars on the outskirts of the galaxy that all reach the same peak brightness in their evolution. Astronomers can use the stars' intrinsic brightness to calculate vast intergalactic distances. "Studying the brightest red giants is a well-established distance indicator for nearby galaxies," Shen explained.

The more accurate Hubble measurements solidify the researchers' initial conclusion of a galaxy deficient in dark matter, team members say. So the mystery of why DF2 is missing most of its dark matter still persists.

"For almost every galaxy we look at, we say that we can't see most of the mass because it's dark matter," van Dokkum explained. "What you see is only the tip of the iceberg with Hubble. But in this case, what you see is what you get. Hubble really shows the entire thing. That's it. It's not just the tip of the iceberg, it's the whole iceberg."

The team's science paper has appeared in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

A Stealthy Galaxy DF2 is a giant cosmic cotton ball that van Dokkum calls a "see-through galaxy," where the stars are spread out. The galactic oddball is almost as wide as the Milky Way, but it contains only 1/200th the number of stars as our galaxy.

The ghostly galaxy doesn't appear to have a noticeable central region, spiral arms, or a disk. The team estimates that DF2 contains at most 1/400th the amount of dark matter than astronomers had expected. How the galaxy formed remains a complete mystery based on the team's latest measurements.

DF2 isn't the only galaxy devoid of dark matter. Shany Danieli of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, used Hubble in 2020 to obtain an accurate distance to another ghostly galaxy, called NGC 1052-DF4 (or simply DF4), which apparently lacks dark matter, too.

The researchers think both DF2 and DF4 were members of a collection of galaxies. However, the new Hubble observations show that the two galaxies are 6.5 million light-years away from each other, farther apart than they first thought. It also appears that DF2 has drifted away from the grouping and is isolated in space.

Both galaxies were discovered with the Dragonfly Telephoto Array at the New Mexico Skies observatory.

"Both of them probably were in the same group and formed at the same time," Danieli said. "So maybe there was something special in the environment where they were formed."

The researchers are hunting for more of these oddball galaxies. Other teams of astronomers are searching, too. In 2020, a group of researchers uncovered 19 unusual dwarf galaxies they say are deficient in dark matter (Off the Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation: A Population of Baryon-dominated Ultra-diffuse Galaxies - IOPscience). However, it will take uncovering many more dark matter-less galaxies to resolve the mystery.

Nevertheless, van Dokkum thinks finding a galaxy lacking dark matter tells astronomers something about the invisible substance. "In our 2018 paper, we suggested that if you have a galaxy without dark matter, and other similar galaxies seem to have it, that means that dark matter is actually real and it exists," van Dokkum said. "It's not a mirage."

###

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.

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InMobi, the world's leading independent marketing cloud, has announced two new talented additions to its team, covering the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.



Damian Murphy joins as Senior Sales Manager, and heads Telco, Travel, BFSI and Real Estate verticals. He brings fourteen years experience of helping brands and agencies expand and improve their programmatic buying. His previous roles include Head of Sales  Media Agency & Developer, at Property Finder, and Head of Digital at Media International Advertising Company (MEIAC). Previous to that, he was also Director of Global Digital Marketing at DAMAC Properties.



Abdallah Asfour joins as Sales Lead for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prior to joining InMobi, Asfour was Business Manager for Teads, where he was responsible for growing revenue and adding several automotive, banking and government clients. Previously, he was Sales Business Development Manager at Fork Media, where he took the business from scratch in KSA to winning several major accounts.



Both join with immediate effect, reporting to InMobis Sales Director, META, Jessica Moini.



I am absolutely thrilled to have joined InMobi, one of the most respected mobile partners across both the region, and throughout the world, said Damian Murphy. As economies look to reopen, there is a real opportunity to build back better, especially in sectors like travel and hospitality. A key focus for us will be assisting in that - and ensuring wherever clients are spending delivers the right returns. Not to mention driving more measurable performance, with greater audience insights.



Abdallah Asfour said: I am proud to join InMobi to help grow the business in KSA. InMobi has long been one of the most dynamic, innovative advertising technology players across the region. And at this time, InMobi is especially well-placed to assist local brands and businesses, as they look to expand internationally.



Damian and Abdallah each bring superb reputations and experience to the team. And both have had many successes supporting brands digital buying activity over the years. They will no doubt play a key role for us, as we continue to expand across the region, including the key market of Saudi Arabia. Jessica Moini, Sales Director, META at InMobi said.



Last year, the teams success was recognized at the MMA Mena Smarties with 15 awards, including winning Best-in-Show and Tech Enabler of the Year. It is that level of success we aim to build upon in the coming months. - TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based telecom group Etisalat has joined forces with Ericsson to deploy 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) across its commercial network.



The 5G high-band commercial deployment will help achieve high performance 5G downlink data speeds of 4.2Gbps and latency of 8 milliseconds (ms).



Etisalat has built a 5G network infrastructure that can be enabled with superior performance, including ultra-high speeds and ultra-low latency to enable the digital transformation in the country and the wide implementation of use cases related to industry 4.0, automation and Internet of Things (IoT).



The UAE leadership is a driving force in accelerating the digital vision along with the telecom regulatory authority TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority) becoming one of the first to allocate mmWave spectrum to be used for 5G technology deployment across the country.



5G mmWave delivers high spectrum and capacity, making it ideal for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) to deliver fast, fiber-like internet speeds wirelessly over the last mile and for crowded hotspots such as stadiums, malls and large indoor events that require high peak rates. It also includes wide spectrum segments available for 5G along with lower latencies.



Haitham AbdulRazzak, Chief Technology Officer, Etisalat, said: Etisalat has always been at the forefront of the telecom industry, and we continuously work to provide our customers with the best possible digital experience. This deployment is in line with our overall vision to Drive the digital future to empower societies empowering our customer with the experience of ultrahigh quality 5G connectivity. Moving ahead we look forward to expanding this technology further on demand for all customer segments.



Saeed Alzarouni, Senior Vice President Mobile Network, Etisalat, added: We are proud to have introduced 5G mmWave as part of the UAEs digital infrastructure. Etisalat is always working towards providing the best and ensuring the latest technology is available to all our customers. The partnership with Ericsson is a key milestone in our 5G journey that will support the automation and massive bandwidth demands of futuristic technologies and advanced use cases.



Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit Etisalat at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said: We look forward to supporting Etisalat in harnessing the opportunities that new technologies like 5G can present for the people of the UAE. In combination with established solutions, such as Fixed Wireless Access, largely untapped mmWave frequencies can help meet the increased demands for high-quality connectivity while facilitating exciting use cases from advanced video streaming and online gaming with augmented and virtual reality experiences to industrial IoT and smart factories.



The 5G standardisation focuses on certain requirements to provide connectivity for superior services, such as enhanced mobile broadband to smartphones and other mobile devices for video streaming and real-time online gaming, as these have extreme requirements on availability, latency, and reliability.



In response, 5G radio frequency ranges were widened to meet the need for enhanced mobile broadband and performance. The 5G radio frequencies now include all those previously held by 4G, as well as more frequencies up to 6GHz (Sub-6) and the high-band (mmWave) spectrum beyond 24GHz.



The next wave of 5G expansion will allow businesses of all types to reap the benefits of enhanced mobility, flexibility, reliability and security, making emerging technologies outlined for the future development of the UAE such as autonomous driving, automated factories, robotic process automation, virtual and augmented reality possible.  TradeArabia News Service
China's southern province of Guangdong, the country's largest regional economy, plans to offer subsidies to offshore wind power projects, to boost lower-carbon investment and reduce emissions, Reuters reported, quoting an industry website.

The subsidies target projects that were approved before the end of 2018 and get fully connected to regional power grids between 2022 and 2024, industry portal bjx.com.cn reported, citing a Guangdong government document released on June 12 reviewed by Reuters.

Depending on the timeline of grid connection, the grants range between 500 yuan ($78.16) and 1,500 yuan ($234.47) per kilowatt capacity, with earlier starters entitled to higher subsidies.

These projects are outside those qualified for national-level subsidies, the report said, without giving specifics.

Developers will be able to sell electricity at prices on par with the provincial benchmark tariffs for thermal power generators, the report added.

Guangdong will stop giving subsidies for projects that start generating power from 2025.

The province, also China's largest consumer of oil and natural gas, aims to install 4 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by the end of 2021, expanding to 18 GW by the end of 2025. --Reuters
Emerson, a global technology and engineering company, is celebrating this year as the 100th anniversary of its Copeland brand, a name that has become synonymous with leadership in the design and manufacture of energy efficient, reliable compressors to power air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, that are enhancing and protecting environments where people live and work.

Its a milestone that Emerson will recognise over the next 12 months as the company continues to innovate advanced Copeland products to solve critical industry challenges.

The Copeland brand traces its history to inventor Edmund Copeland, who founded a company in Detroit, US, in 1921 to transform the refrigeration industry with his unique inventions.

When the business faced challenges during the Great Depression, its assets were sold and the operations were relocated to Ohio in 1937. There, four of the companys enterprising young engineers envisioned the future of possibilities and purchased the business and its compressor patent.

When Emerson acquired Copeland in 1986, it continued to honour the spirit of enterprise and inventiveness embodied by the brands early founder and champions.

Reinforcing its commitment to continue Copeland innovation and intense focus on solving critical customer problems, Emerson completed a multimillion-dollar expansion of its Copeland engineering facility in Ohio.

This investment created 110,000 sq ft of new engineering lab space for product research, development and testing of the next generation of compressors, electronics and other critical technologies for the global heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry.

"The Copeland brand has a proud legacy and even brighter future," stated Jamie Froedge, the executive president of Emersons Commercial & Residential Solutions business.

"Air conditioning and refrigeration technologies are increasingly crucial and necessary foundations of daily life around the world. Through our Copeland brand and our inventive approach, Emerson is using our stewardship position and deep history in this space to drive innovation for a more sustainable world," he added.

According to him, much of the work in the Ohio labs focuses on innovative compressor technologies that enable more environmentally-responsible refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP) to meet and exceed efficiency standards and regulations while empowering success in customer designs.

"This investment is the latest addition to its global network of R&D and customer solutions centres, including in China, US and Germany, which fuel innovation and digital transformation across multiple industries and applications," stated Froedge.

"Emerson made significant investments in the development of a new scroll compressor product Copeland was working on at the time of the acquisition and, in 1987, introduced the first scroll compressor sold under the Copeland brand," he noted.

"The success of the product helped revolutionize the air conditioning and refrigeration industries worldwide with highly efficient, reliable performance, leading to the introduction of a family of Copeland scroll compressors for applications ranging from residential and light commercial air conditioning to refrigeration systems for the food and healthcare industries and marine containers," he added.

Froedge said Emerson remained committed to the continuous innovation of the Copeland portfolio of products and related technologies, driving sustainable solutions that improve efficiency, reduce emissions and conserve resources.

In addition to Copeland scroll compressors, Emerson designs, manufactures and markets a full range of Copeland semi-hermetic and hermetic reciprocating compressors, as well as condensing units, for commercial refrigeration applications.

Many Copeland products are also equipped with smart features to provide advanced monitoring and protection, diagnostics, power consumption measurements and communications capabilities, he stated.

From research and development, design and engineering, to advanced testing and manufacturing at innovation centers and plant locations across the globe, the Copeland brand is positioned to continue its path of inventiveness, meeting the unique needs of each regional market, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Boeing has completed a successful first of 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, with the airplane taking off from Renton in the US state of landing landed at Boeing Field in Seattle in two hours and twenty minutes.



"The airplane performed beautifully," said 737 Chief Pilot Capt. Jennifer Henderson. "The profile we flew allowed us to test the airplane's systems, flight controls and handling qualities, all of which checked out exactly as we expected."



The flight was the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10. Boeing will work closely with regulators to certify the airplane prior to its scheduled entry into service in 2023.



"The 737-10 is an important part of our customers' fleet plans, giving them more capacity, greater fuel efficiency and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane," said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Our team is committed to delivering an airplane with the highest quality and reliability."



The 737-10 can carry up to 230 passengers. It also incorporates environmental improvements, cutting carbon emissions by 14 percent and reducing noise by 50 percent compared to today's Next-Generation 737s.  TradeArabia News Service
From an original article by the Naval History and Heritage Command

The U.S. Navys offensive in the Central Pacific gathered tremendous strength in early 1944 and moved to within striking distance of Japan. With the threat of an American push into the Marianas Islands by June, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) hoped to protect their home islands. Realizing the powerful American fast carrier task forces had to be stopped no matter the cost, Japanese commanders again pinned their hopes on a plan for a decisive battle. The island of Saipan, only 1,200 nautical miles south of Tokyo, would give American forces a prime location from which to stage air strikes. Thirteen miles long and less than half that distance at its widest point, Saipan was home to three Japanese airfields, with room for more. American commanders intended to destroy the IJN, take Saipan, and allow the new B-29 bombers to pummel Japan into submission. The U.S. Navy would accomplish this, and more, as Japans carrier force and air power was forever eliminated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.1

The American move into the Marianas convinced Japans naval commanders the time for the decisive battle had come. Previous naval battles at Coral Sea (48 May 1942), Midway (47 June 1942), Eastern Solomons (2425 August 1942), and Santa Cruz (2527 October 1942) proved to both sides that aircraft carriers had become the dominant warship in the Pacific Theater. Admiral Soemu Toyoda, commander in chief of the Combined Fleet, ordered Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa to implement Operation A-Go and accomplish what Japan had failed to do two years earlier at Midway.

While Admiral Ozawa mustered 440 aircraft in nine flattops, his opponent Admiral Raymond Spruance commanded 905 fighters, torpedo, and dive bombers from 15 carriers (including six of the new 27,000-ton Essex-class) under Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher, commander of Task Force 58 (TF 58). Mitschers fast carriers included nearly 100,000 Sailors and fliers against Ozawas force of 30,000. Unable to replace the many veteran pilots lost to attrition from Coral Sea and Midway through Guadalcanal and the Solomons campaign, the Japanese realized the coming fight could be their last. The U.S. Navy, retaining a coherent system for replacing aviators, rotated experienced pilots from the theater and back to the United States to train new pilots and aircrew.2

Vice Admiral Ozawa established the First Mobile Fleet on 1 March 1944. Nicknamed Gargoyle, as he was known for being the third-ugliest admiral in the IJN, Ozawa advocated concentrating Japans carriers into a single, unified striking forcethe first of its kind anywhere in the world. Organizing the Mobile Fleet into three units, he personally led A Forcebuilt around Carrier Division 1led by his flagship Taiho. The commander of Force B, with Carrier Division 2, was Rear Admiral Takaji Joshima. A veteran of the fierce battles around Guadalcanal, Joshima led the 26,900-ton sister ships Junyo and Hiyo with light carrier Ryuho. The vanguard, C Force, was led by Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita. Rear Admiral Sueo Obayashi led Carrier Division 3 in the light carrier Zuiho. Additionally, his command included the 15,000-ton small carriers Chitose and Chiyoda, as well as battleship Hyuga.

By 18 June 1944, U.S. operations in the Marianas were well underway. Some 50,000 American Marines and Soldiers were ashore on Saipan. Having achieved local control of the air in the Marianas area, repeated attacks on Japanese airfields were made to maintain air superiority. Although impossible to destroy all enemy defenses on or near the airfields, other Japanese air bases to the north and south were attacked by carrier and land-based aircraft, which limited their ability to attack American forces. Admiral Mitschers fast carrier task forces maintained a covering position to the westward of the Southern Marianas, sending up daily air searches as well as combat air patrols (CAP). U.S. submarines were forward-deployed in order to obtain early information of Japanese fleet movements.

Admiral Ozawa steamed from Tawi Tawi on 13 June, shadowed by American submarines over the next several days. Reports of Japanese ship movements were sent to Admiral Spruance regularly, making him aware that two major enemy fleets were headed in his direction. Recalling the complexity of past Japanese plans for battle, Spruance wondered if one of the fleets was simply a tempting decoy meant to lure him from the main force. Causing further confusion, the submarine Cavalla (SS-244) reported on 17 June that Ozawas fleet had grown to include 15 ships . Spruance, unaware the two enemy fleets had already merged together, ordered the older battleships to remain and provide fire support while Lees fast battleships and Mitschers carriers steamed 180 miles west of Saipan to do battle.

The Battle of the Philippine Sea opened on 19 June, and rapidly progressed in favor of the Allies. Although both sides sent aircraft to locate opposing fleets, the Japanese found the Americans and struck first. Admiral Ozawa sent 43 aircraft out on a scouting mission, with one pilot spotting and reporting the location of Mitschers task force, 160 miles west of Saipan. Ozawa did not launch his planes all at once, but piecemeal, spacing groups out each hour. Believing his land-based aircraft would make up any disparity in numbers, Ozawa was unaware that the raids on 19 June against Japanese air bases on Guam, Saipan, and Tinian left him with far fewer planes than he actually possessed. The result for the Americans was a two-to-one advantage in airpower.

Throughout the day, Ozawas fighters and bombers came on in four successive waves to attack TF 58, but were devastated by the more experienced American fighters flying protection for the carriers. Flying off Lexington (CV-16), F6F Hellcat fighter pilot and highest-scoring Navy ace (at that time), Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Alexander Vraciu, dove into an enemy formation and shot down six Yokosuka D4Y Judy dive bombers in eight minutes (using only 360 rounds of ammunition). After landing back on Lady Lex, Vraciu spotted Admiral Mitscher looking down at him. Vraciu held up six fingers to symbolize his score against the enemy, the admiral smiled back, and a photographer captured the hugely grinning pilot re-staging the moment for posterity. A shipmate of Vracius soon gave the highly one-sided battle its nickname, The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, after wistfully exclaiming, It was just like an old-time turkey shoot.3



Despite being picked off by better-trained F6F Hellcats from the CAP, a few Judy dive bombers broke through to strike battleship South Dakota (BB-57). A second bomber scored a near-miss on cruiser Minneapolis (CA-36), and a third blew apart after smashing into Indiana (BB-58), striking her at the waterline. Although the damage to South Dakota was not extensive, 27 crewmembers were killed and 23 injured. Bunker Hill (CV-17) and Wasp (CV-18) were also attacked by Japanese dive bombers, resulting in near-misses from 500-pound bombs and the deaths of two officers and an enlisted man by shrapnel on board Bunker Hill. A further 85 men were wounded from bomb fragments on Wasp. In all, three of the four attacking enemy aircraft were shot down by antiaircraft fire.

While U.S. scout planes seemed unable to find Admiral Ozawas Combined Fleet, the American submarines following him finally sprang into action. At 0816, submarine Albacore (SS-218) targeted Ozawas own carrier group, firing a spread of six torpedoes. While four missed, a Japanese pilot deliberately flew his plane into one of the remaining two, causing a significant explosion. The sixth torpedo struck Ozawas flagship Taiho in her starboard side, initially causing little harm. Inexperienced damage control measures led to gasoline fumes spreading around the carrier, setting off a number of catastrophic explosions. Taiho suffered several secondary explosions before sinking, taking 1,650 men with her to the bottom. Admiral Ozawa survived, eventually transferring to the carrier Zuikaku, where he quickly planned to continue raids on Guam and Rota, despite having only 160 aircraft left at his disposal.

Carrier Shokaku, veteran of the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor and participant in the Battle of the Coral Sea, was struck by three torpedoes from Cavalla. In the process of refueling and re-arming aircraft, the torpedo hits ignited fires that proved difficult to control. Struck by a bomb from American aircraft, aviation fuel vapors not contained by proper damage control procedures triggered a massive detonation leading to an order to abandon ship. Shokaku quickly sank bow-first with the loss of 1,272 of her crew.

Admiral Mitscher finally received a sighting report late in the afternoon on 20 June, giving the approximate location of Ozawas fleet. Mitscher realized his enemy was 275 miles away, far out of the 200-mile fuel range for his bombers. Unbeknownst to the Americans, Admiral Ozawa had already begun pulling his fleet back, further increasing the distance between the warring navies. Due to the vast distance, Mitscher knew his airmen would run the risk of running out of fuel and be forced to ditch their aircraft at sea in the dark. Despite these considerations, he decided to risk all by launching his planes for an attack. Shortly after the bombers left, a second report came through stating the Japanese were more than 330 miles away. In spite of the message, Mitscher did not order his pilots to return to the carriers, but instead held further squadrons from taking off. Those aviators already on their way to attack the Combined Fleet set out on what came to be called the Mission Beyond Darkness.

As evening began to fall on 20 June, 216 Helldivers, Avengers, and Hellcats attacked Ozawas fleet. With only 75 planes protecting his ships, Ozawa looked on powerlessly as the small carrier Hiyo sank along with 250 men, and carriers Zuikaku, Junyo, and Chiyoda, were heavily damaged. Twenty U.S. aircraft were destroyed in the attack by antiaircraft fire, while 65 of the 75 Japanese fighters were shot down. With darkness descending and the American pilots already low on fuel, they broke off further attacks to return home. Mitscher ordered his carriers to turn on all lights, a danger with enemy submarines lurking nearby. Although the attack on Ozawas fleet was an unequivocal success, the long flight back and the night recovery, were disastrous.4

Many U.S. Navy pilots had not received extensive training for night landings on carriers. The resulting 18 flight deck crashes by returning aircraft attested to this unfortunate oversight. Other pilots waiting for a chance to land back aboard their carrier, or a nearby alternate, were left circling until their fuel completely ran out, forcing them to ditch at sea. Nearby cruisers and destroyers typically serving as screens for the carriers quickly switched to rescue operations, and managed to recover 143 of 185 of the airmen forced down into the ocean. With darkness came the cessation of further naval operations. Admiral Mitscher desired to finish off the devastated Japanese fleet, but was denied by Spruance.5

The greatest carrier battle of the war ended with a defeated Admiral Ozawa in full retreat, with a significantly reduced force. The events of 19 June 1944 destroyed the naval air power of Japan, while the attack by U.S. forces the following day focused on the ships of the IJN, almost completely eliminated Japans remaining carrier force, wiped out its rebuilt air groups, and gave the American fast carrier task forces virtual control of the seas. For the loss of 123 aircraft and 109 dead, the U.S. destroyed nearly 600 enemy aircraft, sank two enemy fleet carriers, a light carrier, and two oilers, killing nearly 3,000 of the IJNs pilots and sailors.6

June 1944 represented a conspicuous moment of military achievement for the Allied powers with historian Craig Symonds declaring, June 1944 might well be labeled the decisive month of the entire Second World War. As the Allies landed in Normandy, breaching Hitlers Festung Europa, the Empire of Japans airpower suffered near annihilation in the Philippine Sea. The resulting B-29 air raids from Saipan, Guam, and Tinian quickly caused massive damage to the home islands population and industrial centers, and set the stage for the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945. In less than a year, Nazi Germany would finally surrender, ending the war in Europe. Japan stubbornly fought on until the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced her capitulation, bringing the war to its close. Several of the American warships taking part in the victorious fighting at the Battle of the Philippine Sea were present for the surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945.7

Guy J. Nasuti, NHHC Histories and Archives Division, April 2019

1 Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: New Guinea and the Marianas, March 1944August 1944, Vol. VIII. (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1953), 15253.

2 Lee Gaillard, The Great Midway Crapshoot, Proceedings magazine, June 2004 Vol. 130/6/1, 216.

3 Morison, New Guinea and the Marianas, 256.

4 William T. YBlood, Red Sun Setting: The Battle of the Philippine Sea (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1981), 193.

5 Morison, New Guinea and the Marianas, 31819.

6 Ibid., 27778.

7 Craig Symonds, World War II at Sea: A Global History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018), 55053.
WKCTC to Virtually Honor Skills U GED Grads

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - In 2020-2021, 60 students received their GED from West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Skills U, the adult education program at the college. Recipients will be honored during a virtual GED graduation that is set to premiere on the college's Facebook page and YouTube channel June 30 at 6 pm."The country is beginning to move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic. WKCTC is closely monitoring the daily changes, while continuing to follow the guidelines of the CDC and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System for the safety of our students, faculty, staff and community as we too move forward," said WKCTC President Anton Reece. "These students have proven hard work and dedication pay off. We are proud of them, and we join their family and friends in celebrating this joyous occasion!"Ashley Vance began the journey to her GED at WKCTC in 2016. She said being a mother of two young children, working fulltime and focusing on school was no easy task, but the team at WKCTC Skills U helped her achieve far more than she dreamed possible."I was a nervous wreck and confused to say the least when trying to understand what my next step should be. Tammy (Maines, Skills U director) helped me fill out my Free Application for Federal Student Aid; she scheduled my classes; and she helped prepare me for my college entrance exams. She held my hand and never left my side while I adjusted to college life as a 30-year-old, said the Paducah resident.Vance, who enrolled at WKCTC in fall 2020, just one week after she received her GED, is thriving. Studying to earn an associate in applied science degree and a diploma in combination welding, she earned a welding certificate in her first semester. She has earned recognition on the Dean's List twice, serves as the current Student Government Association vice president and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society."I had never dreamed I would have come this far. I am a living example that no matter your age, financial situation, or what stage of life you're in, it is never too late to start your path towards a better life by getting an education."Maines said she applauds the GED recipients for their hard work, determination and perseverance, especially during the pandemic. "The world is at their fingertips, and they are now one step closer to the next goals they have set for yourselves. I am so proud of them."
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At the Angelus, a new appeal by Francis for "the thousands of people who are dying of hunger" in the country without peace. Commenting on the Gospel passage of the storm quenched by Jesus, the pontiff recalled that faith begins with the cry "Lord save us", the same prayer addressed by many people "who come on boats".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "May the Heart of Christ touch the hearts of all bringing peace to Myanmar," prayed Pope Francis in a new heartfelt appeal, today from St. Peter's Square, again bringing the unfolding tragedy of Myanmar to the attention of the world, where in recent days even the churches that have opened their doors to displaced people fleeing the war have been bombed by the army .

He said "I unite my voice that of the bishops of Myanmar, who have launched an appeal drawing to the attention of the whole world the harrowing experience of thousands of people in that country who are displaced and are dying of hunger: we plead with all kindness to allow humanitarian corridors and that churches, pagodas, monasteries, mosques, temples, as well as schools and hospitals "be respected as neutral places of refuge".

The appeal came at the end of the Angelus prayer, held from the window of the Apostolic Palace above St. Peter's Square again filled with several thousand faithful. Commenting on the Gospel passage of the storm quelled by Jesus - which by coincidence the liturgy proposes today on the day that the United Nations dedicates to refugees - the pontiff recalled that faith begins with the cry "Lord save us", the same prayer that today too many people "who come on boats" pray at sea.

But the passage of the calming of the storm - added Pope Francis - also speaks to us of all those times that, like the apostles on the boat, we too "assailed by the trials of life, cried out to the Lord" asking: "why do you remain silent, doing nothing for me? ". We seem to sink "when we are at the mercy of persistent waves of anxiety; or when we feel overwhelmed by problems or lost in the middle of the sea of life. Or again, in moments when the strength to move forward is lacking, because there is no work or an unexpected diagnosis makes us fear for our health or that of a loved one .

In these moments in the storm we risk losing sight of the most important thing: "On the boat, even if he sleeps, Jesus is there, and he shares in everything that is happening". His is a sleep that puts us to the test: he waits for us to involve him, to invoke him, to put him at the center of what we live. His sleep causes us to wake up. Because, to be disciples of Jesus, it is not enough to believe that God exists, that he exists, but one must get involved with him, one must also raise one's voice at him, cry out to him ".

It is precisely this clinging to Jesus "to find shelter against the anomalous waves of life" that is the beginning of our faith. "It begins by believing - explained the Pope - that we are not enough for ourselves, by feeling in need of God. It can work wonders in us. It is the mild and extraordinary force of prayer, which works miracles .

He concluded: How often do we stay to fix the problems instead of going to the Lord and throwing our worries into him. How often do we leave the Lord in a corner, at the bottom of the boat of life, to wake him up only in time of need. Let us ask today for the grace of a faith that never tires of seeking the Lord, of knocking on the door of his Heart .

Finally, returning after the recitation of the Angelus on World Refugee Day, he said: "We open our hearts to the refugees and make their sadness and joys our own; we learn from their courageous resilience. And so, all together, we will grow a more human community, as one great family."
At 2:35 a.m., police arrived at the 5200 block of Leith Road in New Northwood in North Baltimore and found a 30-year-old man who had been shot in the back and a 29-year-old woman who had been grazed by a bullet on her thigh.
Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input.
To support laid-off and furloughed workers, the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation distributed 4,760 gift cards loaded with $500 each to help supplement lost income. The corporation is still doing a final analysis to understand the true impact of the program, said corporation president Kirkland Murray, but anecdotally, the additional money kept food on the table, especially when we got around to holiday seasons, he said.
An even more obscure section of the John Doe law allows citizens to ask a judge to open a John Doe when a prosecutor has declined to file charges. The judge can choose to initiate the investigation and decide whether to run it publicly or in secret. The citizen or his or her attorney can question witnesses in front of the judge with no cross-examination. The judge can then decide whether to issue charges and appoint a special prosecutor to handle the case.
Pakistan wanted "reconciliation" with India but the latter "did not reciprocate" and took measures that "vitiated the climate", claimed Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

"With India, we wanted reconciliation, the minute Imran Khan came to office he said if they will take one step towards peace we will take two. Unfortunately, they did not reciprocate. Unfortunately, they took the steps and measures that vitiated the climate," Qureshi said during an interview with ToloNews.

Qureshi also attacked India for its actions of August 5, 2019.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

India's decision drew a sharp reaction from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

New Delhi has categorically stated before the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter.

Meanwhile, India has said it desires "normal neighbourly relations" with Pakistan and the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere by taking "credible, verifiable" action to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross terrorism.

During a debate on the annual report of the UN Security Council to the General Assembly on June 11, New Delhi said that issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally.

In February, India and Pakistan had announced that they had agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) which was followed by Indus water talks, sporting visas and other measures.

On India's presence in Afghanistan, Qureshi said at times it feels that New Delhi's presence in the war-torn country is perhaps "larger than it ought to be".

"Obviously, you have sovereign relations and you have bilateral relations and you have every right to have sovereign and bilateral relations with India. You have trade with India. They come and carry out development work there, that's completely fine with us," Qureshi said during the interview.

His remarks come after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar's capital Doha and discuss the peace process in Afghanistan.

(ANI)

Also Read: Imran Khan rules out possibility of giving Pakistan military bases to US for action in Afghanistan
The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in the Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the vans only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.
These men were not allowed to speak to us, but in their own way, they tried to help young people. They walked amongst us and in Yiddish would whisper to a child: Youre 15; remember, youre 15. When we got off the train, they asked us to line up, according to age. I lined up and I became 15 years old. I lined up with the 15-year-olds and I truly believe that that man  whoever he was  saved my life, she said.
A series of translated books on the three sources of Marxism have recently been published by the Commercial Press and came onto the market in China.

The book series has 55 items in three sets. It is the first publication set to sort out the translated books of Marxism's three sources systematically.

At a symposium Saturday in Beijing, experts and scholars commended the book series, saying it is of great significance to further adapt Marxism to China's conditions, keep it up-to-date, and enhance its popular appeal.
China has allocated a special fund of 9.22 billion yuan (1.43 billion U.S. dollars) to develop inclusive finance for 2021, up 31.2 percent from the level in 2020, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced in a statement.





The move aims to support entrepreneurship and innovation and encourage local governments to promote small and micro financing, the statement added.





Inclusive finance includes affordable, convenient and safe financial services for farmers, small businesses, those on low incomes, the disabled and the elderly.





So far, more than 36 million micro and small businesses and self-employed individuals have got access to inclusive loans, said Yi Gang, governor of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.





The central bank will continue to help foster inclusive finance after it has increased financial support for micro and small businesses and self-employed individuals in recent years, Yi said at the 13th Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai last Thursday.




You are here: China

A museum themed on the Grand Canal, a vast waterway connecting the northern and southern parts of China, opened to the public on Wednesday in the eastern Chinese city of Yangzhou.





It is the country's first comprehensive modern museum integrating preservation, scientific research and exhibition of cultural relics, and social education on the Grand Canal.





The museum, shaped like a giant ship, covers an area of around 79,000 square meters and consists of five parts.





It currently houses more than 10,000 pieces of cultural relics including ancient books, calligraphy, inscriptions and ceramics, displaying the history of the Grand Canal from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C.-476 B.C.) to the contemporary era.





The museum is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors annually over the next one to two years, said Zheng Jing, curator of the museum.





With a history of more than 2,500 years, the Grand Canal connects Beijing and Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, serving as a significant transportation artery in ancient China.
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Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential race by securing over 60 percent of votes, the Iranian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday.

"Ebrahim Raisi won the first place with 17,926,345 votes, and has been elected by our dear people as president, to act as trustee of the executive apparatus," Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said in a press conference in the afternoon.

Out of 59,310,307 eligible voters, 28,933,004 votes were issued, amounting to a turnout of 48.8 percent, he noted.

Earlier in the day, Iran's outgoing President Hassan Rouhani visited the president-elect in his office and greeted him on the election.

"Starting on Aug. 4, Raisi will be the president of all of us, and everyone will fully support him and his legitimate government," Rouhani said in a joint press briefing with Raisi.

Rouhani offered his full cooperation and that of his cabinet with his successor, in order to guarantee a successful transfer of powers.

Analysts say Raisi secured people's vote by drawing on the improvement of economic conditions which have been seriously affected under the U.S. sanctions and COVID-19 pandemic.

He has introduced himself as the rival to aristocracy, inefficiency and corruption.

During the presidential TV debate on June 18, he said that people wanted to see a palpable improvement in their livelihood, which would be a priority of his administration.

Raisi noted that to reduce the prices of the essential goods in the domestic market, reliance on foreign currency resources is required to be minimized through achieving self-sufficiency in the production of such products.

Meanwhile, he said that housing is also a main concern of people, estimating that his administration would build 4 million housing units in the next four years.

He has urged for participatory policy in implementing his programs, saying that "with everyone's efforts and by creating change in various executive departments, we will have a strong Iran."

As for foreign policy, Raisi has announced his priority for cooperation and interaction with the world.

"Foreign policy is a system of interaction with all countries, especially neighbors," he said.

"We will interact with those who do not intend to be enemies, in a friendly, dignified and authoritative manner," Raisi added.
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U.S. President Joe Biden will host Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the White House on June 28, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Saturday.

"President Rivlin's visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel and the deep ties between our governments and our people," Psaki said in a statement.

"As President Rivlin approaches the end of his term, this visit will honor the dedication he has shown to strengthening the friendship between the two countries over the course of many years," she added.

Rivlin is due to retire next month after the end of his seven-year term.

Israel's former Labor chairman and opposition leader Isaac Herzog was chosen by the parliament earlier this month to be the next Israeli president. He would be sworn in at an official ceremony in July.

The role of the president in Israel is mainly ceremonial with little executive power. The president of Israel is elected for seven years and cannot serve more than a single term.
You are here: World

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Bangladesh resumed administering the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in parts of the country on Saturday thanks to the China-donated Sinopharm vaccines.

Those who already registered but have not received their first shots will get priority for vaccination, which resumed in 67 centers across the country, a notice issued by the country's health directorate said.

Bangladesh suspended administering the first dose of the vaccine on April 26 after India halted export due to a supply crunch. Subsequently, the country's drug regulator authorized emergency use of China's Sinopharm vaccines.

The second batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government arrived in Bangladesh last week.
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A new wave of coronavirus infections is "definitely under way" in England due to the Delta variant first identified in India, a British government advisory scientist said Saturday.

"The race is firmly on between the vaccine program ... and the Delta variant third wave," said professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Acknowledging the recent surge in infections, Finn told the BBC: "Perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up -- so this third wave is definitely under way."

Noting that the highest number of cases of the Delta variant is among 16-25 year-olds, Finn said that older people are still "much more likely to end up in hospital."

"As far as vaccines are concerned, the main emphasis everywhere at the moment is immunizing adults because it's adults that suffer predominantly from this infection," he said.

Meanwhile, epidemiologist Mike Tildesley said he is "cautiously hopeful" that hospital admissions in Britain will not be on the same scale as in January.

Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), another government advisory body, said cases have been "creeping steadily" over the past month "but we haven't yet seen that reflected in hospital admissions and deaths."

"I'm cautiously hopeful that whilst we probably will expect some sort of wave of hospital admissions over the next few weeks, it won't be the same scale that we saw back in January."

The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 percent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine is 96 percent effective against hospitalization after two doses.

More than 42.4 million people have been given the first jab of a coronavirus vaccine while more than 30.8 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

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.

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.
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The coronavirus pandemic is worsening Italy's already pressing problem of declining birth rates, though experts say the country's biggest demographic challenges pre-date the pandemic by decades.

The latest information from Italy's National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) showed that last year the country's birth rate stood at 6.8 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, dipping below seven for the first time ever. This means that an average of less than 0.7 percent of the overall population was born in 2020, down from 7.0 live births per 1,000 people in 2019 and 7.3 the year before that. The figure for this year will not be available until early 2022.

Going back further, the data firm Statista reports that the figure dipped below 10 for the first time in 1990. In 1950, at the start of the post-World War II "baby boom", the country registered 21.2 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, and just over a century ago, in 1920, the five-year average was 28.9.

According to Alessandro Rosina, a professor of demography at the Catholic University of Milan and the author of multiple books on population trends, the latest figures work out to a birth rate of 1.24 children per woman of child-bearing age -- defined as between 15 and 49 -- far below the two children per woman benchmark required to keep a population stable.

"In the years after World War II, Italy's birth rate was among the highest in Europe, at around 2.70 children per woman," Rosina said. "But the last year we had a birth rate of two children per woman was in 1977, and by the late 1980s, our birth rate was among the lowest in Europe."

There were many factors behind that historical trend, Rosina said, including a slowing economy and the increasing participation of women in the workforce.

Federica Scrollini, vice president of La Funambole, a women's advocacy organization, said the pandemic has only exacerbated the worrying long-term trend.

"Since the pandemic started, couples are even more worried about whether they can afford a family," Scrollini told Xinhua. "This is a grave problem for the country."

Despite the seriousness of the problem, Rosina said it was not too late for Italy to take steps to reverse the recent trends. But he said it would require major reforms centered around three main areas: building a more vibrant economy so couples would feel comfortable having children earlier and so young people would stay in Italy; offering more government support for mothers and families, including child care, tax incentives and time off for new parents; and sustainable immigration policies to make it easier for people born outside the country to live and work in Italy.

"Of course, these reforms are easier to identify than to carry out, but without taking these kinds of steps the problem will only grow more serious and more difficult to confront," Rosina said.

If nothing is done, Scrollini said, Italy's demographic problems will eventually cripple the country -- in multiple ways.

"There are practical concerns, such as the impacts on a pension system that has too many retirees and too few workers, or what will happen with the health care infrastructure when the number of elderly people keeps rising," Scrollini said. "But there's also a poetic aspect to consider, in that a country without enough of the laughter of children is just a sad country."
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Today

Cloudy with showers. High 71F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 54F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
The driver tried to pull back into the right travel lane, but the trailer hit the trooper, who was standing against the side of the cruiser, spinning him and pushing him into the vehicle, Massachusetts state police said. Suffering injuries to his arms and hands, the trooper was able to call for help over his radio, police said.
Last years protests following the murder of George Floyd sparked a new emphasis on the history of systemic racism that pervades many American institutions. But it has also sparked a backlash, in Connecticut and around the nation, from some conservatives who object to the teaching of that history.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday defended Biden's wait-and-see approach with Putin. Biden "wants to be able to have a space, to be able to engage directly, privately, candidly with President Putin, and then to determine whether the actions that Russia takes in the months ahead, match up with the discussions that took place in Geneva," Sullivan said. (Doug Mills/AP Photo)
There are a lot of people in the Marshall-Ridley neighborhood, who based on the work that has been done there that are in need good and stable employment, and the shipyard has a need for a significant number of employees over the next five years, said Tom Cosgrove, manager of corporate citizenship and government relations for Newport News Shipbuilding. Its a win-win situation for the city, for the shipyard, for the residents to really be able to do something good to provide jobs and some really unique opportunities.
The stolen patrol car crashed and caught fire at a busy intersection about 15 miles from where the chase began. The GBI said its preliminary investigation shows Palmer ignored troopers commands to get out of the car and instead raised a gun, prompting one trooper to shoot him. He was given first aid until paramedics arrived.
And on the first block of Shelton Road, in the Phoebus neighborhood, police said a 31-year-old man was fatally struck by gunfire while inside of a home. Police said a call came in for the shooting at 10:19 p.m. and that they are seeking the publics help in identifying any suspects.
Mobile clinics run by private vendors will be popping up throughout Hampton Roads next week to provide vaccines in predominantly rural areas as well as in Black and Hispanic communities. The vaccinators will offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires one dose. Virginians under age 18 are not eligible to get a J&J shot, as only Pfizers two-dose vaccine has been authorized for use in teens 12 to 17 years old.
It got stressful because Im not working, I got injured, theres a pandemic going on, youre calling every other day, asking are we going to get this in, can family do this or do that, do you have a support system? said Pope, now living in a hotel and working at a Walmart. Its almost like youve got to give them a story for them to help you.
The real estate business was on the top following the announcement of Amaravati as the capital in 2015. (Representational image: AFP)

VIJAYAWADA: The lockdown-induced slump has dealt a grievous blow to the reality sector in AP state. As the finances of the people were in a dire state, the long-drawn-out market inactivity has shattered the dreams of real estate businessmen and prevented further development. The real estate which was already facing a slump due to the Three Capitals decision was mired in a neck-deep crisis due to the pandemic crisis.

The real estate business was on the top following the announcement of Amaravati as the capital in 2015. A frenetic pace of activity was witnessed till 2019 when the announcement of Three Capitals was made by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The announcement put paid the ambitious dreams of the sector in the capital region. Later, even the plans of Three Capitals received a rude shock with a stay by the courts.

The Corona crisis slashed incomes, closed many businesses and trades and plucked jobs and further caused the unexpected and costly Covid treatment burden on the fragile finances of the people. This forced most of the people to defer land and house purchasing activity, leading to a huge slump in the sector for the past 14 months.

Further, the threat of third wave is dangling like a Damocles sword on the already hard-hit construction sector and allied fields. The construction field is the only unorganised sector contributing about 12 per cent employment after the agriculture sector in the country. It further contributes 8 to 10 per cent of the nations GDP with 25 various fields connected to the construction field directly and 240 industries indirectly.

According to the representatives of real estate companies, thousands of apartments and commercial complexes are lying vacant in AP due to the slump as a result of the Corona crisis. Further, banks and other financial institutions are wary of extending loans to buyers at this stage. The realtors expect revival to happen only the Corona was reined in the country.

CREDAI AP chairman (media affairs) R.V. Swamy said the construction field had been totally in slump for the last one-and-a-half years. He explained that first it was badly affected due to the Three Capitals announcement and next due to the pandemic Corona crisis. He said nearly 10,000 apartments and 500 commercial structures were ready to occupy, but there were no takers for them. He urged that banks come forward to offer liberal loans to consumers so as to boost the sector. He sought that the government reduce the stamp duty from 7 per cent to 3 per cent. The registration charges are also higher than those in neighbouring states.

Builder P Naresh said that construction material costs increased abnormally during the past two years which created hurdles for the businessmen to complete the ongoing works or take up new ventures. He stated that first there was sand problem and before it was resolved the Three Capitals issue raged. And then came the Covid brought the reality activity to a grinding halt.
People in large numbers enjoy themselves at the seashore neglecting the lockdown rules at Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. (Photo:DC)

VIJAYAWADA: The daylong relaxation in Covid-19 curfew has given a big relief to majority sections of the society in the state and they are further hopeful of lifting of the night curfew, too, in the coming days.

The AP government relaxed the curfew from 6 am to 6 pm in the state except East Godavari district which continues to register high rate of infections.

APSRTC buses have started plying on roads once again in all the 13 districts and services Telangana were also resumed. Government offices are going to work as usual and banks are also returning to normal schedule. Earlier the government offices, banks, shops and other business establishments were closed by afternoon.

Restaurants, hotels and tea-stalls which faced a lot of difficulties to do business are going to get a big relief with daylong curfew relaxation and similarly wholesale and retail traders are elated over the new timings.

Further, the adjacent Telangana lifted lockdown in the state and cancelled e-pass norms for entry of vehicles into Telangana giving. This would help Andhra people go to Hyderabad and other places of Telangana for various purposes including for treatment purposes.

APSRTC executive director K.S. Brahmananda Reddy said they were restarting 100 inter-state bus services to Hyderabad and other places of Telangana from Monday. He said the curfew hit the revenues of APSRTC hard. They expect to earn about Rs 4 crore a day with daylong relaxation. He said that APSRTC had operated 4,000 buses per day during half-day curfew relaxation and now from Monday, APSRTC would operate 7,000 buses per day in 13 districts of the State. APSRTC would strictly follow Corona protocol, ensuring only 50 per cent seats occupation, and insisting on masks and sanitation etc.

The APSRTC started the advance reservation facility with the restoration of services in day time. Similarly, the Telangana RTC is going to run buses to AP from Hyderabad and other places of Telangana from Monday during daytime.

Auto-rickshaws, taxis and cabs are going to ply during daytime from Monday. The auto-rickshaw drivers who faced a lot of financial hurdles due to the half-day curfew norm to nurture their families are hoping for improvement in their incomes due to daylong plying.

Auto-rickshaw driver Polimetla Gandhi said that people must now lower their guard as Covid may strike again. Daylong business activity would immensely help auto-rickshaw, taxi and cab services.

Chamber of Commerce representatives A. Anjaneyulu and others lamented that the trading sector was the worst sufferer due to Corona. They said that business at supermarkets, groceries, hotels, restaurants, garments, electrical, electronics and allied sectors would increase from Monday. They deplored that traders were unable to pay rents and staff salaries due to the Coronavirus impact and hoped return to normalcy due to containment of Corona in the coming days.
Galwan clash was the most grave confrontation after the October 20 1975 ambush by the Chinese at Tulung La in which four Assam Rifles personnel lost their lives. (Representational image: PTI)

On June 15, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in a barbaric clash with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in the Galwan Valley. It was the most grave confrontation after the October 20 1975 ambush by the Chinese at Tulung La in which four Assam Rifles personnel lost their lives.

On June 20, the Prime Minister gave a rather bizarre twist to the entire tragedy when he told an all-party meeting that neither have they intruded into our border, nor has any post been taken over by them (China). Then why did we lose 20 braves? Did India then intrude into Chinese territory?

Herein lies the nub of the problem qua China. The NDA/BJP government by repeatedly underplaying both the aggressiveness of Chinese intent and blatant intrusions into areas that lie within the Indian perception of what is the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This has exposed a serious chink in their armour that the Chinese have now exploited to the very hilt. That fissure is the governments desperation to protect its narrative of muscular nationalism at any cost. It makes them both muddle and mask the truth.

The problem started way back in 2014 when Modi decided to swing with Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad deliberately playing down the Chinese transgression into Indian territory in Chumar. It is inconceivable that the PLA would embark on this adventurism on the LAC without explicit political clearance from the standing committee of the politburo especially when Xi was visiting India.

The Chinese had tried this stunt a year earlier too in Depsang plains area. The 19-kilometres deep incursion by an armed patrol of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) into the strategically delicate Daulat Beg Oldie sector in the Aksai Chin region was noticed on April 16, 2013, and immediately interdicted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). It came just weeks before Chinese premier Li Keqiangs visit to India between May 19 and 21 and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singhs visit to Japan later that month between May 27 and 30.

The Depsang incursion was designed to send twin messages. First, Chinese were experimenting their new found assertiveness after Xis triple anointment as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), president of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the chairperson of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Second, it was also a caution to India against expressing overt support to Japan against the background of steadily worsening tensions between China and Japan over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands.

The Chinese were as worried then as they are today about the Quad then. The Standing Committee of the Politburo Chinas top decision making forum apprehended that the US was again engaged in putting together a broader alliance in the Asia Pacific comprising India, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia to contain Chinas rise.

The Depsang intrusions were handled firmly but with elan by the then UPA government. It was acknowledged upfront that the Chinese had indeed come across Indias perception line. A firm message therefore was sent to Beijing that Premier Li Keqiang who was undertaking his first foreign trip would not be very welcome in Delhi if status quo ante was not restored. On May 5, 2013, the Chinese fell back to their default position on the LAC.

As B.G. Verghese pointed out in a signed column on May 28, 2013, that the government can stand its ground and take farsighted decisions was proven by the way it handled the Chinese intrusion into the Depsang plain without getting rattled or pushed by chauvinistic clamour. At the end of the day, the Chinese blinked and pulled back. That the joint statement issued later did not mention the word intrusion  the PM used the phrase incident  signified a welcome restraint and desire to avoid teasing statements.

However, a year later when Chumar happened on the cusp of Xi Jinpings visit from September 17 to September 20, 2014, an over-sanguine Prime Minister desperate to flaunt his newfound importance in his backyard of Gujarat did not send word to Xi Jinping that he would not be very comfy in India if the Chinese did not withdraw before the visit commenced. Having recently won an election, Prime Minister Modi had the political capital to do that but he blinked. This set the tone for the future.

In Doklam, in the June of 2017, the NDA/BJP government was more interested in a propaganda triumph rather than a substantive outcome. Not only was the withdrawal sequential rather than simultaneous with India withdrawing first, but the Indian government took its eye off the ball and allowed the Chinese to occupy substantial parts of the Doklam plateau within one year of the standoff.

This was followed by the opaque summits in Wuhan in 2018 and Mamallapuram in 2019. A subservient media and a deferential strategic community did not ask the hard questions as to what really was achieved at these informal tete-a-tetes. By that time the Chinese had sussed out the Indian leadership and had concluded that were they to launch an intrusion across a broad front along the LAC the NDA/BJP government would cover it up rather than deal with it candidly.

This is precisely what happened in April 2020. When the Chinese decided to saunter across the LAC first the government tried to palm it off to differing perceptions of the LAC.

In fact, they had already started running this narrative from December 2019 onwards. Speaking in the Lok Sabha on December 4, 2019, defence minister Rajnath Singh said, Due to different perceptions of the LAC, sometimes incidents of incursion occur. I accept it. Sometimes the Chinese Army enters here and sometimes our people go over there.

The government stuck to this chicanery from April to the June of 2020 as a mortified country bristling under a harsh lockdown was trying to keep body and soul together. Only after the Galwan tragedy when the body bags could not be kept under the wraps did the nation wake up to the enormity of the challenge. There again the Prime Minister unleashed the mendacities that he has perfected to an art form much to the delight of the Chinese as it endorsed their position that they have never intruded into Indian territory.

One year later this sad saga continues unchecked. After vacating significant territorial positions on the South Bank of Pangong Lake under a yet-to-be-microscopically-evaluated disengagement plan the government tries to escape the antiseptic glare of sunlight by not even allowing Parliament to have a full-fledged debate on perhaps the most portentous national security challenge that India faces today.
News Details

Global IC design market: Nvidia Overtakes Broadcom in Revenue for 1Q21

Date: 20-06-21

With the demand for chips continue to grow in 2021, the leading IC design companies facing limited foundry capacities to takeup the market opportunity. Due to significant demand for graphics card chips caused by the cryptocurrency market, Nvidia overtakes Broadcom in revenue and take the second spot among the top 10 in 1st quarter 2021. AMD sees YoY growth of 92.9%, which is the highest % increase on the top 10 list. These figures are based on the latest market data from TrendForce.

Below is the market research data shared by TrendForce on the top 10 vendors in IC design market:

Market leader Qualcomm saw growths in its smartphone, RF front end, IoT, and automotive departments in 1Q21, during which it posted a revenue of US$6.28 billion, a 53.2% increase YoY, placing Qualcomm firmly in the number one spot. Coming in second place is Nvidia, which overtook Broadcom with $5.17 billion in revenue. Nvidias revenue performance can primarily be attributed to massive gaming graphics card demand generated by the cryptocurrency market and the stay-at-home economy. In addition, Nvidias Cloud & Data Center business also saw positive growths in 1Q21, thereby contributing to its revenue for the quarter as well.

Broadcom, ranked third on the top 10 list, posted a $4.49 billion revenue in 1Q21. Broadcoms performance took place on the back of the bullish broadband telecom market, with growths in passive fiber optics and wired networking for data transmission. AMD, on the other hand, continued to benefit from the stay-at-home economy and other such market demands, in addition to its growing foothold in the server market. The company experienced increasing market shares and led its competitors with an impressive 92.9% YoY increase in revenue, the highest on the top 10 list. It should be pointed out that the extreme volatility of the cryptocurrency market, as well as the strict surveillance policies imposed on cryptocurrency trading by several countries, may introduce uncertainties in the future of gaming graphics card revenue for both Nvidia and AMD.

Regarding the performance of Taiwanese IC design companies, MediaTeks smartphone business unit registered a remarkable 149% YoY growth in revenue mainly on account of high demand from Chinese smartphone brands, which were particularly aggressive in seizing Huaweis former market share. Furthermore, as Qualcomms recent performance in the entry-level and mid-range smartphone markets remained relatively lackluster, MediaTek therefore aimed to fulfill demand from its smartphone clients as its chief goal on a macro level. As a result, MediaTeks revenue for 1Q21 reached about $3.81 billion, an 88.4% YoY increase, placing the company in the fourth spot.

Novatek derived its performance from high component demand from manufacturers of IT products, TVs, and smartphones. In view of the current shortage of foundry capacity and rising prices of foundry services, Novatek has been able to maintain a stable supply of components via increased prices due to its longstanding, stable, and flexible strategic relationships with Taiwanese foundries (UMC, VIS, and TSMC), China-based Nexchip, and Korea-based Samsung LSI. Hence, Novatek leapfrogged both Marvell and Xilinx for the sixth place while increasing its revenue for 1Q21 by 59.4% YoY.

On the whole, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, which has resulted in decreased production targets for Chinese smartphone brands, is not expected to drastically affect IC design companies component demand in 3Q21 because of the following factors: First, price hikes of foundry services have already been reflected in chip prices; secondly, market demand for devices remains high; and finally, Chinese smartphone brands still need to maintain a safe level component inventory, as they have yet to resolve the discrepancies among their various materials sufficiency levels.

Incidentally, although some expect that the recent spread of COVID-19 among KYEC employees may impact the procurement activities of IC designers that are part of KYECs clientele, TrendForces investigations of financial reports from various companies in April and May indicate that infections in KYEC facilities will unlikely result in major impacts on the revenues of IC designers in 2Q21.
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This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
The co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council SDC, Amina Omar, commented on the "Coalition" call: "The Coalition has given nothing to the Syrian people since it became a paper of the hands of the Turks and implement their agendas."

The head of the so-called "National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces," Nasser Hariri, during a press conference held Monday in the Turkish city of Istanbul, called on the Turkish Occupying State to intervene militarily along with the mercenaries of the so-called "National Army" in Tel Riffat, Manbij and all Syrian areas.

Amina Amor, at a meeting organized by the Women's Office of the Council in Ad-Darbasiyah District and posted on the Council's official website, stressed their rejection of "such calls, which are in flagrant violation of international laws."

Adding " SDC is working to consolidate the vision of the forces of the democratic opposition by convening a conference of democratic forces to achieve a solution to the Syrian crisis under the auspices of the United Nations."

T/S

ANHA




Film star Kevin Costner celebrated the 30th anniversary of his medieval adventure movie, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, with a Twitter post.







"This week marked 30 years since Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has been in the world. Hard to believe three decades have passed! I've loved hearing from fans their personal memories surrounding this movie. Is it a special one to you? Tell me why," Costner, 66, tweeted Friday, along with photos from the 1991 film.







Costner  who now stars on Yellowstone and was recently seen in the film Let Him Go  played the titular hero in the blockbuster, which co-starred Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Lady Marian, Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Morgan Freeman as Azeem, Christian Slater as Will Scarlett and Sean Connery as King Richard.







The film's theme song, Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," became a huge radio hit and won a Grammy. (UPI)


By Park Jae-hyuk







The government will consider firing the heads of four state-run institutions that received poor evaluations for the second-straight year in an annual management assessment or who scored poorly in 2020, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Sunday.







The four institutions are the Korea Postal Logistics Agency, the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute, the Korea Construction Equipment Safety Institute and the Korea Health Promotion Institute.







This is the first time in six years that the government has proposed the dismissal of public institution chiefs based on the results of the annual management evaluation.







The heads of the Korea Racing Authority, the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, the Korea Elevator Safety Agency and Korea Power Exchange were on the list of public institution chiefs to be sacked. But they could avoid dismissal because their terms have expired.







The government also sent warnings to the heads of six institutions with lackluster earnings, such as Korea Gas Corp. and the chiefs of eight institutions which experienced serious industrial accidents, such as Korea Coal Corp. and the Incheon Port Authority.







Executives at Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) were not allowed to receive any performance-based bonuses, due to controversy over its employees engaging in speculative real estate investments.







Employee bonuses were whittled down to one-eighth of the amount they had received a year earlier, but the payment was suspended because of the ongoing investigation into the speculative investments.







"None of the institutions was graded S again this year," Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said, referring to the top evaluation rating. "We hope to see S-graded institutions next year, based on their management innovation and better performance."














Dolce & Gabbana are coaxing men off their sofas and back into the world with a resplendent collection inspired by the extravagant lighting installations of southern Italian street festivals.







Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana called their collection ''light therapy'' for a world that has been mostly denied large gatherings for the last 15 months. Their live runway show Saturday with a socially distanced audience of invited guests was the first inside their showroom since the pandemic forced Milan Fashion Week to go mostly digital in recent seasons. They are just one of several brands with live shows this season.







''Fashion is emotion,'' Gabbana said backstage before the show. ''We experimented last season with a digital show. It is not the same. It was without adrenalin.''







The designers bedecked the showroom with ''luminaria'' lighting installations reminiscent of southern Italy and sent the models down the runway in rhinestone-accented looks to mirror their geometric patterns.







The Dolce & Gabbana signature black suits, sheer tops, comfortable knitwear and silky bomber jackets with puffy sleeves were bedecked with bright rhinestones, which picked up the light and cast a movement all their own as models strode down the runway to pulsating dance music.







Distressed jeans were bejeweled or embroidered in gold threat for a baroque touch, and paired with silky tops, at times left open. Crocheted knitwear provided another layer of artisanal craftsmanship. Panels of lace gave lightness to dark suits, and lace trousers challenged gender norms.







The luminaria lights themselves became photographic prints that gave a psychedelic, hippie feel to long, flowing robes, or caftans over trousers.







Looks were accented with layered necklaces and bracelets, rhinestone covered bags and beach sliders or paint-splattered sneakers.







The collection was in the spirit of the early 2000s, when the designers said they tapped into a vibrant vein after a period of minimalism.







''Our message is to live life. Don't be afraid,'' Dolce said. (AP)






North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched a musical performance, state media reported Sunday, after last week's four-day ruling party session highlighted a vow to "break through head-on" a series of challenges facing his country.







Kim and members of the Workers' Party's central leadership attended the performance by the Band of the State Affairs Commission, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported without specifying when the event took place.







From Tuesday through Friday, the North held the third plenary session of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party to discuss economic challenges, including food shortages and anti-pandemic efforts.







Kim also discussed how to deal with the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, saying his country should be ready for both dialogue and confrontation, and more importantly, confrontation amid the "fast-changing" situation on the Korean Peninsula.







Wrapping up the meeting Friday, Kim said that his party will "break through head-on the difficulties lying in the way of the revolution" and remain "loyal to the revolutionary idea to the end regardless of the severer difficulties it may be confronted with in the future," the KCNA reported the following day.







Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the daily of the ruling party, on Sunday carried an article stressing the importance of stabilizing people's livelihoods, as it introduced Kim's remarks during the recently concluded party meeting.







The article also emphasized the need to repay "people's trust and expectations" by making notable achievements on a path to the improvement of their livelihoods. (Yonhap)


Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport, Saturday. Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



The visit of Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, to Seoul is raising questions over whether Washington will offer enticements to Pyongyang in a bid to normalize stalled nuclear negotiations.



Since February 2019, when the U.S.-North Korea summit ended without reaching a deal on denuclearization, the totalitarian state has continued to refuse engaging both the U.S. and South Korea, thereby hampering inter-Korean relations.



Kim, who was appointed to the post last month, arrived here, Saturday, on a five-day trip, during which he is scheduled to sit down with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk, and hold three-way talks that will also include Japan's nuclear envoy, Takehiro Funakoshi, Monday.






Archbishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik / Yonhap



As South Korean archbishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik has been named the new prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy of the Holy See, his possible role in arranging Pope Francis' visit to North Korea is drawing attention from the Catholic community at home and abroad.



On June 11, the Vatican announced the nomination of You as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, who is responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons.



The 69-year-old Catholic priest became the first South Korean to be appointed to a secretary position in the Holy See.



You's appointment came as the South Korean government and Catholic community have been making behind-the-scenes efforts to arrange a papal trip to North Korea.



Insiders said the Holy See is likely expecting You, who has engaged in some North Korean human aid projects in the past, to play a bridge-building role, such as a special envoy, in setting up Francis' unprecedented visit to the reclusive country.



"I think You's part will not be limited to the head of the Congregation for the Clergy," said an official familiar with the internal affairs of the Vatican, asking for anonymity. "He might be assigned a special role, other than his regular job."



Francis has expressed his willingness to go to North Korea several times, saying that he wants to play a role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, where the Korean people have been suffering the pain of separation for 70 years.



His visit to Pyongyang gained momentum in 2018 thanks to a peace mood after three inter-Korean summits and a historic Washington-Pyongyang meeting. But no further progress has been made since a second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi ended in vain in 2019.



You is also determined to support Pope Francis' North Korean visit in the future if he is consigned to do so.



"If I am given a role to arrange his visit to North Korea, I'll do my best to carry out my mission," he said in a press conference on June 12.



He said a visit by the pope would be a good chance for the reclusive country, which has been struggling with international isolation and economic difficulties, to get over their troubles. (Yonhap)


Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye announces plans to enable students to return to their classrooms full-time in fall at the Seoul Government Complex, June 20. Yonhap



Most South Korean pupils will be able to return to their classrooms full-time come fall, the Ministry of Education announced Sunday, inching toward a return to the pre-pandemic normal amid more vaccinations and growing concerns over the effects on children from a yearlong pandemic.



The plan was made in line with the government's new, eased four-tier social distancing scheme, effective July 1, to allow businesses to stay open longer and permit gatherings of more people.



Under the eased social distancing plan, all school children will be able to get face-to-face instructions from the second semester up until Level 2, when daily caseloads are fewer than 1,000.



Currently, the greater Seoul area is under Level 2 social distancing of the five-tier system that requires most schools to cap attendance at two-thirds of the student body.










Government officials and public employees involved in real estate affairs will be required to register their assets with the authorities, the Ministry of Personnel Management said Sunday.







The ministry last week preannounced the latest revision to the enforcement ordinance of the Public Service Ethics Act. The new rules will take effect on Oct. 2.







The move came as the government is toughening property regulations on public servants in the wake of a land speculation scandal involving employees of Korea Land and Housing (LH), a state-run housing developer.







Under the revision, officials involved in real estate issues in the central and local governments, pubic institutions and companies affiliated with central and local governments will be obliged to report their assets once a year.







Their reports this year must contain details on their real estate holdings, including acquisition dates, circumstances and sources of income.







Their future acquisition of properties related to their jobs will also be strictly regulated under the new rules, the ministry said. (Yonhap)


Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, right, poses for a photo with Kim Sung-jae, the executive director of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center, during his visit to the memorial center for former President Kim in Mapo District, Seoul, June 11. Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



Former Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl, who has been a leading presidential hopeful since he resigned from the post in March, is facing a series of challenges even before he declares a bid for the presidency.



His spokesman, recruited from an influential daily newspaper, has abruptly stepped down, while allegations made about his wife and mother-in-law seem to be emerging as hot-button issues that could hamper his political ambitions.



Lee Dong-hoon, who had been Yoon's spokesman, resigned Sunday for "personal reasons," just 10 days after his appointment. The resignation came about a week before Yoon is expected to make an official announcement on a presidential bid, around June 27, according to his supporters.





Lee Dong-hoon, a former journalist who had the spokesman for Yoon resigned for "personal reasons" Sunday, Yonhap
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum pays his respects to firefighter Kim Dong-shik who sacrificed his life while responding to a fire at a Coupang warehouse, at a funeral hall in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday. Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



A wave of condolences are flooding in from across the nation over the death of a veteran firefighter who failed to escape from a fire at a Coupang warehouse in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, after ensuring his colleagues were safely evacuated first.



Kim Dong-shik, a 52-year-old firefighter with 27 years' experience, was found dead by rescue workers in the second-floor basement of the e-commerce giant's building, which had four stories above ground and two underground levels.



About six hours after the fire broke out Thursday, Kim entered the building with four colleagues to search for people who may have been trapped in the fire. Shortly after they entered the basement, however, the blaze began to spread, and he failed to exit the building with his colleagues who found their way out first.



According to a fire official, Kim's body was severely damaged by the fire.



All 248 Coupang employees who were working at the warehouse were evacuated in time, leaving Kim as the only fatality.



"It is very sad as all of us were waiting for the return of the missing firefighter who put the safety of his colleagues first," President Moon Jae-in was quoted as saying by his spokeswomen Park Kyung-mee, Saturday. "The government will come up with countermeasures to prevent any recurrence of this kind of tragedy."





Citizens wait in line to enter a funeral hall in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday, to pay their respects to firefighter Kim Dong-shik who sacrificed his life while responding to a fire at a Coupang warehouse. Yonhap



Along with the President's message, Cabinet members, including Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, and rival party chiefs, Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Joon-seok of the main opposition People Power Party, also visited a mourning altar for the firefighter set up in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province.



On Sunday, Coupang CEO Kang Han-seung vowed to prepare all possible means to support the bereaved family members.



"We will prepare detailed measures to make sure the bereaved do not undergo any difficulties in life," Kang said in a press release. "In addition, we will also support other firefighters who were injured while extinguishing the fire at our warehouse."



Kang added that his company will work to establish a scholarship fund named after Kim, for children of firefighters who sacrificed their lives during service.



Citizens have also offered their condolences to Kim in online communities. One citizen wrote on the portal site Nate, "There are few people who sacrifice their lives while working. It is a very sad event. Rest in peace."



For its part, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government also said Sunday that Kim's funeral ceremony will take place at 9:30 p.m., Monday, which will be attended by about 90 bereaved family members and his colleagues.



After the ceremony, his body will be taken to the Daejeon National Cemetery for burial.



The veteran firefighter who began his career in April 1994 received multiple awards for bravery.



Kim is survived by his wife, and a daughter and a son in their 20s.




By Arthur I. Cyr





President Joe Biden's trip to Europe provides positive confirmation of collaboration and stability among nations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This situation contrasts markedly with the history of the twentieth century. Total wars of unprecedented destructiveness characterized that bloody era.



So far, the 21st century has avoided that fate. You would not know that if you relied only on the major media. Much of the coverage of President Biden's trip has been a biased melodrama, celebrating the successor to his alarming, destructive, wicked predecessor in the White House.



At both the summit of the G7 leaders in Britain and the NATO summit in Brussels, Biden has emphasized the priority of alliance relations. With this emphasis comes a welcome return to customary U.S. leadership.



However, Trump's destructiveness was fortunately mainly rhetorical. His specific complaint that Europe should do more for NATO actually is a sustained theme of U.S. administrations dating back to the early 1950s. History is the antidote to superficial commentary.



NATO above all is a remarkably durable alliance. Nations led by the United States and Britain signed the NATO treaty in Washington, D.C. in April 1949. The influential British weekly, "The Economist," noted during NATO's seventieth anniversary that alliances of the Napoleonic wars in the early 1800s lasted on average only five years.



NATO is also growing. On March 27, 2020, North Macedonia became the latest member. Montenegro joined the durable organization in June 2017.



Atlantic area nations created the alliance in direct response to Soviet expansionism during and after World War II. By 1949, the Cold War had begun. Today, the organization pursues diverse missions.



The collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, followed by the Soviet Union, ended the Cold War but not conflict in Europe. In 2008, Russian troops invaded a portion of Georgia, following an attack by Georgian troops on South Ossetia. Russia encouraged and fostered these breakaway efforts. In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the territory of Crimea.



The end of the Cold War was a great victory for the policy of restraint and deterrence, termed "Containment." Every United States president, from Harry Truman, when the Cold War commenced, to George H.W. Bush, when that conflict ended, supported this foundation of security policy.



NATO endures for various reasons. Bureaucracies instinctively seek self-perpetuation, and modern militaries represent potent political lobbies. However, the strategic realities of an assertive, ominously effective Russia under President Vladimir Putin are the most important incentive.



Putin continually seeks ways to separate Germany from the U.S. Also present is the danger of renewed violence among ethnic groups in Southeastern Europe.



NATO today has a range of missions that include and also go beyond self-defense. Forces have operated well beyond the North Atlantic region, including, notably, Afghanistan. Current humanitarian work includes deploying transport aircraft and other resources to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.



Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one member amounts to an attack on all. The 9/11 terrorist strikes on New York and Washington, D.C., and in the sky over Pennsylvania, triggered this clause, for the first time.



After the final defeat of Napoleon, Britain spearheaded cooperation with the other major powers of Europe to keep the peace. This effort in fact maintained general stability on the continent for a century.



Today, NATO performs roughly the same strategic role, plus humanitarian missions. The Cold War ended three decades ago, and NATO remains important.





Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen distinguished professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War" (Palgrave/Macmillan and NYU Press).
By Georg E. Riekeles





BRUSSELS  The Swiss government's recent withdrawal from long-running negotiations on a framework agreement with the European Union has triggered a deep crisis in bilateral relations. For the EU, the fallout is manageable: Economic relations will erode but the Union will carry on.



For Switzerland, the consequences could be more dramatic. With Switzerland's future access to the EU's single market in jeopardy, its walkout might now require a Swiss rethink of its relationship with the bloc almost as fundamental as the United Kingdom's after the 2016 Brexit referendum.



Switzerland is not an EU member state, but in many respects it comes close. Through some 120 bilateral agreements, Switzerland is a member of the border-free Schengen Area, is closely integrated with the EU in areas such as transport, research, and the Erasmus student-exchange program, and enjoys full access to the single market in sectors from finance to pharmaceuticals.



All told, Switzerland probably benefits more from the single market than any other European country, and pays little in return. A 2019 Bertelsmann Stiftung study found that the single market boosts Swiss annual per capita income by 2,900 euros ($3,515) per year  well above the EU average of 1,000 euros  whereas Switzerland's corresponding financial contribution (when it is paid) in effect cost the Swiss less than 14 euros per capita per year.



Switzerland's free lunch is not only economic. The main problem with the "bilateral way," cherished by the Swiss since they voted "no" to the European Economic Area (EEA) in a 1992 referendum, is the lack of continuous updating of single-market law in Switzerland.



Swiss public opinion has long held that "foreign judges" should have no role in interpreting the country's laws. Yet, this clashes with the single market's requirement of uniform application of supranational rules.



The Institutional Framework Agreement (IFA) that the EU and Switzerland reached in 2018, after five years of negotiations, was a belated attempt to put bilateral relations on a sustainable footing and pave the way for further Swiss access to the EU market. To secure it, the EU again made significant concessions in the face of Swiss sovereignty concerns.



Rather than requiring automatic incorporation of single-market law, the EU allowed for three years of internal Swiss procedures to adopt it (including possible referendums). And instead of insisting on sole jurisdiction for the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU agreed to an arbitration-based dispute-settlement mechanism that would seek the CJEU's intervention only for interpreting concepts of EU law.



Significantly, the EU also conceded that the IFA would cover only five market-access agreements, from transport to free movement of persons. The 1972 bilateral free trade agreement remained off-limits, with the two sides issuing only a statement of political commitment to its future modernization.



The talks had been made difficult because of disagreements over state-aid rules. Under the IFA, the EU offered a two-pillar arrangement whereby the EU rules would apply in Switzerland but would be implemented through an autonomous Swiss surveillance mechanism with powers equivalent to the European Commission's. But when the EU negotiated its post-Brexit relationship with the U.K., some in Switzerland thought that the U.K. received a "better" state aid deal.



This "Brexit envy" is entirely unjustified. Whereas Brexit involved the U.K.'s complete departure from the single market, the entire purpose of the IFA was for Switzerland to remain within it.



The even bigger thorn in the EU's side has been Switzerland's remonstrations against the bloc's citizens' freedom-of-movement rights to Swiss social security benefits, and its concerns about downward pressure on domestic wage levels. Here too, the Swiss have a weak case.



Following the Swiss 2014 referendum "against mass immigration," the EU conceded that Swiss law could require Swiss employers to give priority to domestic job seekers. The IFA grants exceptions  provided these are non-discriminatory and proportionate  to protect Swiss wage levels. And the CJEU has recognized that freedom of movement is not absolute and that economically inactive EU citizens may be excluded from other member states' social benefits.



The EU could not concede more. Precisely because these tricky issues are not unique to Switzerland, the EU cannot give the Swiss a free pass. Treating all countries alike matters not only for the integrity of the single market, but also for the EU's political viability. If the EU were to give non-members privileges that even members don't have, more might head for the exit. The EU and Switzerland must find solutions within a common framework of rules, not outside them.



Many in Switzerland fail to recognize their exorbitant privileges vis-a-vis the EU, and that this cherry-picking cannot continue after Brexit. All in all, the Swiss government has shown little interest in a fair single-market settlement with the EU, and, having broken off talks, now faces some immediate economic consequences.



For starters, future single-market access in electricity and health is off the table. And on May 26, Switzerland lost access to the EU market for new medical devices, because the EU-Swiss Mutual Recognition Agreement was not updated. Machinery and chemicals are next in line. Bit by bit, the two economies will decouple in these sectors, at an estimated cost to Switzerland of up to 1.2 billion euros per year.



The EU must soon make other hard choices, not least concerning Switzerland's participation in the bloc's Horizon Europe research program. Research cooperation is obviously mutually beneficial. But with the Swiss holding up their financial contributions and spurning efforts to find viable institutional solutions, the EU seemingly has little choice but to put its foot down.



The EU-Swiss rupture comes as the U.K. government also is brazenly confronting the Union by stepping away from key provisions of the Ireland-Northern Ireland protocol and asking the EU to adapt. With Norwegian support for the EEA increasingly unstable, several of the EU's wider economic partnerships are in play.



But it is the Swiss who face the most difficult choices. A recent opinion poll showed that more than 60 percent of Swiss are in favor of the IFA. But similar majorities support the EEA model, or even the model of EU-U.K. and EU-Canada agreements.



As the Commission reminded the Swiss government after it broke off the talks, the bilateral relationship urgently needs modernizing. Instead, it is now entering the unknown.





Georg E. Riekeles is associate director of the European Policy Centre. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


Easing property tax burden may reignite housing speculation



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has decided to ease the tax burden on high-end homeowners. At a general meeting of lawmakers Friday, the party approved a plan to limit the targets of the gross real estate tax to the top 2 percent of all homeowners, while increasing the price cap on homes exempt from capital gains taxes from the current 900 million won ($795,000) to 1.2 billion won ($1.06 million). The DPK is also seeking to reduce tax benefits for registered landlords.



The DPK leadership might have thought that it needed to lessen the tax burden on existing homeowners and new buyers, reflecting the recent housing price surge. However, the virtual "tax cut for the rich" is likely to further alienate the working poor who already feel frustrated due to runaway housing prices. It is also doubtful how many people will benefit from the eased property tax burden. Around 520,000 homes, or 3.7 percent of the total, were subject to the gross real estate tax. But the DPK has decided to impose the tax on only 2 percent, or 284,000 homes.



The governing party's new tax plan also runs counter to the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policy, which has raised property holding taxes to bring housing speculation under control. The plan, coming on top of a reconstruction and redevelopment boom following the main opposition People Power Party's victory in the April 7 mayoral by-elections, is feared to push up property prices further.



The DPK seems to believe the election defeat was due to the public's discontent with the government's real estate policy. "If we fail to rectify the housing policy unduly focusing on anti-speculation measures, we will lose the next presidential election, too," said Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, head of the party's special committee on real estate issues. However, a voters' backlash may be stronger due to inconsistent policies amid a deepening sense of deprivation. It is regretful that the DPK's plan is likely to benefit only the rich and add fuel to the already volatile property market.


Pyongyang should return to negotiations



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has taken a somewhat flexible attitude toward dialogue with the United States, raising hopes for the resumption of stalled denuclearization talks. Kim said last week that his country should be ready for both "dialogue" and "confrontation" with the U.S. He also called for efforts to stably control the situation on the Korean Peninsula.



He made the remarks during the third plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang. The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that Kim stressed the need to prepare for both dialogue and more importantly, confrontation with the U.S. This is his first message to U.S. President Joe Biden, who took office in January.



Notably, the message was more restrained and flexible than the North's past harsh rhetoric toward Washington. Although he emphasized the need especially to be fully prepared for confrontation, Kim seemed to send a positive signal. This is in contrast to his description of the U.S. as the North's main enemy during January's party congress. At that time, he vowed to upgrade his country's nuclear and missile capabilities.



Kim appeared to have decided how to respond to Biden's new North Korea policy, which took concrete shape after the U.S. president completed his policy review on the North in late April. Kim's emphasis on the need for both dialogue and confrontation is probably in response to Biden's reaffirmation of the use of "diplomacy" and "deterrence" to deal with nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran.



The May summit between Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in might have also positively affected the North's stance. The two leaders agreed to solve the North Korean nuclear issue through diplomacy and dialogue. They also committed to uphold an agreement signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim during their historic summit in Singapore in June 2018.



Yet the question is how to lure the North back to negotiations. Pyongyang still insists on the U.S. withdrawing its "hostile" policy toward the North. The Kim regime has continued to ask for the easing or lifting of international sanctions as a precondition for the resumption of dialogue. It is still unclear whether the North will accept Biden's phased and practical approach based on working-level talks, which is different from Trump's top-down summit diplomacy for a package deal.



In this situation, Sung Kim, the new U.S. special representative for North Korea, began a five-day visit to Seoul, Saturday, to hold talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts and work out a coordinated strategy to restart dialogue with Pyongyang. We hope that his trip will help pave the way for a breakthrough in the deadlocked denuclearization talks.



North Korea, for its part, should return to negotiations with no further delay. The North is suffering from acute economic difficulties, including food shortages, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Kim signed a "special order" to stabilize people's lives. The only viable option to overcome such hardships is to move toward denuclearization, peace and prosperity, and so we urge Kim to take a step in the right direction.


A busy narrow street in Seoul circa 1910-1920s. Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



In the latter part of the 1890s, the authorities in Seoul began a campaign to curtail or even eliminate the activities of mudangs (shamans) within the city and its vicinity. Shamanism was viewed by many Korean progressives (and, of course, Christians) as a relic from the past and a means for some to exploit the superstitious beliefs of the common people to fill their own pockets.



A mudang, according to one contemporary writer, was considered to be of the lowest social status for "besides an entire lack of character she is supposed to have commerce with the evil spirits" that haunt places and people. It is "through friendly intercession" that the mudang convinces the evil spirits to cease their possession. The writer concluded, that "few women in Korea are more depraved than the mudang."



The campaign was fairly successful.



In June 1896, The Independent (an English-language newspaper in Seoul with a strong bias favoring Christianity) "congratulated the authorities on the faithful manner in which the law had been enforced" and noted the shamans "of Seoul and the vicinity have been pretty well suppressed."



Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jai-pil), the newspaper's editor, called upon the authorities to next target the "blind fortune-tellers and blind devil chasers" whom he felt were "just as bad, as if not worse, than [the shamans], and as a rule they play a larger game of deception among the poor people."





A street in Seoul in the 1890s. Robert Neff Collection



He was not the only one to share these negative views. Years later, the editor of The Korea Review wrote:



"In Korea there are many blind people and not a few of them make a living as exorcists. If an inmate of a house is sick someone will run for a blind exorcist who will come and drive out the evil spirit which causes the disease. But men are not the only ones who ply this curious trade. Any Korean blind woman, no matter what her rank, can become an exorcist. A lady exorcist, as might be expected, is in demand among the upper classes almost exclusively. Korea is the fortune-teller's paradise. Superstition is so prevalent that scarcely any undertaking is begun without first consulting the fortuneteller. Fully as much of this is done among the upper classes as among the lower, for the former can better afford the luxury. Indigent ladies do not hesitate to enter the ranks of the fortune-tellers. It is an easy, graceful, lucrative form of labor and carries with it an element of adventure which probably appeals strongly to some natures."



Despite being a Christian, The Korea Review's editor acknowledged "the p'an-su or blind exorcist" was "the enemy of evil spirits" and was able, "by a superior power," to drive them away.



Jaisohn's (as well as others') call for action was apparently heard. In March 1897, police arrested two shamans and three blind fortune tellers on the slopes of Namsan while they were "offering sacrifices to the devil spirit." They were not the first or the last to be arrested.



In August, of the same year, The Independent reported that a blind fortune-teller living in Jongno took to the street in front of his home denouncing the former chief of police "for the stringent manner in which [he] stopped devil worship in the city." The fortune-teller insisted that he had the power to ensure the ex-police official would receive no more positions in the government.



Noticing the disturbance, a young Korean policeman appeared and told the fortune-teller to go home and be quiet but the blind man refused and instead scolded the young police officer for interfering and then threatened to have him fired  apparently the fortune-teller was "very intimate" with a "certain lady" that could arrange the officer's dismissal.





Isabella Bird Bishop described them as: "[Relics] of the very early days of Korean Buddhism, when men were religious enough to toil at such stupendous works and to represent the male and female elements in nature." Circa 1890s. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection



The police officer, tired of the disrespect and threats, tried to usher the man away, but the fortune-teller, through "the effective use of his stick" and probably to the amusement of the crowd of on-watchers, managed to fend off the young man's attempts. Finally, the fortune-teller was disarmed and taken to jail  what was to be his fate was only known to the judge and him (if he truly was a fortune-teller).



Anyone who has spent more than a couple of days in Seoul during August can attest that the sauna-like heat and humidity are almost unbearable (especially without air conditioning). Crazy things tend to happen.



One night, in early August 1898, a blind fortuneteller named Whang boldly made his way through the streets of Seoul to a house near the West Gate. He pounded upon the door with his walking stick and demanded entrance. The owner of the house, a young widow, was startled by Whang's sudden appearance and demanded to know why he was disturbing her and her family in the middle of the night.



Whang stepped into her humble dwelling and then solemnly informed her that before the end of the 7th moon (within the month) two of her sons would be dead  victims of a dark malevolent evil that hid within her dwelling. The widow asked how he came by this dire knowledge and he told her that the great stone Buddha in nearby Paju had told him about it in a dream. Whang felt compelled to aid the widow out of the friendship he once had with her late husband. However, compassion was not the only motive; he also wanted the princely sum of $80 to protect her sons and rid the house of the evil presence.





It is said that women once came here so that they would be blessed with a son. Yongmi-ri in Paju in 2018. Robert Neff Collection
By Andrew Hammond





Geneva is home to the European seat of the United Nations and the international headquarters of the Red Cross, yet its unofficial status as the world's "peace capital" did little Wednesday to cut the diplomatic ice in Joe Biden's big summit with Vladimir Putin.







To be sure, Biden described the talks as "positive," and Putin "constructive." Moreover, the two sides not only unexpectedly released a joint statement, but also agreed to return ambassadors after they were withdrawn earlier this year.







However, little substantive progress was made on broader pressing issues including: climate change, Moscow's military involvement in Ukraine, and the jailing of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. Indeed, despite the diplomatic language from the Biden team, U.S. concerns about Russia's behavior are only growing at the moment, with organizations linked to Navalny outlawed by a Moscow court for being "extremist".







This builds from U.S. concern with Russia's recent escalation at the Ukraine border in a major show of force. Former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak has warned that Moscow could intervene to help its citizens in eastern Ukraine as tensions rise in the region which has been a flashpoint since Russian-sympathizing separatists seized swathes of territory there in 2014.







This has worried some in the West, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steve Pfifer asserted a few weeks ago that the situation is "one step from war." To this end, the U.S. put its forces in Europe on a higher level of alert with Biden re-affirming his support for Ukraine's "sovereignty and territorial integrity."







Biden is also still seething from recent major foreign cyber-hacks by Russia. A key U.S. intelligence report released in January highlighted that up to 10 U.S. government bodies, such as the U.S. Treasury, had their data potentially severely compromised. Organizations outside of government were also affected, with work still ongoing to understand the scope of the incident.







The outlook for Washington's relations with Moscow therefore appears poor in the immediate term. Russia was one of the last major countries to acknowledge Biden's election victory last year, and Putin has previously expressed no great hopes for an improved relationship. In April, the Russian president accused Western powers of trying to "pick on" Moscow and warned them not to cross any "red lines".







So the best that appears possible for the foreseeable future is both sides aiming for, in the U.S. president's words, a more "stable and predictable relationship." Yet, Biden has not completely ruled out a more constructive relationship in the medium term and stressed again Wednesday that he is not "looking for conflict."







He was, after all, one of the architects of the attempted U.S. re-set of relations with Moscow in the Obama era when key achievements included the U.S.-Russia civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, and Washington is interested in a longer-term extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction agreement.







There may be some common agendas here, but also some real challenges to cooperation. And if the going gets tough, Putin (68 years old compared to Biden's 78) may already be thinking ahead to the next U.S. president, or even two, hoping for another maverick Donald Trump-type figure more congenial to his interests.







This, despite the fact that the four years of Trump's administration were a deep disappointment for Moscow, after the initial hints of a rapprochement and calls to "fully restore" ties. This agenda was stalled by the accusations of the Trump team's collusion with Russia, a charge not completely refuted by the Mueller report.







However, a much wider range of issues clouded the bilateral agenda too. This included disagreements on issues from Iran to Syria and arms control deals, including the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty from which the Trump team began withdrawing in response to alleged Russian violations.







Going forward, one of the key uncertainties over U.S.-Russia relations that Biden wants to probe is the degree to which Moscow's much warmer ties with Beijing are now set in stone under Putin and Xi Jinping. Perhaps the most cited area of their closer collaboration is on the political and security front. However, there is also an extensive economic dialogue which has grown since Moscow's annexation of Crimea.







This underscores the clear limits on the degree to which any warming of U.S.-Russia ties might occur during Biden's presidency. Not only may relations be significantly constrained in the immediate term, there are also wider constraints on the scope of any significant future rapprochement for as long as Moscow's relationship with Beijing remains so close.









Andrew Hammond (

) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.






Kakao, which operates South Korea's most popular mobile messenger Kakao Talk, emerged as the country's fifth-largest conglomerate in terms of market cap on the back of the recent gains from the main bourse, data showed Sunday.







The combined market cap of Kakao and its affiliates came to 73.9 trillion won ($65.2 billion) as of Friday, according to Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency.







It marked a sharp rise from just 13.2 trillion won tallied in end-2019.







The market cap of Samsung Group, the largest family-controlled conglomerate of South Korea, currently stands at 751 trillion won, followed by SK Group with 200 trillion won and LG Group with 158 trillion won. That of Hyundai Motor Group is estimated at 152 trillion won.







The number of affiliates of Kakao also recently came to 118, more than doubling from 45 tallied in 2015. South Korea's top four conglomerates, on the other hand, saw their affiliates rise 67 over the period.







The latest growth of Kakao came on the back of robust earnings from its advertising, e-commerce and content business, and optimism for the upcoming initial public offerings of its financial subsidiaries later this year.







Shares of Kakao closed at 155,000 won Friday, up 4.73 percent from the previous session. It was also up 28 percent from April 15, when it went through a 5-for-1 stock split. (Yonhap)


gettyimagesbank



South Korean units of three foreign carmakers are finally pivoting to a more electric future in the face of toughening competition with their Korean rivals and luxury German brands as a way to survive in the changing business environment.



The Korean units of three foreign carmakers  GM Korea, Renault Samsung Motors and SsangYong Motor  have been grappling with declining sales in the domestic market, losing their market share to the nation's leading industry player Hyundai Motor Group, German brands and EV maker Tesla.



There was a sense of crisis after the trio's combined domestic sales sank 24 percent on-year to 43,109 units in the first quarter of the year, the worst performance since the 2009 financial crisis.



Market watchers attributed their sluggish performance to a lack of new competitive models that can appeal to younger generations, who have emerged as a major consumer group for luxury German cars and Tesla's EVs, and waning brand power.



As the transition from gas-guzzlers to eco-friendly vehicles has become the key to survival in the fast-changing automotive industry, the traditional automakers have recently unveiled their EV plans and stepped up marketing in the domestic market.



SsangYong Motor, a debt-ridden unit under Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said Tuesday it has started production of its first EV Korando Emotion to target the European market in October. It has not yet decided on its domestic sales schedule.



SsangYong said it has also been developing an all-electric SUV with a goal of launching it next year to join the global automotive industry's EV transition.



The SUV-focused automaker has been under court receivership since April as Mahindra failed to attract an investor due to the worsening financial status amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic.





SsangYong Motor's first electric vehicle, the Korando Emotion SUV / Korea Times file
Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Moon Sung-wook, second from right, poses with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, second from left, and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek, right, at the prime minister's office, June 18, during his visit to the Czech Republic. Courtesy of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korea is going all-out to win an 8 trillion won ($7 billion) nuclear power plant order in the Czech Republic with high-ranking officials from the government and state-run nuclear plant operator traveling to Prague to promote the country's advanced technology.



The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Saturday that Minister Moon Sung-wook and Chung Jae-hoon, CEO of the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) visited the European country and held meetings with Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek, June 17 and 18 (local time).



During his visit, Moon stressed that Korea would be the best partner in the nuclear power plant project; pointing to the successful completion of the construction of the first nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.



"The minister used the UAE nuclear power plant built by Korea as a successful example that was completed within the planned budget and time period, and expressed confidence that the Czech nuclear power plant project would be properly budgeted for and constructed in a timely manner" the industry ministry said.



He also emphasized that the two countries will create a win-win outcome as KHNP has signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Czech Power Industry Alliance, an association that supervises nuclear power plant projects in the country, and Czech company Sigma. In addition to KHNP, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and Daewoo Engineering & Construction also inked MOUs with local Czech firms.



The Czech Republic plans to build nuclear power plants in Dukovany and Temlin by 2040. As a first step, the country is expected to accept official bidding for the project in Dukovany, which is estimated to cost around 8 trillion won.



With the United States and France also seeking to win the contract, the Czech government is expected to make a final decision in 2023. Russia and China were also considered as potential bidders, but the Czech Republic rejected those two countries citing safety risks.



The industry minister also asked Prime Minister Babis and Industry and Trade Minister Havlicek to visit Korea, saying he would accompany them in person to show them the safety and excellence of Korea's nuclear power plants. So far, Korea has constructed 27 nuclear power plants  26 in Korea and one overseas.



After the meeting, the Czech prime minister said there will be no problem with Korea's participation in the bidding, the industry ministry said. "Korea has no safety risks from the Czech Republic's perspective and opposition parties, which opposed the inclusion of China and Russia as potential bidders, have not expressed opposition to Korea," the Czech prime minister was quoted as saying by the ministry.


Gettyimagesbank



Crude oil prices reach highest levels in two years



By Yi Whan-woo



Global oil prices have soared to their highest levels in more than two years, dealing a blow to Korea's petrochemical, airline, marine shipping and other industries sensitive to price fluctuations.



On June 16, Brent Crude cost $74.39 per barrel and Dubai, $72.78, their highest prices since April 2019; while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closed at $72.15, its highest since October 2018.



All three benchmark products closed in the range of $70 per barrel, Friday.



Of more concern is that their prices are forecast to move up faster and possibly return to $100 per barrel this year for the first time since 2014, thanks to improving fundamentals, and global stimuli to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.



Russell Hardy, chief executive of Vitol, the world's largest independent oil trader, was quoted as saying by the Financial Times that $100 per barrel for oil was "a possibility," although he believed there was enough surplus as OPEC and its allies such as Russia are still restricting supply because of the pandemic.





A sign board at a gas station in Seoul shows the price of gasoline and other fuels for car per liter, respectively, Sunday. The average price of gasoline nationwide marked a seventh consecutive week of increases at 1,576.2 won ($1.3) per liter last week, up 11.7 won from the previous week. Yonhap




Lee You-mie, a professor at Kyungpook National University's College of Pharmacy, received the Academic Promotion Award at the "20th Korea L'Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards" held at Seoul Wave Art Center on June 15.







The anniversary ceremony was sponsored by L'Oreal Korea and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, while the Women's Bioscience Forum hosted the event.







Lee was noted for her contribution to researching biologics and drug efficacy.







As the head of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk branch of the Association of Korean Woman Scientists and Engineers, Lee has contributed to fostering the next generation of female researchers.







Kim Bo-ram, a postdoctoral student at the Department of Biological Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) was awarded a scholarship.







She used fruit flies to research the function of intestinal cells and the interactions between a microbiome and the host animal. Kim is actively continuing research, announcing a total of nine papers as the main author or a co-author, in major SCI-E-grade journals, including Nature, Cell, Science and Cell Host & Microbe.







The second winner of the scholarship award, Park Min-hee, a research professor at Kyungpook National University's School of Medicine, identified a new target peptide factor that can minimize damage to immune cells originating from bone marrow, which is a side-effect of anti-cancer drugs.







The result was published in the EMBO Journal and Stem Cells. The research subject was recently chosen as a new project by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Park is working on commercializing the finding.







The winner of the Academic Promotion Award will be awarded 20 million won, while 5 million will be given to each scholarship recipient.







L'Oreal Korea has been selecting and awarding outstanding female scientists since 2002 in collaboration with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and the Women's Bioscience Forum.







A total of 84 people have won the award and scholarships so far.







This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Korea L'Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards.







Laurent Gilbert, director of sustainable innovation at L'Oreal, was the speaker at a live webinar broadcasting the awards and used the event to explain the French company's 2030 sustainability commitments and innovative research projects.


Indigenous people of various ethnicities, students, and trade unionists participate in a rally against the Brazilian government, in the streets of Brasilia, Brazil, June 19. EPA-Yonhap



Anti-government protesters took to the streets in more than a score of cities across Brazil on Saturday as the nation's confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million  a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaro's attempt to minimize the disease.



Thousands gathered in downtown Rio de Janeiro waving flags with slogans such as ''Get out Bolsonaro. Government of hunger and unemployment.''



''Brazil is experiencing a great setback. The country was an exemplary country for vaccination in the world. We have widely recognized institutions, but today we are in a sad situation '', said Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who joined the protest in Rio.



Other marchers hoisted posters reading: ''500 thousand deaths. It's his fault,'' alluding to Bolsonaro.



Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazil's 26 states, as well as in the Federal District, Brasilia. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaro's declining poll ratings with next year's presidential race looming.



''Get out Bolsonaro, genocidal,'' yelled Rio demonstrators, some of them wearing t-shirts or masks with the image of former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva  who leads Bolsonaro in some polls.



In Sao Paulo, protesters dropped red balloons as a tribute to the victims of the virus



Bolsonaro's supporters have taken more often to the streets over the past month, in large part because many agree with his dismissal of restrictions meant to stifle the coronavirus and anger that lockdown measures have hurt businesses.



Critics say such messages, as well as Bolsonaro's promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the soaring death toll and a sluggish vaccine campaign that has fully inoculated less than 12% of the population. The country of some 213 million people is registering nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths a day.



''For the leftists, putting their followers in the streets is a way of wearing Bolsonaro down for the election,'' said Leandro Consentino, a political science professor at Insper, a university in Sao Paulo. ''But at the same, time they are contradicting themselves and losing the discourse of maintaining health care, because they are causing the same agglomerations as Bolsonaro.''



Saturday's marches came a week after Bolsonaro led a massive motorcycle parade of supporters in Sao Paulo, though his allies and foes differ dramatically on the size of that event.



''Bolsonaro needs to show that he maintains significant support to give a message of strength to those who are investigating the actions of his government in Congress'', Consentino said. (AP)


A person looks at the white ring of mineralized stone indicating the drop in water levels near the Hoover Dam at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Boulder City, Nevada, June 19. Lake Mead, the United States' largest reservoir, which was formed by the construction of the Hoover Dam along the Colorado River east of Las Vegas, Nevada on the Nevada/Arizona border, is at the lowest levels ever recorded since being built as a result of drought, high temperatures and water usage. EPA-Yonhap



Record-breaking heat and historic drought in the U.S. West are doing little to discourage cities from planning to welcome millions of new residents in the decades ahead.



From Phoenix to Boise, officials are preparing for a future both with more people and less water, seeking to balance growth and conservation. Development is constrained by the fact that 46 percent of the 11-state Western region is federal land, managed by agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management that are tasked with maintaining it for future generations.



That's led officials in states like Nevada and Utah to lobby the federal government to approve land transfers to allow developers to build homes and businesses on what had been public land. Supporters in the two states have won over environmentalists in the past with provisions that allocate proceeds to conservation projects, preserve other federal lands and prevent road construction, logging or energy exploration.



A small group of opponents is arguing that routinely approving these kinds of "swaps" to facilitate growth isn't sustainable, particularly in areas that rely on a shrinking water supply.



For the seven states that depend on the Colorado River  Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming  a regional drought is so severe that less water is flowing to Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two manmade reservoirs where river water is stored.



If the level of Lake Mead keeps dropping through the summer as projected, the federal government will likely issue its first-ever official shortage declaration, which will prompt cuts in the share of water Arizona and Nevada receive.



The predicament is playing out in the Las Vegas area, where environmental groups, local officials and homebuilders united behind a proposal from U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto that was heard in the Senate this week.



The Nevada Democrat is pushing what she calls the largest conservation bill in state history to designate more than 3,125 square miles (8,094 square kilometers) of land for additional protections  roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined  and 48 square miles (124 square kilometers) for commercial and residential development, which is about the size of San Francisco.





A view of the Hoover Dam at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Boulder City, Nevada, June 19. EPA-Yonhap


JOIN OUR TEAM! Merced Irrigation District is currently hiring for HYDRO ENGINEER - CIVIL For more information about the position, or to apply please visit the Merced Irrigation District website at https://www.mercedid.com/index.cfm/careers DEFINITION:

Under general direction of the Hydroelectric Department Manager, perform engineering work

in the design, plans, and specifications for civil, systems in dams and hydroelectric generating

stations, and miscellaneous buildings.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

 Manage multiple aspects of engineering studies and capital projects for the Hydroelectric

and Dam facilities, including the preparation and monitoring of feasibility studies, technical

studies, project budgets, manage consultants and vendors working on projects, and acquire

required permits, contracts and agreements.

 Prepare designs, detailed drawings, and specifications for Hydroelectric and Dam systems

and potential improvements to such systems.

 Conduct studies, analysis, investigations, provide reports, and make recommendation to

management for current and future Hydro needs.

Assist the Chief Dam Safety Engineer and the Hydroelectric Department Manager to

support the Districts Dam Safety Program.

 Provide engineering support to operations and maintenance personnel who are performing

maintenance, repairs, modification or installation work in hydroelectric facilities.

 Inspect and analyze project features such as dams, tunnels, penstocks, spillways, intake

structures, powerhouses, electrical generators, transformers, waterwheels, and roads.

 Prepare Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and bid documents in accordance with the Districts

purchasing policy.

 Work with consultants, contractors, regulators, adjacent utility owners to accomplish

project goals and directives.

 Prepare reports, keep records, revise drawings, draft practices and internal standards, assist

other trades, organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up on

assignments/projects.

 Perform other duties as requested, directed or assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of experience and education that would prepare the candidate for the duties

and responsibilities of the position is acceptable.

Education:

 Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in areas

such as civil engineering, or a related field.

 Masters Degree desirable.

Experience:

 Five (5) years of experience as an engineer with a background in capital project planning

HYDRO ENGINEER



and design, construction, and project management with a focus on Hydroelectric or Dam

Safety related projects or related field.

 Experience working with dam safety regulators, FERC and CA DWR DSOD is highly desirable.

 Experience with data management systems (SCADA, work management system, computer

maintenance management system, etc.) is desirable.

Ability to:

 Work closely with District Management, other department managers, staff, constituents,

consultants, contractors, other governmental agency representatives and the general

public.

 Exercise leadership, authority, and management tactfully and effectively.

 Plan, organize, direct, coordinate and supervise functions and activities of the Engineering

Department to achieve efficient operations and meet service goals.

 Negotiate agreements with various entities.

 Represent the District at various agencies and entities.

 Interact effectively with local City/s and County, State, and Federal governments, serving

the Districts best interest

 Solve problems and recommend changes in standards, procedures, and policies to best

serve District constituents.

 Ensure prompt and proper response to public concerns and complaints.

 Communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Work cooperatively with staff,

employees, and employee organizations.

 Handle confidential information appropriately.

 Effectively utilize various engineering software programs, spreadsheets, word processing

software and other typical office software programs.

 Maintain records, analyze data, compile comprehensive technical reports and

recommendations concerning various aspects of water resources management

 Represent District policies, programs and services effectively with employees, contractors,

representatives of other agencies and the public.

 Operate a desktop computer to access varied databases and applicable software.

 Understand and carry out oral and written instructions

 Deal tactfully and courteously with the public.

 Initiate and maintain effective safety practices that relate to the nature of the work.

 Organize, schedule, and coordinate work.

 Operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices.

 Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

 Perform project management through principles of indirect supervision of internal

resources and direct supervision of external resources.

Knowledge of:

 Civil Engineering practices related to hydroelectric, dam, and spillway infrastructure design

and hydraulics.

 Principles of project management, regulatory requirements such as CEQA, FERC, DSOD,



design, and construction techniques.

 Public bid specification principles.

 Public bid and contracting processes and applicable laws.

 Research and analysis methodologies.

 Technical report preparation.

Necessary Special Requirements:

 A valid California registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in Civil Engineering is

preferred.

 Must file a Statement of Economic Interests in compliance with Government Code Section

8100.

 Must complete a two hour Ethics training course every two years in compliance with

California AB 1234.

 A valid California Class C Driver License and the ability to maintain insurability under the

Districts vehicle insurance program.

 Abide by all District policies, guidelines and rules.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:

 Exposure to the sun: 30% or less work time spent outside a building and exposed to the sun.

 Irregular or extended work hours: Occasionally required to change working hours or work

overtime.

 Work performed in an office or hydro plant environment.

The mental and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met

by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential

functions:

ESSENTIAL MENTAL ABILITIES:

 Exercise independent judgment.

 Self-directing and organized.

 Reason objectively.

 Assess, project and plan work activities on a daily and weekly basis.

 Interpret state/ federal/agency regulations.

 Document concisely, accurately and timely.

 Handle a variety of duties which may be interrupted or changed by immediate

circumstances.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

 Communicate orally and in writing with District management, co-workers, outside auditors,

customers, and the public in face-to-face and one-on-one settings.

 Transport, set-up and removal of promotional equipment and materials at various public

functions.



 Use of office equipment such as computer, copiers, scanners, and fax machines.

 Capable of negotiating stairways and uneven ground from time to time.

Sitting: Remains in a seated position for up to eight (8) hours per day

Hands/Arms: Operates computer for up to eight (8) hours per day

Lifting: Raises and lowers boxes and supplies up to twenty-five (25) pounds.

Stooping: Bends body downward and forward by bending at the knees or waist

Talking: Expresses ideas and shares information by means of spoken work in person and

by telephone.

Hearing: Hears well enough to receive communications in person and by telephone.

Vision: Reads written and video messages for up to eight (8) hours per day. Operate

vehicles and office equipment.



Applications/Resumes will only be accepted via the Merced Irrigation District's online

application system.

New users must set up an account at

https://Merced.accessgovernment.net/ApplicantTracking

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Location: Milwaukee - Wisconsin

Job Description Position Summary : With this opportunity at Rockwell Automation, you will become an integral member on an incredible team tasked with supporting a highly automated, cutting-edge assembly line that utilizes the latest and greatest Rockwell Automation hardware and software. This position will be based in Milwaukee, WI, with frequent assignments in Mequon, WI. This position sets up and operates a variety of automatic or semi-automatic machines used in the production of the company's 100-C Contactor product. The Machine Operator works from electronic displays, process sheets or written/verbal instructions given by Technicians or Manager/Supervisor to perform production tasks and inspects operation against predetermined tolerances. Finally, the functions that this position will be supporting will be highly visible to Rockwell Automation executives and customers. The person filling this role needs to be comfortable working in a high visibility role and able to communicate effectively with team members and potential customers. The person filling this role also needs to be comfortable in a fast-paced environment, where frequent moving around is required within the production cell.



Essential functions: Works with electronically-controlled processes.

Troubleshoot, set up, and operate an automated assembly line with multiple machines and work stations.

Prepares/refills feeders for use on machines; Counts materials and moves to production line.

Follows established procedures on routine work and standard operating procedures.

Frequently interacts with peers and customers (typically internal) to exchange or present factual information.

Maintain machine and department cleanliness and organization.

Perform product and machine quality checks, product repairs, and manual assembly.

Manual packaging and preparation of finished goods for shipment to customers.

Work independently and with a team of Machine Operators, Material Handlers, Technicians and Engineering in a proactive way that promotes timely information, idea exchange and continuous improvement.

Engage and actively participate in problem solving, process improvements and team meetings while utilizing effective communication skills.

May perform other duties as assigned such as material handling, tour readiness prep, physical inventory, parts sorting, and within standardized processes.

Demonstrate proficiency of assigned tasks/duties/responsibilities required to achieve customer satisfaction, including but not limited to SAP and Factory Talk.

Engage in and anticipate the activities necessary to meet the changing needs of the business, with the highest possible level of efficiency.

Produces results in a product and / or service that conforms to valid specifications, is free of defects, strives to reduce variation of the process and adds value for our customers.

Demonstrates understanding and supports company values, policies, and standards of business.

Demonstrates responsibility to work safety, participates in 5S, and report / correct safety concerns.

Creates an optimal work environment by establishing and maintaining positive and respectful work relationships. Physical requirements: Ability to move and operate safely in a manufacturing environment.

Ability to move around frequently throughout the work day; employees assist in different areas throughout the production cell as need arises.

Ability to wear appropriate personal protection equipment including safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, mask, etc. as necessary per job function. #LI-GK1 Qualifications : Basic Qualifications High School Diploma or GED.

At least 18 years of age.

Legal authorization to work in the US is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening. Preferred Qualifications A minimum of 2 years of related experience in manufacturing, preferrably automated.

Demonstrated technical understanding and logical approach to analyses and problem solving techniques. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (see application details).






Eastern Iowa Health Center (EIHC), the Federally Qualified Health Center serving Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities, is seeking multiple, full-time Family Medicine Nurse Practitioners to meet the healthcare needs of our patients. This is an excellent opportunity to join a team of highly dedicated providers and staff whose primary mission is to provide high-quality, compassionate care. EIHC is a patient-centered medical home. This position will be a member of a diverse team including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, certified medical assistants, therapists, social workers, care managers and other dedicated staff. Primary responsibilities include: Preventive care for patients of all ages (newborn  geriatric)

Acute care

Chronic disease management

Patient education The ideal candidate would be willing to work some evenings and occasional Saturdays. Qualifications Masters or Doctorates degree from accredited Nursing Program

Active RN and ARNP in the state of Iowa AND

Active board certification thru specialty organization (ex. Family Practice NPs are certified either by AANP or ANCC)

Active DEA license or ability to apply for such license prior to or upon hire

CPR certification Eastern Iowa Health Center provides competitive compensation and benefit packages, including medical, dental, vision, paid-time off (PTO), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and 401(k) retirement savings plan(s). As an employee of EIHC, this position may be eligible for student loan forgiveness through the National Health Service Corps. If qualified, please submit cover letter and resume via email by clicking apply now!

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Videos



Duties



Summary At NCUA, differences make a difference. We value diversity of perspectives and backgrounds and are committed to building an inclusive work environment where employees can contribute to their fullest potential. Learn more about this agency



Responsibilities Invest in your nation's future, make a difference in your community...gain from the experience. At the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) you're not just a number, working to make quotas or improve the bottom line, you have the opportunity to make a difference. NCUA is the federal agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions and insures savings in federal and most state-chartered credit unions across the country through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), a federal fund backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.



To learn more about NCUA's history, structure, and diversity please click on the following links:



NCUA Diversity



NCUA History



The NCUA is seeking an executive to serve as the President of the National Credit Union Central Liquidity Facility (CLF). The CLF was created to improve general financial stability by meeting the liquidity needs of credit unions and thereby encourage savings, support consumer and mortgage lending, and provide basic financial resources to all segments of the economy. The CLF is an instrumentality of the United States and exists within the NCUA. It is a mixed-ownership Government corporation under the Government Corporation Control Act (31 U.S.C. 9101 et seq.). The CLF President serves as the chief executive officer of the CLF under the direction and supervision of the CLF Chairman, and overall governance provided by the CLF Board.



As the Central Liquidity Facility (CLF) President, you will: Manage the CLF consistent with, and ensures the CLF complies with, the relevant provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act, other applicable laws (including 31 U.S.C. Chapter 91), rules and regulations established by the CLF Board, CLF bylaws, delegated authorities, CLF Board approved directives, and applicable NCUA and CLF policies, procedures, and protocols. This includes maintaining up-to-date operating procedures, circulars, and forms.

Serve as the principal consultant and advisor to the CLF Board on all matters related to the CLF. Advises the CLF Board of CLF related policy options, including but not limited to CLF lending, creditworthiness, and collateral, investing, dividend rates and distributions, and regular and agent membership procedures, standards, and regulations.

Develop for the NCUA Board and applicable NCUA offices recommendations, plans, and strategies with deliverables to strengthen the resiliency of the credit union system's liquidity and prepare for and respond to any large-scale liquidity events. This includes recommendations to the CLF Board for potential enhancements to the CLF.

In coordination with applicable NCUA offices, and consistent with established delegations of authority and agency protocols, develop and conduct outreach efforts including public speaking to enhance natural person credit unions' awareness and understanding of the role of the CLF and value of CLF membership, and for corporate credit unions as it relates to agent membership. This includes identifying and incorporating stakeholder feedback and considerations into communications and outreach efforts. Maintain close contact with the primary points of contact for agent members, funding sources (such as the Federal Financing Bank), other federal lenders (such as the Federal Reserve Banks), and other business partners. Support the Office of External Affairs and Communication (OEAC) in developing external communications, and responding to inquiries from external stakeholders, on CLF related matters.

Provide expert advice to the Office of Examination and Insurance and other applicable NCUA offices regarding CLF membership and lending, liquidity risk management, and collateral management.

Maintain custody of the CLF's funds and securities. Deposit and invest funds in accordance with the Federal Credit Union Act, any other applicable laws, regulations, and standards, delegations of authority, and CLF Board approved investment policy.

Coordinate and cooperate with the NCUA Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and any external auditor(s) in the audit or review of the CLF's operations or financial statements. Coordinate with the NCUA Inspector General to ensure the annual audit of the CLF financial statements is performed and distributed in accordance with applicable law and regulation, the CLF's bylaws, and any other applicable requirements.

Perform the full range of day-to-day supervisory and managerial functions for assigned staff and lead teams and efforts that may not be in the executive's immediate supervisory chain. Effectively leverage contributions from assigned staff and other agency staff on assignments to draw upon existing expertise across the NCUA. Determine resource needs necessary to meet mission requirements. This includes program responsibility, personnel administration, and budget preparation, among other things.



Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position once onsite operations have resumed. Supervisory status Yes Promotion Potential 2 Job family (Series) 0580 Credit Union Examiner



Requirements



Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen.

Suitable adjudication of background/security investigation is required.

A probationary/trial period may be required.

This is an essential continuity position.

A financial disclosure is required.

Due to COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions, the selectee of this position will be required to temporarily perform their duties in a full-time telework or virtual capacity until the NCUA resumes onsite operations.



Qualifications For the SS-0580-01 you must have one year (12 months) of full-time specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the CU/GS-15 level or higher in the public or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience is experience serving as an executive or manager responsible for executing an agency or company wide lending program(s).



For the SS-0580-02 you must have one year (12 months) of full-time specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the SS-01/SES level in the public or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience is experience serving as an executive responsible for executing an agency or company wide lending program(s).



You must provide specific details in your resume as to how your work experience meets the specialized experience for this position. Please include the month, year, and hours worked for each position held. Failure to provide specific details in your resume may result in an ineligible rating due to not meeting the specialized experience. Ensure that your experience and accomplishments reflect the Executive and Technical Competencies.



EXECUTIVE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): You must clearly demonstrate in your resume that you possess all the executive qualifications listed below. We recommend that your resume emphasizes your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.



PLEASE NOTE: Although it is not required, applicants are encouraged to address the Executive and Technical qualifications separately. Leading Change. This qualification encompasses the ability to develop and implement an organizational vision, which integrates key national and program goals, priorities, values, and other factors. Inherent to it is the ability to balance change and continuity, to continually strive to improve customer service and program performance within the basic government framework, to create a work environment that encourages creative thinking, and to maintain focus, intensity and persistence, even under adversity. Leading People. This qualification involves the ability to design and implement strategies which maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards in meeting the organization's vision, mission and goals. Results Driven. This qualification stresses accountability and continuous improvement. It includes the ability to make timely and effective decisions and produce results through strategic planning and the implementation and evaluation of programs and policies. Business Acumen. This qualification involves the ability to acquire and administer human, financial, material, and information resources in a manner which instills public trust and accomplishes the organization's mission, and to use new technology to enhance decision-making. Building Coalitions/Communication. This qualification involves the ability to explain, advocate and express facts and ideas in a convincing matter, and to negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally. It also involves the ability to develop an expansive professional network with other organizations, and to identify the internal and external policies that impact the work of the organization. Technical/Professional Qualification (TQ):

Skill in leading or managing a federal, state, or private sector lending program(s) necessary to assess financial markets and investments, loans, credit administration, and risk management of financial services organizations.



Education Education is not required for this position nor may it be used to qualify.



Additional information Note: Career Ladder Promotion Statement For positions that are multi-graded, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next grade level in accordance with OPM regulations and NCUA policies.



SALARY: Salary is set by the NCUA Board, unless delegated to the Executive Director, and is based on the position's and the individual's potential contribution to the agency's overall strategic goals and the executive and technical qualifications of the successful candidate.



In addition to the standard benefits offered by Federal agencies, NCUA offers additional benefits to its employees. These benefits, some at minimal cost, are some of the best and most competitive in both the private and public sectors. More information can be found by clicking here .



OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS: You must serve a one-year managerial probationary period if you have not done so.



*SF-50: Current and former federal employees must submit a Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, that indicates grade, status, tenure and the full performance level (FPL) of the position held . Please do not submit an SF-50 for a cash/time off award.



*Special Note for all current and former Senior Executive Service federal employees: NCUA's SS positions are career positions in the competitive service, therefore you must also submit a Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, from a previous federal position held with permanent tenure in the competitive service (i.e. an SF-50 from a previous GS-15 position). Holding a career SES appointment alone does not give you eligibility to be considered under this announcement . Current SES members will be assessed on both the ECQs and TQs.



SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. You may register or check status of your registration by visiting the Selective Service website at: (see application details)

Illegal drug use by individuals working for or on behalf of the federal government, whether on duty or off duty, is contrary to the efficiency of the service and in direct violation of the Controlled Substance Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act.



NCUA uses E-Verify, a web-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.



NCUA IS A COMPETITIVE SERVICE AGENCY. Read more



How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. You must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.



First, your application package will be reviewed for completeness (resume and supporting documentation). You will not be considered if you fail to submit all the required documents as outlined in this announcement.



Second , your resume will be reviewed to determine if you meet the basic qualifications/specialized experience requirements.



Third , if you meet those requirements and are not an internal non-competitive candidate, your resume will be evaluated by an NCUA ERB rating and ranking panel to determine the extent to which you possess the required executive and technical qualifications. Non-competitive internal candidates, will be forwarded directly to the selecting official. Best Qualified candidates will be referred to an NCUA ERB interview panel for a possible interview. The ERB interview panel will make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority.



NOTE: Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES (political) employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the point of contact listed on this vacancy announcement. Read more



Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance Not Required Drug test required No Position sensitivity and risk Moderate Risk (MR) Trust determination process Suitability/Fitness



Required Documents To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:

1. Resume

2. Other supporting documents : Cover Letter, optional

Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.) For 5-Point Preference: DD 214 (Member 4 Copy preferred, however documentation provided must contain dates and character of service) or if you are currently active duty: an official statement of service from your command. For 10-Point Preference: DD-214 (Member 4 Copy preferred, however documentation provided must contain dates and character of service), VA letter and SF-15 for 10-Point preference.

If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD214, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal). Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof of their eligibility: copy of agency notice; Most recent performance rating; and SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above on the rating criteria for this position. For additional information, click CTAP . YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement. When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Please ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee), month and year that you began and ended for each position held or that position may not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Full-time employment will be assumed unless otherwise stated on your resume. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.

YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire. Failure to provide support may result in a lower rating and/or you may be excluded from consideration. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.



Benefits A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits . Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.



Fair & Transparent The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.



Equal Employment Opportunity Policy The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants Read more



Reasonable Accommodation Policy Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when: An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency. Read more Legal and regulatory guidance Financial suitability

Social security number request

Privacy Act

Signature and false statements

Selective Service

New employee probationary period




Bridgewater-Raritan School District is looking to hire Bus Drivers with valid NJ CDL Passenger School Bus License with Air Brake Endorsement. Excellent benefits. Criminal history check req'd. Apply online by clicking above to be transferred to website.

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In cooperation with other Teaching Team Members, the Early Learning Co-Lead Teacher is responsible for: providing high-quality education and care for children attending the Center, for working cooperatively with families, for supervising and working cooperatively with other staff members, and for assisting in the overall operation of the Kishwaukee College Early Learning Center. Assume responsibilities of director when director is absent. Required Qualifications: An Associate's Degree Required, Bachelor's Degree Preferred in Early Childhood Education or Child development with a minimum of 18 credit hours in course work directly related to young children birth to six-years.

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Must have, or be qualified and willing to earn, a Level 5 Early Childhood Credential from the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA).

Must meet all DCFS licensing requirements for early childhood teachers.

Must be knowledgeable and skillful in the areas of: early childhood education, child development, developmentally appropriate practices, classroom management, program quality, and effective child guidance and discipline. Knowledge of ExceleRate Illinois and national Accreditation systems, while not required, is preferred.

Must be able to meet the strength and mobility challenges required in caring for young children. Must be able to move around classrooms and playground frequently and easily, lift and carry children, and move classroom furniture and equipment.

Must be able to develop positive and supportive relationships with young children, parents, and other Teaching Team members. Must demonstrate respect for children and adults from diverse backgrounds (religious, cultural, social, economic, ability, racial, linguistic, etc.).

Must have a strong understanding of and commitment to the role of play in early education.

Must be able to provide effective leadership, training, and supervision to other Teaching Team members.

Must be able to communicate clearly through writing and speaking.

Must be willing to follow Early Learning Center philosophies, methods, processes, and procedures including, but not limited to: curriculum planning, child guidance and discipline, and adult-child interaction techniques. Read, understand, and implement all written policies and expectations found in the Center's Professional Staff Handbook, Teacher's Aide Handbook, and Family Handbook.

Must be willing to abide by all Department of Children and Family Services licensing regulations.

Must be currently certified or willing to attain certification in Pediatric CPR/AED and First Aid and maintain such certification. Administering when necessary.

Must be willing to complete a medical exam, a background check through Kishwaukee College and DCFS, be finger printed, be able to provide Three Letters of Reference, submit official College Transcripts, and complete the Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter. Click apply now for the complete job description & applications accepted.

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Position Objective: The primary commitment of the Nurse Navigator is the patient and their family. The role of the Nurse Navigator is that of consultant, educator and direct care giver in the implementation and coordination of the multi-disciplinary care, education and rehabilitation of the cancer patient. The Nurse Navigator is to manage chronic, complex, high risk patients, build long term lasting relationships for ongoing coordinated care and improving overall wellness of the population. This is done through advocacy, care, education and coordination for cancer patients and their caregivers throughout the cancer care continuum. The Nurse Navigator utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to provide seamless cross-continuum care integrating a wide range of providers. This is done by planning and providing care, as a liaison between oncology services and other ancillary services (surgery, genetics, medical oncology, radiation oncology, social work, research, nutrition services, rehabilitation services and survivorship) to ensure that the specific needs and concerns of the cancer patient are addressed. The Nurse Navigator is expected to identify gaps in clinical care including vulnerable populations and participates in the hospital and community outreach educational programs. The Nurse Navigator is responsible for identifying, monitoring and reporting patient outcomes through the cancer quality infrastructure. Essential Job Duties: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Utilizes the nursing process (assessment, planning/nursing diagnosis/intervention and evaluation) in the coordination and management of patient care issues. Applies sound nursing judgment, critical thinking skills and evidence-based guidelines to patient/family problems/concerns and in the problem solving process. Educates patients and their support system of the importance of self- advocacy. Educates patients regarding their responsibilities concerning their healthcare. Educates patients and their support system in the navigation of the healthcare system. Ensures patients and families have appropriate information for healthcare contacts including but not limited to triage nurses, their insurance supplier and financial services at AAMC. Anticipates, identifies and helps patients to overcome barriers within the healthcare system to ensure prompt diagnostics and treatment plan of an abnormal finding consistent with cancer. Stays connected with patients and care teams to create a seamless journey through treatment and to follow up on questions and concerns. Clarifies plan of care, explains test results to patients and updates clinicians on the status of the patient's care. Makes referrals to appropriate community resources. Identifies health/cancer educational needs of patient and caregivers. Develops, implements and evaluates teaching program to meet the identified needs. Effectively uses and adapts a variety of teaching resources in meeting the specific needs of each individual patient and caregiver (s). Communicates educational outcomes to appropriate leadership. Presents formal education programs and provides individual guidance to staff. Provides for emotional and psychological support of patients and caregivers during the crisis of cancer diagnosis. Refers to appropriate resources both internal and external. Models patient and family advocacy. Establishes a collaborative relationship with multidisciplinary team, providers and departments. Assists in the development of comprehensive service goals, objectives, policies and procedures. Participates in the development of health educational programs and presents health educational programs and materials both in and out of the hospital setting. Targets vulnerable population's/ health disparities and participates in activities for improving outcomes. Enhances growth and development and enriches personal knowledge and skill through participation in educational programs and professional affiliations and through participation in multidisciplinary quality and service improvement teams. Maintain a working knowledge of open clinical trials and refers patients to the clinical trial department when appropriate. Educational/Experience Requirements: Required Minimum Education. The minimum level of education for this position includes: Minimum three years oncology or related nursing experience. Required License/Certifications: Valid Maryland Registered Nursing license.

Baccalaureate Degree in nursing is required. If Baccalaureate is in another related field, the individual must demonstrate experience in oncology and/or oncology clinical coordination.

Adherence to credentialing requirements of AAMC as stated in the nursing bylaws.

Compliance with Maryland Board of Nursing, Nurse Practice Act, and applicable standards and policies of related regulatory agencies.

Oncology Nursing Certification (ONS) or Clinical Breast Care Navigator (CBCN) certification required within the first year of employment and maintained per the organization policy. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Effective interpersonal skills including excellent verbal and written communication.

Computer literate with experience in database, excel and analytics preferred

Strong assessment skills of patient needs and concerns. Able to independently perform duties with guidance from multiple disciplines. Working Conditions, Equipment, Physical Demands: Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and / or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and / or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and / or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is considered rated for light work. There is reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens






Salary Negotiable Location Arlington *METRO-accessible*, VA Job Type Full-Time Permanent Department County Attorney's Office Job Number 0940-21A-CAO-SD Closing Continuous Position Information

Arlington County is seeking an accomplished legal advisor to serve as the next County Attorney.



Reporting to the County Board, the County Attorney provides chief legal counsel and advice to the Board, County Manager , County departments, and County Board appointed agencies, boards and commissions. This position provides an exciting opportunity to address multifaceted legal challenges, collaborate with elected officials to carry out County Board and County leadership priorities, and provide oversight to the County Attorney's Office (CAO), with an annual operating budget of $3,650,000 and in-house staff of 18.



Key responsibilities include : Acts as County's chief legal advisor by providing highest authority for legal decisions and provides sound legal advice on significant policy, code/ordinance, project, land use, litigation, financial matters, contracts, etc.

Manages complex and sensitive legal matters, analyzes disputes, reviews decisions and makes recommendations, and negotiates litigation matters with other lawyers in private practice and in federal, State, and local governments.

Provides strategic oversight to the County Attorney's Office, including developing strategies to implement County Board and County leadership priorities; and, providing leadership and management to professional and paraprofessional legal staff.

The Ideal Candidate:



The successful candidate will be an experienced attorney with an understanding of the complexities and challenges of a municipal government and a strong record of achievement in the following areas:



Experience creating an inclusive and diverse work culture to ensure that we get the best, most creative talent on our team;

Effectively partnering with an organization's governing board/leadership to provide solution-oriented legal advice while navigating operational realities;

Successful track record of developing strategies for defensible positions as a city/county Attorney or experience in a private law firm advising municipal governments with a full range of services;

Experience litigating complex cases or managing legal matters of sufficient size or complexity that shows evidence of the ability to manage legal strategies in cases of significant import;

Experience prioritizing approaches to policy/code/ordinance development that lead to equitable outcomes; and,

Demonstrated track record in attorney and staff development, management of outside counsel, and commitment to the success of organization.

ARLINGTON - the COMMUNITY and COUNTY GOVERNMENT



Arlington County is an urban community of about 26 square miles situated directly across the Potomac River from the nation's capital. Arlington's distinctive character is reflected in urban neighborhoods that have a small town feel while providing access to big city amenities.

Arlington County operates under the County Manager form of government. The five members of the County Board are elected at large to serve staggered, four-year terms. The County Attorney and County Manager are appointed by the County Board. The County Manager works for the County Board and oversees County staff and day-to-day operations.

Selection Criteria

Minimum: Must have a J.D. from an accredited law school, plus significant senior level experience practicing local/municipal law or related field, including supervision of legal staff.

Possession of a license to practice law in Virginia or any U.S. state that has a reciprocity agreement with the state.

Desirable: Preference may be given to candidates with one or more of the following:



Extensive knowledge of current legal developments and federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, rules, and ordinances applicable to Virginia municipalities;

Experience interacting with a board of directors, elected officials, or other governing body structure; and,

Previous employment with a Virginia city/county government or experience in a private law firm advising municipal governments with a full range of municipal services.

Special Requirements

Please attach a resume and cover letter (or supplemental response) describing why you are interested in the County Attorney position, and detail your experience serving as a primary legal advisor and accomplishments in the following areas: Supervising, directing, and coordinating the work of legal department/team;

Providing legal advice to elected officials, councils and/or boards; and

Litigating complex cases, analyzing disputes, and providing legal recommendations.

Completion of the Commonwealth of Virginia Statement of Economic Interest form will be required of the successful candidate upon hire and annually thereafter.



A pre-hire background check will be made on all candidates who are selected for employment. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Additional Information

This recruitment is open until the position is filled with a preferred filling date of July 23, 2021 . Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis. Applications submitted by this date will receive first consideration.



The salary range is negotiable. Starting salary will depend upon the qualifications and experience of the candidate selected.



Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process and are required for this position.



Arlington County is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce that celebrates and values the diversity of our employees, customers, and users, as well as including perspectives from backgrounds that vary by race, ethnicity, social background, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, and national origin. We encourage applicants of ALL backgrounds to apply for this position. Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled.



Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: (see application details)



Permanent, Full-Time Appointments

All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:



Paid Leave : Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year.



Health and Dental Insurance : Three group health insurance plans are offered - a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs.



Life Insurance : A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee's age and smoker/non-smoker status.



Retirement : The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan.



For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay.



Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits.



Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:

Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.



Limited Term Appointments:

Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.



Temporary Regular Appointments:

Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.



Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:

Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.


Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

Generally cloudy. High 86F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Clear to partly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.


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Soodesh Callichurn a repondu a Xavier-Luc Duval sur cette affaire qui a touche plus de 3000 proprietaires de vehicules qui ont subit des graves dommages a leur moteur en 2019.

PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION

19 JUNE 2021

With regard to the independent investigation into alleged adulterated Mogas in October and November 2019, he will state 

(a) the name of the Consultant and the quantum of fees paid to him;

(b) the dates the tests were effected and table the test results, including, those carried out on shipments of Hafnia Libra and STI Executive;

(c) if the specifications agreed with Vitol Bahrain E.C. are identical to the original tender specifications;

(d) the date when Vitol Bahrain E.C. was requested to limit manganese content in Mogas to a maximum of 2 mg per litre; and

(e) the outcome of the meeting between the then Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection and Vitol Bahrain E.C. in France in December 2019?

REPLY

Mr Speaker, Sir,

The responsibility for procuring the annual requirements of petroleum products for Mauritius rests with the State Trading Corporation since 1984.

Initially, the STC had recourse to selective bidding and later, as from 1987, it resorted to open international tenders for such procurement and the contracts were awarded to the most competitive bidder.

Since then, it has been the practice for the supplier of the petroleum products to appoint an independent accredited surveyor to conduct tests on the products at the port of loading prior to the loading on the vessel. At the discharge port, only the volume of the products was verified by a surveyor appointed by the STC. With respect to quality, the STC relied on the certificate of quality issued after testing at the port of loading.

From 1987 to 2006, the suppliers of the STC were Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), Caltex Petroleum Corporation, Engen, Shell International Ltd, Independent Petroleum Group (IPG), KPC, Veba Oil, Galana Energy Ltd, Chevron Texaco Global Trading, Addax B.V, Vitol Bahrain E.C, and Litasco.

In 2006, following bilateral negotiations between the Government of Mauritius and the Government of India, STC has been purchasing petroleum products from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL). The STC entered into a first contract with MRPL in July 2006 for a period of one year only to assess the performance of the supplier. Thereafter, the contract was renewed for successive 3-year periods from August 2007 to July 2010, August 2010 to July 2013, August 2013 to July 2016 and August 2016 to July 2019.

In 2016, the STC decided to carry out surveys on the world market to determine the prevailing premiums for petroleum products required by Mauritius. As more competitive rates were obtainable, the STC held negotiations with MRPL for a decrease in its premium. However, MRPL did not agree. The STC then decided to review its procurement process and launch tenders on the international market.

Vitol Bahrain E.C was subsequently awarded the contract for the supply of clean petroleum products as from 01 August 2019.

In November 2019, the Motor Vehicles Dealers Association made representations to the effect that the Mogas supplied by Vitol Bahrain E.C was not according to the agreed specifications and that certain vehicles were having technical problems as a result of which an internal enquiry started and the STC started using the samples taken on the consignment from the MT Hafnia Libra, which reached Mauritius on 23 October 2019, for testing by SGS (Mauritius), the appointed surveyor of the STC and also by SGS (France). The reports received from SGS (France) on the sample from the MT Hafnia Libra revealed that:

i. the Research Octane Number which is supposed to be of a minimum of 95.0 was only 94.7;

ii. the existent gum which is supposed to be a minimum of 4.0 milligram per 100 millilitre was 6.0 milligram per 100 millilitre; and

iii. the potential gum which was supposed to be a maximum of 4.0 milligram per 100 millilitre was 18 milligram per millilitre.

Samples were also taken from the consignment of the STI Executive which reached Mauritius on 12 November 2019. The tests revealed:

i. the existent gum which is supposed to be a minimum of 4.0 milligram per 100 millilitre was 13.0 milligram per 100 millilitre; and

ii. the potential gum which was supposed to be a maximum of 4.0 milligram per 100 millilitre was 12 milligram per millilitre.

Both reports mentioned the presence of manganese in the fuel supply.

I am tabling, as requested, a copy of the tests results for the two shipments.

In view of the discrepancies noted, it was decided that further tests should be carried out and additional samples were taken from filling stations. On 30 November 2019, Vitol Bahrain E.C in consultation with the STC appointed Minton, Treharne and Davies Ltd as an independent consultant to investigate reported concerns regarding the presence of manganese in two cargoes of Mogas supplied to Mauritius from the Hafnia Libra and the STI Executive.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

I am informed that the costs of the investigation carried out by Minton, Treharne and Davies Ltd were borne by Vitol Bahrain E.C itself and the information is not available at the STC.

As regards part (c) of the question, I am informed by the STC that the specifications agreed with Vitol Bahrain E.C are identical to these specifications used for Mangalore as from 2016. The Mogas supplied by Vitol Bahrain E.C was therefore conform to the specifications.

Concerning part (d) of the question, when the reports confirmed the presence of manganese in the consignment of the Hafnia Libra, discussions were carried out with Vitol Bahrain E.C and they were requested to make sure that for the next consignment, that is, the Analipsi Lady, the fuel supplied should be manganese-free.

I am further informed, Mr Speaker, Sir, that on 12 December 2019, a delegation led by the then Minister of Commerce went to France to discuss with Vitol Bahrain E.C on the question of presence of manganese in the two consignments of the Hafnia Libra and STI Executive.

The outcome of the meeting in France revealed that:

i. The direct relationship between the level of manganese present in the consignments of the Hafnia Libra and STI Executive and the technical problems faced by Car Owners had not yet been established beyond the shadow of a doubt;

ii. Notwithstanding the level of manganese, the two consignments were fully compliant with the specifications for that contract;

iii. The report of the Motor Vehicles Dealers Association as to the number of cars concerned and the quantum for compensation was excessively high; and

iv. There was need for further tests to be carried out to conclusively establish that the problems faced by the car owners and Motor Vehicles Dealers Association could be attributable to the presence of manganese.

In this respect, the final report of Minton, Treharne and Davies Ltd submitted on 24 February 2020, confirmed that although manganese was present in the two consignments from Hafnia Libra and STI Executive, it has not been possible to determine the exact level of manganese present because different parameters used for testing resulted into different levels. The report also concludes that there was insufficient data to attribute the engine damage to manganese solely and that the majority of vehicle users in Mauritius do not appear to have encountered such engine damage relating to the presence of manganese. Finally, the report mentioned that the problem may alternatively have been that some cars imported with higher specification as from 2013 and onwards were incompatible with the specifications for Mogas.
There were 433 people hospitalized as of midday Friday compared with 454 Thursday. Of those, 98 were in intensive care, and 74 were on ventilators. The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 is down more than two-thirds in the last month, and is about 7% of the peak 6,346 patients reported on Dec. 16.
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International

7 Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers

Palestinian protesters run to take cover from tear gas fired by Israeli security forces. (Courtesy- Statesman).

RAMALLAH, JUN 19 (IANS) | Publish Date: 6/19/2021 1:31:20 PM IST

At least seven Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents in the West Bank, medical sources said.

On Friday, five Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets in the clashes with Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita south of the West Bank city of Nablus, Xinhua news agency reported.

The two others were injured by rubber bullets in the village of Beit Dajan east of Nablus, according to the sources.

Currently, several villages and towns in the West Bank have become a routine scene for weekly rallies that are held on Fridays against the Israeli settlement activities.

Local residents said that the clashes broke out during rallies that the Palestinians organise every Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that nine Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli police forces in the old city in East Jerusalem.

The statement said that Israeli police officers fired rubber bullets and teargas canisters at Palestinian worshippers at their exit from al-Aqsa Mosque in the city after they finished Fridays prayers.
A SA businessman has scored a R40m victory in court against the playboy vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodorin Nguema Obiang.

Daniel Janse van Rensburg has been embroiled in protracted litigation with Obiang over his detention in the central African country. Obiang, who has gained international notoriety for his taste for life's finer things, is the son of the president.

Janse van Rensburg was twice held in Equatorial Guineas notorious Black Beach prison despite being cleared of allegations of fraud and theft.

His ordeal, which entailed torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, spanned 549 days of detention, 423 of which were at Black Beach.

According to Janse van Rensburg, who is from George in the southern Cape, he was arrested at the instance of Obiangs uncle, Gabriel Mba Bela.

He sued Obiang, who was at all relevant times the minister in charge of state security and prisons in Equatorial Guinea and was responsible for his unlawful arrest, imprisonment and torture, after his return to SA in 2015.

Janse van Rensburg, who was involved in a business activities in several African countries, demanded R65m for the multiple unlawful arrests, imprisonment and torture.

In 2017, the high court in Cape Town ordered the attachment of Obiangs SA properties, and on Friday it ordered the vice-president to pay Janse van Rensburg more than R39.8m in damages.

Acting judge James Lekhuleni said: [Janse van Rensburg] was tremendously affected by the prison conditions.

[He was] incarcerated in a prison cell with about 400 prisoners who had to use two bathrooms, of which the toilets were constantly blocked and overflowing. As a result thereof, he frequently vomited in the bathroom.

There was no running water or toilet paper. Inmates used their hands to clean their buttocks and wiped their hands on the walls. As a result, he got sick.

The effects of torture were evident in court when he gave his testimony. He appeared to be tense, nervous, anxious, and he expressed himself with difficulty during his testimony.

The after-effects of his arrest are still overwhelming him and it seems this will take a long time to normalise if it does not remain with him for the rest of his life.

Lekhuleni said Janse van Rensburg might not be able to work again. He indicated that he suffered from fatigue and dizziness brought on most often by frequent panic attacks.

"[He] also alluded to the fact that he is always tense and nervous, imagining imminent danger at every turn. For instance, he finds himself looking anxiously outside before he goes to bed and when he wakes up. He obsessively rechecks the door locks in the house and he had great difficulty in trusting anyone, even his wife and family.

Lekhuleni was critical of Obiangs conduct. I must say with respect that this is an extraordinary case of unlawful arrest and detention, he said.

This is a case that epitomises a sheer abuse of power and authority by [Obiang]. [Janse van Rensburg] was fortunate to have survived this ordeal.

"[Obiang] defied orders issued by judges in his country who after listening to [Janse van Rensburgs] case found that there was no basis for him to be arrested or detained. They released him.

Though they released him and gave him permission to leave the country [Obiang] abused his power and rearrested [him] to demonstrate his total disregard of the rule of law.

Lekhuleni said Obiang tried to evade liability and "[his] conduct in this court was highly reproachable.

He added: "[He] defied the orders of this court and this resulted in the striking out of his case. [Obiang] appeared to be a law unto himself and that conduct cannot be tolerated.

TimesLIVE
SIBANGILIZWE, the son of the late former Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, yesterday paid tribute to the late Zambian founding President Kenneth Kaunda, describing his relationship with his father as brotherly.

Kaunda died last Thursday aged 97. Kaunda ruled Zambia from 1964 to 1991 and his government assisted Zimbabwe during the liberation war, by housing its liberation movements and offering moral support.

I knew Kaunda from a young age. There was a song which was sung during the liberation war which spoke about Zimbabwe and Africas liberation. Among the top African leaders mentioned in the song were Kaunda, my father and the late former President of Malawi, Kamuzu Banda, Nkomo said.

When my father was arrested and spent 10 years at Gonakudzingwa Prison, Kaunda took care of Zipra and Zapu in Zambia. Their relationship was not only political, but it was that of brothers.

He said when Lancaster House talks started, Kaunda provided Nkomo with a secretariat and a plane for his personal use.

Kaunda became my close relative and parent. He worked hard for Zimbabwe to be liberated. His people were killed and suffered various challenges while he was supporting us. He never gave up on supporting us. On several occasions, he assisted my father during negotiations with the late former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith. He loved to see a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe. He was always full of joy and humility, he said.

Nkomo said when his father died, Kaunda visited their family home in Pelandaba in Bulawayo to pay his respects.

When he visited our home in Pelandaba I showed him the chair which my father loved to sit on and Kaunda sat on it and cried. He asked my fathers spirit to take care of the citizens of Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, he failed to attend his burial after he lost one of his sons who had been shot in Zambia.

We are pained by his death, but we must learn from his humility. He must rest in peace, but his spirit must live with us always, Nkomo said. Newsday
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was asked by MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora to consider scrapping pending by-elections when the two met under controversial circumstances at State House on June 11, The Standard has established.

Mnangagwa met Mwonzora while in the company of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

The MDC-T leader revealed after the meeting, described by his lieutenants as secretive, that he had tabled a set of damands to the Zanu PF leaders, but flatly refused to disclose them, saying he was waiting for the presidents written response.

This publication, however, has since obtained a copy of the four-page document Mwonzora gave Mnangangwa. The suspension of by-elections, which if done, would give Mwonzora an edge over Nelson Chamisas MDC Alliance in the fight for recognition as the main opposition party in Zimbabwe.

The MDC-T leader justified the proposal to suspend by-elections, saying it would give Zimbabweans time to find each other.

While Zimbabweans are talking and finding each other in this serious manner it seems unnecessary to introduce something divisive as by-elections, he said in the statement.

It is, therefore , suggested that while discussions are going on regarding aforementioned issues, by-elections be suspended.

In order to avoid prejudice to the electorate, it is suggested that an arrangement be made for parties to make replacements of vacancies in their areas of control as guided by law.

Following a controversial Supreme Court ruling last year, MDC-T has recalled dozens of MDC Alliance legislators and councillors amid accusations that it is aiding Mnangagwas ambitions to create a one-party state.

Mwonzora denies allegations that he is a Zanu PF puppet, but he has indicated his eagerness to work with the ruling party while pushing out Chamisas group.

In his submissions to Mnangagwa, he also proposed a new dialogue platform between MDC-T and Zanu PF to be known as the Parliamentary Dialogue Forum (PDF).

He said PDF would be made up of five Zanu PF legislators, five MDC-T legislators and two chiefs. The platform would have Zanu PF and MDC-T principals while excluding MDC Alliance.

According to the document, the PDF would have its own secretariat where Zanu PF and the MDC-T will second officials that would be on a full salary.

The two political parties to select two salaried and specific coordinators each, who sit in the PDF, reads the document.

Mwonzora assured Mnangagwa that there would be no further talk of the 2018 general elections as that was water under the bridge as concluded by the Constitutional Court.

The Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe made a definitive judgement, which in the partys view settled the legitimacy question. To the MDC-T party the legitimacy is a settled issue, he wrote.

The MDC-T leader also proposed timelines in which negotiations should have been completed.

The parliamentary dialogue forum shall be set up by June 30, the thematic committee shall be set up by July 15 while considerations of the PDF report by principals be by October, the document added.

Under the new approach in all political, economic and social strategies, what is paramount are the best national interests of the Zimbabwean people.

Zanu PF factions, however, are reportedly not happy with Mwonzoras proposal to suspend by-elections as they feel the party is well placed to win the polls, believing that the MDC Alliance is at its weakest.

The MDC Alliance is pushing for by-elections in order to prove that it is the party that enjoys grassroots support.

Mwonzoras spokesperson Lloyd Damba yesterday insisted that the MDC-T leader was acting in the best interests of all Zimbabweans.

I do not know the source of your document, so for you to say that this person or that person is a liar is neither here nor there, Damba said.

All I am saying is that the document you were given has clearly sent you far away from the scent and the prey.

What we are doing is in the best interest of all Zimbabweans, so the misleading you allege falls off. We cannot give you the document now because it will be tantamount to negotiating in public.

Mnangagwas spokesperson George Charamba said he could not comment on a private meeting.

The interaction between President Emmerson Mnangagwa (and Mwonzora) was done behind closed doors, Charamba said.

Whatever documents transacted and commitments made in the meeting are between the two parties.

I cant stand in as the presidents spokesperson to comment on a document, which I am not aware of its authenticity.

Zanu PF and Mnangagwa have vowed that they will not hold any talks outside the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), which Mwonzora is hesitant to join, saying he does not qualify.

Polad is limited in scope, it was defined as a platform where those who contested for presidency can have dialogue, which excludes me, Mwonzora said.

Therefore, as a lawyer I would not want to sit in a platform where my contribution does not carry legal weight.

Mwonzoras predecessor Thokozani Khupe represented MDC-T in Polad before her ouster last December. Standard
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has censored the State media for giving too much space to Zanu PF at the expense of opposition political parties.

Speaking at a workshop held for journalists in Chinhoyi last week, Dr Qubani Moyo, a ZEC commissioner said that the State media was being unfair to opposition parties by giving too much coverage to Zanu PF.

Dr Moyo who is the ZEC spokesperson was presenting a paper on Electoral Dispute Resolution and one of the major disputes has been inequitable media coverage.

Dr Moyo said because of the skewed coverage, ZEC was inundated by complaints from different quarters. He said while it happens all over the world that sitting Governments receive more coverage, this should not be at the expense of opposition parties.

Asked by one of the journalists attending the workshop on what ZEC is doing about the problem, Dr Moyo said the Commissions mandate to monitor the media only starts when the President promulgates the elections. Outside that period ZEC cannot do anything, he said.

He however, said that ZEC was going to engage the Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe over the matter.

Patience Zirima who heads an NGO involved in media monitoring concurred with Moyo and said that the State media which is mainly ZBC and Zimpapers are in contravention of the Constitution of Zimbabwe when they sideline opposition parties in their coverage.

The public broadcaster stands guilty of giving too much space to the ruling party, not only in Zimbabwe but in most countries. There should be fair coverage of all political parties during the election period. We have witnessed situations where some political players are very thin on content and lack personnel to tackle issues in the media even if they get the opportunity, all the same we call upon fair coverage of all players.

In 2018 the public media was very much biased towards Zanu PF and we had serious problems with that as we received so many complaints from stakeholders, said Dr Moyo.

There was a lot of bias towards Zanu PF in 2018. The ruling party got 90% of the coverage while opposition parties only got 10%. This is problematic because the Constitution says public media must report in a fair and equitable manner.

Womens voices were also much lower although this could be attributed to the low number of women who participated as candidates in the 2018 elections. Going forward in 2023 we hope to see increased plurality, diversity of coverage of the different groups and political parties in the country and this will provide an environment that is much fairer and equitable, said Zirima. Masvingo Mirror
There were so many times that I wished I could trade places with them when they when they were in the hospital, said Martin, who wasnt able to see his son Elias up close in the NICU for 20 days. Youre constantly [wondering] are they going to be able to come home? Are they going to make it out?
Mom murdered: A Bronx woman who was the holdout juror in a murder case after she fell hard for the suspect, was shot to death near her home on Wednesday. Katherine Diop, 29, died after she and her brother argued with someone at a deli in Fordham Manor, police said. Diop made headlines in 2012 when she served on a Bronx jury and fell in love with defendant Devon Thomas. Her insistence of his innocence led to a mistrial. After the case ended, Diop pursued a romantic relationship with him, and visited him more than 30 times at Rikers Island. But their relationship didnt last. Diop instead ended up with Thomas brother, a pal told The News. Thomas was convicted of manslaughter at a second trial. Diops killer remains at large.
Wright is a suspected gang member, said law enforcement sources  but his mother told the Daily News he had no gang affiliation and that she believes he may have been shot in a case of mistaken identity.
In the aftermath of the crash, Goods said, tried to leave the SUV to find Monica  but Baldner pulled a gun on him and once again asked him if he had guns or drugs in the car.
Investigators also made their way to an RV park and searched the trailer that was registered to the same person as the truck that crashed into the pedestrians. Upon arrival at the RV, police found the body of the owner of the truck and trailer. Frasier did not disclose a cause of death, but said there is no question in my mind this person died of homicidal violence.
Catherine Serou did one tour in Afghanistan before getting a bachelors degree in design and a masters in art history from the University of California at Davis. She wanted to learn Russian before returning to the U.S. to work as an immigration lawyer, her mother said.
Three other people were considered to be OK following the crash near Swim Beach at Chatfield Reservoir, according to the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office.
The incident occurred after 10 p.m. local time while the cop and another officer were conducting a welfare check at the residence on W. Carlyle Street in Wichita, where two females were at home, Nicholson said.
For the leftists, putting their followers in the streets is a way of wearing Bolsonaro down for the election, said Leandro Consentino, a political science professor at Insper, a university in Sao Paulo. But at the same, time they are contradicting themselves and losing the discourse of maintaining health care, because they are causing the same agglomerations as Bolsonaro.
This handout video grab courtesy of @pinto_spears shows police officers and others assisting two people laying on the ground after being hit by a pickup truck during a Pride parade in Wilton Manors, near Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 19, 2021. - The driver of a pickup truck slammed into a crowd gathering for a Pride parade Saturday in south Florida, killing at least one man, US media reports said. It was not immediately clear if this was a deliberate assault. The incident happened at the start of the LGBTQ parade in the town of Wilton Manors near Ft. Lauderdale. The driver was later taken into custody. (-/@pinto_spears/AFP via Getty Imag)
Check out our special section for the latest news on the critical 2021 elections in NYC. And to have the essential news and analysis sent to your inbox, sign up for our Campaign Diaries newsletter.
Their presence [has given us] what we have now, he added. We dont want to continue with this misery and indignity that we are facing. It is better for Afghanistan that they leave.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan (r.) on Sunday said President Biden "wants to be able to have a space, to be able to engage directly, privately, candidly with President Putin, and then to determine whether the actions that Russia takes in the months ahead match up with the discussions that took place in Geneva." (Doug Mills/AP Photo)
The $6 trillion proposal includes measures aimed at boosting what Democrats have taken to calling the countrys human infrastructure. Those range from lowering the Medicare eligibility age, to 60 from 65, to granting legal status to so-called Dreamers, immigrants brought to the U.S. as children who are now here illegally.
Unfortunately, what he does is what the larger bill ... does, which is it takes the election system in this country and federalizes it, so its a federal takeover of our election system, Portman said on NBCs Meet the Press.
Meanwhile an environmental group Extinction Rebellion held up a banner outside that read Racing to Extinction outside the racecourse, according to The Associated Press. Four women glued the banner to their bodies, intending for the queen to see the sign. She, however, was not near the area at the time.
All these years later, that night is imprinted into my middle-of-the-night insomnia wake-up terrors. Still, among all the debris of that dramatic evening was one of the most tender moments in my life. When the police arrived, Grandma led me into my bedroom. She sat me in her lap in the dark, held me and rocked me while humming a Czechoslovakian lullaby. I gazed out the window at the streetlights spotlighting moths and fireflies. I tried, but could not imagine what would come next. Grandma whispered that everything would be okay. What choice did I have but to believe her?
I often find, and especially in this past year, I think so many of us realized how much happens in the quiet, Markle said. It was definitely moments like that, watching them from out of the window and watching [my husband] just, you know, rock him to sleep or carry him or, you know ... those lived experiences, from my observation, are the things that I infused in this poem.
Spinelli, known throughout the underworld as the Duchess, wasnt the kind of woman likely to inspire the white knight in many men. She was no doomed beauty, like Barbara Graham, who would die at San Quentin 14 years later. And while she had three children, Spinelli wasnt a sweet motherly type who could spark memories of their own mamas in the hearts of lonely prisoners.
There are about half a million wild hogs in Florida, spread out over every county in the state. Though invasive, theyve been making themselves at home here for hundreds of years. And theyve been wrecking up the joint like rock stars on a bender with $1.5 billion in property damage nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, much of it in the Sunshine State  where they root up biking trails and decimate crops overnight.
Economists believe that one reason more workers are quitting is simply a backlog: By some estimates, more than 5 million fewer people quit last year than would otherwise be expected, as some workers, riding out the labor markets convulsions, stuck with jobs they may have wanted to leave anyway. (And the millions of involuntary job losses during the pandemic surely accounted for some of the reduction in quitting.) Now that the economy is regaining its footing, workers may suddenly be feeling more emboldened to heed their impulses.
Freedom has to be about more than a holiday.  Not one Black persons life became better because June 19 became a national holiday, said Demings, who recently announced her run for Senate against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio. So our work as members of Congress is to make sure that were working every day to hold America to its promise. And being free from physical bondage is one thing, but we also have to be free from poverty and we have to be free from injustice.
These memories will endure to the end, and if there is a realm beyond this one, then for eternity. We see things much differently when we get older than when we are young or in the middle of our years. But no matter what your circumstances are or what your family history is, I believe that it is important to wish your father the best on his special day, if not only for the reason that it will make you a better person for having done so. I sure do wish that I could.
On the forecast track, the system should continue to move across portions of the southeastern U.S. through tonight, move over the coast of North Carolina into the western Atlantic Ocean on Monday, and pass near or just south of Nova Scotia on Tuesday, NHC meteorologist Richard Pasch said.
Oswego, NY (13126)

Today

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 67F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Showers and thundershowers likely this evening with a shower or two possible overnight. Low 59F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe?

Survey
Afghanistan is a notoriously difficult country to govern. Empire after empire, nation after nation have failed to pacify what is today the modern territory of Afghanistan, giving the region the nickname Graveyard of Empires,  even if sometimes those empires won some initial battles and made inroads into the region. If the United States and its allies decide to leave Afghanistan, they would only the latest in a long series of nations to do so. As the British learned in their 1839-1842 war in Afghanistan, it is often easier to do business with a local ruler with popular support than to support a leader backed by foreign powers; the costs of propping up such a leader eventually add up. The closest most historical empires have come to controlling Afghanistan was by adopting a light-handed approach, as the Mughals did. They managed to loosely control the area by paying off various tribes, or granting them autonomy. Attempts at anything resembling centralized control, even by native Afghan governments, have largely failed.

Akhilesh Pillalamarri
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Coronavirus pandemic

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People over 40 in England and Scotland are being invited to get their second Covid jab sooner than expected.

The gap between vaccine doses has been shrunk from 12 weeks to eight because of concerns over the Delta variant.

How can I bring my second dose forward?

Making the announcement for England, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS would contact people to bring forward their appointments.

You can also rearrange an appointment yourself. You can do this online, or by calling 119.

Your second dose will be the same type as your first.

Second doses are also being brought forward in Scotland. Anyone whose second appointment is more than eight weeks after their first can rebook it via the NHS Inform website.

In Northern Ireland, the interval between doses has been reduced from 10 weeks to six weeks for appointments scheduled after 14 June 2021.

In Wales, the government says vaccination clinics "are accelerating second doses", and that people will be contacted by their local health boards in due course.

The change has been made because of concerns about the Delta variant.

Who is being offered the vaccine now?

Anyone aged 18 or over can now book a jab in England, either online or call 119.

By 19 July, it's hoped that all adults will have had their first dose and everyone aged over 50  and the clinically extremely vulnerable  will have been offered their second.

Across the rest of the UK:

In Scotland  30s and over can get their vaccine (18 and over in some parts of Glasgow)

30s and over can get their vaccine (18 and over in some parts of Glasgow) In Wales  18s and over can get the vaccine

18s and over can get the vaccine In Northern Ireland  18s and over can book online or call 0300 200 7813

image copyrightGetty Images

How many people have been vaccinated so far?

Is Covid vaccination compulsory?

The government is planning for vaccinations to become compulsory for staff at care homes in England.

The health secretary described the move as "sensible and reasonable" and said he would consult on extending it to the NHS.

Workers will have 16 weeks to get both jabs, once regulations are approved by Parliament.

For everyone else, vaccination is not compulsory but everyone is being urged to get jabbed.

What vaccine will I get?

The UK is using vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNtech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, and Moderna.

People under 40 are being offered Pfizer or Moderna rather than Oxford-AstraZeneca because of concerns about a possible connection with extremely rare cases of blood clots.

But the UK's medicines regulator says the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks for most people.

A single-dose Covid vaccine made by Janssen has also been approved for use in the UK by the medicines regulator. Twenty million doses have been ordered for the UK and will arrive later this year.

Im 25  is it safe for me to get the vaccine?

Is the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine safe?

Rare blood clots  what you need to know

Do vaccines work against the Delta variant?

The Delta variant is believed to be around 60% more infectious than the previous dominant variant in the UK, the Alpha. It's also thought to be twice as likely to result in hospital admissions.

However, new analysis by Public Health England (PHE) shows that two doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine are highly effective at preventing hospital admissions for infected patients.

Vaccine developers are updating their jabs to target new variants more effectively but it's not clear when they will be ready.

Where is the Indian variant and how is it spreading?

How worrying are the new coronavirus variants?

Can you mix and match different vaccines?

A UK trial is investigating whether using two different vaccines could give better protection and more flexibility.

At present, official guidance says everyone should get the same vaccine for both doses. But in rare circumstances  if only one vaccine is available, or it's not known which was given for the first dose  a different vaccine can be used.

If you have already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, you should also have a second dose. Only those who suffered a rare blood clot should not, the regulator says.

Will all children be vaccinated?

A decision to vaccinate all 12 to 17-year-olds is unlikely to be recommended by UK vaccine experts imminently, the BBC has been told.

Certain groups of children may still be offered a Covid jab  but not all.

Vaccinating children could help protect other people, but the risk to youngsters from catching Covid remains extremely low.

The Pfizer vaccine has now been approved as safe for 12 to 15-year-olds in the UK.

Moderna says its Covid vaccine is "highly effective" in adolescents aged 12-17, and it will soon ask global regulators to approve its use for this age group. Other manufacturers are also carrying out trials.

image copyrightGetty ImagesWill people be given a third dose?

People are being urged to take part in trials to find out whether a third dose could protect against new variants.

The Cov-Boost study will recruit 3,000 people of all ages to test whether re-vaccinating some people in the autumn is necessary.

How many vaccine doses are there?

The UK has ordered eight vaccines and expects to receive 517 million doses.

These include another 60 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine (on top of the original order of 40 million) to be used as part of a booster programme in the autumn.

Vaccines supplied by CureVac will be designed to protect against the most concerning new variants.

Can pregnant women get the vaccine?

The UK's vaccine committee says pregnant women should be offered a jab when other people their age get one.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferable, they say, because data relating to 90,000 pregnant women has not raised any safety concerns.

Data on how the AZ vaccine works in pregnant women may become available in the near future.

Pregnant women should be offered Covid vaccine

What about people with allergies?

A very small number of people have experienced a severe allergic reaction  known as anaphylaxis  after the Pfizer vaccine.

You should discuss any serious allergies with your healthcare professional before being vaccinated.

Most people will not be affected in any way, although side-effects with all vaccines are possible.

The most common ones include a sore arm, headache, chills, fatigue and nausea.

They are part of the body's normal immune response to vaccines and tend to resolve within a day or two.

Sore arm is most common Covid vaccine side effect

Study reveals extent of Covid vaccine side-effects

media captionWhy it is normal for some people to experience short-term side effects from Covid-19 vaccinesView comments
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/20/2021 -- The global semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is estimated to be USD 62.4 billion in 2020 and projected to reach USD 95.9 billion by 2025; at a CAGR of 9.0%. Key factors fueling the growth of this market include the increasing investments in R&D facilities due to COVID-19 impact, increasing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles, the growing consumer electronics market and increasing number of foundries due to COVID-19, trend of miniaturization and technology migration, and high demand for chips to provide computation power and connectivity for AI applications.



Assembly and Packaging is expected to witness the second largest market growth during the forecast period



Assembly and Packaging is expected to have the second largest market growth during the forecast period, by back-end equipment type. Assembly and packaging equipment help in designing the devices and making them robust and durable to ensure long life and highest productivity. By using the assembly equipment, the chips are attached to the circuit board through gold wiring. Assembly and packaging equipment enable the chip to reduce electrical interference, dissipate heat from the device, and provide protection to electronic systems and conductors. Major foundries such as GlobalFoundries (US) and Intel Corporation (US) are trying to penetrate in the APAC region to satisfy the rising demand for electronics. These activities in the region have increased the assembly and packaging equipment market share of APAC.



Download PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=263678841



IDM firms to account for largest market share of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in 2019



IDM firms are expected to be the largest and fastest growing market by value during the forecast period. IDM companies are investing heavily in R&D activities to develop technologically advanced, energy-efficient, and miniaturized products, such as RFID circuits, smart ICs, ultra-low-power microcontrollers, sensors, for consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial applications. For instance, in 2018, Texas Instruments and Samsung invested USD 1.6 billion and USD 16.8 billion, respectively, in research and development of technologically advanced and miniaturized products. Also, the IDM firms is expected to remain dominant in future due to the growing number of semiconductor fabrication plants operated by IDMs across the world.



2D ICs segment is expected to witness largest market share in 2020



The 2D ICs segment is expected to register largest market share in 2020, by dimension. The primary reason for the high market share of 2D IC is its low initial cost as compared to 2.5D and 3D. The second largest market share is expected to be captured by 2.5D ICs which offers better miniaturization to address different challenges such as dense and complex designs, need for low power consumption, and the requirement of increased functionalities.



Asia Pacific is the leading semiconductor manufacturing equipment market, globally, by market share, in 2019



The development of semiconductor devices in Asian economies such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan drives the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market in the region. APAC is the hub for the consumer electronics market, which is served by several fabrication plants present in the APAC region. China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan own the maximum number of fabrication plants worldwide. Favorable economic conditions and cheap labor costs in APAC are the key driving factors for the significant share in this market. The region is one of the largest markets for electric and autonomous vehicles globally and has also witnessed high demand for consumer electronics in past years. This has spurred the growth of semiconductors products and in turn, drive the market for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.



Key Market Players

The semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is dominated by a few globally established players such as Tokyo Electron (Japan), LAM Research (US), ASML (Netherlands), Applied Materials (US), and KLA-Tencor (US).
Digital interference in the 40m phone segment

At its meeting on 9 June, the South African Radio League Council discussed the matter of interference by digital modes in the phone segment of the 40 m band. Council is aware that the digital segments in IARU Region 2 and 3 and the phone segment in Region 1 overlap.

Council believes that digital activity should take place in the digital segment of the Region 1 HF Band Plan and that only when working stations outside Region 1, should the Region 2 frequencies be used.

Good operating practice by Radio Amateurs dictates that before transmitting, the operator should listen to ensure that the frequency is not occupied and should only use the minimum power necessary to establish communication.

Digital operators on 40 m should check for activity on the Lower Sideband of the intended dial frequency before transmitting.
Algiers, 19 June 2021 (SPS) - The latest developments of the Sahrawi issue as well as means and ways to strengthen the support to the Sahrawi people were Thursday at the heart of a political-diplomatic meeting in Algiers.



Organized jointly by the embassy of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and South Africas embassy in Algiers, the meeting was marked by the presence of 15 accredited ambassadors to Algeria representing African, Latino-American and Asian countries.



Speaking on this occasion, the Sahrawi ambassador to Algiers presented a report on the latest developments of the Sahrawi cause, pointing out the achievements made by the Sahrawi people since the violation of the ceasefire on 13 November 2020.



Taleb Omar emphasized the important victories that have been accomplished so far as well as the successive defeats of the Moroccan system.



For his part, charge daffaires at South African embassy Patrick Rankhumise reaffirmed the countrys support to the struggle of the Sahrawi people, dubbing important this meeting.



Time has come for the international community to assume its responsibilities and impose courageous decisions in order to force Morocco to respect the charters of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) in favor of the Sahrawi peoples right to self-determination, because it is a decolonization cause.



The diplomats participating in this meeting have unanimously raised the delay in the implementation of the decolonization process in Western Sahara, calling on the UN to fully fulfill its role, which is the compliance with the law and legitimacy. (SPS)



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London, 20 June 2021 (SPS) - Blueberry farms are currently being set up in the occupied city of Dakhla in Western Sahara, warns the international observatory Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), calling on retailers to take action against "the financing of Moroccan colonization."



"Blueberries made in Morocco will, in the near future, not only be produced in Morocco, but also in occupied Western Sahara," deplored the WSRW on its website.



Citing Blueberries consulting magazine, the observatory says that "two multinational berry companies have begun production in the region" of Dakhla in occupied Western Sahara, adding that new farms "are currently being created."



"Morocco's efforts to attract investors are of great concern," the WSRW warned.



"We call on all importers of Moroccan blueberries to start inquiring about the true origin of the products. Moroccan exporters must make sure that their blueberries come from Morocco and not from Western Sahara," said Sylvia Valentin, president of the Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW). (SPS)



062/090/700
Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi has won Irans 2021 presidential election by a landslide, according to the final results by the Interior Ministry.

At a presser on Saturday, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli said out of a total of 28,933,004 votes cast in the presidential election, Raeisi garnered over 17.9 million votes, followed by Mohsen Rezaei who secured 3.4 million.

Nasser Hemmati garnered 2.4 million votes, and Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi won almost one million votes.

Orf said he was not offering precise figures because vote counting was still ongoing and said he was merely providing preliminary updates.

Meanwhile, the world leaders have extended their congratulations to Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi on his victory in Irans 2021 presidential election.

Raeisi garnered almost 62 percent of the votes in Fridays election with a turnout of 48.8 percent. He will succeed President Hassan Rouhani who has served two four-year terms in office.

Hezbollah, Palestine, Qatar, Oman, Turkey offer felicitations

In a message sent to the president-elect, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Lebanons Hezbollah resistance movement, said, "I congratulate you on this great victory and your election as the president at this critical juncture in Iran's history."

"Your election win revived the hopes of the Iranian nation and other regional nations for the future and their power to counter challenges, he added. Resistance fighters and freedom-seeking people consider you a fortified stronghold against aggressors.

Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi has won Irans 2021 presidential election by a landslide, according to preliminary results by the Interior Ministry.

Additionally, Palestines embassy in Tehran announced that President Mahmoud Abbas had sent a message to Raeisi, felicitating him and the Iranian people on the election victory.

Abbas also stressed the strong will of the Palestinian Authority to reinforce cooperation with the Islamic Republic in line with the interests of the two brotherly nations.

In another congratulatory note, Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani wished Raeisi success as well as further development and growth of the relations between the two countries, state news agency QNA reported.

Similarly, Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said expressed his sincere greetings to Irans president-elect and wished the Iranians further progress and prosperity.

His Majesty the Sultan also reaffirmed further enhancement of existing strong relations between the two countries and cooperation in the various spheres for the interest of the peoples of both the countries, according to the Times of Oman newspaper.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also congratulated Raeisi and wished that the poll results will lead to a more prosperous Iran.

According to a statement by Turkey's Communications Directorate, Erdogan hoped that Ankara-Tehran ties will further strengthen under the new Iranian president.

The Turkish president further said he will be pleased to visit Iran for the forthcoming meeting of the Turkey-Iran High Level Cooperation Council once the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Senior foreign officials, prominent figures, and regional resistance leaders offer congratulations to Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, after early election results declared him as winner of Irans 2021 presidential election.

Afghan official expects enhanced ties with Iran

Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, also offered his felicitations.

Afghanistan and Iran are two brotherly neighbors with the same religion, culture and language that have good and historical relations, he said in his message. With the victory of Mr. Ebrahim Raeisi, we expect that ties between the two governments and nations will be further developed in the fields of culture and economy as well as the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism.

Latin American states convey congratulatory messages

In a post on his Twitter account, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said, I extend my congratulations to the Iranian people and to Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, the newly elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We will continue united, working for peace and the strengthening of our cooperation and brotherhood.

Venezuelas Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza also released a statement in support of the Iranian government and nation.

Moreover, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to Twitter to convey his cordial felicitations to Raeisi and wish him success in performing his duties.

Nicaraguas President Daniel Ortega and his deputy Rosario Murillo also forwarded a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect.

On behalf of the people and the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of the Republic of Nicaragua, we offer our deepest congratulations on the election victory, the message read.
James Tucker addresses attendees Saturday morning at the inaugural Caribbean Heritage Juneteenth celebration in Forest Park as his wife, Beverly Pegues-Tucker, looks on. Tucker is president of Africans Rising Together 2063 and emphasized the work the late Rev. Dr. Ronald Myers put in during his lifetime to make Juneteenth a national day of observance.
Unvaccinated guests 16 and over will have to undergo three COVID-19 tests. The first must be taken no more than three days before sailing and show proof of a negative result. The second must be taken when checking in at the terminal. The third must be taken onboard prior to returning home. The second and third tests will be taken by a third party testing vendor hired by Royal Caribbean and will increase each travelers trip cost by $136.
They involve conducting exercises where our business units and our leaders dont know whats going to happen, he said. Because I want to test peoples reactions. I want to understand their decision-making  what they do, how they do it, why they do it. And do they make decisions that actually thwart it, isolate it, kill it or help it spread? And Id much rather learn those hard lessons in a drill than in the real thing.
6. Prolific character actor Ned Beatty has died at the age of 83. He appeared in more than 150 movies and television shows; the role he had in his first movie catapulted him into his long-standing career. In which movie did he appear first?
Hes got a compound fracture, and Im just saying, Hey man keep breathing, keep breathing. Helps on its way. Hey man, youre going to be OK. Quinones said. I mean, thats just insane. Its not just one. Theres like six, seven, eight other guys like who are all around doing the same thing.
The person who makes the decision about whether Iran will go back into the Iran nuclear deal, will assume its nuclear obligations under international law, is not the president of Iran, it is the supreme leader of Iran, and that person did not change from before the election, Sullivan said on CNNs State of the Union.
Cabinet approves proposal to set up Small Claims Court View(s):

The Cabinet of Ministers this week has in principle approved the concept of a Small Claims Court which has been proposed by the Justice Minister, M.U.M. Ali Sabry.

The Small Claims Court is a novel court, proposed to be set up and expanded throughout the island to hear and determine disputes below the sum of Rs. 1.5 million, according to Nishan Sydney Premathiratne, Attorney-at-Law and Convener of a committee set up to examine this move, which has proposed a draft bill for this purpose.

The committee which was appointed in October last year, by the Minister of Justice to explore the possibility of establishing a Small Claims Court in Sri Lanka, comprised Appeal Court Justice Dr. Ruwan Fernando (Chairman) and Mr. Premathiratne as Convener.

The Small Claims Court, which has been proposed by the Committee is to be empowered to hear and determine matters in respect of inter alia liquid claims, recovery of money, movable property and delictual claims below the threshold sum of Rs. 1.5 million. A maximum time limit of 18 months is given to the proposed Small Claims Court to conclude a matter and a further time limit of one year has been proposed for the Civil Appeal Court to conclude final appeals from the Small Claims Court.

Mr. Premathiratne said that the implementation of the Small Claims Court would benefit the entire country at large as it would help to reduce the backlog of cases in the District Courts and reduce delays in the overall legal system. The Justice Ministry intends to set up these court houses with an additional cadre of judges being recruited. Mr. Premathiratne, was also of the view that the Small Claims Court would be an integral part of Sri Lankas overall ranking in the World Bank Doing Business Index especially in respect of Enforcement of Contracts, as disputes which are to be construed to be below Rs. 1.5 million are a pivotal factor in ascertaining the time taken to enforce a contract as per the World Bank.

Specifically, when the Small Claims Court Act has attempted to limit the time period to hear and determine a matter within 18 months from its commencement, and if such restriction can be strictly adhered to, it would entail Sri Lankas overall standing in the Doing Business Index being elevated from Sri Lankas present rank of #164. Presently the rank is a reflection of the time taken to resolve a dispute in respect of a contract which as estimated by the Doing Business Index to be taking over 1,300 days, the committee Convener said.

The Committee, which drafted this Act for an extended period of time, presented the Committees Report with the draft Small Claims Court Act along with proposed amendments to the Judicature Act to the Minister on April 30.

The Ministry has obtained observations from stakeholders including the Bar Association of Sri Lankan which are to be considered by the Committee prior to the draft Act being submitted to the Legal Draftsmans Department by the Justice Ministry. Other members of the committee were Appeal Court Justice Mayadunne Corea, High Court Judge Lakmal Wickramasooriya, High Court Judge R. L. Godawela, District Judge Aruna Aluthge, District Judge Chandani Dias, Attorneys-at- Law  Kaushalya Nawarathna, Milinda Pathirana, Chandima Muthukumarana, Lasitha Kanuwanaarachchi, Rasika Dissanayake, Ruwantha Cooray, Nuwan de Alwis and

Ms. Ruwanadini Kuruppu  Assistant Secretary (Legal), Ministry of Justice along with the research assistants: Vikum Jayasinghe, Sajana de Zoysa and Ms. Narthana Wevita.
CPC to build new storage facility at Hambantota Port View(s):

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG), last week to develop Hambantota Port as a strategic energy centre in Sri Lanka. The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Energy, with top officials of CPC and HIPG participating, HIPG said in a media release.

A separate storage terminal with associated facilities for both domestic and export purposes connected to the port via a pipeline is to be established by the CPC, about 15 km away from the port. CPC, the state entity which provides the majority of petroleum products to local consumers, has identified a land area of approximately 50 acres owned by the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority for the project. The new facility is expected to expand storage and bulk distribution facilities of CPC.

The existing storage facility of CPC and its subsidiaries are sufficient to store refined petroleum product requirements of the entire country for a period of only one month, a capacity below the requirements of ensuring the energy security of the country. CPC currently imports refined petroleum products to cater to, approximately, 70 percent of the countrys demand via the Colombo port and suburbs. CPC has identified the need to increase its fuel storage capacity to cater to at least three months of the countrys demand.

The growing demand for fuel in the past, combined with the countrys anticipated development in every aspect, has resulted in the opening up of opportunities for investors to establish ventures in Sri Lanka. In this context, CPCs product portfolio has to be managed to suit the energy mix of the country if we are to be competitive, especially in comparison with other energy sources. The partnership with HIPG will increase the storage facility of CPC to the expected capacity; thereby the impact of global fuel price fluctuations can be mitigated and it will drive CPC to minimise and save additional foreign currency outflows. Apart from that, setting up in the Hambantota Industrial Zone, away from the traffic congestion of the countrys most residential cities, will make it an environmentally-friendly terminal, said CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe.

HIPG will sublease the required land area within the port, for the construction and operation of the pipeline, with approval of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. All port and terminal related facilities and services, will be provided by the port including stevedoring services for the import, export and transshipment of petroleum products and crude oil subject to feasibility studies.

The vision of HIPG is to develop the Hambantota International Port to become an energy hub for South Asia. Whilst HIPG has put the infrastructure in place to realise that goal, we are also aware that we cannot achieve it without the participation of all the players in the equation. To this end, we recognise the importance of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as a vital cog in the machinery, noted Johnson Liu, CEO of HIPG.

Tissa Wickramasinghe, COO of HIPG says the port has already launched the wholesale supply of Marine Bunker fuels. In order to build this energy hub, we entered into a strategic partnership with Sinopec Fuel Oil Lanka Ltd (SFOL) to provide bunkering services for vessels. Sinopec with their vast resources guarantees the supply of VLSFO and MGO in Hambantota, enabling the port to service all vessels plying the principal sea routes in the Indian Ocean, he said.
CRIB report now through NDB NEOS View(s):

NDB Bank became the first player in the banking industry to tie up with the Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) in order to create a hassle free and convenient method in which the banks customers can register and request for their individual credit reports (iReport) and individual credit score reports (CRIB Score) from wherever they are in Sri Lanka through NDB NEOS (mobile banking platform).

In a media release, NDB Director/Group CEO Dimantha Seneviratne said that the bank is always ready to meet the demands of their customers as and when the need arises.

The pandemic situation has brought about unprecedented changes in the industry and we have strategised in response to these changes well, ensuring continued support to our customers. With this latest partnership, we have taken digital banking to a whole new level, making it easy and convenient for all customers. Earlier, even if you were outstation, you had to come to the CRIB premises to obtain the report or register for the online service. However, NDB has made it 100 percent convenient for our customers to register and request for their reports via their NEOS mobile app. We have and will continue to flex and reinvest our solutions in response to the customers unique needs with our strong digital platform  NDB NEOS, added Mr. Seneviratne

Accordingly, no paperwork is required to register for obtaining individual credit reports or individual credit score reports via NDB NEOS. Further, no additional verification such as video call or physical verification processes are needed since the customer is already verified. The customer has to simply register once for the CRIB report request service through NDB NEOS following which, the customer can obtain their reports as and when they require. As with all NEOS transactions, this too offers hassle free online payment options through the customers NDB accounts, the release said.
DvP to go live next month By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

The launch of the much-awaited Delivery versus Payment (DvP) will be rolling out in July, wiping the settlement risk in share trading, and mooting foreign purchases in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

The Go Live is scheduled for July 26 subject to a final round of testing and industry-wide mock runs, CSE officials said.

The objective of introducing a DvP system for the stock market in Sri Lanka is to minimise the asset commitment risk of sellers. Under the DvP system, the physical custody of shares will be transferred to buyers only on the settlement date.

This means a buyers cash payment for shares must be made before or at the same time as their delivery of the shares, cutting the settlement risk days by three. Presently the delivery of shares occurs immediately upon the execution of the transaction while fund settlement takes place three market days after the transaction date (T+3), thus exposing the seller to a three-day settlement risk. Although stringent measures had been introduced to reduce settlement risk, the globally accepted mechanism for minimising settlement risk is through a DvP system where the securities and funds are exchanged simultaneously on the settlement date, a CSE official said.

This system is a big part of building trust with foreign clients, he told the Business Times adding that the CSE board approved the relevant rules for the DvP and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sanctioned them at its last commission meeting. Amongst them, the amendments to the CDS Rules, ATS Rules, Listing Rules, and Stockbroker Rules of the CSE to facilitate the implementation of the DVP Settlement Mechanism and enhanced margining model were approved.

After the successful completion of the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) on the system changes, the CSE completed market-wide testing (mock runs). The CSE will shortly commence the final round of market-wide testing which is due to be completed by July 15.

The CSE was planning to launch it this month, but pandemic-related issues delayed some test runs, the officials said.

Significant upgrades have been made to the Automated Trading System and the Central Depository System including the development of a Risk Management and Margining System. The technology at all Stock Brokering Offices has been strengthened and upgraded to include risk management in Order Management Systems and Broker Back Office systems.
Government urged to rethink shift to organic fertiliser By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

There are growing calls from

Sri Lankas scientific community for the government to reverse its ban on the use of chemical fertiliser saying the lack of proper planning and failure to provide for a phased withdrawal from present farming practices will result in a severe shortage of agriculture produce.

This food shortage and loss of income avenues of farmers will trigger a people (including farmer community) uprising with countrywide protests of farmers, fertiliser technology researchers, agriculture experts and civil society activists complained.

Sri Lanka is likely to lose 25 percent of foreign exchange earnings from the export of agricultural produce and this will rise to unbearable proportions if the government had to import consumer food commodities, several economic experts predicted.

The other dangerous aspect is that multinational companies along with their local counterparts will grab fertile lands in the country with the encouragement and incentives including tax holidays provided by the government when agriculture is neglected and abandoned by local farmers they said adding that this practice has already commenced in several areas in the island.

According to the Presidents politicaal manifesto titled Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, his aim is building up a community of citizens who are healthy and productive, (and) we need to develop the habit of consuming food with no contamination with harmful chemicals.

These environmental considerations associated with the chemical fertiliser usage usually are not supported by scientific proof, soil scientist Prof. Saman Dharmakeerthi of Peradeniya University, Agriculture faculty revealed to the Business Times.

He said that the popular allegation of kidney ailment prevailing amongst farmers in the dry zone was due to consuming water contaminated by heavy metals in soil deposit due to application of synthetic (chemical) fertiliser was a false implication without scientific evidence.

The presence of these heavy metals cadmium and arsenic in Triple Tremendous Phosphate (TSP) imported into Sri Lanka is very minimal and negligible in cultivated land and it is not harmful to human beings.

According to research conducted for several years recently, the prevalence of heavy metals including cadmium chromium arsenic and lead in the soil of an acre cultivated with paddy is around138 grams whereas this rate in other countries including Netherlands is in the region of 1400 grams per acre, he said.

On the other hand there is no way to provide 18 important components required for optimum plant development, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium adequately within a short period by using even large quantities of organic fertiliser continuously, he pointed out.

Dr. Neelika Ranatunge of the Ruhuna University Agriculture faculty emphasised the need of introducing a national agriculture policy making it a law to carry out best agriculture practices with a proper scientific system and prescription of using a mix of chemical and organic fertiliser if it is necessary.

She noted that the current problem is not with the synthetic fertiliser but it is due to usage of excess agrochemicals including pesticides and the practice of spraying chemicals by farmers to increase the crop yield and traders to keep vegetables and fruits fresh for a long time.

As per the Presidents manifesto, it is during the next 10 years of 2019  2029 that Sri Lankan agriculture will be promoted to use organic fertilisers.

This indicates that the present President or an individual of his party and the ruling party will have to continue (for several years) or make this clause in the manifesto a national policy, civil society activist Archt. Nalaka C. Jayaweera stated.

Mr. Jayaweera who served as a member of several presidential and state committees including the recent expert committee appointed to review the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC) called on the government authorities to divulge the National Policy that covers banning of chemical fertiliser.

Under this set up the government will have to renegotiate the Positive Lists of the Pakistan  Sri Lanka FTA and Singapore  Sri Lanka FTA as these countries have liberalised chemical fertiliser, insecticide and weedicide or put it under a positive list, he added.

There was no guarantee by the present government that importation is really banned in the absence of the relevant gazette notifications.

Unlike conventional fertilisers, organic manure can contain many unknown compounds which may accumulate in soil and plants and cause detrimental plant growth and human health issues.

Sri Lanka without answering the issue in agriculture keeps on developing reports with donors to the effect that the land utilisation is not the best in the agriculture sector and that thereby such lands should have bigger land parcels and be vested with multinational companies to increase the productivity, he said.
GSP+ loss could hurt $580m Sri Lankan exports to EU By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

Sri Lanka is likely to lose its competitive edge and risks US$580 million worth of exports within one year should the GSP+ concessions be withdrawn following the adoption of the resolution in the EU Parliament on June 10.

Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) General Secretary Tuli Cooray told the Business Times that within one year the apparel industry could risk losing $580 million worth of exports if Sri Lanka loses the preferential concessions from the EU bloc under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP)+.

He explained that goods are exported on landed cost and when this is increased by about 10 per cent then Sri Lanka will not be competitive with other countries and the entirety of the business can be lost.

He noted that they will engage with the Sri Lankan government directly in this respect and pointed out that they were uncertain whether the same fate could happen what befell Sri Lanka in 2010 when the country lost the same GSP+ concessions. Sri Lanka regained these trade concessions in 2017.

If a withdrawal of these concessions is activated the impact can be huge, Mr. Cooray said but noted, we dont believe it will happen since the Foreign Minister has already issued a statement.

The key sectors of the Sri Lankan economy likely to be directly impacted by the trade concessions from the EU are garments, fish, rubber and ceramics.

Sri Lankas exports to the EU without the UK are worth $1.198 billion and that includes the GSP+ facility for $586 million worth of exports i.e with zero duty.

Acting Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Thorsten Bargfrede in an emailed interview with the Business Times this week stated that the monitoring of the EUs GSP+ is an ongoing process leading to a formal report planned for early 2022 from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the European Council.

Responding to Chinas growing influence on Sri Lanka it was stated that as a champion of multilateralism and a rulesbased international order, the EUs relations with Sri Lanka are focused on the full respect for values and international standards and the importance of upholding human rights, inclusion and reconciliation.

The EU resolution highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the deteriorating labour rights situation in the country and urged Sri Lanka to cooperate fully with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to strengthen the rights of factory workers; including health and safety conditions for garment workers in special trade zones. It also called on the government to effectively implement and strengthen the National Policy on Elimination of Child Labour; to adapt the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Labour Standard and Employment Relation Manual in order to bring it in line with international standards, notably the ILO Convention Nos 87 and 98 relating to Freedom of Association and the protection of the Right to Organise and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining respectively.

In this respect, the acting EU Ambassador explained that the preferential market access enjoyed by the Sri Lankan apparel sector is conditioned to the implementation of these conventions.

Mr. Bargfrede stated that the ILOs International Labour Conventions have been ratified by Sri Lanka and that it is therefore for Sri Lankan authorities to implement them according to their own international commitments. In addition, these conventions are part of the ongoing GSP+ monitoring process.

Meanwhile, JAAF is currently in discussion with five trade unions  Commercial and Industrial Workers Union, Ceylon Mercantile and Industrial Workers Union, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union, National Union of Migrant and Metal Workers and the Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya for a proposed MOU.

The understanding reached was that the trade unions will offer the draft of the MOU and the JAAF is yet to receive the draft of this said MOU, it was noted.

Free Trade Zones Trade Union General Secretary Anton Marcus told the Business Times that if the EU GSP+ concessions are withdrawn then the sole responsibility will have to be taken by the government and as trade unions they have to fight together to ensure job security of the employees and improve their living standards.

He also noted that during this weeks National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meeting on Monday a majority of the unions had opposed the continuation of the wage scheme of half of the salary or Rs.14, 500 for those not reporting to work since unions claimed that the factories were using workers to full capacity.
Human rights haunt Sri Lanka View(s):

The strains of the popular song Sarame was heard from a radio blaring in a neighbourhood residence. The song about the ubiquitous sarong in Sri Lankan society sung by Sunil Perera, Desmond de Silva, Annesley Malawana and Rajiv Sebastian is also popular on social media platforms. The strains of the popular song Sarame was heard from a radio blaring in a neighbourhood residence. The song about the ubiquitous sarong in Sri Lankan society sung by Sunil Perera, Desmond de Silva, Annesley Malawana and Rajiv Sebastian is also popular on social media platforms.

Aldoris, the choon paan karaya in his modified tuk-tuk was at the gate offering breakfast pastries to the neighbourhood. Me, mila adika wena vidihata, apita ape saramath wekunande wei-wage (At the rate prices are going up, we might have to sell our sarongs), joked Aldoris.

This drew laughter from Kussi Amma Sera and Serapina. Mabel Rasthiyadu was busy at home and hadnt joined the gang on this bright Thursday morning.

Api harima amaru kaalekata muna denne. Den megollo gas mila wedi karanna hadanawa (We are going through a difficult period and now they are also trying to increase gas prices), said Kussi Amma Sera.

Vasangathaya madiwata, jeevana viyadamath dara ganna beri wenawa. Wena wena prashna rashiyakuth thiyenawa (On top of the pandemic, the rise in the cost of living is becoming unbearable. There are many other problems too), noted Serapina.

I was so absorbed in their conversation that I failed to hear the phone ringing in the first instance. It was after a couple of minutes that I realised it was our home phone that was ringing. It was Kalabala Silva, the often agitated academic, on the line.

Hello Kalabala, whats the urgency (of this call), I asked. I wanted to discuss the European Parliament (EP) resolution against Sri Lanka, seeking a gradual withdrawal of the GSP+ concessions, he said. Yes thats a big blow and I hear the government is carefully weighing its options, I replied.

Its not going to be easy as our apparel exports depend on these duty free tariffs. On the other hand, isnt it unfair for the EP to be pressing Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, he asked. You may be right but as pointed out by a rights lawyer during a TV discussion on Wednesday, Sri Lanka was using the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to punish a suspect lawyer without bail or trial for the past 10 months and is also holding other suspects too in prolonged custody. Furthermore, concern has been raised that suspects were coerced to make confessions (in the probe in the Easter Sunday bombings), which also prompted the latest action by the EP, I said, ending our conversation after a long discussion on rising fuel prices and the internal conflicts in the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna over the fuel price hike.

The EPs resolution on June 10, by a majority decision, urges the European Commission to consider temporarily withdrawing Sri Lankas access to GSP+ concessions. While it is said that Sri Lanka had failed to adhere to the 27 international UN conventions that it has ratified, the EP was particularly critical of the use of the PTA in jailing people for prolonged periods without bail or trial. Another aspect of the resolution was concern being raised over Chinas growing role and influence in Sri Lankas political and economic landscape.

It was the Business Times that first alerted Sri Lanka to a possible impact on GSP+ over human rights violations in an April 4, 2021 story headlined, Sri Lanka comes under EU scanner for human rights.

That report said that the European Union (EU) following the passage of the UN human rights resolution against Sri Lanka in March in Geneva would monitor the reports from the UNHRC in Colombo in view of the trade concessions granted to Sri Lanka under the GSP+ scheme.

While the UNHRC resolution 46/1 does not have an immediate and direct link with EU-Sri Lanka trade relations, the Office of the UN High Commissioners reports are an important element for GSP+ monitoring, the EU Office in Colombo said in a statement to the paper. The trade preferences that Sri Lanka currently enjoys under GSP+ are conditional to the implementation of 27 international conventions related to human and labour rights, as well as environment and good governance, the EU stated.

According to Export Development Board Chairman Suresh De Mel, they are studying the matter and the impact particularly on exports in the case of a withdrawal of GSP+ concessions. We are studying the matter and the impact if any, he said. While GSP gives part concessions to Sri Lankan goods, GSP+ provides duty free access to a host of Sri Lanka exports and any withdrawal would be a severe blow to the two main sectors, lead to job losses, affect Sri Lankas competitiveness in global markets and impact its foreign exchange earnings.

In 2010, Sri Lankas GSP+ status was revoked, five years after first being granted following adverse reports on allegations of human rights abuses at the end of the countrys civil war. Subsequently, in May 2017, it was restored after the government agreed to abide by human rights, environment and labour rights as originally agreed.

Ministers like Ajith Nivard Cabraal (who made the same case in 2010 as the then Central Bank Governor) believe that Sri Lanka should not be dependent on trade concessions and needs to diversify its markets to other non-EU countries.

Thats easier said than done. The EU (including the UK) in 2020 was the most dominant region for Sri Lankan exports, accounting for about 32 percent of total exports and consisted mainly of garments (about 44 percent of total garment exports), according to the Central Bank.

Together, the US and the EU accounted for about 57 percent of the total export earnings of Sri Lanka in 2020, which makes it imperative that Sri Lanka has excellent diplomatic relations with these two regions.

According to official data, textiles and garments exports which totalled US$5.6 billion in 2019 dropped by 21 percent to $4.4 billion in 2020 due to pandemic-related issues.

While the timing of the issue, one may argue is unfair, Sri Lanka cannot avoid global scrutiny of its human rights records after agreeing to adhere to basic human rights as a condition to receiving GSP+ benefits, when they were first granted.

Sri Lanka is said to be the third country this year to be subjected to a European Parliament resolution criticising its human rights record, after similar resolutions against the Philippines and Pakistan.

While I wound up my column, Kussi Amma Sera walked into the room with another mug of tea saying, Sir, it didnt rain today. I nodded and thought about the crisis after crisis that the government is facing amidst the pandemic.
Lanka Property web land prices analysis misleading: Institute of Valuation View(s):

The Institute of Valuers of Sri Lanka, a legally established body, has rejected claims made in a recent media release issued by Lanka Property web over real estate prices rising.

It was referring to a statement issued by the property website which was published in the Business Times on June 6 headlined Land Prices in Western Province rise by 74% in 2018  2021.

It said by law the sole authority and the competent person in regard to valuation is the Government Chief Valuer and no other person or body.

In a statement, the institutes General Secretary G. J. Sumanasena said that land prices in the Western Province have not risen by 74 percent during 2018  2021 as claimed by Lanka Property Web.

This may be based on a purported Index made by them for their own purposes and we urge the general public to be extremely wary and cautious and not to rely on or believe statements made by unidentified and unrecognised sources, he said.

In this regard, placing considerations on legal documents when transfer of property by the Provincial Councils is also an illegal and an unauthorised ultra virus act and the general public should be aware and be careful, as there are no professionals involved in this exercise; if it has to be done, the Chief Valuer is the sole authority, he added.

Valuation is a highly recognised, well accepted and well established profession, which is a specialised, multi-disciplinary subject of study and to become a professional valuer one has to gain experience under an accepted guidance and obtain the membership of the Institute of Valuers of Sri Lanka.

Lanka Property Web in listing/advertising Website for Real Estate Property related advertisements is not an entity or body capable of providing valuations as they are not in any manner professionals in valuation or any member of the Institute.

Accordingly, they lack the qualification and more importantly the expertise and experience to make such unqualified claims / unqualified conclusions and to make such irresponsible statements on land values in Sri Lanka, he said.

However, one may pose the question of whether by virtue of being listing / advertising Website, they would have sufficient property data for research and analysis whereby they are able to formulate such conclusions on Land Values and build Indexes based on the same. The simple answer to this would be No, he added.

The principal or the main determinants of value of a property is the function of two basic factors namely the Demand and Supply accompanied with many other inter alia relevant and sometimes unique ingredients, characteristics etc. The value will differ from one to another and it is based on physical, social and cultural factors in some instances.

Therefore, it is very clear that the data associated for listing / advertising is grossly insufficient to make such publication, since that data is not primarily comparable. Such data is plagued by ambitious over estimation of prospective sellers and generally information asymmetrial in the market and is uncorroborated with other relevant inputs and factors, the statement said.

Claims by Lanka Property Web also try to generalise the land value increase (which increase is non-existent to the extent as claimed) in a broad manner. Real Estate Property values tend to vary on many attributes and factors relating to each specific instance and it is illogical, impractical and is not prudent to have broad generalisations.

We further inform the public that there are many parties with vested interests that are using devious tools and / or marketing through different forms of media including that of social media and these are circulated by such parties that stand to gain by inflating / overestimating Real Estate prospects, the statement said, adding: We see this as an attempt to catch off guard the relatively inexperienced investors and the public who are looking to invest their hard-earned income.
Mannar Basin oil exploration drags on in tender dispute View(s):

Sri Lankas oil and gas exploration process in Mannar Basin including appraisal and development of natural gas discoveries in Block M2 is being dragged into an unknown direction with the cancellation of international competitive bids called in 2019, removing the selected bidder.

This action has been taken by Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila on the advice of newly appointed advisor to the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS) Saliya Wickramasuriya.

The aim was to recommence oil and gas exploration and also to attract more investors to the industry.

This move has further delayed exploration activities in Mannar basin which has the potential to generate over two billion barrels of oil and over nine trillion cubic feet of natural gas sufficient to fulfill a substantial portion of Sri Lankas energy needs for the next 60 years, energy experts said.

In a letter to Presidential Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Sealion Power, a consortium led by leading experts in the oil and gas industry in the UK, noted that the PRDS Project Committee (PC), chaired by the Director General of the PRDS, formally recommended the Sealion Bid in 2019.

The recommendation from the PC is reviewed by the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC). There was then a hiatus in the proceedings until July 27, 2020 when a virtual meeting was held between Sealion and the CANC at which certain clarifications were requested in respect of the Sealion bid.

These clarifications were made by letter dated July 29 and the formal endorsement by the CANC requires the final approval from the PC, the company stated.

The Sealion letter quoted Chair of the CANC, Anura Dissanayake as confirming that he strongly recommended the award to Sealion. He had said that none of the big companies had shown any interest, even during his tenure as DG of the PRDS from 2001 to 2017 when market conditions were much more positive.

The letter quoted Chaminda Hettiarachchi, then Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, as saying the due process had been followed.

After his cabinet appointment, Minister Gammanpila has convened a meeting on November 11 with members of the CANC in attendance.

There Advisor Wickremasuriya was of the opinion that the Government should be attracting the top 10 or the top 20 oil and gas companies from around the world to invest in the sector and that Sealion does not fit into that category.

He submitted a report to the Minister strongly advising the Minister to cancel the process.

At the end of the meeting, the Minister moved that the existing Chair of the PC be removed and replaced by the new DG.

After seeking views of the new DG Surath Owitigama Minister Gammanpila said that he was willing to submit a paper to Cabinet recommending the cancelling of the bidding round and re-commencing the whole process. (BS)
On the singular importance of judicial courage under fire View(s):

Even as arrests of Sri Lankan social media critics and opposition protestors continue in a covid-afflicted nation with an oppressive net slowly tightening on democratic spaces, the appellate courts acting in revision to grant bail to former head of the countrys Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekera this week is akin to a deep and veritably life-saving breath of (judicial) fresh air.

A scathing judicial assessment

Indeed the decision is remarkable not only for the fact of bail being afforded to Abeysekera in deeply (political) pressurizing circumstances but also, for the scathing assessment of the circumstances of the arrest itself. The Court of Appeal found it strongly demonstrated that the allegations against Abeysekara are a result of falsification and embellishment and a creature of after-thought. This finding emerged from a meticulous examination of the basis of the arrest. It is not by accident therefore that the ruling, in its opening paragraphs, details that Abeysekera had been a key prosecution witness in over 100 trials including over 20 murder trials that led to convictions.

These high profile investigations included the attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the Katunayake International Airport (2001), the murder of Yvonne Johnson at the Royal Park Condominium (2005), the disappearance of 11 youths by Naval intelligence personnel (2008  2009) and the kidnapping and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. Demoted after the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019, Abeysekera was arrested on 31.07.2020 on the allegation that he had falsely introduced certain weaponsthereby fabricating false evidence to frame a case against disgraced Deputy Inspector General of Police, Vass Gunawardena.

Harsh but very fitting reprimands by the Court

Incredibly, (or maybe not for those familiar with the tortuous subversion of our criminal justice system), this allegation related back to the notorious Mohammed Shiyam murder case in 2013 in regard to which Vass Gunewardene was convicted in 2015. At that time, another police officer and others, named as close associates of Vass Gunewardenas had been implicated in the contract murder of businessman Mohammed Shiyam which severely tarnished the name of the Police Department. These were the key witnesses who had made the allegation against Abeysekera six years after the incident. These two suspects, along with other suspects had been released just prior to Abeysekeras arrest. It was purely on their testimony that the arrest had taken place.

Looking at the attendant circumstances of Abeysekeras arrest, the Court pointed to manifestly contradictory statements made by these so-called witnesses in 2020 as compared to what they said in 2014. Moreover, as observed quite correctly by the judges, there was no substantial evidence to link the possession of the said weaponry to Abeysekera other than the statements of the witnesses. In fact, he had no prior wrongful conduct, pending cases or convictions. There was thus, no reason to suggest that, if given bail, he would abscond, interfere with witnesses or obstruct the course of justice. The Court went further, pointing to the unusual and extraordinary delay in lodging the first complaint (against Abeysekera) despite every ability to do so.

Thus, it was pronounced that the complaint has not only lost the benefit of the advantage of spontaneity, but also smacks of the introduction of a fabricated, false version and an exaggerated account or concocted story involving a set of collaborators or conspirators, to unduly cause prejudice and harm to Abeysekara, for collateral purposes. This is indeed harsh but very fitting language that conveys principled judicial repugnance in every sense and form. Indeed, what is left unsaid in this judicial formulation of Abeysekeras arrest and detention is perhaps more telling that what is directly said.

Sri Lanka must put its legal house in order

The ruling also reiterated the long established standard that, in the interests of human freedoms, the granting of bail should be the rule and refusal the exception with reasons to be given. Quite coincidentally, this Order by the appellate Court came in the wake of a recent warning by the European Parliament to Sri Lanka to demonstrate commitment to the Constitution and the Rule of Law failing which, the affording of the EU GSP Plus facility to Sri Lanka may be in jeopardy. Several other cases, along with Abeysekera in remand custody for the past ten months, had been mentioned in that statement.

Essentially this is a reminder to this country to put its house in legal order. Amusingly enough, a Cabinet spokesman attempted to state some days ago that conditions linked to the granting of EU GSP plus must be labour related ie; fair pay for workers, absence of child labour etc. But this is akin to teaching your grandmother how to suck eggs, as the hoary saying goes or to put it in another way, like Andare (Sri Lankas jester of folk lore) holding forth on governance. To put the matter simply, a beneficiary of EU largesse cannot dictate to the EU how to apply its GSP Plus scheme which is based on the adherence of countries to specific international conventions in order to qualify.

In other words, for Sri Lanka to become a beneficiary of that privilege, we must conform to its conditions or go elsewhere. That said, the demand to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, 1979) with a counter-terrow law that conforms to international standards was repeated in this recent warning by the European Parliament. But we must recall painful lessons learnt here.In the golden days of yore when the yahapalayana sun shone so blindingly that many (including Colombos diplomatic community) were falsely dazzled into excusing each and every sin committed by the UNP Government, a draft counter-terror law was proposed which was infinitely worse than the PTA.

Putting an end to the suffocation of the Rule of Law

Certainly this was not a robust national security framework which protected fundamental freedoms that the European Parliament has wished for recently but rather a flawed and compromised draft. Finalised in secret by a few in yahapalanaya corridors with little or no practical knowledge of the countrys criminal justice system, preposterous clauses broadly defined what amounted to terrorist acts, seditious offences, proscribed writings that threatened unity and, allowed unrestrained powers to the police to gain access to bank records. Each draft, each manifestly worse than its predecessor, were subjected to unrelenting scrutiny in these column spaces.

Public outrage led to the removal of some sweeping powers but the draft itself remained unredeemable. These were experiences that may have led to a different and far more accountable exercise to replace the PTA with a well balanced law. The option is not to cut and paste provisions of the Wests counter terror laws into a completely different factual context that Sri Lanka presents, which was what the yahapalanaya counter-terror draft experiment was all about. But that opportunity was lost. For that, the responsibility lies with, not only the Government of the day but enthusiastic cheerleaders of the Wickremesinghe led administration who should have been far more alive to the dangers at the time. .

In the final analysis, the shambles of a democracy that we experience now is a cumulative result of profound failures of critical thinking by society itself, irrespective of who occupies a Presidential or Prime Ministerial chair at a given time in this country. That acknowledgement is essential if we are to emerge from our pitiable state of hopelessness as exemplified by this instance of a key criminal investigator being stripped of his self respect, cast into prison to become seriously ill and, by the grace of judicial courage under fire, afforded respite at the proverbial eleventh hour.

Coming after months of stultified suffocation of Rule of Law protections, the impact of this Order extends beyond the particular case. It gives breathing space for many others treated as arbitrarily as Abeysekera. That by itself, is reason enough to hope.
Quite an energetic minister these days View(s):

My dear Udaya,

I write to you because you seem to be at the centre of the controversial fuel price increase, a decision which will raise the price of almost everything in the market, and make many people forget even the current crisis with the coronavirus and the prolonged lockdown.

What is puzzling is the fact that this increase has been announced at this time. There are many people who are unable to earn a days living because of the lockdown, which we pretend are only travel restrictions as they are officially called. The fuel price hike will be a cruel blow to them.

Now, for some strange reason, Udaya, certain people in the government are telling us that this is all your work, and that it has brought the government into disrepute. They even go so far as to suggest that you should resign  and these people are not in the opposition but officials in your own party!

We cant just ignore these noises either, because leading this chorus against you is that Sagara chap, who is no less than the general secretary of the pohottuwa party, the party from which all of you contested the last election. In fact, he would have signed your nomination papers for the election.

This is also not the first time that this little-known Sagara chap has made similar noises. We remember how he erupted a few months ago when your fellow minion in the pohottuwa-led coalition, Wimal sahodaraya said that Gota maama should be allowed to play a leadership role in the party.

This same Sagara chap made headlines then, saying Wimal sahodaraya had no business to talk about leadership issues of the pohottuwa party. He claimed it was an insult to Mahinda maama who was leading the pohottuwa and asked him to apologise. That never happened, and we all forgot about it.

Dont get me wrong. We know that you think you are an important person in this government. You did play an important role in bringing Mahinda maama back into active politics when he lost the big election to Cheerio Sirisena some six years ago, but right now, you are not that important.

We also know very well, Udaya, that even though you are the Minister of Energy you cant wake up one fine morning and drink your cup of kola kenda and then decide I will increase the price of petrol today. That is not how decisions are taken in Paradise.

We do know that in terms of decision making, whatever Gota maama wants, he gets. All you ministers have to do is nod and say Ow, Sir. If you have any doubts, just ask Pavithra about how the pandemic is being managed, where the only person who may be able to offer an opinion is Shavendra.

That is why we wonder whether this Sagara chap is making allegations against you after receiving instructions from someone important to do so. Surely, being a newcomer to Parliament he wouldnt take on a minister on his own. As to who that important person may be, your guess is as good as mine.

This confusion is made worse when someone like Lansa speaks out and says the decision to raise oil prices wouldnt have been made if Basil maama was in town, instead of taking wing to his home in America. Of course, Lansa doesnt say what magical powers Basil maama has to prevent a price hike.

Then we have that Cabraal chap, who is now in Parliament after heading the Big Bank during Mahinda maamas time, happily telling us that despite the recent increase in fuel prices, we still have the cheapest petrol prices in the region. He is being sensitive to public opinion, isnt he?

We also heard that, because of all this fuss about who decided to increase oil prices, the telephone chaps in the Opposition want to move a vote of No-Confidence against you. You cant blame them for wanting to make you look bad  but it will be interesting to see whether Sagara and Lansa vote for you.

Anyway, I hope you realise that although the media is full of these calls for your resignation, people in Paradise couldnt care any less. What most of them are worried about is how to survive until the next day, because right now, if the coronavirus doesnt kill them, the prices of essential items will.

These people would appreciate less drama about who increased the price of fuel, and more effort into bringing down the prices of essential items. That though will not happen because it is quite convenient to blame it on you for now and wait for the fuss to die down while you take the blame, isnt it, Udaya?

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: Even if the calls for your resignation are persistent and you are embarrassed during the proposed No-Confidence motion, you could always submit an affidavit saying you didnt order the oil price hike. After all, you are quite the expert on getting a job done using an affidavit, arent you?
The good, the bad and the deadly: Daily official info flow on COVID View(s):

The spread of news over COVID -19 in Sri Lanka is as fast as the deadly coronavirus.

Whilst the only formal source for the public is the Government, reporting accounts which are diametrically opposite and often correct, is the social media. Sri Lankans discerning enough can gauge that in this age of new technology, including the wide use of smartphone, which is propaganda, and which is not. They do not get swayed by misleading official claims. So why then is an official information overload with the critical factors missing?

Do those who disseminate them believe that the public would swallow what they say hook, line, and sinker?

First to the daily pattern in the flow of information. As the morning grows, the first to come is the official announcement that anything between 1,500 to 2,500 patients have recovered from hospitals. That is good news. This is followed in the evening with a preliminary announcement about the active cases for the day. Other than a couple of days when it overshot the 3,000 mark, they are always below this figure. Then, late at night comes the death toll.

Unusual enough, one day, the death count was delayed. It came only in the evening and declared 101, the highest number for the day, were dead. That sent a clear message that the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka had reached unexpectedly uncontrollable proportions.

Embarrassed officials found a way of explaining this high figure. A note they circulated gave a breakdown to show those deaths were for 13 days. How it missed the daily death toll is one question. These 13 days included deaths of one, two or 14 deaths. For example, on May 8, there was only one death and on May 15 there was another death. In the days in between, there have been no deaths if one were to go by that note. The officials expect the public to simply swallow their claims. Then, comes the case of top officials declaring that the lockdown would be lifted only to contradict themselves and declare it would continue. Is it a case of their ignorance or unfamiliarity with the current issues?

Why are death tolls kept low? The answer seems to have come from the Association of Medical Specialists. They said in a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the PCR tests were low. Thus, those afflicted with COVID-19 record a low number. The Association also said that there were patients sleeping on the floor of some hospitals.

This campaign of disinformation is the main reason why Colombo-based diplomatic missions, mostly representing western nations, have developed their own mechanisms to keep track of the number of cases and deaths. They have tasked their local staffers who are giving them a detailed update of the correct position.

Luxury house, COVID or no COVID

It is no secret that human adversity causes some, like ghouls, to prey on their fellow beings.

This story is about a new entrant politico and his newly built house. The advent of COVID-19 notwithstanding, it cost him over Rs 20 million, insiders say, to fully furnish his house. He is no doubt victorious.

Whos taking fish from beggars plates?

During the current travel restrictions, some vendors such as vegetable sellers and fish traders were permitted to go to residential areas and sell their items, as they served a public need.

However, in Jaffna, fish seller claim they are forced to pay bribes to police personnel in Kopay to sell their products to area people.

One seller alleged that once a police officer solicited a bribe to allow him to do his business in a particular spot. He even agreed to issue an unofficial note in case another officer approached the trader for fresh bribes.

Fish traders took up the issue with the local authorities this week, complaining that what these police personnel were doing was like taking food from the plates of beggars while they were going through extreme difficulties to feed their families.

Brussels envoy as DG Colombo Plan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has named Grace Asirwatham to be the new Director General of Colombo Plan.

She is now Sri Lankas Ambassador to Brussels and is a career service officer.

Passport to key diplomatic post

The talk in the corridors of the Foreign Ministry is the appointment of a number two to a key diplomatic assignment.

Years ago, the man in question, insiders say, was caught when two foreign passports fell from his pocket in an international airport. He was interdicted and an investigation was held.

Mowlana left high and dry as ambitious politico gets cold feet

This mowlana, or Muslim cleric of sorts, was also a sorcerer and lived in a village not far off Colombo.The retinue that visited him to seek what the future holds included politicians and bureaucrats too. One of them was a regular and went there every week. His ambition was high  he wanted to know when he would become Defence Minister. He not only sought the mowlanas blessings but also whatever mantra he could perform to make his dream come true.It was only after many weekly visits did the man realize that he was going to a village that was under close watch. Why? The wife of Zahran Hashim, one of the master minds of the Easter Sunday attacks, was from that village.

He had not gone there thereafter. The mowlana is waiting with open hands to receive him and his santhosam.

New US ambassador coming to Lanka with special focus on China and Indo-Pacific region

The White House on Tuesday announced that President Joe Biden had nominated Julie Chung as the countrys new ambassador to Sri Lanka. She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and class of Minister-Counsellor.

The appointment is significant for two reasons. First, this is the first time, the US President appointed an ambassador to Sri Lanka exclusively. In the past US mission overlooked the Maldives also but with the Maldives becoming a virtual US military base, the US will have its own ambassador there.

Secondly, Ms Chung is currently serving as acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and a seasoned US diplomatic personnel with expertise in South East Asia.

Her appointment came in the wake of growing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka in recent years. Ambassador Chung is also critical of Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, often linking it with Chinas so-called debt diplomacy.

When testified before the US Senate last year on Chinas role in the Indo-Pacific region, the South Korean born US diplomat noted that their investment is hurting the environment and violating local labour laws. Weve brought these issues to light with the region and raised it with our government counterparts.

For TNA, when Presidents door closes, Indias door opens

A group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians led by its leader R. Sampanthan was in Colombo on Wednesday to take part in the meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa  the first of its sort with the party since President Rajapaksa took office, but a last minute cancellation did not go waste.

They had scheduled a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Gopal Bagley to debrief him on their talks with the President. They went ahead with the meeting and discussed the possibilities of developing Northern and Eastern provinces with more Indian grants. Yes, India assured the delegation once again that it would continue to urge the government to fully implement power devolution under the 13th Amendment.

Two of their own under the microscope

At least two Cabinet Ministers have come under the microscope of ruling alliance leaders for alleged misconduct.

One comes from a district south of Colombo. He was earlier associated with many a golden deal.

The other, is a vociferous revolutionary, who has been a campaigner against the very activities he is accused of.

The complaints to the boss did not come from anyone outside. It was from top bureaucrats who served them. They have provided chapter and verse of the duos activities.
Time for SLFP to use the remote control in the countrys interest View(s):

The shifting Sri Lankan political landscape has many implications for the countryright now and in the future. Right up to 1956 the United National Party (UNP) dominated the polity with the left parties such as the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Communist Party functioning as the ideologically strong but numerically small political parties.

With the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) sweeping the hustings in 1956, the country took the form of a bi-polar political structure. Right up to 2015 the UNP and SLFP took turns to govern the country until the political dynamics took a different turn in 2015 with Maithripala Sirisena becoming the common Presidential candidate and eventually the President.

The SLFP split early into the Yahapalana rule and the breakaway group headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa formed the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). A similar fate awaited the UNP with the party breaking into two, prior to the 2020 Parliamentary Elections with Sajith Premadasa heading the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Both the SLFP and the UNP were in a sense victims of the differences that emerged between President Maithripala Sirisena and the SLFP on one hand, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP on the other. As a result many of the positive achievements of the Yahapalana Government were lost on the people and the negatives of the Yahapalana regime were highlighted not only by the SLPP and the forces surrounding it, but even sections of the SLFP who were not aligned to the Yahapalana regime.

The more positive features of the Yahapalana administration including the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe shared legacy of the 19th Amendment and the strengthening of the democratic space was brushed aside in the Presidential and Parliamentary election campaigns. Instead the Yahapalana Governments governance failures arising from the differences between the two segments of the Government and the indecisiveness arising there from contributed greatly to the victory of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the SLPP Government.

Today it is apparent that the remedy is worse than the disease. Governance is in shambles and the country is saddled with a host of issues that have impacted the daily lives of people. The Government is unable to find answers for these problems.

The Yahapalana administration was hamstrung by indecisiveness because of the two centres of political power (not a justification for such a situation) but the present Governments ineptness and flip-flopping on vital issues cannot be explained away by such political differences. The SLPP administration is exclusively a unipolar political formation with like-minded allies and is not in any way hamstrung by political differences.

The only explanation for the failures of the present Government are its own lack of capabilities and wrong decision making.

In such a context, the role of the Opposition in keeping the Government on its toes and ensuring that national needs are met has fallen on the SJB and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). However their capacity to do so is largely limited by their numbers in Parliament as well as the COVID-19 pandemic that has prevented mass mobilisation of people on national issues characteristic of vibrant democracies.

The role of the SLFP as the main coalition partner of the Government therefore assumes a greater significance. Despite having 15 Parliamentary seats, the SLFP has been content to play the role of a sleeping partner in the coalition with its voice hardly or never heard on the major issues facing the country.

The SLFP will have to stir itself to be more vocal and influence the course of the Governments trajectory not in its own political interest but in the larger interest of the country. That playing a more active role may benefit it politically is only incidental but irrelevant. The SLFP owes it to the country to play the role that history has destined for it.

Prior to the Presidential elections the SLPP entered into several agreements with the SLFP to enlist its support for the election campaign. After the elections SLFPers have been given the karapincha treatment both at the national level and the constituency level.

Even nominations for the Parliamentary Elections based on the agreements between the SLPP and SLFP were denied to the latter. Consequently the SLFP had to contest some districts including Kalutara and Jaffna on their own.

Even fundamental decisions at the national level are taken by the SLPP without any consultations or participation of the SLFP leadership. However the SLFP as the major coalition partner has to share the responsibility for such decisions and their consequences.

During the latter days of the Yahapalana administration President Maithripala Sirisena was in the habit of stating that after the subsequent Parliamentary elections, the SLFP would have the remote control which powered the Government, in its hand. His prediction has come true and indeed the SLFP has the remote control in its hand. The question SLFPers ask is whether the batteries in the remote control have been removed or whether the remote control is defective.

It is not enough for a few SLFPers when they are confronted with a question to give a voice cut stating:Yes there is a fertiliser crisis or oil prices should not have been increased. The SLFP needs to assert itself using its political bargaining power in the interests of the people.

Otherwise they too would be guilty of what President Maithripala Sirisena accused SLFPers who refused to take a stand on major issues, namely wahal manasikathwaya or a slave mentality. (javidyusuf@gmail.com}
Vexing questions on vaccine politics View(s):

Sri Lankas once exemplary all-island immunisation campaigns, devolved and decentralised to the very grassroots long before Provincial Councils were introduced, and hailed by world health authorities for decades, came a cropper with the recent COVID-19 vaccination programme. The blame has to be placed entirely at the doorstep of the role political interference played in the botched exercise.

Everyone appreciates the fact that vaccines were at a premium, globally. Foolish Government legislators did not see the writing on the wall last year when the virus broke out in the country and failed to realise that mass vaccinations was the key answer. They dismissed that option and pussyfooted with placing early orders. Then there was an over-reliance on one source  India, without anticipating the possibility of default if and when that country had to cater to a massive domestic population also crying for the vaccine.

The countrys continuing, seemingly suicidal anti-West foreign policy has not helped in the procurement process. Frantic telephone calls are being made to private individuals to reach out to their personal contacts in Western capitals to secure consignments as the situation was becoming desperate.

When the first planeloads of vaccines did start trickling in, it saw the true colours of the political authorities kick in. The public was permitted one mad rush to elbow others out of the way and use every contact in the book to get vaccinated.

The Presidential Task Force handling the programme abandoned the recommendations of health experts and opted to adopt the classic indigenous system that operates for getting a government job, admission to a state school or a diplomatic posting  go behind a politician. The politicians relished their hour of glory inviting people to have tea and cakes with the vaccination. Some members of the Task Force photographed themselves with visiting VIPs and had them sent to the media for good measure.

All this would have been par for the course if only a parallel system recommended by the health experts was in place. Our front page story today refers to the sheer disappointment of the medical specialists who served in the advisory committees on communicable diseases (NACCD) and saw their recommendations thrown aside to pamper to the egos of those who hijacked the programme.

The health experts recommendations were based on what has been tried and tested successfully in other countries without political interference i.e. to immunise the elderly first and with them the frontline health workers. They refer to the wastage of 200,000 AstraZeneca vaccines; why trainee nurses were not vaccinated (the nurses unions rightly says the vaccine should have been given to their immediate family members with whom they live, to arrest the spread of the virus to them, and from them). They ask why those with co-morbidities (those with other medical conditions) were also not prioritised to prevent a steep spike in deaths.

No one in the health sector knows, or will tell you who changed the experts advice. Some believe it was partly due to advice that the collapsing economy had to be kept ticking. That explains how suddenly, over-30s were considered for the vaccine on the basis that they were the working population.

Typically, the current procurement process is also riddled with talk of corruption. While the Presidential Secretariat is making every effort to get vaccines down, others are reportedly looking for ways and means to make hay while the virus spreads. Again, Chinese vaccines are at the centre of controversy within the medical field. Transparency is minimal and even those in the Health Ministry are muttering under their breath at the shenanigans taking place elsewhere.

With infections still spreading, some 600,000 people who rushed to get the first jab of the AstraZeneca COVISHIELD consignment are waiting for the booster. Will they get the second dose of the same vaccine or a matchable vaccine, or will they have to start all over again? Though the United States has said it will send 600,000 vaccines to Sri Lanka, no one is still very sure if these are the AstraZeneca product. Japan has announced a list of countries to which it will send the AstraZeneca vaccine, but Sri Lanka is not among them.

Still, the Government must even at this late stage work out a priority plan based on the schedule of the new arrival of vaccines. This has to be based on what the medical specialists say and not the ad-hocism we witnessed. Countries that laid down the rules for vaccination by the health experts and had a disciplined lockdown, not the sham exercise we see in Sri Lanka today, are already enjoying the fruits of their actions.

If the Government intends to continue with the same haphazard vaccine goes by favour methodology with the next immunisation campaign, as it did with the first, then Sri Lankas defeat of the COVID-19 virus is a long way coming.

A Poson plea

Tissa, Tissa, called out the son of Emperor Ashoka, one of historys greatest humanists to the King of Lanka Devanampiyatissa on that day in the month of Poson in the 3rd century BCE. He asked the monarch who was on a hunting trip in the forest around Mihintale what are you doing to the poor animals. Thus began the introduction of the sublime teachings of the Buddha to Sri Lankas majority of the people who have embraced its tenets ever since.

Next week, despite the lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus, they will celebrate the occasion in their own pious way, like they did Vesak last month.

A Government such as the incumbent one has proclaimed it will be administered on Buddhist philosophy. One of the fundamental teachings of the Enlightened One is to be compassionate to all creatures that have life. It behoves this Government therefore, if it is to walk the talk, to dust off the draft Animal Welfare Bill that must have got pigeon-holed somewhere, probably in the Justice Ministry, and have it implemented as soon as possible.

This draft has been waiting for over a decade to ensure passage to law. Many non-Buddhist countries have already given constitutional status to animal rights, but Sri Lanka cannot even pass an ordinary law despite its historical animal-friendly, socio-cultural and religious heritage. What is the Government waiting for?
DIMO offers local students a gateway to 700+ German degrees through its partnership with FH Aachen University View(s):

DIMO, one of the leading conglomerates in Sri Lanka with over 30 years of excellence in Vocational Education through its DIMO Academy for Technical Skills (DATS), has recently been appointed as the local representative for FH Aachen University, Germanys No. 1 University for Applied Sciences.

Sri Lankan students can now enrol at the world-renowned freshman program of FH Aachen, leading to internationally-recognized Bachelors degree programmes in state and private universities in the state of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany.

With this new venture DIMO will facilitate placement of local students for Engineering, Medicine, Business / Economics, Art and many more degree programmes offered by FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, as well as several other partner universities such as SRH Hamm, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, University of Duisburg Essen, and HBK Essen University of Fine Arts.

DIMO Chairman & Managing Director Ranjith Pandithage stated, DATS has been able to transform the vocational training landscape in Sri Lanka since its inception. With over three decades of vocational training excellence, the next bold step for DIMO was to offer the opportunity of a world-class academic qualification for Sri Lankan youth so that those who wish to pursue degree-level higher studies have a pathway to do so in order to boost their knowledge and careers.

Since its inception in 1939, DIMO has offered the best-engineered German products and services to the Sri Lankan public. The DIMO Academy for Technical Skills (DATS) was established in 1990 in collaboration with Daimler AG Germany, with the aim of providing world-class vocational training in the automotive sector. In 2018, DATS partnered with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka to offer German certified vocational qualifications, giving access to the international job market for local students. DATS has continued to further broaden its horizons by offering qualifications in other sectors, the most recent being the introduction of the Diploma in Plant Engineering, a state-of-the-art program in the field of building services.

However, access to German universities has been limited to Sri Lankan students due to prerequisites such as fluency in the German language and the lengthy (6-12 months) admission process. The freshman program assists in overcoming these hurdles as there is no need for prior knowledge in German language for Engineering, Business and Arts related degrees. Further, the University of Aachen ensures fast visa acceptance by providing necessary documentation and recognition of a state university. The freshman year prepares students for an independent life in Germany during Bachelors studies.

The intake for the year 2021 will close on 30 June 2021. Students who are interested in conquering the world with a German degree can now book an appointment with DIMO for personal career guidance on 0773415243 or by emailing DATS@dimolanka.com.
The Demise of The First Chancellor of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University View(s):

General Cyril Ranatunga passed away on 16th June 2021 at the age of 91. Born and bred in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, General Ranatunga, a former Sylvestrian, joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1950 as an officer cadet. During his illustrious military and civil administration career, General Cyril Ranatunga had held many important positions. He had been an iconic figure in the Sri Lanka military, and he is considered as one of the pioneers of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.

General Cyril Ranatunga joined the Ceylon Army in 1949 as an Officer Cadet and received his basic military training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He had been observed as an outstanding figure since the day he joined the Ceylon Army and been fortunate to learn growing military trends in local and international warfare.

He has held a number of vital and important appointments in Military, Diplomatic and Administrative fields. Having served more than 38 years in the Sri Lanka Army, General Cyril Ranatunga was appointed as the first Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy on 9th November 1990 and he served KDA till 8th November 1995.

Vice Chancellor, the Staff and the students of KDU convey their deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the family of Late General Cyril Ranatunga.
The goodness of almond on wheels By Ruqyyaha Deane View(s): View(s):

Muadh Zamans surprise discovery of Badam (almond in Hindi) milk during one of his frequent trips to Aluth Kade has led the young undergrad on a rather unusual route.

Badam Doodh, is the vibrant new food truck serving up almond influenced dishes and beverages, that has joined the fleet stationed at Marine Drive, Bambalapitiya and now temporarily at Galle Road.

Just 21 and following a Bachelors (Hons) Business Information Systems degree at IIT, Muadh admits that although he does not have any prior knowledge of the culinary industry, his personal experiences with street food and food trucks drove him on.  It has always been my passion to deliver something that would benefit the community and satisfy their cravings with hygienic street food and beverages at an affordable price, he says.

After intense discussions with his family, during his semester break in April, Muadh with the help of his cousin and friends built their own truck from scratch. From finding the necessary materials and components, putting the truck together and designing it to catch the eyes of passersby, it only took five days to set up.

Badam Doodh opened on April 29 offering their signature badam doodh which Muadh proudly declares is the best almond milk in town; badam kheer which is a hot drink of Indian-style almond milk; badam rose milk which as the name suggests is a cool refreshing cup of rose milk; banoffee pudding and bread chaat  crispy bread stuffed with a savoury filling of your choice.

Most of the dishes are almond based as almonds have several health benefits, Muadh explains, adding that just a handful of almonds  approximately 1 ounce  contains one-eighth of our daily protein needs.

Although a food truck usually connotes street/junk food, by using almonds he hopes Badam Doodh will create a healthier vibe.

Currently Badam Doodhs team comprises Muadhs own family and friends with food items being prepared by the former which he says, helps assure quality and hygiene. He and his friends stay up late at the truck selling their products in reusable and recyclable packaging  so that we are equally contributing our brand to be eco-friendly which is something important to me.

Some people think its just cooking food, experimenting in the kitchen, and talking to people all day but being a food truck owner is so much more, Muadh explains. Two strategies to help keep on course and stay motivated is to change up your entire routine and try to make your days easier, he finds.

With the prevailing travel restrictions it has been quite a struggle, he admits but Muadh has adapted to the changing scene and begun delivery within Colombo enabling customers to order via their Instagram/Facebook Pages or by contacting them directly.

Visit Badam Doodh once travel restrictions are lifted or if you cant wait, check them out on Instagram on @badam_doodh_ or on Facebook under their name. To contact them directly, call 0774650420
Young people have to play their role in protecting the environment, says climate change ambassador By Anoushka Jayasuriya View(s): View(s):

When it comes to climate change, young people from all over the world are now being heard and are using their skills for climate action.

A passionate young activist, 27-year-old civil engineer Tharika Fernando was appointed as a Climate Change Ambassador by the Global Youth Climate Network, an initiative of the World Bank Youth Community in January.

A product of Devi Balika Vidyalaya and graduate of the Asian Institute of Technology with a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering, Tharika believes young people have to play a vital role and be the change makers in society.

Her interest in climate change emerged while completing her undergraduate studies in Thailand where she was a frequent participant in discussions and studies on these issues. Returning to Sri Lanka following her graduation she began work as part of the Climate Resilience Improvement Project (CRIP) implemented by the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management. The project was the very first funded by the World Bank to produce a climate study in a South Asian context.

As an ambassador shes responsible for raising awareness among the youth about climate change matters and the activities which can be done to minimize its effects. Undertaking extensive research to produce findings which can help influence local government to bring about policy changes, shes also involved in conducting physical activities such as beach cleanups and reforestation activities and encouraging society to adopt more environmentally conscious lifestyles to reduce the nations carbon footprint.

Shes been inspired by activists and change makers locally and around the world  notably, she says, contributions such as the invention of the low cost sanitary napkin making machine by Indian social entrepreneur, Arunachalam Muruganantham whose products have not only revolutionized menstrual health for rural women but are also made using natural materials and do not contain polymers. Similarly, she credits businesses which adopt eco-friendly practices like the Sri Lankan fashion brand, House of Lonali, which upcycles discarded fabrics and transforms them into revamped clothes and lifestyle products.

For many activists the pandemic has been a defining moment for action. Tharika says shes been able to devise sustainable solutions to address certain problem areas during this time. With deliveries and donations being made more frequently, plastic and other packaging materials are constantly being used and in response to this, Tharika founded the charity, Today for Tomorrow in June to supply bags made out of eco-friendly materials to charities and other organizations distributing dry rations to the needy.

Today for Tomorrow is also working on supplying biodegradable plates and cups to quarantine centres around the country to replace their plastic counterparts. Our nation has so many alternatives. I would like to encourage the youth to set goals and be an example for the generations to come, she says. The charity also raises awareness through their media advocacy network where they share detailed reviews on climate related movies, books and podcasts with climate entrepreneurs. She also represented Sri Lanka at the 5th World Youth Parliament of Water in March this year.

As a civil engineer for the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Tharika is also engaged in a complex project to implement a new centralized wastewater system which would allow for the proper treatment of this water before releasing it into the ocean in a manner safe for the environment.

Most recently, while reading for her Masters in Water Resources Engineering and Management at the University of Moratuwa, shes founded another charity with her fellow postgraduates. Yet to be officially named, it aims to support people diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology/Uncertain cause(CKDU). With the cause of the disease widely believed to be the quality of water consumed, and many in rural areas unable to seek medical attention due to financial difficulties, they aim to help those affected to receive much needed dialysis treatment.

Most of these actions should be youth driven because it is this generation which will face the brunt of these critical issues in the coming years, Tharika says, urging young people to fulfil their role by contributing to the betterment of society and the ecosystem.With huge ongoing environmental issues going on we cannot be sure of what the future holds but if we can uphold our responsibilities and give back what we received from nature, I believe we can make a change, she says.
Flaws in vaccination programme; medical specialists say hundreds of deaths could have been prevented By Kumudini Hettiarachchi View(s): View(s):

The COVID-19 vaccination programme has come under fire from senior medical specialists who are part of the independent expert panel of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), calling for an immediate probe on major flaws that could have prevented deaths.

The eight professionals are  Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama (physician), Prof. Neelika Malavige (immunologist), Dr. Rajiva de Silva (immunologist), Dr. Kanthi Nanayakkara (virologist), Prof. Channa Ranasinghe (respiratory physician), Prof. A. Pathmeswaran (community medicine physician), Dr. LakKumar Fernando (paediatrician) and Dr. Hasitha Tissera (epidemiologist). Some are also members of the National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (NACCD) as well as the NMRA board.

In a letter to the Health Ministry Secretary sent on Friday, a copy of which the Sunday Times has seen, they said that during the past six months they had provided expert advice to the NMRA after carefully reviewing and evaluating scientific evidence on vaccines, while closely studying on-going vaccination programmes against COVID-19, both in Sri Lanka and overseas.

The experts cited glaring examples of acts of omission and commission that have derailed the well-planned vaccination rollout in Sri Lanka. These include advising healthcare workers to give only 10 doses from one vial of COVISHIELD AstraZenica vaccine at a time when it was publicly known that an additional dose could be extracted from a 10-dose vial. Giving such an additional dose had been recommended by regulatory authorities in countries such as the United Kingdom.

This, the letter said, led among other things, to wasting vaccine doses in Sri Lanka and resulted in a significant number of people missing an opportunity to get vaccinated; wasting of public funds; and unnecessary deaths of people (many deaths during the last few months could have been prevented if the vaccination programme was conducted as recommended by the NACCD).

In spite of pointing this out at many fora, including at the review committee discussion of the Task Force, the Chief Epidemiologist and other decision-makers at the Epidemiology Unit refused to even consider this. The Epidemiology Unit Deputy Director advised healthcare workers to draw the vaccine in an incorrect manner so that the extra amount of vaccine would not be left for use, the letter states.

It points out that it was only after a meeting on February 17, where the technical report of the National Medicines Quality Assurance Laboratory was tabled (which was produced after a request by one of the members of this expert panel to evaluate the AD  auto-disable  syringe) that the Epidemiology Unit decided to adopt this extra dose usage. This delay resulted in the waste of more than 20,000 doses of the vaccine.

The Epidemiology Unit also disregarded recommendations to give the vaccine to people above 60 years of age. This led to the death of several hundred of elderly people in the Colombo district, the experts allege.

The letter said among other things, there was a plan that identified the groups who need to be vaccinated in an order of priority. The first group was healthcare workers and then other front-line workers handling COVID-19. The next groups identified were people above 60 years of age and people with co-morbidities. This strategy was recommended to get the maximum benefit of the limited amount of vaccines available, by reducing severe disease and deaths.

However, they state, this recommendation was not implemented and after giving the vaccine to healthcare workers and other frontline workers, the vaccine was given to people between the ages of 30 and 60 years. Subsequently, with the intervention of the President, this was changed to those above 30 years of age.

The letter said that more than 70 percent of the deaths due to COVID-19 are of those above the age of 60 years. If the vaccine was given to people above 60 years, initially in the Colombo district and then in other parts of the Western Province, several hundred deaths could have been prevented.

It is apparent that the disorganised nature and poor planning of the COVID-19 vaccination programme have led to loss of public confidence in vaccination programmes in the country. This is very unfortunate as previously the vaccination programme in Sri Lanka was hailed as one of the best in the world. Poor planning, ad hoc decision-making, disregarding expert opinion and inept administration of the programme are obviously responsible for this, the letter states.

It added that a vaccination programme done free of charge which should have received praise is receiving the wrath of the public due to poor administration, planning and implementation. This is in addition to not getting the maximum benefit of the vaccination due to the same reasons.
For third consecutive year Poson on low key; pandal artists and technicians paint sad story View(s):

The Buddhasasana Ministry has decided to observe Poson festival on a low key this year, too, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry said the countrys second most important Buddhist festival would be celebrated this year with religious programmes, mostly via online platforms.

Ministry Secretary Kapila Gunawardena told The Sunday Times that even though the state celebrations would be largely online, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would take part in the Aloka Pooja and other religious programmes at the Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya.

Apart from these arrangements, the ministry had not organised other events in view of COVID-19 restrictions, he said. Even if the travel restrictions are relaxed, we will not hold any large scale public celebrations, he said, stressing the importance of controlling the spread of the pandemic.

He said if the government and the people cooperate to curb the spread of the pandemic this year, the country could have grand Vesak and Poson celebrations next year.

The secretary said they initially had a plan to hold a pandal and lantern exhibition via an online network but scrapped the plan due to concerns that they could draw crowds.

Meanwhile, with Vesak and Poson celebrations being held on low key since the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, pandal builders and artists say they have lost their main income avenue and are now without jobs.

Pandal builder N.G. Karunathilaka said most of the technicians had sold their electrical equipment and left the industry. Now eking out a living as a house-wiring electrician, Mr. Karunathilaka said the Government had pledged to provide them financial compensation, but very little had been done to support the talented artists and technicians in the field.

The authorities make false promises and give us false hopes while artists, electricians and even sponsors go through hardships, he said.

Ministry Secretary Gunawardena said the ministry is aware of the plight of the pandal artists and technicians but was unable to help them due to lack of funds.
High-level meeting tomorrow to select foreign expert to assess damage By Ranjith Padmasiri and Sandun Jayawardana View(s): View(s):

Magistrates Court seeks Govt Analysts report on seawater pollution

Agent claims authorities allowed the fire to spread in hope of receiving compensation

The Attorney General (AG) has decided to initiate criminal proceedings against the Captain of the MV X-Press Pearl and the local agent of the Singapore-based operators of the ill-fated vessel.

Indictments are to be served on them at the Colombo High Court in the coming week under the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Act, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, authoritative sources told the Sunday Times.

Both the X-Press Pearls Captain Tyutkalo Vitaly and Arjuna Hettiarachchi, the Chairman and Managing Director of Sea Consortium Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, the local agent of the ships operator X-Press Feeders, were released on bail this week after being arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and produced in the Colombo High Court.

Meanwhile, a high level meeting is due to take place tomorrow at the Justice Ministry to select a foreign expert to conduct an overall assessment of the damage caused to the country by the X-Press Pearl disaster. The meeting will be attended by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, officials from the MEPA, the Fisheries Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and other stakeholders.

Government sources also disclosed that they had sent a USD 40 million interim claim to the vessels operators and were expecting about one third of the claim to be settled in the next few days. The interim claim was submitted for part of the costs incurred when fighting the fire that began on May 20 aboard the vessel. Meanwhile, the Colombo Chief Magistrates Court has ordered the Government Analyst to submit a detailed report on the concentration of chemicals and oil in seawater and sand samples taken from the region surrounding the area where the MV X-Press Pearl has sunk.

Additional Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama gave the order this week in response to a request submitted by the Criminal Investigation Departments (CID) Maritime Investigation Unit.

Accordingly, the Government Analyst has been directed to submit a report on the hydrocarbon content of the seawater samples, their nitrogen and phosphate concentration, heavy metal concentration, aluminium content, urea concentration, evaporated salt content and PHA concentration. The Government Analyst has also been asked to identify any chemicals that have become mixed with the seawater and if chemicals are present, explain how harmful they are. Court has further ordered the GA to check whether any oil had become mixed with the seawater and sand samples and if so, what type of oil they are.

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Madhawa Tennakoon told court that despite the earlier order given by the additional magistrate for the crew of the X-Press Pearl to hand over all their electronic devices to the CID, some crew members were yet to do so. Court directed that all such devices be handed over immediately.

The case will be taken up again on June 30.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the X-Press Pearls Captain Tyutkalo Vitaly was released on a personal bond of Rs 2 million after being arrested by the CID and produced before the Colombo High Court. High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta also imposed a travel ban on the suspect. He was charged under Section 12 of the MEPA Act, which relates to deliberate or accidental discharge of pollutants to the sea.

Appearing on behalf of Captain Vitaly, Sarath Jayamanne PC, with Attorney-at-Law Nipuna Wimalasekara, noted that the responsibility of dousing a fire such as the one that occurred aboard the X-Press Pearl fell on the port located nearest to the vessel, which in this case was the Colombo Port. He pointed out that a team comprising officials from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and officers of the Sri Lanka Navy had boarded the X-Press Pearl whilst smoke was still coming from the cargo hold. However, they had made no attempt to fight the fire and had left after observing the situation for more than 1 hours.

Mr. Jayamanne charged that the Sri Lankan authorities allowed the fire to spread in the hope of receiving compensation for the damages.

DSG Madhawa Tennakoon rejected the allegations, stating that investigations had found that it took the captain 14 hours to notify the port authorities about the fire onboard. He told court that investigations had shown that the fire began at 2a.m. on May 20 but that it was only at 2.25p.m. that the ship asked the port authorities for assistance. He claimed that the fire had got out of control because the captain and crew of the vessel had not taken proper measures to extinguish the blaze as soon as it started.

DSG Tennakoon, however, said the AGs Department had no objection to granting bail to the captain.

On Wednesday, the CID also arrested Arjuna Hettiarachchi, the Chairman and Managing Director of Sea Consortium Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, the local agent of the shipping company. He was produced in the Colombo High Court. Anura Meddegoda, PC, who appeared for the suspect along with Yasa Jayasekara and Chathura Galhena, made a request for bail and assured that the suspect would cooperate with the investigation. The AGs Department again did not object to granting bail to the suspect.

High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta then released Mr. Hettiarachchi on a cash bail of Rs 100,000 and two sureties of Rs 1 million each. Court also imposed a travel ban on him and ordered him to surrender his passport.

DSG Tennakoon, along with Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama and Fazly Razeek and State Counsel Lakmini Dissanayake, Malik Azeez and Lahiru Jayamanne appeared for the Attorney General.

The case will be taken up again on July 1.
Importers warn of price hikes if forex facility is not restored By Chris Kamalendran View(s): View(s):

Essential food item importers have urged the Government to reintroduce the banking system under which they were allowed to import goods on an assessed foreign currency value ensuring their losses were minimal due to the depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar.

They have warned that if it was not reintroduced, their import quantities would have to be reduced.

An Importers Association spokesman said the system known as the Forward Exchange Booking Facility was scrapped more than three months ago. The withdrawal had affected trading and could have an adverse effect on local prices.

He said that under the system, commercial banks were able to give them an assessment of the fluctuation of the currency and thereby traders planned out their imports in a manner that they did not suffer losses.

However, in the absence of such a system, the traders were reluctant to take risks in imports.

Meanwhile, Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that some of the issues concerning the importers would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting next week.

He said the importers had warned of price increases.
Lankan-British company has digitised solution for smooth flow of vaccination; but few takers here By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):

A British-Sri Lankan company has created a digital tool that can cover 17.5mn people and send out 500,000 SMS messages a day to push forward the COVID-19 vaccination programmebut has found no interest for it among local legislators.

The application was recently used with success in several Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas of the Galle Four Gravets Divisional Secretariat. This was after Himal Rathnaweera, the Divisional Secretary, reached out to Nisal Kooragodaa university-mate and the founder of Surreytech Consulting and Surreytech Ltdto help introduce a streamlined vaccination plan.

When vaccines were first administered in Colombo, there were snaking queues and people were furious that they had to stand for many hours, said Mrs Rathnaweera. Some waited that long only to be told vaccines were over. Others said they came to the line before dawn.

Mrs Rathnaweera is a fan of technology. One of the reasons she won the Transparency International Sri Lanka Most Respected Public Servant Award last year was her role in digitizing her Divisional Secretariat. Multiple services are now provided online and Surreytech also assisted that process.

So she asked Nisal for an answer. His company had been involved in the British National Health Service vaccination programme and he knew what to do. His team developed an English online application form for the Four Gravets DS which Mrs Rathnaweera got translated to Sinhala and Tamil. It gathered information such as age, address, ID number and whether a person was pregnant, disabled, etc.

The two MOHs in my area immediately came on board, Mrs Rathnaweera said. And the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) said each of them could vaccinate around 50 people in 15 minutes. That helped us calculate the time slots.

The DS has active Facebook pages with a large number of followers and participation. Previous campaigns, such as distribution of rations, were organised using this platform. Now, it called on people to register for their shots. The message was also published through the DS website. People without web access were notified via Grama Niladharis (GNs) to hand in physical forms. The data was then fed into the system by DS staff.

During this time, I was quarantined for 10 days after my driver tested positive, Mrs Rathnaweera said. I did everything via telephone. When the GNs went on strike, I got the Samurdhi agents involved.

The vast majority of inhabitants had mobile phones which they provided to the DS. And once the vaccines came, staff sent out messages giving them time slots to get their shots.

We faced some initial challenges, she recalled. For instance, there could be a digit wrong in the telephone number in the ID card which we used to check that the location is correct and whether the owner was eligible for vaccination. But we have now ironed out all those glitches and found solutions to them. Whats more, we were able to update our existing database with new information for future use.

The Four Gravets vaccination drive received public praise on social media. There were no winding queues and no rush. There was also a help desk on site to iron out last-minute problems. Everyone from GNs to Samurdhi agents and health officials were involved. By now, 12,434 people in six GN divisions have been vaccinated. There are 44 left but, by now, the system is firmly in place.

Nisal is willing to roll out the programme to the rest of the country and has approached Ministers and officials, to no avail. He is resident in Britain for the past 20 years. Surreytechwhere he is now Chief Technology Officerhas developed technology solutions for the European market and for Britain, mainly the State sector.

But Nisal was born and brought up in Galle, and studied at Mahinda College. After a first degree from University of Ruhuna in natural sciences, he completed a post-graduate and masters in Britain in computer engineering. He also studied management. His ties to Sri Lanka are strong and, before the pandemic, he would spend several months here.

His brother handled the company in Sri Lanka. In 2016, they helped digitize the Dickwella District Secretariat (DS), taking fees only to meet their costs. The system they introduced enabled the PS to record its operations in seven departments such as land, Samurdhi, human resources, etc. But even this took months of grappling red tape, power struggles, lethargy and hundreds of emails to get done.

It was later rolled out to five other local Government bodies: Galle, Akmeemana, Agalawatta, Kaduwela and Ratnapura divisional secretariats. The third generation of the application is now in operation, having been improved each time.

Nisals brother passed away in 2018. When he met Mrs Rathnaweera at his funeral, she asked him to design a system for her DS to simplify the registration of births, deaths and marriages. These services alone attract 700 people per day. So he introduced a queue management solution using bar codes, reception counters, etc. It is also now used by several other local government bodies.

Sri Lanka is around 10-15 years behind in digitization, Nisal said. It doesnt have sustainable critical national infrastructure (CNI) covering the whole country. There is no single system servicing the whole nation like Indias ID system or Britains welfare system. What we (Sri Lanka) do have is something hanging irrationally, without national purpose or capability.

The vaccination tool to cover 17.5mn of the population took his team just 14 days. They had been closely involved in the NHSs track-and-trace initiative. The technology used in Galle was cutting edge and the same as what was employed in Britain, Nisal said. We met the cost of all that. Apart from Mrs Rathnaweera, nobody helped us, although we have seen a lot of people taking the credit for it.

Nisal even presented some of his IT solutions to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in January 2020, having been part of a public administration group he had cobbled together. But he later made the Information and Communication Technology Agency the central point and it made matters difficult for third parties, Nisal said.

If the Government is planning a nationwide vaccination drive, he is ready to help, Nisal said. He has already alerted a variety of Ministers including Namal Rajapaksa, Ali Sabry and Pavithra Wanniarachchi. They dont seem to see the value of this, he lamented. Or they have other ideas but they havent come out and done anything.

Ive done my part for my home town, he said. My team worked late into the night. I would take calls even around 3.30am. It is sad the authorities and regional administrators have no clue how to run a campaign like this and dont want to learn.

Much of the work Nisal has done over the years was provided free of charge or at cost. The experience in Galle gave me pride in my people, he smiled. The community spirit is still there. If people collaborate, we can do marvelous things.
Religious events to mark Presidents birthday today View(s):

Religious events will be held to mark the 72nd birthday of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa which falls today (20).

He visited the Gangaramaya Temple last evening to take part in religious observances ahead of his birthday. He is also due to visit the Ruwanweliseya in Anuradhapura.

A spokesman for the Presidents Office said President Rajapaksa will not take part in any major events to mark his birthday.

However, various local politicians affiliated to the Government have organised their own events in some parts of the country.
UN experts prepare report on ship disaster View(s):

Recommending short-term response measures and long-term recovery plans, the United Nations will submit a report to the Government on its investigation into the marine catastrophe following the recent fire on the cargo ship MV X-Press Pearl, according to the UN Resident Coordinators office.

It said the report would be based on observations made by the three-member UN expert team that arrived in the country on Thursday.

The team comprises Dr. Stephane Le Floch from the France National Oil Response and Research Centre (CEDRE), Dr. Camille La Croix, also from CEDRE, and Luigi Alcaro from the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research.

Dr. Le Floch is a specialist in oil spill response and contingency planning. Dr La Croix is a specialist in marine litter pollution and Mr. Alcaro is a specialist in environmental impact assessment of oil and hazardous noxious substances spills in the marine environment.

This is the largest case of plastic pollution from a shipping incident and as such is internationally significant. The mission is providing technical advisory support to the Sri Lankan experts on oil spill contingency planning, clean-up operations and environmental impact assessment, drawing on international best practice and lessons learned from similar incidents, the UN office said.

It also said the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Joint Environment Unit from the global mechanism for environmental emergency response and, together, they draw on a large pool of partner institutions to deploy experts.

The UN office said it was also grateful for the generous support mobilised by the European Union in response to the Sri Lankan case.
Getting to know so many facets of a great sub-continent Exploring India by Rajiva Wijesinha Reviewed by Goolbai Gunasekara View(s): View(s):

When a professor, novelist, writer, politician, educator, international speaker, teacher, former university Vice Chancellor and respected academic writes a book on travel, it jumps, perforce, onto the must read list for all serious readers. Add to the above that he is much in demand as a judge at literary competitions both in Sri Lanka and the UK and when one tops it all by mentioning that he is also a Gratiaen Prize winner, one realizes that here is a modern day Renaissance Man. (His various careers are naturally not in given order of importance). When a professor, novelist, writer, politician, educator, international speaker, teacher, former university Vice Chancellor and respected academic writes a book on travel, it jumps, perforce, onto the must read list for all serious readers. Add to the above that he is much in demand as a judge at literary competitions both in Sri Lanka and the UK and when one tops it all by mentioning that he is also a Gratiaen Prize winner, one realizes that here is a modern day Renaissance Man. (His various careers are naturally not in given order of importance).

Rajiva Wijesinha dates his long love affair with India to his boyhood when he accompanied his mother, the well known Girl Guide Commissioner, Muktha Wijesinha, to Madras when she was on Girl Guide business. Arriving in modern Chennai he took off by himself on a tour in which no other teenaged schoolboy would be even remotely interested. That Rajiva was considered a child prodigy was accepted at the time, but his intellectual curiosity exceeded all normalcy and has led him down unusual avenues of exploration for the next fifty years of his life.

Having an Indian father, who was himself an academic, I thought I was pretty high up on the know India landscape scale, but after reading Exploring India I realize I have barely scratched the surface of understanding the scope of that vast and intriguing country. Indias ruins and architectural marvels and many that are off the beaten track are revealed with a love and understanding of that great sub-continents history.

Punctuated by excellent photographs taken through the years of his travels, the fascinating descriptions of cities, palaces, forts, temples and varied historical sites make Exploring India difficult to put down.

The book is in six sections. Parts one and two describe his travels as a student and a teacher along with educational and academic perspectives. Parts four, five and six comprise intensive sightseeing of both old and new India. While this book is mainly about India Rajiva takes in his tours of the other SAARC countries in section seven of this comprehensively written book. Such an undertaking would have been impossible had not Rajiva kept detailed diaries all his life. He was preparing to write this book from his teen years perhaps!

Among the plethora of pictures I found several which were of particular interest. The Fort of Jhansi for instance, recalls an early heroine of mine (and of many Asian women). Pictures of Pakistan were particularly poignant as I had schooled in Karachi while it was still Undivided India and had visited beautiful Lahore frequently as modern Pakistan was my familys home in Sind before British haste messed up the Partition of India. Also in Lahore are tombs and works undertaken by Nur Jehan (another heroine), the famously manipulative and beautiful wife of Jahangir.

What is noteworthy about all these photographs is that they do not contain only the much pictured and widely reproduced touristy pictures. Little known aspects and lesser known attractions of India dot its pages. For example, Baburs tomb in Kabul, the minarets of Lahore, monks at play in Bhutan, schoolboys in Thimpu wearing uniforms of sartorial elegance, the island temple of Pokhara in Nepal, etchings in the palace of Bikaner et al. All these go to enthral a reader.

Buddhists will be particularly interested in one fact of which most of them are ignorant. While exploring the higher reaches of areas round Harrapa and Taxila, Rajiva heard of tribes that still practise Buddhism though he did not actually get to meet them. There he found wondrous examples of Gandhara Art. From Peshawar he walked up a hill to the monastery of Takht-i-Bahi, 2000 years old! In the area, high up in the Karakorum range, lies a fabulous engraving of the Buddha out of rugged rock.

The chapters are interspersed with well known names thanks to Rajivas many academic connections and also his contemporaries at Oxford. In Karachi he asked a gentleman why the men of Pakistan disapproved of Benazir Bhutto and was told that they felt diminished at being ruled by a women. Also they had heard that she went to nightclubs in England! Rajiva thought it prudent to remain silent about the fact that he had himself taken her to a nightclub in their Oxford days!

Rajivas accommodations in India cause the reader considerable amusement. As an inveterate traveller he often went along on whims of the moment without making proper bookings. This led him to sharing a berth on a train with an old man and his grandson and then in stark contrast to having Nirmali Hettiaratchi as a fellow guest at the posh Hyatt Regency in Kathmandu and dinners with our High Commissioners in India like Sudarshan Seneviratne and Austin Fernando. He has enjoyed stays with Oxford friends at Bishops Palaces and pleasantly relaxed teas in Karachi with Benazir, his old friend from Oxford, who remembered his penchant for chocolate cake.

The educator in Rajiva is never quiescent. It surfaces all the time and his visits to India were often for literary and educational reasons. During the time he was a Member of Parliament, Rajiva was in in Delhi for an Indo-Sri Lankan Dialogue being held at the India International Centre. Our High Commission arranged for discussions with Indian Foreign Secretary, Nirupama Rao, an old friend of Rajivas from her days as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. The discussions were on the sad state of English in our country while Indias standards were zooming up by the day. Other participants in the discussions were Nihal Rodrigo, Sajith Premadasa and Harsha de Silva. Mrs. Rao was happy to provide him with all the necessary aid but the Government changed and the scheme was very unfortunately dropped.

There are too many names, too many incidents, too many pictures, too many amazing stories to relate in a short review. So let me just say Read the book. India is our closest neighbour. Let us get to know her every facet as best we can. Rajiva Wijesinhas Exploring Indiawill do just that for the reader.
Nutritional boost to sea cucumber industry By Asitha Jayawardena View(s): View(s):

Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied, elongated, worm-like marine organisms. The catching of sea cucumbers is one of the oldest activities of commercial fisheries in Asian and Pacific countries and was introduced to Sri Lanka by the Chinese in the late 1800s. They are not usually consumed in this country but exported, mainly to Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

In Sri Lanka, sea cucumbers are caught mostly off the northern, north-western and north-eastern shores. Of the 25 species found in these waters, a total of nine commercially exploited sea cucumber species is landed on these shores using four fishing methods: Scuba diving, breath-hold diving, gleaning in shallow waters and surrounding nets. Scuba diving is the dominant fishing method, with divers fishing both day and night and reporting the highest catch rates.

Over 80% of the world harvest of sea cucumbers is processed into trepang or beche-de-mer (literally worm of the sea). From the nutritional point of view, sea cucumbers are considered an ideal source of proteins, but with low lipids. There has been a gradual increase in both export quantities and the value of beche-de-mer during recent years. The species and the product quality govern market demand for beche-de-mer.

Product quality depends on the shape, appearance, colour, odour and moisture content, and is greatly influenced by the way of processing. However, this aspect is rarely addressed either locally or globally. Neither have many attempts been made to produce value-added products using sea cucumbers.

Analysing the effect of processing on the nutritional value of sea cucumbers would be clearly useful to enhance the quality of processed products. It is in this context that the National Research Council funded research into this area, through a grant awarded to Dr Chamari Dissanayake of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura, covering both scientific and socio-economic dimensions.

Improving current processing practices

Although a wide variety of sea cucumber processing techniques are practised in Sri Lanka, inadequate knowledge and absence of proper training on post-harvest processing have led to poor quality beche-de-mer (Figure 1), thus losing a considerable amount of foreign income. It was demonstrated through this research that domestically processed beche-de-mer always results in a higher percentage of moisture, crude ash and crude fat, and a lower percentage of crude protein than industrially processed products.

Processing involves evisceration (to remove internal organs), boiling, salting and drying. Various combinations of these were explored, for example the medium of boiling (sea water or fresh water with added salt); duration of boiling (low, medium and high  with differing times for each duration ranging from 3 to 20 minutes, depending on the species); type of salting (solid vs. aqueous salt); and method of drying (electric vs. sun drying). Such processing results in a reduction of the undesirable saturated fatty acids and an increase in the beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Table 1 indicates the best combinations for processing the three most prevalent types of sea cucumber species, as found from this research. These findings were disseminated in the form of posters, among both fishers and exporters, who are responsible for the processing of these species. This has made a significant impact on processing practices. The production of an identification guide for 16 sea cucumber species was another output from this project (Figure 2).

A soup to savour

Value addition to the sea cucumber harvest was attempted by converting it to a ready-to-drink soup mix. The highly abundant but low-value Bohadschia vitiensis species was chosen for this purpose. After evisceration and processing, the flesh was ground and sieved to obtain sea cucumber flour. This processed flour (inclusive of other natural additives) was mixed in various proportions with cornflour, and converted to a ready-to-drink soup mix. The optimum percentage of sea cucumber flour in the mix was established based on sensory tests, involving attributes such as colour, appearance, odour, mouth feel, taste and overall acceptability. A patent has been obtained for this ready-to-drink soup mix (Figure 3), and some exporters are considering the possibility of exploiting it.

Sustaining the fish and fishers

The research also involved a socio-economic survey, and discovered that fishers received typically half the export price (after processing); hence, around 48% of them showed high satisfaction towards their buyers, although 33% were dissatisfied or highly dissatisfied. Among all fishers, scuba divers registered the highest average net monthly income. However, only 11% of them had undertaken formal training and certification, leading to some health related issues.

The fishermen also expressed a very high level of dissatisfaction about the problem of rapid overexploitation of resources, in spite of management measures such as licences for sea cucumber fishing, processing and exporting. All the interviewees revealed that the sea cucumber catches had declined in terms of both size and quantity landed; and that they had to travel further and dive deeper to collect sea cucumbers; also that and many high-value species were no longer in the fishing grounds.

Given that Sri Lanka earned US$ 2.55 million in 2016 by exporting 136 metric tonnes of beche-de-mer, it is certainly in the national interest to foster this industry, and also improve it by using the results of this study.

This research was funded by the National Research Council under grant IDG 15-50, and awarded to Dr Chamari Dissanayake of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. Dr. Ganeshan Nishanthan obtained his doctorate on this project. Dr D.V. Pahan Prasada (University of Peradeniya) was a co-supervisor. The soup mix received a Sri Lanka Patent Numbered LK/P/1/19793.

Asitha Jayawardena was commissioned to write this article as part of the science publicity programme of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka.
Dodampe Mudalali murder case: The beginning of blatant disregard for due process by political establishment View(s):

A Sunday Times reader has asked me to write on the Dodampe Mudalali (DM) murder case. He says his generation has only heard that there was a sensational case by that name. This was a sensational case, no doubt, but also controversial, due to the many irregularities. I will only touch on the salient issues, due to space restrictions.

Background: In 1965, after Dudley Senanayake became Prime Minister, the Government began to revoke several ultra-Sinhalese policies undertaken by the Bandaranaike government. This infuriated some factions, who vociferously criticized the government.

When Premier Senanayake was out of the country in July 1966, Minister of State J.R. Jayewardene (JRJ) hand-picked SP Ana Seneviratne (ANS), who was head of the CID/Special Branch (SB), to conduct investigations on alleged anti-government activities. This was a deviation from regular practice. The SB function was intelligence gathering, and investigations under the Criminal Procedure Code were handled by the CID/Investigations Branch (IB). JRJs confrontations with the CID/IB, and his antipathy towards it, were well known.

On orders from JRJ, IGP John Attygalle met Army Commander Richard Udugama at the Katunayake Airport, on being recalled from the U.K. He was then led to a washroom where he was formally arrested. That is why it earned the sobriquet  Lavatory Coup, contemptuously, as no one took the allegations seriously. Thirty other suspects were also arrested. Among them were: N.Q. Dias, Secretary/Defence and Foreign Affairs; Rev. Henpitigedera Gnanasiha thera; Capt. Sirisena; Sgt. Thilakawardena and 20 non-commissioned officers and privates; several civilians, including L.V. Podiappuhamy a.k.a. Dodampe Mudalali (DM).

ANSs next step was to summon Inspector Rahula Silva (RHS), who was OIC Beliatta Police, without following the line of command. RHS too reported at the SB office without informing his superiors. RHSs forte was extracting confessions by torture. He was encouraged by his superiors failure to take action against him despite complaints by people and the media. The allegations even included rape.

Trouble came when DM and Sgt. Thilakawardena died from falling off the fourth floor of the SB office. First, the magistrate returned a verdict of suicide. After hearing new evidence, he revised the verdict to murder.

Even if they had jumped out, one could surmise that it was not with intention to escape from custody, but to escape unbearable torture.

A private plaint for murder was filed against ANS and his subordinates involved in the investigation. The Attorney General (AG) A.C.M. Ameer, a political appointee, stepped into the case and withdrew it.

In this connection, I would like to refer to a similar case to make a point: At the time of this case, along with two sub-inspector colleagues of mine at Maradana Police, I was facing murder and attempted murder charges in the same courts. It was for murder of Madavi Somay and attempted murder of Darmadasa alias Choppe. I approached SP Colombo Eleric Abeygunawardane and pleaded to have our case also withdrawn. His advice was, go through with the case, justify your actions before courts, and have done with it once and for all. So, we went through with the case. The magistrate returned a verdict that death was due to justifiable force by police. Thus ended our case.

In regard to the DM murder case, a commission of Inquiry was appointed after the change of government. To extricate themselves from the allegations, ANS and his subordinates had to face this inquiry which dragged on, incurring heavy expenses.

This case kept haunting ANS in the service, also becoming advantageous with the correct change of government, but then making him look like a political stooge. As a result, he had difficulty in earning the respect of his men when JRJ as President appointed him as IGP over the more senior DIG, Rudra Rajasingham, who was quite popular on account of his uprightness.

It was unfortunate that some highly respected junior officers, with impeccable reputation for honesty and integrity, got dragged into this quagmire.

As for the coup case, the AG filed plaint against the surviving suspects, before Colombos Chief Magistrate, who committed the case to the Supreme Court (SC). The Chief Justice arranged a Division Bench of three judges and a jury panel.

The case was dismissed without calling for defence, when the jury unanimously acquitted all the accused due to lack of evidence.

In fairness to Major General Udugama, may I mention the fact that he was an officer with battle experience while serving with the British Army in Burma during WW II on secondment from the Ceylon Defence Force. He had the option of accepting political asylum in a foreign country as there were offers. But the bold, fearless and upright officer decided to come back to clear his name. Unmatched, he was, by his political persecutors.

The DM case was, perhaps, the first blatant disregard of this magnitude for the criminal justice process by the political establishment ever known to this country. That beginning paved the way through later history, to the current day, for similar interference with due process. The only difference is that today such meddling is brash and arrogant, lacking the intelligence and sophistication of yesteryear. In the DM case, the actors were of some malleable material who bowed down to the justice process that pursued them. Those police officers faced courts and commissions of inquiry with due regard and respect.

Today, that brash and arrogant attitude has hardened to rock solid rigidity, and impunity. The whole criminal justice apparatus, without exception, has been swallowed up to the neck in the mire. Instead of justice, such shuffle of process brings on promotions and many other perks of attraction. The question is asked: how a system called due process can survive? For, ill-gotten returns from undue process are surely better for them than from due process.

It is presumably seeing all this that President Rajapaksa has turned to Community Policing, for good measure.

(The writer is a Retired Senior Police Officer. He can be contacted at seneviratnetz@gmail.com

TP 077 44 751 44)
Ranasinghe Premadasa: The peoples president By Lalin I De Silva View(s): View(s):

It is indeed a pleasure for me to write a few lines on the 97th birth anniversary of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa who stayed with his people and party through thick and thin. The writer had the good fortune of meeting former President Premadasa long before he had reached the highest position as Sri Lankas executive President.

My father, the late E.P. De Silva (EP), former editor of the Daily Mirror and the Times, had been a longtime friend of the ever-smiling President who had a warm heart for loyal people always. Mr Premadasa was a close friend of our family just as Dr. N. M. Perera, Peter Keuneman and several other political activists were.

My father, a well-informed political reporter before he became the editor also knew leftist leaders and trade unionists such as Alavi Moulana and Bala Thampo. As a result, of these connections, President Premadasa consulted my father frequently. He knew the power of talented journalists and made good use of them to the advantage of the country.

In the old days, when my father was alive, the phone at our home at Rawathawaththa in Moratuwa would start ringing from 5 am. Often the first caller was Mr. Premadasa. This continued while he was an opposition MP, deputy minister, minister and Prime Minister.

My father was clued in to the political gossip of the day. His political friends or contacts, as he used to call them, (because they were sources of dependable information with value) would phone him to trade political information and, sometimes, indulge in political gossip.

Mr. Premadasa began his political career in 1950 as a Labour Party member of the Colombo Municipal Council. Soon he became the deputy mayor. In 1956, he joined the United National Party led by Dudley Senanayake. After four years, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Colombo Central.

In late 1960, he was appointed as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Housing and Constructions and in 1968 the minister. In 1977, when J.R. Jayewardene became the first executive President of Sri Lanka, Mr Premadasa was appointed as Prime Minister.

Mr Premadasa worked tirelessly to alleviate poverty in Sri Lanka. Among his major initiatives were the Janasaviya poverty alleviation programme, the 200 Garment Factory programme and the Gam Udawa programme to build model villages with clean water, decent roads, schools, and health centers.

President Premadasa not only monitored the progress of development programmes but evaluated them by sending his staff to visit the sites and receiving progress reports. Once the reports were received, he would check them against the statistics maintained by the ministries. This enabled him to track which officials worked tirelessly to achieve results and to take action against those who bluffed.

President Premadasa cared for common people and reached out to them at every possibility, uplifting their living environments.

He never forgot that he grew up amongst the poorer folk and had been a part of their wants and woes.

When my eldest sister passed away on January 2, 1973 early morning, we brought it to the notice of my father while he was in a phone conversation with Mr. Premadasa. He kept the phone without telling anything. But within no time, Mr. Premadasa arrived at my place to console us and later in the evening visited us again with his wife who is a kind-hearted simple lady. We still remember their visits and appreciate them.

In the same manner, they paid their last respects to my father as well when he died. President Premadasa was such a grateful person that he never forgot us. Whenever he visited the Badulla District, he never forgot to visit me.

He visited me when I was the assistant superintendent at Downside Estate, Welimada and when I was the superintendent at Shawlands Estate, Lunugala.

It is said that when he died, the country lost a dynamic leader, a stern disciplinarian and a result oriented visionary who spearheaded the economic development of the country by taking small-scale industries to the villages and providing employment to rural youth, with a view to eliminating poverty, especially in the rural sector.

If Premadasa Premadasa had served the two full terms of his presidency, Sri Lanka would have been like Singapore today.

(The writer is a senior planter, agricultural advisor and

freelance journalist.)
The council in Comares, in the Axarquia district, has signed an agreement with the University of Malaga to continue the archaeological dig of the Mazmullar Mozarabic settlement, which is located about one kilometre from the village itself.

So far only five per cent of the area has been excavated, despite being declared a historical, cultural monument in 1931, along with Malaga's cathedral, Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle.

Islamic period reservoir

In 1907 one of the best examples of an Islamic period reservoir in Spain was found at the archaeological site, which in its day would have held 120,000 litres of water.

It consists of three chambers, nine sections and 12 horseshoe arches and was used between the ninth and twelfth centuries. The reservoir is also registered as a site of important cultural interest.

After many years of requests to the regional government, Malaga's provincial representative, Patricia Navarro, along with the Junta's representative for culture and heritage, Carmen Casero, have recently visited the area and shown their support for the project.

The town hall and university have started the work, which so far includes taking aerial photos of the site and building a three-dimensional recreation of the reservoir, complete with the chambers, different sections and arches.
In a bid to make Alhaurin el Grande a serious cultural hub, a group of talented British, Spanish and German artists will launch an exciting new art gallery that will host a permanent collection of works by the late German sculptor, Gunter - along with regular exhibitions by local and visiting artists.

The new venue is owned by artist Robert Heidegger and his partner, Nina Brtzelmeier, who have joined forces with Carmen Pena, the driving force behind the former Artsenal art gallery in Malaga.

Artsenal Inoxis will become a cultural space that will promote four exhibitions each year, kicking off with a collection of works by nine established artistes. These will include British cartoonist Peter Maddocks; fine art photographer William Radford; and Syrian sculptor Shadi Alnokari, an artist who collaborated on the renovation of the Fountain of the Lions in the Alhambra Palace.

The project will be inaugurated on 21 June at 8pm in order to coincide with the summer solstice, and a series of cultural events have been arranged to celebrate the event. British artist Chandy Haggett, who is collaborating on the new project, will be painting live on the opening night, while guests can also enjoy live music and breakdancing.

The inaugural exhibition will also display a large amount of work inherited from Gunter, a former resident who died in 2020. The organisers have announced that the artist's ashes will be placed in the gallery, seeing as he was "such a big part of the project".

Haggett, who has painted several large murals in the town centre, described the venue as " very exciting and extremely eccentric".

"One touch I find really interesting is that the ashes of Gunter have been placed above the entrance of the gallery, so even though he is not there in person, he is there in spirit," she said.

The centre, which is located in Camino de la Reina, can be visited from Thursday to Sunday from 6pm until midnight.
Bahrains Ministry of Health has called on citizens and residents aged above 50, and who had taken both doses of the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm before three months, to register for a Covid-19 vaccine booster dose from Pfizer-BioNTech.



The logo of the BeAware application will automatically turn yellow three months after taking the second shot of the Sinopharm vaccine to alert the individuals of the need to take the booster jab, adding that the logo will regain its green colour after receiving the booster dose, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA), citing a Ministry of Health statement.



The Ministry stressed the safety and great effectiveness of the vaccinations, as well as their contribution to alleviating the symptoms associated with the infection with the virus, noting that the vaccination reduces the rate of transmission of the virus to others compared to those who are not vaccinated, and is effective in protecting and building community immunity.



Bahrain continues its awareness campaigns aimed at increasing caution and ensuring full compliance with the precautionary and preventive measures recommended by the competent authorities in order to preserve the safety of all, eliminate the pandemic and ensure return to normalcy as soon as possible.
A consortium including Qatar Petroleum (QP) has been awarded two offshore exploration blocks in Suriname, under Production Sharing Contracts as part of the recent Suriname offshore bid round.



The winning bids in the competitive round were announced by Surinames State Oil Company, Staatsolie. A consortium comprising of Qatar Petroleum (20%), TotalEnergies (Operator - 40%) and Staatsolie (40%) were awarded the right to explore shallow water blocks 6 and 8, which are immediately adjacent to the prolific Block 58 discoveries.



Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said: We are pleased to be awarded exploration rights in blocks 6 and 8, and this represents Qatar Petroleums first entry into Suriname. This successful result also increases our presence in the Guyana-Suriname Basin and further strengthens Qatar Petroleums footprint in Latin America, marking yet another successful step towards realizing our international growth ambitions.



"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Surinamese authorities for a comprehensive and efficient tender process, as well as our strategic partner, TotalEnergies, for their excellent cooperation in achieving this result, he added.



Located in the southern part of offshore Suriname, close to the border with Guyana, the adjacent blocks 6 and 8 lie immediately south of block 58 in shallow waters, with depths ranging between 30 and 65 meters. The two blocks cover a combined area of approximately 2,750 sq km.  TradeArabia News Service
Almosafer, the kingdoms leading omni-channel travel brand, is revealing key insights into Saudi nationals travel preferences one month into open borders.

Almosafers study examined consumers searches and bookings over the period of May 17 - June 16 compared to the same period pre-pandemic in 2019 and found promising signs of travel revival as KSA travellers venture out to explore the world again and continue to explore the vast tourism offering in the kingdom.

The findings solidify the results of Almosafers second extensive travel sentiment survey conducted earlier this year which unveiled that over 80 per cent of Saudi respondents are planning to travel internationally within the first six months of border opening. Since the resumption of international travel from the kingdom last month, Almosafer has recovered 76 per cent of total bookings compared to the same time in 2019 and expects this percentage to further increase by Q4 to exceed pre-pandemic booking volume as more travel restrictions are lifted and more destinations reopen for visitors across the world.

The data also shows that domestic travel is in high demand due to the growing appeal of local destinations amongst Saudi nationals, as well as the breadth of offer created by Almosafer from bespoke packages to a variety of bookable tours and attractions available on the brands domestic activities marketplace. Almosafer has allocated significant funds, research, and product development efforts to boost its domestic offering, in line with the Kingdoms wider agenda to enhance the tourism sectors contribution to the national economy and will continue to do so with several innovative product launches planned in the coming months.

Top local destinations include Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Khobar and Dammam, while new trending destinations that gained popularity over the past year are Al Jubail, Abha and Jizan.

Destinations of interest beyond KSA within the MENA region include UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt topping the list due to their proximity and familiarity, however, with Saudi International travellers prioritising quarantine free safe destinations a few new trending destinations have entered the top 20 list including Ukraine, one of Europes least explored treasures which is known for its variety of attractions, eccentric eateries, upbeat music and a dynamic art scene. Morocco has also emerged as a trending destination offering beautiful natural landscapes and beaches, rural and cultural heritage. Additionally, the Maldives are a top favourite amongst couples and families looking for a memorable beach escape full of relaxation.

The data analysed also revealed that Saudi nationals are opting for shorter trips abroad, (5 per cent shorter stays), and spending 5 per cent more per booking to achieve higher levels of comfort, convenience, and better social distancing options (16 per cent increase in business class and 14 per cent increase in first class bookings). With the ever-changing status of travel restrictions at various destinations, travellers' booking window has reduced by 30 per cent, Saudis are planning their trips less far ahead as they are making travel decisions based on current situations.

As for travel companions, the study shows a clear inclination towards travelling in smaller groups or pairs which could be attributed to Saudis wanting to test the waters at certain destinations before heading out with bigger groups and families. Searches indicate an average of 2 passengers per booking for International destinations compared to 2.5 passengers during the same period in 2019 before the pandemic.

Muzzammil Ahussain, Executive Vice President at Almosafer, said: Based on the initial results weve seen through Almosafers booking and searches during the last month, we feel very optimistic about the future of the travel sector in KSA. Because of our in-depth consumer survey which we conducted earlier this year, we were able to better understand Saudis new travel preferences post the pandemic and offer them unparalleled travel advisory that enables them to plan their upcoming international and domestic trips with ease and convenience.

Due to the various travel restrictions in place worldwide, it was interesting to see the changes in the top 20 destinations mix which saw a few new emerging destinations that werent on Saudi nationals travel lists before such as Greece, Bosnia and Albania. Despite the opening of borders, we are pleased to see that domestic travel is still in demand and that our efforts in promoting domestic bookings are paying off. Through Almosafers domestic activities marketplace and expert travel advisory, we will continue to develop a diverse range of local unique experiences that Saudis can discover in their home country, with a focus on cultural and adventure experiences.

Almosafer's dedicated team of experienced travel advisors provide a holistic customer support system offering 24/7 assistance, valuable insights, safety consultation, guidance, and reassurance throughout the omnichannel booking experience. This includes travel recommendations regarding travel requirements, destinations safety, airline operations and precautionary measures to take into consideration when travelling internationally. - TradeArabia News Service
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has confirmed the resumption of international tourism with the country opening to global travellers under existing visa regulations, including those from across the GCC, from June 25.

Opening our borders to international visitors ahead of the summer travel period is vital for the domestic tourism ecosystem and we anticipate Germany being recognised as a go to travel destination this year, said Yamina Sofo, Director of Sales and Marketing of the German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries. During the past few months, we have been working closely with our travel partners across the region to ensure Germany remains top of mind once borders reopen.

To ensure tourism remains safe for all, visitors are required to register at www.einreiseanmeldung.de to gain entry, which includes uploading proof of vaccination against Covid-19 in digital or paper form (e.g. WHO vaccination booklet) with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This must also be printed and carried as proof. Vaccines approved include Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. A period of at least 14 days must have elapsed since receiving the last vaccine dose.

For full entry requirements, visitors are advised to refer to www.bmi.bund.de.

Those travelling from countries with variant concerns are unable to transit through Germany to another European country. Travellers must check with the individual German federal state they plan to visit as all have different rules to follow prior to arrival.

Germany has a wealth of summer activities for international travellers, from spa and wellness breaks, and nature trails through forests, to city-based culinary experiences and cultural explorations across multiple regions, Sofo added.

With over a third of Germany covered in woodlands and forests, travellers can enjoy a plethora of outdoor activities, including hiking through the Black Forest in Baden-Baden, taking in the views of Neuschwanstein Castle (which inspired the famous Disney castle), or strolling through the Bavarian Forest National Park. - TradeArabia News Service
Global hospitality group Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the opening of Alila Hinu Bay, a 112-key hotel nestled on a secluded beachfront in Omans southwest region of Dhofar.

It joins Alila Jabal Akhdar as the brands second hotel in the sultanate along with 15 other Alila properties worldwide.

Distinguished a strong commitment to sustainable tourism, the award-winning brand features luxury hotels and resorts in some of the most spectacular natural locations.

Located between Samhan mountain and the blue waters of the Arabian Sea, Alila Hinu Bay caters to well-traveled guests seeking reflection and impactful connections.

Along with the breath-taking scenery, the area is known for its rich traditions and the renowned warmth of Omani hospitality.

"We are very excited to add Alila Hinu Bay to the Hyatt portfolio and welcome guests to this region of Oman, a true nature lovers paradise full of stunning landscapes, waterfalls and greenery," remarked Martin Persson, the general manager, Alila Hinu Bay.

"Dedicated to being responsible and sustainable, guests can enjoy exquisite culinary experiences evoking local and international flavours at one of our dining options or treat themselves to a customized spa experience that uses natural products," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Dhaka, June 20 (UNI) Bangladesh is enthusiastically preparing for the forthcoming International Yoga Day on June 21, it was announced on Saturday.

Despite the COVID 19 pandemic, which has put restrictions on public gathering and movement, several organisations and individuals are organising online events and programmes across the country to celebrate the occasion.

The High Commission of India in Dhaka has organized a series of online programmes and released videos relating to various themes of Yoga over the last few days.

It organised an online session named Natural Facial Yoga on Friday to provide a Yoga based solution to fight the effects of ageing on the human body. On Thursday it organised a programme on Immunity and health through Yoga in which some of the eminent Yoga teachers and practitioners took part online. They provided deep insight into important aspects of Yoga for holistic wellness for all. It also organised a special online programme for senior citizens to practice Yoga on a daily basis. Among other programmes, an online event was organised for home-makers to take care of their health.

In a message about the importance of Yoga, Bangladesh State Minister for Education Mohibul Nowfel urged people to take up Yoga in their daily lives for their holistic well-being.

Local organisations and individuals are also mounting events to celebrate the occasion. The Art of Living foundation Bangladesh has organized many programmes in view of the International Yoga Day on June 21.

UNI XC MAZ ACL0808
Pro Choice Leaders Unite for Referendum Campaign

Fabian Picardo, Joseph Garcia and Marlene Hassan Nahon, leaders of the GSLP, the Liberal Party and Together Gibraltar respectively, joined forces in a video to ask for a yes vote in the upcoming referendum on the amendment of the crimes act that will regulate abortions in Gibraltar.

The three leaders put their political differences aside to collaborate with the Gibraltar for Yes official campaign as we enter the last week of campaigning.

Ms Hassan Nahon focused her message on the issue of human rights and expressed her trust in Gibraltarian women and the GHA. Dr. Garcia delivered a pragmatic message expressing the need to accept reality and regulate an activity that is currently happening outside of the law, and Fabian Picardo dispelled myths about the "radical" nature of the proposed reform, calling claims from the GPLM that the new law will allow for abortions on demand up to nine months a "blatant lie".

The three leaders will be campaigning vigorously in the last days before the referendum, and urge the entire population to take part in what they hope will be an exemplary exercise of democracy.
McCracken County Fair Continues Tonight

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - The McCracken County Fair continues at Carson Park through Saturday.The carnival opens nightly at 5:30 and tickets and armbands available.Admission to the fair is $3.00 per person and parking onsite at the fairgrounds is $2 per vehicle. Armbands are available nightly for $20.All money raised during the fair benefits nearly two dozen local charities supported by the South Paducah Kiwanis Club.On the Net:
Suspect in Vehicle Break-ins Appears in Court

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - The case against a man suspected of burglary and thefts from vehicles was discussed Friday.A pre-trial conference was held in the case against Deartavious Greer, but it was continued until June 28, according to the McCracken County Circuit Court Clerk. This is the latest of several continuances in the case.Greer was arrested along with Michael Pettigrew in July 2020. Detectives were investigating several reports of thefts from vehicles at homes along Clinton Road and in the Wildcat Trace area.McCracken County Sheriff's Detectives found video surveillance that reportedly showed them working together while entering vehicles, and detectives say some of the stolen items were found at a local pawn shop under Pettigrew's name.Pettigrew and Greer each face two counts of 2nd-degree burglary and two counts of theft by unlawful taking of items valued between $500 and $10,000.At the time of his arrest, Greer was wanted on a bench warrant stemming from a receiving stolen property charge.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-19 20:06:33|Editor: huaxia

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An airport ground staff and a staff member of Chinese side check the COVID-19 vaccines donated by Chinese Red Cross Society in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 19, 2021. A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese Red Cross Society to its Ethiopian counterpart, arrived here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

ADDIS ABABA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese Red Cross Society to its Ethiopian counterpart, arrived here on Saturday.

The doses arrived at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in the presence of senior Ethiopian government officials, representatives of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, members of the Chinese diplomatic community in Ethiopia.

Dereje Duguma, Ethiopian State Minister of Health, said during the handing over ceremony that a portion of the latest batch of vaccine doses will be used in Ethiopia's conflict-affected Tigray regional state.

"We are very much thankful for the Red Cross to work with the government of China and the Red Cross of China to bring this donation to Ethiopia," the state minister said.

"Our foremost gratitude and thanks will go to the government and people of China for providing different support since the first few months of the pandemic," he added.

Abera Tola, President of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, also echoed the state minister's remarks as he commended the Chinese Red Cross Society for the much-needed support, as he vowed to further strengthen the partnership among the two humanitarian organizations.

"The Ethiopian Red Cross will fulfill its assignment and obligation for delivering this vaccine to the most needy people through the Ethiopian Ministry of Health," Tola said.

"On behalf of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, again and again, I would like to say thank you very much. I hope it will not be the last, I hope it will continue," he added.

China has so far donated a total of 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ethiopia, according to figures from the Chinese Embassy to Ethiopia. The East African country had received the first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines that was donated by the Chinese government back in March.

Zhao Zhiyuan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, stressed that as a comprehensive strategic cooperative partner of Ethiopia, China will continue its capacity to Ethiopia's anti-pandemic efforts, and play an active role as Ethiopia undertakes to boost the economy and improve people's lives.

"The pandemic didn't stand in the way of China-Ethiopia relations, instead it has brought us even closer together," the ambassador said.

According to Zhao, China has donated and is donating vaccines to 88 developing countries in urgent need, and has provided support under COVAX for emergency use of vaccines in developing countries.

"Let us continue to work together to put COVID-19 under control, and jointly contribute to the building of a healthy community for all," Zhao said.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine support, China has been helping Ethiopia in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak in terms of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), testing kits as well as training and experience sharing.

China donated several batches of medical supplies to Ethiopia last year, and a Chinese team of medical experts has been sent to Ethiopia to support its fight against the pandemic.

As of Saturday morning, Ethiopia has recorded 274,899 COVID-19 cases and 4,276 COVID-19 related deaths, according to the latest figures from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-19 23:59:15|Editor: huaxia

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Members of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO)'s Party Youth League attend an information-sharing session with the Communist Party of China (CPC) youth members in Namibia's capital Windhoek on June 19, 2021. Namibia's ruling party has a lot to learn from the CPC on people-centered development as well as fighting against poverty in rural areas, the SWAPO's Secretary General Sophia Shaningwa said here on Saturday. (Photo by Musa C Kaseke/Xinhua)

WINDHOEK, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Namibia' ruling party has a lot to learn from the Communist Party of China (CPC) on people-centered development as well as fighting against poverty in rural areas, the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO)'s Secretary General Sophia Shaningwa said on Saturday.

She was speaking at an information-sharing session conducted by the SWAPO's Party Youth League and the CPC youth members ahead of the CPC's centenary celebrations for early July.

Shaningwa said Namibia has created programs on fighting against poverty and will be dedicated to implement them by learning from China, which has successfully reduced poverty in rural areas through its people-centered programs on agriculture, infrastructure development as well as technological advancement.

"The CPC and the SWAPO party have had cordial relations dating back to the years of our liberation struggle where they supported us, and our two governments continue to cooperate on many developmental aspects for the betterment of our people," she said.

"As a sister party, we want to continue tapping the cooperation of our governments and parties in fostering development for the future," she added.

Secretary of SWAPO's Party Youth League Ephraim Nekongo reiterated the need for youth-centered programs on fighting unemployment, improvement of opportunities, reducing inequality and economic development.

"As a country we still face challenges in creating employment for our youth," Nekongo said, expressing hopes to reduce unemployment through cooperation with the CPC.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming underscored the need for continued cooperation between the CPC and SWAPO as a means to achieve people-centered development.

Secretary for Economic Affairs of the SWAPO's Party Youth League and Namibia's youngest regional governor Marius Sheya said that development is a process that his party is willing to go through in the future. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 00:03:20|Editor: huaxia

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People wearing face masks talk on a street in London, Britain, June 17, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

"The race is firmly on between the vaccine program ... and the Delta variant third wave," said professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Acknowledging the recent surge in infections, Finn told the BBC: "Perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up -- so this third wave is definitely under way."

LONDON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- A new wave of coronavirus infections is "definitely under way" in England due to the Delta variant first identified in India, a British government advisory scientist said Saturday.

"The race is firmly on between the vaccine program ... and the Delta variant third wave," said professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Acknowledging the recent surge in infections, Finn told the BBC: "Perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up -- so this third wave is definitely under way."

Noting that the highest number of cases of the Delta variant is among 16-25 year-olds, Finn said that older people are still "much more likely to end up in hospital."

"As far as vaccines are concerned, the main emphasis everywhere at the moment is immunizing adults because it's adults that suffer predominantly from this infection," he said.

Meanwhile, epidemiologist Mike Tildesley said he is "cautiously hopeful" that hospital admissions in Britain will not be on the same scale as in January.

Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), another government advisory body, said cases have been "creeping steadily" over the past month "but we haven't yet seen that reflected in hospital admissions and deaths."

"I'm cautiously hopeful that whilst we probably will expect some sort of wave of hospital admissions over the next few weeks, it won't be the same scale that we saw back in January."

People queue outside a walk-in vaccination clinic in London, Britain, June 17, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 percent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine is 96 percent effective against hospitalization after two doses.

More than 42.4 million people have been given the first jab of a coronavirus vaccine while more than 30.8 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

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.

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.

People enjoy sunshine at Potters Field Park in front of the City Hall in London, Britain, June 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 00:14:49|Editor: huaxia

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People line up outside Bridge Park Community Leisure Center to receive the COVID-19 vaccines in Brent, northwest London, Britain, June 19, 2021. A new wave of coronavirus infections is "definitely under way" in England due to the Delta variant first identified in India, a British government advisory scientist said Saturday. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

LONDON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Britain reported more than 10,000 coronavirus cases for a third consecutive day on Saturday as there has been a 79 percent rise in the highly contagious Delta variant in the country in the past week.

Britain has reported another 10,321 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,620,968, according to official figures released Saturday.

The country also recorded another 14 coronavirus-related death. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,970. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

There has been a 79 percent rise in the highly contagious Delta variant, first identified in India, in the past week and cases have been above 10,000 for three days in a row.

The increase across Britain is being driven by younger age groups, many of whom have now been invited for a vaccination as the jab rollout extends to anyone aged 18 and over.

Hospital cases have almost doubled although most of those needing treatment have not had a vaccine.

Earlier Saturday, a British government advisory scientist said a new wave of infections is "definitely under way" in England.

"The race is firmly on between the vaccine programme... and the Delta variant third wave," said professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Acknowledging the recent surge in infections, Finn told the BBC: "Perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up -- so this third wave is definitely under way."

The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 percent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine is 96 percent effective against hospitalization after two doses.

More than 42.6 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine while more than 31 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

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. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 00:47:27|Editor: huaxia

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Kahlili Gaith speaks in an interview at a Palestinian refugee camp in Amman, Jordan, on June 16, 2021. Decorating the narrow alleys of Jordan's Baqa'a Palestinian refugee camp, the mural is conspicuous, while for the artist behind it, its meaning is more than decorations. Kahlili Gaith, 55, known as the "painter of refugees" inside the camp, has been contributing all his creativity and passion to the issue of Palestinian refugees for decades. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

AMMAN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Decorating the narrow alleys of Jordan's Baqa'a Palestinian refugee camp, the mural is conspicuous, while for the artist behind it, its meaning is more than decorations.

Kahlili Gaith, 55, known as the "painter of refugees" inside the camp, has been contributing all his creativity and passion to the issue of Palestinian refugees for decades.

"I record the Palestinian refugees' life through art because I consider it as part of the Palestinian struggle and a witness to Palestinian people's suffering," Gaith told Xinhua on the occasion of the World Refugee Day.

Since Gaith was forced to flee to Jordan when he was one year old, he has been living in the Baqa'a refugee camp, which accommodates Palestinian refugees and displaced people after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Noting that he is motivated by the pain and oppression the refugees suffer, he regards his paintbrush as a "rifle" for resistance and extended his canvas to murals in the camp.

"Art must also be showcased to the people in the streets, and you must let people know about your cause," Gaith said.

He explained that murals could deliver his message to the visitors about the site's identity as a refugee camp, where many refugees are struggling to survive.

At the same time, it would remind people inside the refugee camp, especially the children, not to forget their identity and history, and the Palestinian issue has not been resolved yet.

"The United States and other follower countries tried many times to prevent us from thinking about our rights to return home, while they tried to make our identity melt into the hosting communities," said Gaith, who also holds a degree in information technology from the University of Jordan.

He said that this world should not only exhibit the pictures and sounds made by Western powers.

For this reason, when he was painting the mural recently, he posted it on social media and taught the refugee children art and history lessons, asking them not to forget the way back home.

One of his artworks, hanging at his cramped studio, depicts an elderly refugee wearing a traditional Palestinian headscarf and leaning on a cane, struggling but sticking on his way home.

"We kept the keys with us as a symbol of the rights to return. I drew the key in this painting as a heavy item because the price of return is high and needs sacrifices," Gaith said.

"I will stop drawing when we return to our homeland Palestine," Gaith added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 02:21:23|Editor: huaxia

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Ebrahim Raisi speaks after casting his ballot at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential race by securing over 60 percent of votes on Saturday. Analysts say Raisi secured people's vote by drawing on the improvement of economic conditions which have been seriously affected under the U.S. sanctions and COVID-19 pandemic.

TEHRAN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential race by securing over 60 percent of votes, the Iranian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday.

"Ebrahim Raisi won the first place with 17,926,345 votes, and has been elected by our dear people as president, to act as trustee of the executive apparatus," Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said in a press conference in the afternoon.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announces the final result of the presidential election during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, June 19, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

Out of 59,310,307 eligible voters, 28,933,004 votes were issued, amounting to a turnout of 48.8 percent, he noted.

A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

Earlier in the day, Iran's outgoing President Hassan Rouhani visited the president-elect in his office and greeted him on the election.

"Starting on Aug. 4, Raisi will be the president of all of us, and everyone will fully support him and his legitimate government," Rouhani said in a joint press briefing with Raisi.

Rouhani offered his full cooperation and that of his cabinet with his successor, in order to guarantee a successful transfer of powers.

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

Analysts say Raisi secured people's vote by drawing on the improvement of economic conditions which have been seriously affected under the U.S. sanctions and COVID-19 pandemic.

He has introduced himself as the rival to aristocracy, inefficiency and corruption.

During the presidential TV debate on June 18, he said that people wanted to see a palpable improvement in their livelihood, which would be a priority of his administration.

Raisi noted that to reduce the prices of the essential goods in the domestic market, reliance on foreign currency resources is required to be minimized through achieving self-sufficiency in the production of such products.

Meanwhile, he said that housing is also a main concern of people, estimating that his administration would build 4 million housing units in the next four years.

He has urged for participatory policy in implementing his programs, saying that "with everyone's efforts and by creating change in various executive departments, we will have a strong Iran."

As for foreign policy, Raisi has announced his priority for cooperation and interaction with the world.

A voter casts her ballot at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

"Foreign policy is a system of interaction with all countries, especially neighbors," he said.

"We will interact with those who do not intend to be enemies, in a friendly, dignified and authoritative manner," Raisi added. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 09:04:38|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks on Saturday with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush in Cairo on the latest developments of the Libyan roadmap for a political settlement.

"I assert Egypt's support for the interim executive authority represented in Libyan presidential council and the national unity government in performing their tasks during the transitional stage," Shoukry told a joint press conference following the talks. (Egypt-Libya-Peace roadmap)

- - - -

MOSCOW -- The authorities of Russia's Kemerovo region denied information about nine people killed after the emergency landing of a plane in the region on Saturday, saying that four people died as a result.

"Four people were killed, another 15 were injured (four were in serious condition, 11 were of moderate severity)," it said in a statement published on its website. (Russia-Emergency landing)

- - - -

LONDON -- Britain reported more than 10,000 coronavirus cases for a third consecutive day on Saturday as there has been a 79 percent rise in the highly contagious Delta variant in the country in the past week.

Britain has reported another 10,321 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,620,968, according to official figures released Saturday. (UK-Coronavirus)

- - - -

ACCRA -- West Africa has suffered a total of 700 terrorist attacks resulting in 2,000 civilian and military deaths from 2020 to now, said an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) official on Saturday.

Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the president of ECOWAS Commission, said insecurity was still a major concern for the region as violent extremism threatened the stability of the region. (Ecowas-Terrorist-Security) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 12:05:11|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Australia's trade minister has declared that the government is in "no rush" to re-open the international borders.

Dan Tehan on Saturday confirmed that Australia is negotiating a potential travel bubble with Singapore but that a final decision would be made by medical experts based on the spread of COVID-19 variants of concern.

"That will largely depend on how these various variants play out and the monitoring of those circumstances," Tehan said.

"It has been made very clear that we will only create a bubble with Singapore when it is safe for us to do so, and in the meantime we're looking at what would be the processes that would enable that to be as safe as possible."

The travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand opened in April, allowing quarantine-free travel to and from Australia for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the government has refused to say when the country's borders will be opened to travellers from all countries and regions.

Tehan's comments on Saturday came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would spend the next six months monitoring the spread of COVID-19 internationally and efficacy of vaccines before making a decision on the borders.

"The jury is out on that and it will be a while, I think, before the epidemiologists can have greater clarity on that. We have to be patient for the evidence and the science," Morrison told News Corp Australia.

Morrison, who is in quarantine after returning from an overseas trip, said a system that identifies people who are fully vaccinated would be key to further travel bubbles.

"In Europe they have a system which works green light, red light. And the green light is if you've had it, so you have the antibodies, if you've had a PCR test within the relevant period or you're vaccinated. These things feed back into other databases to enable the border clearance," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 15:08:52|Editor: huaxia

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Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF), talks during an interview with Xinhua in Paris, France, June 10, 2021. (Xinhua/Tang Ji)

PARIS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Committed to promoting the well-being of the people, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has enabled China to make remarkable leaps in its development, a senior official of the French Communist Party (PCF) has said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the PCF, congratulated the CPC on the centennial of its founding. In his eyes, the CPC has been dedicated itself to improving the people's well-being, and enjoys strong leadership as well as highly efficient executive ability, which are key to the party's success.

"I find remarkable the incredible economic leap achieved by China in a very short period of time, and the objectives set by the Communist Party of China, in particular the objective of fighting poverty and eradicating poverty," he said.

China was the first country outside Europe Roussel visited after being elected as the PCF national secretary.

Recalling his trip to China's Beijing and Shanghai in 2019, Roussel told Xinhua that he was impressed by the places he visited, and "would have liked to be able to stay there longer."

The PCF leader lauded China's determination to tackle the climate issue and its stunning efforts to reduce air pollution and protect the environment, especially in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai, speaking highly of the strong measures China has taken to promote new energy vehicles and reduce cars' exhaust emissions.

Roussel paid his tribute to the Chinese people's solidarity in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of the CPC, and appreciated China's contribution to the global anti-pandemic fight.

"I salute the approach and the great solidarity that China has demonstrated in this fight against the pandemic," he said. "I would also like to underline the help in many countries of the world, especially in Africa."

According to Roussel, the PCF, which celebrated its 100th birthday last year, and the CPC "share the idea that the United Nations is the only universally legitimate basis for an international order that respects the rule of law and the sovereignty of peoples."

"This is important because this international order, this international law, is regularly flouted, and it is important to be able to give back all its weight to the UN and to enforce the decisions and resolutions taken by the UN," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 16:02:03|Editor: huaxia

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by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Jen Smith, a homeowner in an affluent suburb outside Washington DC, is not happy about U.S. President Joe Biden's plan for neighborhoods like hers.

"There's a low-income development a couple of miles down the road," the manager of a small company, in her late 40s, told Xinhua.

That development, a small-scale bid to bring affordable housing to wide open suburban areas, is the source of unruly teenagers who drive recklessly down the local road, she said.

During summer, she said, many of these low-income teens loiter in front of stores in the local town center, "doing nothing. No summer job, no nothing" - in sharp contrast to the more affluent teens in her development, who spend their time at home studying, she said.

She said the last thing she wants is more low-income housing in her area.

Indeed, having a big house with a yard and a white picket fence is part of the American dream. But Biden's infrastructure bill calling for cities to limit single-family zoning to build affordable housing may change that image.

Biden wants to place more multi-family residences, including apartments and garages converted to living spaces, in suburbs that have always been zoned for single-family units. The president wants to make this part of his 2.3 trillion U.S. dollar infrastructure plan, which would permit smaller lots and multi-family units to be constructed next to a single family house.

Critics of how traditional suburbs are constructed contend that large suburbs and the zoning laws that govern them hog up much-needed space and trap low-income Americans in crowded urban neighborhoods.

Biden's plan, if passed by Congress, would give tax credits and grants to cities that change zoning laws to provide more affordable housing to people who want to escape cities but who cannot afford to move to expensive suburbs.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge told USA TODAY in April that the White House's plan would undo policies she said discriminate against people of color.

"The result of this sort of investment will be critical to increasing housing options for low- and moderate-income families," Fudge said.

Critics, however, said loosening restrictions on housing causes homes to lose value, in a nation where a family's entire life savings are often wrapped up in the value of their home. They contend that remaking suburbs into higher-density areas would harm schools, clog roads and lead to many quality of life problems such as noise from neighbors.

They also worry about problems that have been rampant in cities, including street racing - and the deadly crashes the illegal sport causes - the pungent smell of marijuana that now seems inescapable in the streets of cities like New York.

"A legitimate reason for regulating density is to assure that the density of the residential environment is appropriate for the existing public infrastructure," argued Gerritt Knapp and Nicholas Finio, two urban planners at the University of Maryland, College Park, in the Journal of the American Planning Association.

Many, like Smith, also worry about crime increases, at a time when violence in urban areas is reverting back to the record levels seen in the early 1990s.

Arleen Snider, in her early 50s and in management at a mid-size company, said she does not approve of Biden's plan.

"I feel it will attract danger to a once quiet and safe neighborhood, I know it does sound like stereotyping, but that's reality," said the homeowner in a quiet DC-area suburb.

Biden has pushed the issue since he came to office.

The president in January signed an executive order that required the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to review the former administration's "Preserving Neighborhood and Community Choice." That rule rolled back a previous rule, during former President Barack Obama's time in office, aimed at preventing housing discrimination.

During his last months in office, former President Donald Trump often said that Democratic-led efforts geared toward low-income housing would "destroy" the suburbs.

Ellie Jefferies, a retiree in the U.S. state of New Jersey in her 70s, said that while the government will try to push middle class suburbs to open up to low-income housing, Washington politicians will not force this on their millionaire friends. Rather, they will force it on the nation's middle class, she said.

"I bet there won't be any of these units in the Hamptons or Malibu," she said, referring to two well-known communities of multi-millionaires. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 16:18:32|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported on Sunday 5,803 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,359,015.

The death toll climbed to 23,621 after 84 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

The Philippines, which has more than 110 million population, has tested more than 13 million people since the outbreak in January 2020.

Carlito Galvez, the chief implementer of the government's measures to combat COVID-19, said Sunday that the government has administered over 8 million doses as of Friday.

The Philippines has fully inoculated more than 2 million so far since the rollout began on March 1. It aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people this year.

The government administered vaccines primarily to frontline healthcare workers, the elderly, and those with underlying medical conditions. Last week, the government started inoculating frontline economic workers to bring the economy back on track.

The Philippines kicked off its vaccination drive a day after China delivered the first batch of Sinovac CoronaVac vaccines on Feb. 28.

"We are happy that the public uptake for Sinovac has also increased significantly," Galvez said, adding the steady supply of Sinovac allows the government to fast track the inoculation of essential economic workers.

Galvez said the Philippines "is now seeing an upward trajectory in the vaccination throughput across all priority groups."

"This is a very good indication that vaccine hesitancy is being addressed and more Filipinos, especially our senior citizens, are now willing to get inoculated," Galvez said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 18:49:57|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines landed in the Thai capital of Bangkok Sunday, increasing support to the Southeast Asian country's battle against its worst wave of outbreak so far.

The shipment, imported by the Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA), was transported to the Department of Medical Science for quality check after the arrival, the academy said in a post on its official Facebook account.

The CRA announced on Saturday that 17,070 organizations and companies nationwide had registered to obtain the Sinopharm vaccine to inoculate their employees.

The vaccines were considered as an alternative to the mass inoculation program launched by the government on June 7, which has been proceeded so far mainly with China's Sinovac vaccines and locally-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccines.

The country approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use in May, making it the fifth following the approvals of AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines.

Thailand aims to vaccinate about 70 percent of its nearly 70 million population by the end of the year. As of Saturday, it has administered more than 7.5 million doses of vaccines.

On Sunday, the country reported 3,682 new cases, taking the total case tally to 218,131, with more than 85 percent of the infections confirmed since the third wave of outbreak began in early April.

Death toll from the viral disease increased by 20 to reach 1,629, according to the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 19:09:12|Editor: huaxia

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-- New exhibitions featuring the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and celebrations of the Party's upcoming centenary are heating up atmosphere in Beijing and Shanghai, both of which have been standing witness to the struggle and glory of the CPC over the past 100 years.

-- The two cities had suffered tremendously since the Opium War in 1840, but have been playing vital roles in national development under the CPC leadership since their liberation in 1949.

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Exhibitions and celebrations are well underway in Beijing and Shanghai as the Communist Party of China (CPC) is set to embrace its centenary on July 1.

An exhibition on the history of the CPC opened on Friday in Beijing, showing how the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in blazing great paths and making massive achievements over the past 100 years, as well as the fine spirit and precious experience drawn from within.

A number of early revolutionary CPC sites, including the former residence of Li Dazhao, a pioneer of the CPC, and the first chamber collecting Marxist works, opened to the public in Beijing on June 1.

Photo taken on June 1, 2021 shows the former residence of Li Dazhao in Beijing, Capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

An exhibition on the role of Peking University in the early history of the CPC is also ongoing at Peking University Library.

Prof. Huang Daoxuan of Peking University (PKU) said that universities, limited in number over 100 years ago and mainly located in Beijing, made the city the center of the New Culture Movement and the May Fourth Movement, both of which greatly contributed to the early spread of Marxism in China and the founding of the CPC.

Xiong Yuezhi, a scholar studying Shanghai's history, said that in the 1920s, Shanghai had many favorable conditions such as an expanding working class, a major publishing center, and convenient transportation and communication systems. Through the unremitting efforts of the Chinese Marxists, the CPC came to the stage in Shanghai.

Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2020 shows the view of the skyscrapers of the Central Business District (CBD) in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

A century has passed. A party that began with some 50 members now has over 91 million.

Through concentrated renovations and decoration, the presence of "red marks" is increasing in both Beijing and Shanghai, reminding people of the past sacrifices and glory of a party that is leading the Chinese people on the great path of national revival.

"Only under the CPC's leadership can our country have such great development. We must unswervingly follow the Party," said Zhou Liru, a tourist from east China's Shandong Province, while visiting an exhibition on the 100-year journey of the CPC at the National Museum of China.



CITIES OF THE FUTURE

The development of air routes, high-speed railways and expressways between Beijing and Shanghai has also stood witness to China's fast development. A four-and-a-half-hour journey from Beijing to Shanghai, about 1,300 km apart, by high-speed train was unimaginable a century ago.

A Fuxing bullet train is seen at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

The Shougang (meaning "capital steel") industrial sites park, once a large factory founded in 1919 and producing steel in Beijing, has now become an urban landmark filled with modern elements such as automatic vehicles.

Steel mills have been transformed into the office buildings of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and factory workshops have been converted into science and technology museums.

"Shougang, where we spent a lifetime working, is getting more and more beautiful," said retiree Zhang Yudong.

Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows Shougang ski jumping platform in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

The whole of Shanghai has become a ground for expositions. Liang Qichao, a pioneering reformer, in 1902 dreamed that Shanghai could hold a grand world expo. That dream became a reality. In 2010, Shanghai presented a remarkable expo to the world.

The original site of Jiangnan Shipyard was transformed into the site for the World Expo. The original industrial belt along the city's Huangpu River is now becoming a "leisure belt" for residents.

Looking back, the two cities have suffered tremendously since the Opium War in 1840. Over 100 years ago, Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu, pioneers of the CPC, firmly believed that socialism could strengthen the country and lead the Chinese people to prosperity.

Under the leadership of the CPC, Beijing and Shanghai were liberated in 1949. Through the efforts of generations, China has become the second-largest economy in the world with improved national strength and international competitiveness.

Photo taken on Nov. 11, 2020 shows a view of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone at Pudong New Area in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Beijing and Shanghai's GDPs respectively exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan (about 558 billion U.S. dollars) and 3.8 trillion yuan in 2020, and per capita disposable incomes hit 69,434 yuan and 72,232 yuan.

The two municipalities have been playing vital roles in national development, said Cheng Meidong, executive deputy director of the PKU research institute for the CPC's history.

And the robust development momentum continues. According to government plans, Beijing will take the lead in basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035 and become an inclusive capital with sound governance and a favorable environment for international exchanges.

By 2035, Shanghai will be basically built into a city of innovation, humanity and ecology, a socialist modern international metropolis with global influence, and a people's city with Chinese characteristics.

"One hundred years ago, Li Dazhao and many revolutionaries dedicated their lives to China for a bright future. Today, this strong and prosperous country is just as they wished it to be," said Li Xiaoli, Li's great-granddaughter.

(Video reporter: Pan Xu, Di Chun, Wu Xia, Wang Pu; Video editor: Liu Xiaorui) 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 19:20:17|Editor: huaxia

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Pedestrians walk on the street in Washington, D.C., the United States, June 17, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

Critics, however, said loosening restrictions on housing causes homes to lose value, in a nation where a family's entire life savings are often wrapped up in the value of their home.



by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Jen Smith, a homeowner in an affluent suburb outside Washington, D.C., is not happy about U.S. President Joe Biden's plan for neighborhoods like hers.

"There's a low-income development a couple of miles down the road," the manager of a small company, in her late 40s, told Xinhua.

That development, a small-scale bid to bring affordable housing to wide open suburban areas, is the source of unruly teenagers who drive recklessly down the local road, she said.

During summer, she said, many of these low-income teens loiter in front of stores in the local town center, "doing nothing. No summer job, no nothing" - in sharp contrast to the more affluent teens in her development, who spend their time at home studying, she said.

She said the last thing she wants is more low-income housing in her area.

Indeed, having a big house with a yard and a white picket fence is part of the American dream. But Biden's infrastructure bill calling for cities to limit single-family zoning to build affordable housing may change that image.

Biden wants to place more multi-family residences, including apartments and garages converted to living spaces, in suburbs that have always been zoned for single-family units. The president wants to make this part of his 2.3 trillion U.S. dollar infrastructure plan, which would permit smaller lots and multi-family units to be constructed next to a single family house.

A runner is seen in Lincoln Park in Chicago, the United States, on June 11, 2021. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)

Critics of how traditional suburbs are constructed contend that large suburbs and the zoning laws that govern them hog up much-needed space and trap low-income Americans in crowded urban neighborhoods.

Biden's plan, if passed by Congress, would give tax credits and grants to cities that change zoning laws to provide more affordable housing to people who want to escape cities but who cannot afford to move to expensive suburbs.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge told USA TODAY in April that the White House's plan would undo policies she said discriminate against people of color.

"The result of this sort of investment will be critical to increasing housing options for low- and moderate-income families," Fudge said.

Critics, however, said loosening restrictions on housing causes homes to lose value, in a nation where a family's entire life savings are often wrapped up in the value of their home. They contend that remaking suburbs into higher-density areas would harm schools, clog roads and lead to many quality of life problems such as noise from neighbors.

They also worry about problems that have been rampant in cities, including street racing - and the deadly crashes the illegal sport causes - the pungent smell of marijuana that now seems inescapable in the streets of cities like New York.

"A legitimate reason for regulating density is to assure that the density of the residential environment is appropriate for the existing public infrastructure," argued Gerritt Knapp and Nicholas Finio, two urban planners at the University of Maryland, College Park, in the Journal of the American Planning Association.

People walk in the heat in the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Los Angeles, California, the United States, June 17, 2021. (Xinhua)

Many, like Smith, also worry about crime increases, at a time when violence in urban areas is reverting back to the record levels seen in the early 1990s.

Arleen Snider, in her early 50s and in management at a mid-size company, said she does not approve of Biden's plan.

"I feel it will attract danger to a once quiet and safe neighborhood, I know it does sound like stereotyping, but that's reality," said the homeowner in a quiet DC-area suburb.

Biden has pushed the issue since he came to office.

The president in January signed an executive order that required the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to review the former administration's "Preserving Neighborhood and Community Choice." That rule rolled back a previous rule, during former President Barack Obama's time in office, aimed at preventing housing discrimination.

During his last months in office, former President Donald Trump often said that Democratic-led efforts geared toward low-income housing would "destroy" the suburbs.

Ellie Jefferies, a retiree in the U.S. state of New Jersey in her 70s, said that while the government will try to push middle class suburbs to open up to low-income housing, Washington politicians will not force this on their millionaire friends. Rather, they will force it on the nation's middle class, she said.

"I bet there won't be any of these units in the Hamptons or Malibu," she said, referring to two well-known communities of multi-millionaires. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 20:05:14|Editor: huaxia

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Palestinian man Said al-Err feeds dogs at a shelter for stray animals in Gaza City, June 9, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

by Sanaa Kamal

GAZA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Saeed el-Err, a Palestinian man from the Gaza Strip, spends many hours a day treating dozens of stray dogs and cats wounded by the Israeli airstrikes.

On May 10, Israel launched a military campaign on the Gaza Strip after the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), ruler of the enclave, demanded the Israeli authorities to withdraw their forces from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where hundreds of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police earlier that day.

During the 11 days of fierce fighting, Israeli fighter jets carried out hundreds of airstrikes on the strip, and the militants there fired thousands of rockets into Israel.

"As a result, dozens of stray animals in Gaza were wounded while hundreds of them were psychologically affected," the 50-year-old father of eight told Xinhua while treating a wounded stray dog.

"Those non-speaking creatures cannot express the pain or fear that engulf them. Very often they are left alone without being taken care of," the man said.

This is the reason why he decided to take matters into his own hands, launching a health initiative that aims at treating animals that have been hurt during the hostilities.

The initiative was not the first one proposed by El-Err. In 2006, he started to help stray animals who were often abused by drivers deliberately running over them or by children hitting them with stones.

Also in 2016, he established the first-ever animal shelter in the Gaza Strip which has provided health and living services for dozens of stray animals in the coastal enclave.

As of today, his shelter houses about 200 stray animals, including dogs and cats, mostly disabled.

"Unfortunately, we do not have a social culture that encourages people to adopt animals or care about their rights, and that is why you will find the stray animals living in abnormal conditions," he said.

El-Err tried to change that situation but the military escalation has presented him with more challenges. During the days of fighting neither he nor his son could reach the animal shelter. The bombardment traumatized many animals, and 100 of them escaped the shelter.

"It was a horrible time. My father, brothers and I were thinking a lot about the dogs and cats and how they would face the airstrikes," said al-Err, the older son of Saeed.

"As soon as the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire was declared in Gaza, we hurried to the shelter, only to find several of them had left the place while others were stuck in a tiny place protecting each other from death," the 21-year-old young man said.

With the help of a number of volunteers, the team managed to locate 60 stray animals. Some were heavily wounded, while some suffered drastic changes in behaviors.

El-Err and his sons also collaborate with 10 vets in the coastal enclave.

"We found that some of them suffer from isolation and introversion, some suffer from extreme fear, and some become more fierce and hostile even against their owners," said Ramzy Lubbad, a Gaza-based veterinarian.

Animals in Gaza need to be physically and psychologically treated as they suffer just as humans do, he added.

This puts el-Err under pressure as he seeks to help more animals but his funding resources are limited. "Some people provide us with food for animals, while others provide us with basic medicine," el-Err said.

"Our mission is not easy amid the current challenges. I feel that I am swimming against the current. But I am sure that I will achieve my dream of creating the biggest home for all stray animals," the optimistic man said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 20:07:38|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Committed to promoting the well-being of the people, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has enabled China to make remarkable leaps in its development, a senior official of the French Communist Party (PCF) has said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the PCF, congratulated the CPC on the centennial of its founding. In his eyes, the CPC has been dedicated itself to improving the people's well-being, and enjoys strong leadership as well as highly efficient executive ability, which are key to the party's success.

"I find remarkable the incredible economic leap achieved by China in a very short period of time, and the objectives set by the Communist Party of China, in particular the objective of fighting poverty and eradicating poverty," he said.

China was the first country outside Europe Roussel visited after being elected as the PCF national secretary.

Recalling his trip to China's Beijing and Shanghai in 2019, Roussel told Xinhua that he was impressed by the places he visited, and "would have liked to be able to stay there longer."

The PCF leader lauded China's determination to tackle the climate issue and its stunning efforts to reduce air pollution and protect the environment, especially in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai, speaking highly of the strong measures China has taken to promote new energy vehicles and reduce cars' exhaust emissions.

Roussel paid his tribute to the Chinese people's solidarity in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of the CPC, and appreciated China's contribution to the global anti-pandemic fight.

"I salute the approach and the great solidarity that China has demonstrated in this fight against the pandemic," he said. "I would also like to underline the help in many countries of the world, especially in Africa."

According to Roussel, the PCF, which celebrated its 100th birthday last year, and the CPC "share the idea that the United Nations is the only universally legitimate basis for an international order that respects the rule of law and the sovereignty of peoples."

"This is important because this international order, this international law, is regularly flouted, and it is important to be able to give back all its weight to the UN and to enforce the decisions and resolutions taken by the UN," he said.

(Video reporter: Liu Fang,Tang Ji,Xu Yongchun,Xiao Yazhuo; Video editor: Zhang Yucheng)


Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 21:06:33|Editor: huaxia

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Staff members unload China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 20, 2021. A plane carrying another batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi. A brief handover event was held at the airport, which was attended by Vietnam's Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo. (Xinhua/Jiang Shengxiong)

HANOI, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A plane carrying a batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

A brief handover ceremony was held at the airport, which was attended by Vietnam's Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo.

The Vietnamese government and the people sincerely thank China for the donation of the vaccines, Long said at the event.

Vietnam pledges to quickly and safely administer the vaccines to those in need, including Chinese citizens in Vietnam, Vietnamese citizens looking to go to China for work and living, and residents in the localities near the Vietnam-China border, he said.

In his speech, Xiong said the donation was a concrete action in implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and a vivid image of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Vietnam.

"I believe this batch of vaccines will help both Vietnam's epidemic prevention and control and its socioeconomic development," he said.

The handover of the vaccine came after Vietnam's Ministry of Health announced the approval of the vaccine for emergency use in the country on June 4.

The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine was validated by the World Health Organization in early May for emergency use.

Vietnam is currently fighting its worst wave of COVID-19 infections which began in late April.

As of 6:00 p.m. local time Sunday, the country has registered a total of 11,513 domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases, including 9,943 detected since the start of the latest outbreak, according to the country's Ministry of Health. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 21:32:36|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Sunday condemned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority for its attempts to disrupt Hong Kong and seek "Taiwan independence".

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to the DPP authority's groundless slander against the suspension of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (Taiwan).

The DPP authority has no remorse for meddling in Hong Kong affairs and providing support and shelter for rioters in Hong Kong, but points fingers at the rightful actions by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Ma.

There is no doubt that exchanges between China's HKSAR and China's Taiwan region should be conducted on the political foundation of the one-China principle, he added. "We firmly supports the HKSAR government in dealing with Taiwan-related affairs in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law, and the policies of the Chinese central government."

In the context of the urgent task of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the DPP authority places its own political gains above public health on the island, and continued political manipulation, said Ma.

He warned the DPP authority that its attempts to sabotage the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and interfere in Hong Kong affairs will result in severe punishment. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 21:59:01|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A farmer and his son were killed Sunday in a roadside bomb explosion in southern part of Iraqi capital Baghdad, while a rocket was fired on a base housing U.S. forces in western Iraq but did not explode, the Iraqi military said.

The first attack occurred when an improvised explosive device blasted near the farmer's house in a village, according to a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC).

Meanwhile, the Iraqi forces launched an investigation into a Katyusha rocket that landed inside the Ayn al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province without exploding or causing casualties, JOC said in a separate statement.

It said that the rocket was fired from an area near the town of al-Baghdadi, some 190 km northwest of Baghdad.

Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone have been frequently attacked with mortars and rockets by unidentified militias.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist Islamic State group in the country late in 2017, but deadly incidents still occur sporadically in the war-ravaged country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 22:04:28|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday reported 8,161 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total infections to 3,095,135.

The pandemic has so far claimed 82,965 lives in Iran, up by 111 in the past 24 hours, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education reported.

A total of 2,748,320 people have recovered from the disease or been discharged from hospitals across the country, while 3,279 remain in intensive care units, according to the ministry.

By Sunday, 4,384,451 people have received first doses of coronavirus vaccines in the country, with 919,557 taking two doses.

Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Sunday urged for immediate decision to suspend flights to Moscow and vice versa following the resurgence of a new variant of COVID-19 in Russia, official IRNA news agency reported.

Iran reported first cases of the disease in February 2020. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 22:23:44|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said on Sunday that it has approved 8,273 polling centers across the country as part of its preparations for the parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct. 10.

These centers consist of 55,041 polling stations, and each will receive a maximum of 450 voters, said a statement issued by the electoral commission on its website, stressing that the process of distributing polling stations depends on the voters' place of residence.

Moreover, the electoral commission "continues receiving responses from investigation bodies about the candidates' eligibility to verify that he or she is not employed in the armed forces or security institutions," according to the statement.

Initially, 3,523 candidates registered to participate in the elections, including 963 women, but figures will be updated once all candidate statistics are consolidated and cross-checked.

The electoral commission is keen to ensure the integrity of the elections in accordance with international standards to restore the citizen's confidence in the electoral process, as many Iraqis believe that the 2018 parliamentary elections were marred by fraud and irregularities.

On Jan. 19, 2021, the Iraqi government approved Oct. 10 as the new date for the country's early elections, which came in response to the anti-government protests.

The previous parliamentary elections in Iraq were held on May 12, 2018, and the next elections were originally scheduled to take place in 2022. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 22:45:23|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday urged flood-prevention efforts in the northeast of the country and heavy-rainfall preparedness in the south after continuous rainfall caused some rivers to swell above alert levels.

A total of 21 rivers in areas including Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have seen alert levels breached, according to the ministry.

The main streams of the Heilongjiang and Nenjiang rivers are expected to see obvious floods, it added.

Heavy rainfall will hit parts of China's southern region from Monday to Thursday, bringing above-alert-level floods in some small and medium-sized rivers in areas struck by rainstorms, meteorological data shows.

The ministry urged special flood-prevention efforts in these areas, emphasizing dike inspection and reinforcement, personnel relocation, as well as water regulation at reservoirs. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 00:01:04|Editor: huaxia

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HANOI -- A plane carrying a batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

A brief handover ceremony was held at the airport, which was attended by Vietnam's Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo.

The Vietnamese government and the people sincerely thank China for the donation of the vaccines, Long said at the event. (Sinopharm COVID-19 Vaccines-Vietnam-Arrival)

- - - -

BANGKOK -- Restrictions over COVID-19 will be further eased in the Thai capital of Bangkok beginning next week, local authorities said Sunday.

From Monday, convenience stores in Bangkok, which previously were allowed to open between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., will be able to open around the clock, while swimming pools, science parks, art and cultural exhibition centers as well as libraries and stadiums will be allowed to reopen, according to a statement issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

However, any gatherings of more than 50 people at those venues must apply for permission in advance from the BMA. (Thailand-COVID-19 Restrictions-Ease)

- - - -

HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Sunday that in the country's financial development, Hong Kong will play a key role in promoting renminbi (RMB) internationalization, diversified financing, fund management, risk management and green development.

Lam delivered a video speech at a financial summit, saying that over the past two years, Hong Kong has experienced unprecedented challenges, but with the strong support of the central government, the practice of "one country, two systems" has returned to the right track, which also further opened up new developments for Hong Kong.

(Hong Kong-Country's Financial Development-Role)

- - - -

SEOUL -- South Korea's health ministry said Sunday that it will apply new four-tier social-distancing guidelines next month from the current five-tier scheme in a bid to adopt a more sustainable quarantine campaign.

Under the Level 1 guidelines, applied when the daily number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is below 500 nationwide and below 250 in the Seoul metropolitan area, no ceiling will be levied on the number of private gatherings if they follow quarantine rules, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. (South Korea-New Four Tier Guidelines-July)

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Indonesia on Sunday recorded 13,737 newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily spike since Jan. 30 and bringing the total tally to 1,989,909, the Health Ministry said.

The COVID-19 related death toll added by 371 to 54,662, the ministry reported.

Additional 6,385 recovered patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries from the pandemic in the Southeast Asian country to 1,792,528. (Indonesia-COVID-19-Highest Daily Spike) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 02:05:26|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Gaza's Hamas rulers on Sunday that Israel will not tolerate "any more violence" from the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Speaking at a memorial ceremony to commemorate the fallen soldiers during Israel's 2014 military campaign in Gaza, Bennett said that Israel "has lost its patience."

He said that Hamas will "have to get used to a different Israeli approach, one of initiative, decisiveness, and suspicion."

"Our enemies must understand the rules: we will not tolerate violence, we will not tolerate sporadic fire and we will not tolerate renegades," Bennett said.

The remarks were made about a week after Bennett was sworn in as the country's new prime minister and amid renewed tensions with Gaza.

Last week, Israel carried out two separate series of airstrikes targeting Hamas sites in Gaza after incendiary balloons were sent into southern Israel amid tensions in the annexed East Jerusalem.

On May 21, a shaky ceasefire ended an 11-day war that claimed the lives of 256 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 people in Israel, according to figures by the health ministries in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 04:13:54|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed on Sunday the need to urgently revive the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Shoukry made the remarks during his meeting in Cairo with European Union's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The top Egyptian diplomat called for the restoration of the negotiation on establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He said that Egypt is keen to continue cooperation with the European Union during the coming period to push forward the Middle East peace process.

Shoukry said that Egypt will continue its efforts to stabilize the recent Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire as well as to support the reconstruction and development of the Gaza Strip, which suffered badly from Israeli airstrikes and bombardments during the May 10-21 conflict.

Shoukry also hoped that the European Union will continue to provide the necessary support to the Palestinian cause at all levels.

For his part, Koopmans appreciated Egypt's role in promoting peace in the Middle East as well as its continuous efforts to achieve the national Palestinian reconciliation.

He said the European Union is keen to continue coordination with Egypt to support the current efforts to advance the peace path that will bring security and stability to the region. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 04:18:39|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chile on Sunday reported 5,753 new cases and 121 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,517,018 infections and 31,513 fatalities.

According to the Ministry of Health, 38,630 patients are in the active stage of the virus, while 1,445,703 have recovered from the disease.

Minister of Health Enrique Paris said that infections have fallen by 17 percent in the last seven days, and that cases have decreased in 12 of the country's 16 regions.

Chile has been experiencing a new wave of the virus for the last few weeks, which has led to the Santiago Metropolitan Region and other areas being placed under total lockdown to slow the spread of the disease and ease pressure on hospitals.

A total of 3,230 people are currently hospitalized in intensive care units, of which 2,780 are on ventilators, said the health ministry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 05:00:24|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on June 20, 2021 shows a meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria. (EU Delegation Vienna/Handout via Xinhua)

All participants will travel back to their capitals for consultations. Enrique Mora, deputy secretary-general and political director of the European External Action Service, said he hopes that in the next round, delegations will come back "with clearer instructions, clearer ideas on how to finally close the deal."

VIENNA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are "closer to a deal," said a European Union (EU) official on Sunday after the latest meeting that wrapped up the previous six rounds of negotiations.

"We are closer to a deal, but we are not still there," Enrique Mora, deputy secretary-general and political director of the European External Action Service, told reporters following a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, attended by representatives from China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and Iran.

"We have made progress on a number of technical issues. We have now more clarity on technical documents, all of them quite complex. And that clarity allows us to have also a clear idea of what the political problems are," Mora said, adding that they are "closer (to a deal) than one week ago."

Meanwhile, all participants will travel back to their capitals for consultations. Mora said that he hopes that in the next round, delegations will come back "with clearer instructions, clearer ideas on how to finally close the deal."

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and top nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi (L, Front) and Enrique Mora, deputy secretary-general and political director of the European External Action Service, leave the venue of a meeting of the Joint Commission on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, Austria, on June 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

The EU diplomat also noted that this round of talks has taken place "against important political developments," citing the recent meeting of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the U.S. officials in the EU-U.S. summit and Borrell's meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"Welcomed progress made over last weeks, but difficult decisions remain. It is important to seize the political opportunity, and for all to be flexible. In view of today's Presidential elections, I called for continued commitment by Iran," Borrell tweeted Friday after meeting with Zarif.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator, told reporters before the meeting that documents for an agreement on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal are almost ready, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"We are closer to an agreement ever than before, but bridging the gaps ... requires decisions by the parties," he said, adding that some issues still need to be resolved.

The U.S. administration under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally reimposed sanctions on Iran. In response to the U.S. moves, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019.



The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet in offline format on April 6 in Vienna to continue previous discussions in view of a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and on how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 05:48:27|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States regarded the recent comments made by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as an "interesting signal," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.

The DPRK leader said Thursday that his country should get prepared for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, especially for confrontation, to protect the DPRK's dignity and interests for independent development, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

"His comments this week we regard as an interesting signal. And we will wait to see whether they are followed up with any kind of more direct communication to us about a potential path forward," Sullivan said in an interview with ABC News.

He reaffirmed that the Biden administration is prepared to engage in "principled negotiations" with Pyongyang to deal with its nuclear program, with the ultimate objective of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Sung Kim, the newly appointed U.S. special envoy for the DPRK, arrived in Seoul on Saturday for a three-way meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts over the denuclearization issue.

The Biden administration at the end of April completed its policy review toward the DPRK. The White House said it had reached out to Pyongyang through several channels but had not yet received any response.

Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump held their first summit in Singapore in June 2018, agreeing on a complete denuclearization of and a lasting peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

Denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington have been stalled since the second Kim-Trump summit ended without agreement in February 2019 in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-21 05:56:46|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein discussed on Sunday the ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Sisi stressed Egypt's keenness to intensify Egypt's cooperation with Malaysia in various international forums and strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly at the economic, trade, and investment levels, the Egyptian president's spokesperson Bassam Rady said in a statement.

For his part, the Malaysian foreign minister affirmed Malaysia's keenness to strengthen bilateral relations with Egypt in all fields and various international forums, particularly in light of the recent remarkable development boom and mega-national projects in Egypt.

Earlier in the day, the Malaysian top diplomat also met with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 18:22:30|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Libyan experts have hold a three-day discussion to review a draft law on combating violence against women, said the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

A group of lawyers, judges, activists and human rights defenders met in Tunis from Wednesday to Friday "to review the draft law on Combating Violence Against Women," the UN agency said in a statement.

The draft law aims to criminalize all forms of violence against women, including cyber violence and online hate speech, and to identify protection and prevention mechanisms as well as define institutional responsibilities, said the statement.

The draft further proposes creating a national commission to combat violence against women and a dedicated trust fund to support victims, it said.

The draft represents a milestone in the protection and promotion of the rights of all women and girls in Libya, in line with international standards and regional best practices, said the statement.

"The 2021 draft will serve to transform the culture of violence against women and girls in Libya. It is the first major step in a long process that requires the draft to be enshrined and fully implemented, ultimately paving the way for the advancement of women's rights in Libya," said UNSMIL chief Jan Kubis. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 16:30:46|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Another batch of COVID-19 vaccines produced by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac arrived at the Soekarno Hatta Airport in Indonesia on Sunday, according to the Health Ministry.

In January 2021, Indonesia's Food and Drug Authority issued an emergency use authorization for the Sinovac vaccines amid efforts to fight the pandemic.

Indonesia has signed agreements on the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines through bilateral and multilateral cooperations as well as domestic research explorations.

The country has set up a target of inoculating 181.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to achieve herd immunity.

So far, authorities have administered 40.34 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 12.21 million doses for the second shot. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 16:44:01|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected armed extremists were killed in a clash with Philippine soldiers in the southern Philippines before dawn on Sunday, an army general said.

Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan, the commanding general of the Western Mindanao Command based in Zamboanga City, said the fighting broke out at around 6 a.m. local time between the army forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) gunmen in Maguindanao province.

In a statement, he said the troops were conducting military operations when they encountered 10 BIFF members.

Vinluan said seven among them fled, leaving behind three pistols, two hand grenades and illegal drugs.

The BIFF, composed of around 200 men, is blamed for bombings and other atrocities in the Central Mindanao region. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 20:57:41|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Restrictions over COVID-19 will be further eased in the Thai capital of Bangkok beginning next week, local authorities said Sunday.

From Monday, convenience stores in Bangkok, which previously were allowed to open between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., will be able to open around the clock, while swimming pools, science parks, art and cultural exhibition centers as well as libraries and stadiums will be allowed to reopen, according to a statement issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

However, any gatherings of more than 50 people at those venues must apply for permission in advance from the BMA.

Bangkok recorded 836 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, accounting for more than 25 percent of the 3,682 daily cases reported nationwide.

Following an acceleration of the vaccine rollout, the BMA had previously allowed parks, beauty salons, spa and massage parlors and tattoo parlors to reopen, and allowed restaurants to provide dine-in services for longer time and serve more customers.

As of Saturday, the Southeast Asian country has administered more than 7.5 million doses of vaccines. Thailand aims to vaccinate about 70 percent of its population by the end of the year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 03:27:56|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The authorities of Russia's Kemerovo region denied information about nine people killed after the emergency landing of a plane in the region on Saturday, saying that four people died as a result.

"Four people were killed, another 15 were injured (four were in serious condition, 11 were of moderate severity)," it said in a statement published on its website.

An investigative group is currently working at the scene, it added.

Local media previously reported that nine people died as a result of the emergency, citing the regional branch of the Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Navy (DOSAAF).

The L-410 aircraft, belonging to the Kemerovo branch of the DOSAAF, crash-landed during a training flight near the airfield Tanai. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 05:08:23|Editor: huaxia

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by Maria Spiliopoulou, Valentini Anagnostopoulou

ATHENS, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The open-air cinema in the yard of the Greek capital's Technopolis cultural center was filled to capacity -- with social distancing -- for the screening of Chinese director Wong Kar Wai's movie "In the Mood of Love."

Released 21 years ago, the film enthralled the audience. This came as no surprise to Loukas Katsikas, the artistic director of the 11th Athens Open Air Film Festival, who had already seen the movie during the Cannes Film Festival two decades ago.

Katsikas is still moved by it and he organized this special screening on Tuesday night this week to celebrate the masterpiece, he told Xinhua.

The poster of this year's festival in Athens, which opened on Monday and runs until late August, was inspired by Wong's movie.

The Athens Open Air Film Festival, organized by the Athens International Film Festival in collaboration with the City of Athens' Cultural, Sport and Youth Organization, has again transformed the Greek capital into one big cinema.

Film buffs can enjoy the unique experience of watching dozens of quality movies against the backdrop of emblematic monuments, squares, parks, pedestrian paths and beaches -- all free of charge.

The size of the audience has had to be reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic for safety reasons from 1,000 to an average 250 people at each screening, but the joy of watching a film under the stars with other people is still there, Katsikas said.

"This year's festival program, as in previous years, is for the umpteenth time an effort on our part to promote a kind of cultural tourism," he explained. One goal of the festival is to highlight the Greek capital's popular spots and overlooked corners.

"The other aspect is our love for the movies, the old, classic movies that rarely get screened. So, we do our 'excavations' all year round and find movies we want to see on the big screen again," he said.

Katsikas and his team were planning to host the celebratory event for Wong's film last summer as part of a series of similar events held across the world for the 20th anniversary of its release but failed to do so due to COVID-19.

"We loved this movie very much. I had the pleasure to attend its premiere in Cannes in 2000. I will never forget the huge screen that was illuminated and the opening shot had letters in white against a red background. I think I have never seen a nicer red color," he told Xinhua shortly before Tuesday's screening.

"In my opinion it is Wong Kar Wai's masterpiece. He is one of the most important directors in modern film history. He gives tremendous emphasis to the image, to good taste, to elegance, to aesthetic pleasure. He pursues absolute beauty that we more or less have lost in our lives and in the arts," Katsikas said.

"His film is a love story without necessarily a happy ending, but the kind of love story that leaves indelible marks on its heroes and the viewers alike. So, for many of those who will watch the movie again tonight the memory of that first screening in Cannes in 2000 still resonates.

"This is reason enough to celebrate this film for its 20-year anniversary, but also to screen it every year in cinemas, in homes and wherever else possible," he said.

"I have known the film for a long time," commented Thalia, a member of the audience in Athens. "I went to see it many, many years ago, when it was released. However, I never saw the ending, because it was so moving that I had to compose myself, so now I came here after so many years to make up for this," she told Xinhua.

Urania had read about the film on social media and brought her friend along. "I found it very interesting, and I would like to see it and that's why we came for this screening," she said.

Antonis escorted his girlfriend, Katerina. This was the first film they watched on the big screen after several months in lockdown, stuck at home with cinemas closed. "We have seen many (films) at home, but it is not the same. We are very happy," he told Xinhua. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 19:46:41|Editor: huaxia

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Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan casts his ballot at a polling station in Yerevan, Armenia, June 20, 2021. Armenians are heading to the polls on Sunday to elect the country's lawmakers for the next five years. More than 2.57 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at 2,008 polling stations across the country from 8:00 (0400 GMT) till 20:00 (1600 GMT), according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). (Photo by Gevorg Ghazaryan/Xinhua)

YEREVAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Armenians are heading to the polls on Sunday to elect the country's lawmakers for the next five years.

More than 2.57 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at 2008 polling stations across the country from 8:00 (0400 GMT) till 20:00 (1600 GMT), according to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

A total of 25 political parties and party blocs have registered to run for the parliamentary seats. Any party, which garners more than 5 percent of the ballots, or party blocs securing 7 percent, will be allocated seats in proportion to their shares of votes, according to the CEC.

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian on Saturday called on the people to go to "vote fairly and freely, and reckon with only and nothing but conscience."

The last parliamentary election was held on Dec. 9, 2018, with a service term of five years. The present snap election was scheduled for March this year as tensions emerged between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the country's General Staff Onik Gasparyan.

Earlier this year, Pashinyan submitted several requests to President Sarkissian demanding the dismissal of Gasparyan, while the military leader's deputies and dozens of top military commanders signed a statement in February, demanding Pashinyan and his cabinet resign.

In April, Pashinyan announced his resignation to pave the way for the snap parliamentary elections, saying that his party would took part in the contest with himself as the candidate for prime minister. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 04:57:22|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden will host Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the White House on June 28, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Saturday.

"President Rivlin's visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel and the deep ties between our governments and our people," Psaki said in a statement.

"As President Rivlin approaches the end of his term, this visit will honor the dedication he has shown to strengthening the friendship between the two countries over the course of many years," she added.

Rivlin is due to retire next month after the end of his seven-year term.

Israel's former Labor chairman and opposition leader Isaac Herzog was chosen by the parliament earlier this month to be the next Israeli president. He would be sworn in at an official ceremony in July.

The role of the president in Israel is mainly ceremonial with little executive power. The president of Israel is elected for seven years and cannot serve more than a single term. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 16:20:25|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writers Liu Yanan, Zhang Mocheng

NEW YORK, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Like many other places across the United States, hundreds of jubilant African Americans gathered Saturday on the green ground of Roy Wilkins Park in Queens of New York City to celebrate June Nineteenth (Juneteenth) as a federal holiday in the country for the first time.

Though New York State has recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday in 2020, many people came to this kind of community event for the first time.

On the ground that could easily handle over a thousand people, the scattering crowd and the humid summer day did not hold back the joy and smile on African Americans' faces.

The main stage at one end of the ground accommodated a large group of people with traditional music, dances, rap songs, drama and other live performances.

Participants could also join interactive activities like Yoga, art party, African dance class, bingo game, live painting and taking commemorative photos.

Besides, visitors could find food, children's playground and vendors of beauty supplies, toys, wedding dresses and a few other items.

The in-person celebrations, guarded by a number of policemen, followed a week-long virtual series of celebrating activities, involving history of Juneteenth, mental health, town hall meeting with local politicians, thematic songs and history of the Great Migration in the United States, according to flyers of the event.

A LONG TIME COMING

Collette Phillips, who lives nearby and joined the celebrations with her family members, said Juneteenth is about celebrating African Americans' culture and contribution to the community.

It is "just a way for us to all come together, be together like a family, whether or not we know each other," Collette said.

"It's a good thing giving us an opportunity to celebrate ... It's definitely good in that they're finally recognizing the fact that we, as a people, deserve the right to be free and to encourage the land of the free," she said.

Nicholas Ferguson, another participant, said the event is something nice to do with the family, and "it means a lot."

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the nation.

That is a long time coming for African Americans, especially as slavery has been abolished for such a long time, said Donna Hasfal, a local resident.

"The holiday's about our victory from slavery. As much as slavery is done, I think it's still here. We experience it every day on the job. Everywhere you go, you know people call your kind of name because you're black," said Hasfal.

Hasfal said she hopes Juneteenth could be recognized by a lot more employers, so people could take this day off and celebrate it.

Meanwhile, Hasfal's son Samuel, who is an 8th grade student, said he hopes the holiday "will help fix the issues that we have today and get us closer to where we want to be with racial and inequalities."

"It's a wonderful thing that they decided to make it into a holiday. And this has been awaited for many years," said Samuel.

MORE TO BE DONE

Collette said making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a step in the right direction, and there is still a lot more that needs to be done in terms of institutional racism and everything else.

Though the holiday is nice for people to get together, "there's no real change because we don't have any reform being passed on the federal level," she said.

Collette stressed that the police shall be held accountable for not observing the law, and African Americans shall be treated equally and not to be targeted because of the color of skin.

People need to stop killing each other, she added.

"We're still waiting for a crime bill to be passed on behalf of black people. There are still racial injustices" in daily life, with African Americans being targeted by the police and followed in stores, said Nicolette Phillips, a family member of Collette.

If laws are passed to address systemic issues on the prison system, drugs and others, it will be going in the direction towards fixing the problems, said Nicolette.

The police interrogate and "target us a lot more than anybody else, especially if you live in a black neighborhood," said Hasfal.

"When I grow up, I expect that it's much better than it was. I don't fully expect it to be fixed. That would be great if it does," said Samuel.

There is a long way to go as far as racial injustice, and it is just like the fight against white supremacy, said Ferguson, adding, "I feel like this is a small gesture, but a lot more has to be done than just a paid holiday." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-20 22:10:16|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Touting itself as a "model for human rights," Canada has been making irresponsible remarks on the human rights situation in other countries, with no regard for its own terrible records of human rights violations.

Canada has seriously encroached upon the human rights of the indigenous people. The recent discovery in May of the remains of 215 indigenous children at the site of a former indigenous residential school in southern British Colombia is a clear reminder of Canada's historical atrocities of killing the indigenous people, robbing their land and resources, and eradicating their culture.

An estimated 150,000 indigenous children across Canada were reportedly removed from their homes and forced to attend residential schools between the 1890s and as recently as 1996, during which more than 50,000 died of abuses. Until today, people of Asian and African descent in Canada are still suffering from systemic racial discrimination, and rights of migrants are wantonly offended.

The Canadian government enacted in 1876 the Indian Act, a federal law granting the government exclusive rights to create legislation regarding Indian status, bands and reserves.

In 2007, when the international community adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Canada, along with the United States, Australia and New Zealand voted against it, and did not reverse its position until 2016.

For years, the indigenous people in Canada have long been socially marginalized and poorly educated and paid, with their basic human rights unprotected and their life expectancy cut by nearly 10 years compared with other groups.

In Canadian history, Asians also suffer a lot from racism and hate crimes. The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 placed a head tax of 50 Canadian dollars on all Chinese immigrants entering Canada. If a Chinese immigrant applied for a re-entry into Canada after leaving the country over two years, he needed to pay the head tax for another time.

Such restriction continued as the Canadian government raised the head tax time and time again. In 1900, the head tax was raised to 100 dollars and then to 500 dollars in 1903, which was an equivalent of two year's wages for a Chinese labor.

In 1923, the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, which was also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada, replaced the previous restrictive decrees and entirely banned Chinese immigration.

Other minority groups in Canada are also suffering from systemic racial discrimination.

A study released in May 2020 by government agency Statistics Canada found that 55 percent of visible minorities by Vancouver, 36 percent by Montreal, and 31 percent by Toronto have reported an increase in harassment since COVID-19.

A report published in September 2020 by British Columbia's Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, titled "Disaggregated Demographic Data Collection in British Columbia: The Grandmother Perspective," found that "56 percent of Black Canadians report layoffs or reduced working hours during COVID-19."

"A recent study in Toronto found Black people and People of Colour account for 83 percent of reported COVID-19 cases," it added.

The non-profit organization Canadians for Tax Fairness released a report on Nov. 26, 2020, in which it noted that the wealth of Canada's top 44 billionaires increased by 53 billion Canadian dollars, or by more than 28 percent, from early April to October. Meanwhile, "millions of ordinary Canadians and small businesses have struggled to stay afloat."

Discrimination and hate crimes against Muslims are also rampant in Canada.

Data by Statistics Canada showed that hate crimes across the country targeting Muslims rose by 151 percent in 2017. In January that year, six people were killed and 19 others wounded when gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Canada's Quebec City during evening prayers.

Early this month, four members of a Muslim family in Ontario were killed and a nine-year-old boy was wounded in a hit-and-run attack motivated by religious hatred.

According to media reports, from 2015 to 2019, the National Council of Canadian Muslims tracked more than 300 hateful incidents against Muslims.

Besides, an exclusive poll released in May 2019 by Paris-headquartered multinational market research and consulting firm Ipsos for Canadian television network Global News showed that "more than a quarter of Canadians believe that over the past five years, it's become 'more acceptable' to be prejudiced against Muslims." Enditem
Fashion for pointy shoes unleashed plague of bunions in medieval Britain





The British have suffered for their fashion for centuries according to a new study suggesting that a vogue for shoes with a pointed tip led to a sharp increase in hallux valgus of the big toe - often called bunions - in the late medieval period.





A pair of poulaine shoes from the 15th century, housed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, US

[Credit: Museum of Fine Arts]

Researchers investigating remains in Cambridge, UK, found that those buried in the town centre, particularly in plots for wealthier citizens and clergy, were much more likely to have had bunions - suggesting rich urbanites paid a higher price for their footwear in more ways than one.





A University of Cambridge team also discovered that older medieval people with hallux valgus were significantly more likely to have sustained a broken bone from a probable fall compared to those of a similar age with normal feet.





Hallux valgus is a minor deformity in which the largest toe becomes angled outward and a bony protrusion forms at its base, on the inside of the foot.





While various factors can predispose someone to bunions, from genetics to muscle imbalance, by far the most common contemporary cause is constrictive boots and shoes. The condition is often associated with wearing high heels.





Archaeologists analysed 177 skeletons from cemeteries in and around the city of Cambridge and found that only 6% of individuals buried between 11th and 13th centuries had evidence of the affliction. However, 27% of those dating from the 14th and 15th centuries had been hobbled by longstanding hallux valgus.





Researchers point out that shoe style changed significantly during the 14th century: shifting from a functional rounded toe box to a lengthy and more elegant pointed tip.





Excavated medieval foot bones showing hallux valgus, with lateral deviation

of the great toe [Credit: Jenna Dittmar]





In a paper published today in the International Journal of Paleopathology, the team from Cambridge University's After the Plague project argues that these "poulaine" shoes drove the rise of bunions in medieval Britain.





"The 14th century brought an abundance of new styles of dress and footwear in a wide range of fabrics and colours. Among these fashion trends were pointed long-toed shoes called poulaines," said study co-author Dr Piers Mitchell from Cambridge's Department of Archaeology.





"The remains of shoes excavated in places like London and Cambridge suggest that by the late 14th century almost every type of shoe was at least slightly pointed - a style common among both adults and children alike."





"We investigated the changes that occurred between the high and late medieval periods, and realized that the increase in hallux valgus over time must have been due to the introduction of these new footwear styles," said Mitchell.





First author Dr Jenna Dittmar, who conducted the work while at Cambridge, said: "We think of bunions as being a modern problem but this work shows it was actually one of the more common conditions to have affected medieval adults."





The remains came from four separate sites around Cambridge: a charitable hospital (now part of St John's College); the grounds of a former Augustinian friary, where clergy and wealthy benefactors were buried; a local parish graveyard on what was the edge of town; and a rural burial site by a village 6km south of Cambridge.





An illustration of the sole of an adult shoe from the late 14th century, excavated in Cambridge

[Credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit]

Researchers conducted "paleopathological assessments", including inspecting foot bones for the bump by the big toe that is the hallmark of hallux valgus.





They found a sliding scale of bunion prevalence linked to the wealth of those interred on each site. Only 3% of the rural cemetery showed signs, 10% of the parish graveyard (which mainly held the working poor), creeping up to 23% of those on the hospital site.





Yet almost half those buried in the friary - some 43% - including five of the eleven individuals identified as clergy by their belt buckles, carried the mark of the bunion.





"Rules for the attire of Augustinian friars included footwear that was 'black and fastened by a thong at the ankle', commensurate with a lifestyle of worship and poverty," said Mitchell.





"However, in the 13th and 14th centuries it was increasingly common for those in clerical orders in Britain to wear stylish clothes - a cause for concern among high-ranking church officials."





In 1215, the church forbade clergy from wearing pointed-toed shoes. This may have done little to curb the trend, as numerous further decrees on indiscretions in clerical dress had to be passed, most notably in 1281 and 1342.





The remains of numerous individuals unearthed on the former site of the Hospital

of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, taken during the 2010 excavation

[Credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit]









Across late medieval society the pointiness of shoes became so extreme that in 1463 King Edward IV passed a law limiting toe-point length to less than two inches within London.

The majority of remains with signs of hallux valgus across all sites and eras within the study were men (20 of the 31 total bunion sufferers). The research also suggests that health costs of foot fashion were not limited to bunions.





Dr Jenna Dittmar found that skeletal remains with hallux valgus were also more likely to show signs of fractures that usually result from a fall e.g. those to upper limbs indicating an individual tumbled forward onto outstretched arms.

This association was only found to be significant among those who died over 45 year old, suggesting youthful fashion choices came back to haunt the middle-aged even in medieval times.

"Modern clinical research on patients with hallux valgus has shown that the deformity makes it harder to balance, and increases the risk of falls in older people," said Dittmar. "This would explain the higher number of healed broken bones we found in medieval skeletons with this condition."

Source: University of Cambridge [June 11, 2021]



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"The adoption of fashionable garments by the clergy was so common it spurred criticism in contemporary literature, as seen in Chaucer's depiction of the monk in the Canterbury Tales," said Mitchell.
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 50-60 Armenian citizens have cast their ballot in 9/37 polling station in Yerevan as of 08:45, head of the polling station Vladimir Mkrtchyan told Armenpress.

There is no problem till this moment, everything is normal, he said, adding that there has been an international observer in their polling station who also recorded that everything is calm.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

2008 polling stations across 38 electoral districts throughout the country have opened as of 08:00, June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

According to official data, 2,578,678 people are entitled to vote.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. A working group at the Office of the Ombudsman of Armenia has been formed for the June 20 early parliamentary elections which carries out independent monitoring of the election process both at the central office and the offices in Shirak, Gegharkunik, Syunik and Tavush provinces.

In addition, some representatives of the working group have been sent to Syunik and Vayots Dzor provinces to examine possible complaints relating to electoral rights and giving quick response if necessary.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

2008 polling stations across 38 electoral districts throughout the country have opened as of 08:00, June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

According to official data, 2,578,678 people are entitled to vote.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian cast his ballot early Sunday morning in the snap election of parliament.

Sarkissian voted at a polling station in Yerevan set up at the Writers Union building on Baghramyan Avenue.

21 political parties and 4 blocs are running for parliament.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Lawmaker Arman Babajanyan, a candidate for parliament heading an alliance called Shirinyan-Babajanyan Alliance of Democrats, has said that a shot was fired at his car.

He posted online a photo of his car showing the windshield with a bullet hole.

[they] shot at my car. When a murderer, a thief and a Mafioso is at large and moreover is participating in elections we wont avoid incidents like this, he said.

It appears that the vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the shooting.

Shortly after Babajanyan made the statement, police said they are already investigating the incident.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan cast his ballot in the early parliamentary elections on June 20.

After the voting the Speaker didnt give any comment to journalists.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan cast his vote in the early election of parliament on June 20 at 29/45 polling station in Dzoraghbyur.

He said he has made his choice back 33 years ago, adding that today as well his attitude has not changed.

I voted for secure, sovereign, economically developed Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, for powerful Armenian Army, for the inviolability of our borders and for the reconciliation of our society, Serzh Sargsyan said, highlighting solving the issue of the division among the society. He said in divided society nothing can be achieved, neither security nor economic progress.

He said their alliance I Have the Honor is closely following all the developments and will make an interim statement in the second half of the day.

These elections differ from the previous ones greatly, and now making predictions about the chances is an ungrateful act. We will talk about these issues after the results of the elections, the former President said.

One of the Georgian media outlets, which covers the elections, asked Serzh Sargsyan about his views on the further development of the Armenian-Georgian relations. In response, Mr. Sargsyan said in fact its difficult to find countries in the world which have lived side by side for millennia and have not run serious wars against each other. We need to understand this and develop, he said.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The World Refugee Day is marked with new challenges for Armenia and the Armenian people. The war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September 2020 led to massive forced displacements, Armenias Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the World Refugee Day.

Armenpress presents the statement:

Today, the international community honors the World Refugee Day, while still facing forced deportation.

This year, the World Refugee Day is marked with new challenges for Armenia and the Armenian people.

The war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September 2020 led to massive forced displacements.

About 90,000 people were displaced from their homes and fled to Armenia, 88% of whom were women and children. These people had to leave their homes and property acquired through generations to escape mass atrocities.

Significant part of the displaced people, particularly from Shushi and the Hadrut region, today are unable to return to their homes as those territories are now under the Azerbaijani control.

Many of those people are displaced twice: they were forcibly displaced in the 1990s from the settlements that had fallen under the control of the Azerbaijani forces in the result of the aggression against the people of Artsakh and were subjected to ethnic cleansing. Particularly, it implies to the Armenians displaced from the settlements in the northern part of Shahumyan and Martakert regions, most of whom later settled in the territories under the control of the Republic of Artsakh.

During the recent aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September-November 2020, these people became refugees twice, while still facing the consequences of the humanitarian crisis.

The provision 7 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, which states: internally displaced persons and refugees shall return to Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas under the control of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is not being implemented. The rights of the Armenians of Artsakh have not yet been restored, among which first of all are the insurance of their safe return to the places of their residence and the creation of appropriate conditions, including through the de-occupation of the territories of the Republic of Artsakh currently under the Azerbaijani control.

By politicizing the outreach of humanitarian assistance to the affected population, Azerbaijan has been impeding the access of international organizations, particularly international humanitarian organizations, to Artsakh. As a result, an unprecedented humanitarian situation has unfolded, wherein more than seven months after the end of hostilities, the internally displaced persons in Artsakh are deprived of comprehensive international humanitarian protection.

Armenia has repeatedly called the attention of the international community to the vulnerability of the population living in the conflict areas, urging them to ensure their protection on the basis of international law, first and foremost the principle of universal human rights.

The manipulation of refugee issues, the shameful practice of turning them into an instrument of political pressure, must be condemned.

The implementation of humanitarian projects, the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to the population in crisis situations must be carried out regardless of any circumstances, including the status of the territory.
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The Police conducted search in one of the offices of the Armenia alliance in Syunik province, in apartments and cars of the blocs representatives, the Police told Armenpress.

Official representative of the blocs central headquarters Aram Vardevanyan said on social media that their members in Syunik province are being detained to Yerevan and search is being conducted in the alliances provincial offices.

On the sidelines of the criminal case launched in the general department of criminal police on preparing and selling fake ballots, the Police have conducted searches in one of the offices of the Armenia alliance in Sisian town, in the apartments and cars of the bloc representatives, the Police said, adding that at this moment there are no detained persons.

As for the video on social media showing how policeman detain head of Parakar office of the Armenia alliance, the Police said: He has been detained for making an open voting in the polling station. He has been brought to the Vagharshapat police department.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. 1st President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan cast his vote in the early parliamentary elections on June 20.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan is leading the Armenian National Congress partys electoral list.

After the voting the former President didnt answer to the questions of reporters.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Liberty partys president Hrant Bagratyan cast his vote in the early election of parliament on June 20.

He told reporters that he has voted for change. Bagratyan said he sees Armenias future in the way he wrote in their party program.

We have come to save the homeland. This is a frontline, a battlefield. This is a war which we are going to win, he said.

The voting for early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on June 20.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

25 political forces  21 parties and 4 alliances are running for parliament.

50 foreign and 68 local media outlets have been accredited to cover the elections.

8 international and 19 local organizations will carry out observer mission during the elections.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II sent a congratulatory message to Ebrahim Raisi on the occasion of being elected President of Iran, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

We are greatly happy that the good people of Iran are building a prosperous life in their country, staying committed to their national traditions. Our wish is that friendly Iran under your leadership should record new success and achievements and continue bringing commendable contribution to the regional peace and stability, reads the congratulatory message, adding that the friendship between Armenia and Iran continues to strengthen.

The Catholicos wished the people of Iran secure peace and the constant support of the Lord to the newly elected President.
Innovation in the drinks industry has brought about some strange concoctions, and the beer sector is leading a big charge in that respect. Lot
For Salt of the Earth, a new restaurant in Union Springs, COVID-19 wasn't just salt in the wound. It was the wound.

Partners Mike Boise and Nancy Gable had the misfortune of opening their restaurant on March 11, 2020  mere days before the state restricted them to takeout and delivery services.

But with the support of the village, and strong partnerships with the local food and beverage producers who supply most of the restaurant's menu, Salt of the Earth grinded through the pandemic. Now, with the state's restrictions fully lifted as of this week, Boise and Gable are finally poised to offer their refined and local fare the way they intended when they opened 15 months ago.

"We're pretty much trying to find our identity again," Boise told The Citizen on Thursday. "Which is someplace to go and have a good meal and delicious wine."

Both from the Rochester area, Boise and Gable come from backgrounds in food and wine, respectively. He's worked in food service, including catering and restaurants, for several years. She's a graduate of the viticulture program at Finger Lakes Community College, and is now studying for certification from the Wine Spirit and Education Trust.
"I want to celebrate this magnificent event that took place and I think it should be a day of celebration and a day of remembrance and I wanted to do it for our community, for our employees and for our youth," she said.

The event kicked off with a proclamation from Auburn Mayor Mike Quill. After business owner Brian Muldrow and Auburn City Councilor Jimmy Giannettino spoke, Jacqueline Harris sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is often called the "Black National Anthem." Her voice boomed throughout the area as every single pair of eyes focused squarely on Harris. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause after she finished.

The event was in full swing shortly after, with perform 4 Purpose rocking out to different tunes.

Melody Smith Johnson, who was running a table for her business, Divine Coverings, said she could have celebrated Juneteenth in places throughout upstate New York, such as Syracuse or Rochester, but she chose to be at the community center's event.

"Booker T. has been here so very long, has done such great work, has a reach into generations of Auburnians, reach into the lives and success of people of color in this community," she said. "And why leave home?"
Georgette Quintero has consistently looked for creative solutions. When opportunities aroselike her daughter attending Northern Arizona University, finding space to store supplies for her food truck business or securing a commercial space during the pandemic while other businesses struggledQuintero found a way forward.

I go the extra mile, think outside the box and always ask the question, What is the next step? she said.

As owner of Alejandros Mexican Food, the newest eatery on Heritage Square in Flagstaff, Quintero thrives on change. And as a family, they are in it together. College initiated their move from Phoenix to Flagstaff; everyone came with her daughter, Quintero said simply. Her children, Alejandro and Ariana, are adults now and work in the business, while high-schooler Joey helps out.

Alejandros Mexican Food opened softly in April with much maneuvering behind the scenes. COVID-19 made it complicated, but was not an excuse. Quintero had been searching for retail space for months, hoping to buy, and lease negotiations took time. With situations strained in 2020, landlords gave breaks to current tenants to hang on, but there were no concessions for new ventures coming in behind them.
Neil Betrue, a pastor in Surprise, was alone in his churchs office when he noticed a few police officers and heard a helicopter buzzing overhead. He peered out the door and saw even more officers surrounding the suspects car and started recording the commotion on his cellphone.

I did not know at the time it was a shooting spree happening, Betrue told The Associated Press on Friday. I just thought maybe there must have been a car chase or something.

As officers drew their weapons, the suspect, wearing a black jacket, black pants and white shoes, raised his hands in the air. He then was cuffed without incident, Betrue's video shows.

I'm just thankful that he didn't try to put the officers or any of the business or anyone else in harm's way here, Betrue said.

Police don't believe anyone else was involved in the attacks.

Tricarico also was accused of pointing an assault rifle at a man in the parking lot of a convenience store Wednesday evening as the two were sitting in their vehicles, according to the court documents. Tricarico later followed the man, who ducked when he heard a gunshot but wasn't harmed, police said. Tricarico, however, claimed not to have left his house that day.
Bipartisanship is the broccoli of politics. Everyone knows its good for us, but few of us love it.

When I was elected to Congress in 2010 I became a member of the new House majority, facing a Democratic majority in the Senate and the Obama administration in the executive branch. The only way to pass legislation was through bipartisanship.

In the summer of 2011, Republicans who had been elected in the tea party wave were sorely challenged when it became necessary to raise the ceiling on the national debt. The very idea of countenancing, let alone authorizing, an even more massive burden on American taxpayers, and on successive generations without a vote to weigh in on this depredation against them, was repugnant.

Many of us, including me, had inveighed vehemently in the public record against raising the debt ceiling, and even vowed (ignorance is bliss!) to vote against so doing. But the heady days of campaigning against the leftward juggernaut of the first two Obama years were long over, and, as the grayer (no wonder!) heads advised us, we were now obligated to govern.

The relatively small number of House Republicans who represented swing districts were in the best political position, given the composition of our constituencies, to work across the aisle. Mine was one of those districts.
Ahram Online (Link: Egypt designates new production lines to produce 3 million doses of coronavirus vaccines daily)

The North African country seeks to locally produce Coronavirus vaccines to be exported to other African countries after fulfilling local needs

Health Minister Hala Zated (C) during inspecting Egypt's drugmaker VACSERA on Sunday 20 June 2021 (Photo: the Ministry of Health)

Egypt has designated new production lines in VACSERA, the countrys leading drugmaker, to locally manufacture coronavirus vaccines, with a total production capacity of 3 million doses daily, a new step in the countrys strategy to become a regional hub for COVID-19 vaccines.

The lines, which are located at the state-owned pharmaceuticals firm in 6 October City in Giza governorate, boasts 8 central laboratories for vaccine administration and a complex of medical refrigerators that can store 150 million shots, a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

The ministrys statement comes as Health Minister Hala Zayed inspected earlier today the latest progress in the new lines, which cost $17 million, in addition to EGP 80 million ($5.1 million) for construction, according to the ministry.

VACSERAs firms at 6 October City will be the largest complex for producing vaccines in the Middle East and Africa and will increase the production capacity of COVID-19 vaccines in cooperation with all producing companies the world over, the statement quoted Zayed as saying.

The North African country seeks to locally produce coronavirus vaccines to be exported to other African countries after fulfilling local needs.

Egypt has already started manufacturing the first batch of 2 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine through VACSERAs firm at Al-Agouzah district in Giza governorate, as part of a wider deal with the Chinese company to produce a total of 40 million doses by the end of the current year.

Egypt is also in talks to locally manufacture the British AstraZeneca vaccine.

Egypt has so far received a total of 3.3 million doses of the British-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccine, 2.2 million of which came under the COVAX agreement, a global scheme that aims to ensure that vaccines are provided to all countries.

Cairo has also been supplied with a total of 3 million Chinese Sinopharm jabs over the past six months, along with 500,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine, another China-made vaccine.

Over 2 million citizens of the countrys 100 million-plus population have received the vaccines since the inoculation campaign started earlier this year.

Minister Zayed said the new lines will also produce all kinds of Polio vaccines, and pneumococcal bacteria vaccines in cooperation with European companies, according to the statement.

Egypts total infection tally has reached 276,756 since the pandemic started, including 15,829 deaths and 205,157 recoveries.
A recent US CDC report found #COVID19 antibodies in blood samples as early as Dec 13, 2019. With more & more evidence surfacing about the coronavirus' origins in places outside China before Wuhan detected it, the world is remapping the history of the #COVID19 pandemic. Infographic:GT

More scientific evidence in countries such as the US and France has emerged to suggest that those countries may have had COVID-19 cases way before they officially confirmed.

A US government study suggested that the coronavirus may have already been circulating among people one month earlier than it was officially confirmed, and French scientists also presented scientific evidence that the country's cases were caused by an indigenous virus strain prevailing before 2020.

Chinese scientists urged that such evidence should not go unnoticed, and should serve as evidence that the next-stage virus-tracing investigations should be focused on countries which reported cases earlier than they previously identified, especially the US.

A study of more than 24,000 samples taken for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research program in the US between January 2 and March 18, 2020 suggested that seven people in five states - Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - may have been infected well before the country's first confirmed cases that were reported in January 21, 2020.

The results suggest that the virus may have been circulating in Illinois, for example, as early as in December 24, 2019, one month earlier than the US authorities confirmed.

The data suggests the virus was in the five states far away from the initial hot spots and areas that were considered its points of entry into the country, the study said.

Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told Global Times on Wednesday that the US should be prioritized in the next-stage investigation, as the country was slow to test people at an early stage, and it possesses so many biological laboratories all around the world. "All bio-weapons related subjects that the country has should be subject to scrutiny," Zeng said.

Ju Liya, chief scientist of the European precision medicine platform in France, also told the media last week that after having studied the genetic sequence of the viruses from earlier patients, they found the outbreak in France was caused by an indigenous virus, which was prevailing in the country even before 2020.

She also claimed that the France outbreak had no link with the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the first coronavirus case was reported, as the hereditary feature of the virus strain detected in France is very different from that found in COVID-19 patients in China.

In response to a question about the US study, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a Wednesday briefing that scientific journals and scientists around the world have pointed out similar evidence, including chief Swedish epidemiologists who believe that there were cases of coronavirus in Sweden as far back as November.

"It is obvious that the outbreak had multiple origins," said Zhao.

The spokesperson said under this perspective, next-stage virus-tracing investigations should be focused on various countries and regions, instead of just one. He also urged other countries to cooperate with WHO on virus tracing, like what China did with the organization.

The WHO and some of its scientists confirmed to the Global Times previously that the agency is working with researchers in Italy and a reference laboratory to retest the samples of a study that suggested the coronavirus may have been circulating in Italy since fall 2019.

Only China, which upholds the principles of science and justice, had invited the WHO to investigate the virus origins, Zeng noted. He also urged other countries to trace back samples of their previous pneumonia patients, as early as in 2018, to check if there were earlier cases of COVID-19.

Aside from pointing directions for next-stage virus tracing, scientists also called Western politicians and media to stop politicalizing the issue, as their deeds are stifling genuine scientific research into the virus origins.

US President Joe Biden in late May ordered US intelligence agencies to report to him in the next three months on whether the COVID-19 virus was come from an animal source or from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

Ju said that after she published her paper disproving the connection between France's outbreak and Wuhan, the French government and politicians were angry with her institute. Her institute, which has prominent achievements in virus research and vaccine development, was silenced.

Western politicians' playing with the "lab-leak" theory or jab at China for being responsible are just tricks to get themselves away from their mishandling of the pandemic, a Beijing-based immunologist who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that their politicalizing the issue is standing in the way of scientists to find answers to the pandemic.

(Source: Global Times)


The Gonzaga Law Medal is bestowed annually by the School of Law during Spring Commencement. The award is given to deserving individuals who have distinguished themselves in the service of justice through the practice of law, as a member of the judiciary, in public/private employment, or in legal teaching. The Gonzaga Law Medal was created in 1962 in commemoration of the Golden Anniversary of the founding of the School of Law. The Honorable Archibald Cox, Solicitor General of the United States, was the first recipient of the Gonzaga Law Medal. The Law Medal is the school of Laws highest honor.
Around 20 people met in South Park on Saturday to celebrate the freeing of the last of those enslaved in the United States.

Last year, the event hosted by the Black Heritage Foundation of Yellowstone County followed the eruption of protests and demands for police reform in the wake of the death of George Floyd. For the 155th anniversary of what is known as Juneteenth, the federal government finally joined with the organizers in South Park and Black people nationwide in recognizing the significance of the day.

I was a grown man when I learned about Juneteenth. All we knew growing up was the Emancipation Proclamation. There was nothing about Gen. Granger going into Texas in the history books in schoolAmerica is sheltered, and what I mean by sheltered is that slavery is an eyesore to America. Many people dont want to know the truth about slavery, or about the way that people of color in the United States actually are and were treated, said Robert Brown, who has been a part of the event in South Park for more than 20 years.
But with such an early heat wave this year, "this could be the tip of the iceberg," Williams said.

***

What roles do drought and climate change play?

A two-decade-long dry spell that some scientists refer to as a "megadrought" has sucked the moisture out of the soil through much of the Western United States. Researchers said in a study published last year in the journal Science that man-made climate change tied to the emission of greenhouse gases can be blamed for about half of the historic drought.

Scientists studying the dry period that began in 2000 looked at a nine-state area from Oregon and Wyoming down through California and New Mexico and found only one other that was slightly larger. That drought started in 1575, a decade after St. Augustine, Florida, was founded and before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620.

The hot weather can be tied to the drought drying out the landscape. Normally, some of the sun's heat evaporates moisture in the soil, but scientists say the Western soil is so dry that instead that energy makes the air even warmer.
The Legislature also followed this model with telehealth, voting unanimously to repeal numerous regulations that held back access, such as a law that prevented doctors from using old-fashioned, audio-only telephones to connect with patients. This regulation had been temporarily waived under emergency orders during COVID and as a result thousands of Montanans have since connected with their doctors using their telephones.

Reducing the red tape and burdensome regulations imposed on the health care system has proven an effective and cost-conscious way to expand access in Montana, but more needs to be done.

During COVID, Montana made the the rapid licensure, renewal of licensure, or reactivation of licensure a top priority. Emergency regulatory flexibilities allowed a streamlined process for medical professionals to remotely practice across state lines as long as they had a license in good standing in another state. Other flexibilities allowed doctors who had retired in the last five years to quickly reactivate their licenses. These reforms have helped Montanas health care system overcome our longstanding health care shortages and rapidly add capacity when needed most during COVID.
The original intent of the Second Amendment was not freedom, but slavery; the opposite of what many gun advocates say it is. Many founders, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, owned slaves. James Madison, the man who drafted the Second Amendment, actually, most of the Constitution, was born on a 4,000-acre Virginia plantation with over 100 slaves. When he became president, Madison brought some of his slaves with him to serve in the White House. Although Madison later developed theoretical reservations about slavery, he nevertheless owned slaves all of his life, and he could not escape the political pressure other slave owners put on him.

To get the Constitution ratified, Madison needed the support of southern slave-owning states, particularly his own Virginia, which became a pivotal vote for ratifying the Constitution. Enslaved blacks were the majority in eastern Virginia, and white slave owners lived in constant fear of a slave insurrection. While Madison was drafting the Constitution, the memory of a slave rebellion in Stono, South Carolina, in 1739, was still fresh on everyones minds. The rebellion started when some slaves stormed a store that sold guns, decapitated the shopkeepers, and seized guns and powder. Then, they rushed to the streets, cried, Liberty! calling for others to join them against their masters. The slave rebellion ended only after the local militia was called to arms, killing dozens in the ensuing battle. To get Virginia to ratify the Constitution, Madison had to address the fear of whites in Virginia.
A certain romanticizing of it in a River Runs Through It, I can live with that. But the cult kind of stuff and silliness, and the Im the one who killed Paul, or it was all a great conspiracy by some gambling syndicate, or he was a private investigator for the university and uncovered too much because he was this great investigator and so they caught him and killed him. Crapola.

Norman

After my fathers death, there was no one  not even my wife  I could talk to about my brother and his death. After my retirement from teaching, I felt that it was imperative I come to some kind of terms with his death as part of trying to do the same with my own. This was the major impulse that started me to write stories at 70, and the first one naturally that I wrote was about him. It was both a moral and artistic failure. It was really not about my brother  it was only about how I and my father and our duck dogs felt about his death. So I put it aside. I wrote the other stories to get more confidence in myself as a story-teller and to talk out loud to myself about him. The story, which now stands as the first one in the book, is actually the last one I wrote. I hope it will be the best one (although not the last one) I ever write, and I thank you again for writing beautifully about it.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota has ranked as the nations second-biggest oil producer for nine years, but its on the verge of losing that status because oil production is soaring in New Mexico.

Texas continues to lead the nation in oil production. The Permian Basin spans parts of New Mexico and Texas, and its arguably the biggest competition for North Dakotas Bakken oil patch. The southern oil-producing region is closer to major refineries and export terminals, and it attracts significant drilling and investment within the oil and gas industry.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported Monday that New Mexico produced 1.16 million barrels of oil per day in March, the most recent month for which data is available from all states. North Dakotas daily oil output that month was 1.11 million barrels, according to data from the state Oil and Gas Division.

But the figures reported by the federal government for New Mexico differ from the numbers produced by the states own regulators. A state agency there put New Mexicos output at 1.05 million barrels per day, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
"We do not have the kind of access to technology that we really should have in an urban setting, in the second largest city in the state of New York," said Curry, the citizen activist. "Just walking around in the city, you know, walking around places like Canalside, trying to enjoy what we could do in the midst of Covid, the access just wasn't there."

More importantly, many students had trouble getting the access they needed to attend school online, while others had trouble accessing telehealth, Curry said.

The same issues surfaced in many rural areas.

"Our Cattaraugus Territory is 40 miles from Buffalo, the second-largest city in New York, but we cant get basic services that other areas take for granted," said Matthew B. Pagels, president of the Seneca Nation of Indians. "Right now, we try to get by with slow speed wireless internet and less than adequate satellite service. Neither is sufficient to do anything more than email and both are unreliable for large portions of the year when the leaves are present on the trees."

That being the case, the Seneca Nation plans to use its federal stimulus funds to build its own high-speed network, Pagels said.

Localities eligible for at least $822.7 million in federal aid Buffalo and other municipalities across the eight-county Western New York region will soon be able to start cashing in on at least $822.7 million in federal aid.

Why are parts of Buffalo and rural Western New York left behind by the commercial internet providers?
India Walton always knew she would seek public office.

+3 Byron Brown, seeking a fifth mayoral term in Buffalo, is not taking the campaign bait This is how Brown is conducting his fifth campaign for mayor of New York's second largest city: low key and confidently.

But the defining moment came in June 2020 when 20-year-old Courtland M. Renford threw a burning laundry basket into City Hall during what began as a peaceful protest at Niagara Square over the killing of George Floyd during a violent arrest by police in Minneapolis.

And our mayor got on  television. We have you on camera, you idiot. Thats not leadership. Everything doesnt have to be punitive, Walton said. Im not saying what he did was right, but Im saying for a person that is the top executive of our city to get on ... television and disparage a young person in that way, I thought wheres the love? Wheres the care?

Waltons petite stature belies a Titanic-sized drive to organize people to help themselves. It's rooted in her background in nursing and community activism.

"My experience is rising to the occasion, working with people and building coalitions," Walton said.

City Hall employee LeCandice Durham, the other challenger to Mayor Byron W. Brown in the Democratic primary, cites her connection to the city based on her position as a 311 complaint call taker.

Im more than qualified. I listen to calls for the entire city, Durham said from her Clinton Street campaign headquarters.

But in their first try at public office, both women face daunting odds. Over about three decades in politics, Brown has constructed a powerful organization with experience in the main objective of politics  winning elections. Again this year he commands an army of City Hall-based volunteers with contacts on virtually every block of the city.

Brown also lists dozens of major endorsements from unions, other politicians including Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz, as well as newspapers like the Buffalo Criterion and The Buffalo News.

Still, Walton has also scored significant backing, including the powerful Buffalo Teachers Federation. Donations of about $83,000, while paling in comparison to the mayors, have proved competitive  enough to finance a series of slick mailers and television ads.

Durham has been largely inactive in fundraising.

In contrast, the incumbent has amassed a huge advantage in campaign contributions from a largely supportive political and business establishment  about $400,000 in all.

But Walton, whose left-leaning campaign has emphasized its working-class roots compared to Browns establishment, sees the disparity as an advantage. Campaign spokesman Seamus Gallivan points to an influx over the past few days of high end donations of around $5,000  some from the Jacobs family associated with Delaware North Cos.

Our average donation is $44, and that stark contrast should be drawn, Gallivan said.

'You lift everyone'

Walton, a 39-year-old mother of four, had her first child when she was a freshman at Leonardo da Vinci High School.

As a senior, she was about three credits shy of graduating, but she had a son she had to care for.

I couldnt spend a full day in school so I elected to get my GED instead so that I could work, she said.

Walton worked for a while at low-wage jobs, but better opportunities were on the horizon.

Ive always been a straight-A student, very bright," she said. "I just have not always made the best decisions, but you know when youre a teenager you think that you know everything, and I thought that I knew everything. I did know, though, that it was not acceptable for me to rely on social services or my mother to take care of my child."

She was inspired to become a nurse after her twins were born extremely premature in 2001 and spent six months in Childrens Hospital, where a lot of the patients looked like her, but a lot of the nurses did not, she said.

After Walton got her nursing degree from Erie Community College in 2007, she worked at Childrens Hospital for about 10 years, she said.

Then she took her nursing skills to the Buffalo Public Schools, where she felt she could do more to help children and families overcome inequalities and disparities, she said.

A lot of the kids they werent sick necessarily, but they were sad, she said. They just wanted someone to talk to. They were hungry. We had children who were chronically tardy and absent, and when you dig a little deeper its things like mom works until 8 a.m. She doesnt get home until 8:30, 9 o'clock and some of the older siblings are caring for the younger siblings and are consistently late  just things that come with concentrated poverty and disadvantage.

After two years, Walton wanted to do more to effect policy and do broader scale work. The next step was community organizing with Open Buffalo.

She calls her work with Community First Alliance and the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust her proudest accomplishment.

The alliance, a coalition of 19 organizations both inside and outside the Fruit Belt, achieved a parking permit system in 2016, authorized by the state, that sets aside half of the on-street parking for residents in the neighborhood that borders the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The legislation came after workers at the growing campus began monopolizing the free parking spots.

Walton then became executive director of the land trust that was created in 2017 to ensure residents  not outsiders and elected officials  control the vacant city land near the campus.

It was a vision, a tiny little seed that we planted that grew to success," she said. "I know that when there is a need you can learn the things that you need to make the change. And thats what we did, she said.

The first year of our organization I was able to raise almost $1 million in grants and grassroots funding," she said. "Im a nurse, never been a nonprofit executive. Ive never been an affordable housing developer, but I was able to do that for my community because thats what my community wanted. I don't have all the answers, and that is the great thing about that type of leadership is that it's transformative. You lift everyone up along with you."

Walton lives near the Peace Bridge in the Niagara District.

Her campaign priorities include defusing community violence, expanding opportunities for home ownership, neighborhood community development and planning and getting rid of wasteful spending.

'Full of resources'

Unlike Walton, Durham did not have long-held ambitions to run for public office.

But God called me to run, said Durham, 35, a member of Friendship Baptist Church on Hickory Street.

Her father, Leonard Lane, president of Fathers Armed Together to Help, Educate, Restore and Save (FATHERS), a good friend of Browns, advised her to wait four more years, she said.

But working at 311, the city's complaint line, shes heard it all firsthand, and she knows what needs to be done, she said.

Durham started working for the city in 2016 in central booking at Buffalo Police Headquarters and then as a call taker for the past three years for the city's complaint line.

She graduated from Bennett High School and has an associate degree in criminal justice from Bryant and Stratton.

She does a lot of community outreach, especially in the Riverside neighborhood where she and her husband purchased a house and moved in with their six children in 2018. She has hosted two Night Out events in the community, including one last October during the pandemic as well as a food giveaway, a pop-up shop and a Love Thy Neighbor event with free coffee and donuts, also during the pandemic and socially distanced, she said.

Residents call to complain about everything from overgrown grass in vacant lots to drug traffic on their blocks. Many complain about speed camera enforcement, but some support them. She hears from landlords who are not getting paid by their tenants and fed-up residents who say theyre going to move out of the city, she said.

People also call for referrals for mental health programs even though 311 is not a referral line, and some call asking how to start a business, she said.

Residents call 311 for everything, she said. Im so full of resources. When I speak with residents I give them all the tools they need to be successful.

Her campaign priorities include crime reduction with more community policing and building relationships with police and improving the condition of the citys roads.

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Deidre Williams I am the Buffalo City Hall reporter for The Buffalo News. I've been a staff reporter at The News since in 1999. Follow Deidre 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
Questions and answers about Tuesdays primary elections:

 Why has an election for mayor of Buffalo, featuring Byron Browns unprecedented campaign for a fifth term, proven so low-key?

Probably because any possible big-time opponent dismissed taking on such an entrenched and powerful incumbent.

This matchup has no Tim Kennedy, no Darius Pridgen, no Sean Ryan and no Pat Burke on the primary ballot. Many observers say they remain on deck for a future mayoral effort  just not this one.

 Is the mayoral race really that low-key?

Dont tell that to India Walton, Browns firebrand challenger. She has raised enough money to finance a significant television and direct mail campaign. In those ads, she throws every possible charge and insinuation at Brown.

At the same time, she introduces thoughtful policy proposals that may be left-leaning, but not quite left field. Probably the most liberal mayoral candidate in Buffalo history, her effort comes at a time when the New York Times reports that New York Citys progressive mayoral candidates are encountering difficulties.

Waltons effort should provide a good indication of the power of Buffalos progressive vote.
Some motorists complained of getting tickets in zones where there are no schools, or tickets issued during hours when the cameras were not supposed to operate. Others said their tickets arrived when the date when payment was due had passed, saddling them with late fees. The city worked to resolve the problems, but citizen frustration continued to build.

The mayor either stuck to his guns or dug in his heels, depending on your perspective. We dont question his intentions in responding to the problem of school speeding. City Hall said since the cameras installation, compliance by Buffalo drivers in speed zones is up 82%. Browns determination to keep the program going seemed to prevent him from working with the Council on compromise measures, such as increasing the speed limit in school zones from 15 mph to 20 mph, and adding speed bumps and radar speed signs, which are part of the Councils plan for going forward without the cameras.

Getting pulled over for speeding in a school zone will cost a motorist more than $50. The cameras were an experiment worth trying but, under the circumstances, its best that the mayor decided this was a fight not worth continuing.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
A graveyard for Covid-19 victims at the Senhora cemetery in Manaus (AFP via Getty Images)

Brazils grim death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 500,000 on Saturday.

Experts have warned that the worlds second deadliest outbreak could worsen due to a delayed vaccination rollout.

Only 11 per cent of Brazilians have been fully vaccinated and epidemiologists warn that, with winter arriving in the southern hemisphere and new variants of the coronavirus circulating, deaths will continue to mount even if immunisations gain steam.

Brazil has registered 500,800 deaths from 17,883,750 confirmed Covid-19 cases, according to Health Ministry data on Saturday, the worst official death toll outside the United States.

Over the past week, Brazil has averaged 2,000 deaths per day.

Covid-19 continues to devastate countries around the region with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reporting 1.1 million new cases of COVID-19 and 31,000 deaths in the Americas last week.

A demonstrator takes part in a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in Rio de Janeiro (AFP via Getty Images)

PAHO noted upticks in six Mexican states, Belize, Guatemala, Panama and some places in the Caribbean.

PAHO warned that Colombias Covid-19 situation is at its worst point yet, with intensive care unit beds filled in major cities.

Experts see the toll in Brazil, already the highest in Latin America, climbing far higher.

I think we are going to reach 700,000 or 800,000 deaths before we get to see the effects of vaccination, said Gonzalo Vecina, former head of Brazilian health regulator Anvisa, predicting a near-term acceleration in fatalities.

(REUTERS)

We are experiencing the arrival of these new variants and the Indian variant will send us for a loop.

Vecina criticised far-right President Jair Bolsonaros handling of the pandemic, including the lack of a coordinated national response and his skepticism toward vaccines, lockdowns and mask-wearing requirements, which he has sought to loosen.

Thousands of Brazilians protested against Bolsonaros management of the pandemic in nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, blaming the administration for the high death toll and calling for the presidents ouster.

Story continues

Raphael Guimaraes, a researcher at Brazilian biomedical center Fiocruz, said delays in the vaccination program in Latin Americas most populous nation meant its full effects would not be felt until September or later.

Guimaraes warned that Brazil could revisit scenes from the worst of its March-April peak, when the country averaged 3,000 deaths per day.

We are still in an extremely critical situation, with very high transmission rates and hospital bed occupancy that is still critical in many places, he said.

This week, new confirmed cases in Brazil accelerated to more than 70,000 per day on average, edging past India for the most in the world.

Vaccination will be crucial in beating the virus in Brazil, since the country has failed to reach a consensus on social distancing and masks, said Ester Sabino, an epidemiologist at the University of Sao Paulo.

We really need to increase vaccination very quickly, she said.

(Getty Images)

However, evidence from neighboring Chile, which like Brazil has relied overwhelming on a vaccine developed by Chinas Sinovac Biotech (SVA.O), suggests it may be months before mass immunisation will effectively curb transmission.

Nearly half of Chileans have been vaccinated, but their capital Santiago just went back into lockdown as cases surged again to near peak levels.

Brazil will need to inoculate some 80 million people to reach Chiles current per capita vaccination levels.

That will require a more consistent supply of vaccines and ingredients in Brazil, which have been spotty in recent months, as imports from China were delayed after Bolsonaro antagonized Beijing with comments perceived as anti-Chinese.

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The attorney holds up the infamous black glove in 1995 (AFP/Getty)

F Lee Bailey was the showman-like criminal defence lawyer whose roster of celebrity clients included OJ Simpson and Patty Hearst. Bailey, who has died aged 87, could have continued his successful career and retired in wealth and fame, had it not been for an unwise error that ultimately brought him ignominy.

Francis Lee Bailey Junior was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1933 to Grace, a teacher, and Francis Lee Senior, a salesman. He was educated at Cardigan Mountain School and Kimball Union Academy, graduating in 1950.

Following service with the US navy and the marines, he was admitted to Boston University School of Law in 1957. Bailey was a brilliant student, achieving record high marks and graduating with a First three years later.

His first notable case was that of Sam Sheppard, who in 1954 had been found guilty and jailed for the murder of his wife, Marilyn. During the appeal case at the Supreme Court in 1966, Bailey maintained that Sheppard had not received a fair trial. Following a subsequent retrial, Sheppard was found innocent, winning him his freedom and boosting Baileys reputation.

In 1971, Bailey defended Captain Ernest Medina of the US army, who faced a court-martial trial for allowing his men to kill civilians during the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. Bailey successfully argued that Medina could not be held responsible for the independent actions of the soldiers beneath him, who had carried out the killings of their own volition. He was found not guilty of all charges.

However, not all his cases resulted in success for Bailey and his team. The newspaper heiress, Patty Hearst, was kidnapped in 1974 while a student at Berkeley and had carried out armed bank robberies as a prisoner and member of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), her captors.

Arguing that Hearst was a victim of Stockholm Syndrome  where a hostage shows loyalty to their abductor  Bailey attempted to show that her actions were the result of psychological manipulation by the SLAs leaders.

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But the jury disagreed and Hearst was convicted for bank robbery and the use of a firearm, receiving a seven-year jail term. In sentencing her, Judge William H Orrick Jr said ...rebellious young people who, for whatever reason become revolutionaries, and voluntarily commit criminal acts will be punished. Hearst was released in 1979, when her sentence was commuted by president Jimmy Carter, and she was later pardoned by president Bill Clinton.

Bailey with OJ Simpson at the 1995 trial (AFP/Getty)

In 1994, OJ Simpson was arrested and accused of the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ron Goodman. At the high-profile trial of the century the following year, Simpson invited Bailey to defend him as part of a Dream Team of lawyers led by Johnnie Cochran.

The team alleged that DNA evidence relating to the case was unreliable and focused their attention on a bloody glove discovered at Simpsons home in Rockingham. Bailey suggested that detective Mark Fuhrman had planted the glove to frame Simpson. Throughout the trial, recordings were produced by Simpsons defence team to demonstrate that Fuhrman had used racist language in discussions about African Americans in the past. That was the day Fuhrman dug his own grave, Bailey later recalled.

Following an 11-month-long trial, the jury arrived at their decision on 2 October 1995 and the not guilty verdict was released the following day, watched by an estimated 100 million people worldwide. Simpson was freed after 473 days in custody. Bailey retold the story of his best-known case in the book The Truth about the OJ Simpson Trial: By the Architect of the Defense.

While the Simpson trial was going on in Los Angeles, Baileys fall from grace began on the East Coast, in Florida, with his defence of Claude Duboc, a cannabis dealer. Duboc had transferred $5.3m (3.7m) worth of shares in a Canadian pharmaceutical company to Bailey for safekeeping. However, when the US government sought to seize all of Dubocs assets, Bailey refused to give up the stock. He argued that he should be entitled to keep the difference in value between when he received the shares and when he was asked to surrender them, by then worth $27m.

Bailey was jailed for contempt of court. Although released after just 44 days, he spent the next two decades in dispute with the US Internal Revenue Service over the proceeds of DuBocs stockholding.

The Florida Supreme Court disbarred him, and he tried to reestablish his attorney business in Massachusetts before setting up a legal consulting firm in Maine. The star lawyer was made bankrupt in 2016 over unpaid taxes, and his career ended in ignominy.

He was married four times, having two sons from his first marriage to Florence Gott and another son from his second marriage to Froma Portley.

F Lee Bailey, lawyer, born 10 June 1933, died 3 June 2021

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Visual of empty street in Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram (Photo/ANI)

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 20 (ANI): In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown in Tamil Nadu has been extended by one more week, till June 28, but with further relaxations.

As per the order by the Tamil Nadu government, Chennai Metro Trains can run with 50 per cent occupancy. Cinema and TV serial shooting can commence with a maximum of 100 people. Public transport can operate in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet with 50 per cent capacity.

Moreover, autos and cabs are allowed in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet without e-registration. Footwear and optical shops can function between 9 AM and 5 PM in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet.

Also, vehicle dealers and distributors can open shops between 9 and 7 in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet Districts. Only parcel service is allowed in road-side restaurants between 6 AM and 7PM in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet.

Relaxations for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts are as follows: Inter-district and intra-district public transport in these 4 districts with 50% occupancy will be allowed from June 21. Metrorail operation will be allowed with 50 per cent seat occupancy.

Public will be allowed to travel in call taxis, auto-rickshaws without e-registration in four districts --Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Film shooting and shooting for small screen allowed with 100 persons.

Fancy stores, photo studios/video studios, laundries, xerox shops, printing press, tailoring shops will be allowed to function in four districts--Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu between 9 AM and 7 PM.

All government offices in four districts-- Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu-- will be allowed to function with 100 percent employees. All private organizations can function with 50 per cent employees. Sub-registrar offices can function fully.

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As per the order, all construction works will be allowed in four districts--Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram. Hardware shops and footwear shops can open between 9 AM and 7 PM. Takeaways only allowed in roadside food shops between 6 AM and 7 PM.

Shops selling computer hardware, software, electronic appliances, spare parts and shops selling construction materials can function between 9 AM and 7 PM in four districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, as per the order.

As per the Union Health Ministry, Tamil Nadu reported 10,229 fresh COVID-19 cases, 18,232 discharges and 180 deaths today. (ANI)
A tired nurse leaving Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in New York City on April 23, 2020. B.A. Van Sise/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Anna Kern, a 33-year-old nurse, got long COVID several months after being fully vaccinated.

Doctors are starting to recognize that these cases are possible, even if they're extremely rare.

Kern said she's struggling to return to work while dealing with extreme fatigue.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Anna Kern got her second vaccine dose five months ago, but it wasn't a ticket to normality. Kern, a 33-year-old nurse practitioner, tested positive for COVID-19 in April and has been struggling with long COVID ever since.

The post-viral illness is characterized by symptoms that last a minimum of three weeks but can often drag on for months. Kern said her symptoms had gotten steadily worse. At first, she had chills and felt rundown, so she cut back her work hours - Kern had been doing COVID-19 tests in the Detroit area. Then she started experiencing extreme fatigue after minor activities like a walk or a jog.

Related video: What coronavirus stress is doing to your brain and body

In May, Kern recorded her heart rate while going about her morning routine - eating breakfast, brushing her teeth, washing the dishes. She was at 130 beats a minute, a rate she'd normally hit only through exercise. Symptoms like racing heart and fatigue are commonly reported among people with long COVID, who are also known as long-haulers.

By Memorial Day, Kern could barely move after working a shift.

"I remember waking up and knowing that I needed to drink some water and maybe eat some food, but being so tired that I was trying to figure out if I could actually do that," she said. "I ended up crawling from my bed to my refrigerator."

She considered asking for more time off, even though she was working remotely. But at about the same time, she learned that her nursing position - her main source of income - had been cut.

Anna Kern in her scrubs. Anna Kern

With her life upended, Kern turned to a long-haul support group. She found a few people who'd also gotten breakthrough infections - cases of COVID-19 diagnosed at least two weeks after someone is fully vaccinated - and still hadn't recovered. But not many.

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For now, there's no good data to assess how common long-haul cases are after vaccination, but the chances of getting any breakthrough infection are rare. A May report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that just one in 10,000 vaccinated Americans got sick after their shots. And UK researchers estimated last year that long-haul cases could occur in about 10% of people found to have had COVID-19.

So getting long COVID after being fully vaccinated is "a low probability times a low probability," Bob Wachter, the chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, told Insider.

Still, he said: "I'm at the stage now where I'm quite confident it can happen. I really doubt it's going to turn out to be one in a million."

'You feel lots of guilt - like, what did I do wrong?'

Kern's job put her at high risk of a coronavirus infection before her vaccine, so she donned full protective equipment during her shifts.

Kern at a nursing home in Detroit. Anna Kern

"Before I went into my apartment, I would like take off my clothes and put my scrubs in a bag and take bleach water and rubbing alcohol and wipe down everything that I was bringing inside," Kern said. "I wasn't even taking a coat in April of last year, even though it was kind of chilly, because I didn't want to have to deal with it afterwards."

Then she got her first Pfizer-BioNTech shot in December.

"It felt like relief flooding through my body - like, OK, I've survived," Kern said.

But four months later, an unvaccinated coworker got sick. The woman wasn't diligent about wearing her mask, Kern said.

Less than a week later, Kern started feeling fatigued. She thinks the vaccine helped prevent a more severe outcome, but she still wonders whether she slipped up somehow.

"You feel lots of guilt - like, what did I do wrong? How could I have been more cautious?" she said.

Of course, no coronavirus vaccine is 100% effective - and even the shots from Moderna and Pfizer appear to be slightly less effective in the face of new variants.

"The chances of a breakthrough infection are real," Wachter said.

He added that even people who got relatively mild cases postvaccination could feel crummy for months - "and maybe for years, we just don't know."

Kern said she's having a hard time trusting that it's safe to return to normal activities. She worries she won't be feeling up for work anytime soon.

"I have been pretty much working nonstop since COVID started," she said. "This wouldn't have been the way that I would have elected to take some time for me to breathe, but it is the way that it's happening."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Horizon Health says visitation rules are still in place at all of its facilities. (CBC - image credit)

Under New Brunswick's current travel restrictions, people from anywhere in Canada who have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine can enter the province without having to isolate

But they still can't visit loved ones in hospital.

The Horizon Health Network and Vitalite Health Network updated visitor policies on their websites on June 18. Anyone travelling within the expanded Atlantic bubble, which includes some border towns in Quebec, can visit their facilities.

However, visitors who have travelled outside of the bubble in the last 14 days "will require an exemption prior to being permitted to visit patients within a Horizon facility."

"New Brunswick is on the Path to Green, but Yellow Level safety measures are still in place at Horizon facilities to protect our patients and staff," Horizon Health said on its website.

In addition to the travel restrictions, patients are still only allowed one healthy visitor at a time, between 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. They will be screened prior to entering the facilities.

Limited isolation for health-care workers

The health networks also updated policies for isolation requirements for staff who decide to travel.

Health-care workers and doctors who have been vaccinated with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are not required to self-isolate if they leave the Atlantic bubble and return to New Brunswick.

They must monitor their symptoms and get tested on the first, fifth and 10th day after they've returned.

That does not include travel outside of Canada. Each case of international travel will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Health-care workers who have just one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and who travel outside of the Atlantic bubble are not allowed back at work for 10 days once they have returned to the province.

They must also be tested on the first, fifth and 10th day after they've returned.

Health-care workers who haven't been vaccinated are not allowed to leave the Atlantic bubble.
Academics / Advising

Screaming Eagles Orientation - Virtual

Come learn more about resources at USI as you begin your academic journey with us!

Screaming Eagles Orientation will be provided virtually using the Zoom platform. These virtual orientations will last around 90 minutes and will provide a great opportunity for new students to meet staff, faculty, current and other new students; to ask questions; and to learn about resources available to help them be successful at USI.

We offer a separate Virtual Parent and Family Orientation session at the same time. This session will focus on meeting staff and faculty and answering parent and family members' questions.

Students will need to make a reservation for these session in myUSI. Students just need to look for the Screaming Eagles Orientation app. When students are making their reservation, they will have the opportunity to sign up parents and family members for their own virtual orientation session.

The Zoom links for these programs will be sent in the confirmation.

More information and additional resources are available at USI.edu/orientation.
ATLANTA (AP)  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the van's only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20) - The country logged 5,803 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the Department of Healths latest bulletin showed.

Of the 1,359,015 total cases nationwide, 57,679 or 4.2% are active cases. At least 91.9% are experiencing mild symptoms, 3.7% are asymptomatic, 1.3% are critical, 1.8% have severe symptoms, and 1.29% are experiencing moderate symptoms.

Meanwhile, the death toll jumped to 23,621 after 84 more patients succumbed to COVID-19. This is lower than the daily death toll recorded in the past five days, wherein the country logged more than 100 deaths.

The number of survivors also rose to 1,277,715 with 7,652 new recoveries.

The DOH said that eight duplicates were removed from the nationwide tally. Of these, six are recoveries and one death.

It added that 115 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries have been validated to be active cases. Meanwhile, 59 cases that were previously reported as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.

All laboratories were operational on June 18, while two laboratories were not able to submit their data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System. Based on data in the last 14 days, the two non-reporting laboratories contribute, on average, 0.14% of samples tested and 0.13% of positive cases.

The daily positivity rate or percentage of people that tested positive stood at 13.2% based on 48,073 tests done on June 18. The World Health Organization recommended that positivity rates must be below 5% as higher numbers may mean high transmission.

Meanwhile, the OCTA Research group on Sunday said Davao City had the most number of new COVID-19 cases outside Metro Manila from June 13-19. In its latest report, the group said the city averaged 252 new infections per day, higher than the 177 daily average cases recorded from June 6-12.

OCTA also flagged that the intensive care unit utilization rate in Iloilo City, Iloilo; Koronadal, South Cotabato; and Bacoor, Cavite has reached 100% from June 13-19. This means that hospital ICUs in the said the local government units have already reached full capacity.

Seven other LGUs also found their ICU utilization rate at critical level or at least 85% of ICU beds occupied: Davao City (95%), General Santos (86%), Tagum (85%), San Pablo, Laguna (86%), Tuguegarao (98%), Cotabato City (94%), and Naga City (85%).

Meantime, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported seven new COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad, bringing the total to 20,431.

The DFA added that there were no new recoveries or deaths reported. To date, the death toll among overseas Filipinos is at 1,220 and the recovery count is at 12,096.
(CNN) -- With summer in full swing and excessive heat waves rolling through parts of the country, taking a dip in water can be a refreshing way to cool off.

Whether you're diving into your family's backyard pool or floating in the ocean, staying safe around water is crucial, said Dr. Sarah Denny, lead author for the Prevention of Drowning American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement.

Already this summer, people have died while boating at a lake in Ohio and swimming in the ocean off the Florida shore.

While people of all ages are at risk of drowning, children are especially vulnerable, said Denny, a pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and associate clinical professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 4 in the United States, she added.

Knowing how to stay safe around water and what to do in case of an emergency can prevent people from drowning, said Stephanie Shook, senior aquatics manager for the American Red Cross.

Here are some ways to practice water safety this summer while still having fun in the sun (and water).

Swimming pools

One of the most important safety actions you can take is to prevent unsupervised access to any pools, Shook said.

Adults should surround pools and spas with barriers on all sides to prevent unsupervised access to water.

Most young children who died in home pools were not intended to be in the water during nonswim time, were last seen in the home, and had been out of sight for less than five minutes, Shook said.

There should be equipment stored close to the pool so that if someone begins drowning, it's at the ready for the person to grab on to for safety, she said. Adults should also stock up on life jackets and have a first aid kit available.

Lakes and rivers

A visit to a lake or river can be a great escape during the hot summer months, but it also comes with an advanced set of guidelines for staying safe.

It's important to plan ahead and check for weather and water conditions like currents and rapids before embarking on your trip, Shook said. Also plan on activities in areas designated for swimming that have lifeguards available.

Rivers can have wild and unpredictable currents. If you get caught in a river current, lie on your back with your feet in front of you so you can fend off rocks as you float downstream, Shook said.

Once it's safe, swim to the shore as soon as possible, she added.

Do not stand up while trapped in the current because "one or both of your feet could become entrapped and pinned, even in just a few feet of water," Shook said.

While on a boat, passengers should wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket in the event of an emergency, she added. That includes the most experienced swimmers.

Oceans

The ultimate summer getaway is a beach vacation, but a larger body of water brings additional water challenges.

Just as you would at lakes and rivers, only swim in designated swimming areas with a lifeguard on duty, Shook said. Also be sure to check the water depth and enter the water with your feet for the first time to prevent injuries from diving in shallow water, she noted.

You may find yourself caught in a rip current -- a strong, narrow area of fast-moving water that can be dangerous and even deadly, Shook said. If you find yourself caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then swim back to shore.

Permanent rip currents can exist near piers and jetties, Shook said, so stay at least 100 feet (30.5 meters) away from them when swimming.

Chain of drowning survival guide

It only takes an inch of water to introduce risk for a drowning hazard, so it's important to know what to do if you spot someone in distress in the water, Shook said. If you spot someone in need of help, here is what the American Red Cross recommends, in this order:

- Recognize the signs of someone in trouble and shout for help.

- Rescue and remove the person from water without putting yourself in danger.

- Call emergency medical services.

- Begin rescue breathing and CPR, and use an AED (or automated external defibrillator) if available.

- Transfer care to advanced life support, if needed.

Swimming skills

Children are especially vulnerable to drowning, but both adults and children should take swimming lessons to understand how to swim, Denny said.

"They do not need to have a beautifully, technically correct stroke, but they have to have the basic water skills to keep themselves safe around water," she said.

If your child knows how to swim in a pool, do not assume those skills apply to open waters like lakes and pools, Denny noted.

Swimming skills do not "drownproof" a child, she said, and children should still stay close to adults and be supervised in case of an emergency.

Aquatic facilities around the country have partnered with the American Red Cross to offer swimming and water safety courses for people of all ages. Check out this website for a list of classes or check with your local pool facilities.

It is also a smart idea to have at least one adult present trained in CPR/AED skills so he or she can help a drowning victim until professional help arrives. The American Red Cross has a list of online and in-person training classes.

Families can introduce water safety behaviors to their children at a young age with the American Red Cross' Water Safety for Kids activities and videos.

The organization also offers a free swim app so parents can track their children's swimming skills and teach them water safety. Parents can take a free online training course to learn how to minimize drowning risk.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "What to do to stay safe around water this summer at the pool or beach"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  Three medical experts sent by the Israeli government arrived in Manila on Sunday afternoon to help strengthen the Philippines' approach in combating COVID-19.

The members of the team are Dr. Avraham Ben-Zaken, Dr. Adam Segal, and Dr. Dafna Segol.

"On behalf of the Philippine government, I wish to thank the Israeli government for sending this mission and the members of the medical team for their generosity in taking part in this mission to share their expertise in ensuring the success in combating coronavirus and the vaccination program in the Philippines," Philippine Ambassador to Israel Macairog Alberto said in a statement.

In an earlier statement, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the Philippine government is looking to adopt Israel's ways in boosting its coronavirus vaccine program.

READ: Lessons from Israel's COVID-19 pandemic response

Philippine officials, led by Galvez, welcomed the Israeli medical team at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

During his short speech, Galvez said the assistance of Israel in improving the country's COVID-19 response will help the Philippines achieve herd immunity within 2021.

"We are very eager to learn from you, especially the techniques you have successfully employed in your country on your vaccine program," Galvez said.

Israel is considered a world leader in COVID-19 vaccination as more than half of its population has already been vaccinated.

RELATED: Over 30,000 Filipinos given free COVID-19 shots in Israel
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  San Miguel Corporation has called on local tailors and dressmakers to help create more personal protective equipment to be used in the government's fight against COVID-19.

SMC president Ramon S. Ang said the worldwide shortage of PPE last year as the pandemic was announced was still fresh in the minds of Filipinos.

"We want to help ensure our medical workers and hospitals can source protective wear locally. At the same time, we're providing much-needed livelihood for our local artisans whose small sewing businesses have also been affected by the pandemic," he said in a statement Sunday.

SMC's packaging unit San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation has begun local production and distribution of PPEs for the medical sector, tapping community-based tailors and dressmakers to assemble the protective suits, using medical fabric produced in its woven products facility in Malaysia.

According to SMC, the protective wear will be put together by local tailors based in Pasay City, Quezon City and Imus, Cavite.

Earlier, makers of medical-grade PPEs are asking the government to prioritize locally-produced protective equipment over imported brands.

In a Senate hearing in April, the Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE, or CPMP, said its five member companies invested $35 million in 2020 to heed the government's call for locally made PPEs, but continued to incur losses up to this year.

They said the local market was "flooded with very low-cost PPEs from China; some of them are even substandard."

Meanwhile, a doctor's group said it has received reports the PPE supply for hospital staff treating COVID-19 patients is dwindling amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

National Task Force Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon, however, has assured the national government will provide public hospitals with necessary supplies, including PPEs.

The Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, whose allocations remain valid until June this year, earmarked 3 billion for the purchase of PPEs, face masks, and other protective equipment for medical frontliners.
But Carlisle residents who have long celebrated the holiday said they have noticed a change over the past year or so  more and more people know and understand the holiday, and are actively seeking out a way to celebrate.

This is the first time Ive received messages saying happy Juneteenth, said Samuel Waring, who has been involved in the celebration for years, serving as a DJ at past Carlisle events.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The spotlight is there, Waring said. Now, what are you going to do with it?

That spotlight comes after a year of heightened activity regarding racial justice. The nationwide protests that were set in motion by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis  one in a string of police brutality incidents involving Black citizens  reverberated locally, where vigils and rallies were held in Carlisle throughout the summer of 2020.

The borough is also beginning to deal with its local legacy, including the re-dedication earlier this year of Lincoln Cemetery in Memorial Park  the location where the Juneteenth celebration has been held for many years, including Saturday.
If I understand the policy correctly, this puts a tape across my mouth, Wilbur told board members Thursday. The revision would prohibit her from engaging in conversations with students who otherwise lack opportunities to ask a Black educator questions about what is going on in todays society, she said.

Taytum Robinson-Covert, who graduated from Carlisle High School in 2020, said that as a student, she was active in an effort on campus to promote diversity and a more inclusive climate.

Why the interest to shut down these important discussions? she asked board members Thursday. I understand the reason for not having staff promote their political views but there is a difference between trying to influence students one way or another and facilitating meaningful conversations when a polarizing event occurs.

This policy will not resolve or even alleviate the political divide that is present, Robinson-Covert said. It will only heighten it. If a politicized event occurs and no one is allowed to talk about it that would only leave students to their own echo chamber environment, which only further draws the divide. If teachers are not allowed to deconstruct and analyze current politicized events, then how will students learn to formulate their own beliefs?
Out of that process comes a nutrient-rich fertilizer that is incorporated into the soil  not sprayed on top  to help reduce emissions, Brubaker said.

A system of hoses and underground pipelines even helps to move that fertilizer and waste throughout the Brubaker Farms footprint, helping him scale back vehicle use, he said.

Thats not to mention that the digester converts manure-related emissions of the greenhouse gas methane to electricity  enough to power 300 homes.

Brubaker conceded that implementation was sometimes costly, but he did not shy away from the fact that he and his sons, who now own and manage the farm, have been able to lean on public grant funding.

According to Brubaker, he knows many local farmers are willing to do the same, implementing conservation measures where they make sense.

Driving around, you can see some bad, Brubaker said, but if you think thats how everything is, its not.

In his mind, the only way to increase farmers adoption of conservation is through education.

Meanwhile, Hill and his fellow researchers hope their study could lead to heightened scrutiny, possibly attracting the attention of regulators and decision-makers.
Tax is a price

A tax increase of a few percentage points can be absorbed by most profitable companies.

If they know what the tax rate is, over a period of months they will adjust to it, said Robert Fragasso, chairman and CEO of Fragasso Financial Advisors, Downtown. They will adjust just like we do in our homes and our personal finances. We adjust to changes in pricing. Tax is a price. Its part of what corporations pay to do business.

You could argue that corporations spend too much money on this or that or pay people too much at the top, he said. Thats just financial management. But taxes in and of themselves is neither good nor bad. Its how they are applied to the business. Im not advocating for higher taxes. But we do have to pay for what were spending.

Mr. Fragasso, whose company manages nearly $2 billion for clients, said lawmakers could get a false impression of how much corporations are making without taking into consideration that profitability varies from year to year, and responsible company managers put money aside for unforeseen events that will impact their future.
Barbara and Christine Colucci long to remove their masks and kiss their 102-year-old mother, who has dementia and is in a nursing home in Rochester, New York. They would love to have more than two people in her room at a time so that relatives can be there too.

We dont know how much longer shes going to be alive, Christine Colucci said, so its like, please, give us this last chance with her in her final months on this earth to have that interaction.

Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere  except inside many of Americas nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nations most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.

Frustration has set in as families around the country visit their moms and, this Fathers Day weekend, their dads. Hugs and kisses are still discouraged or banned in some nursing homes. Residents are dining in relative isolation and playing bingo and doing crafts at a distance. Visits are limited and must be kept short, and are cut off entirely if someone tests positive for the coronavirus.
(Unlike Biden, Putin knows that in 2021 whoever has the oil and gas still calls the shotsand no one is going to take away that geopolitical weapon with windmills and Parisian climate treaties.)

For good measure, Bidentrying to get tough?gave Putin a list of 16 places in America that are off limits to cyberattacks by Russians in or out of the government.

Hello? Does that mean everything else is OK to attack, Putin might ask? To his credit, Biden didnt send Putin the 16 URLs.

After the so-called summit, Biden made things worse by letting Putin hold a press conference by himself where he trashed Americaand no one could challenge him.

Then, as Biden was leaving his own solo press conference, he got mad at a CNN reporter who had the nerve to ask him why he was so confident that killer Putin would change his behavior and turn into the Russian equivalent of Old Joe Biden.

Will someone please tell me what good came out of Bidens un-summit for America?

Apparently, our president doesnt know that when you go into a negotiation with a foreign adversary you dont give them everything they want beforehand.
We do a lot of stuff, but do not measure what we do, one respondent said in the report. District has a slogan, but not a vision.

Regarding English language learners, Monday said they heard from advocates who felt this group needs more attention.

You need more translators and you need more languages, but just translating things is not enough, because you have to have some outreach, she said.  But what weve heard several times was that this is a population whose needs were not yet meeting. And also, in terms of academics, sometimes some of these students are put in classes with teachers who are not well-trained to actually teach second-language students.

Another common theme was that expertise at the school level was not being utilized as much as possible.

And that sometimes, it felt very top down in this district, Monday said. You had many qualified and talented teachers who felt that their voices were not heard and sometimes ignored.

Draeger added that principals and teachers want to be more involved in the decision-making process and would like to see transparency from the superintendent and central office administrators.
That knowledge makes Horace wonder about his own love of the outdoors, especially the waterways.

I think about my own attraction to being on the water, and I think about why you do what you do, he said. Is it a part of you? Is there a connection to someone in your bloodline who did those things, as well?

Thats one of the reasons for the documentary, he said  to look into the past and pique others interest in doing the same.

There is a trend now to tell the whole story of Americas past. I liken it to when they said that Thomas Jefferson built Monticello. Its like, no, he didnt build it. He hasnt even paid for it yet. It was all free labor, slave labor that built it, Horace said.

I want people to ask what part of the American story is true. What part is false? What part of the story has been left out? Whos taking credit for things they shouldnt be taking credit for? The way we speak of our past is misleading. I hope people get an idea of what the whole story is, he said.
Resident input

Some neighborhood associations have been working to engage residents in discussions about the Future Land Use Map.

Ned Michie, president of the Greenbrier Neighborhood Association, said the groups board decided not to sign the letter as there was no way to take a stance that would represent the opinions of all residents.

We had a robust discussion about the Future Land Use Map and what, if anything, our response as a neighborhood association should be. Ultimately, and decisively, the committee concluded that we would stick with our traditional stance for issues that divide us  the Association, as such, would take no stand either way regarding the divisive issue but would instead send out information about it and encourage our residents to speak their own minds to the decision-makers, Michie wrote in a recent email sent to all residents of the neighborhood.

We know that some of you will be disappointed that we are not at this time taking a position (i.e. your position), but keep in mind that you would be even more disappointed if we took a position that was not yours and acted as if we were speaking for the neighborhood, Michie wrote.
NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP)  A city in Mississippi is now part of a trail commemorating what was then a nationwide tour by a French general who had participated in both the American and French revolutions.

The Marquis de Lafayette visited Natchez on April 18, 1825, during the second and final year of a tour made at the invitation of President James Monroe and the U.S. Congress.

During those two years, Lafayette stopped at 320 cities and towns in the 24 states then in the union, Lafayette Trail founder James Icher said.

The Virginia itinerary included cities in what is now West Virginia, he said..

He said he hopes eventually to have 175 markers, including one at Le Havre, the port where Lafayette left from and returned to France. About 40 markers have been approved since the project started in 2017, with about 25 installed in 13 states so far, he said in a phone interview Wednesday with The Associated Press.

A marker describing Lafayette's stay in Natchez was unveiled Wednesday at a lot overlooking the Mississippi River, The Natchez Democrat reported.
Increased federal focus on early education has helped the transition. Historically, VDOE has struggled to oversee and improve K-12 school divisions, largely due to a lack of adequate funding from the Virginia General Assembly. But the states efforts to improve its child care system have been assisted by an $8 million federal grant and multiple rounds of COVID-19 relief funds.

That federal funding also allowed the department to offer $1,500 bonuses to some teachers, helping to reduce turnover rates in an industry that typically pays less than $12 an hour. It was especially effective among teachers who received the payment in multiple installments, according to research from UVa.

Since the start of the pandemic, that bonus has been boosted to $2,000 through a mix of state and federal money, Conway said. And for the next year, it will be offered to every teacher who participates in the new assessment program  part of an effort to incentivize the coming changes.

Were working hard right now to make sure we can sustain that, she added. You can train an educator on how to provide a warm and caring classroom, you can train her on an incredible curriculum, but if she leaves, all of that investment walks out the door.
The Biden administration called China's retaliatory move "economic coercion."

The practice of governments making major investments in their own companies is called "economic nationalism." This kind of state intervention does not sit well with some ideologies. Conservatives traditionally believe that the governments should not mess with market mechanisms. Let the private sector make such decisions.

Only one Democrat voted against the Senate bill. That was Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who complained that it amounted to "corporate welfare" to big, rich companies. Suffice it to say, if the companies could have become richer doing this on their own, they would have done it.

The bottom line should be American jobs, not Sanders' highly dated idea of how the world economy works. This spending not only creates jobs at the corporations, rich or otherwise, but also helps retain jobs at other companies slowed down by the shortage of semiconductors.

In a similar vein, the administration is now working on a plan to beef up the American manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. Used in electric cars and for storing renewable energy, these batteries are essential to a green economy. China has 93 "gigafactories" that make them. The U.S. has four.
The Marquis de Lafayette, whose contributions to American independence endeared him to this new nation, fell so much in love with it that he named a daughter Virginie and his son George Washington Lafayette.

He was as beloved across America as the nations Founding Fathers, with whom he fought the British.

At age 19, Lafayette joined Washingtons Continental army, and was wounded. Four years later in 1781, the young Frenchmans command of siege forces at Yorktown won him fame and gratitude.

In the successful Virginia campaign, Lafayette used his own private wealth to help feed and equip the combined Continental and French forces.

Americans knew that a powerful French fleet and 9,000 seasoned French troops, out of a combined force of 17,000, turned the tide to victory for American independence at Yorktown. In fact, more French troops died than Americans at the battle, which secured the surrender of British General Lord Cornwallis.

While he was a major figure of both the American and the French revolutions, Lafayette was more celebrated in his adopted country.
At least seven of those deaths apparently were COVID-related.

Twenty-five deaths  40% of the entire states total  traced to just one facility, Piedmont Geriatric Hospital. Certainly, retirement homes and geriatric facilities across the country saw a noticeable increase in deaths during the pandemic.

But Piedmont reported that only seven of its 25 death were due to or concurrent with COVID.

Still, if COVID was the proven or suspected cause of seven deaths, and those seven are removed from the total of 62, the states numbers begin to look less alarming. The total would drop to 55, more in line with 2019s decline.

But while 2020s results may look better under this scenario, the DLCV sees a longer-term trend.

[W]e think  inappropriate medical admissions have been going on for years, executive director Colleen Miller told The Mercury.

Inappropriate in this case doesnt mean that the patients should not have been admitted. It means they should have been admitted to a facility better equipped to care for them.
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Denton

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Flag or fodder: Raising flags at City Hall remains contentious as activists, officials fundamentally disagree

Jeff Woo Denton honors Pride Month on a digital sign outside the Denton Civic Center, shown Friday. After Denton City Council members failed in an effort to raise a gay pride flag at City Hall, next to the Civic Center on McKinney Street, staff members have lit the digital sign with rainbow-colored words and banners to show support. Adam Medrano Gerard Hudspeth Shelly Skeen Enedelia Sauceda Deb Armintor Sarah Kuechler Jeff Woo/DRC file photo A rainbow-striped LGBTQ pride flag is waved during a demonstration at Denton City Hall on Tuesday. Nati Harnik/AP file photo The Juneteenth flag, commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., flies in Omaha, Neb., in June 2020. Jeff Woo/DRC Denton honors Pride Month on a digital sign outside the Denton Civic Center, shown Friday. After Denton City Council members failed in an effort to raise a gay pride flag at City Hall, next to the Civic Center on McKinney Street, staff members have lit the digital sign with rainbow-colored words and banners to show support.

Jesse Davis

Brett Davis

Whether to fly flags commemorating Pride Month or Juneteenth has been an issue of debate in Denton, but it doesnt have to be that way, some activists say. In fact, its part of a bigger problem here, they say  that council members cannot get out of their own way on issues that impact large populations every day, including the LGBTQ community.

But Denton City Council member Jesse Davis says this issue is a new one for the city.

I think the thing people need to remember is that flying a flag associated with any cause is a new thing with the city of Denton, he said. We dont have a history of that, and I dont think its appropriate to have any flag on the same pole as the American flag and the Texas flag. I dont think that  taking up the torch of a social movement is appropriate.

Its another polarizing discussion among council members who have rarely agreed on cultural and social issues, ranging from nondiscrimination ordinances to razing camps set up by homeless people. And with city staff saying a presentation on options toward creating a flag policy is just preliminary, its unclear how the issue will be resolved.

Pursue a policy

Its staffs job to do due diligence, said Ryan Adams, the citys director of customer service and public affairs. We feel that we have done that, and were going to continue to do that. I would say council has asked staff to pursue a policy on flags and bring back something for them to review.

Calling himself an openly gay Denton resident, Taylor Brown, of Young Democrats of Denton County, said he is super-involved in the community and wanted the LGBTQ pride flag to be raised at City Hall.

Its never easy in Denton for some reason or another, Brown said. It does always boil down to a couple of members on council, especially Mayor [Gerard] Hudspeth and Jesse Davis. Its definitely disappointing that Denton says its an inclusive city and a place for all lifestyles, yet we cant do something as simple as fly the pride flag.

But the mayor sees it differently.

I represent all citizens of Denton, Hudspeth said. I want to treat every citizen of Denton the same, regardless of their private decisions. It is my opinion based on conversations that the majority of citizens  71,000  want the council to focus on policy and core functions of government. [Those are] streets, sidewalks, lower taxes and police and fire for everyone.

Brown, like others, watched the Denton City Council meeting on Tuesday in which members chose what they said is the best of three options provided by staff  to create a policy to accept requests from a person or group to be considered, providing parameters and a process to review and approval.

I cant speak for why these roadblocks keep presenting themselves, Brown said. Im disappointed.

That decision from council members came a week after at-large Place 5 council member Deb Armintor requested raising the flags following an inquiry by constituents, including Brown.

The one-minute pitch

The two-week argument centered primarily on procedural and legal concerns. After Armintor made a one-minute pitch to the council following a reversal by interim City Manager Sara Hensley to raise the gay pride and Juneteenth flags at the staff level, Davis and Hudspeth argued that the one-minute pitch was not the appropriate method to seek what they considered policy direction. However, a consensus of the council agreed that Armintors request should advance to a work session a week later. And it did.

That is when Davis and Hudspeth made legal arguments  some disputed and dismissed  after receiving a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal informing the city of Denton that it is well within its authority to raise the flags on municipal property  just as Dallas did a year ago in a perpetual move.

The letter was challenged by Hudspeth, but the senior attorney for Lambda Legal who drafted it said on Thursday she stands by the document.

Case law suggests that it is within the city discretion to fly a flag or not, to celebrate a holiday event or not, as long as the decision to do so complies with state and federal law and the citys local rules, ordinances and procedures, attorney Shelly Skeen said in an email. With respect to the contention that flying a Juneteenth or [pride] flag could subject Denton to lawsuits, the answer is, Yes. Any city action could arguably subject it to a lawsuit. That is the nature of city governance and the services and work the city provides.

Considering Dallas

In Dallas, a former City Council member there and ex-chair of the LGBTQ Task Force for that city, Adam Medrano, spearheaded an effort to display the pride flag at Dallas City Hall and other government properties before the Dallas City Council approved a resolution allowing it.

When I got here, the first thing we did was bring it into our flag room, he said. And then I asked, Why dont we hang it in the lobby of City Hall? That was next. Then another idea came to mind.

The idea? Hang the flag outside Dallas City Hall.

I said, Why not let a local LGBTQ artist create one and put the city of Dallas seal on it?

Thats what happened, and the Dallas Pride Flag was raised after City Council members there voted 15-0 to approve a resolution.

Before I termed out, others wanted to fly the flag at the library and other places, Medrano said. We also have it at the airport and police department.

Those actions also required a resolution. It, too, was approved unanimously.

Medrano was a Dallas City Council member for eight years.

Legal wranglings

An argument for city policy is one issue. The consideration of legal ramifications is another, and Hudspeth said he focused on that in the lead-up to and during the June 15 council meeting, sharing an email with staff and council members asking Lambda Legal to reimburse the city for any legal costs sustained from the advice it provided to Denton about raising pride and Juneteenth flags.

Please confirm in writing you will cover any legal cost [attorney fees and judgments] to fight any lawsuits that may arise [as] a direct result to the city acting on your legal advice/findings, he wrote to Skeen in an email. Ive copied the city manager and city attorney so that they are in the loop and can paper the agreement. Thank you in advance for your willingness to step up and protect the city of Denton taxpayers financial interests.

Skeen balked at the mayors email.

The city of Denton is represented by its own legal counsel, she said in her response. We have not entered into and do not have an attorney-client relationship or agreement of any kind with you, the members of the council, the council or the city. Our letter to the Denton City Council  is not legal advice/findings.

Extremely common

Still, to back her assertion that the city of Denton does not face increased liability in raising pride and Juneteenth flags, Skeen cited several cases in an email to the Denton Record-Chronicle.

Just this January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit held that an LGBTQ Pride flag could be displayed in front of Bostons city hall without the city being required to display any other flag, Skeen wrote. The court found that the city could choose to celebrate the diversity and varied communities within Boston and that it is the electorate and the political process that constrains the citys speech over which flags to display, not the First Amendment.

Skeen also said the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that it is extremely common for local governments to honor and commemorate certain holidays and events, citing Lynch v. Donnelly, from 1984, which explained that governments may recognize Christmas and Thanksgiving, even where those holidays have both secular and religious significance.

Many who are part of and not part of the LGBTQ community say Skeens arguments and the fact that Dallas and other cities have displayed flags other than the American and Texas ones are enough for them.

Ultimately, the flag discussion brought to light the larger issues of discrimination and inequality, said Enedelia Sauceda of OUTreach Denton and PRIDENTON, in an email. Even if the ultimate outcome is to not honor a particular group or holiday on the city flagpole, the discussions around it have been heartbreaking. It wasnt the flags that brought on division but the unexamined biases that surfaced in this process.

Nick Stevens, one of several residents who asked Armintor to make the flag request, said he is angry about how the request was received.

My heart sank, he said, referring to the outcome on June 15. Our city does not respect our community and cannot show a simple act of good faith. That really blows my mind, and its unfortunate.

Skeen agreed.

Dentons website describes Denton as a community like no other. Were welcoming, innovative, creative, diverse, unique and authentic, she wrote. The city is a vibrant and growing community with many opportunities, no matter what your interest or passion. Youre free to be whoever you are in a friendly atmosphere with a small-town vibe thats just a short drive away from the big city.

Given those public statements, Skeen wrote, it does not seem like it should be a heavy lift to also fly a Pride flag and a Juneteenth flag if the city chooses to in recognition of Juneteenth and/or Pride and/or the Stonewall Riots from June 28 through July 3, 2021.

Dont think its fair

Davis argued, however, that its not that simple.

The pride flags in Dallas are not on the same flagpole as the U.S. and Texas flags. On Friday, the digital marquee in front of the Denton Civic Center on McKinney Street was showing a pride flag.

That is why I got behind the proposal  to have a separate kind of free-speech flagpole with very broad guidelines that anybody who isnt espousing violence or is overtly racist can put something on the flagpole, Davis said. If its a pride flag, thats great. But I dont think its fair to put heat on the City Council to not get something done in a certain time frame when its proposed to do a brand-new thing.

To put that in context, Congress in a weeks time just recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, with many federal employees being given Friday off  a day after the legislation was signed into law.

Its easy to think that Denton has some sort of united voice on this government speech, Davis said. Thats not the case. Republican or not, I consider myself an ally of the LGBTQ community. I know they feel very strongly about the issue. To me as a City Council member, my job is to make sure we do things the right way the first time.

This was so controversial

Armintor said she continues to receive calls and messages from constituents who are angry and frustrated that the flags wont be flown this year.

Its disappointing to me and painful that this was so controversial in Denton, in spite of the opinion of ACLU and Lambda Legal that clearly showed that theres no need for an extra layer of bureaucracy in the form of a flag policy, she said. Having a flag policy is like having a free-speech policy. Were looking at other Texas cities and those around the nation flying pride flags to show that these cities are welcoming places for LGBTQ people and that they value and celebrate their LGBTQ communities in all their diversity.

Denton Chief of Staff Sarah Kuechler is the citys LGBTQ liaison and was responsible for presenting council members options for creating a flag policy. Armintor said Kuechler did a good job.

As the LGBTQ liaison, I serve as an accessible point-of-contact and representative for the city for anyone in the LGBTQ community that may have concerns, questions or just want to talk, Kuechler said. In this role, I also help to coordinate the annual Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index scorecard for the city by reviewing and submitting information to HRC. In addition, I have assisted with researching and presenting information on comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinances in Texas to City Council.

Brett Davis, of Young Democrats of Denton County, is a graduate student at the University of North Texas majoring in political science. He said he attended a PRIDENTON rally on Tuesday, when council members gave staff members direction on how to create a flag policy.

Its the right thing to do, he said. But obviously, theres a lot more that can be done. Personally, I wrote all the council members and Mayor Hudspeth about the flag. I think having a flag like that just lets people know you belong here, youre accepted and your community really does see you.

Hensley said she reversed herself on raising the flags at an administrative level following Armintors request when discussing the issue with staff members.

We talked to some of our team and said, What do yall think? Hensley said. We agreed this is a great idea. I said that we need to put it in a Friday staff report. But then after all of us started talking, we felt like it would be more of a policy by council. I realized it was not my decision, so I immediately contacted council member Armintor and said, Im so sorry. That is not my authority.

That is how Armintors request ended in a one-minute pitch. Adams said staff members have no timeline for when they might present a flag policy to the City Council.
We drove to the beach recently in an unfamiliar car. A Nissan Altima. I had picked it up at Enterprise, not far from the Memphis Airport, on a Friday evening. The mood was good, as it always is the day before we begin a week in Florida..

If you remembered I live in Little Rock, you may be wondering why I was renting a car at the Memphis airport. Where to begin. Lets see, a few years back I was walking down the yellow brick road

Wait, it wasnt that time. Oh yeah, now I remember. A few months back I was trying to get back to Little Rock from Austin on Southwest when the SW folks told us there was a problem and that we would be spending the night in Dallas and getting back to Little Rock the next day. To pacify us, and the other guy on the flight, they gave us each a $180 gift voucher on Southwest and put us up for a night in a hotel near the airport. Another man might have been angry; another man might have been hurt, another man might have asked for free drinks, I stuffed the vouchers in my shirt.

I said we would need two rooms as our daughter Alexis was traveling with us. To get back at me for that demand, Southwest put me in a room where the Philip Morris research team tries out all the new cigarettes for the coming year. When I got up the next morning I felt like I had about six weeks to live.
Because of the overcrowding, Valenza said there isnt enough segregation for different sects of the inmate population. Sick or suicidal inmates are supposed to stay in the medical unit, while high-risk prisoners are supposed to stay in maximum security cells. Female inmates, those who have mental issues, or infectious inmates who are quarantined are also supposed to be separated in different areas.

Weve got them sleeping in areas that werent designed as cells, Valenza said.

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While Geneva County Sheriff Tony Helms said his countys jail hasnt had as much of a concern with overcrowding because of its new and larger facility, he shares one of Valenzas concerns that the county jails are not being reimbursed expenses for extended-stay inmates.

The medical bills that we have to take care of have created more of a burden, Helms said. We dont have enough guards to begin with, and weve got to do around-the-clock guards there at the hospital. Thats a big burden thats being put on the local taxpayers.
Rolli was on the float in front of the chorus truck along with Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and other city officials at a staging area where the floats were being readied. Trantalis said the driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told he was next in the parade, crashing into the victims.

The driver continued across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into a fence on the other side of the street, police said.

Rolli was on the other side of the float and didnt witness the crash, but jumped off immediately and ran to the victims. In the confusion, it was unclear what happened.

People were really distraught and some people were crying, said Rolli, who explained that the crash happened in an area where the floats were lining up, so there werent as many parade-goers. I was getting phone calls from people I knew at the other end waiting for the parade saying, Is this true? Is that true, do we have anything to worry about? You dont know at that point.

Fort Lauderdale Police said no arrests have been made saying they are conducting a thorough investigation with the FBI, nothing in a statement they are considering and evaluating all possibilities.
Sadly, I am the poster child for Murphys Law...If anything can go wrong, it will. It should be named Norms Law. I meander through each day with an aura of doom surrounding me. It is especially so when I go out to the mailbox. If it isnt filled with cards advertising something I dont want, it is crammed with bills.

The rare items that are not ads or bills are, without fail, bad news. Thus it was with trepidation that I found an envelope addressed to me with a return address; State of Alabama, Department of Labor. Oh, no! Somehow the Labor boys had found out that neither I, nor my compadres at the office, dont work. We show up, do the crossword puzzle, read the paper, watch videos, and nap. I sensed the doors at Atmore slamming shut behind me. The Labor Department would find no labor.

Well, I had to find out what my punishment was. I slit the envelope and out came a form titled Monetary Determination. So I guessed it was a fine of some sort. Reading further I found that it was a letter following up on an unemployment claim.

I was entitled to $275 a week which was all well and good except for the fact that I hadnt filed a claim. I carefully weighed the $275 against 5 years at Atmore and by a slim margin decided Id better call the Labor Department and inform them of the mistake.
E-commerce platforms like Tiki, Shopee, Lazada and Sendo will have to pay taxes on behalf of their sellers, but they are proposing this regulation is scrapped.

Experts said e-commerce platforms are afraid that making tax statements and paying taxes on behalf of business individuals will create excessive costs and personnel burdens.

On average, 3.5 million transactions are made on e-commerce platforms each day in Vietnam, and the transaction value has been increasing steadily.

Many sellers on e-commerce platforms have been dodging taxes, e-commerce platforms will have to pay taxes on the sellers behalf, under a new regulation taking effect August 1. Individual sellers that have an annual income of at least VND100 million ($4,348) should pay VAT and personal income tax, and e-commerce platforms should do so on the sellers behalf.

The Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM) has recently said that the regulation is not feasible and would heavily affect e-commerce platforms as well as hundreds of thousands of business individuals.

According to VECOM, e-commerce platforms are not subject to make income tax declarations and deductions for sellers in line with the Law on Personal Income Tax. They just provide technology infrastructure to connect buyers and sellers.

The representatives of some e-commerce platforms including Chotot and Batdongsan said they cannot control and have no information about sellers revenues, bank accounts, identity cards, tax codes and addresses. They said such a regulation is unprecedented in the Southeast Asian region, including Vietnam.

Ta Thi Phuong Lan, deputy head of the Tax Administration Department on Small and Medium Enterprises, Business Households and Individuals under the ministrys General Department of Taxation, said there can be a roadmap for e-commerce platforms to comply with the regulations instead of starting right from August 1. It can be first applied to platforms which are capable of managing sellers revenues, she noted.

Tax authorities will work with e-commerce platforms and relevant watchdogs such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Information and Communications to create a most suitable roadmap, she told VnExpress.

According to a report by the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in 2020, some 53 percent of the Vietnamese population joined the online retail market, boosting the growth of the local e-commerce sector by 18 percent on-year to $11.8 billion, representing 5.5 percent of the total retail sales. The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted many enterprises to do business online while luring many first-time online shoppers.
500,000 doses of Vero Cell vaccine gifted by the Chinese government arrived at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport Sunday afternoon.

These doses will be administered to Chinese citizens residing in Vietnam, Vietnamese who will study, work or go to China for business purposes, and those who require this vaccine, especially in areas near Vietnam's border with China.

The vaccine, called Vero Cell, is produced by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co.Ltd.

Vietnam approved the emergency use of the vaccine on June 4.

Vaccines and syringes arrived in Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport, June 20, 2021. Photo by V.Thu.

The vaccine was approved by China last December and by WHO for emergency use last month. It has been shipped to more than 70 countries, including those in Southeast Asia like Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

More than 450 million doses of Vero Cell have been produced, with more than 100 million given away to other countries and selling for enterprises.

Vietnam has been using the AstraZeneca vaccine for its vaccination program. It has approved four Covid-19 vaccines so far: U.K.'s AstraZeneca, Russia's Generium, China's Sinopharm and a vaccine developed by U.S.-based firm Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech Inc.
Xi Jinping leads other Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan to review the Party admission oath after visiting an exhibition on CPC history themed "staying true to the founding mission" at the Museum of the CPC in Beijing, capital of China, June 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday stressed bearing in mind the course of the Party's struggles, shouldering the historic mission and drawing strength from the Party's history to forge ahead.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when visiting an exhibition on CPC history.

Themed "staying true to the founding mission," the exhibition debuted on Friday at the newly inaugurated Museum of the CPC in Beijing ahead of the CPC centenary.

"The Party's history is the most vivid and convincing textbook," Xi stressed.

The past 100 years have seen the CPC unswervingly fulfilling its original aspiration and founding mission, working hard to lay a foundation for its great cause, and making glorious achievements and charting a course for the future, Xi noted.

Xi said it is necessary to study and review the Party's history, carry forward its valuable experience, bear in mind the course of its struggles, shoulder the historic mission, and draw strength from its history to forge ahead.

Efforts should be made to educate and guide Party members and officials to stay true to the original aspiration and founding mission of the Party, Xi noted.

It is necessary for them to strengthen their awareness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, and remain confident in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as always closely follow the CPC Central Committee in terms of their thinking, political orientation and actions, he added.

Xi called on Party members to carry forward the fine traditions and play their exemplary role in uniting and leading the Chinese people, based on the new development stage, to follow the new development philosophy and formulate a new development paradigm, to effectively perform their work in promoting reform, development and stability, and to pool strength to fully build a modern socialist China and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi was joined by other leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan during the visit.

Led by Xi, the leaders reviewed the Party admission oath.

The exhibition features four parts, namely the founding of the CPC and the victory of the New Democratic Revolution; the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the socialist revolution and development; the reform and opening-up, and the start of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and carrying forward socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era, building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarking on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country.

More than 2,600 pictures and more than 3,500 pieces or sets of exhibits reflect the extraordinary 100-year journey the CPC has traveled.

Xi and other leaders immersed themselves in the exhibits, files, photos and videos displayed, and learned about them in detail.

Among the items are the manuscript of Karl Marx's notes from Brussels, and restoration scenes of the first CPC National Congress and the famous Zunyi Meeting during the epic Long March (1934-1936).

Also on display are boards showing the establishment of revolutionary bases, footage from the founding ceremony of the PRC, and weapons used during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

The exhibition also features data charts relating to poverty alleviation and models of the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals built in Wuhan to fight the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. Enditem

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
-- Since its founding in 1921, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has attracted many foreign friends, including Edgar Snow and Hans Muller, during different periods of revolution, construction and reform.

-- The CPC has led the Chinese people to bid farewell to a humiliating history of being arbitrarily exploited by foreign powers, and transform China from an impoverished country into the world's second-largest economy.

-- The CPC has arguably been the world's most successful political party over the last century, according to British political scholar Martin Jacques.

-- The judgment of a political party ultimately depends on tangible results. Under the leadership of the CPC, Chinese citizens' quality of life is improving generation by generation.

-- While leading the people toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the CPC is also writing a new chapter on the joint construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

by Xinhua writers Wang Jinye, Li Laifang, Lou Chen and Yao Yuan

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- "Never leave China," Dr. Hans Muller repeatedly told his wife before he passed away in 1994.

In 1939, World War II broke out. Muller, a young German with a medical degree from Switzerland, arrived in Yan'an in northwest China and fought side by side with the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and later in the War of Liberation. He devoted himself to China's socialist construction after the founding of the New China in 1949.

Since its founding in 1921, the CPC has attracted many foreign friends like Muller during different periods of revolution, construction and reform. Their interactions with Chinese Communists over the past century have opened a window through which the world can better understand the CPC.

Today, the CPC is the world's largest political party with more than 90 million members. The CPC has over the past century led the Chinese people to achieve national independence, bid farewell to a humiliating history of being arbitrarily exploited by foreign powers, and transform China from an impoverished country into the world's second-largest economy, which enjoys all-round moderate prosperity.

The CPC, which is about to celebrate its centenary, is leading the world's most populous country toward the goal of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

A bullet train passes by the fields dotted with blossoming plants in Luoxiang Township of Congjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

INVINCIBLE, INCREDIBLE STRENGTH

What are the Chinese Communists like?

In 1936, American journalist Edgar Snow journeyed to the northern areas of northwest China's Shaanxi in search of the answer to this question.

In a cave dwelling, Mao Zedong and Snow had many long talks. In a period of approximately four months, Snow also interviewed Peng Dehuai, Xu Haidong and other senior CPC officials and ordinary soldiers, and experienced life in the Red Army.

In his book "Red Star Over China," Snow mentioned the tenacity with which the Chinese Communists clung to their principles, as well as the invincible, incredible soldiers led by the CPC and the indestructible energy behind them.

George Hatem, a U.S. doctor known in China by his Chinese name Ma Haide, visited northern Shaanxi together with Snow. Moved by the bravery of the Red Army, he decided to stay at the end of his tour. He joined the CPC in 1937 and became the first Westerner to gain CPC membership.

In order to make a contribution, one must have strong spiritual support, Ma Haide said in his late years.

Undated file photo shows George Hatem, a U.S. doctor known in China by his Chinese name Ma Haide. (Xinhua)

Over the past 100 years, the CPC has stayed true to its founding aspiration and mission, leading the Chinese nation in a tremendous transformation: It has stood up, become better off and grown in strength. The nation has achieved two feats rarely seen around the world: rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.

The CPC has arguably been the world's most successful political party over the last century, according to British political scholar Martin Jacques.

Corentin Delcroix, a French chef and entrepreneur who has been living in China for 15 years, runs a company in Shanghai.

Delcroix said he thought the Western stereotype of communism has stagnated since the Cold War. "A lot of people think communism itself is just scary, without understanding it at all," he said.

The judgment of a political party ultimately depends on tangible results. Under the leadership of the CPC, Chinese citizens' quality of life is improving generation by generation, Delcroix observed.

In this combo photo, the left part taken on May 10, 2019 with a drone shows children walking on their way home after school in Nongyong Village, and the right part taken on Sept. 3, 2012 shows children stepping down the hanging ladders to school in Nongyong Village, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

"The Communist Party of China makes every effort to think and act for the future of the country," said Shunsuke Nakajima, a Japanese national who has been promoting bilateral exchanges for years and has visited China many times.

Hans Muller joined the CPC in 1957, and made an important contribution to the country's hepatitis prevention efforts. Speaking of her late husband, Kyoko Nakamura, who joined the CPC-led army after Japan's surrender in 1945, said that after so many years in China, Muller felt China was a promising country.

Israel Epstein visited Yan'an in 1944 as a reporter for U.S. media. He interviewed Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and other CPC leaders. Epstein believed he shared a similar -- or even the same -- world outlook with the CPC, and was convinced that Yan'an represented China's future. He gained Chinese nationality in 1957 and joined the CPC in 1964.

"He supports China because the Communist Party of China is right," said Epstein's widow Huang Huanbi. "What he appreciated most was that the Communist Party is for the poor and helps the people."

ALWAYS CARING FOR AND SERVING THE PEOPLE

In "Red Star Over China," Snow detailed how and why the CPC had won strong support and trust from farmers, indicating the close bonds between the CPC and the people.

Undated file photo taken in 1936 shows American journalist Edgar Snow (1st R) on his journey for interviews in the northern areas of Shaanxi Province in northwest China. (Xinhua)

In an article for U.S. media, Epstein wrote that the Eighth Route Army, which was led by the CPC, maintained close ties with the people and never took a needle or a thread from the masses.

The CPC considers serving the people wholeheartedly to be its purpose. The Party is required to share weal and woe with the people, maintain close ties with them, and safeguard the fundamental interests of the people.

Snow once described northern Shaanxi as one of the poorest places in China. Now, it has shaken off absolute poverty along with other impoverished areas thanks to the CPC's targeted poverty reduction policy. China has lifted over 700 million people out of poverty since reform and opening-up began in the late 1970s.

David Osborn, an Australian sheep breeding expert, has been participating in China's anti-poverty drive. Over the past few years, he has visited Huanxian County in northwest China's Gansu Province several times to promote breeding technologies that can help raise the incomes of villagers, many of whom were in poverty for generations.

Australian animal husbandry expert David Osborn (L) talks with Li Guozhi, head of an animal breeding company, at a sheep pen in Huanxian County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Wenjing)

"The thought that the CPC has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty is just extraordinary. It is one of the world's great achievements," he said, praising CPC members' readiness to help and the Party's strong executive capability.

By the end of 2020, all remaining poverty-stricken counties had shaken off that label.

"The Communist Party of China leads the people, and its members are at the forefront. Nothing is impossible," said Hans Muller's son, Dehua Muller, in Beijing.

Yahia Mustafa from Sudan contributed to the Arabic translation of Xi Jinping's report to the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, and noted that the key concepts in the report -- from "a moderately prosperous society" to "a community with a shared future for humanity" -- were all about putting public interests above all else.

"The distinctive feature of the CPC is that it puts people first and always cares for and serves the people," said Mustafa, who has lived in China for over 20 years.

The people-oriented philosophy of the CPC is also evidenced by the nationwide mobilization to contain the raging COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. The CPC asked its members to take the lead by assuming the most arduous and dangerous jobs in the battle against the virus.

Jean Christian Nzengue from Gabon last year joined a team screening fever patients and offering consultations in a community in the southern city of Guangzhou, working closely with many CPC members.

"It was dangerous, but the CPC members did not complain because they love their country and want to protect its people," said the cardiac specialist.

Gabonese doctor Jean Christian Nzengue (R) is seen with a Chinese colleague, who is also a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

According to a white paper issued in June last year, more than 39 million CPC members and cadres fought against COVID-19 on the frontline, and nearly 400 died in the process.

"China's anti-epidemic fight has clearly demonstrated the solidarity and trust between the people, the Party and the government to a level rarely seen in other parts of the world," said Mustafa.

The Party's dedication to the people has boosted public support for the government. A report from Harvard University, based on its 13-year survey in China, showed that the Chinese people's overall satisfaction with the central government exceeded 93 percent.

CONSULTING THE PEOPLE

Epstein and Ma Haide later became members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, participating in the practice of socialist democracy. They made proposals on health, education and other fields. In 2015, China for the first time solicited opinions from foreign experts during the drafting of the annual government work report.

Mustafa, who had worked at the Sudan News Agency for about 10 years, now has an independent understanding of China and the CPC after working and living in China.

"In the West, the goal of political parties is to gain political power and serve their own interests. For the Communist Party of China, power is a means to serve the people, and all development strategies and plans are centered on serving the people," he said.

Yahia Mustafa speaks in an interview with Xinhua in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

Isabel Crook, a Canadian national, and her British husband David Crook, studied CPC-led land reform in 1947. They later trained a large number of foreign-language speakers for China.

In 2019, the Chinese government awarded Isabel Crook and five other foreign nationals the Friendship Medal for their great contributions to supporting China's socialist modernization, promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries, and safeguarding world peace.

What they felt most deeply was that the CPC was good at mobilizing ordinary people, accepting supervision from the masses, and discussing with them, said Michael Crook, son of Isabel Crook and chairman of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives.

The CPC has pioneered a socialist political system with Chinese characteristics and continued to improve it to ensure that the people partake in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight in accordance with the law.

Laurence J. Brahm, a senior international fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said that Chinese democracy, which is different from that in the West, is a system of consensus-building.

PATH OF COOPERATION

Over the past 100 years, the Communist Party of China has worked arduously for the well-being of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In today's world, China's solutions are an important contribution to improving global governance.

Undated file photo shows Michael Lindsay teaching radio skills during a training course to the Chinese army. (Xinhua)

Michael Lindsay, a British national, aided the CPC in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression by upgrading radio equipment and building radio stations for the Chinese army in the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1944, he helped with the launch of an English broadcasting service for the Xinhua News Agency in Yan'an, allowing news of the CPC to be heard across the Pacific.

Today, the voices and visions of the CPC are more widely transmitted across the globe, and have won more positive responses and support.

China plays an important role in world affairs. Other big countries must cooperate with China to solve global problems such as climate change, biodiversity conservation and pandemics, according to Jim Lindsay, son of Michael Lindsay.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 3.8 million lives worldwide. While making strategic achievements in its own COVID-19 prevention and control, China has been actively providing aid to other countries. It has exported large quantities of medical supplies and helped other countries fight the pandemic. Its COVID-19 vaccines have become global public goods.

File photo shows experts of the Chinese medical team and local medical staff posing for a photo amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, May 26, 2020. (Xinhua)

Such efforts fit into the CPC's vision of "a community with a shared future for humanity," which has gained wider recognition and support in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 138 countries and 31 international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to achieve policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. The BRI has become the world's largest international cooperation platform and a vital public product.

David Ferguson, a British national, came to China in 2006. He is now a senior English editor with the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and participated in the English editing of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" and several government white papers.

After translating a compilation of President Xi Jinping's discourses on the BRI, Ferguson said he believes the initiative has provided a major channel for the world to strive for globalization, peace and stability, prosperity and development.

Aerial photo taken on April 13, 2019 shows a container wharf at Qinzhou port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Mustafa noted that "a community with a shared future for humanity" is also rooted in traditional Chinese culture, which stresses the need for humanity to share weal and woe. China not only pursues its own development but also deeply integrates itself into the international community and shares its gains with others, he said.

In 2019, the movie "Red Star Over China" was screened in China. And Snow's books remain popular in China and worldwide.

China has come a long way from Snow's depiction in the 1937 book. While leading the people toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the CPC is also writing a new chapter on the joint construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Xuan Liqi, Cao Yi, Zhao Xu, Zhang Wenjing, Hong Zehua, Miao Xiaojuan, Bai Xu, Song Rui and intern Fang Anran contributed to the story; Video reporter: Yang Dingdu, Sui Lixi, Yang Chi, Huang Yaoteng, Bai Yu, Yu Li, Wang Siban; Video editor: Chen Zhi, Li Zhengyu, Xu Haijing )

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Egyptian, Jordanian, and Palestinian foreign ministers have agreed to press on with efforts to create the opportune environment to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, calling for effective engagement by the international parties in the peace process.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Malki a consultative tripartite meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo earlier on Wednesday, where they tackled the Palestinian cause and ways to resume negotiations to establish an independent Palestinian state.

The three officials also agreed to coordinate to reach a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace that guarantees the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Egypt and Jordan have been in talks with several Western parties to push forward the peace process. Cairo and Amman have been coordinating at the quartet level with Germany and France, and at the tripartite level with Palestine.

During todays meeting, the ministers stressed the necessity to build on the momentum achieved over the last period to make headway in the peace process, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement.

In February 2020, Egypt, along with Jordan, France, and Germany, formed the quartet committee, with the aim of reviving the halted negotiations.

The quartet committee has so far held four meetings, the latest of which was hosted by Cairo last month, where the foreign ministers of the four countries forged 11 provisions detailed in a joint statement outlining the endeavours to revive the peace process. An anticipated meeting is expected in Paris this year.

Hafez added that the FMs praised the outcomes of Februarys emergency meeting, held by the Arab League (AL) in Cairo, where the Arab foreign ministers reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state will remain the Arab worlds central and fair cause.

AL Secretary-General Ahmed Abu El-Gheit said the AL meeting restored a full consensus over the Palestinian cause with the blessing of Palestine.

The statement added Shoukry, Safadi, and Al-Malki called, during the meeting, for ceasing all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The settlement activities undermine the chances of reaching a two-state solution; moreover, they represent a violation of international legitimacy and international law resolutions, the ministers stressed.

Shoukry also voiced Cairos support for all exerted efforts by the Palestinian leadership to render the Palestinian dialogue successful. He also hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to end intra-Palestinian division.

According to an announcement by the office of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in early February, legislative elections would be held on 22 May, followed by presidential elections on 31 July.

Egypt hosted two-day talks dubbed the National Palestinian Dialogue in February, which brought together various Palestinian factions with the aim of ending inter-Palestinian differences and guarantee the success of the long-awaited elections scheduled for this year.

Egypt is set to host another meeting of the National Palestinian Dialogue in March to further discuss the upcoming steps regarding the election of the national council in Palestine.

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Libyas Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush praised on Saturday the Egyptian role in ensuring the success of the Libyan dialogue, ending divisions, reaching a ceasefire and supporting stability in the North African country.

Mangoushs remarks came in a joint press conference with her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, who received her in the Egyptian foreign ministry headquarters in Cairo on Saturday.

Egyptian-Libyan relations are distinguished on all levels, Mangoush said, adding that she is looking forward to Egypt's support for stability in Libya.

The Libyan minister welcomed the arrival of an Egyptian delegation in Libya to reopen the Cairo embassy in Tripoli and its consulate in Benghazi.

Moreover, she noted that there are many security and economic challenges facing the political process in Libya, in addition to the legacy of divisions.

Mangoushs visit is the result of an official invitation in April from Shoukry.

The invitation, according to a previous statement by Egyptian foreign ministry, comes within the framework of continuing consultation and coordination on strengthening the pillars of stability in Libya, and also in light of the extended historic relations between the two countries.

From his side, Shoukry reaffirmed Egypt's support for the Libyan interim executive authority, noting that he discussed with Mangoush the efforts to restore security and stability in Libya, advancing relations between the two countries, and efforts to achieve cooperation and meet the interests of the two peoples.

Egypt calls for the exit of mercenaries and all foreign forces from Libya without any procrastination, Shoukry said.

Earlier in the day, the two top diplomats held discussions that focused on issues of mutual concern and the latest developments in Libya, as well as pushing forward with the agreed measures of the political process, including holding elections at the end of 2021.

The Egyptian minister said that he discussed with his Libyan counterpart the ongoing preparations for the Berlin II conference on Libya in order to make it a success.

In the presence of Libya's transitional government, Germany will host a new set of Libyan peace talks on 23 June in Berlin, where preparations for national elections planned for 24 December as well as the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from Libya will be discussed.

In 2020, Berlin hosted the first round of the UN-sponsored talks on Libya, which was thrown into a decade of violence following the 2011 overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Egypt is exercising enormous statesmanlike restraint in its pursuit to find a solution to the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Kenneth McKenzie has said.

McKenzie paid a visit to Egypt last week and had official discussions with Egypts Defense Minister General Mohamed Zaki and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohamed Farid.

In an interview with state-owned Nile News TV channel on Friday, McKenzie stressed the US's awareness of the importance of the Nile to Egypt, which shows "real leadership" in the issue of the Ethiopia's dam.

The GERD is very concerning to us. We recognize the unique importance of the Nile to Egypt not only culturally but also for water supply and for the general economy overall, McKenzie said.

Egypt, whose 100 million-plus population is expected to increase by 75 million by 2050, is considered one of the most water-scarce countries in the world as it receives around 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) annually  mainly from the River Nile  though its needs is 114 bcm.

I think Egypt is actually exercising enormous statesmanlike restraint as it tries to find a political, diplomatic solution to this problem... Egypt is showing real leadership in this area, commander of the CENTCOM said.

In the decade-long dispute over GERD, the two downstream countries have been negotiating with Ethiopia to reach a fair and comprehensive legally binding agreement but the efforts have failed each round of talks due to the "Ethiopian intransigence" as said by Egypt and Sudan.

Rather than the legally binding deal that Egypt and Sudan are seeking for filling and operating the near-complete GERD, which Addis Ababa has been building on the Blue Nile since 2011, Ethiopia is seeking mere guidelines that can be modified any time at its discretion.

It [GERD issue] is a genuine problem and we are going to continue to work to find a solution to it, that would be acceptable to Egypt and everyone else involved as well, McKenzie said.

The US, along with the World Bank, had stepped in to sponsor GERD talks from November 2019 till February 2020 which resulted in a mutually-agreed draft agreement. However, Ethiopia then skipped the signing meeting in February, citing domestic reasons.

Since last summer, the African Union (AU) has sponsored several rounds of negotiations in an attempt to forge a deal but to no avail, leading both downstream countries to lose hope in the AU-mediated path and calling for turning the talks' already-existed observers  the US, EU and the AU  into mediators in addition to involving the UN.

The $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project's last round of AU-sponsored talks  which aimed to revive the already stalled negotiations since January 2021  was held in the AUs chair country, the DR Congo, in April but failed to stir the stagnant water, due to Ethiopia's refusal of international mediation.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia intends to commence its second filling of the GERD on 22 July with or without forging a deal with both downstream countries rejecting such unilateral move, describing it to be a clear violation of international law and threatens regional security and peace.

While Addis Ababa argues the GERD issue is a matter of Ethiopian national sovereignty, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry made it clear that there is no sovereignty when it comes to an international river.

Shoukry also stressed that Egypt would not accept harm caused by irresponsible behavior, and would steadfastly defend its water rights.

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Sudan will be sending within hours a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling for the 15-member body to oblige Ethiopia not to proceed with filling its Blue Nile dam without reaching a legal deal with downstream countries, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq said.

"Our letter is based on Article 35 of Chapter 6 of the United Nations charter and states that [Ethiopia's filing plan] is so irritating for a United Nation member and risks peace and security in the region and the world," Al-Sadiq told Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath News channel late on Saturday.

The Sudanese letter, the minister added, clarified the "major" harm that is expected to be inflicted upon Khartoum economically, socially, and politically, including ties between the two neighboring countries, by Addis Ababa's anticipated step.

Tripartite negotiations between Ethiopia and downstream countries Egypt and Sudan on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) stalled in April after Addis Ababa rejected the two countries' request to include the US, the EU, and the UN in mediation talks, alongside the African Union (AU), the current mediator.

Tensions further mounted as Addis Ababa remains intent to execute the second filing of GERD next month despite lack of binding instrument with Cairo and Khartoum, a step that it had taken unilaterally last summer and constituted a turning point in Sudan's position toward the Nile row, according to Al- Sadiq.

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.

Minister Al-Sadiq said the letter explains how Ethiopia failed to fulfill its legal and humanitarian duties as well as good neighborliness principles with Egypt and Sudan during the past years.

"Sudan is demanding [in the letter] the Security Council to oblige Ethiopia to adhere to the international law principles and not to go ahead with the second filing of the dam without a legally binding agreement," the minister said.

The Sudanese letter is the latest diplomatic step taken by Khartoum in coordination with Cairo as both downstream countries have resorted to international diplomacy in the past weeks, briefing regional and international counterparts on their stances and developments in the latest deadlock in negotiations.

"Sudan has  helped Ethiopia significantly in the dam [whether] at technical, logistic, diplomatic, or political level out of its understanding of the significance of the project to Addis Ababa as well as its benefits to Khartoum if it is operated via an agreed upon manner without causing any harm to any party, including Egypt," the Sudanese minister said, replying to Ethiopian allegations that Sudan has shifted its position toward the controversial project abruptly.

"Unfortunately, Ethiopia utilized the dam as tool to dominate Sudan and negatively impact its interest," she said, referring to Ethiopia's first unilateral filling.

The Sudanese minister said the dam should be filled within 7 years, with the three countries agree each year on quantity of the water to be held.

"Filling and operating the Renaissance Dam should be based on the principles of good neighborliness, international law, and the Declaration of Principles (DoPs) signed between the three nations in 2015," she stressed.

The DoPs obliges Ethiopia to cooperate with Egypt and Sudan in filling and operating the dam. It also mandates the use of mediated negotiation in the event of a dispute arising from differences in its interpretation or application.

Both downstream countries have been negotiating for almost a decade now with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding and comprehensive deal on the GERDs construction, which Addis Ababa started to build on the Blue Nile in 2011.

On 11 June, Egypt sent a letter to UNSC expressing its objection to Addis Ababa' plan to move ahead unilaterally with the second filling in the absence of a legally binding agreement.

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for over 95 percent of its freshwater, fears that the massive $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project will significantly diminish its crucial water supply, which is already below the scarcity level.In June 2020, the UNSC held an open session over the GERD dispute at Egypt's request due to what it described as Ethiopia's "intransigence" in negotiations.

During the session, the council urged the three countries to reach a consensus and warned against unilateral actions. The three countries agreed to continue negotiations under the aegis of the AU.

A month later, Ethiopia held 4.9 billion cubic metres of water in the reservoir without coordinating with Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia plans to hold 13.5 billion cubic metres of water during the second filling of the GERDs reservoir in July.

Al-Sadiq said Sudan discussed with the Egyptian side the importance of reaching a "preconditioned provisional agreement" on the rules for the second filing as the absence of agreement will have a direct impact on Khartoum.

The initial agreement, she noted, should be followed by a final deal within a maximum period of 6 months and be based on the previous rounds of negotiations. Also, the US, the European Union and the United Nations should be engaged as mediators, along with the African Union.

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Egyptian authorities kept the Rafah border crossing open Sunday to receive wounded and stranded Palestinians and allow humanitarian relief assistance into the Gaza Strip.

According to official sources, Rafah, the only crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip, will remain open on both sides to allow entry of relief materials into the Gaza Strip for the reconstruction of the impoverished Palestinian enclave after the widespread destruction due to last months Israeli onslaught.

A number of ambulances were on hand at the crossing to receive injured Palestinians and those in critical condition and transport them to Egyptian hospitals for treatment.

The crossing has been open on an exceptional basis since 16 May following directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

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An Egyptian court on Sunday postponed a hearing in the case filed by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) against the owners of Ever Given vessel, which blocked the waterway for six days in March, for further negotiations to amicably settle the dispute.

The Ismailiya Economic Court postponed the hearing to 4 July upon a request made by Khaled Abou Baker, the lawyer representing the SCA, in order to continue negotiations with the shipowner over the compensation value.

Abou Baker said the adjournment request was submitted as both sides reached an agreement on some points during the negotiations, hinting that offers that may meet the SCA's demands have been received.

The Ever Given, one of the worlds largest container ships, ran aground diagonally across the canal on March 23, halting traffic in both directions for nearly a week. The ship was refloated on 29 March by a fleet of Egyptian tugboats and diggers.

The vessel has since been idle in a lake between two sections of the canal at a court order until an initial $916 million compensation claimed by the SCA is paid.

The SCA, however, had offered to slash its compensation claim 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.

Ever Givens insurers say the demanded sum is still too high, previously offering to pay $150 million in compensation for the six-day traffic halt, with an exchange of blame over which party was at fault over the crisis.

On Thursday, UK Club, an insurer for the giant ship said it is currently engaged in serious and constructive negotiations with the SCA regarding its compensation claim.

Last month, the Suez Canal Authority rejected claims by UK Club that the speed of the Ever Given was controlled by the canals operator before it ran aground in the canal.

The SCA said that exceeding set speeds at the countrys strategic canal is the sole responsibility of the ships captain.

The ship insurers statement came in response to statements by SCA officials that the ship was sailing too fast and that the error was entirely the responsibility of the Ever Given's captain and not that of the canals operator, whose opinion is non-binding.

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Egyptian judge Ali Mokhtar issued a court ruling on Sunday dropping charges against five NGOs in case No.173 for the year 2011, which is commonly known as "foreign funding of civil society case.

The NGOs in the case, which dates back to the January Revolution in 2011 that toppled late President Hosni Mubarak, faced allegations of receiving foreign funds.

Mokhtar is the latest investigating judge  succeeding a number of previous judges  delegated by the Court of Appeals to investigate the report by a fact-finding committee formed in 2011 to look into the foreign funding of civil society groups.

The investigations into 4 of the 5 acquitted organizations have concluded that there was no reason to file a criminal case against them due to insufficient evidence, Mokhtar said, adding that a criminal case should not have been filed against the fifth one for "lack of importance".

The judge noted that Sunday's ruling  which consequently lifts asset freezes and travel bans on the staff of the five NGOs  raises the number of acquitted organizations in the case to 63 in the case that involved more than 160 defendants.

Earlier, the Cairo Appeal Court dropped charges against 18 NGOs in May, 20 NGOs in March and 20 other in December 2020.

Mokhtar called upon the civil society organizations and associations operating in Egypt and the entities that carry out an act of civil society work to quickly settle their legal status.

We remind them repeatedly of the issuance of the prime ministers resolution No. 104 of 2021 issuing the executive regulations for the law regulating the practice of civil work promulgated by Law 149 of 2019 that was published in the Official Gazette on 11 January 2021, he said.

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Egypt has designated new production lines in VACSERA, the countrys leading drugmaker, to locally manufacture coronavirus vaccines, with a total production capacity of 3 million doses daily, a new step in the countrys strategy to become a regional hub for COVID-19 vaccines.

The lines, which are located at the state-owned pharmaceuticals firm in 6 October City in Giza governorate, boasts 8 central laboratories for vaccine administration and a complex of medical refrigerators that can store 150 million shots, a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

The ministrys statement comes as Health Minister Hala Zayed inspected earlier today the latest progress in the new lines, which cost $17 million, in addition to EGP 80 million ($5.1 million) for construction, according to the ministry.

VACSERAs firms at 6 October City will be the largest complex for producing vaccines in the Middle East and Africa and will increase the production capacity of COVID-19 vaccines in cooperation with all producing companies the world over, the statement quoted Zayed as saying.

The North African country seeks to locally produce coronavirus vaccines to be exported to other African countries after fulfilling local needs.

Egypt has already started manufacturing the first batch of 2 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine through VACSERAs firm at Al-Agouzah district in Giza governorate, as part of a wider deal with the Chinese company to produce a total of 40 million doses by the end of the current year.

Egypt is also in talks to locally manufacture the British AstraZeneca vaccine.

Egypt has so far received a total of 3.3 million doses of the British-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccine, 2.2 million of which came under the COVAX agreement, a global scheme that aims to ensure that vaccines are provided to all countries.

Cairo has also been supplied with a total of 3 million Chinese Sinopharm jabs over the past six months, along with 500,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine, another China-made vaccine.

Over 2 million citizens of the countrys 100 million-plus population have received the vaccines since the inoculation campaign started earlier this year.

Minister Zayed said the new lines will also produce all kinds of Polio vaccines, and pneumococcal bacteria vaccines in cooperation with European companies, according to the statement.

Egypts total infection tally has reached 276,756 since the pandemic started, including 15,829 deaths and 205,157 recoveries.

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Related Sisi welcomes opening of new horizons for cooperation with Malaysia

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein welcomed efforts to intensify cooperation between the two countries as they met in Cairo on Sunday.

During their meeting, El-Sisi and Hussein discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, particularly counter-terrorism as one of the most significant challenges facing the world, Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said in a statement.

Hussein praised the efforts Egypt exerts to face extremist thought and ideologies as well as terrorism domestically and regionally, and the pioneering role played by Egypts Al-Azhar in this regard, the statement read.

The top Malaysian diplomat conveyed the greetings of Malaysias Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to President El-Sisi.

He affirmed the importance Malaysia attaches to the enhancement of bilateral relations with Egypt in various fields as well as in the international realms.

The statement said Malaysias interest in boosting ties with Cairo comes in light of Egypts leading role at the regional and international levels as well as its effective efforts in facing terrorism and maintaining stability and peace in the Middle East.

El-Sisi, during the meeting, said Egypt welcomes enhancing cooperation with Malaysia in different international realms, sending his greetings to the Malaysian premier.

He also welcomed fostering cooperation with Malaysia, especially in the economic, commercial and investment fields.

The meeting comes only few days after El-Sisi made a video call with the Malaysian prime miniter, in which they discussed ways of boosting bilateral ties and discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern.

The Malaysian premier praised Egypt's efforts that led to stopping escalation between Palestinian factions and Israel in the Gaza Strip last month, as well as the Egyptian initiative to rebuild the enclave.

Yassin also lauded efforts led by Egypt to urgently re-launch the Palestinian and Israeli peace talks, with the aim of reaching a fair solution to the long-running conflict in accordance with international terms.

The Malaysian FM also held a press conference today with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, who described Husseins meeting with El-Sisi as fruitful.

Shoukry, after his talks with Hussein, said they discussed means to enhance the Egyptian-Malaysian relations in various fields.

They also agreed to increase cooperation, expressing Egypts aspiration to hold a joint economic committee with Malaysia, Shoukry noted.

The Egyptian FM hailed the economic and technological progress Malaysia has achieved over the past years.

Hussein in the press conference described his meeting with Shoukry as historic and said his visit to the Egyptian capital reflects the success of the growing relations between the two countries.

The top Malaysian diplomat hailed Egypts descision to vaccinate Malaysian students residing in the country against coronavirus.

Hussein also lauded Egypts efforts to achieve ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

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A Cairo criminal court on Sunday sentenced the popular TikTok influencers Mawada Eladhm and Haneen Hossam to six and ten years in prison, respectively, over human trafficking related charges.

The ruling, which is not final and can be appealed, comes after the pair were acquitted in January in another case on charges of violating family values and principles.

The January ruling cancels a two-year imprisonment verdict and a fine of EGP 300,000 issued against them in the case.

Hossam received the ruling in absentia, while Eladhm was present amid tight security.

Eladhm, who has 3.1 million followers on TikTok and 1.6 million followers on Instagram, gained fame for posting lip syncing and dance videos.

Hossam, a university student who has 1.2 million followers on TikTok, was arrested on charges of inciting debauchery and human trafficking.

Her arrest came a few days after she posted a video on TikTok encouraging women to publish live videos and talk with strangers via short video sharing platform Likee in exchange for money.

The Sunday ruling against the pair over human trafficking charges comes after the prosecution referred them to the criminal court last March.

The prosecution accused them of human trafficking by using girls in acts contrary to the principles and values of Egyptian society with the aim of gaining material benefits.

The prosecution said the accused TikTokers exploited  as part of a criminal group organised for human trafficking purposes  the victims poor economic circumstances and their need for money by promising them a sum of money.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi renewed his support to the Libyan presidential council and the Government of National Unity (GNU) as he met on Sunday with Libya's Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush.

El-Sisi reiterated his support to the presidential council and the GNU with the aim of restoring Libyan security and stability and holding national elections in Libya in December as scheduled, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The Egyptian president described the election as a main step on the path of political settlement to the Libyan crisis through allowing the free will of the Libyan people to shape their future.

This comes within the framework of Egypts full support for Libya in its political path, El-Sisi said, adding that Libyan national security represents an extension to Egyptian national security.

We are always keen that this path is completed and ends with elections that express the will of the Libyan people away from the militias and mercenaries existing [in Libya], El-Sisi said in a video published by the presidency.

El-Sisi hailed Mangoushs efforts to restore the status of Libyan diplomatic work and to move along with international parties concerned with the Libyan crisis.

The president voiced Egypts full support to these efforts through its movements on the bilateral, regional, and international levels.

Go ahead with your heroic stances and do not fear a blamer's reprimand, El-Sisi told Mangoush in the video.

El-Sisi affirmed that the restoration of Libyan sovereignty should start with the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from the country.

The president underscored Egypts unwavering stance that is based on the protection of the unity of Libyan territories, the perseverance of the resources of the Libyan people, and the non-interference in Libyan domestic affairs.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service (GIS) Abbas Kamel attended the meeting.

Mangoush expressed her countrys appreciation of Egypts support to the Libyan side in managing the current transitional stage, expressing hope that this support continues during the coming period, the presidential statement read.

Mangoush voiced her aspiration for the enhancement of cooperation between Egypt and Libya, especially on the security level, and raising the level of mutual diplomatic representation even before the elections are held.

The Libyan FM praised Egypts support for the efforts to settle the Libyan crisis on the various political, military, and economic tracks in light of the historic relations between the two countries.

She also hailed Egypts sincere efforts to support the Libyan people, saying these efforts stem from the principles of preserving the unity of Libyan territories, restoring Libyan security and stability, and preserving the Libyan states national institutions.

These principles include unifying the military institution, ending foreign interference, the exit of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya, and the establishment of the principles of dialogue between Libyan rivals, Mangoush said.

She also highlighted the importance of supporting national reconciliation in preparation for holding transparent, fair elections and ending the bloodshed of the Libyan people through the Cairo Declaration.

The Cairo Declaration on Libya is a joint political initiative announced by El-Sisi last year to resolve the Libyan crisis and end the armed conflict in the Arab country.

We hope that Egypt has an effective role in unifying the military institution and in bringing Libyans together for national reconciliation, Mangoush said in the video.

We always need Egypt and the Egyptian leadership to create a balance in the region, she added.

The Libyan FM highlighted the historic and longstanding relations gathering the two countries, affirming the current need to enhance their bilateral cooperation.

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Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed his aspiration for the continuation of the European Unions (EU) role in supporting the Palestinian cause at all levels, as he met on Sunday with EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans.

Receiving Koopmans in Cairo, Shoukry affirmed Egypts aspiration to continue cooperation with the EU during the coming period to push forward the path for peace in the Middle East, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Their meeting comes a month after Israel and Palestinian factions agreed on an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire ended 11 days of Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 250 and injured thousands of Palestinians.

Shoukry affirmed to Koopmans that Egypt continues to exert efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in the enclave to achieve the desired calm and stability.

These efforts come in parallel with the reconstruction efforts and the efforts to meet the developmental needs of the Palestinian people during the coming period, Shoukry noted.

The Egyptian FM also affirmed the necessity for a real political will and an appropriate climate to revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations path urgently and establish an independent Palestinian state.

Shoukry affirmed the need that this Palestinian state be established on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The minister also congratulated Koopmans on assuming the post.

Koopmans hailed Egypts role in supporting the peace efforts in the Middle East, which caused a ceasefire to be reached in the Gaza Strip.

The EU diplomat also praised Egypts continuous endeavour to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.

He expressed his keenness to continue coordination and consultation with Egypt to support the current endeavour to push forward the peace path.

Koopmans underscored the importance of the role of the quartet in the Middle East during the coming period and how it contributes to achieving security and stability in the region.

The Madrid Quartet, involved in mediating the peace process between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, includes the United Nations, the United States, the EU, and Russia.

Cairo has intensified its diplomatic efforts to revive peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, which broke down in 2014.

In a phone call earlier in June with European Council President Charles Michel, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed the need to work urgently to resume direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Shortly after it brokered the Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire in late May, Egypt dispatched the chief of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel to talk with key figures from the Israeli and Palestinian sides in a bid to consolidate the ceasefire.

Egypt also launched a massive initiative to support the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip after Israeli air strikes last month destroyed hundreds of commercial and residential buildings and displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.

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Twice delayed, hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic, violent insecurity, and planning chaos, Ethiopia's electoral board says it is ready for Monday's crucial vote and assures it will be credible.

"We're actually very confident about it," the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) spokeswoman Solyana Shimeles told AFP.

It is not optimism shared by all, with serious doubts remaining over the vote Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed promised would be the most competitive yet in Africa's second-most populous nation.

Voting will not proceed on June 21 in about one-fifth of the country's 547 constituencies due to unrest and logistical problems.

Those constituencies will mostly vote in September, but no ballot is scheduled in Tigray, a war-torn region of six million.

In some areas where voting will proceed, opposition boycotts have further undermined claims of inclusivity and competition.

The majority of national parliamentary seats up for grabs in Abiy's native Oromia -- the country's most populous region -- are being contested by a single candidate, election data shows.

Solyana said just three of Ethiopia's 49 registered parties were not contesting the poll, and about 9,500 candidates were running at a national and regional level -- more than any previous ballot.

"We hope this is going to be a better one, a participatory one, and a credible one," she said.

Setbacks

NEBE was overhauled when Abiy rose to power in 2018 on the back of anti-government protests, vowing to open up political space after years of iron-fisted rule.

The appointment of Birtukan Mideska -- a high-profile former judge and exiled opposition leader -- to head a revived, independent board was seen as evidence of Abiy's committment to democratic reform.

Nationwide elections were delayed almost year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and rescheduled for June 5.

But organising a smooth election is a tall order at the best of times in Ethiopia, a vast and rugged country of 110 million hamstrung by poor infrastructure.

NEBE lacked resources and needed tens of thousands of staff. The timetable fell behind and a new date was scheduled for June 21.

But problems still linger just days before the vote, observers say.

On Friday, Birtukan wrote to Abiy saying federal assistance with transport and other logistics would be needed to ensure the election went off without a hitch.

"NEBE is working 24 hours in full capacity," she wrote.

One diplomat in Addis Ababa, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "NEBE is committed and willing, but it is challenging. Whether this translates into being ready for sound elections is another matter."

Doubts

Analysts say the logistical problems that have dogged preparations could prove troubling when it comes to counting the ballot.

"The NEBE leadership is trying really hard to do what they can but they're working in a difficult environment and have huge delivery challenges", said an election expert in Addis Ababa who asked to remain anonymous.

The vote will be monitored by five foreign observer missions and thousands of civil society workers. The EU will not send a team after a disagreement with the government over the terms.

And the Ethiopian Humans Rights Commission, a government-affiliated but independent body that has investigated state excesses, was barred from observing the vote.

"Our mandate enables us to deploy and monitor the human rights aspect of the elections," the commission's director of communications Aaron Maasho told AFP, adding talks with NEBE were ongoing.

Endalkachew Girma, a 35-year-old voter in Addis Ababa, recognised NEBE had tried to make this vote fairer.

"But like past ballots, I do not think this election will be historic or credible" he told AFP.

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Former rebels who signed a 2015 peace deal in Mali questioned Sunday whether the poor Sahel country's ruling junta will stick to its terms.

A civilian prime minister named by the junta, Choguel Kokkala Maiga, "was fiercely opposed to the Algiers peace accord before his nomination", noted Mohamed Maouloud Ould Ramadane, a spokesman for the former Tuareg rebels.

The Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA), an alliance made up mainly of separatist Tuaregs and nationalist Arabs, signed the 2015 accord with the Bamako government it had fought for three years in the north of the country.

Another coalition made up of pro-government armed groups, called Platform, also signed the so-called Algiers accord.

Mali's partners see the implementation of the accord as crucial to breaking the former French colony's cycle of violence.

Thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced since 2012 despite the intervention of UN, African and French forces.

Absent from the 2015 accord are jihadist groups that initially fought alongside the Tuareg and Arab rebels before turning against them.

Jihadist violence has since spread to central Mali as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Aside from a cessation of hostilities, the 2015 agreement calls for regionalisation, development and reconciliation.

Six years on, "the results are unsatisfactory", Ould Ramadane told a news conference in the capital Bamako.

He said the deal's political and institutional portions, as well as so-called DDR (for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of rebels), were yet to be fully implemented.

Ould Ramadane accused the last civilian government -- overthrown in a coup last year -- of stalling over the accord.

Maiga, the new junta's prime minister, told his first cabinet meeting on June 13 that he wanted an "intelligent re-reading" of the peace accord, while saying the "basic principles" would be followed.

Ould Ramadane told the news conference: "We don't know what that means."

Two members of Maiga's 28-strong cabinet are from the CMA, with the rest mainly military.

Junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, who met with a delegation of the CMA in early June along with Maiga, has vowed to honour a deadline of February 27, 2022, for holding democratic elections.

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Gulf Arab states are unlikely to be deterred from dialogue to improve ties with Iran after a hardline judge won the presidency but their talks with Tehran might become tougher, analysts said.

Prospects for better relations between Muslim Shia Iran and Sunni Gulf Arab monarchies could ultimately hinge on progress to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear accord with world powers, they said, after Ebrahim Raisi won Friday's election.

The Iranian judge and cleric, who is subject to U.S. sanctions, takes office in August, while nuclear talks in Vienna under outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, a more pragmatic cleric, are ongoing.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, longtime foes, began direct talks in April to contain tensions at the same time as global powers have been embroiled in nuclear negotiations.

"Iran has now sent a clear message that they are tilting to a more radical, more conservative position," said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a UAE political analyst, adding that Raisi's election might make improving Gulf ties a tougher challenge.

"Nevertheless, Iran is not in a position to become more radical ... because the region is becoming very difficult and very dangerous," he added.

The United Arab Emirates, whose commercial hub Dubai has been a trade gateway for Iran, and Oman, which has often played a regional mediation role, were swift to congratulate Raisi.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are the only Gulf states yet to comment.

"The faces may change but the leader is (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei," columnist Khaled al-Suleiman wrote in Saudi newspaper Okaz.

Raisi, an implacable critic of the West and an ally of Khamenei, who holds ultimate power in Iran, has voiced support for continuing the nuclear negotiations.

"If the Vienna talks succeed and there is a better situation with America, then (with) hardliners in power, who are close to the supreme leader, the situation may improve," said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of Gulf Research Center.

LEVERAGE

A revived nuclear deal and the lifting of U.S. sanctions on the Islamic Republic would boost Raisi, easing Iran's economic crisis and offering leverage in Gulf talks, said Jean-Marc Rickli, an analyst at Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

Neither Iran nor Gulf Arabs want a return to tensions of 2019 which saw attacks on tankers in Gulf waters and on Saudi oil installations, then the 2020 U.S. killing, under former President Donald Trump, of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

A perception that Washington was now disengaging militarily from the area under U.S. President Joe Biden has prompted a more pragmatic Gulf approach, analysts said.

Nevertheless, Biden has demanded Iran rein in its missile programme and end its support for proxies in the region including in Yemen, which are key demands of Gulf Arab nations.

"The Saudis have realised they can no longer rely on the Americans for their security ... and have seen that Iran has the means to really put pressure on the kingdom through direct attacks and also with the quagmire of Yemen," Rickli said.

Saudi-Iran talks have focused mainly on Yemen, where a military campaign led by Riyadh against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement for over six years no longer has U.S. backing.

The UAE has maintained contacts with Tehran since 2019, while also forging ties with Israel, Iran's arch regional foe.

Sanam Vakil, an analyst at Britains Chatham House, wrote last week that regional conversations, particularly on maritime security, were expected to continue but can only gain momentum if Tehran demonstrates meaningful goodwill.

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Libyan National Army (LNA) led by commander Khalifa Haftar have closed the border with Algeria, they said on Sunday, after major deployments of his forces to the south underscored his continued role despite efforts to unify the country.

LNA last week sent troops into the southern city of Sebha and then on Saturday to a southern border crossing with Algeria.

"The armed forces has closed the Libyan-Algerian border and declared it a military zone in which movement is prohibited", said the Moral Guidance Department, an LNA media unit.

The nearly 1,000-kilometre (620 miles) border between Algeria and Libya cuts through mostly uninhabited desert and has few crossings.

Despite progress towards a political solution for Libya after a decade of violence and chaos, most of the country is still controlled by armed groups, corruption is rampant and the outside powers involved in the conflict have not withdrawn.

Progress is expected on Sunday in implementing the terms of a military ceasefire in place since September, with the planned reopening of the main coast road across front lines, and foreign powers will convene in Berlin this week for Libya talks.

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A rocket on Sunday targeted an Iraqi air base hosting American troops, a security source told AFP, the latest in a spate of attacks the US blames on Iran-linked militias.

The assault on the Ain Al-Asad base comes 10 days after the United States offered a reward of up to $3 million for information on such attacks against its citizens in Iraq.

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The head of Lebanon's powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah on Sunday congratulated ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi on winning Iran's presidential election, describing him as a "shield" against Israel and other "aggressors".

Raisi, a former judiciary chief, won nearly 62 percent of the vote in Friday's election on turnout of 48.8 percent, after his most prominent rivals were either disqualified or pulled out of the race.

"Your victory has renewed the hopes of the Iranian people and the people of the region who see you as a shield and a strong supporter for the resistance against aggressors," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a statement.

Hezbollah, long designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, forms an "axis of resistance" against Israel together with Iran and Syria.

The Lebanese movement fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, and its fighters have also battled against rebels trying to oust the regime of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

Assad, whose government counts Iran as one of its top allies, wished Raisi "success in his new responsibilities and steering the country in the face of external pressure".

Hezbollah, a powerful force in Lebanese politics, also has close ties with the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas which rules the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said "Iran has always been a main, strong and real supporter of the Palestinian resistance and our national cause" as he congratulated Raisi.

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Libya's interim authorities reopened on Sunday the Mediterranean coastal highway linking the country's long-divided eastern and western cities, in the latest bid to reunite the territories after years of civil war.

The announcement comes three days ahead of an international conference on Libya that will be hosted by Germany and the United Nations in Berlin.

``I am so delighted to participate in the opening of this essential lifeline linking the east of our country to its west,'' Libyan Prime Minister Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah told a crowd that gathered as bulldozers were towing away rocks and sand dunes blocking the road.

The coastal highway has been closed since April 2019 after the Libyan National Army's (LNA) commander Khalifa Hafter launched a military offensive to wrest the capital from theTripoli-based government. Its reopening was a long-held demand by the U.N. to enable the safe passage of civilians and goods.

The United States' embassy in Libya hailed the move, saying in a tweet it was ``paving the path for Libyans to have full control over their own affairs.''

Dbeibah was elected as interim prime minister, along with a four-member presidential council, by Libyan delegates at a U.N.-sponsored conference in February. They are meant to shepherd the country to nationwide elections late this year.

In March, the transitional government announced the resumption of flights between eastern Benghazi and western Misrata after seven years of suspension. Both cities have been key strongholds of Libya's warring factions.

Libya has been mired in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and later killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Afterwards, the oil-rich country was long divided between a government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities based in the country's east.

On Wednesday, an international conference on Libya is set to kick off in Berlin to discuss preparations for the general elections, and withdrawal of foreign forces who were brought in to fight for the opposing sides.

The resumption of traffic on the route stretching along Libya's Mediterranean coastline comes amid tensions between interim authorities and Hafter's troops.

On Saturday, Hafter's LNA announced the deployment of more troops in the largely lawless south, and the closure of the western border with Algeria, saying it was to combat terrorism. In response, Libya's presidential council issued a decree sending their own brigades to the south.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Further talks between Iran and global powers took place Sunday to try to negotiate and restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was later abandoned by the Trump administration.

It was the first official meeting since Iran's hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election last week.

Several diplomats involved in the talks said they made progress recently and that the results they negotiated need to be approved by the respective governments. However, there was also concern that the election of Iran's incoming President Ebrahim Raisi could further complicate a possible return to the agreement.

Senior diplomats from China, Germany, France, Russia and Britain met at a hotel in the Austrian capital for the final meeting of the sixth round of talks in Vienna.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov wrote in a tweet late Saturday that the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, ``will decide on the way ahead at the Vienna talks. An agreement on restoration of the nuclear deal is within reach but is not finalized yet.''

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday that almost all JCPOA agreement documents had been readily negotiated and that the diplomats involved would shortly return to their home countries _ not only for further consultations with their governments but also for final decision-making.

``We are now in a situation that we think almost all the agreement documents are ready,'' Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said in Vienna ahead of the meeting, according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

``Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are,'' he added.

The U.S. does not have a representative at the table in Vienna because former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the country out of the deal in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

However, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled willingness to rejoin the deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Tensions remain high with both the U.S. and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

In Jerusalem, new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisi's election as Iranian president was ``the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with.

``These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions,'' he said.

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he hoped the election of the new Iranian president would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

``We are very close. We have been working for two months,`` Borrell told reporters during a visit in the Lebanese capital Beirut. ``We have invested a lot of political capital on that. So I hope that the results of the elections is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process.''

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Iran's internationally criticized judiciary _ one of the world's top executioners.

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Iran's ultraconservatives Sunday hailed the election victory of their candidate Ebrahim Raisi, after Washington charged the vote was unfair and Tehran's arch-foe Israel labelled him the "most extremist" president yet.

Raisi, 60, won Friday's election in which more than half the voters stayed away after many political heavyweights had been barred from running and as an economic crisis driven by US sanctions has battered the country.

An austere figure from the Shia Muslim clerical establishment, Raisi takes over from the moderate incumbent Hassan Rouhani, who must leave office in August after eight years in power.

Raisi, whose black turban signifies direct descent from Islam's Prophet Mohammed, is seen as close to the 81-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate political power in Iran.

"The Dawn of a New Era," read the jubilant front-page headline of the conservative Resalat daily, welcoming the 62 percent win by Raisi, the head of Iran's judiciary.

Raisi was congratulated by Russia, Turkey and several Gulf states, and by Iran's regional allies including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Raisi's victory had been widely anticipated after the Guardian Council, made up of 12 clerics and jurists, had approved just seven candidates, all men, out of a field of almost 600 hopefuls. Three of those vetted candidates dropped out two days before the vote.

Iran's moderate Jomhouri-e Eslami daily highlighted that conservatives had now cemented their hold on power, from parliament and the Guardian Council to the court system and armed forces.

Using a touch of irony, its editorial said that "we, the people of Iran, owed the conservative faction a homogeneous government" and "the people have delivered".

- 'Epic' turnout -

Turnout reached 48.8 percent, a record low for a presidential poll since Iran's 1979 revolution ousted the US-backed monarchy.

The ultraconservative Kayhan daily argued that voter participation was "epic" considering the economic crisis, Covid pandemic and the "enemy's propaganda", referring to boycott calls from Iranian opposition groups abroad.

The Resalat daily welcomed the change from the Rouhani administration which it said has been dogged by political infighting and occupied with "fruitless domestic and foreign challenges".

Rouhani's landmark achievement was the 2015 deal with world powers under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.

That deal has however been hanging by a thread since then-US president Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018 and launched a "maximum pressure" campaign to diplomatically and economically isolate Tehran.

While Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, Trump charged it was still planning to build the bomb and was destabilising the Middle East through armed proxy groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Since Trump's successor Joe Biden took office this year, talks involving Iran and the remaining parties to the accord -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- have resumed in Vienna, with the US taking part indirectly.

- 'Anti-Western views' -

Iran's ultraconservatives -- who deeply distrust the United States, labelled the "Great Satan" in the Islamic republic -- bitterly attacked Rouhani over the failing deal and for having trusted the West.

But Raisi has nonetheless said Iran should keep negotiating with the aim of ending the punishing sanctions that have largely cut the country of 83 million off from global markets and financial systems.

The US State Department said after Raisi's election win that Washington would continue talks over Iran's nuclear programme, working with its allies and partners.

A spokesperson charged however that "Iranians were denied their right to choose their own leaders in a free and fair electoral process".

In Israel, which has engaged in a shadow conflict with Iran for years, foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said the Islamic republic had "elected its most extremist president to date".

Raisi was "committed to Iran's rapidly advancing military nuclear program," Haiat wrote on Twitter. "His election makes clear Iran's true malign intentions, and should prompt grave concern among the international community."

Israel's new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that Raisi's election is "the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and to understand who they are doing business with".

Analysts for think-thank the Eurasia Group said Raisi's election win would likely not derail the ongoing Vienna talks to salvage the nuclear deal.

But they warned that "his hardline, anti-Western views are a sharp break from the more moderate stances of Rouhani and will have a significant impact on Tehran's relationship with the outside world".

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, speaking about the Vienna talks, said: "We are very close ... So I hope that the result of the election is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process.

"As far as I know... this is not going to be the case. It is not a matter of this president or another, it is the understanding of what is at stake."

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Armenians went to the polls Sunday in early parliamentary elections which were called in an attempt to heal the country's divisions after a disastrous war with Azerbaijan, but which could spark post-vote protests.

Reformist Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has lost much of his appeal after a military defeat last year to arch foe Azerbaijan, is hoping to renew his mandate but is in a tight race with former president Robert Kocharyan.

During a campaign marred by polarising rhetoric, Pashinyan said he expected his Civil Contract party to secure 60 percent of the vote, even though some pollsters say those estimates are far-fetched.

The election in the South Caucasus country of three million people is being watched by Armenia's Soviet-era master Russia as well as Turkey, which backed Azerbaijan in last year's six-week war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

As soon as voting started, Armenians began trickling into polling stations in central Yerevan, according to AFP correspondents.

One voter, Anahit Sargsyan, said the prime minister deserved another chance, adding that she feared the return of the old guard whom she accused of plundering the country.

"I voted against a return to the old ways," said the 63-year-old former teacher.

Another voter, Vardan Hovhannisyan, said he cast his ballot for Kocharyan, who counts Russian leader Vladimir Putin among his friends.

"I voted for secure borders, solidarity in society, the return of our war prisoners, the well-being of the wounded and a strong army," said the 41-year-old musician. "Only Kocharyan can deliver that."

Critics accuse Pashinyan of ceding swathes of territory in and around Karabakh to Azerbaijan in a truce agreement that ended the fighting and of failing to deliver reforms.

'Hatred and enmity'

Pashinyan says he had to agree to the Moscow-brokered truce with Azerbaijan in order to prevent further human and territorial losses.

More than 6,500 people were killed in the war, according to the latest official estimates from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Analysts say the election result is hard to predict, with both Pashinyan and Kocharyan drawing massive crowds in the final days of the race.

Besides Kocharyan, who hails from Karabakh and was in power between 1998 and 2008, two other leaders of post-Soviet Armenia are backing parties in the race. All three are in opposition to Pashinyan.

A venomous campaign saw candidates exchange insults and threats and both frontrunners are expected to stage demonstrations after the election.

Pashinyan, 46, brandished a hammer at rallies, while Kocharyan, 66, said he would be ready to fight the prime minister in a duel and claimed he was planning to rig the vote.

Armenian President Armen Sarkisian, largely a ceremonial figure, decried attempts "to incite hatred and enmity" and urged law enforcement to prevent any violations.

"These elections are taking place in a difficult situation," he said on Saturday. "They are of crucial importance for our state and people."

Corruption probe

Kocharyan, who is seen as a wealthy man, faces a corruption probe and was also investigated over a deadly crackdown on protesters more than a decade ago.

Some observers say Pashinyan might be investigated over his handling of the Karabakh war if he is voted out of power.

A poll released Friday by MPG, a group affiliated with Gallup International Association, showed Kocharyan's Armenia bloc leading narrowly with 28.7 percent to 25.2 percent for Pashinyan's party.

Following in third with 10.8 percent was an alliance linked to Pashinyan's enemy and predecessor Serzh Sargsyan.

A record four electoral blocs and 21 parties are running for election but only a handful are expected to win seats in parliament.

Around 2.6 million people are eligible to vote to elect for a five-year term the minimum number of 101 parliament members under a proportional electoral system.

A winning party needs to obtain at least 50 percent of seats plus one and can be assigned additional seats in order to form a government.

Polls will close at 8:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) in an election being monitored by observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

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The fiancee of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Saturday condemned his "grotesque" detention in Britain, after visiting him in jail for the first time in eight months.

Stella Moris, 38, went to Belmarsh prison in south London on Saturday with the couple's two young sons. She said she had not seen Assange since he made a court appearance in January.

"The situation is utterly intolerable and grotesque, and it can't go on," Moris said after the visit, describing Assange as "struggling".

The UK authorities are "driving him to deep depression and into despair", she added.

Assange, 49, was arrested in Britain in 2019 for jumping bail after spending seven years inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London to evade extradition to Sweden and the US.

Moris is a lawyer and worked on his legal team while he was in the embassy.

In January, a judge ruled not to extradite Assange on mental health grounds, but refused to release him on bail, citing fears he would abscond.

He is detained awaiting the outcome of an appeal against the extradition ruling.

Sweden dropped a rape investigation against Assange in 2019.

He is wanted in Washington to face 18 charges relating to the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

If convicted in the United States, he faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in jail.

Moris said Saturday she "hoped" the family would stay in Britain if the appeal by US prosecutors is blocked.

She has visited Switzerland and along with the UN special rapporteur on torture and Geneva's mayor, called for Assange's immediate release.

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France's centre-right Republicans party is on course to finish top in the first round of regional elections Sunday, ahead of the far-right National Rally which appears to have performed below expectations in key areas, early results showed.

The vote, which will conclude with a second round next Sunday, was marked by a record abstention rate of 66.5-68.6 percent, according to surveys, which Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called "particularly worrying".

The results, if confirmed, would represent a disappointment for far-right leader Marine Le Pen less than a year from presidential elections.

They might instead give momentum to France's centre-right, and to a lesser extent to the Socialists, France's two traditional parties of government, which look set to finish far ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's Republic on the Move party.

The election takes place over two consecutive Sundays, with a second run-off vote scheduled for June 27.

It is hard to predict the ultimate winners on the basis of this Sunday's results because of the two-stage electoral system and the impact of tactical voting, which usually sees mainstream parties gang up to keep the far-right out of power.

Polls had suggested the National Rally finishing top in six regions in the first round, possibly putting it on course to win at least one of them for the first time in its history.

The party's best hope was in the southeastern Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur -- home to Marseille, Saint-Tropez and Cannes -- where its campaign was fronted by Thierry Mariani, a former minister who defected from the centre-right Republicans party.

But Mariani underperformed pre-vote polling figures, with early results showing him neck-and-neck with the current head of the region, Renaud Muselier from the Republicans.

The record abstention rate, visible earlier in the day at often empty polling booths, has sparked a debate about the health of French democracy.

"It's a democratic slap in the face for all of us," Aurore Berge, a leading MP from Macron's party, told the BFM channel.

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Egypt is in negotiations with the World Bank Group (WBG) to secure funding to finance the countrys second wave of economic reforms that focus on structural reforms, Egypts Ministry of International Cooperation said in a statement.

Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat met on Sunday with the World Banks country director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti Marina Wes to discuss the future cooperation between the two sides under the World Banks development policy financing (DPF).

The negotiations are expected to concentrate on four pillars, which include enhancing Egypts financial stability, green recovery, private sector participation and boosting womens participation in the economy, according to the statement.

In April, Egypt launched the second phase of its economic reform programme, which focuses on structural reforms, following the first phase of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-backed programme in place since 2016.

The three-year phase, called the National Structural Reform Programme (NSRP), aims to support Egypts economy and spur its comprehensive and sustainable growth.

During the meeting, Wes said that Egypt is a strategic partner to the World Bank and that it aspires to engage in more cooperation with the country to support its developmental plans.

On her side, Al-Mashat said that the ministry seeks to enhance their economic relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners, in order to support their implementation of Egypts Vision 2030.

In March, the World Bank approved a $440 million loan that aims to support Egypts initiatives to enhance the safety and service quality of the countrys railways.

Over 2020, Egypt inked development finance agreements worth a total of $1.5 billion, covering various developmental sectors.

The IMFs executive board is expected to discuss the third and final review of Egypts stand-by agreement (SBA), through which Egypt is expected to receive the third tranche of the loan, worth $1.6 billion.

Under the 12-month SBA loan programme, Egypt has previously obtained $3.6 billion in two tranches  out of $5.2 billion  to finance Egypts second wave of reforms.

The SBA programme marked the 11th financial deal Egypt has signed with the IMF since it becoming a member in 1945.

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The French-Armenian short documentary Storgetnya, directed by Hovig Hagopian, received positive feedback on Saturday from filmmakers and critics attending the 22nd edition of the Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts, where it competed with 13 other films in the same category.

With a very limited budget, it took us seven days of shooting under tough conditions of the COVID-19, said the films French producer Astrig Chandeze-Avakianat at the seminar, held after the screening at the Ismailia Cultural Palace, where most of the festivals activities are being held.

Hagopian came with the full of vision of the idea. He was supposed to come to Ismailia with the film before the event was rescheduled, she added at the seminar run by Egyptian critic Rami Elmetwaly, praising the filmmaker and speaking about the process and her responsibilities during the production

The producer received praise from attendees, including veteran Egyptian cinematographer Samir Farag, who hailed the cinematography and the sound-design.

Storgetnya is competing in the short documentaries contest at the festival, which runs until 22 June.

The film was edited by Lucie Brux, and produced by Astrig Chandeze-Avakian and La Femis.

In the same category, another seminar was held on Friday for Naya - Der Wald hat tausend Augen (Naya - The Forest Has a Thousand Eyes), directed by Dutch filmmaker Sebastian Mulder, which focused on the shooting of the first wolf in Belgium in a century. Mulder was previously known for Nature: All Rights Reserved (2016)

On Thursday, Nicolas Khourys A City And A Woman stirred sympathy for war-torn Lebanon, as well as praises and debate over the films classification as a documentary. Khoury said everything is fiction, explaining his vision behind the film that is a cinematographic interpretation of a French poem written in 1992, with shots of a woman among devastated buildings and deserted streets in Beirut after last Augusts explosion.

Other films screened in the same category include Polish Miedzy Nami (Between Us), Slovak-Afghani Orchester z Krajiny Ticha (Orchestra from the Land of Silence), and Hugarys Nanu Tudor (My Uncle Tudor) among others.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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On 6 June, CEO of the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Hani Salem Sonbol paid a five-day official visit to Egypt, his first since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During his stay, Sonbol met with Hala Al-Said, minister of planning and economic development, and governor for Egypt at the IsDB Group, as well as Ali Moselhi, minister of supply and internal trade, to discuss the corporations provision of $400 million to the General Authority for Supply Commodities.

He also met with Tarek Al-Molla, minister of petroleum and mineral resources, to discuss the $700 million provided to the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, and Rania Al-Mashat, minister of international cooperation, to pave the way for further cooperation and the implementation of the $1.1 billion 2021 financing programme.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Ahram Weekly while in Cairo, Sonbol talked about the efforts needed to overcome the fallout from the pandemic and how the ITFC can help.

How does the ITFC perceive the investment and business atmosphere in Egypt?

Despite the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic activity in Egypt is rebounding. According to the World Bank, remittances, portfolio inflows, and external financing continue to support the countrys international reserves. The government of Egypt is committed to strengthening its pandemic-containment efforts, pushing ahead with fiscal and structural reforms, strengthening social protection, and advancing its human capital efforts, all of which provide a more stable investment and business environment.

As part of its national development strategy, the government intends to increase exports to $100 billion cumulatively within the next five years, as well as to strengthen private-sector development and tap into its productive capacities to meet the countrys economic ambitions. With the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which as the largest free-trade area of its kind stands to increase Africas exports by $560 billion, mostly in manufacturing, Egypt is well placed to be a driver of inter-regional trade with emerging African economies and surrounding regions.

The AfCFTA represents an important opportunity for Egypt, especially in supporting the countrys ambitions to build fourth-generation cities that will accommodate an estimated 30 million people, providing millions of jobs and catalysing the role of the private sector in driving growth. This is where programmes such as the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Programme, which aims to drive inter-regional trade and investment flows between Arab and African countries, are supporting both the Egyptian public and private sectors to identify and build stronger commercial partnerships, develop export capacity, and enhance trade potential across key growth sectors.

How are the ITFC facilities good for Egypt?

Egypt has always been an important member of the ITFC. The corporation continues to build strategic relationship with Egypt, supporting the country to meet its trade finance and development needs, enhance its export potential, help strengthen the capacity of its SMEs, and support private-sector development amongst others, with a total financing of $12 billion through five framework agreements. The most recent, the fifth framework agreement, signed in January this year for $1.1 billion, focuses on integrated trade solutions to support Egyptian entities through trade financing and trade development components, boosting the countrys export potential, developing value chains in sectors such as cotton, driving female entrepreneurship, enhancing SME growth, and providing strategic commodities for the country.

In relation to strengthening the economic participation of women, the ITFC has, in coordination with the International Trade Centre (ITC), launched the She Trades Egypt Programme within the framework of the Aid-for-Trade Initiative for Arab States (AfTIAS). Through this programme, 50 women-led SMEs from the Egyptian Womens Union Association and Egyptian Businesswomens Association will be able to take advantage of expanded trade networks and be empowered to upskill, identify new market trends, and exploit new technologies and environments such as the digital economy and virtual learning.

Furthermore, given Egypts ideal location between the Arab and African regions, the country is a major partner and governing board member of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Programme (AATB). Between 2018 and 2019, Egyptian companies have benefited significantly from enhanced trade relations and partnerships with African countries, particularly in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Under the AATB alliance, the ITFC also supports the Egyptian Export Development Authority (EDA) to implement a comprehensive programme for Egyptian exporters in various projects between 2020 and 2021.

Amongst these projects are capacity development workshops for furniture exporters in Cairo and Damietta, allowing them to tap into African markets. Additionally, a partnership with the Egyptian Exporters Association (EXPOLINK) is underway to organise an export incubator programme in cooperation with the Foreign Trade Training Centre (FTTC).

What kind of assistance has the ITFC extended to Egypt in relation to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis?

The ITFCs pandemic-response strategy had been part of the Islamic Development Bank Groups response programme, with a total allocation of $2.3 billion as part of its Rapid Response Initiative to support the immediate needs of member countries. The ITFCs trade finance approvals reached $605 million in the Rapid Response phase, exceeding the initial targeted allocations.

Egypt was amongst the first beneficiaries for emergency funding through the provision of $200 million to the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) to cover the Egyptian governments immediate needs for basic strategic commodities, including food staples.

In addition, the ITFCs ongoing trade solutions agreements as part of the 2021 development plan for Egypt are all geared towards protecting the continuity of trade to sustain the Egyptian economy by building the capacities of important export sectors such as SMEs, strengthening the economic participation of women through trade, and building stronger value chains in sectors such as cotton, all of which contribute to the governments ongoing pandemic-containment measures.

How has Egypt benefited from the AfTIAS?

Egypt is a vital member of the AfTIAS, having played a key role in the establishment of the first phase of the programme and directly contributing to the supervision of 28 projects geared towards driving foreign trade between the Arab countries. During the first phase of the AfTIAS, the Egyptian trade ecosystem benefited from nine initiatives aimed at facilitating trade, addressing non-tariff measures, building export capacity, and enhancing the role of women in trade.

Egypt also contributed to the design of the second phase of the AfTIAS, which included addressing priorities to overcome the negative effects of the pandemic on Arab trade. The government has committed $1.25 million to improving the capabilities of export development institutions and strengthening access to foreign markets, as well as strengthening the participation of Arab countries in global value chains. This sum will also go towards improving the skills of youth and women and drive SMEs in the e-commerce sector, digitise commercial operations in vital foreign-trade sectors, and address barriers to accessing Arab and international markets.

How do you see the impact of Covid-19 on intra-Arab trade and on trade between Arab and African countries?

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown just how important programmes such as AfTIAS and AATB are in ensuring ongoing trade and investment flows and safeguarding economies. Now more than ever, Arab and African countries should embrace greater trade integration and cooperation and build regional supply chains to boost local industries and exports. Under the two programmes, several key initiatives have already been held this year to drive trade continuity.

As part of the AfTIAS, the first-ever International Virtual Exhibition for Madinah Dates was held, aimed at increasing internal and external demand for the provinces dates and enhancing their competitiveness on the global market. Over 35 exhibitors, date-export companies and government agencies participated in the event. More than 90 business-matching meetings between exhibitors and potential buyers from targeted international date markets were also held. Additionally, an agreement with the Arab Tourism Organisation (ATO) laid down a general framework for cooperation and coordination to support the development of the tourism sector in the Arab region, especially in view of the impacts of Covid-19.

In terms of securing Arab-Africa trade, earlier this year the ITFC alongside the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) hosted a webinar for over 1,000 development institutions, sovereign funds, banks, investment and private equity companies, and key government and corporate sector representatives. Held under the AATB programme, the event set out to identify channels to bridge the gap between regions by leveraging the programmes investment, trade, and insurance pillars to drive business opportunities across key industries such as agro-food, health and pharmaceuticals, building and construction materials and equipment, and machinery and electrical equipment.

Another AATB initiative was the launch of the Market Access Requirements Programme for African Markets in partnership with the Export Development Authority (EDA) to enable Egyptian exporters to access African markets across industries such as building materials, chemicals, medical and pharmaceuticals, engineering, printing, packaging, paper products, and furniture. Target African markets include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda in the East, along with Senegal, Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Guinea in the West, and South Africa, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in the South.

In March, a workshop was held for over 70 furniture-exporting companies in Damietta aimed at facilitating knowledge-transfer on the technical requirements, export-planning, and marketing services required to effectively access African markets.

Both the AfTIAS and AATB programme platforms will continue to address the need for enhanced trade integration and identify opportunities to protect trade continuity in these key regions.

How can the Arab countries deal positively with challenges in the near term and beyond?

The Covid-19 pandemic revealed the priority sectors that are critical to the development and recovery of the Arab countries. Prioritising healthcare and inclusive human capital through the creation of decent and sustainable jobs is integral to building the resilience of communities. There is immense opportunity to increase dialogue with the private sector and identify ways to overcome various challenges.

Earlier this year, as part of the AfTIAS programme a roundtable was held on post-Covid-19 economic recovery through inclusive job creation. The virtual roundtable highlighted key areas of intervention, ranging from poverty alleviation to inclusive job creation, enhancing stability in fragile states, and curbing migration.

Over the course of the year, additional workshops will be held for the private sector to provide it with a wider understanding of the Arab market and identify opportunities for enhanced trade collaboration in these challenging times.

What were some of the additional outcomes of your five-day visit to Cairo this month?

One of the most important outcomes was the signing of a partnership agreement with the Egyptian Exporters Association (EXPOLINK) to support young entrepreneurs seeking trade and trade-finance opportunities in Egypt and beyond under the umbrella of the AATB. The partnership agreement comes in response to the conditions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic to enable Egyptian exporters to enter new markets and grow their competitive edge, particularly understanding the requirements of electronic exports and their importance to targeting a larger number of potential customers around the world. The programme also supports entrepreneurs in identifying future export trends and handling various issues related to shipping, customs, electronic contracts, and transactions.

The training programme for exporters on Entering African Markets also successfully concluded last Thursday in Cairo. Organised by the ITFC in cooperation with the Export Development Authority under the AATB programme, this was the first in a series of initiatives to train Egyptian exporters on tangible mechanisms to access African markets and benefiting representatives from 50 companies from the targeted exporting sectors in many fields.

The workshop helped to spotlight opportunities for trade in Africa, forge an integrated export strategy for the African market, understand the legal landscape of the continent, and map opportunities across Africas diverse countries and cities.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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In the four decades since the first cases of what would come to be known as AIDS were documented, scientists have made huge strides in HIV treatment, transforming what was once a death sentence to a manageable condition.What we still don't have is a vaccine that would train human immune systems to ward off the infection before it ever takes root.Here's the state of play on some of these efforts, which experts see as the "holy grail" in the fight to eliminate a virus that 38 million people live with globally.

More people than ever now have access to medications called antiretroviral therapy or ART, which when taken as prescribed, keeps down the amount of virus in their body.



This keeps them healthy and unable to transmit HIV to their partners.



Beyond ART, people at high risk for infection can now get pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a pill taken every day that reduces the risk of infection by 99 percent.



"But access to medication is not organized in every part of the world," Hanneke Schuitemaker, global head of viral vaccine discovery at Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Vaccines, told AFP.



Even within wealthy countries, wide socio-economic and racial disparities exist in accessing these medicines, and vaccines have historically been the most effective tools to eradicate infectious diseases.



J&J is currently carrying out two human efficacy trials for its HIV vaccine candidate, and initial results from one of them may come as early as "the end of this year," Schuitemaker said.



Vaccines against Covid-19 were developed in record time and have shown remarkable levels of safety and efficacy, helping drive down caseloads in the countries fortunate enough to have wide access.



Many of these shots were developed using technologies that were previously being tried out on HIV -- so why haven't we had breakthroughs yet?



"The human immune system doesn't self cure HIV, whereas what was very clear was the human immune system was quite capable of self curing Covid-19," Larry Corey, principal investigator of HVTN, a global organization funding HIV vaccine development, told AFP.



Covid vaccines work by eliciting antibodies that bind to the virus' spike protein and stop it from infecting human cells.



HIV also has spike-shaped proteins on its surface, which are the target of HIV vaccine development.



But while Covid has tens of well known variants circulating worldwide, HIV has hundreds or thousands of variants inside each infected person, William Schief, an immunologist leading development of an mRNA HIV vaccine at Scripps Research Institute told AFP.





Because it's a "retrovirus" it quickly incorporates itself into its host's DNA. An effective vaccine will need to stop the infection dead in its tracks, not just reduce the amount of virus and leave the remainder to stay with the person forever.



Efforts to develop a vaccine have been going on for decades but have so far all ended in failure.



Last year, a study called Uhambo that was taking place in South Africa and involved the only vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus frustratingly ended in failure.



J&J's vaccine candidate is currently being trialed in 2,600 women in sub-Saharan Africa in the Imbokodo trial, which is expected to report results in the coming months.



It's also being tested in around 3,800 men who have sex with men and transgender individuals across the US, South America and Europe in the Mosaico trial.



The J&J vaccine uses similar adenovirus technology to its Covid-19 vaccine, in other words a genetically modified cold virus delivers genetic cargo carrying instructions for the host to develop "mosaic immunogens" -- molecules capable of inducing an immune response to a wide variety of HIV strains.



This is followed up by directly injecting synthetic proteins in later doses.



Another promising approach is to try to generate "broadly neutralizing antibodies" (bnAbs) which bind to areas of the HIV virus that are common across its many variants.



The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and Scripps Research recently announced results from an early stage trial showing their mRNA vaccine candidate, developed with Moderna, stimulated the production of rare immune cells that create bnAbs.



Their strategy, explained Schief, is to use a sequence of shots to try to gradually educate antibody producing B-cells. They also hope to train up another kind of white cell, known as T-cells, to kill any cells that still get infected despite the antibodies.



Efficacy trials are still a long way off, but he's hopeful the mRNA technology, which turn the body's cells into vaccine factories and has proven its worth against Covid-19, can make the difference.

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Prevention is better than cure -- but when it comes to Covid, what happens when people can't get the vaccine, don't want it, or they're immune suppressed and it fails to stop the infection?



The hunt is on for a coronavirus treatment that can be taken as a pill soon after a confirmed positive, halting the disease in its tracks so that cases that might have been severe end up being nothing more than a bad cold.



Several companies are working on so-called oral antivirals, which would mimic what the drug Tamiflu does for influenza.

It's great that we have vaccine rollout that has been significant, but it certainly will not be taken by everybody in our population, and not everybody who takes the vaccine will have a full response to it," David Hirschwerk, an infectious diseases physician at Northwell Health in New York told AFP.



An easily storable and transportable pill would also offer practical advantages over existing treatments such as monoclonal antibodies, which are mainly injected by drips at hospital infusion centers.



- Promising results - One of the frontrunners in these efforts is a twice-a-day drug called Molnupiravir, which is being developed by Merck in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.



Early results from a Phase 2 trial showed that, among dozens of volunteers who tested positive at the start, none of those who received the drug had any detectable virus by day five; while a quarter of those who received a placebo did.



The numbers are promising but too small to draw firm conclusions from, and the company is now enrolling for a Phase 3 trial involving 1,850 people with results expected by fall.



"Viruses are basically little machines and they need certain components to replicate themselves," Merck's chief scientific officer Daria Hazuda told AFP. Antivirals are designed to interfere with that process.



Molnupiravir belongs to a class of antiviral called "polymerase inhibitors," which work by targeting an enzyme that viruses need to copy their genetic material, introducing mutations and leave them unable to replicate.



Because antibodies target a surface protein of the coronavirus that is continually evolving, antivirals are expected to be more variant-proof.



- Early use - Currently, there's just one antiviral approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat Covid, which is Remdesivir by Gilead Sciences.



Like Molnupiravir, it is a polymerase inhibitor, though their precise actions differ.



Remdesivir's biggest disadvantage is that it was developed as an intravenous drug and targeted at hospitalized Covid patients, among whom it was shown to modestly reduce recovery time.



But by the time Covid has progressed to severe, much of the harm to patients' health comes from their own immune systems going into overdrive and damaging their organs, rather than viral replication.



That's why the focus now is on oral formulations that can be taken within days of infection, and apart from Merck, there are a few other notable entrants.



Roche and Atea have begun a 1,400 patient trial to study their own oral polymerase inhibitor, AT-527.



"This drug has so far been shown to be very potent in vitro," Jean-Pierre Sommadossi, founder and CEO of Atea told AFP.



"I think that after the pandemic, you're going to have a phase which is going to be endemic," he predicted, with the company hoping to file for authorization by the end of the year and launch the drug by 2022.



- Curing the cold? - Pfizer, which has developed one of the pandemic's foremost vaccines, is also attracting significant attention for its oral drug PF-07321332, which has begun Phase 1 human trials in healthy patients.



Its timeline is a little behind the others, because the medicine, which belongs to a class called "protease inhibitors," was designed specifically against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with work beginning in March 2020.



Protease enzymes act as molecular scissors that cut long protein chains into smaller pieces, that are then re-assembled as part of viral replication.



"Our investigational orally-administered protease inhibitor was designed to 'fit into' the protease (i.e., stick into the scissors) and 'block it' (i.e., keep the scissors from working)," Charlotte Allerton, head of medicine design for Pfizer, told AFP.



The company is hoping to expand to late-stage studies by the middle of this year, she added.



All the drugmakers also plan to study their medicines for preventative use among close contacts of infected people.



The antivirals under development have demonstrated effectiveness in lab studies against other types of coronaviruses -- some of which cause serious diseases like SARS and MERs, while others cause the cold.



"If it is proven to be very safe and proven to be effective, then it can be used broadly, irrespective of the diagnosis, to treat and prevent multiple respiratory infections," said Hazuda of Merck's product.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed Egypt's belief in the importance of dialogue among world peoples of different sects and ethnicities, citing the state's efforts to strengthen citizenship principles based on equality, peaceful coexistence and freedom of belief.

El-Sisi made the remarks during his meeting on Sunday with Mafdal Sayf Al-Din, the Sultan of the Indian Bohra community, in the presence of General Intelligence Service (GIS) Chief Abbas Kamel, said Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady.

During the meeting, President Sisi affirmed the deeply-rooted historical ties between Egypt and the Bohra sect, expressing his appreciation of Sultan Sayf Al-Dins role in restoring and renewing the shrines of Aal Al-Bayt and a number of historical Egyptian mosques, the spokesman added.

From his side, the Bohra sultan praised the current approach adopted by Egypt under President El-Sisi to guarantee the freedom of worship and uphold peaceful coexistence among all sects.

Sultan Sayf Al-Din also paid tribute to the significant progress that Egypt has witnessed in different fields, as well as Cairo's active part in settling different regional issues, notably the Palestinian cause and the Libyan crisis.



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From June 2007 onwards, the month Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after staging a coup against the Palestinian Authority (PA), Egypt has been trying to end what is commonly known as the division, or, if you will, the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with their parallel governments.

Cairo has hosted many rounds of national dialogue between the Palestinian organisations with this end in mind, most importantly between the two main quarrelling factions, Fatah and Hamas. After 14 years, these rounds of dialogue have only achieved results on paper, however, despite the repeated calls on the part of the Palestinians to unify their ranks in the framework of a national partnership.

During this period, Hamas and Israel have also gone to war four times, the last time being last month. In each case, Egypt had to intervene to bring military operations to a close with either a truce or a ceasefire. The longest truce lasted seven years from 2014 until the outbreak of hostilities in Gaza in May, when neither the outgoing government of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas had an interest in prolonging the military showdown for more than 11 days.

Both sides proved once more that they are very good at instigating hostilities and destruction, but that they are incapable or unwilling, or both, to fight for peace and security. Egypt has remained the most-trusted mediator, if you will, not only between the Israelis and Hamas, but also among the Palestinians themselves.

After successfully mediating a ceasefire agreement in Gaza on 22 May, Egypt, with close coordination from the Biden administration, has been working on a more-permanent truce that will pave the way for Palestinian reconciliation on the one hand and the possible resumption of peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the other.

Working initially on the most urgent task of encouraging the Palestinians to speak with one voice, Cairo invited the PA, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other organisations for a new round of dialogue on 12-13 June. The objective from the Egyptian point of view was to push the Palestinians to carry out the previous reconciliation agreements that they had already reached over the past 14 years. The invitation came on the heels of a tour by director of the Egyptian Intelligence Services Abbas Kamel that included visits to Israel, Ramallah and Gaza.

However, the Egyptian government had to postpone the meetings. According to Palestinian sources, the decision aimed to provide the Palestinians with more time to work out their differences. It is understandable that the Egyptian authorities wanted the talks among the Palestinians in Cairo this month to be successful, but this desire hit the almost impenetrable wall of inter-Palestinian differences.

Representatives of Fatah, Hamas, other Palestinian organisations and spokesmen of the PA, without a single exception, have kept singing the praises of national unity, but they apparently lack the political will to turn this into reality.

The differences among the Palestinians revolve around which comes first, a unity government that would be responsible for the reconstruction of Gaza, with some Palestinian sources calling this the government of reconstruction, or further efforts on restructuring the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) to include Hamas and Islamic Jihad. It is interesting to note that the Palestinians themselves already agreed on such restructuring some years ago in Cairo.

The hairsplitting among the Palestinians that led Cairo to postpone a new round of dialogue probably reflects a lack of the political will necessary to bring an end to the division or separation referred to above, even though all the Palestinian organisations have committed themselves verbally to setting up a unity government that would include representatives of Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other smaller Palestinian factions.

The Palestinians are arguing among themselves which of the two processes should come first. Two opposing points of views are waiting to be resolved, and each has foreign interests involved. One proposes concentrating Palestinian efforts on reconstruction, prisoner-swaps with Israel and easing the Israeli siege of Gaza. The other wants to tackle the core questions that have been the subjects of previous agreements.

The representatives of Fatah who came to Cairo to take part in the Egyptian-sponsored dialogue left for Ramallah to discuss the way forward from the standpoint of the PA. Ramallah is in fact exercising a veto power on the whole process of reconciliation so that it can remain the final arbiter of Palestinian destiny. Hamas is playing the same game, feeling that it has come out of the latest military confrontation with Israel more powerful and more representative of the Palestinians after it proved its capabilities in targeting Israeli territory from Gaza despite the existence of the ongoing siege.

In the days ahead, Egypt will be the arbiter, so to speak, between these two opposing approaches. Its success will depend on how far the various Palestinian organisations, particularly Fatah and Hamas, are willing to go in reconciling their differences and reaching a compromise that will serve the Palestinian people and not their vested interests in maintaining the failed Palestinian status quo of division and separation.

*The writer is former assistant foreign minister.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The day has come, bewildering as it may seem, when I am able to see eye to eye with Michele Dunne of the Carnegie Middle East Programme, even if only in part and to a limited extent. This change of heart occurred after reading her collaborative publication, produced with Fredric Wehrey of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, entitled From Hardware to Holism: Rebalancing American Security Engagement with Arab States.

Dunne and I disagree on many basic issues, mainly her glaring dislike of everything Egyptian. Dunne was barred from entering Egypt in 2014, and since then the original backlash against Egypt that caused her entry to be refused in the first place has flared up repeatedly.

In An Open Letter to Michele Dunne, written in 2018 and published in Al-Ahram Weekly, I denounced her writings and the vendetta she has been carrying out against Egypt, so for me to partly agree with the gist of her views has been a jaw-dropper. This could largely be the influence of her co-writer, Wehrey, or the fact that the core of her publication is not about Egypt at all but is about the Arab states in general.

It concludes that the US approach to the Arab states has been faulty, anchored in conventional arms transfers, brick-and-mortar military basing, and bilateral ties with autocratic Arab states. The US has pumped weapons and military support into the region when it should have been promoting and aiding economic development. Today, it should shift its support from military support to diplomacy and development. I am in total agreement with this, and I would say it is high time, too.

According to Dunne, one of the strongest arguments for change in the status quo is due to its having not delivered on the promise of stabilising the region or advancing US interests. Again, Im in total agreement. The region has not been stabilised, partly due to the intrusive role the US has played. The mass of the people if anything detest US manipulation and coercion, limiting the advancement of US interests further.

Another compelling argument for why the status quo is no longer tenable in the Middle East comes from the immense changes underway within Arab states themselves. I tend to agree here, too. The Middle East has changed considerably since 2011, some countries for the worse, others for the better. Either way, all countries loathe the meddling and prying of powerful states in their own business.

Worse, it has often implicated the United States in those allies abuses at home and made US policymakers reluctant to criticise them for fear of losing access for US forces. Here my agreement with Dunne begins to abate. First, for fear of losing access for US forces illustrates what the US has always done: have its forces access and utilise the Middle East for its own benefit.

Second, Dunnes comment neglects to mention the role the US has played in instigating wars across the region and, hence, the need for further purchases of arms by countries in the region. Dunne does not bring up the US role in destroying the countries it has supplied with weapons or even the countries it has bombarded with such weapons.

Fundamentally, the comment fails to detail the role the US has played in obliterating many Arab countries. Iraq is one example, where the US was the primary cause of its downfall and its inability to recover even 18 years after the US-led invasion. The US destroyed Iraq and then ludicrously stayed on to save the country from its own doing.

Dunnes comment also fails to mention the role the US played in destroying Libya. It supplied former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafis opponents with arms and conducted airstrikes so as to destroy his regime and air defences, ultimately forcing him to step down. Today, Libya remains a hotbed for an ongoing proxy war, after US and coalition forces retreated leaving the Libyans to deal with the shambles.

In Syria, the US failed when it armed and trained the rebel Free Syrian Army, allowing it to gain more steam. According to a US Department of State fact sheet, in northwest Syria, from 2012 to 2018, the United States provided non-humanitarian assistance to bolster the Syrian opposition.

Lets dig deeper. According to Dunnes publication, one of the reasons the US needs to change its approach in the Middle East is the decline in the global demand for oil. This is key. It implies that while oil was lucrative, the US was supportive. Now as the value of and the need for oil subsides, the US should change its ways. Rather a remarkable revelation, isnt it?

The contributors also avoid mentioning the Israeli role in the region. The US is committed to standing by Israel no matter what ills Israel persists on masterminding. The unconditional and undeniable approval of the US for Israels every move leaves neighbouring countries in a bind, having to purchase defencive weapons whether they want to or not.

Security assistance has also not succeeded in building up the militaries of regional Arab partners to levels where they can credibly defend themselves without US help or can participate, in a significant way, in US-led multilateral operations, the publication says.

I wonder why any Middle Eastern countries would want to join a US-led multilateral operation. Besides, Egypt has a powerful security apparatus and ranks 13th out of 140 countries having the most powerful armies in the world. It has also managed to diversify its weapons purchasing, and it has turned to Europe, especially France, and Russia and China for weapons supplies. Yes, Egypt can and will defend itself without US help.

Echoing its predecessors, the Biden administration is arguing that the Middle East has long been consuming a disproportionate share of US attention and resources, the publication says. I beg to differ: the disproportion is due to the USs unequivocal interest in the area.

It was in the interest of the US to remain involved and to take part in effecting change in the Middle East. Today, despite the publications call for a more distant role, it is highly unlikely that the US will let other players get too friendly or partake in cozier ties with the Arab states while it disappears out of the picture.

Though US security policy with the Arab states has long needed a major overhaul, the writers in this collection do not present solutions for how the United States can do just that, and they do not explicitly explain how it can be achieved. In all fairness, the collection is focused on how to advantage US interests; very little has been thought out as to how the change will advantage the Middle East.

I thus cant see myself agreeing with Michele Dunne for long.

*The writer is the author of Cairo Rewind on the First Two Years of Egypts Revolution, 2011-2013.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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KYODO NEWS - Jun 18, 2021 - 23:10 | World, All

The Australian government is considering listing koalas in three states on the east coast as endangered species, Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said Friday.

The population of koalas in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory has been threatened by deforestation and other factors but dealt a devastating blow by bushfires in 2019 and 2020 that hit the east coast.

The animal is being classified as "vulnerable" on the government's list on species protection but conservation groups nominated it to be listed as "endangered" in March.

"The bushfires were the final straw, hitting at the heart of already struggling koala populations and critical habitat," said Josey Sharrad from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, quoted by The Canberra Times on Friday.

An estimated one-third of koalas in New South Wales were lost to the blazes, with the fires also destroying a quarter of the state's koala habitat, according to a report by the legislative council of New South Wales on the koala populations and habitat in the state.

Experts have warned that the beloved Australian icon will be extinct by 2050, unless urgent action is taken.

To take further steps to protect koalas, the Australian government is calling for public comment on a plan for recovering the population and the proposal of raising threatened species protection status of the animal in the three states to "endangered."

Alongside the proposed, Ley announced an investment of AU$24 million (US$18 million) on effort for recovering the koala population including habit restoration, population mapping and veterinary support.

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KYODO NEWS - Jun 20, 2021 - 10:11 | All, Japan

Japan has recently been promoting sake produced in seven prefectures to local buyers in southwestern China's Guizhou Province, the home of fiery, throat-tingling "Maotai" liquor, amid a sharp decline in Chinese visitors to Japan due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At a promotional event held in late May in Guiyang, the capital of the province, representatives of the seven areas -- Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Ishikawa, Fukui, Shiga, Saga and Oita -- explained about the flavors of their sake products to about 80 participants in a tasting.

A Chinese certified sake sommelier also gave a lecture on the production process and how to find a favorite sake, Japan's traditional rice wine.

Nobuyuki Watanabe, Japan's consul general in Chongqing, southwestern China, pointed out in his speech that Guizhou is the largest liquor brewing center in China and is promoting international exchanges through liquor.

"I hope that exchanges between Guizhou and Japan will become even more active," he said at the event co-hosted by the Consulate General of Japan in Chongqing, the Japan External Trade Organization and the province's Foreign Affairs Office.

"Maotai" -- a kind of "baijiu" Chinese distilled spirit -- is made from a grain called sorghum and is characterized by its high alcohol content and unique flavor. It is China's signature liquor and is served at Chinese state banquets.

At the event, officials from some of the Japanese prefectures used baijiu as an example in explaining that sake also has a variety of flavors.

Lu Guodong, 52, who owns a baijiu factory, said he usually drinks only Chinese distilled spirits and realized that the taste of Japanese sake is completely different. "If the price comes down, it will be more accepted in China," he said.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 20, 2021 - 12:27 | Feature, All, Japan

A Japanese restaurant operator has started using dried bonito flakes certified as caught and processed in an eco-friendly way as part of efforts to maintain both the country's culinary culture and fishery resources.

Kijima Co. based in Yokohama near Tokyo on June 8 began serving at all of its six restaurants dishes using special bonito flakes, which are a key ingredient in "washoku" traditional Japanese cuisine.

The product is made by Yamaki Co., which obtained the certification from the Marine Stewardship Council, a London-based nonprofit organization, in 2019 for its practice of avoiding overfishing and good management of its supply chain.

"This is an important step forward to show that caring about sustainability is compatible with running businesses," said Hiroaki Kijima, director of the business strategy office at the restaurant operator, in an online press conference.

Washoku, or traditional Japanese cuisine, was added to the list of U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.

With the global consumption of marine products continuing to increase, about 30 percent of the resources were overfished as of 2017, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Annual bonito catches have also increased to around 3 million tons in recent years, raising concerns over future stocks left in the ocean. Japan accounts for about 10 percent of global bonito consumption, mostly as dried flakes, according to an estimation by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Yamaki's MSC certified bonitos are caught by an eco-friendly pole and line method used to catch large midwater species one fish at a time, rather than usual net fishing, said Hironori Tanaka, general manager of the corporate communication department at the company.

The bonitos are traceable and separated from non-certified products in the supply chain, he added.

By processing the bonitos while keeping their freshness, the "dashi" soup stock extracted from the flakes has a rich aroma and umami savory flavor, Tanaka said.

But the output of Yamaki's certified bonito flakes is still limited and only a few restaurants meet the MSC requirements of properly managing products from certified sustainable fisheries, he said.

"I hope our efforts will motivate other restaurants, retailers and fishery operators to work for preserving the resources for the future," Kijima said.
New Delhi:

Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa undertook two sorties in a MiG-21 aircraft during his three-day visit to the Jaisalmer Air Force station in Rajasthan.

The Indian Air Force chief visited various operational as well as welfare facilities, defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said.

During his interaction with station personnel, he exhorted them to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and the need to be vigilant, with regards to security of assets and information.

Dhanoa reached the Jaisalmer Air Force Station on January 18 where he was received by station commander Group Captain M Bandopadhyay.

He was briefed on the operational status of the station, Ojha said in a release.

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New Delhi:

The revenue department on Saturday said the last date for GSTR-3B return filing for December has been extended by two days to January 22.

GSTR-3B is a simple return form introduced by the CBEC after the roll out of the goods and services tax (GST) from July 1. It is meant to capture details of outward and inward supplies.

The deadline to file the return for December in Form GSTR-3B was January 20.

The last date for filing return in FORM GSTR-3B for the month of December, 2017 has been extended by two days to 22nd January, 2018, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said in a tweet.

The last date for filing return in FORM GSTR-3B for the month of December, 2017 has been extended by two days to 22nd January, 2018.  CBEC (@CBEC_India) January 20, 2018

Also Read: GST going to change India's economy: Venkaiah Naidu

The CBEC has already notified the date for filing of return for the months of January, February and March.

It is mandatory for all entities registered for the GST to file Form GSTR-3B.

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Washington :

American aerospace and defence major Lockheed Martin has proposed to manufacture custom-built F-35 fighter jets in India, which its officials say will give Indian industry a unique opportunity to become part of the worlds largest fighter aircraft ecosystem.

We plan to introduce two new words into the lexicon of international fighter aircraft manufacturing: India and exclusive, Vivek Lall, vice president, strategy and business development, at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics told PTI in an interview.

India-specific state-of-the-art fighter production in India will be exclusive, something that has never before been presented by any other fighter aircraft manufacturer, past or present. There will also be a significant export market available for Indian-made fighters, he said.

Lall, an Indian American who last year was instrumental in the decision of the Trump administration to sell top-of-the-line unarmed drones from General Atomics, in his previous capacity.

Noting that the India-specific fighter on offer and its programmes size, scope and success will enable Indian industry to take advantage of unprecedented manufacturing, upgrade and sustainment opportunities well into the future, Lall said the platform will give Indian industry a unique opportunity to become a part of the worlds largest fighter aircraft ecosystem.

We intend to create far more than an assembly line in India, he said.

Lall claimed no other advanced fourth generation platform even comes close to matching the record of real-world combat experience and proven operational effectiveness.

The fighter being offered specifically to India is uniquely the best state-of-the-art fighter, he said adding that all three variants of the F-35 are single-engine aircraft.

Many of the systems used on the India-specific platform are derived from key lessons learned and technologies from Lockheed Martins F-22 and the F-35, the worlds only operational fifth-generation fighters, he said.

Northrop Grummans advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar on the F-16 Block 70 provides F-16s with fifth-generation fighter radar capabilities by leveraging hardware and software commonality with F-22 and F-35 AESA radars, he added.

The APG-83 radar shares more than 95 percent software commonality with the F-35 radar and more than 70 percent hardware commonality.

Lall said the F-16 provides the path to business relationships with Lockheed Martin, the only company in the world that has designed, developed and produced operational fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

Technology improvements will also continue to flow between the F-16, F-22 and F-35 for decades, at a fraction of the cost to F-16 operators, he said.

The platform being offered provides unmatched opportunities for Indian companies of all sizes, including micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) and suppliers throughout India, to establish new business relationships with Lockheed Martin and other industry leaders in the US and around the globe, Lall said giving an insight into the offer being made by his company.

Asserting that approximately half of the Indian fighter supply chain will be common with the fifth generation F-22 and F-35, Lall said the aircraft brings the most modern avionics, a proven AESA radar, modernised cockpit, advanced weapons, longer range with conformal fuel tanks, auto ground collision avoidance capability, and an advanced engine with an extended service life.

Even with the addition of targeting systems and two 2,000 pound (lb) class Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), the aircraft has a mission radius exceeding 1,300 kms 30 percent greater than that of its closest competitor, he said.

Many of the advances in systems on the aircraft India would get draw directly from key lessons learned from Lockheed Martins work on the F-22 and the F-35, he said.

The AESA radar is the result of over two decades of investment, use and experience with AESA technology, and its fully operational on Saturday, Lall said.

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New Delhi:

An Indian woman based in Hong Kong became the citys latest phone scam victim after a fraudster posing as a consulate official asked her to transfer USD 2,300 as part of her visa application.

The 27-year-old woman studying for a PhD reported the case to police on Friday after the Indian consulate here told her its office had not asked her to transfer any money for her application, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported today.

The victim first received a call on Monday from someone claiming to be a consulate staff member who told her she supplied incorrect information on her visa application.

She was told over the phone to transfer money to an Indian bank account.

It is unclear what kind of visa application she had submitted and how the scammers knew about her submission. But police described such cases involving foreign victims and fake consulate workers as rare, noting phone scammers normally posed as local or mainland security officials and accused victims of breaking the law. They then asked for money as a surety or used other ruses.

The scammer, communicating in English, told her the date of birth on her form was completed in the wrong format, a police source said.

She was then told to transfer the sum to an Indian bank account so that lawyers in the country could help her resolve the problem.

She called the diplomatic office a few days later to check on the progress of her application. That is how she realised shed been scammed, he said.

Police recorded four similar cases of Indian nationals in Hong Kong between February and April of last year, the Post report said.

Scammers who spoke fluent English posed as staff members from the Home Affairs Department and told victims they were being fined for giving incorrect information to Indian authorities.

Figures from the security bureau showed the number of cases relating to phone deception fell 10 per cent in the first 10 months of last year to 803 but that financial losses increased to HKD 200 million (Hong Kong dollars).

Around 70 per cent of the cases involved bogus mainland government officials. Police have arrested 11 people in connection with 29 cases.

The biggest case recorded last year involved about HKD 31 million. In May, a 52-year-old chief financial officer of a multinational company received a call from someone posing as the companys CEO. She was told to transfer USD 3.98 million to a mainland Chinese bank account.

The victim realised she had been scammed when she spoke to the real CEO. Police froze about HKD 20 million in the culprits bank account, the report said.

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New Delhi:

Indian smartphone brand Karbonn launched its new Titanium Jumbo with 5-inch HD IPS display.

The smartphone will be available on a three days sale period on e-commerce site Flipkarts Republic Day Sale, starting from January 21. Along with this, the smartphone is bundled with Airtels Mera Pehla Smartphone cashback offer.

The Titanium Jumbo, which is originally priced at Rs 7,490, drops down to Rs 2,999 with both Flipkart and Airtels offers. A discount of Rs 2,491 from Flipkart and Rs 2,000 cashback from Airtel is added on the device which gives it a drop of Rs 4,491.

The buyers get the Airtel discount for a period of 36 months. To get the offer, the Airtel users have to recharge their numbers with Rs 3,500 in the first 18 months to get Rs 500 cashback and continue to recharge with Rs 3,500 for the next 18 months to get an additional Rs 1,500 cashback.

Also Read: Flipkart Republic Day Sale dates out; to take on rival Amazon!

Along with a 5-inch display, the smartphone possesses 4000mAH battery with a standby time of 400 hours and charging time up to 3.5 hours.

Powered by 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, the Titanium Jumbo comes with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage which can be expandable up to 64 GB via micro-SD card.

The Karbonn Titanium Jumbo comes in two colour variants, Black and Champagne, and supports 4G VoLTE connection.

Shashin Devsare, Executive Director at Karbonn Mobiles, said in a statement, We, at Karbonn, are committed to bring the next billion feature phone users into smartphone telephony. By providing a full-fledged 4G smartphone at an effective price of a feature phone, just proves that we are trying to head forward on the path of a 'Digital India' where all of us can have an access to information in a snap of a finger.

We are delighted to partner with Flipkart to fulfil our vision of promoting relevant technology to Indian users at a price and device specifications like never before.
New Delhi:

As many as 17 people including nine women are dead in a fire that broke out in three different factories of Delhi's Bawana industrial area. The cause of fire is yet to be discovered. It took 12 fire tenders to bring this massive ablze under control.

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has expressed deep anguish over the unfortunate incident whereas Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and directed minister for Industries and Urban Development Satyender Jain to keep a strict vigil over the matter.

Police and security officials are investigating the cause of the fire. Five bodies have been taken to the nearby hospital with severe injuries.

The fire broke out at three different factories at sector One ,Three and Five respectively. From ground sources it is known that one of the factories manufactures fire crackers while the other two are engaged in manufacture of carpet and plastic respectively.

Live Updates:

I have directed officials of @MoHFW_INDIA to provide immediate support. Union Health Secretary has spoken to Chief Secretary Delhi. AIIMS trauma centre and Burn Unit Of Safadjung Hospital is ready to provide all support .  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) January 20, 2018

Saddened to hear to about the fire at the #Bawana plastic factory at Delhi. My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the quick recovery of the injured.  Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) January 20, 2018

#

Saddened by the Bawana fire tragedy. Have spoken to officials concerned for necessary action. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May God give them strength to recover from this tragic incident.  LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) January 20, 2018

# As per statement of Chief Fire Officer, the firework factory was running without NOC.

# Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Janakpuri also expressed his concern over the incident and took to twitter to offer condolences over the lives lost in the Bawana fire.

Heard about the fire at #Bawana and deeply saddened to know about the loss of lives.

Condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I pray for speedy recovery to the ones who are injured.  Rajesh Rishi (@aaprajeshrishi) January 20, 2018

#SpotVisuals Seventeen killed in a fire which broke out at a plastic godown in Bawana Industrial Area #Delhi pic.twitter.com/GBDRjacBg1  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2018

I received information about the incident on phone at around 9 pm & we immediately rushed to the spot. Situation is under control now: North #Delhi Mayor Preety Aggarwal pic.twitter.com/QqeLqtgNtP  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2018





Deeply anguished by the fire at a factory in Bawana. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. May those who are injured recover quickly: PM Narendra Modi (File pic) pic.twitter.com/HT78BzSr7F  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2018

V sad to hear abt large no of casualties. Keeping a close watch on rescue operations https://t.co/yHwQAH0bKi  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2018

Learnt about a serious fire incident in a private factory at Bawana. Several casualties reported. Monitoring the situation.Ordered enquiry  Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) January 20, 2018

# "We received 3 calls from Bawana - Sector 1 a plastic factor, 2nd from Sector 5 a cracker storage & Sector 3 a furnace oil storage. All casualties are from Sector 5 fire. Fire is completely under control now. We recovered 17 bodies so far," said G C Mishra, Director Delhi Fire Services

Union Health Minister JP Nadda directs Health Secretary to provide immediate assistance to victims of Bawana fire tragedy and also asked AIIMS trauma centre to be on alert #Delhi  ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2018
New Delhi:

A new application, Empzilla, which connects you directly to the recruiters, was launched on Saturday in Delhi. The app was launched by BJPs National General Secretary Arun Singh at the Siri Fort auditorium.

The application offers a platform to the users which eases the process of recruitment or employment in a conveniently habituated method of Global Chat.

The application, which is now available on Google Play Store, connects lets the user first search for a job and then apply for the job. If the recruiter finds the users resume well enough for the post, they can directly chat on through the app without even the struggle of meeting.

The formal interview can also be conducted through the app, which makes it easy for both the recruiter and the employee as it will save the travelling time and expenses as well as a clear answer will be given to the employee timely.

Arun Singh took to Twitter to inform the people about the launch of the app.

Inaugurating the launch of Empzilla App connecting Youth & Industry for employments in Siri Fort Auditorium. pic.twitter.com/LqTrCfEOJf  Arun Singh (@ArunSinghbjp) January 20, 2018

Akash Attray, Chairman, Empzilla, said on the occassion of the launch, "We realized there were limitations in the way job seekers were communication with employers so far. To do away with those limitations, we are launching this mobile app which will revolutionize the way communications happens between job lookers and recruiters. This can easily be downloaded from Google Playstore and is free. It will also take the governments Digital India initiative forward."

This initiative takes the Modi government's 'Digital India' platform to a new level.

Also Read: WhatsApp for Business, app launched for SMEs, available on Android

BJP's Arun Singh said, "We are excited that Digital India inspiring people to come out with new offerings that not only seek to solve some of the existing problems but also saves costs. I am sure Empzilla app will become popular in no time as it obviates some of the current problems relating to communication between recruiters and job seekers. With deeper internet penetration, Mobile Apps are increasingly being used by people even in smaller cities."

Other dignitaries who were present at the launch included Priyanka Rawat, MP, Sanjay Goel, President, ONGC, Sameer Anja, among a few. Senior officials from Hindustan Power Ltd, Oracle, Apollo Hospital, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Bank and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were also present on the occasion.
Washington:

Joining the Free Karachi campaign launched by Muhajirs in the US against human rights violations in Pakistans largest city, an influential American lawmaker has sought the Trump administrations intervention in stopping oppression and rights abuses against the Muhajirs in Karachi.

President Trumps decision to suspend aid to Pakistan is a clear choice for its leadership on being an ally to the United States, commitment to dismantle terrorist networks and importantly stop oppression and human rights abuse on Muhajirs in Karachi, Baloch, Pashtuns and other minority communities through its military, paramilitary and intelligence assets, Congressman Tom Garrett said in a statement.

The remarks of Garrett, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was published in a special supplement of The Washington Times daily as part of the Free Karachi campaign launched by Muhajir Americans.

The supplement highlights the strategic importance of Karachi in South Asia and growing extremism under the alleged patronage of Pakistans powerful military and its even more powerful ISI intelligence agency.

The supplement feature reports and articles on the persecution of Muhajirs in Karachi and the other urban centres in Sindh province of Pakistan.

Starting this week, digital ads for Free Karachi are running on the website of the Washington Times urging the US administration and world community to save Muhajirs in Pakistan.

Pakistan - where State kills its citizens. #FreeKarachi from the state atrocities of Pakistan, says the ad on the homepage of the newspaper.

Earlier this week, the first phase of the Free Karachi campaign was launched in Washington. Taxis with banners of #FreeKarachi took part in the parade to raise awareness on the plight of Muhajirs in Pakistan.

Pakistans Muhajirs are Urdu-speaking migrants from India. The Pakistan Embassy in Washington has complained to the US State Department against the campaign, alleging that it is anti-Pakistan.

The State Department was not immediately available for comment.

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New Delhi:

The second offshore patrol vessel (OPV) built by the Larsen and Toubro Shipyard near here for the Indian Coast Guard was launched today.

The indigenously built vessel Vijaya, equipped with state-of art radar, navigational and communication system, will be utilised for day and night patrol and surveillance, anti-terrorist, anti-smuggling operations and coastal security, the Coast Guard said.

According to a Rs 1,432 crore contract signed with the Defence Ministry, the L&T Shipyard at Kattupalli, about 45 km from here, would indigenously design and build seven OPVs.

The first OPV, the countrys first-ever such defence craft to be built in a private shipyard, was launched in October 2017. Launching of a vessel is an auspicious occasion as the ship touches the water for the first time.

At a function held at Kattupalli Shipyard, Ennore, here, the second OPV was launched in the presence of Coast Guard (Western seaboard), Commander, Additional Director General, K Natarajan, an official release said.

Speaking on the occasion, he said Coast Guard was on the path of rapid expansion which require a large number of ships and aircraft to strengthen the maritime security mechanism.

Asset requirements were being met by adding new ships and replenishment of ageing existing OPV class of ships in a phased manner, he said. After completing necessary trials on fitted equipment and machineries, the first OPV would be inducted into service by March 2018.

The OPV launched today was expected to be inducted into service by September 2018 after trials on the equipment.The vessel is fitted with 30 mm automatic gun with Fire Control System (FCS) and two units of 12.7 mm gun with FCS.

The navigation and communication system were capable of operating in tropical conditions.

The 98 metre long and 14.8 metres wide ship with a gross tonnage of 2,100 tonnes has an endurance of 5,000 nautical miles with a cruising speed of 12-14 knots which can be increased to 26 knots.

The ship is fitted with two units of diesel driven engines of 9,000 kw each with low fuel consumption.

It also has the capacity to carry one integral twin engine helicopter which would further enhance the operational, surveillance, search and rescue capability.

The OPV would be manned by 102 crew, including 14 officers, it added.

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New Delhi:

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) today announced acquisition of governments entire 51.11 per cent stake in oil refiner HPCL for Rs 36,915 crore, paying a premium of over 10 per cent.

ONGC will pay Rs 473.97 per share for 77.8 crore shares of the government in Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), the company said in a stock exchange filing.

The price it is paying is 14 per cent higher than Fridays closing price of HPCL and over 10 per cent of the 60 -day weighted average of the scrip.

The transaction, which will help the government cross its annual sell-off (disinvestment) target for the first time ever, has been executed through an off-market deal.

While the government started off talks for selling controlling stake in the countrys third largest oil refining and fuel marketing company, seeking about Rs 1 lakh crore on grounds that an open sale would fetch no less than that, what ONGC paid was far less.

ONGCs own valuation adviser EY had put HPCLs valuation at Rs 475 a share plus a premium for getting the controlling stake, sources privy to the negotiations said. The outside advise the company took from Citi put the price at Rs 500 per share.

ONGC negotiated hard and brought down the acquisition price, they said adding the company would do short-term borrowing to fund the acquisition that would be an all cash-deal to be completed by end of the month.

Also, the company has cash reserves of about Rs 12,000 crore.

Sources said ONGC has already taken board approval for raising borrowing limit to Rs 35,000 crore from the previous approval of Rs 25,000 crore. Also, it has loan commitments from domestic and foreign lenders totalling roughly double the acquisition prices and the company would draw from them to make the payments in next one week, they said.

Based on Fridays closing price of Rs 416.55, HPCL has a market capitalisation of about Rs 63,475 crore. At this price, the governments 51.11 per cent stake is worth Rs 32,442 crore.

Government of India has entered into an agreement with ONGC today for strategic sale of its 51.11 per cent equity share-holding in HPCL at a consideration of Rs 36,915 crore, the finance ministry tweeted.

The ministry reasoned the merger to the February 2016 review called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where he underlined the need of efficient management of government investments in central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

The government accordingly expanded the approach from of disinvestment to investment and public asset management.

Accordingly, as part of investment management strategy, the Government of India decided to explore possibilities of consolidation, mergers and acquisitions within CPSE space. An announcement in this regard was also made by the finance minister in his Budget speech of 2017-18, it said.

In line with the finance ministers Budget announcement, ONGC proposed to acquire the governments existing 51.11 per cent equity shareholding in HPCL.

The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on July 19 last year, gave in-principle approval to the said proposal and decided to set up an alternative mechanism under the finance minister to decide on the price, timing and the terms and conditions of the strategic sale.

The alternative mechanism under the chairmanship of finance minister in its meeting today approved the price bid of ONGC and the terms and conditions of the sale, it said.

Through this acquisition, ONGC will become Indias first vertically integrated oil major company, having presence across the entire value chain. The integrated entity will have advantage of having enhanced capacity to bear higher risks and take higher investment decisions etc.

In this process, ONGC has acquired significant mid-stream and downstream capacity and will attain economies of scale at various levels of operations.

With a turnover of Rs 2,13,489 crore and profit of Rs 6,502 crore during 2016-17, HPCL ranks at 384th position in Fortune Global 500 and 48th place in Platts 250 Global Energy Companies.

HPCL markets around 35.2 million tonnes of petroleum products with a market share of about 21 per cent and is number one lube marketer in the country. It has refineries at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam and a joint venture refinery at Bhatinda.

It owns the biggest Lube refinery in India and the second largest cross country product pipeline network of about 3,500 km. HPCL has a vast marketing network spread across the length and breadth of the country with terminals, depots, LPG bottling plants, Lube blending plants, aviation fuel stations and around 15,000 petrol pumps.

ONGC Board on January 19, 2018 considered the proposal and approved acquisition of the entire 51.11 per cent shareholding (778,845,375 equity shares) of the President of India, at a cash purchase consideration of INR 473.97 per share with a total acquisition cost of Rs 36,915 crore, the company said.

ONGC is the largest producer of crude oil and natural gas in India, contributing around 70 per cent of domestic production.

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Beijing:

China on Saturday accused the US of trespassing its territorial waters and warned taking "necessary measures" to firmly safeguard its sovereignty after an American missile destroyer sailed close to a shoal in the disputed South China Sea to assert freedom of navigation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the naval ship USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Dao on January 17 without Chinas permission.

Huangyan Dao is also known as Scarborough Shoal, the ring of reefs which lies about 230 kilometres from the Philippines in the South China Sea (SCS), where Beijings claims are hotly contested by other nations.

"The naval ship USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles off Huangyan Dao, widely known Scarborough Shoal on January 17 without gaining permission from the Chinese government," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement.

He said the Chinese Navy carried out identification and verification procedures in accordance with law and asked the US vessel to leave.

"What the US vessel did violated Chinas sovereignty and security interests, put the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel who were in the relevant waters for official duties under grave threat, and contravened the basic norms for international relations," Lu said.

"China is strongly dissatisfied with that and will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty," he added.

China, which has been reinforcing its hold on the disputed SCS with military installations in the shoals and reclaimed islands, claims sovereignty over almost all of it.

Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over SCS.

In a bid to question Chinas claims over the area, the US has been pressing naval ships and air force planes frequently to pass through the area, through which trillions of dollars of international trade takes place to assert freedom of navigation.

Lu, in the statement, said "China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and the adjacent waters".

"China always respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea all countries are entitled to under the international law. But we firmly oppose any country using navigation and overflight freedom as an excuse to hurt Chinas sovereignty and security interests," he said.

"We strongly urge the US side to immediately correct its mistake and stop making such provocative moves so as to avoid undermining China-US relations and regional peace and stability," he said.

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New Delhi:

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday attended the passing out parade of new Police constables.

The passing out parade was being held at Subsidiary Training Centre in Baramulla.

Addressing the gathering Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said, Jammu and Kashmir Police has the toughest work because you have the biggest challenges in front of you. You will have to face your people while maintaining law and order and you have to keep patience while dealing with it.

Hamare border pe iss waqt, khuda na khasta, ek tarah se khoon ki Holi chal rahi hai (unfortunately on our borders a bloody Holi has been going on). The country is on a path of development, it is what PM talks about, but the opposite is happening in our state. I appeal to PM and to Pakistan, J&K ko jung ka akhada mat banaiye, dosti ka pul banaiye (I appeal to PM and Pakistan not to turn J&K into a war field instead create bridges of friendship), said Mufti.
New Delhi:

While people across the country are busy celebrating Vasant Panchami 2018 with much fervour and zeal, a Puja pandal and idols of Goddess Saraswati were set on fire in West Bengal's Howrah district on Sunday.

The pandal was allegedly burnt by a group of anti-socials whose liquor shop at the spot was earlier closed by locals.

"Howrah (West Bengal): Pooja Pandal & idols of Goddess Saraswati set ablaze in Dasnagar's Baltikuri allegedly by some people whose liquor shops at the spot was closed by locals earlier #VasantaPanchami," the news agency ANI tweeted.

On January 21, the Green Star Club in Howrah's Dasnagar area made all the necessary arrangements and decorations for the puja and left for home after 2 AM. Within an hour of their leaving the notorious incident took place at the club. The Green Star club has been celebrating Saraswati Puja since last 25 years.

While locals immediately rushed with buckets of water to control the fire, several fire tenders were called to douse the fire.

Also Read: VIDEO | Bihar minister gets in scuffle with hotel staff in Bengal, CCTV footage captures the incident

Howrah (West Bengal): Pooja Pandal & idols of Goddess Saraswati set ablaze in Dasnagar's Baltikuri allegedly by some people whose liquor shops at the spot was closed by locals earlier #VasantaPanchami pic.twitter.com/mljIaCLbib  ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2018

"This kind of an incident cannot be done by a Hindu or a Muslim, but we are absolutely sure that it has been done by these local anti-social elements for vested interests and vengeance," the chief of Green Star Club said.

Also Read: West Bengal man threatens Sachin Tendulkars daughter Sara, arrested

The club members and locals informed police about the occurrence. According to organisers, the group of people used to run a liquor shop where illegal activities would take place.

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New Delhi:

Coming to a rescue of an 89-year-old man from West Bengal, the Supreme Court has set aside the three months jail awarded to him for possessing 187 litres of kerosene oil in excess at his ration shop in 1988.

The top court said that it is not interfering with the conviction of Madan Mohan Kabiraj but looking at his age, he can be accorded benefit of provisions of Probation of Offenders Act.

Though we are not interfering with the conviction recorded against the appellant here in, having regard to the circumstances of this case and particularly the fact that the appellant is 89 years of age and that there is no other blemish against the appellant, we are of the opinion that the benefit of provisions of Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, be extended in the present case, a bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said.

It said that the three months sentence awarded to him by the Calcutta High Court is set aside and Kabiraj is released under the provisions of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958.

Kabiraj through his advocate Dushyant Parashar has challenged the high court order which sentenced him for three-months jail after holding him guilty under provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

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An FIR was lodged against Kabiraj on September 2, 1988, after an inspection of his ration shop, which he was running under the Public Distribution Scheme (PDS), found an excess of 187 litres of kerosene oil.

On April 20, 1990, a special court at Murshidabad had held Kabiraj guilty under provisions of Essential Commodities Act and awarded him four months rigorous jail term.

Kabiraj challenged the order of special court before the high court in 1990, which had after 26 years, on May 3, 2016, upheld the conviction but modified the sentence from four to three months jail term.

He claimed before the apex court that the high court had upheld his conviction solely on the statement of a police officer who lodged the case while holding the two independent witnesses as most unreliable.

Also Read | Padmaavat Controversy: Producers approach Supreme Court against ban in states
New Delhi:

'Padmaavat' makers have released the full jukebox of Deepika Padukone-starrer, just a week before its release. The playlist, consisting of six songs - 'Ghoomar', 'Ek Dil Ek Jaan', 'Khalibali', 'Nainovaale Ne', 'Holi' and 'Binte Dil', is already doing rounds on social networking sites.

While 'Ghoomar' and 'Ek Dil Ek Jaan' were earlier released in December, the rests are the new edition to the album. 'Khalibali' and Binte Dil' seem to feature Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, while 'Holi' is an intense folk number which already touched hearts of many.

On the other hand, 'Nainovale Ne' might be an ode to Shahid Kapoor's Maharawal Ratan Singh from Deepika Padukone's Rani Padmavati.

Based on the 16th-century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasis epic poem 'Padmavat', the movie faced resistance due to misinformation campaigns and rumour-mongering.

Also Read: 'Padmaavat' protests: DND flyover toll booths damaged in Noida

Several Rajput groups like Karni Sena accused the filmmakers of distorting historical facts, maligning the image of Rani Padmini. A rumoured dream sequence between Padmini and Khilji has sparked several debates ever since the movie began shooting in Rajasthan.

Queen Padmavati is the symbol of woman courage, resistance, sacrifice and considered to be the Goddess of Rajput. Hence, Karni Sena left no stone unturned to prevent makers from maligning her image and tried to impose a complete ban on the period drama across India.

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Following these massive protests all over the country, four states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, banned the film from release even after it received a U/A certificate from the CBFC.

The filmmakers further moved the Supreme Court against the states' decision, which ruled that the ban on the film was illegal and it was the states' responsibility to maintain law and order upon the film's release.

Also Read: Have accepted all CBFC modifications, say 'Padmavat' producers

Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-Shahid Kapoor-starrer is slated for a nationwide release on January 25, 2018.
China demands Nepal to sign non-disclosure agreements before providing Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines. The vsccines are provided to the Himalayan country to which the Chinese officials have expressed their disappointment at Nepal authorities. The reason of disappointed is specified as Nepal fails to keep the vaccine deal secret.

The Chinese officials are not happy with the Nepalese government over the issue of publicizing details of the vaccine deal that was struck between Nepal and China. As the reports suggest, the Chinese officials have apparently communicated their displeasure at the disclosure regarding the vaccine procurement by the government of Nepal. Similarly, the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu also had reminded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the nature of the deal. Initially, China wants Nepal to keep the vaccine-deal secret. A report in detail reads that the deadlock Nepal had reached in procuring the vaccines after China had insisted on the Himalayan nation signing a non-disclosure agreement before availing the Sinopharm vaccines. Under such a non-disclosure agreement, it was agreed that China would provide four million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine to Nepal.

However, a few Nepal media outlets recently published information regarding the vaccine deal between the two countries. While, the Nepalese media reports on the possible vaccine deal have reportedly angered the Chinese officials, who have now warned the Nepal government. Following the controversy, the Health Ministry on Thursday issued a statement, refuting media reports about buying vaccines from China.

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Good news for people working in uae. Dubai airline Emirates Airlines has announced the relaunch of flights with India from June 23. Apart from India, the people of South Africa and Nigeria have also been approved. There have been a lot of changes in the rules for restarting flights. Dubai's Disaster Management Committee has said that only Indians who have installed corona vaccines will be allowed to come home in UAE.

We welcome the decision to re-approve people, Emirates Airlines issued a statement saying. Following the Covid Protocol, 'We will resume the passenger carrying from 23rd June to South Africa, Nigeria and India. We are ready to support facilitating travel from these countries'. Earlier, UAE had on April 24 banned the arrival of passengers from India in view of the growing threat of corona epidemic, which left a large number of workers stranded in India. Now, with the resume of flights, such Indians will be able to return UAE.

However, some strict rules have been framed for people coming from India. Only those Indians who have taken approved corona vaccine in UAE will be allowed to attend the UAE. At the same time, Indians will have to show the negative report of corona taken within 48 hours of their flight. However, it exempts the people of UAE. All passengers will have to undergo rapid antigen test 4 hours before the journey. Only RTPCR test report certificates with QR code will be accepted.

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New Delhi: World Music Day is also celebrated on m 21st June along with World Yoga Day. The objective of celebrating this is to provide a platform to experts and new artists besides creating music propaganda in different ways. The first World Music Day was celebrated in France on June 21, 1982, to maintain everlasting peace in the world. Before which Joel Cohen, a Musician from the United States, celebrating this day in 1976.

World Music Day is celebrated in a total of 110 countries (Germany, Italy, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Australia, Vietnam, Congo, Cameroon, Mauritius, Fiji, Colombia, Chile, Nepal, and Japan etc.). Apart from World Music Day, it is also known as a music festival.

Objective: World Music Day aims to make people aware of music so that people's state of mind have peace. In France, all the events are held for free on this day, for free. Even the greatest artist performs on this day without paying. It is a day to make music universal. On this day, the world's largest artist does not charge for singing, on that day music was organized all over the world.

It is also being said that there are movements in sensitive parts of the body between listening to songs of your choice with a person. The mind begins to sway, the mind is filled with joy, sometimes tears come out. Psychologist Nick also believes that music has a very special relationship with health. Musicians says that every raag is associated with life and the mind is automatically filled with ragas. The positive aspect of music's health since time immemorial has now been named music therapy. Research is now being conducted on the relationship between music in the field of science. It is the growing influence of music on human beings that from recent years, 21st June has also been celebrated as Music Day.

Just as music in particles keeps us healthy with yoga, we are also healthy and happy with music. It is said that the sound of music is found in the particles of nature. For example, the morning air, the chirping of birds and the waving of tree leaves are all known as music. Music has settled in the soul of all of us, if we are happy, music is the companion of happiness and sorrow in music, music that we can never stay away from. Music is the same as rhythm, on the lines of which poems are no less than music. They have rhythm, words and singing.

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Following the spike in infections and death rates, the governments in nearly 200 countries across the globe announced full or partial lockdown and started closing educational institutions in March 2020 in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. With educational institutions including schools physically shut down, academic activities were shifted to the distance mode of teaching and learning. Despite concerted efforts made by educational institutions to keep the learning activities intact during this period, teachers and students were compelled either to rely on limited resources such as the internet-mediated platforms for interaction, television and radio or remain unreached by all of these means.

Hardly had schools been back in place after the gradual lift of prolonged lockdown in many countries when the second wave of the pandemic brought a more deepening crisis to the fore. It has adversely impacted all the educators, teachers, parents, students and alike regardless of their geographical locations, socio-economic privilege, educational backgrounds, and gender differences across societies. But, when it comes to the scale of impacts the pandemic has had on them, the same is not true for all. In Nepal, the education system in public schools was already in shambles due to performance and capacity crisis even before the pandemic. But, back to back closures further laid bare the widening gulf between haves and have-nots across communities, requiring stakeholders including the government to deal with this newer problem in a stronger way.

Ever widening educational equity gaps

It is no exaggeration that only private schools and a handful of public schools in higher socio-digital structures have found refuge in the remote forms of teaching and learning activities as the novel phenomenon of academic practices is largely restricted to wealthier families in urban areas. But, for millions who belong to rural areas and low-income, vulnerable and marginalised groups, the transition has especially taken the heaviest toll.

This means those who do not have access to technology or lack the resilient learning engagement opportunities to educate themselves are at higher risks of falling behind not only academically but also socio-emotionally while others are flourishing. Further, the loss of income opportunities faced by multidimensionally poor households due to the pandemic has added to the woes.

A report prepared by Unicef in August last year has well documented how distance education compelled a massive number of students in lower economic households to suffer an acute learning crisis amid the pandemic, thus imposing a vast equity gap. According to the report, around 463 million children worldwide remained cut off from the education system, mainly due to a lack of remote learning technology at home. Of them, 147 million children belonged to South Asian nations alone.

The report further revealed that three out of four of those residing in rural areas were among the hardest hit and shut out from the educational opportunities irrespective of their nations economic development index while the reality in underdeveloped and developing countries, particularly for poor economic families, could be even harsher. In another report, Unicef estimated that more than two-thirds of Nepali schoolchildren remained unreached from digital or broadcast learning policies in the nation.

What is clear is that learners from low-income and illiterate family backgrounds across the globe have fallen significantly behind, thus magnifying the possibilities of high dropout rates, early marriages, child labour and violence against them. Therefore, Unicef has stressed the revision of distance learning policies in all countries to protect children from the loss of learning time and ensure them their universal rights to free education, justice and social equity.

Bridging digital divide

A child taking part in his online class.

An invariable consensus among intellectuals is that technology can be a major enabler for change due to its dynamic capacity to continuously produce novel ideas and practices for educational development. There has been considerable debate about its impacts on societal affairs, educational activities and the workplace. Yet, many children who are from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds are unable to reap the benefits.

In view of closing the long-standing digital divide among its populations, the adoption of digital technologies has remained one of the core developmental agenda in Nepal over the years. In this regard, Nepal has continuously recognised the roles of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in education, health, economy, and governance among others but the policies have seen little progress.

The Broadband Policy (2015) aimed to connect all districts of Nepal with wired and unwired internet facilities by the end of 2020 in coordination with the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Also in this line, the ICT Policy (2015) envisaged graduating Nepal to the top second ICT development index. Further, overhyped national policies such as the ICT in Education Master Plan (2013-2017), School Sector Development Plan (2016-2023), and 2019 Nepal Digital Framework have envisioned to promote educational sectors to the world standard by integrating information and communication technologies in education delivery, governance and management mechanisms. These policies also aimed to equip all the schools and colleges with proper ICT labs and establish necessary training centres across the country to impart needed training for administrators, educators and students. At the core of these policies, particularly SSDP and NDF, there is a high expectation to enable Nepal to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to reach the goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2030 through inclusive and equitable educational efforts. But, sadly, the Economic Survey 2019/2020 shows among 29,707 public schools across the country, computer facilities are available in 8,366 schools whereas only 12 per cent of the schools have computer facilities with internet connectivity.

Further, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 (NMICS 2019), only 15.4 per cent of households were found having ownership of computers, 84.6 per cent with mobiles, 51.1 per cent with exposure to the internet, and minimum ICT skill with 14.6 per cent (15-24 years age group). The data do not explicitly mention the quality of digital devices owned, their compatibility with the internet functioning as well as available ICT infrastructures. These figures, however, tell a complex story about the long-standing killer digital divide among different age groups, genders and socio-economic classes in Nepal.

Similarly, as of Covid-19 Education Cluster Contingency Plan 2020, prepared by Nepal Education Cluster, of the total 8,126,046 students enrolled in from pre-primary to secondary schools (up to grade 12) throughout the country, only 1,093,394 had access to the internet and 3,958,270 to other media while children having no access to any educational technology were 2,357,959 with 995,090 children at higher risks. The report also revealed that 45 per cent of Nepali school children lacked any technological means to support remote learning at home.

On the other hand, the latest data maintained by Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) shows that almost 87.19 per cent of the Nepali population (over 26.35 million) have access to the internet from any digital device from home while 7.66 million populations were reported to have 4G access. The NTA has also claimed to have made 4G services available in all 77 districts of Nepal. Although the data show the internet and technology penetration has dramatically skyrocketed over the years, the functional capacities of the larger population seem still miserable. If we have a closer look at the status of the Nepali population in terms of their access and ICT skills, the country still has a long way to go.

Who shall do what?

File: Children, masked, attend a class at their school amid the coronavirus infection risk, in Kathmandu.

The government has proposed to allocate Rs 1.2 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022 for alternative modes of teaching and learning planstelevision broadcast or alternative online portals. It has been promised in the announcement to equip all the public schools with necessary technology and free internet broadband facility within two years and 60 per cent of schools by the end of this fiscal.

The government has claimed that the major objective is to bring all unreached students on board the mainstream education system as a response to the education crisis during the pandemic. It, however, seems that the government has shown little interest to timely put in place the learning opportunities for the neediest school-age children, thus further imposing on them silent suppression and robbing them of their universal right to childhood and education needed for a brighter future.

It is in times of crisis that human challenges become aggravated. Therefore, everybody from an individual to intragovernmental, development partners and humanitarian agencies need to understand that the virus-induced crisis is a stark reminder of humankinds need for equity and solidarity. Missteps in responding to the educational crisis may cost us the heaviest price, not in the distant future.

Therefore, it is vital that we explore the most possible solutions to bring the lost generation on board the mainstream education recovery policies and keep education systems resilient even for the potential future disruptions caused by any other pandemic and disaster. For this to happen, the government must feel the urgency to allocate enough funding to get the educational technologies to the hands of disadvantaged children and enhance their capabilities to live the life they value.

It is equally paramount to learn lessons that schools do not rely on only one mode of distance learning to reach out to all the children. As the pandemic is unlikely to go away any time soon, it would be wiser to focus on expanding access to other forms of pragmatic learning as a long-term priority to save vulnerable children from further falling behind.
A few days ago, Sweta Gyanu Baniya, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech University, posted a picture of an intricate gilt-copper necklace stolen from Kathmandus Taleju temple in the 1970s. The picture caused a lot of uproar as a lot of Nepalis demanded the neckless be brought back to Nepal.

Around two months ago, the Art Institute of Chicago returned an idol of Laxmi-Narayan which had been stolen from Patan in the early 1980s. An idol of Uma-Maheswar, stolen from Tangalhiti in Patan, also miraculously made its way back to Nepal a few months ago.

These are just a few examples as hundreds of idols and antiquities have been stolen from Nepal, by both locals and foreigners, and sold abroad, mainly into the United States. Out of the hundreds, a few, after showing proofs that they were stolen, are being handed back to Nepal.

Even though the US policy states that an artefact should be returned to the home country if it is proved to have been stolen, the process to get them back, however, is lengthy and tedious. That is why, out of the hundreds of idols stolen, only a few make its way back.

Difficulties in repatriation

The trend of idols disappearing started as Nepal opened its door to the world. Before the 1960s, there were hardly any cases of idols being stolen. According to the Department of Archaeology, over 500 idols and artefacts were stolen from Nepal between 1960 and 1980. But, the doors have opened for the idols being repatriated only recently when the home countries can show proof.

Museums have started to return these artefacts because they think that keeping them will defame their organisations, says Sarita Subedi, an archaeology officer at the department.

But, things are not so simple when it comes to repatriation. Stolen idols and artefacts only appear to the public eye once they are sold or donated by a collector. Even if there are poofs that the idols have been stolen from Nepal, the repatriation process is moved forward based on the policy of the country where the idol is found.

The only country which has been cooperative in this process is the US, say the department officials.

Lichhavi-era artefacts under threat

Replicas of stolen stone idol prepared for the Museum of Stolen Arts. Photo: Nasana Bajracharya

Sandhya Khanal, an assistant professor at the Central Department of Nepali History, Culture and Archaeology in the Tribhuvan University, says that archaeologists have found idols and artefacts in Kathmandu that date back to the second century. She says that from Naya Baneshwar to Patan, there are over a dozen of idols from the Lichhavi era which have been left in a neglected state. Patan, Basantapur, Handigaun and Pashupati also have such idols, says Khanal, who adds that these neglected idols have not been taken care of by stakeholders.

This has resulted in these idols being stolen. The governments Department of Archaeology says that every year they receive complaints of idols being stolen. The department gives the case to Nepal Police that has rarely been successful in apprehending the culprits.

Stolen statues galore

Historian Lain Singh Bangel published a book titled Stolen Images of Nepal in 1989. The book listed 227 idols that had been stolen from Nepal. No one knows if these idols are still in Nepal or have been sold abroad.

If you look at the archives by Bangdel, it is evident that Nepal has lost many idols which were of cultural significance as most of them, according to him, were from the second to the eighteenth centuries.

For example, the idol of Narishakti (feminine power) from Batsaleshwari in Pashupati, which is believed to be from the second or third century, was stolen in 1960. The whereabouts of a standing Vishnu idol, stolen from Bhuweshwari Temple in Pashupati in 1983, is unknown. According to Bangdel, the idol is believed to be from the fifth century. A seventh-century idol of Nagraj, was also stolen from Chabahil stupa in 1970.

Many historians and experts believe that even after Bangdels book was published, idols have continued to be stolen from Nepal. The exact data, however, are not available as there are many cases where people have no reported idols being missing. The Department of Archaeologys Sarita Subedi says that less than one-third of the idols which were listed in Bangdels book has been found. Most of these stolen idols are between the 10th and 15th centuries, say officials.

Homecoming after heists

The idols that get repatriated back to Nepal do not go back to where they belong. Most of them are kept in museums far away from the public as the department wants to keep them safe. Around 40 such idols which were returned to Nepal by the US in 1994 are now being kept at the National Museum in Chhauni.

The German government in 1999 returned a 12-century idol of Uma Maheswar stolen from Dhulikhel. The idol is being kept at the Patan Museum. In 2002, Austria also returned a statue of Dipankar Buddha has been placed in its rightful place.

Idols have also been stolen from areas like Pharping, Panauti, Dolpa and other historic areas of the country. Most of them have been returned to Nepal and are being kept at the National Museum.

How do they disappear?

Statues, supposedly stolen from Nepal around one century ago, brought back to Nepal from a US museum, on April 4, 2018.

The trend started after Asian artefacts started to sell for as much as a million dollar. Collectors then started to come to Nepal and take some of these idols away for peanut prices. Almost none of these idols are sold legally as most of them are bought on the black market by wealthy collectors.

According to rumours, most of the idols disappear in the night. Many even bring cranes to loot the idols. Locals of Bhaktapur once stopped this from happening and chased them away.

Locals of Dumbarahi stopped smugglers from stealing a 1,500-year-old idol from the Dhumbarahi temple in the middle of the night. Even though they stopped them from taking the Baraha idol, the smugglers did take away an idol of Prithvi Mata. Even though they complained to the police, the culprits are still at large.

In Jumla last year, police caught two people who stole an idol from the historic Chandannath temple in Khalanga. They were apprehended four years after they stole the idol. As they had failed to sell it abroad, the idol was recovered.

Officials from the department say the main reason idols are stolen is they are neglected by the society and the concerned stakeholders. They say that most of these idols are stolen from Nepal, taken to India, and then taken abroad.
Description

Sunday June 20th Diggers Club Presents The Father's Day Record Show At the Nassau County Fair Merrick LIRR Station off of Sunrise Highway 9AM-3PM FREE to attend! Multiple record vendors selling 1,000s of LPs / 45s / 12" vinyl!! Take Dad down to dig for records!
As Americans, most of the wine we drink comes from Californian or Italian vineyards. If you ask the average wine drinker where the best wine in the world is made, they might say Italy, France or California. Armenia is given little attention, if any. But unknown to most consumers, Armenia has a long and rich history in winemaking dating back over 6,000 years. In fact, the oldest winemaking artifacts ever discovered were found in Armenia, making it known as the birthplace of wine.

Zack Armen, an Armenian businessman and cofounder of Storica Wines, is bringing the Armenian wine story to life in the U.S. Part of what makes Armenian wine so unique is Armenias terroir, the combination of climate, soil and elevation, which give Armenias unique indigenous grape varieties a flavor and aroma profile that is pleasant, top notch and reminiscent of other fine wines from around the world. Armen is on a mission to convince Americans of Armenias superior wine offering and to create a new category of Armenian wine that will sit alongside traditionally recognized wines at the highest level. His company, Storica Wines, is off to a strong start, with its portfolio offered in over 150 stores and restaurants and available for sale in 40 states through state-level distribution channels and the companys online store.

Related How to Buy a Vineyard

vineyard

Armen sat down with Worth to discuss what it takes to build a new category of wine in the U.S. and what makes Armenian wines so good.

Q: What is your vision for Storica Wines?

A: Were focusing on building a new category of Armenian wine in the United States. In this effort, there is a really interesting tension between taking a disruptive, digital-centric approach like many other products and services do today, yet needing to participate in a heavily regulated, multi-tier trade system. We try to be highly respectful of working within the bounds of, and with the parlance of, the industry value chain, but at the same time realize that there is some out-of-the-box thinking and doing we have to do to be successful in gaining U.S. consumers attention. We are learning as we go and finding that ultimately having a great story and a high-quality product will win the day.

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Storica Wines

Photo courtesy of Storica Wines

Our big overarching goal is to bring these beautiful ancient wines, now being produced with a very high degree of quality and sophistication, to the U.S. in such a way that speaks to and recognizes that history in ancient tradition but also has a modern methodology in which were engaging with consumers.

What makes Armenian wines so good?

The quality of Armenian wine is a function of a few key factors. The first is the terroir: the combination of climate, soil type and elevation. Armenia gets 300 days of sunlight per year, which is significantly more than most countries in Europe. This high concentration of sunlight, when combined with high elevation vineyards, causes an intensity of climate that stresses the grape vines. Moreover, at high elevations there are more rapid changes in temperature, precipitation and wind. When you combine all these factors, this delivers a highly complex flavor and aroma profile that gives Armenian wines their unique attributes. Armenias vineyards are mostly volcanic soil, which are best suited for good drainage and water retention. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Armenias leading grapes themselves are old, indigenous varieties which are high quality from a viticulture perspective and have an optimal combination of similarity to more commonly found quality grapes, such as Pinot Noir for the Areni red grape and Chenin Blanc for the Voskehat white grape.

Storica Wines

Armenias high concentration of sunlight, when combined with high elevation vineyards, causes an intensity of climate that stresses the grape vines. Photo courtesy of Storica Wines

With all of these raw agronomic or viticulture positive attributes, the winemaking, or everything that happens after the grapes are harvested, is also key to the quality of the wines. Armenia is now blessed with several top notch and world-renowned winemakers, who have built large scale winemaking infrastructure across the countrys multiple winemaking regions. We are fortunate to work with one of the pioneers of the Armenian winemaking movement, Vahe Keushguerian, who has decades of winemaking experience in the U.S., Italy and France. We will begin to work with additional winemakers later this year who have also had significant experience in winemaking and are producing globally recognized wines today.

The future is bright for continued top quality wines coming out of Armenia at greater and greater scale, and we hope to work with many of these winemakers as we grow Storicas business in the U.S.

Related My Journey to LVMH's Audacious Chinese Winery in the Himalayas

How is Storica achieving its goals as becoming a national brand ambassador?

Weve focused on building a multi-faceted digital presence that tells the story of Armenian wine in a compelling, celebratory way. Overall, what were seeking to do is to be the category creator and leader of Armenian wine in the United States. The way in which were doing that is were working with the best wineries in Armenia and bringing high-quality wines to the U.S. in such a way that is nationally scalable, including people and processes across marketing, sales, operations, finance and logistics. To our knowledge, there are no other companies building such a scaled, multi-winery effort in the U.S. in support of the Armenian wine category. Individual wineries are selling their wines in the U.S. in certain states, but our understanding is these are all on a single-brand or single-winery basis.

What type of consumers are you targeting?

We want to have a portfolio of wines that are attractive to a wide variety of American consumer profiles, from the casual wine drinker to the master somms of the world. We also want to ensure our portfolio spans various price points and that each of our products have a strong price to quality ratio. Most of the wines in our portfolio today are in the $20-30 per bottle range, but we will have wine thats priced lower and higher in the future. Ultimately, it is that breadth of consumer that were really going after, since we see a home for Armenian wine in virtually every wine use case given how many wonderful and diverse wines there are from Armenia.

Related The Ethical Cellar: Orange Wine Is the New Rose

What are your marketing strategies?

Storica has a strong digital marketing strategy focused on targeting three main consumer archetypes: Armenian communities, oenophiles and wine writers and curious millennials. Armenia and the history of this emerging wine region is a topic that many audiences are excited to learn about and be among the first to share within their communities. Through social media, PR, digital advertising, virtual events, brand and influencer partnerships, Storica has the unique opportunity to educate consumers about Armenian wine. We are proud to see strong interest and positive reception from the likes of Karen MacNeil, Forbes, Haute Living, Armenian communities, wine clubs and more as a result.

Storica Wines

Photo courtesy of Storica Wines

What gave you the idea to start a wine company?

I grew up in the world of finance and then most recently in life sciences and biotech. My day job is business development for a biotech company. The inspiration behind Storica came out of one of my trips to Armenia in 2017, when I noticed that the wine was getting better very quickly. I started asking people why, and was introduced to Vahe and Aimee Keushguerian, two winemakers who are very active in this renaissance of Armenian wine, and they filled me in on what was going on. From their perspective, penetrating the U.S. market was going to be key to the long-term success or failure of Armenian wine as a global wine region. I saw that as an opportunity to impact my homeland in a way that is multigenerational and hugely scalable when you think about the benefit of having a product like wine being a contributor to tourism, GDP growth and job creation. I also saw it as a great opportunity to build a U.S.-based business that had significant upside, and I am humbled every day to see this come to fruition, and by the progress weve made as a company, and the support weve received from our investors, partners and consumers.

Related Why You Should Restock Your Wine Cellar Right NowAnd What You Should Stock It With

What is your strategy for marketing to restaurants and stores?

For new wine and spirits brands, its critical to have a presence in stores and restaurants, as opposed to simply selling online like many other products and services do. Successful wines have followed the playbook of getting top-tier restaurant placements early on and to then build their brand off of that cachet and credibilitybecause of COVID, weve not been able to start there, of course, but as re-openings increase, we are highly focused on the restaurant channel. Growing up as a company during COVID has had its pluses and minuses, obviously lack of restaurant business being a minus. However, starting with a heavy focus on digital, on driving foot traffic into stores and investing in beautiful content creation and social media engagement will hopefully begin to pay dividends and allow us to seize the current opportunity to quickly ramp our on-premises sales. A goal for us is to get as many of our wines listed BTG (by-the-glass) on menus, because that is where you see the best velocity of sales movement and often see consumers more willing to try new brands from less common regions. This is a big priority for us over the coming weeks and months, alongside securing distribution partnerships with top-tier distributors who share in our passion for this new wine category and see its potential the way we do at Storica.

The post How This Armenian Wine Company Is Disrupting the Wine Industry appeared first on Worth.
LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - Belize's government said on Monday holders of its 2034 bonds have voted in favour of extending the grace period of a coupon payment to September 19.

The government has been in talks with creditors over a coupon payment on its $550 million bond due last month which it had failed to pay.

"The grace period relating to the May 20, 2021 coupon payment will be extended to September 19, 2021," the ministry of finance said in a statement.

(Reporting by Karin Strohecker; editing by Rodrigo Campos)
FILE PHOTO: Photo of Boeing logo at their headquarters in Chicago

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Boeing said on Sunday it will integrate an anti-jamming system developed by Israel's Elbit Systems into a fleet of F-15 fighter jets to be sold to an unnamed customer.

Elbit's Immune Satellite Navigation System ensures uninterrupted GPS operation, providing full jamming immunity for multiple satellite channels and can handle multiple interfering signals, the company said in a statement issued in Tel Aviv.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Lauren Gramlich, director for international F-15 programs at Boeing, said Elbit's system, "will meet the demanding operational requirements of this valued customer, and demonstrates Boeings commitment to partner with Israeli industry to advance the capabilities of the F-15 platform.

Defense electronics specialist Elbit already has technologies in use on the F-15 and F-15EX, including a digital helmet mounted cueing system, low-profile head up display and large area cockpit display.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Steven Scheer)
Keeping a tough stance on cryptocurrencies, China has issued an order to crack down on crypto mining operations in Sichuans southwest province, Reuters reported.

What Happened: On Friday, the Sichuan branch of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Sichuan Energy Bureau ordered cryptocurrency mining projects closed in the major mining center.

The Commission demanded the closure of 26 suspected cryptocurrency mining projects by Sunday in the province.

The authorities have ordered state electricity companies in Sichuan to conduct inspections and make corrections. In addition, they have been asked to immediately stop supplying electricity to crypto-mining projects, which they have detected.

They urged the local governments in Sichuan to start combing for crypto-mining projects and shut them down.

In Sichuan, miners use hydropower to run computer equipment to verify Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) transactions.

According to the data carried by the University of Cambridge, Sichuan is Chinas second-biggest bitcoin mining province. At this place, miners move their activities in the rainy summer to take advantage of its rich hydropower resources.

Mitchell Cuevas, Head of Growth at the Stacks Foundation, says that Proof of Work is the mining mechanism used by Bitcoin that requires solving complex mathematical puzzles, requiring power-hungry computing resources.

Why It Matters: Sichuans crackdown indicates that Chinas displeasure with cryptocurrency mining extends beyond cases.

Other mining centers, including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan, have ordered crackdowns on bitcoin mining.

In May, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He called for a severe crackdown, reiterating the governments position on cryptocurrencies.

Chinas Inner Mongolia region has proposed punishments for companies and individuals involved in crypto mining.

According to Reuters, Chinese energy regulators are meeting local power companies to collect information on mining farms.

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China is the worlds most prominent cryptocurrency mining location, accounting for 75% of the Bitcoin hash rate.

In 2017, It shut down all local crypto exchanges and initial coin offerings (ICOs).

Price Action: At press time, BTC traded 0.22% higher at $35,900 on Saturday.

See more from Benzinga

 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
(Bloomberg) -- Former city Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and Andrew Yang, the one-time frontrunner whose campaign has slid in polling in recent weeks, will campaign together Saturday in Queens before holding a joint press conference in lower Manhattan, both campaigns said.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams holds the lead in a new poll on New Yorks Democratic mayoral primary, with civil-rights lawyer Maya Wiley and Garcia battling for second.

Early voting ends June 20. Many voters remain puzzled over New Yorks new ranked-choice voting system, which asks people to select their top five candidates rather than choose just one.

Key Stories:

NYC Mayoral Election Baffles Voters With Citys Revival at StakeRanked-Choice Voting Gets Its New York City Audition: QuickTakeNYC Fight Over Policing Intensifies With Park CurfewsAndrew Yang Hopes to Ride His Free-Money Plan to NYCs City HallNYC Mayor Race Becomes Progressives 2021 Shot to Show Clout

Garcia and Yang to Campaign Together Saturday

Kathryn Garcia and Andrew Yang will campaign together on Saturday, with two stops in Queens and then a joint press conference in Lower Manhattan.

The potential tie-up could shake up the race in its final days, bolstering Garcia or Yang in the later stages of ranked choice vote redistribution at the expense of Adams as well as progressives like Wiley.

Yang frequently said that he would choose Garcia as his number two on the ballot. Garcia famously retorted, and was quoted in the New Yorker saying, Im not running for Number Two.

That was then. This is now. And the simple math is that under ranked-choice voting, being second or even third, fourth or fifth choice is essential. Thats because voters can pick as many as five candidates to support, and if a top choice is eliminated then their vote switches to whoever they put second, and so on down the line.

-- Henry Goldman and Derek Wallbank

Yang Confronted With Housing

During a campaign stop at a flea market in lower Manhattan, mayoral hopeful Andrew Yang heard from a group of apartment-complex tenants who oppose a planned tower across the street they said would add congestion and block sunlight and views.

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Stacey Shub told Yang that she and other residents of the neighborhood were united against construction of a tower at 250 Water Street and asked him what he would do. The developer, Howard Hughes Corp., agreed to reduce the height to 375 feet (114 meters) from 470, but neighbors say thats still too high.

Yang, an advocate of more housing in New York, said he would look into it if he wins the election, while remaining non-committal about the issue.

Im someone who wants to see New York City build new housing, Yang said moments later in an interview. But at the same time, if community members have concerns about the nature of a particular project, you have to hear people out and be mindful of these concerns. -- Henry Goldman

Adams on Stop-and-Frisk

Adams, a 22-year-veteran of the New York Police Department, took his campaign to Harlem Friday to rally with gun-safety advocates and advance his proposal to combat the surge in shootings in New York City.

With four days until the election, Adams sought to clarify his stance on stop-and-frisk. In the past, Adams had expressed support for the controversial policing strategy if used properly, but said he wouldnt bring it back because it would be abused.

Rivals have pounced on his comments.

I said this over and over again, I am not looking to bring back stop-and-frisk, Adams said Friday. I am not going to have a police department that will take tools and abuse them.

Adams has called for a greater police presence on city streets and subways, an anti-crime unit to target gun violence, and the recruitment of minority officers. -- Skyler Woodhouse

Early Voting

This is the first time that New Yorkers can vote early in person in a mayoral election. More than 105,000 people had voted as of Thursday night, according to the elections board. The most early voters were in Brooklyn and Manhattan. There also were 200,000 absentee ballots requested for this primary.

New York City had about 3.8 million registered Democrats and 566,000 registered Republicans as of February.

More than 700,000 people voted in New Yorks 2013 mayoral primary. -- Stacie Sherman

Read more here: NYC Mayoral Election Baffles Voters With Citys Revival at Stake

Last Emerson Poll

Adams was the first choice of 23% of likely Democratic primary voters in the final PIX11/Emerson College poll before the primary. Wiley, who has the backing of national progressives, had 18% while Garcia, who was endorsed by the New York Times and Daily News, had 17%.

The results show Adams steady and Wiley up one percentage point in a week, while Garcia had the largest jump, five percentage points.

Yang, an entrepreneur and former presidential candidate, was the first choice of 14% of respondents, down from 32% in early March. City Comptroller Scott Stringer has 9% and former Citigroup Inc. banker Ray McGuire had 3% in the poll conducted June 15-16. Former city Housing Commissioner Shaun Donovan and nonprofit executive Dianne Morales each had 2%, while 10% remain undecided.

Crime was the top issue for 31% of respondents. -- Skylar Woodhouse

Public Election Funds Soar

New York Citys Campaign Finance Board doled out its last round of public funds for the primary, bringing the total payments to candidates for mayor and other city offices to $110 million, the most in the programs history.

Seven Democratic mayoral candidates and one Republican who participated in the matching funds program have received more than $39.2 million. Four -- Adams, Stringer, Yang and Garcia -- received the maximum $6.5 million.

The public funds outweigh $64.1 million that participating candidates raised in private contributions and $29.1 million in spending by political action committees.

In this last round, mayoral candidates received $6.9 million of public funds, with Garcia receiving the most at $2.2 million and Republican Fernando Mateo getting $2 million.

McGuire didnt participate in the program. -- Martin Z. Braun

Wiley Pushes Subsidies for Poor

Wiley brought her progressive campaign for mayor to Hudson Yards office and residential towers in Manhattan to decry subsidies to wealthy developers and call for massive public investment on housing for the citys working poor and homeless.

Wiley used the rally to promote her proposal to subsidize rents so that individuals making $42,000 or less a year and families of three earning $54,000 would pay no more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. -- Henry Goldman

De Blasio Says No Debate Winner

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesdays two-hour debate among his potential successors was pretty uninspiring and he remains undecided.

No one won in my estimation, de Blasio said Thursday during a virus press briefing. I did not hear enough. Im going to keep examining the candidates.

The mayor said he is unsure whether he will make his choices public.

By Tuesday June 22 I will figure out five people to rank, he said. That much I know.-- Peyton Forte

Charter Schools Part of Adams Plan

Adams said his education priorities for the city include charter schools as well as public and private institutions.

My vision is surrounding, lifting up excellence, if that means charter schools, public schools, private schools, lets duplicate successful schools in our city, Adams, 60, said Thursday in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

Adams, the Brooklyn borough president and a 22-year veteran of the New York Police Department, called for schools to pay more attention to non-academic issues such as nutrition and to allow private businesses to have a hand in developing curriculum. He called for more technology in the schools, including more wireless access. -- Skylar Woodhouse and Henry Goldman

Debate Takeaways

Wednesday nights debate was marked by barbs traded between Adams and Yang, the former presidential candidate, who has fallen behind Adams in recent polls. Yang assailed the former police captain for not having the right answers to fight crime, and taunted him with the fact that the union representing New York Police Department captains endorsed Yang, not Adams. Adams said he never asked for their endorsement, but Yang said he did.

McGuire, who has spent the most on the mayoral race and is near the bottom of the pack in polls, squabbled with Morales over whether he spoke for minorities in the city. McGuire also took aim at Stringer and Wiley as he worked to distinguish himself from the pack. -- Henry Goldman and Skylar Woodhouse

Read more here: Adams, Yang Spar as McGuire Takes Shots in Final NYC Debate

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
NEW YORK, June 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Washington Prime Group, Inc. (WPG or the Company) (NYSE: WPG). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether WPG and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 16, 2021, WPG disclosed that its operating partnership, WPG L.P., had elected to withhold an interest payment of $23.2 million due on February 15, 2021 with respect to WPG L.P.s outstanding Senior Notes due 2024, and that WPG L.P. has a 30-day grace period to make the interest payment before such non-payment constitutes an event of default. The Company further advised that, in an event of default, certain counterparties to the senior notes could accelerate the outstanding indebtedness due . . . making such indebtedness due and payable, which would result in a cross-default with respect to some of WPG L.P.s or the Companys other indebtedness.

On this news, WPGs stock price fell $4.59 per share, or 38%, to close at $7.49 per share on February 16, 2021.

Then, on March 4, 2021, Bloomberg reported that WPG is preparing a potential bankruptcy filing as time runs out to avert default after it skipped an interest payment on its debt, according to people with knowledge of the plans. On this news, WPGs stock price fell $3.77 per share, or 60%, to close at $2.51 per share on March 4, 2021. Then, on March 16, 2021, WPG disclosed that it had entered into a forbearance agreement with respect to the Senior Notes due in 2024 and stated there was substantial doubt as the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. The Company confirmed that it had engaged in discussions for a financial restructuring.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com .

Story continues

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 7980




NEW YORK, June 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Philips or the Company) (NYSE: PHG). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Philips and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On June 14, 2021, Philips issued a voluntary recall of certain of its Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (Bi-Level PAP) and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices, as well as mechanical ventilators, after finding that the sound abatement foam used in the devices can degrade and become toxic, potentially causing cancer.

On this news, Philips stock price fell $2.25 per share, or 3.98%, to close at $54.25 per share on June 14, 2021.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com




King George County is seeking bids to determine the time and cost of moving the Confederate memorial from its current spot on the courthouse lawn to Historyland Memorial Park, a private cemetery off U.S. 301.

County staff will advertise the bid proposal for 30 days, then present findings to the Board of Supervisors.

At a meeting this past Tuesday, supervisors said they had not taken a vote during the closed session of their June 1 meeting because that would be illegal. Instead, they stressed they had reached consensus to direct staff to determine the cost of the relocation and to work with community groups to raise the necessary funding, according to the statement read by Supervisor Chairwoman Annie Cupka.

While representatives of the King George chapter of the NAACP were grateful for the boards action, speakers last week wondered why its up to them to raise the money to do the job. Cupka said Wayne Bushrod, president of the local chapter, had said at an earlier session that the NAACP was ready to work together with the county on the project.

On Tuesday, she told the audience she had asked him if he knew any people willing to donate services or equipment to get the job done.
Tony Quinones, 55, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, told the New York Times that he had been riding for about six minutes with other cyclists ages 55 and over when a black pickup that had been driving in the opposite direction crossed over three lanes and headed toward the cyclists.

He assumed the driver was turning into a parking lot. Instead, the driver plowed directly into the cyclists who had been ahead of Quinones, he said.

I dont know who the heck this guy is, or what his motive was, Quinones told the Times. But he intentionally did not go left into a parking lot. He drove his truck directly and intentionally into our group, and you could hear him accelerate until he hit that telephone pole.

Quinones said he had seen bikes and bodies flying.

After the driver hit a telephone pole, cyclists ran up to the truck and started pounding on the windows, screaming at the driver to get out, he told the Times.

But rather than stop, the driver hit the accelerator and backed out, drove down the road, made a U-turn and then headed back toward the cyclists, Quinones said.
BIPARTISANSHIP is the broccoli of politics. Everyone knows its good for us, but few of us love it.

When I was elected to Congress in 2010, I became a member of the new House majority facing a Democratic majority in the Senate and the Obama administration in the executive branch. The only way to pass legislation was through bipartisanship.

In the summer of 2011, Republicans who had been elected in the tea party wave were sorely challenged when it became necessary to raise the ceiling on the national debt. The very idea of countenancing, let alone authorizing, an even more massive burden on American taxpayers and on successive generations without a vote to weigh in on this depredation against them, was repugnant.

Many of us, including me, had vehemently inveighed in the public record against raising the debt ceiling and even vowed (ignorance is bliss!) to vote against so doing. But the heady days of campaigning against the leftward juggernaut of the first two Obama years were long over, and as the grayer (no wonder!) heads advised us, we were now obligated to govern.

The relatively small number of House Republicans who represented swing districts were in the best political position, given the composition of our constituencies, to work across the aisle. Mine was one of those districts.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early then heavy thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
A HISTORY OF THE MILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: A history of the Milton Presbyterian Church will be presented at 11 a.m. by Martha Bradsher Spencer in Milton, N.C. A tour of the church will follow the presentation.

TUBING ON THE DAN: Float on the Dan River from Main Street to Anglers Park. One or two person tubes are available, and life jackets are provided. Close-toed shoes are required. Ages 12 and up. Meets at Main Street Plaza, begins at 10 a.m., ends at 1 p.m. Cost is $15. For information, call Danville Parks and Recreation at 434-799-5150.

ROCK D' BLOCK: One Accord Connections and Mother's Stronger Twogether  in partnership with youth leaders, community businesses, government officers and nonprofits  will work together to host a free event to curb violence in the community from 4 to 8 p.m. at Taylor Drive Park.

MONDAY, JUNE 28

ADVENTURE CAMP: Adventure Camp is an outdoor day camp for children ages 8-14 at Ballou Park shelter six from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 28 through July 2 organized by Danville Parks and Recreation. Cost is $130. To register, call 434-799-5150.

THURSDAY, JULY 1
Yet, the Biden administration has already urged the new Israeli government to ease tensions with the Palestinians. In two phone conversations with Lapid over the last week, Blinken has spoken of the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations in practical ways and pledged to deepen Arab-Israeli ties.

It's not clear that the new government will be responsive.

Centrist members like Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz clearly want to adopt a more cooperative approach with the Biden administration, while Bennett and his right-wing partners face pressure from their base to maintain Netanyahus hardline approach, not only on Iran but on the conflict with the Palestinians.

The former prime minister, already eyeing a return to office, has branded Bennett as weak and inexperienced, and will probably pounce on any perceived capitulations.

The Israeli government already faces tough decisions, including whether to evacuate an unauthorized settlement outpost established last month and whether to intervene in the legal process through which settler organizations are trying to evict dozens of Palestinian families from their homes in east Jerusalem.
The Biden administration called Chinas retaliatory move economic coercion.

The practice of governments making major investments in their own companies is called economic nationalism. This kind of state intervention does not sit well with some ideologies. Conservatives traditionally believe that the governments should not mess with market mechanisms. Let the private sector make such decisions.

Only one Democrat voted against the Senate bill. That was Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who complained that it amounted to corporate welfare to big, rich companies. Suffice it to say, if the companies could have become richer doing this on their own, they would have done it.

The bottom line should be American jobs, not Sanders highly dated idea of how the world economy works. This spending not only creates jobs at the corporations, rich or otherwise, but also helps retain jobs at other companies slowed down by the shortage of semiconductors.

In a similar vein, the administration is now working on a plan to beef up the American manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. Used in electric cars and for storing renewable energy, these batteries are essential to a green economy. China has 93 gigafactories that make them. The U.S. has four.
Though medical marijuana can be beneficial for a variety of conditions including anxiety, depression, appetite stimulation, pain, headaches and other conditions, Olinger said, she would not recommend relying only on cannabis.

I would caution against [patients] getting rid of all of their medications and beginning solely using medical cannabis, said Olinger, who is not licensed to prescribe the drug.

As for whether any of her patients could benefit from medical marijuana, many of my patients are older and I am skeptical about whether they will be open to using medical cannabis, she said.

Dr. Gary Miller, a cardiologist who serves on City Council as the citys vice mayor, said a few of his patients could benefit from using medical marijuana, especially those with terminal heart disease.

We do have terminal heart patients who need relief from pain, Miller said.

He said he sees the potential of possibly prescribing it for three or four of his patients a year, or possibly up to one a month. Though he is not licensed to prescribe medical marijuana, he said he may look into obtaining licensure.
Cates said fresh rescue crews, including units from High Point and Forsyth County, planned to return to the river early Saturday to continue searching for Teresa Villano and Isiah.

"(We) want somebody to look at the water, the debris in the water from a new standpoint,'' Cates said during a videotaped news conference Friday afternoon. "Perhaps a new set of eyes could shed light on something, so that's why we're remaining optimistic at this time. At this point we're still optimistic we'll do a rescue.''

The family set out sometime on Wednesday on tubes down the Dan River and went over an 8-foot dam near the Duke Energy Steam Station. The water below the dam, where the current is strongest, is about 3 feet deep, said Jeff Brooks, a spokesman for Duke Energy.

Cates said the four survivors were discovered near the dam, clinging to the tubes in the water and had been there for many hours. They were tired, very fatigued and had been "subjected to the elements for 19 hours,'' he said.

None were wearing life jackets at the time they were rescued and it was unclear if anyone in the group was, Cates said. Their conditions were not available Friday, but he said previously their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The family set out sometime on Wednesday on tubes down the Dan River and went over an 8-foot dam near the Duke Energy Steam Station. The water below the dam, where the current is strongest, is about 3 feet deep, according to Jeff Brooks, a spokesman for Duke Energy.

Dan Riverkeeper Steven Pulliam of Stoneville said that the dams drop-off causes a strong current at its base. It would be almost impossible for a tube/raft to go over it without flipping, Pulliam said last week.

Such low-head dams, often called drowning machines by boating experts, are notorious for trapping people in the powerful current that churns at their base.

Rescue teams and regional river guides theorize that when the tubers went over the dam, they were pulled under water by the hydraulic force of the base water and drowned.

Brooks said there is a sign for boaters and tubers approaching the dam that mentions the availability of a portage to exit the river before the dam. This allows people to walk around the dams powerful currents.

Cates said last week that the four survivors were discovered near the dam, clinging to the tubes in the water and had been there for many hours. They were tired, very fatigued and had been subjected to the elements for 19 hours, he said.
Both localities are far behind the states 47% vaccination rate.

There are a variety of reasons that residents may not have gotten vaccinated, and it differs from person to person, Lorrie Andrew-Spear, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health, told the Register & Bee when asked if scheduling was a larger factor over vaccine hesitancy. Pittsylvania/Danville Health District is focusing on educating those who may not have been vaccinated yet and is willing to answer questions from anyone who has them in order to help them make the decision to get vaccinated, and can assist them with finding a vaccine location near them.

Andrew-Spear said the district is examining data in areas for what she calls higher opportunities for vaccinations. Currently, theres no information available on possible pockets of extremely low vaccination rates. For example, its not known if theres one particular community in the county or neighborhood in the city where an overwhelming majority of residents are unvaccinated.

Those health leaders continue to deploy outreach measures in an effort to deliver more shots to more arms. To that end, the health district has offered vaccine clinics to any group  churches, civic and educational  thats interested.
RALEIGH  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed gun-rights legislation on Friday that would allow parishioners at more churches to be armed, marking the second year in a row that hes blocked the idea.

The legislation affirms that people going to religious services at a location where private schools or some charter schools also meet can carry handguns in full view or under clothing if they have a concealed weapons permit. There would be other limits.

The Democratic governor said the measure, which cleared the legislature last week, would endanger educators and children. State law otherwise prohibits guns on educational property for nearly everyone.

For the safety of students and teachers, North Carolina should keep guns off school grounds, Cooper wrote in his veto message.

The bills supporters contend these houses of worship where K-12 schools also are located are at a security disadvantage for their congregants compared to stand-alone churches. There are no such blanket prohibitions in these churches on carrying a pistol, provided the person has a purchase permit or concealed weapons permit.
MADISON  The owner of the Lucky Duck Internet Cafe here has been indicted and charged with nine gambling-related crimes after an investigation by the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office and the North Carolina Alcohol Enforcement Agency, or ALE, the sheriffs office said Tuesday.

A Rockingham County grand jurys findings led to the Monday arrest of Kimberly Robin OBrien Pettiutt, 60, of Orange County, N.C., who was charged with three counts of operating/possessing a slot machine, three counts of operating a video gaming machine, two counts of operating more than five video gaming machines, and one count of gambling.

The first six charges are misdemeanors, while the final three are felonies, according to a news release from the sheriffs office.

Pettiutt was released Monday by a magistrate on a written promise to appear in court in Rockingham County. No court date was immediately available.

The Lucky Duck operated just outside of downtown Madison in buildings that once housed the Dolly Madison Motel during the 1960s-1990s.

Authorities discovered and seized gaming machines during a search of Lucky Duck at 3998 U.S. 220 by the sheriffs office and ALE agents.
EDEN  Rockingham County Schools has hired Kristopher Adam Powell as the districts new public information officer after the Rockingham County Board of Education approved the measure during its May meeting.

Powell began his career in 2001 and has worked in journalism, website management, and real estate over the past 20 years. Most recently, Powell served as the editor of several newspapers through Womack Publishing. During 2017 and 2018, Powell was editor of the Mebane Enterprise and the News of Orange in Hillsborough.

In 2018 and 2019, he worked in Yanceyville as editor of the Caswell Messenger, then returned to the Mebane Enterprise where he has worked ever since.

Mr. Powell earned his bachelors degree in communication studies and media production from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Powell recently won the North Carolina Press Associations top award for exellence in education reporting for his development of a three-part series to raise awareness of a bond referendum for the county to enhance Bartlett Yancey High Schools School facilities in the Caswell County district.
I think debates about the minimum wage represent a telling case. Over the decades, I have heard many advocates claim that businesses themselves will be better off if government raises the minimum wage. Why? Because if businesses paid much higher wages, that would reduce turnover and make their employees more productive.

Responding to this argument does not require me to insist that all businesses are currently paying all their workers the right amount of money. I am willing to grant that some employers could make themselves better off by paying their employees more. What I am not willing to grant is that most employers are so uninformed, so foolish, or so inattentive to maximizing their profits. Minimum-wage advocates are essentially suggesting that the sidewalks of the labor market are blanketed with $20 bills that these uninformed, foolish, inattentive employers refuse to pick up.

If you truly believe that, why waste time arguing with me? You should go pocket those piles of cash. Not only would you personally benefit, but youd also improve the lives of all those oppressed workers.

Of course markets arent perfect. They also bear little resemblance to the economists-on-the-sidewalk joke. Markets are in constant motion. The closer we get to them, the more details we can pick out  but even then our knowledge is constrained.
She gave the nurses 20 masks. That was her first 20  the first of 15,000 masks she has made.

I saw a need in the community, and honestly, everyone I was talking to was trying to make the mask themselves, and they didnt have the material, she says. And all these other people were buying out the material, and I had all this material at my house, and I knew I could make a few.

But it turned into a lot more than I expected, and I never expected to do this project as long as I did, she says. I thought it would last, maybe, three months.

Not quite.

Made With Love

The headquarters of the Guilford Mask Project is really one room in Janas house.

Its a small, tight room, she says. There are three desks for each sewing machine, and all the cloth takes up the other half of the room. Theres also the ironing board and the steamer. So, it can be overwhelming if you stay in there too long. Its, like, really crowded.

Jana did have help, though. Such as her dad.

He would wash and iron all the cloth and make them as sanitary as possible. Then, Jana would put them together.
McCoy said even for landlords with fewer properties and tighter margins, the relationship between owner and tenant always favors the landlord.

Both sides have financial burdens, McCoy said. The difference is the landlords have power that tenants dont. If theres a job loss, that affects somebodys ability to pay rent. It doesnt help the situation for that person to be evicted.

He said tenants shouldnt have to suffer displacement due to a pandemic that they had no control over.

My philosophy is always going to be people over property, McCoy said. Its not fair that landlords have had to go without getting rent for over a year, but thats what these programs are designed to try to pay for.

He said rental aid programs, given the months-long gap in aid and the many households still with rent debt, havent lived up to that.

This isnt the landlords fault. This isnt the tenants fault. This is the effect of not properly preparing for a pandemic, McCoy said.

NCORR chief executive Laura Hogshead has said that changes made to the HOPE program through feedback from the first phase will help the program get aid out more quickly.
To be sure, Billy Graham was not singularly responsible for all of these developments. But as his biographers have noted, he loomed large in the religious politics of the 1950s, adds Mislin.

Gods wrath and a Christian nation

In addition to political influence, evangelical leaders such as Billy Graham deeply influenced the moral values and America as a Christian nation. Scholar Samuel Perry says for many evangelical leaders such as Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell Sr., social and cultural changes of the 1970s and 1980s such as racial integration of schools were signs of a fallen country.

Part of this rhetoric was that God punishes America when Americans are unfaithful to his commandments, writes Perry. In the lead-up to Obamas reelection, Graham wrote an article with a premise that Obamas leadership would lead to Gods wrath. It was, for Graham and other evangelical leaders, an intentional move away from Christian values toward immorality, says Perry.

Trump offered himself as an antidote to that fallen America and as a savior from the destruction, he writes.

What is the future of evangelicalism?
And she has said that politicians who support Israel push for allegiance to a foreign country  accusing Israel supporters in Congress of dual loyalty, a classic anti-Semitic trope.

After that last comment, when House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., accused her of a vile anti-Semitic slur, Omar was unrepentant. I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee, she replied, doubling down on her dual-loyalty calumny.

So, her most recent invective was not an isolated comment that needed clarification. It was the latest in a long string of diatribes that have disgraced the House Democratic caucus. Yet, not only has Pelosi tolerated Omars abhorrent behavior; she also appointed Omar to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which helps determine U.S. policy on the Middle East. And this year Pelosi elevated Omar to serve as vice chair of the subcommittee on Africa. A person who compares America and Israel to the Taliban and Hamas has no business serving on that panel.

Omars defenders respond by asking: What about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.?
I told the police captain and the city officials that I believe politics is the business of the people and that the large plaza in front of city hall is not there for decoration but as a place for gathering to do the business of the people: which is to say, discussing matters of public concern with one another and/or presenting their views to city leaders.

Repressing people who participate in such activities when they are critical of government, while allowing them when they are perceived to be neutral or positive, such as when children come and create chalk art, is a blatant breach of the First Amendment. And it would be a big step in the wrong direction to attempt to ban chalk art altogether in an attempt to avoid adverse political messages. It is a feature of autocracies, not free societies, to make arbitrary laws so there will always be a pretext at hand for repressing unwanted political activities.

There was some ominous talk while I was in custody about the high costs of cleanup, but that specter evaporated after my release. A maintenance man with a hose using his thumb as a crude nozzle removed the chalk art piece within about three minutes as we took video on our phones.

A city worker with a proper nozzle disposed of similar-sized artwork in about a minute the following week.
Department of Commerce, DNRC announce ARPA funds to help cities

The Montana departments of Commerce and Natural Resources and Conservation said Treasure State communities can now apply for federal water and sewer infrastructure improvement grants through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The funding from ARPA will address economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting state and local governments in making a once-in-a-generation investment to improve water and wastewater infrastructure systems in Montana, Commerce Director Scott Osterman said in a news release.

In March, the federal government passed the $1.9 trillion ARPA funding package. From that allocation of funding, the State of Montana has made available nearly $400 million to make improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure systems across the state.

Montana communities can access the funding to use for necessary improvements to their water, sewer and irrigation systems through the Minimum-Allocation or Competitive grant programs. The two programs will be administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) with technical assistance provided by the Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
Dewhirst also insisted the amount of litigation is not a strain.

Theres an uptick (of lawsuits on new laws) right now, but thats normal and thats just a normal piece of the pie for us. It hasnt really slowed down our capacity on the federal level, Dewhirst said. It doesnt appear to be a problem that Ive identified yet, but its something well keep (an eye on).

Still, there are indications the litigation consumes capacity at state agencies.

Its going to take a lot of time. Its going to take a lot of money and resources from state government, but its a lot of staff time and staff resources, so I think that what well see or what youll hear is they are doing their job to defend the laws that were passed by the government and are being opposed by special-interest groups, Banville said.

At the GOP convention, Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen acknowledged what it takes from her office to defend against lawsuits.

"We are also spending an enormous amount of time and energy and brainpower and strategy into fighting and (doing) whatever it takes to keep these laws on the books," Jacobsen said at a Saturday breakfast. She later added "the most important thing we can be doing right now" was defending the new laws.
We commemorate and celebrate July 4, 1776, as the day we gained our freedom and independence. Not everyone in what became the United States of America gained their freedom then. For many in this nation freedom did not occur until almost one hundred years later.

A bill in Congress addressed that and enshrined a national holiday in commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence for all Americans. Fourteen representatives voted against this. The logic of one, Montanas Matt Rosendale: Lets call an ace an ace. This is an effort by the Left to create a day out of whole cloth to celebrate identity politics as part of its larger efforts to make Critical Race Theory the reigning ideology of our country.

Then, of course, buzzword Matt called for unity and treating everyone equally. A day created out of whole cloth? Critical Race Theory? Identity politics? Really? Learn some history congressman and for once give us some cogent thought as opposed to your typical political hyperbole and tripe. Youre an embarrassment. Montana and America deserve better.

John R. Andrew

Helena

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Todays Highlight in History:

On June 20, 1967, boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Alis conviction was ultimately overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).

On June 20:

In 1782, Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.

In 1791, King Louis XVI of France and his family attempted to flee in the so-called Flight to Varennes, but were caught.

In 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.

In 1893, a jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.

In 1921, U.S. Rep. Alice Mary Robertson, R-Okla., became the first woman to preside over a session of the House of Representatives.

In 1943, race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in two days later to quell the violence that resulted in more than 30 deaths.

In 1944, during World War II, Japanese naval forces retreated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea after suffering heavy losses to the victorious American fleet.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman vetoed the Taft-Hartley Act, which was designed to restrict the power of labor unions, but had his veto overriden by Congress. Gangster Benjamin Bugsy Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, California, home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, apparently at the order of mob associates.

In 1972, three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President Richard Nixon met at the White House with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this meeting ended up with the notorious 18-minute gap.

In 1990, South African Black nationalist Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie, arrived in New York City for a ticker-tape parade in their honor as they began an eight-city U.S. tour.

In 2011, Syrian President Bashar Assad promised a national dialogue to consider political reforms, but his vague overtures to a pro-democracy uprising fell flat as protesters took to the streets shouting Liar! and demanding his ouster. Jackass star Ryan Dunn was killed in a fiery car crash near Philadelphia; he was 34. The erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James was published by Vintage Books.

In 2014, the Obama administration granted an array of new benefits to same-sex couples, including those living in states where gay marriage was against the law; the new measures ranged from Social Security and veterans benefits to work leave for caring for sick spouses.

In 2016, Donald Trump abruptly fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in a dramatic shake-up designed to calm panicked Republican leaders and end an internal power struggle plaguing Trumps White House bid. A divided U.S. Supreme Court bolstered police powers, ruling 5-3 that evidence of a crime in some cases may be used against a defendant even if the police did something wrong or illegal in obtaining it.

In 2019, Irans Revolutionary Guard shot down a U.S. surveillance drone in the Strait of Hormuz; it was the first time the Islamic Republic had directly attacked the U.S. military amid tensions over the unraveling nuclear deal. A U.S. official said preparations had been made for a military strike against Iran in retaliation for the downing of the drone, but that the operation was called off with just hours to go.

In 2020, at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Donald Trump defined the election as a choice between national heritage and left-wing radicalism; there were thousands of empty seats at the rally, believed to be the largest indoor event in the nation since the start of the pandemic. (Most attendees bucked the guidance of health care experts and did not wear a mask.) Six staffers helping to set up the Trump event tested positive for the coronavirus. A federal judge ruled that former national security adviser John Bolton could move forward with his tell-all book, despite efforts by the Trump administration to block the release. A standoff between the Justice Department and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman ended when the prosecutor agreed to leave his job with an assurance that his investigations into allies of President Donald Trump would not be disturbed. In front of an empty grandstand, Tiz the Law won the Belmont Stakes in New York; the race normally marks the end of the Triple Crown series, but all three races were postponed due to the pandemic and the Belmont was run first.

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REND CITY  State wildlife officials are tracking a black bear that was first spotted more than a week ago by southern Illinois residents and was most recently seen wandering near a state reservoir.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Conservation Police and local law enforcement began tracking the bear on June 10 when it was spotted in the Monroe County town of Waterloo.

Since then, the bear has been sighted near Mascoutah in Clinton County, near Dubois in Washington County and near Rend Lake, a state reservoir, The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale reported.

The bear was seen Friday in Franklin County at the Rend Lake spillway east end of the main dam near the village of Rend City, about 75 miles southeast of St. Louis, said Kyle Bacon, chief deputy of Franklin County Sheriff's Office. He said the department issued an alert to residents about the animal's presence.

"We don't want harm to come to the bear," he said.

Conservation police said it is likely that all the sightings are of the same young, male black bear traveling through the area.

While Illinois does not have an active breeding bear population, neighboring states like Missouri and Wisconsin do, said Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Tim Schweizer.

"It is not uncommon to see bears from these neighboring states cross briefly into Illinois before returning to their permanent habitat, especially as they look for food and potential mates," he said.

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Mary Lee Williams, the citys director of administration, said the Municipal Technical Advisory Service then assisted the city by completing an assessment of the top six candidates, ranking them depending on their qualifications.

The city then narrowed the six down to three and has been in the process of interviewing the finalists.

The finalists include Matt Austin, a longtime Bristol police officer, who became interim chief of the department upon Wades retirement. Austin has most recently served as police major. Walter Brown, another longtime Bristol officer, is also a top three finalist. Brown, a current police captain, has served more than two decades with the department in various capacities. Michael Bentolila, an Aventura, Florida, police officer, is the third finalist, according to a list provided by Williams. Bentolila is the southern Florida citys police major.

Senior management with the city has been conducting the interviews and will make the final decision on who will serve as next chief. Williams said the city will likely announce the name of the new chief in early July.

Following his retirement, Wade said hes eager to spend more time with his family and devote time in pursuit of various part-time endeavors, including continued nonprofit and community service.
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The proposed multi-family development consists of approximately 180 rental units with a mixture of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units in six buildings, with the remainder of lot 23 at the southwest intersection of Falls Boulevard and Merchant Trace, according to the document.

The six buildings would be about the same size with a clubhouse and leasing office, common greenspace, a playground and 369 proposed parking places. Sidewalks and driveways are part of the design.

An older design on the Blackwater website reflects commercial development for that particular site and shows the concept of a single strip center containing up to 10 retail businesses and parking sufficient to support it.

The City Council has the ultimate authority to grant or reject special-use permits and is required to hold a public hearing where city residents can express their thoughts on the request.

Before it goes to the council, the project must first be presented to the Planning Commission, which can send a positive or negative recommendation to the council, according to city code.
BRISTOL, Va.  Bristolians gathered at Cumberland Square Park on Saturday for the second annual Juneteenth Celebration.

Juneteenth, on June 19, is an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. On that day in 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned about their freedom when Union soldiers reached the state. (Texas was among multiple states slow to recognize the proclamation.)

While Black citizens have celebrated their freedom on June 19 since the 1800s, on Thursday, President Joe Biden signed a bill making the day a federal holiday.

Bristol Virginia Mayor Bill Hartley noted that before it became a federal holiday, the commonwealth already had a state holiday commemorating Juneteenth. He said it was important to understand the story behind the holiday.

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The event was first held last year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, guests were required to have their temperatures checked and wear masks.

On Saturday, very few masks could be seen. Health officials were on hand to give free Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Heres some more context: 30% of the people in Norton had medical debt thats now being forgiven. In Wise County, 16%. In Dickenson County, 13%. These are staggering figures. They also speak to the larger problem of medical debt: Theres a lot of it. RIP Medical Debt says 66% of all bankruptcies are tied to medical debt and that 25% of all credit card debt is medical-related. The U.S. Census Bureau produced a study last year that shows 19% of U.S. households carry some kind of medical debt.

Now lets compare and contrast that with another form of debt: Student loan debt. We pick that because theres a national push to have the federal government forgive all or part of that. Theres no question that student loan debt is too high and that it acts as a drag on the economy. Many college graduates cant afford to do the things their parents did at that age  buy houses, have kids, start businesses  because theyre weighed down by debt. Individually, thats bad for them. Collectively, thats bad for the country.

Its hard to come up with a single figure for the total amount of medical debt because its often in the form of bills piling up on the kitchen counter, whereas student loan debt is in the form of loans that are easily counted by debt service companies somewhere. However, we did come up with these figures: According to EducationData.org, 9 million student loan borrowers are in default. By contrast, RIP Medical Debt says 43 million Americans are in arrears on medical debt  nearly five times as many. So why isnt there five times as much clamor to do something about medical debt? Again, we dont mean to discount the student loan debt problem but people do choose to take out a student loan (yes, yes, the economy basically demands it, so its not as much of a choice as it might seem). Still, no one, absolutely no one, wants to run up a medical debt  all that is forced upon us by circumstances beyond our control.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national president Pashupati Kumar Paras in conversation with ANI. (Photo/ANI)

New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): Newly-elected Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national president Pashupati Kumar Paras on Saturday said that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla found our concern of 'lack of democracy' in the party as a genuine concern and changed the leadership by replacing Chirag Paswan.

"Due to lack of democracy in the party, we had urged Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla) for change in leadership in the house. The Speaker found our concern to be right and replaced Chirag Paswan with me," Paras told ANI.

He further said that the Speaker told Paswan that the right decision had been taken and the party's constitution is different from the country's.

"Yesterday, Chirag Paswan requested the Speaker to review his decision. The Speaker told him that party's constitution is different than country's and as per rules, the right decision has been taken," he said.

Earlier today, the LJP faction dissolved the national, state executives and committees of different cells. The party also announced MPs Chaudhary Mahboob Ali Kaisar and Veena Devi as national vice-presidents and MPs Prince Raj and Chandan Singh as national general secretaries.

Earlier on Sunday, Paras, the younger brother of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan was recognised as the leader of LJP in Lok Sabha in place of Chirag Paswan after the five of six-party MPs gave a letter in his support.

The Speaker accepted Paras as the floor leader of the LJP in the lower house. In a revised list of floor leaders of parties on Monday, Paras was listed as the Lok Sabha LJP leader.

On Thursday, after the rebel faction of the LJP elected unopposed Paras as the new party president, Chirag Paswan had said that the election was illegal as it was conducted by members of the LJP who were suspended from the party.

He had further said that he believes LS Speaker Om Birla Ji not aware of their party's constitution and that's why he declared him as the Leader of the parliamentary party.

The LJP was formed by former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in 2000. Paswan, a heavyweight leader in Bihar politics, passed away in October 2020. (ANI)
Colombo, Jun 17 (PTI) A delegation of Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA on Thursday met Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay here and held discussions on the devolution of powers to the minority Tamil community and development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country.

A five-member Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation met the Indian envoy a day after the first-ever meeting between the party and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa scheduled on Wednesday to discuss the constitutional reform process was postponed by the president without citing any reason.

'A five-member Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by Hon. @R_Sampanthan, MP called on High Commissioner at the India House today. Discussions on devolution and development in #SriLanka including in the Northern and Eastern Provinces were held,' the Indian High Commission said in a tweet on Thursday.

High Commissioner Baglay stressed India's longstanding support for the reconciliation that addresses aspirations of the Tamil community for equality, justice, peace and dignity within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and in accordance with the 13th amendment, the statement said.

The 13th Amendment is aimed at creating provincial councils in Sri Lanka and enable Sinhalese and Tamil as national languages while preserving English as the link language.

The TNA since 2015 has been pressing for a reasonable political solution within a United Sri Lanka to fulfil political aspirations of the Tamils.

They moot the India-backed 13A as the basis for the solution and comes amidst ideas expressed by Rajapaksa's ruling SLPP that the system of provincial councils must be abolished.

Rajapaksa has often stated that political power was only a demand coming from Tamil politicians and what the Tamil population need is economic development in the former war-ravaged regions of north and east.

India, during top level official engagements with the Lanka government at all times have highlighted the need to empower provincial councils with meaningful devolution.

Story continues

The TNA wants the 13th Amendment to be made meaningful to address the political concerns of the Tamil minority.

However, Rajapaksas public statements reflected his keenness to abolish the system of provincial councils which became part of the Sri Lankan Constitution through the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 between then-premier Rajiv Gandhi and the then Sri Lankan President Junius Jayawardena.

India at all times has insisted that they would want Sri Lanka to pursue the 13A as the tool to address Tamil concerns on devolution of power. PTI CORR PMS AKJ PMS
Representative image

Washington [US], June 20 (ANI): A US student who was studying in Russia was found dead early Saturday morning, according to Russia's Investigative Committee, reported American media.

The Hill quoting NPR reported, Catherine Serou, 34, was a master's student at Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod studying law. She was reported missing from Tuesday.

On Thursday, investigators opened a probe, considering it a possible homicide.

According to NPR, Serou reportedly got into a stranger's vehicle in a suburb of the area where she went to school. She allegedly texted her mother, "In a car with a stranger. I hope I'm not being abducted." These messages were the last her mother heard from her.

Serou's mother said that her daughter may have gotten in a passing car without waiting for the Uber she ordered to arrive in an effort to get back to a clinic in Nizhny Novgorod quickly.

"I think that when she saw that the person wasn't driving to the clinic, but instead was driving into a forest, she panicked," Beccy Serou told NPR. "Her telephone last pinged off a cell tower in that forest."

According to Russia's Investigative Committee, a man in his 40s had been arrested and was working with investigators, according to the publication. The suspect has reportedly been convicted of crimes in the past.

The US Embassy in Moscow in a statement said that it was "closely monitoring" the situation and assisting the Serou family, The Hill reported further. (ANI)
He is the Head of the body made up of his people - that is, his Church - which he began. (Colossians 1:18)

In an area where we previously lived, a group of pastors began having two community-wide prayer services each year. Interestingly, they didnt all come from any one denomination.

From those prayer services, they realized that denominations dont seem to separate us as much as they seem to distance their members from other denominations.

These were truly men of God. The group consisted of some Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Pentecostals. They all realized that a belief in Christ should unite us, not divide us.

Sadly, their efforts continue to go unrecognized. Their last prayer service had fewer than 150 people present. It was held in a Baptist church. Ironically, very few of their own members chose to attend.

At the end of the service, the host pastor spoke and confessed that he joined this group of pastors not only because he believes in the power of prayer, but to also set an example for his own members. He said that that he may not believe exactly what some of these other pastors believe. Then he quickly added But how can I challenge my members to pray and fellowship with other Christians outside our denominational walls if I dont?
Dear Dr. Fox: I just have to comment on the recent letter in your column (from T.V.H. in Tulsa) that said spending money on animals is immoral. Having a pet is a great joy, and also a responsibility. Feeding a pet and taking care of its veterinary and dental needs is a responsibility, while buying it toys and treats is a joy for both owner and pet.

Yes, people spend a lot on our pets; we love them and they make us happy. This spending also helps drive the economy, providing income for many.

How about telling all these billionaires with money stashed in tax-free accounts to open their wallets and help their fellow humans? Does anyone really need $100 billion dollars sitting in the bank? We only live for a certain amount of time. Set aside the money you need for the lifestyle you want, and donate the rest. Like they say, you cant take it with you.

I am relocating back home to Pennsylvania, and part of the reason is the rampant destruction of Floridas natural resources. Manatees are dying by the hundreds, and endangered Kemps ridley turtles are turning up dead. We are also experiencing massive illnesses and die-offs of sea birds and fish. Red tide, blue-green algae  all can be traced back to humans lack of responsibility.
Shaw, according to court papers, responded on April 12, 2019, four hours after the jury had reached a guilty verdict, saying that she was definitely interested and had seen the material about the program in the jury pool room. She mentioned that she was on a jury and asked if she would have to wait until after her jury duty to proceed with the application and training.

Miles said Shaw applied for a child-advocacy program after she saw materials for that program in a jury pool room and then later reiterated her continued interest in the program, hours after finding Stacks guilty of murder.

It cannot be said that, at a trial involving the death of an abused child, Juror Shaw was the indifferent juror required by the Sixth Amendment (of the U.S. Constitution), Miles said in court papers.

Albright made no effort to ask Shaw if she was still impartial, but simply concluded that she was based on her prior answers during jury selection, Miles said. That was an error on Albrights part, Miles argued, saying that he had no discretion at that point in declaring a mistrial, particularly since this was all discovered after Stacks was found guilty but before the jury was to consider whether he should get the death penalty.
NOT VOTING: McHenry R-NC (10th)

NAYS: Foxx R-NC (5th), Budd R-NC (13th)

YEAS: Manning D-NC (6th)

Senate votes

APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as a judge on the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals. Jackson has been a judge on the Washington, D.C., district court for the past eight years. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said: She has written nearly 600 opinions, and each of them is guided by the same principles: fairness, impartiality, evenhandedness, and an unyielding fidelity to the law. The vote, on June 14, was 53 yeas to 44 nays.

NAYS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC

REGULATING TRADE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Lina M. Kahn to serve as chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for a term ending in September 2024. Kahn has been a law professor at Columbia University, legal advisor to the FTC, and legal director of the Open Markets Institute. The vote, on June 15, was 69 yeas to 28 nays.

YEAS: Burr R-NC

NAYS: Tillis R-NC
In September 1862, President Abraham Lincoln proposed emancipation as a war measure to coerce the surrender of the treasonous states, offering them the opportunity to maintain slavery if they ended hostilities against the Union, said Anthony Parent, a professor of history and American ethnic studies at WFU.

When the southern states refused, Lincoln granted emancipation to the enslaved people once the Union lines reached those states, Parent said.

He (Lincoln) did not emancipate the enslaved people in the states loyal to the Union: Maryland, Missouri, Delaware or Kentucky, Parent said. Making the war one of liberation opened the door to African American participation.

Not only did four out of five men eligible to serve in the free states volunteer for the U.S. Colored Troops, but also the ex-enslaved people made up the bulk of the recruits, Parent said. More than 220,000 fought in the war to liberate their people.

Other Black people assisted in the Union war effort by running to Union lines, Parent said. Black Union troops were the first to liberate Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

Since liberation was realized by military action, it took the army until June 19, 1865 to liberate the enslaved people in Texas, Parent said.
Three thousand meters deep is getting to the deeper limits of where deep-sea corals can live. Some sponges can live deeper. We may be lucky and find deep-sea corals and sponges on the ridges of Caryn ... but we dont know.

The visit is part of two-week expedition (June 13-27) that could also turn up previously unknown shipwrecks on the seafloor from North Carolina to Rhode Island.

Should a shipwreck be found, the team intends to collect images and data using new and improved equipment that is being tested during the mission.

This is known to be an area where lots of ships were lost in the past. Finding shipwrecks is always potential along the East Coast, and we absolutely hope we find them, Cantwell said.

The new equipment will also be utilized in mapping the areas canyons, where the team expects to find methane gas seeps bubbling from the seafloor. Before 2010, only two such seeps had been located off the East Coast. However, exploration teams have since found more than 500, each of them supporting a unique ecosystem.

Dornback likens them to natural springs one sees on land, adding that unique compounds in the surrounding sea creatures are of great interest to medical and research communities.
After controversy over a racist Juneteenth event description, the Historic Latta Plantation is closed until further notice, the Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department announced Thursday.

The statement says all previously scheduled events are canceled while the department assesses the future use of the county-owned property.

The 19th century house is owned by Mecklenburg, while a nonprofit operates the facilities and runs the events at the plantation site.

Over the next few months, we will evaluate the best path forward for Latta Plantation and its programming, ensuring that the site is utilized in an appropriate, forward-thinking manner, said Park and Recreation Director W. Lee Jones in the statement. As our review continues, we feel it is in the best interest of the community and the property to close for now until other plans can be announced.

Earlier this week, Jones voiced concern to county commissioners over summer programs training children how to be like young Confederate soldiers and Southern belles.
Critical race theory (CRT) is the boogeyman du jour. It has been the subject of school board meetings, state legislatures and cable news opinion shows. Thats quite a following for something that does not possess a common definition.

CRT emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s from legal scholars Derrick Bell, Kimberle Crenshaw and Richard Delgado as a legal framework to explore the idea that racism is a social construct beyond personal bias that was embedded in the legal system. Whether one agrees, the prerequisite should be to raise the clarifying question: Where is CRT being taught or proposed?

Though school districts insist they are not teaching critical race theory, it does not dissuade opponents from frothing at the mouth when using this catch-all phrase so that it also includes any policy that might deviate from the prescribed curriculum.

Then there was (or still is) The 1619 Project. When it was initially published, The 1619 Project consisted of 100 pages, 10 essays and a photo essay, along with a collection of poems and additional stories. Multiple writers through their unique lenses addressed the impact of slavery that began in 1619 into the present day. Yet the sum total of the opposition is based on the factual error(s) in journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones introductory essay.
One would require mail-in absentee ballots to be received by mail or by hand by the date of the election in order to count. (Current law provides a three-day grace period for envelopes postmarked by the primary or general election date.) Another prohibits the acceptance of private money to administer elections and the third is a less stringent voter ID requirement.

These bills are not about election integrity and they are not about transparency, Manny Mejia with Democracy North Carolina said recently. They are about controlling who has the right to vote by repeating tactics that have historically disenfranchised voters.

Again, these bills may seem harmless, even justifiable, but their intent is clear: to reduce the number of legitimate votes that are accepted and counted.
After my first year at the Big U, I returned to the southern Illinois dairy farm of my youth for a summer of work. The first task, however, was to ask my father to double my hourly pay from 50 cents an hour, the amount Id been paid through high school, to $1 per hour.

Well, Dad said calmly, a dollar an hour is a mans wage and I dont see a man standing in front of me. Discussion over.

Federal minimum wage that year was $2 an hour but no hired man -- or, evidently, hired boy -- ever received that wage from my father.

I didnt make the same mistake the following summer. After a month home at, again, 50 cents an hour, I returned to the university to work at its dairy research farms for the fantastic wage of $2.10 an hour.

And my father? He encouraged it because hired men (and even hired sons) back then were both plentiful and cheap. He also had the law on his side; farmworkers were exempt from federal wage requirements.

Little has changed since. According to a recent U.S. Department of Labor National Agricultural Workers Survey, the average total income of farm workers is between $15,000 to $17,499 a year for individuals and $20,000 to $24,999 for a family.
Sinclair Hille Architects, celebrating 40 years of practice in architecture, is pleased to announce the promotion of team members Danielle Prochnow and Abbey Bettinger to associates in the firm.

Danielle Prochnow joined Sinclair Hille in 2019 with 16 years of project experience and quickly became an important member of the Design Development and Construction Documentation team. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California and her experience with the firm includes projects in hospitality, housing, retail, education, and community non-profits. Prochnow has a special talent for solving complex problems and enjoys collaborating with others to create unique and comprehensive design solutions.
Education

editor's pick alert top story

'A power boost for these kids'  More students than ever before are in summer school this year as LPS looks to fight learning loss

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Teacher Michelle Stoneman leads a kindergarten summer school class Thursday at Hill Elementary School. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Kindergarteners, including Na Taw Htoo (center), dance during a summer school class at Hill Elementary School on Thursday. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Kindergarteners Lexah Ellis (left) and Charlie Kurtzer play with sand during a summer school class at Hill Elementary School on Thursday. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star Teacher Michelle Stoneman works with kindergarteners Lexah Ellis (left) and Charlie Kurtzer during a summer school class Thursday at Hill Elementary School.

Michelle Stoneman's kindergarten classroom at Hill Elementary School in south Lincoln  a cool respite from the desert-like heat outside  is abuzz with activity Thursday morning.

A few children wearing puffy headphones are busy tapping away on their Chromebooks, deftly solving colorful math and reading puzzles with a stroke of their mouse pad. Others sit in a half-circle, playing a numbers-based card game with their teacher.

"That's easy peasy, lemon squeezy," 5-year-old Emma says happily after piecing together a math puzzle on her laptop, a mask patterned with doughnut sprinkles concealing her smile.

Later, the students take a break and Mrs. Stoneman takes out trays of sand  "kinetic sand" that you can mold into shapes, the students eagerly explain  and allows them to fashion buildings and bakery confections and anything else they can imagine.

LPS to close North Star child care classroom to consolidate student-parent program North Star teacher Shania Middagh is concerned the support she received won't be offered to other student-parents after LPS decided to close the child care center there.

"I'm making a castle," says Isaac, 6, as he scoops sand into a neon-green mold.

"I'm making a pyramid," 6-year-old Charlie chimes in.

Not that a kindergarten classroom full of bright-eyed children eager to play and learn is anything out of the ordinary. But this is late June, when Hill Elementary and other schools in Lincoln are usually a bit quieter in a normal year.

That's all changed in 2021.

Classes like Stoneman's are part of Lincoln Public Schools' expanded summer offerings this year, one of the many ways the district hopes to erase pandemic learning loss and catch students up to grade level.

LPS is holding almost a full month of summer school classes at all of its elementary and middle schools, something that's only typically offered at its Title I schools to mainly help English language learners and those with special-education needs.

The district also added another summer school site at the high school level.

LPS is using more than $1.5 million from a second wave of federal relief dollars totaling more than $27 million to pay for it, including $930,000 for the elementary level program and $450,000 for middle schools.

"It's like a power boost for these kids," Stoneman said. "Even in a non-pandemic year ... we talk about summer brain drain and this has been a great opportunity for them."

LPS narrows proposals for boundary changes as new schools prepare to open LPS officials stressed that students who already attend a school won't have to change schools, even if boundaries shift. Students will also be allowed to go to a school their sibling already attends.

Students don't sign up for summer school, per se, but are invited by staff who identify students who might need that extra summer boost to catch them up before fall.

The number of students who need that help is higher than ever.

Enrollment for elementary and middle school summer school nearly doubled from 1,500 in a normal year to 2,886 this year  2,174 elementary students and 712 middle schoolers.

The number of teachers needed to lead the classrooms has nearly quadrupled, too, with approximately 400 teaching this summer compared with about 115 normally.

"This past year was extra taxing for teachers, so I'm just really impressed with that number," said Lindsey Luly, Title program supervisor at LPS. "I think it really shows their dedication to students and helping students learn and grow."

Lincoln Pius X student shoots for the moon with essay, earns trip to historic NASA launch Amanda Gutierrez's essay, "Dream Big Moon Pod," took home the top prize last month in the high school category of NASA's Artemis Moon Pod essay contest.

Classes, which began June 1, are offered weekday mornings until June 25 and typically focus on core instruction, like math and reading. There is no cost for students to attend.

Stoneman started teaching kindergarten at Hill Elementary in 2014 before becoming an ELL teacher three years ago. She'd never taught summer school before this year, but signed on to lead a kindergarten class after Hill Principal Amy Carnie approached her.

The school usually has only about 15 students spread throughout all five summer school grades. This year, there are 11 students in Stoneman's class alone and about 60 in the entire school, Carnie said.

High school summer classes have heated up this summer, too.

More than 2,100 high schoolers  about 500 more than usual  are taking summer classes at North Star and Southeast, which was added as a site this year, said Director of Student Services Russ Uhing. The classes started May 26 and run until July 2.

The district is using approximately $200,000 in federal money to pay 42 additional staff to teach those high school classes, which students enroll in to recover credits to stay on track for graduation or to simply get ahead of required classwork.

It's also a chance for kids to explore subjects they might not normally be able to fit into their schedule, like music and career courses.

"It really runs the gamut as far as why kids take high school summer school," Uhing said.

All elementary schools will also offer jump-start programs  which typically help incoming kindergarteners acclimate to their new learning environment  to first graders as well this August.

In all, it adds up to a busier summer for LPS.

That's true across the nation as well. According to USA Today, more students than ever before are attending summer school this year, thanks to more than $1 billion in federal funding earmarked for expanded classes. Los Angeles' public school system, for one, is offering free summer school to all of its more than 665,000 students, something it wouldn't typically be able to afford.

More work remains, of course. At LPS, that will mean dipping into its federal fund to bolster student supports in the fall, including adding math and reading interventionists and expanding mental health services.

But that will wait.

As the school day winds down at Hill Elementary, Mrs. Stoneman admires the work of a student who's just completed an assignment. She asks the student an important question, one that seems to sum up the day.

"Did you work hard, or did you do your best work?"

The child's reply: "I did my best work."

It's official: Standing Bear High is name of new high school in southeast Lincoln Lincoln Northwest High and Robinson Elementary, names for the two other schools being built with money from a $290 million bond issue, were approved last month.

Watch Now: State honors 31 Nebraska high school grads who achieved rare feat: a perfect ACT score Seven students from Lincoln had perfect scores: Jack Amen of Lincoln High; Aidan Hand, Andrzej Korlacki, Joshua Lee and Kenneth Ou of Lincoln East; Clare Oldenburg of Pius X; and Jonathan Xing of Lincoln Christian.

President of Lincoln's teachers union hopes to use counseling experience in new role Deb Rasmussen was elected in a three-person race last March to succeed Rita Bennett, who just wrapped up her second and final three-year term.
It was a great service, he said.

After he retired from the military, Ted went on to receive a certificate in teaching from Concordia University in Seward. While theyve moved all across the country, Ted and his wife of 75 years, Barbara, settled down in Texas for 30 years before moving to Lincoln about three years ago.

After taking the flight, Wolframs son said he understood why his father fell in love with flying.

It was the thrill of a lifetime, he said. Words cant express what it's like being up there in an open cockpit airplane  to feel all the elements blowing by, your hair blowing in the wind, looking down and then seeing family as we flew over.

Wolfram was joined by his wife, son, two daughters and his sons daughters for the birthday celebration. His two daughters came from Texas and Wisconsin.

Wolframs son said being a military family that frequently moved brought the family very close over the years, and it was great to have everyone together Sunday.

When we get together for parties for my mom and dad, it is a very tight-knit thing because we've been such a close-knit family for  65 to 70 years, he said.
Public feedback

The public is invited to meet the candidates for Lincoln Police chief at four separate forums beginning Monday. Each will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Auld Pavilion, 1650 Memorial Drive in Antelope Park.

The candidates will make a brief presentation, answer questions from the moderator and meet with residents.

Monday: Genelle Moore, a background investigator and human resources specialist for Lincoln Public Schools and retired captain with the Lincoln Police Department.

Tuesday: Teresa Ewins, a commander with the San Francisco Police Department.

Wednesday: Darryl McSwain, chief of police for the Maryland-National Capital Park Police-Montgomery County Division.

Thursday: Ramon Batista, former police chief of Mesa, Arizona.

Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the candidates by submitting comments to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's office. The mayor will select the next chief, though her decision is subject to approval by the City Council.
The district is using approximately $200,000 in federal money to pay 42 additional staff to teach those high school classes, which students enroll in to recover credits to stay on track for graduation or to simply get ahead of required classwork.

It's also a chance for kids to explore subjects they might not normally be able to fit into their schedule, like music and career courses.

"It really runs the gamut as far as why kids take high school summer school," Uhing said.

All elementary schools will also offer jump-start programs  which typically help incoming kindergarteners acclimate to their new learning environment  to first graders as well this August.

In all, it adds up to a busier summer for LPS.

That's true across the nation as well. According to USA Today, more students than ever before are attending summer school this year, thanks to more than $1 billion in federal funding earmarked for expanded classes. Los Angeles' public school system, for one, is offering free summer school to all of its more than 665,000 students, something it wouldn't typically be able to afford.
Washington, who is on the parks and recreation advisory board, met with neighbors about two weeks ago. She called parks and recreation officials and found out they planned to dredge the pond and had hired a contractor but the work had been delayed because of the rain.

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By the next week, the equipment was there.

I told the neighbors I wanted to take credit, but it was already in the works, it was a matter of the contractor just trying to catch up, Washington said.

She said the two lots on which the pond is built are still zoned residential  though the donor stipulated no homes be built on them  and she will introduce a resolution to get them designated as parkland. Although the parks and recreation department has been maintaining the lots for years, she said, that will clarify legally that it's the department's responsibility.

Washington said she understands why the city put the retention pond there, and thinks parks and recreation officials understand that the opening to allow water to drain needs to be widened. There are other retention ponds around the city, and even more detention (or dry) ponds.

She also understands why neighbors are upset.
At Lincolns first pride parade Saturday morning, participants and spectators decked out in rainbows and pride flags circled the state Capitol.

Star City Pride hosted the event, which was followed by the organizations annual pride festival.

The parade was to show Lincolns support for the LGBTQ community, and the theme was "Together We Rise," said Dan Huntley, Star City Pride's vice president and one of the parades emcees.

We'll be going around the Capitol building, surrounding the Capitol with light and love, as we like to say, he said.

Community organizers have been wanting to hold a pride parade in Lincoln for a while, Huntley said.

It was something that was a long time coming, he said. It just took the right people coming together to make it happen.

Star City Pride actually planned to hold its first parade in 2020, but the event had to be moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was nice to be able to hold the parade in a virtual fashion last year, Huntley said, but that couldnt compare with this years in-person event.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency would continue to leverage our longstanding relationships with state and local enforcement" but deferred to state officials to speak to any steps they are taking to increase an enforcement posture.

Ricketts has been a vocal opponent of many of the Biden administrations priorities and has weighed in on gun control, the southern border, COVID-19 relief spending and voting legislation. Recently, he has been traveling the state speaking out against Bidens 30-by-30 conservation plan, which calls for preserving 30% of the nations land and water by the year 2030.

Nebraska is stepping up to help Texas respond to the ongoing crisis on their border with Mexico, Ricketts said in the news release. The disastrous policies of the Biden-Harris administration created an immigration crisis on the border. While the federal government has fallen short in its response, Nebraska is happy to step up to provide assistance to Texas as they work to protect their communities and keep people safe.

Some have questioned whether the governor's actions amount to political posturing. But Gage said that the decision to send troopers to Texas was akin to granting other state requests for assistance.
Deidre said Rodriguez ran to the Zoo Beach to try and get first responders attention. Deidre swam as far as the buoys stationed in the water, but she said the boy was farther than that.

We didnt see his head anymore, Deidre said of everyone looking out and trying to help the boy. Then we saw him floating.

It was slow motion, fast, everything in between. It was heartbreaking.  Youd do anything that you would do for your own family, Deidre said.

Responders on the way back with 17-year-old A first responder boat coming back to shore after rescuing a 17-year-old boy who nearly drowned at North Beach on Saturday. According to Deidr

Call for more protection

Prior to the incident, Deidre said she and her family were taking note of the strong currents washing over Lake Michigan at the time at the beach.

The undercurrent will take you, she said. We were just talking about that.

Rodriguez said the weather conditions were windy, with the waves higher than usual. Those who were in the water stayed in the area before hitting the buoys.

The waves were smashing in, Rodriguez said.

Deidre mentioned living near Lake Superior  Itll eat people, she said  and how beaches in the area always have life preservers and other tools to aid in water emergencies.
Because the citys net new construction does not keep up with the cost of health care and cost-of-living increases, it has been forced to scale back the benefits it previously provided to employees.

One of those benefits was the cash payout employees not represented by a union could receive when they retired if they did not use their sick days.

For some city employees, this represented tens of thousands of dollars at retirement.

In 2020, the city council opted to sunset this benefit, starting June 30, 2021.

The benefit was to be reduced in stages, so if an employee wanted the payout in its entirety, he or she would have to retire before June 30.

Alderman Jeffery Peterson opposed the method in which the benefit was taken from employees.

He said he would have preferred a method where whatever the employee had accrued would be locked in, without further accumulation.

Peterson said he was not against the concept altogether, but thought good employees who showed up to work and did not use their sick days deserved better treatment.

He said he understood the budget constraints, but it was the way it was implemented that he was opposed to.
KENOSHA  Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch on Saturday night all but confirmed that she will be running to unseat Democratic incumbent Tony Evers as Wisconsins governor next year. During a Lincoln Day Dinner speech at The Italian American Club in Kenosha, in which she compared Evers to Goliath and said that the United States would benefit if Donald Trump were still president, she talked up the Republican goal of tightening Wisconsins election laws, to address what she alleged was fishiness in the 2020 election. She then said that, should someone else be governor in 2022, and election bills  such as ones that would ban cities from accepting donations to help fund election efforts  were on that new governors desk, then I can tell you she will sign them on day one, she said. Kleefisch strongly emphasized the word she, receiving a loud round of applause from the crowd of more than 100. Wisconsin has never had a female governor. Evers earlier this month confirmed that he will be seeking re-election.
Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, who has checked out the operations at Racines COP houses, has been pushing for the pilot program and  remarkably  that has not been an easy process, despite the financial underwriting by SC Johnson. Mayor Lori Lightfoot stalled on the proposal for months until a Chicago City Council Committee overruled her.

And one Chicago activist, Eric Wilkins, has opposed the pilot COP House, saying, Chicago police got a bad rep. For them to just want to come on the block and set up shop. Thats just another plantation move to supervise us . I see nothing good coming from it.

A lot of people been brutalized by the police  now you want to come to the same community and be our friend? You havent even come with a peace offering. Thats dictatorship. Thats bullying.

We beg to differ. This is not a new police outpost  its a community house where even kids are welcome and come in and out all day.

Community Oriented Policing is exactly a long-term peace offering that aims to build relationships, trust and partnerships between residents of a community and law officers as they work together to solve neighborhood problems. Its an alternative to having the only contact between residents and police come when there is trouble going on and tensions are high.
1. Yes. Its a serious public health issue; unvaccinated workers put others at risk.

2. Yes. Some colleges and school districts are mandating it. Its a necessary step.

3. No. Employees should have the option of getting vaccinated or not. Its up to them.

4. No. Some people have serious side-effects. Geting jabbed should be optional.

5. Unsure. Getting people vaccinated is important, but so is having a choice.

Vote

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Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Some sunshine with a thunderstorm or two possible this afternoon. High 91F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Julie Calahan, coordinator of the Health Science Explorers program, said the goal is to generate increased interest in the health care field and expose students to career opportunities.

At the end of the day, if they learned something new or have a newfound interest in a health science career, then its been a success, she said.

The summer camps are part of a larger UNK program designed to grow Nebraskas health workforce and address an urgent need for more medical professionals across the state.

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Nationwide, employment in the health care field is expected to grow by 15% from 2019 to 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, adding about 2.4 million jobs during that time  more than any other occupational group.

In Nebraska, theres already a shortage of health care workers, particularly in rural areas.

Theres a continuous need for people to work in these fields, Calahan said. Many hospitals and clinics are struggling to find staff.

UNKs Health Science Explorers program will help meet this demand by connecting with students earlier in their academic careers and creating a talent pipeline for the state.
MAYBE LATELYS FOOD & MORE

WHAT: A restaurant that Eli Gay, his wife Allison Starn and J.B. Bowman opened March 3.

WHERE: 117 N. Main St. in downtown Viroqua.

HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and closed Monday and Tuesday.

MORE INFO: Call the restaurant at 608-638-8395 or visit Facebook or Instagram.
Members and friends of Gift of Grace Lutheran Church in Holmen celebrated the the congregations 10+1 Anniversary on June 6.

Why 10+1? The churchs 10th anniversary celebration was scheduled to occur last year but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sometimes its good to stop and rest a little bit and celebrate the progress that has been made. Id like to think thats what were doing here this weekend. Were taking a little bit of a respite  and celebrating to see what God has been doing in our midst and be able to celebrate with others too, said Timothy Duesenberg, pastor of the congregation.

Following a special anniversary service, an open house was held outside. The church is affiliated with the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC).

Gift of Grace Lutheran Church is located at 642 Western Ave. in Holmen. Divine Services are held at 9 a.m. each Sunday. To view recorded or livestreamed services or find out more info about the congregation, visit giftofgracelc.org or Facebook.com/giftofgraceholmen.

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Alisa Von Hagel, an associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, called Tiffanys statement rather pejorative and dismissive.

I think it illustrates his lack of knowledge regarding its historical meaning, as well as its contemporary importance and relevance to so many Americans today, Von Hagel said. Whether this is purposeful or accidental  who knows. However, it shows a real failure to consider the reality of many Americans lives and experiences today, and investigate the value of this new holiday.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee and the only member of Congress from Wisconsin who is Black, released this statement on the new holiday:

I was thrilled to vote in support of making Juneteenth a federal holiday. This day is a critical part of our American history that needs to be recognized and acknowledged by all. While it is a day of joy and jubilation, its also a reminder that our work must continue to eliminate the barriers to opportunities, so that every person has a fair shot to succeed.
ATLANTA (AP)  Tropical Depression Claudette claimed 12 lives in Alabama as the storm swept across the southeastern U.S., causing flash flooding and spurring tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

Ten people, including nine children, were killed Saturday in a two-vehicle crash, according to Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock, who said the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads. Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond said multiple people were also injured. The victims were not immediately identified.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were killed when a tree fell on their house Saturday just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, Capt. Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit told The Tuscaloosa News. Sellers did not immediately identify the victims and a medical examiner could not be reached early Sunday.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains pelted much of northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.
RIO DE JANEIRO  Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Brazil as the nations confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million.
In addition to their concern about the climate, another motivation for these and other investors was improving ExxonMobils profitability. Among the major oil companies, it was doing the least to reduce its dependence on oil and natural gas. Investors look to a companys future earnings. Its stock prices and profits have been declining for several years. In fact, ExxonMobil posted a $20 billion loss last year. According to The New York Times, ExxonMobils stock price has risen 45% since Engine No. 1 announced its challenge to the nominees from the management of ExxonMobil.

A few hours before this unprecedented shareholder revolt, the District Court in The Hague ordered the European energy giant Royal Dutch Shell to slash its carbon emissions by a net 45% by 2030 based on 2019 levels. The Court ruled that Shell has a duty to the citizens of the Netherlands to protect them from the consequences of global warming, especially rising sea levels.

The Netherlands is a country that began building its system of dikes in the 14th century to create arable land and hold the sea at bay. The Dutch are well aware of the threat to its countrys very existence from the consequences of global warming and sea level rise.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, did better than average in the latest Bipartisan Index. She ranked 41st in the 100-member Senate, which is her best ranking yet. Shes doing a much better job of representing all of Wisconsin, which has a healthy independent streak, rather than just Madison, her left-leaning hometown.

Baldwin, for example, has teamed with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to support family caregivers, and with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, to provide better mental health services in rural areas.

The most improved member of Wisconsins delegation is U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Glenbeulah. After years of being Wisconsins least bipartisan member  ranking 410th in the House in 2017, and nearly last among all his colleagues during 2015 and 2016  Grothman improved to 197th this year. Thats the first time hes been above average at working with the opposing party. We hope this encouraging trend continues. Grothman cosponsored a smart and bipartisan bill in 2019 to prevent federal government shutdowns.Wisconsins worst members at cooperating during the last congressional session were U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, who ranked 261st in the House, and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, who was 60th out of 100 senators. They were closely followed by U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, at 252nd, and Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, at 242nd.
A friend recently was wondering why the current "fuss" about voting rights. I wish to live in a democracy, which by definition is: "government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them and their elected agents under a free electoral system" (Random House Dictionary, 1966).

In 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King had told us of his dream, and some people wanted to see that dream realized. In summer 1964 I was a college student waiting tables in Illinois. Three young men, two white from New York and one black from the South, were tortured, brutally murdered, and their bodies stuffed in an earthen dam in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Why this treatment. what was their crime? -- They were registering people to vote. IF we are truly a democracy here in the USA, ALL people must be allowed, must be encouraged to vote.

Amy Crofts

Viroqua

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When the Amtrak conductor said he was making an official announcement, I put aside my book to listen. The on-train communications usually are about meals or information for newly boarded passengers. This sounded like it was something else... and it was.

He reminded everyone on the train rolling from Grand Junction to Chicago that Amtrak at that time in mid-June still required all passengers to wear masks at all times except when eating or drinking. This was an official warning, he said, that anyone who had been warned about failure to follow the rule would be subject to removal from the train if that behavior continued. The next stop could be your last, he said.

Having just spent days maskless with our family in Colorado on a camping trip, Gretchen and I had to remind ourselves a number times as we moved toward the dining car to return to our compartment for our masks  a jarring reminder that the pandemic is not yet over and that we have a continuing responsibility to do our part in whatever is deemed necessary to protect others.

As it happened, what I was reading in that book I set aside spoke to this question of caring for one another.
On several recent weekends, theres been a lot of teenage energy just barely contained in a small rehearsal space in a building off Oregon Pike in Lancaster.

Limbs fly out in a release of emotion. Hair falls onto sweaty faces as heads nod repeatedly, almost violently, to a punk rock music track.

In unison, members of the all-teen cast of Bartos Theatrical Groups upcoming production of the rock musical Green Days American Idiot, call it justified headbanging.

This simmering energy in Creative Pursuits Studios rehearsal space is, in part, an expression of the anxiety and frustration this cast of older teens  many newly minted high school graduates or rising seniors  have been through this past year, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I wanted to do American Idiot, because weve all been through so much this last year, and this musical of youthful disillusion fits the moment, says Max Bartos, 18, who directs the show and plays Johnny, one of the three lead characters.

I feel everybody can relate to its messaging, and just its general angsty-ness right now. I certainly know I can, Bartos says.

Bartos Theatrical Group is Bartos brainchild, with the support of his parents, Todd and Becky Bartos, of East Lampeter Township.

The show, which contains adult language and themes, is often performed by older adults  though the characters in the show are supposed to be the around the age of members of this cast.

Rock opera

The mostly-sung-through show, which ran on Broadway from 2010-11, is built around the songs on the 2004 punk rock opera concept album American Idiot by the band Green Day.

It features such familiar Green Day songs as Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends.

It will be performed with a live rock band Friday and Saturday at Prima Theatre in Lancaster.

The musical tells the story of three friends, Johnny, Will and Tunny  theyre usually cast as three men, but Tunny is a woman in this production  who seek to escape a stifling suburbia and head for the city to find meaning and purpose in their lives.

My character, Johnny ... wants to take a stand for something, which I can relate to a lot  wanting to have a voice and be able to share that voice, Bartos says.

Along the way, he says, his character becomes a heroin addict  manifested in an alter-ego character named St. Jimmy  and falls in love with Whatshername, a girl he sees through a city window.

Hes going through all the struggles, Bartos says. The three friends splinter off into our own factions in the world throughout the course of the show.

They must find their way from these divergent paths to reunion, healing and forgiveness as the show progresses.

Reagan Starrett, 18, of Etters, a recent Red Land High School graduate, says she loves absolutely everything about the show. The music is incredible.

Angsty teenagers, thats what were known as, Starrett says. The show kind of shows everyone exactly what that means. Its not just angsty teens headbanging ... its for a purpose.

Hunter Smith, 17, a rising senior at Hempfield High School, plays Will.

Hes getting ready to go into the city with his best friends ... but then he finds out he got his girlfriend, Heather, pregnant, so he stays back, Smith says. I think hes not ready to be a father. He turns to substance abuse, which alienates Heather, and he falls into this kind of depression because everyone is leaving him and he doesnt have anything left.

Will is just kind of staying there unwillingly, says Anya Ditzler, 17, a recent Conestoga Valley High graduate, who plays Heather. His substance abuse kind of changes his personality, and its not (a relationship) Heather wants to be in.

A lot has happened in America, and in the world, in general, Ditzler says, This show kind of shines a light on the anger that comes with it and on things that arent really normal topics to talk about.

The subject matter is a really important part for me, because, as teenagers, were told that topics like drugs and pregnancy are things we should not be thinking about, Smith says. But being in an all-teen cast of this show ... it gives us an opportunity to express how were feeling inside  to express an anger over the past year and a half.

Alexa Niles, 17, a recent Harrisburg Academy graduate, says her character of Tunny is a little lost ... and her answer is joining the military and going off to war. Tunny is seriously wounded, and falls in love with The Extraordinary Girl, a nurse in the military hospital  first as part of a morphine-induced hallucination, and then in reality.

The show speaks to Niles in that members of the teenage cast are at a time in our life where were making some really big changes, and a lot of us are going off to college, and everyone is just about to be starting that journey of finding out who they are and what they want to do with their lives, she says.

I think this show expresses a lot of what those feelings are like, Niles says, and its OK to struggle and not know who you are and figuring it out as you go  and sometimes starting over.

Anger is not necessarily a socially acceptable emotion to express all the time, especially for young girls, says Laura Claire Walker, 18, a recent Hempfield grad who plays Extraordinary Girl. Its cool to be able to express anger, and see how everyone does it differently.

Broadway bound

Among all the losses dished out by the pandemic, Bartos missed making his Broadway debut as 1980s Irish teen Darren in another musical about disillusioned youth, Sing Street.

The show, in which Bartos performed off Broadway, was moving into Broadway rehearsals when New York theaters abruptly shut down in March 2020.

He sings on the shows cast album.

In the fall, just after one more musical hes planning to direct for Bartos Theatrical Group, Bartos will be moving back to New York, to prepare for rehearsals for Sing Street  now slated to open at an indeterminate date and Broadway theater in late 2021 or early 2022.

In the 80s-flavored musical, set in the bleak financial times of 1982 Dublin, a group of high school kids form a band to escape their troubles.

Bartos recently graduated from Stone Independent School, and  in anticipation of Sing Street rehearsals  has deferred his freshman year at New York University for a year.

Ive always been a huge fan of Green Day, Bartos says. It was actually the first concert I saw ... with my dad, and it was incredible.

American Idiot is, he says, just the perfect show for right now. And all the anger in the show, I feel, is justified.

IF YOU GO  What: Green Days American Idiot, a rock musical presented by Bartos Theatrical Group.  When: 7 p.m. Friday, June 25, and 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, June 26.  Where: Prima Theatre, 941 Wheatland Ave., Lancaster.  Tickets: $25 for general admission. Order online at lanc.news/BTGAmericanIdiotTix.  Note: The show, performed by an all-teen cast, contains adult language and themes.
High temperatures have caused more deaths than all other weather events in the last several years, according to the American Red Cross. The summer solstice on Sunday, June 20, is widely accepted as the actual start of summer. Temperatures will continue to rise and pose a health risk to some. As temperatures are on the rise, here a few tips to stay cool and safe, according to The Red Cross.

Always check the weather before going out



The simple act of being aware of the anticipated temperatures will help you to stay safe because you can now be prepared.

The Red Cross advises keeping up with the latest weather forecasts, especially any heat warnings or advisories, from organizations like the National Weather Service. Also be aware of the heat index, the temperature your body feels under the combined effects of heat and humidity.

Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated helps prevent overheating. Drink lots of fluids throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty, and avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. The Red Cross also suggests eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.

Slow down



If temperatures are expected to be high, take a break and stay indoors. Also, avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day and try to get it done earlier in the morning or later in the evening when it's cooler outside.



Dress smart



Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing, preferably made with breathable fabric. Avoid wearing dark colors as they absorb the sun's rays.

Stick together



If working outside, stick together. The Red Cross encourages having a buddy system and to take breaks often. Never leave children or pets alone in hot spaces like enclosed vehicles. If you don't have air conditioning, choose places you can go for relief from the heat during the warmest parts of the day like libraries, malls, schools or theaters.

Check on others The Red Cross encourages checking on family, friends and neighbors who dont have air conditioning and may be alone. Make sure animals have plenty of cool water and shade, and make sure that they arent suffering from the heat.

Research and prepare Remember to be prepared and aware before you leave the house. Discuss safety precautions with members of your household and prepare an emergency plan for wherever you spend most of your time. Have a disaster kit ready in case of an emergency, such as a power outage. Learn basic first aid and safety protocols for treating heat-related illnesses.
An old holiday was celebrated under very new circumstances Saturday afternoon.

For the first time, Juneteenth was celebrated in Lancaster County as a federal holiday.

In downtown Lancaster, the day was commemorated by the Juneteenth flag being raised at City Hall on Friday. The flag, whose origins trace back to 1997, was to remain flying until today.

Celebrators gathered at Lancaster County Central Park on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the announcement of the emancipation of slaves in Texas in 1865  the last enslaved Black people in the South to be informed of their freedom after the Civil War  at an event hosted by the Spice of Life Foundation and the NAACP Lancaster Branch.

Blanding Watson, president of the NAACP Lancaster Branch, said the holiday is day of both celebration and remembrance.

Its a time of reflection for me, for what my ancestors have done for me, he said. Its a time to reflect on what are the things we need to continue doing and working on, and to celebrate our ancestors like Harriet Tubman and many others that fought for our rights, as well our white allies that helped us along the way.

No one knew

African Americans have long celebrated Juneteenth within their communities, Watson said, but not many people knew about the holiday until recently.

Even just a few years ago, attention given to the holiday was minimal.

No one knew, said Denisha Gantz, 33, coordinator, organizer and vice president of the Spice of Life Foundation, the scholarship fund that hosted Saturdays event alongside the NAACP. Thats what I hear from most people, is that they didnt know about it.

Gantz and the Spice of Life Foundation have been hosting Juneteenth celebrations like Saturdays for the past four years, featuring food, music, games and information about the history of the holiday to teach others about the days meaning.

Elevating the day to a national holiday comes as a double-edged sword, Gantz said, highlighting the days importance in Black history to many while also cheapening its meaning.

Its a door opener, because now everybodys eyes are open to Juneteenth, she said, but at the same time, if people wouldnt go the extra mile to receive information, they wont now, because its everywhere now.

Governments recognize holiday

Lancaster Countys board of commissioners approved a proclamation last week recognizing the holiday in what may be the first time in the countys history.

In Pennsylvania, the day was previously designated as Juneteenth National Freedom Day by Gov. Tom Wolf in 2019, before being made a special state holiday earlier this year.

President Joe Biden signed a bill making the day the nations newest federal holiday on Thursday.

Now, the day is celebrated across the nation.

The new designation as the nations 12th federal holiday was met with optimism among those at Saturdays event in the park  but plenty of caution as well.

Of course thats a beautiful thing and thats something to celebrate, said Dominique Miller, 27, of Lancaster, but its also something to be very, very mindful of.

This country was built off of the backs of Black people, said Miller, who read a spoken-word poem at a morning vigil hosted by the NAACP under his stage name, Sir Dominique Jordan. Honestly, we deserve a lot more than just our holiday being recognized.

Much of Black culture and identity has been commercialized in recent years, Miller said.

Dont just think its a national holiday so you should just go buy a T-shirt, said Gantz, clutching a homemade Juneteenth shirt. Just two years ago you couldnt find a Juneteenth T-shirt anywhere.

Symbolic gesture

For some, the new federal holiday isnt necessarily seen as a step in the right direction.

The last thing we need is a symbolic gesture, Gerald Simmons, 70, of Lancaster, a pastor at Faith Tabernacle Church of God in Christ.

When Martin Luther Kings birthday was made a national holiday, it didnt change the outcomes of the average African Americans life, he said. When Barack Obama became president of the United States, it didnt change the average African Americans life. Those were window dressings.

Rather, African Americans need a systemic change in the United States that sees them achieve better education and equal voting rights, among other goals, Simmons said.

For Simmons, Juneteenth is yet another example in our countrys history that memorializes that lack of fairness, the intentional oppression of people of color  Black people and others who are not the majority culture, if we can even call it that anymore.

The holiday is a recognition of the pure disrespect and disregard for the law as it had been passed two years before, Simmons said, referring to 1862s Emancipation Proclamation.

And thus, Black people were held for another two years as indentured servants, he said. But finally, justice prevailed, and justice delayed may not always be justice denied.

Black people have used prayer, litigation and demonstrations, the overwhelming of which have been peaceful, to work toward equal rights since that day in 1865, Simmons said.

But even if the effort is only symbolic, Kesha Morant Williams, 43, of Lancaster, said Juneteenth is a day worth celebrating.

Juneteenth means freedom, Morant Williams said. It means celebration. It means a chance to be present and visible on a larger scale.
A major infrastructure bill being debated in Congress could accelerate efforts to upgrade aging bridges in Lancaster County, where just 31% of bridges are rated as being in good condition.

And despite efforts in recent years to replace or repair bridges here, about 13% of the countys bridges are in poor condition, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data.

More than half of all bridges in the county  56%  are rated in fair condition, which means they may have some deterioration but are structurally sound.

The ratings are the product of regular inspections required by the federal government. And though most bridges in the county are in fair condition, thats not necessarily bad, according to a county transportation official.

I think the health is reasonably good, said Robert Bini, the director for Land Use & Transportation at the Lancaster County Planning Commission. By virtue of having been able to invest significant funds into bridges in recent years, weve been able to, overall ... improve the quality.

Since 2016, PennDOT has replaced more than 550 bridges in poor condition across the state, including 30 in Lancaster County, through the $899 million Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, made possible by a 2012 law authorizing public-private partnerships for transportation-related projects in Pennsylvania.

PennDOT is conducting or planning 16 bridge preservation, rehabilitation or replacement projects in the county, according to its list of ongoing projects.

The approximately 13% of Lancaster County bridges in poor condition is an improvement from 2018, when more than 16% of the countys bridges were categorized as poor in the National Bridge Inventory, the federal database that includes most bridges on public roadways.

Not all of Lancaster Countys bridges are accounted for in the inspections data. State and federal law do not require routine inspections of small bridges owned by counties and municipalities, of which there were an estimated 7,000 in Pennsylvania in 2012, according to a study from the Pennsylvania Transportation Advisory Committee.

An expensive priority

President Joe Biden is proposing to spend $115 billion to modernize roads and repair 10,000 bridges across the U.S., part of his American Jobs Plan aimed at improving the nations infrastructure.

That money could provide a much-needed boost for Pennsylvania, which received a D+ grade for its bridges in the American Society of Civil Engineers 2018 report card. At the time, the state had double the national average of bridges in poor condition, according to the report.

The Biden administration and congressional Republicans appear to be at an impasse over the specifics of the bill, though a small group of senators from both parties continues to try to devise a compromise package.

One of the primary sources of funding for Pennsylvanias bridge improvements is Act 89, a 2013 bipartisan law that invested more than $2 billion in the states transportation system.

Additionally, as mandated by two Obama-era laws, state and local agencies have moved away from a worst first approach to bridge maintenance to one that emphasizes more consistent investment in infrastructure over time.

If you invest funding at a relatively nominal level, its gonna allow you to maintain that asset, extend the useful life of it, so that you avoid the syndrome of simply letting it deteriorate over the years, Bini said. You keep investing over the lifecycle of the asset and attempt to extend the life of that asset.

Having a plan to maintain infrastructure and setting aside money for repairs ahead of time prevents having to do more costly maintenance later on, County Commissioner Ray DAgostino said.

You dont get into a situation where you fall way behind, DAgostino said. Were very proud of the fact that weve done a really good job in allocating resources to make sure the county-owned bridges are where they are today.

On the hunt for funding

Earlier this year, PennDOT said it needs more than twice its annual budget, amounting to another $9.3 billion a year, to maintain the states current transportation system. In response, Gov. Tom Wolf established a commission in March to provide recommendations for future transportation funding in the state.

PennDOT is considering bridge tolling, fee increases and congestion pricing on roads as possible solutions to avoid shifting funding from its other regional projects, according to its website.

The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate, where opposition to tolling bridges is strong, approved a bill in April that would require PennDOT to receive legislative approval to toll nine major bridges throughout the state.

Additional federal funding along the lines of what Biden is proposing could help address bridges in poor and fair condition and increase Pennsylvanias bridge preservation and rehabilitation projects in the future, wrote Doug Knoll, a district bridge engineer at PennDOT, in an email.

The age, materials, environment and traffic volume on a bridge, among other factors, can impact its health, Knoll wrote. In 2020, the average age of state-owned bridges in Lancaster County was 66 years, and it was 55 years for locally owned bridges, according to the Lancaster County Metropolitan Planning Organizations transportation plan. Several bridges, including some of the countys famous covered bridges, date to the 19th century.

Disruption worth it

Bridge repairs often lead to road or lane closures for months. But PennDOTs ongoing bridge replacement project on Route 230 near Musser Road in Mount Joy Township, which began in April, has not affected JB Hostetter & Sons Inc., a hardware store down the street, said Kent Hostetter, who manages the companys hardware division.

It seems that it takes a pretty long time to get the job done, Hostetter said. But I think that area did flood out over the past years. And I think its a good idea that theyre replacing it.
From almost the beginning, searchers knew something was very wrong on Monday, June 22 of last year.

The day before, 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos failed to return to her Upper Leacock Township home after Amish church service.

Stoltzfoos had strong family ties with her parents and eight siblings and faith. She was planning to pick up a dessert to take to a youth group meeting that afternoon: She would not have run off.

About the best that searchers could hope for was that maybe she had gotten injured and was in a field. Perhaps a broken leg?

Instead, authorities say she was kidnapped by a stranger -- a crime so rare that it has happened fewer than 350 times nationwide between 2010-2017, based on FBI data compiled by the news outlet Reuters. Stoltzfoos was subsequently killed, according to Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams - likely within hours of her abduction, which happened four-tenths of a mile up the road from her home.

Susan Stauffer, president of Middle Creek Search and Rescue, recalled the emotions she and other searchers experienced in the first days after Lindas disappearance.

The search was heartbreaking and I honestly think I left each search crying, she said.

The volunteer rescue group was called about 7:30 a.m. that Monday. Stauffer has been involved in a dozen searches in her 10 years with the organization, but never one so close to home: The Stoltzfoos home is about a mile and a half drive from hers, but she did not know the family before.

It grips your heart because its right in my neighborhood. To think an 18-year-old girl was missing from here was very emotional.  This (search) was just different. Because it was so close to home and because of the community it hit. The Amish live a very upright life. I think a lot of them don't know what goes on in the world.

Tim Hoerner, president of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company in Bird-in-Hand, which was also involved in the early searches, also recalled the impact on the community. He recalled going to the Stoltzfoos home on Beechdale Road that Monday morning. Police were already there.

We were looking at it from, hopefully it was going to be a short-term search, he said.

As Hoerner and others created a command center, he said, tremendous numbers of people came out, wanting to help.

The Amish are very involved in the fire company. Neighbors and friends also turned out.

You almost can't believe it to see when you have 400 to 600 people turn up for a search. You better have a plan in place, he said, explaining the need for volunteer sign-ins, communications, food arrangements, debriefing and such.

All of this was new to us, Hoerner said. Hes taken classes on searches, but you can't begin to be prepared for this.

The fire company had never worked with Middle Creek before, Hoerner said.

We learned their ropes, so to speak. After the first day of working with them, we knew what to do and why, he said

The search that Monday focused on the area immediately near the Stoltzfoos familys home. Its largely farms and farmland, about six mile east of downtown Lancaster.

Middle Creek conducts searches methodically, using grids mapped out with special software to guide searchers.

There were no resources that we couldn't come up with between the fire company and Middle Creek and the (East Lampeter Township) police department, Hoerner said.

Search dogs. Radios. Boats and dive teams to search Mill Creek and farmer ponds. Sonar.

As the search progressed into the next day, we looked for where she could self-hide or be hidden, Hoerner said. Besides fields, houses, barns, sheds were searched and researched, as was a millrace on Beechdale.

By the second day of the local search, Hoerner said he accepted that something bad had likely happened.

Still, Hoerner said, You try to look at life from the positive side.

On July 10 -- thanks to the help of a Beechdale Road residents security camera footage that captured a Kia Rio stop and a woman believed to be Stoltzfoos approach the car the day she went missing -- police arrested Justo Smoker and charged him with kidnapping and false imprisonment.

The 35-year-old Paradise Township man had been released from prison about 16 months earlier after serving about half of a 12-1/2- to 30-year prison sentence for a series of armed robberies committed when he was 21.

News of the arrest rocked the searchers.

From the standpoint of the community, no matter what, we wanted to bring closure to the family. It was really an incredible burden for them, Hoerner said. I think the whole community felt, we have to bring closure to them and hopefully, bring her alive but things were looking pretty gloomy.

Based on where Smokers cell phone information placed him and other information, the search moved to the Welsh Mountain area some 13 miles east of where Stoltzfoos went missing.

Middle Creek led four searches there. Depending on the area, the terrain could be heavily wooded, thickets, or farm fields. The Lancaster Conservancy has a 940-acre nature preserve there, or about 1.5 square miles.

At times searchers were just five to 10 feet from each other, according to Middle Creek Chief Wesley Clark.

Being about 20 to 30 feet apart is more common.

By fall, formal searches were off. Search and rescue teams dont just respond on their own, Clark said. Instead, they are called on by law enforcement or another official agency and act on their directives. And law enforcement doesnt share everything it knows with searchers, he said.

The search would also become by far that organization's largest search by far in its 27 years.

The search for Stoltzfoos was the only time Middle Creek did not find who they were looking for, Clark said.

In the end, Stoltzfoos body was found on April 21. She was buried about 42 inches deep on Amtrak property behind Smokers job, Dutchland Inc., located on Rte. 41 south of Gap. The area had previously been targeted, though the location where the remains were found is not easily accessible, District Attorney Adams said at the time of recovery.

In the May issue of The Diary, a monthly newspaper for the Amish across the country, Henry Fisher wrote, So a group of FBI and county agents searched in vain last Wednesday April 21 until they fetched the hand-cuffed prisoner to the property where he showed them where the grave was. True to his work, the body was found wrapped in tarp 42 inches below surface. About two hours later the news appeared on the 'Lindas hotline' and spread around fast bringing a measured relief to anyone, especially to those who still carried a churning weight in their stomach of questioning grief.

Adams has declined to comment on how investigators learned Stoltzfoos location.

Smoker has pleaded not guilty to charges of homicide, kidnapping and false imprisonment. He was charged with her death on Dec. 21 after prosecutors said DNA samples collected by swabbing Smoker's cheeks matched DNA samples found on Stoltzfoos' stockings. Pennsylvania State Police found the stockings July 10 while searching a wooded area near a Ronks business where Smoker had been seen.

Trial date has not been set.

Adams acknowledged the interest the case has had locally and beyond. Several Facebook groups about Stoltzfoos disappearance formed, with members from all over the world. One woman from Minnesota wrote that she cried so hard the day Stoltzfoos was found that she went into stress-induced labor and had her daughter via emergency cesarean section the day of the funeral.

Our goal in this case has always been to bring Linda home to her family, to secure justice and to protect the community, Adams said. The recovery of Lindas body and allowing the family the ability to give her a proper burial was a significant step toward obtaining justice. Our office will continue to work toward procuring a murder conviction to provide the opportunity for closure and healing for Lindas family and the community.

Stauffer, Middle Creeks president, said she cried when she learned that Stoltzfoos body had been found and hoped it brought her family relief.

You just cant imagine going through this. Just to know that they have that now was just huge for me, she said.

As they have done in the past, the Stoltzfoos family declined LNP's request for comment.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified Tim Hoerner of the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company
Reader Stephen Osborne of Conestoga recently wrote the Watchdog to ask: Will Millersville Universitys Weather Information Center ever return?

I own a boarding kennel so basically, I walk dogs. Its an outside job, explained Osborne, 63.

In other words, Osborne needs to know what weather he and his canines will face.

I guess what I always liked about Eric Horst, he did not get hysterical like a TV weatherman  It was really good information, Osborne said.

Horst, the schools longtime meteorology professor, founded the center decades ago. He retired in the fall. The centers records go back to 1914 and contain a wealth of meteorological data for Lancaster County.

Osborne will be pleased with the answer to his question, but first, the Watchdog can share the reason behind the centers seeming disappearance is the Feb. 28 cyberattack on Millersvilles computer network.

With Horst gone and no publicly updated information visible on the site, it seemed a fair assumption that, like a storm, the Weather Information Center had simply run its course.

Not so, according to university spokeswoman Janet Kacskos.

Much of the data is not visible to the public because of the cyberattack and those issues, Kacskos said.

After the cyberattack, Millersvilles IT folks took many systems offline so they could go through them to make sure they're safe, she said.

Theyre going through everything very painstakingly. In fact, theyre going through, computer by computer -- thousands in all, Kacskos said, between faculty, staff and lab computers.

Theres also a priority to that task.

The Weather Information Center is very, very important to us, but financial is a little bit more important, Kacskos said, referring to programs such as financial aid.

Many systems are back up and the school hopes to have public access to the Weather Information Center restored in a couple weeks, Kacskos said. In the meantime, students and staff have access to the center.

Relatedly, the school intends to hire a replacement for Horst, but that process has been stymied by the pandemic, Kacskos said. Applications for the position are being accepted until July 5 and the school hopes to have a person hired by mid-August.

So far, Millersville hasnt been able to determine who was responsible for the cyberattack; its investigation continues.

According to a March 17 email to the Millersville University community by President Daniel Wubah, personal information belonging to a handful of individuals was obtained by the attackers. Those affected were notified.

On April 2, Wubah sent another email -- the schools most recent on the issue -- saying the schools cybersecurity consultants found additional information was disclosed. Its not yet known if any additional personal information was accessed.

The university contracted with IDX, of Portland, Oregon, to provide one year of identity protection to faculty, staff and students who were enrolled or employed by Millersville during 2020-21. While people can still enroll through July 28, Millersville has spent $9,713 so far; Millersville hasnt yet calculated the attacks total financial impact.

But unlike recent cases in which hackers demanded - and obtained - ransom payments to restore victims systems and data, whoever was responsible for the Millersville attack hasnt demanded money or anything else, according to Kacskos.
Barbara and Christine Colucci long to remove their masks and kiss their 102-year-old mother, who has dementia and is in a nursing home in Rochester, New York. They would love to have more than two people in her room at a time so that relatives can be there too.

We dont know how much longer shes going to be alive," Christine Colucci said, "so its like, please, give us this last chance with her in her final months on this earth to have that interaction.

Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere  except inside many of Americas nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nations most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.

Frustration has set in as families around the country visit their moms and, this Fathers Day weekend, their dads. Hugs and kisses are still discouraged or banned in some nursing homes. Residents are dining in relative isolation and playing bingo and doing crafts at a distance. Visits are limited and must be kept short, and are cut off entirely if someone tests positive for the coronavirus.

Family members and advocates question the need for such restrictions at this stage of the pandemic, when the risk is comparatively low. They say the measures are now just prolonging older people's isolation and accelerating their mental and physical decline.

They have protected them to death, said Denise Gracely, whose 80-year-old mother, Marian Rauenzahn, lives in a nursing home in Topton, Pennsylvania.

Rauenzahn had COVID-19 and then lost part of a leg to gangrene, but Gracely said what she struggled with the most was enforced solitude, going from six-day-a-week visits to none at all.

Rauenzahns daughters eventually won the right to see her once a week, and the nursing home now says it plans to relax the rules on visits for all residents in late June. But it has not been not enough, as far as Gracely is concerned.

I believe its progressed her dementia, Gracely said. Shes very lonely. She wants out of there so bad.

Pennsylvanias long-term care ombudsman has received hundreds of complaints about visiting rules this year. Kim Shetler, a data specialist in the ombudmans office, said some nursing homes' COVID-19 restrictions go beyond what state and federal guidelines require. Administrators have been doing what they feel is necessary to keep people safe, she said, but families are understandably upset.

Weve done our darndest to advocate for folks to get those visitation rights, she said. Its their home. They should have that right to come and go and have the visitors that they choose.

A recent survey by National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, an advocacy group, found time limits on visits remain commonplace, ranging from 15 minutes to two hours. Some facilities limit visiting hours to weekdays, making it difficult for people who work during the day, or restrict visits to once or twice a week.

Rauenzahns Pennsylvania nursing home has been limiting most residents to a single, 30-minute visit every two weeks.

Federal authorities should restore full visitation rights to nursing home residents without delay, Consumer Voice and several other advocacy groups said in a June 11 letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Residents are continuing to suffer from isolation and decline because of the limited visitation permitted in the current guidance, the letter said.

Advocates also take issue with federal guidance on how nursing homes deal with new COVID-19 cases. The guidance says most visits should be suspended for at least 14 days. Some family members, administrators and advocates complain that the recommendation has led to frequent lockdowns because of one or two cases.

Weve never had a real long, lengthy period of time where were able to have visitors, said Jason Santiago, chief operating officer at The Manor at Seneca Hill in Oswego, New York. He said continued isolation is inflicting a heavy toll. Weve got to do things that make more sense for these residents, make more sense for these families.

While the federal government recently eased restrictions for vaccinated nursing home residents, New York state has not gone along. Those who eat together in communal spaces must remain socially distanced, for example, and they have to be masked and 6 feet apart during activities, no matter their vaccination status.

That makes crafts, bingo, music  a lot of what nursing home life is about  more difficult, said Elizabeth Weingast, vice president for clinical excellence at The New Jewish Home, which runs elder-care facilities in and around New York City.

We prioritized vaccinating nursing home residents and thats wonderful, but theyre not getting the same liberties that you or I have now," said Weingast, who recently published an opinion piece calling for a loosening of restrictions.

Her co-author, Karen Lipson of LeadingAge New York, which represents nonprofit nursing homes, said the rules force this kind of policing of love that is really, really challenging.

With the virus infecting more than 650,000 long-term-care residents and killing more than 130,000 across the U.S., nursing homes had a duty to take precautions when COVID-19 was out of control, said Nancy Kass, a public health expert at Johns Hopkins University. But she said she is baffled by the continued heavy emphasis on safety at the expense of residents' quality of life, given were not in that state of affairs anymore."

In Ohio, Bob Greve was desperate for a change of scenery after being cooped up in his Cincinnati-area nursing home for most of the last year. But the administrator wouldnt permit a visit to his sons house because of COVID-19 concerns  even though both men are fully vaccinated.

The policy led Greve to a breaking point, according to his son, Mike Greve, who said his 89-year-old father called six, eight, even 10 times a day out of boredom and frustration and talked constantly about getting out.

Mike Greve said he pressed the nursing home administrator for outside forays, only to be told: If I let you take your father out, I have to let everybody else. Greve said the administrator was worried about residents bringing COVID-19 back with them.

The administrator did not return phone and email messages from The Associated Press. A day after AP sought comment, Greve said, the administrator called him into the office, offered to allow his father out for a visit and said the policy would be changed for everyone else, too.

Father and son spent a glorious afternoon soaking in the sunshine at Greve's house, where his dad spotted a deer.

He said, Hallelujah' I don't know how many times," Greve said. He said, 'I don't know how you got me out, but I'm so happy I could cry.'"

Rubinkam reported from northeastern Pennsylvania. Associated Press reporter Marina Villeneuve in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.

This story corrects the spelling of the surname of Denise Gracely, whose 80-year-old mother, Marian Rauenzahn, lives in a nursing home in Topton, Pennsylvania
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Record-breaking heat and historic drought in the U.S. West are doing little to discourage cities from planning to welcome millions of new residents in the decades ahead.

From Phoenix to Boise, officials are preparing for a future both with more people and less water, seeking to balance growth and conservation. Development is constrained by the fact that 46% of the 11-state Western region is federal land, managed by agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management that are tasked with maintaining it for future generations.

That's led officials in states like Nevada and Utah to lobby the federal government to approve land transfers to allow developers to build homes and businesses on what had been public land. Supporters in the two states have won over environmentalists in the past with provisions that allocate proceeds to conservation projects, preserve other federal lands and prevent road construction, logging or energy exploration.

A small group of opponents is arguing that routinely approving these kinds of swaps to facilitate growth isn't sustainable, particularly in areas that rely on a shrinking water supply.

For the seven states that depend on the Colorado River  Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming  a regional drought is so severe that less water is flowing to Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two manmade reservoirs where river water is stored.

If the level of Lake Mead keeps dropping through the summer as projected, the federal government will likely issue its first-ever official shortage declaration, which will prompt cuts in the share of water Arizona and Nevada receive.

The predicament is playing out in the Las Vegas area, where environmental groups, local officials and homebuilders united behind a proposal from U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto that was heard in the Senate this week.

The Nevada Democrat is pushing what she calls the largest conservation bill in state history to designate more than 3,125 square miles (8,094 square kilometers) of land for additional protections  roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined  and 48 square miles (124 square kilometers) for commercial and residential development, which is about the size of San Francisco.

Some conservationists support the proposal because it would add federal land to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for recreation and reclassify some undeveloped parts of Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge as Bureau of Land Management wilderness areas," which carry stronger protections than national parks.

Jocelyn Torres, field director for the Conservation Lands Foundation, said at the Senate hearing Wednesday that the protections would restore lands to more efficiently capture carbon, which would help mitigate rising temperatures.

Our public lands present our best chance to address climate change, our biodiversity crisis and invest in our local communities and economy, she said.

The effort mirrors land management pushes made over the past decade in Washington and Emery counties in Utah to designate wilderness and sell other parcels to developers to meet growth projections. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that St. George, in Washington County, was the nation's fifth-fastest growing metro area last year.

In both regions, affordable housing is among officials' top concerns. Soaring home prices in California have added to a flow of people leaving for nearby states like Nevada, Arizona and Colorado, where open land, lower tax rates and jobs are attracting new residents.

The fast-growing Las Vegas area lacks the housing supply to meet projected population growth. A 2019 University of Nevada, Las Vegas, study that Cortez Masto's legislation references projected the population in Clark County would increase 35%, to 3.1 million residents, by 2060. That spike will be difficult to accommodate without building in existing communities or public lands.

Due to this federal ownership, our options for planning and development are very constrained and require constant coordination with federal agencies, Clark County Director of Environment and Sustainability Marci Henson said.

Growth may stretch an already limited water supply. Water officials support the proposal, which allocates funding to maintaining the channels used to recycle wastewater through Lake Mead. The region has enacted some of the U.S. West's most aggressive conservation measures, including an outright ban on decorative grass in certain places, to prepare for growth.

Last year, water officials projected a worst-case scenario in which consumption patterns and climate change could force them to find other supplies as soon as 2056. Critics say the projections are concerning.

This legislation doesn't have an identified, sustainable supply of water going out 50 years in the future, said Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Nevada-based conservation group Great Basin Water Network. When you couple that with everything that were reading about at Lake Mead and the Colorado River, it's very precarious to be putting forward a bill that invites another 825,000 people to the Mojave Desert.

Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger said in a statement that the proposal "helps secure the water resources and facilities that SNWA needs to provide reliable and safe water to our customers for decades to come.

When Cortez Masto's proposal was introduced, there was little mention of how water factors into plans for future growth or if the conservation components of the bill could have any impact.

Roerink said the plan's funding allocations for water infrastructure need to be accompanied by additional serious, realistic modeling" of the Colorado River.

When an entity says, Let's go and build some homes in this region,' theres an implication that waters going to be there in perpetuity," he said.



Associated Press reporter Suman Naishadham in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Metz 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.



This story was first published on June 18, 2021. It was updated on June 19, 2021, to correct the title of Marci Henson and the spelling of her first name. She is the Clark County director of Environment and Sustainability, not Air Quality Department director, and her first name is spelled Marci, not Marcie.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker says hes angry about a recent investigative news project detailing how the wealthiest Americans paid very little in federal income taxes, even as the value of their fortunes grew substantially.

The West Lampeter Township Republican wasnt making the case for fixing a tax system that allows rich people to largely avoid income taxes  a key finding of the news report. Instead, Smucker said he was angry that private tax filings in the custody of the Internal Revenue Service were leaked to a news organization.

I find it astonishing that [ProPublica was] able to post apparently thousands of tax returns and it will have  a devastating impact on taxpayers, that the IRS is incapable of keeping that personal information confidential, Smucker said during a June 10 Ways and Means Committee hearing. I think its absolutely terrible.

ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative reporting outlet based in New York, published stories earlier this month based on a trove of tax filings from the 25 richest Americans, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet.

I asked the @IRSnews about the criminal penalties for the egregious and politically motivated leak of stolen taxpayer information and what they intend to do about it. Leaking taxpayer information is a crime. This cannot continue to happen time and time again. My questions  pic.twitter.com/X5PbDBuAtS  Rep. Lloyd Smucker (@RepSmucker) June 11, 2021

The ProPublica analysis of these documents found the 25 billionaires saw their wealth rise a combined $401 billion from 2014 to 2018. Yet over those five tax years, they paid a collective $13.6 billion in federal income taxes  or a true tax rate of only 3.4%.

These rich Americans benefited from U.S. tax laws that do not tax the value of capital assets like stocks or property until they are sold. And when sold, the owners pay a capital gains tax that, at its highest (20%), is still lower than the income tax rate applied to many middle-class filers.

The news organization found that the taxes the 25 wealthiest individuals paid on their reported incomes was, on average, just over 15%. According to ProPublica, that rate of taxation is lower than what a single worker making $45,000 a year might pay if you include Medicare and Social Security taxes.

Privacy vs. Fairness

Smucker, who has a hand in shaping the nations tax policies as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, alleged that the leak of the tax information to ProPublica was politically motivated.

It looks political at this time, when this information is being used to advance the Democrats narrative that the wealthy just dont pay enough of their taxes, Smucker said during the June 10 hearing. It certainly looks like its not only illegal, but its also politically timed to the debate.

Additionally, Smucker argued that the nations wealthiest people pay a much greater share of the total income taxes collected, with 87% of federal tax revenue coming from the top 20% of income earners in 2017, while the bottom 40% of income earners pay nothing in federal taxes.

Smucker, first elected to the U.S. House in 2016, supported former President Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts, which largely benefited the nations top 20% of income earners and cut the corporate tax rate by 40%, according to the Tax Policy Center. While its proponents argued the tax cuts would foster greater business investment in workers and production, an analysis by the Congressional Research Service found that most Americans saw wage increases that lagged the overall growth in the economy.

At a June 17 hearing with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen about President Joe Bidens budget proposal, Smucker again brought up his anger at the IRS leak, calling it appalling.

He also asked Yellen whether she supports a so-called wealth tax. Yellen said the Biden administration supports taxing high-income individuals at a higher rate and rewriting the law so those individuals could not hold the assets until death.

ProPublicas analysis of the most wealthy's tax returns did not find evidence that any of them were breaking the law.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, said while protecting taxpayer privacy is crucial, there is also a necessity for lawmakers to make sure they are giving taxpayers an even playing field.

Wheres the balance between the unintended illegal leak of data of the handful of very rich people  equally divided between Democrat and Republican  and the importance of keeping people from cheating? Beyer, who is also a Ways and Means committee member, asked during the June 10 hearing. Is our priority to protect these traitors to our country, who refuse to pay their fair share for the price of freedom, who cheat all those honest taxpayers who are out there?

Smuckers personal income far outpaces that of the average household income in Pennsylvania. He continues to hold a 40% stake in water filtration company H20 to Go, which earned him between $100,000 and $1 million in annual income, according to his 2020 financial disclosure. Adding up his state pension, H20 to Go salary and congressional salary, Smucker makes at least $300,000 per year and potentially much more.

Smuckers office did not respond to a request for comment.
The flooding emergency of June 8 was a major topic of conversation at Coatesville City Councils June 14 meeting, held via Zoom.

Council ratified the declaration of a state of emergency, allowing time to apply for emergency assistance.

Seven inches of rain impacted roads, some that usually flood during storms as well some that do not normally see flooding. Homes also were hit, with the Red Cross helping with temporary housing for 48 individuals from 11 families.

Council also focused on gun violence and a rising crime rate. Police Chief Jack Laufer reported there were two shooting incidents that day  one resulting from a minor argument and the second an apparently accidental self-inflicted injury.

We cant police ourselves out of this problem. Its a communitywide problem. We need to change the culture where guns are part of the lives of predominantly males in the city, Laufer said.

At the top of the agenda was a discussion on handicapped parking signs. The city does not charge to install the signs upon a residents request. An annual letter is sent out to confirm that the need for handicapped parking still exists. If the city does not receive a reply, the sign is removed. In some areas, such as Virginia and Woodland streets, on-street parking is mostly designated handicapped parking.

Council is considering instituting a fee for the signage that would cover the citys costs. Requests for other signs, such as watch children, require the costs to be covered.

As COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, city offices are receiving requests for block party permits. Currently, the city does not issue permits for private parties that require closing a street. There was discussion that street closings could be a problem for emergency vehicles or businesses, plus everyone would need to be advised that drinking alcohol is not permitted on the street or sidewalks.

An application form will be developed for council to review.
The Cornwall-Lebanon school board reviewed the $87.9 million proposed final budget for the 2021-22 school year at its public work session June 14, conducted in-person with a virtual option.

The spending plan, which is expected to be voted on at the next school board meeting June 21, calls for a tax increase of less than one-half mill.

The tax hike would increase the millage rate for Cornwall-Lebanon taxpayers from 15.6367 mills to 16.0901 mills and cost them about $73 more per year, based on properties valued at $161,100. The tax increase would help balance a budget that reflects about $6.3 million more in spending.

Last year, the Cornwall-Lebanon school board raised real estate taxes about 1%, or $25 per year for homeowners, to help balance an $81.6 million budget. The new tax hike will go toward covering increased spending for staffing, the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual education, including outside virtual charter learning.

In other business, the school board was introduced to new middle school Assistant Principal Greg Fulkerson, who will replace Joseph Burton. Burton was reassigned to the school district's newly created position of virtual solutions administrator.

Fulkerson has been serving as Cedar Crest Middle Schools interim assistant principal, and he is expected to be assigned to the position permanently when the school board votes to appoint him and set his salary at the June 21 meeting.
When: Pequea supervisors meeting, June 16, in person.

What happened: Supervisors voted unanimously to disperse annual donations to three emergency services entities. The township will give $61,000 to be divided equally between the New Danville Fire Company and West Willow Fire Company. Lancaster EMS will receive a donation of $3,000.

Also: Board members discussed opportunities for all three nonprofit organizations to receive additional money via the federal American Rescue Plan, which the board accepted by resolution.

Background: Donation money to the fire companies and to Lancaster EMS was previously budgeted.

Drug task force: The five board members unanimously declined making a donation to the Lancaster County Drug Task Force at this time, as nothing was previously budgeted. Chairman Harry Lehman, who serves as the police liaison, made a statement explaining he has voted different ways since 2011 in financial support for the drug task force. Lehman said the requested amount of $4,600 is too much right now, as the township is already over budget this year in terms of police, including hiring a new officer.

Federal money: The board agreed to open a separate interest-bearing account with Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust to accept federal money under the American Rescue Plan. Board members shared some wariness over the federal money due to stipulations as to where it could be used. As such, the board also voted to use an attorney for any such decisions.

Other happenings: The board approved a conflict waiver involving township solicitor McNees, Wallace & Nurick. The firm, which has represented the township for the past several years, also represents Verizon, which seeks to install a cellphone tower within the township.
When: Supervisors meeting, June 7, in person.

What happened: Supervisors announced monthly meetings will return to the township building at 400 Bunker Hill Road, Strasburg. The change will go into effect next month.

Why it matters: During the coronavirus pandemic, supervisors meetings have been held at the Refton Fire Company, 99 Church St., to follow social distancing guidelines and accommodate larger crowds. Chair Tom Willig said meeting at the township building is now safer due to higher vaccination rates and slower activity during the summer.

Quotable: Were ready to get back to normal, Willig said.

Zoning: Supervisors continued discussion on a proposed text amendment that would revise regulations governing residential development in the Gateway North and R-1 residential zoning districts. The amendment would finalize the number of dwellings in Gateway North to 18 family dwellings per acre in a mixed-use development. In the R-1 district, single family detached dwellings would be permitted. Supervisors made no final decision, but will revisit the matter at a future meeting.

Background: The zoning changes were prompted after Keystone Custom Homes CEO Jeff Rutt told supervisors last July the demand for residential real estate is higher than commercial. Since then, supervisors have discussed residential density and permitted uses for residential development in the R-1 and Gateway North zones.

Locations: The Gateway North zone is a commercial zoning district located on Hartman Bridge Road while R-1 is located on North Jackson St. and stretches toward Village Road near Strasburg Borough.

Other business: Secretary Judy Willig informed supervisors a separate bank account for $427,999 in American Rescue Plan funding has been created at the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust. The township will have two years to spend the money.

Whats next: Strasburg Township supervisors will meet July 6.
- When: Warwick School District board meeting, June 15, held in person.

- What happened: The board unanimously approved renewing the contract of Superintendent April Hershey for five years. Hershey has served as superintendent since June 2009, making her one of the longest-tenured superintendents in the county.

- Background: Hershey led the district through a difficult year, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to online instruction in March 2020. Then for the 2020-21 school year, the district was able to remain open for in-person instruction the entire school year, except for a few days at Warwick High School and a couple of days at John R. Bonfield Elementary due to virus outbreaks.

- Quotable: Warwick was one of the few school districts that was able to keep students in school, said board president Michael Landis. Much of the credit goes to Dr. Hershey and her strong leadership.

- Salary: Hersheys new contract calls for her to be paid a yearly salary of $205,000, an increase from her current salary of $190,852.

- Graduation: Hershey reported on the commencement ceremony held June 7 at Calvary Church. She said graduation went really well and we have received wonderful feedback from families of graduates. Hershey said much of the credit goes to high school Principal Kristy Szobocsan, who the superintendent said set out to give the Class of 2021 the graduation it deserved. This year graduates were surrounded by fellow graduates, family and friends.

- Hiring: The board approved the appointment of Melissa Miller as assistant principal at the high school. She is currently assistant principal at Central Dauphin East Middle School and is expected to join Warwick prior to the 2021-22 school year.

- Budget: The board approved the 2021-22 general fund budget of $79,339,136. For the third year in a row, the district will not be increasing taxes, keeping the millage rate at 16.3711.

- Other business: The board approved a tax assessment appeal from Arc One Lititz Partners for property located at 50 Rock Lititz Blvd., with a new assessment of $9,424,200. They also approved a settlement of the tax assessment appeal filed by Target Corp. for property located at 960 Lititz Pike, at a new assessment of $9,841,200.

- Student representative: In September, the board will be joined by the newly appointed student representative, Liam Zee, who also will serve on the Student Activities committee.

- Fair funding: Four local citizens attended the meeting to urge the school board to support the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Amanda Peiffer, who has been a Warwick School District teacher for 21 years, asked the board to support the fair funding formula, which is intended to remove politics from state school funding decisions, directing money to school districts based on objective factors such as student enrollment, needs of the student population, school district wealth and capacity to raise local revenues.

- Masks: Parent Courtney Lazar wanted to express her belief that mask wearing should be optional for students next year. She was told that the school district would be following the guidance in place at the time from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

- Quotable: I want things to get back to normal, she said, adding that she did not want her children to have to wear masks and did not want them to be vaccinated. COVID-19 is no different than flu or other respiratory conditions.

- Whats next: The board will not hold Committee of the Whole meetings in July and August. The regular school board meetings will be held in person on the third Tuesday of the month as usual.
THE ISSUE: President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the establishment of Juneteenth  June 19  as a federal holiday. The measures passage came as there was sudden and broad bipartisan agreement (in Congress) to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States after years of debate and inaction, The Washington Post reported. Juneteenth is the first new federal holiday to be established by Congress since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created for the third Monday of every January. The first federal observance of Juneteenth took place Friday, because June 19 fell on a Saturday this year.

The swift establishment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday came as something of a surprise. Who knew Congress could move so quickly?

But the importance of having a federally observed day each year to mark the final emancipation of enslaved people after the Civil War should not come as a surprise to anyone.

On the cover of last weeks Perspective section, we summarized the history of how Juneteenth came about:

In 1862, in the Emancipation Proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln declared millions of enslaved people in the United States to be free. However, because word traveled slowly back then, and because many slave owners refused to obey the proclamation, Black people in deep Southern states, including Texas, continued to be held as slaves even after the Civil War ended in April 1865.

Ten weeks later, Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with 2,000 troops to occupy the state on behalf of the federal government and to enforce the conditions of the Confederacys surrender, which included the end to slavery.

And on June 19, 1865, Gen. Granger read aloud a declaration announcing the total abolition of slavery in Texas. General Order No. 3 stated: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.

And so Juneteenth  which has also been known as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day and Jubilee Day  spread joyously outward from that historic reading of General Order No. 3.

While it has Texas-centric roots, Juneteenth has long been a national day of celebration. The Washington Post noted that as Black Texans moved across the country, they brought their day of jubilation with them.

Juneteenth events in Lancaster County this year have included art exhibits; movie showings; the NAACP of Lancasters annual Juneteenth Celebration and Vigil at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology; music and dance performances; and the fourth annual Juneteenth Family Fest. The anniversary has long been important within the Black community here.

Last week, for what is believed to be the first time in Lancaster County history, an official proclamation was issued for the observance of Juneteenth, LNP | LancasterOnlines Carter Walker reported.

The proclamation begins: Lancaster County is a welcoming community where we strive to honor the historical experiences of all Lancastrians, including African Americans who for too long have been denied the founding promise of America  that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness  and we continue the important work for equality today.

Additionally, Lancaster County Commissioner Craig Lehman said this month that hed like to see Juneteenth added to the countys official list of holidays. We second that proposal.

Pennsylvania government, meanwhile, was slightly ahead of Congress in recognizing Juneteenth. Last year, following the protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Gov. Tom Wolf declared Juneteenth a holiday for state employees, Walker reported.

(As a historical aside, we should note that Pennsylvanias history in dealing with slavery is complicated. In 1780, the state Legislature became the first in the colonies to pass an abolition law. But, as The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in 2019, Lawmakers never actually put forth provisions emancipating those already in bondage. ... Enslaved people born even the day before passage (of the abolition law) could still be kept in bondage for life. The last enslaved Pennsylvanians wouldnt be freed until 1847.)

Quest for equality

But the establishment of a federal Juneteenth holiday is far from the only measure those seeking racial equality and racial justice in America want from Congress.

When he signed the law Thursday, President Biden said: Folks, the promise of equality is not going to be fulfilled until ... it becomes real in our schools and in our main streets and in our neighborhoods. Its not going to be fulfilled as long as our sacred right to vote remains under attack. ... We cant rest until the promise of equality is fulfilled for every one of us.

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson was even more firm an op-ed published in Fridays LNP | LancasterOnline: Observing a new holiday is not the reckoning with systemic racism that so many Americans demanded following the murder of George Floyd. ... If Republicans want to convince us they are sincere in their stirring words about the importance of Juneteenth, lets see them sign on to the voting-rights legislation that passed the House and now is being considered in the Senate.

Robinson is referring to HR 1, the For the People Act, which contains numerous elements that are critical to the protection of voting rights and our democracy.

Still, we believe the establishment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday marks, as Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday, a day of celebration and a day of pride.

We are reminded of the passionate case for a Juneteenth national holiday made by Lancaster City Council President Ismail Smith-Wade-El in an op-ed last June: There is no holiday more American than Juneteenth. ... As a raucous call comes nationwide to finish many of the incomplete liberations in American history, including the freedom from bondage that Juneteenth celebrates, now is the time to celebrate it as a national holiday.

It took a year longer than Smith-Wade-El hoped, but the time for this celebration has finally arrived.
The May 30 letter Context absent from column exposed the atrocious conditions Palestinians living under Israels violent occupation suffer daily.

In her regular reports on IfAmericansKnew.org, Alison Weir provides a documented window into the lives of a subjugated people: arrests; abductions; killings; dispossessions; demolished homes, farms and businesses.

In my view, American news media do not report fairly on the Palestinians situation. Israel, with its sophisticated army, tanks, airplanes and nuclear weapons, is presented as the victim of an enemy shooting homemade rockets, throwing stones and protesting against an occupation robbing it of basic freedoms and a decent quality of life.

U.S. administrations for decades have defended Israel, giving it $3.8 billion annually in military aid and vetoing United Nations resolutions criticizing it.

In a recent column, The New York Times Thomas Friedman pondered a possible two-state solution. How can two states be made out of the West Bank, which is now just isolated fragments of Palestinian-controlled areas surrounded by Israeli settlements? Life in Gaza is equally appalling.

Americans must inform themselves about what their government and media are perpetrating in their name. The influence of Israels lobby  the American Israel Public Affairs Committee  and others in the halls of Congress is legendary. If they value their jobs, politicians, reporters and other public figures seemingly dare not cross this powerful lobby.

For all our vaunted principles of fairness, defending the underdog and promoting human rights, Americans should be ashamed of our record vis-a-vis Palestine and its captive people. By not speaking out, you and I are complicit.

Charles B. Lane

Lancaster Township
French Senators Question Government on Ukraines Right Sector Neo-Nazis

June 19, 2021 (EIRNS)Three French senators are asking questions about the neo-Nazi Right Sector in Ukraine after inadvertently running into one of its events in Kyiv. According to coverage today in the Emerging Europe platform, the three senators, Nathalie Goulet, Jean-Pierre Moga and Joel Guerriau, were wandering around the streets of Kyiv on the last weekend in May on the occasion of the citys annual birthday celebration when they ran into something quite different and macabre. On Andrievskiy Descent, a scenic, historic road in central Kyiv, members of the Ukrainian far-right party Right Sector and its youth wing, Right Youth, put on a militaristic show for children, Emerging Europe reports. They invited kids to shoot from air rifles at a paper target of the Kremlin and at pictures of Colorado beetles (a derogatory term for Russians). The three senators did not like what they saw.

On June 10, the delegation officially submitted a request to the French Foreign Ministry to find out the position of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on this subject and what measures it intends to take to avoid the contagion of this deadly ideology.

The neo-Nazi parties are developing increasingly visible activities, including in the center of Kyiv, with shooting ranges, practices of assembling and dismantling Kalashnikovs and recruitment offices for young people for militias that clearly claim Nazi ideology, they wrote. The senators further described that they had seen pro-Nazi memorabilia being sold by Right Sector cadres, including identity papers of members of SS-Sonderkommando units.

Unfortunately Emerging Europe does not identify Right Sector and other right-wing outfits such as Svoboda Party as overtly coming from the pro-Nazi Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists-Ukrainian Insurgent Army (OUN-UPA) of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, agents of the Nazi German Abwehr. During the Maidan peaceful demonstrations in 2014, the Right Sector brandished posters of Bandera and Shukhevych, and shouted the official greeting of the wartime Ukrainian Nazis Slava Ukraine, heroyam slava! [Glory to Ukraine, to the heroes, glory!]. They also chanted Knife the Moskali [Russians], hang the Communists, wore swastikas, and attacked unarmed police and civilians with Molotov cocktails.

Incidents such as that witnessed by the French delegation this month continue to fuel perceptions that the far-right in Ukraine, while electorally unpopular to the point of almost complete irrelevance, nevertheless enjoys a substantial degree of institutionalization and clout within Ukrainian politics, Emerging Europe says. It also notes that Ukraine has become a magnet for militant Westerners seeking combat experience. Some commentators suggest that this may be one reason for the lack of progress on Ukraines accession to NATO and the European Union


China produces far more vegetables than any other country in the world. It has used greenhouses, special buildings for growing plants, for many years. But food supply problems created by coronavirus restrictions have sped the development of high-tech glass greenhouses in the country.

High-tech greenhouses

At Chongming Island near Shanghai, China's most populous city, workers collect tomatoes and cucumbers inside a new, glass greenhouse. The Dutch company FoodVentures operates the greenhouse. It began harvesting vegetables in May.

The greenhouse is one of many appearing near China's very large cities. These new structures use high-end technology to control water flow, temperature and lighting systems. The greenhouses grow vegetables within easy reach of a large and increasingly wealthy base of buyers.

Dirk Aleven is director of FoodVentures. Aleven noted the increase in demand for fresh food since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. He told Reuters that in the past, fresh vegetables were transported for thousands of kilometers, even within the borders of China.

"It is even more important now that fresh produce is produced at the spot where it's consumed, Aleven said.

Supply chain issues

Historically, China's vegetable production took place in a few areas and required a complex transport system to get the produce to markets in big cities.

That system faced major problems in 2020. COVID-19 spread at a seafood market in Wuhan - the area where the virus was first reported. It also spread at a large market in Beijing. The flow of food was affected, leading to shortages and crop waste.

Gayathree Ganesan of the Economist Intelligence Unit said the health crisis pushed the fresh food industry to change its supply chain system.

Built in or near cities to reduce distance to buyers, the new, high-tech greenhouses are usually cooperative businesses. Chinese companies work with greenhouse companies from the Netherlands, a leader in agriculture technology. The greenhouse near Shanghai is one co-op example.

Growth and the future

Greenhouses made of glass have seen an especially large increase in use.

The area used for glass greenhouses grew 28 percent in 2020, well above the 5.9 percent rise of 2019. In comparison, less costly plastic greenhouses saw six percent growth, reports Richland Sources, an agricultural support business.

Plastic greenhouses help protect crops, but are considered less efficient than glass greenhouses.

Greenhouse developers note that a growing number of wealthy Chinese seek better food produced with less chemical use. They are supporting the expanding greenhouse industry, the developers say.

Lim Xin Yi is executive director of sustainability at Pinduoduo, China's largest e-commerce system.

Lim noted that Chinese people are buying more of their groceries online, and spending more on healthier choices from food producers they trust.

Xu Dan, CEO of greenhouse operator Beijing HortiPolaris, said China could face some difficulties as it changes its farming and food supply system.

"The biggest challenges are people, people who have the knowledge to manage greenhouses to produce quality vegetables," he said. Xu added, "Most farmers are getting old and their way of production (is) also out of date, replacing such (a) big amount of farmers is really a big challenge."

Im John Russell.

Emily Chow, Sophie Yu and Dominique Patton reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

consume -- v. to eat or drink (something)

shortage  n. a state in which there is not enough of something that is needed

sustainability -- n. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

efficient  adj. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy

groceries  n. plural food sold by a grocer : food bought at a store
Governments and businesses in Asia and North America are offering prizes or gifts to people who get vaccinated against COVID-19. The awards include money, animals, apartments, beer and more.

Asia

From Thailand to Indonesia to Hong Kong, Asian governments are offering different vaccination prizes.

In Thailands Mae Chaem area in northern Chiang Mai, most residents raise cows. So local officials have launched a cow raffle this month. A raffle is a game that involves people getting numbered tickets in exchange for a chance to win a prize.

Sixty-five-year-old Inkham Thongkham won a one-year-old female cow worth $320 after he received his coronavirus vaccine.

Thongkham described the prize as the best gift ever.

Officials said the campaign, now in its second week, had led more than 50 percent of people in the area to sign up to get vaccines.

Many across Asia have been unsure about getting vaccinated, with widespread disinformation fueling concerns about vaccines.

In Hong Kong, free airline flights and a new apartment worth $1.4 million are among the prizes being offered to those who have been vaccinated. Some businesses in the Chinese territory have gone even further, offering paid time off to vaccinated individuals.

Even in countries hit hard by the coronavirus, such as Indonesia, governments have struggled to reduce vaccine fears. Among Indonesian Muslims - who make up more than 85 percent of the nation's population - many are worried whether the vaccines are considered halal, or permissible, by Islam.

Asep Saepudin is a 67-year-old resident of Cipanas, in Indonesias West Java province. "I was afraid that if I was vaccinated, I would die immediately ... Then there was more worrying news that this vaccine contained pork, Saepudin said.

Officials in Cipanas say it has been especially difficult to persuade the elderly that the vaccines are safe and halal. As in Thailand, officials have also turned to animal prizes, offering live chickens for each elderly, or older, person who gets a shot.

"Elderly people don't want to be vaccinated for various reasons. Some say they want to but don't come, some are even afraid, said the local police chief, Galih Aprian. So we reward (their vaccinations) with chickens.



United States

Asia is not the only part of the world where governments are giving prizes for vaccinations. Many American states are doing it too.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, for example, recently gave out $1.5 million each to 10 vaccinated winners to mark the end of the states coronavirus restrictions.

The $15 million total was the final part of Newsoms $116.5 million Vax for the Win program. It was part of a larger effort to persuade residents to get vaccinated and speed up Californias recovery in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Governors Associations website gives a list of different gift or prize programs U.S. states offer. Some of the programs give money, while others offer different experiences.

The website notes that in Alabama, the Talladega Superspeedway offered people aged 16 and older the chance to drive their car or truck on the race track.

In the month of May, New Jersey partnered with different beer makers, known as breweries, to give people over the age of 21 a free beer. The program had special conditions and required evidence of vaccination.

Emily Largent of the University of Pennsylvania is an expert on medical issues and health policy. Largent told AARP that using gifts or prizes can appeal to different kinds of people as a way to get them to seek the vaccine.

Largent suggested the offers may be helpful for people who are less concerned about the public health benefits of vaccinations.

Im John Russell.

John Russell adapted this story based on Reuters and Associated Press reports. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

reward  v. money or another kind of payment that is given or received for something that has been done or that is offered for something that might be done

track  n. an often circular path or road that is used for racing

benefit  n. a good or helpful result
Crowds of foreign visitors usually enjoy the scenic trails in Nepals Himalayan mountains. But for more than a year, the trails have been empty. And most of the countrys tourism industry is still shut down by the pandemic.

That means tens of thousands of Sherpa guides have been left without the work needed to feed their families. Ang Phurba Sherpa has been trying to help those struggling the most during the pandemic. He told the Associated Press that he also hopes his actions lead others to do the same.

Sherpa has been loading his truck with large bags of rice, lentils, cooking oil and other necessities. He bought the food supplies with his own money and delivers them himself to many families in Kathmandu.

Sherpa told reporters: I am trying to help in any way I can because I thought I should give to our community 

He adds that the guides have no work and need help. Nepal normally has two trekking seasons each year  spring and autumn. That is when the majority of foreigners come to hike the trails that cut through the countrys snow-covered mountains.

In 2019, about 171,000 tourists visited Nepal to trek. They paid for hiking guides, ate in restaurants, slept at inns, and bought equipment. In 2020, there were hardly any tourists. It is the same again this year.

Nepal reopened to tourists in March, but only a few hundred foreigners have come. Also, they come to climb the countrys famous mountains, such as Mount Everest, and not to trek.

The guides are facing lots of trouble and they are in pain Sherpa said.

As a trekking guide himself, he said he is also in a difficult situation. But he said he wants to help his fellow guides and hopes they will come out to help each other. Their situation has been made worse by a new lockdown that started in April as cases of the COVID-19 virus increased in the area.

Sherpa has helped Kunjun Lama, another guide. He has been struggling to feed his family of six. He said the rice and oil he received would help his family for a month.

It has been two years and I have had not had any trekking guide work, Lama said. He added that the worst part is there is no other work available at all right now.

As well as helping his fellow guides, for the past three months Sherpa has been taking food to a shelter for 57 disabled children.

Shelter operator Dendi Sherpa said the main source of money had been his own pay from guide work. Without that, he had been struggling to run the shelter.

But with help like this we are able to feed the children, he said.

Im Anna Matteo.

Binaj Gurubacharya reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_______________________________________________________

Words in This Story

scenic  adj. having, providing, or relating to a pleasing or beautiful view of natural scenery (such as mountains, hills, valleys, etc.)

trail  n. a path through a forest, field, etc.

tourism  n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure

deliver  v. to take (something) to a person or place

trek  v. to travel by walking through an area with many mountains, rivers, etc., for pleasure and adventure (also a noun)

hike  v. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise : (also a noun) to go on a hike

fellow  adj. belonging to the same group or class


One morning in June, A.J. Muir, an 18-year-old high school student from Springfield, Virginia, was taking a test in an empty classroom.

It was not an English or math test. Instead, it was a test that recognized his skills in keeping computer networks safe  a field called cybersecurity. Muir is going to college this autumn. But he possibly could get a good job tomorrow after passing the test.

Muir had prepared for the test by taking classes at Edison Academy. The school is one of the career and technical education (CTE) centers in Fairfax County. Students at the centers take traditional classes such as English and history in addition to technical ones like cybersecurity and information technology.

If President Joe Bidens $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan is approved by the U.S. Congress, there will be a strong demand for CTE students like Muir. Companies will need people who know how to work with metal and electricity. They will need workers to build parts for roads, bridges and places to charge batteries of electric cars.

The skills gap

A 2017 report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce showed that there are 30 million jobs in the U.S. paying $55,000 per year that do not require a college degree. The jobs require the kind of education that comes from the CTE classes.

Right now, there are not enough adults in the U.S. who know how to do those jobs. And workers holding the jobs are getting close to the end of their careers. A 2019 publication from the U.S. Department of Education noted nearly 80 percent of public high school students take at least one CTE class. But after that one class, many students do not continue.

The consulting firm Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute called it a skills gap in the U.S. economy in their May report.

Joseph Wolfe teaches electrical work, construction and engineering at Edison Academy. Most students who take his classes do not go straight to college.

We're not anti-college. We just provide an alternate path to a traditional college route.

People who want to work as electricians need up to four years of training to get started. But the students who leave Wolfes class are already one year ahead. They can work and study their trade at the same time.

Wolfe added that some of his former students with more experience earn close to $100,000 per year.

History of career training

The U.S. government started paying for career and technical training as early as 1917. It is sometimes called vocational training. In those days, students learned to work with wood and metal and were able to get well-paying jobs without going to college.

Over time, students were told that a good future required a four-year college degree. In many cases, that is still true. But Muir is part of a new group of American students who are hearing a different message.

College is great, but it comes at a cost.

A four-year degree from a private university in the U.S. can easily cost over $100,000. At the end of the four years, students may have more knowledge, but they are not necessarily ready to join the workforce.

Spending less money, students can learn about information technology, nursing, or cybersecurity at community colleges. They can also learn to fix vehicles or cook in a restaurant. However, it might take them one or two years to gain the skills Muir and other students learned in high school.

Other countries have similar training programs for young people. And some may be better prepared for economic changes than the U.S.

A 2018 report by World Education News and Reviews said Germany had over 1 million students enrolled in career training classes in 2017. About half of all workers in Germany in 2016 had some kind of career training. And German people see this kind of training as a common path to success.

Pandemic challenges

Teachers and administrators at CTE schools are now working to promote job training to students and their parents. They said it helps both students who want more out of high school and those who struggle in traditional classes.

Monica Bentley is the administrator for Edison Academy. She started her job in 2020.

Im actually just blown away with how many students  even during a pandemic, have received certifications, she said. I'm really looking forward to next year when I can see it in full force.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

Quiz - Some US Students Choose Career Training over College Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

infrastructure - n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly

construction- n. the business of building things (such as houses or roads)

alternate adj. other than the usual

route- n. a way of achieving or doing something

vocational- n. relating to the special skills, training, etc., that you need for a particular job or occupation

nursing- n. the job of taking care of people who are sick, injured, or old

promote- v. to make people aware of (something, such as a new product) through advertising : to make (something) more popular, well-known, etc.

blow away- v. to impress (someone) in a very strong and favorable way
Lewiston, ID (83501)

Today

Plenty of sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 100F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. W winds shifting to SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
top story

They dont really give you a guidebook on parenting
Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 623-8193 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway.
Housing activists and rent strikers participate in a vigil for tenants who they say will not be covered by Gov. Gavin Newsoms rent relief plan at the Elihu M. Harris, State of California office building in Oakland on Jan. 29, 2021.
A Fresno-area politician wants California to prioritize struggling San Joaquin Valley farmworkers in a proposed pilot program that would put cash in the hands of some the states impoverished residents.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The glut of visitors, far exceeding Tibets population of 3.5 million people, means caution is necessary to protect the environment and culture, he said.

Tourists are drawn to the mystique and myth of Tibet as a remote snow-bound land, said Travis Klingberg, a cultural geographer at NYU Shanghai. But Tibet has become a place of beautiful natural landscapes meaningful to the Chinese nation.

Tibet has shifted its focus from international to domestic visitors as Chinas middle class has grown, said Emily Yeh, a professor of geography at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Tibetans have at times complained about Chinese tourists disrespecting cultural traditions, including stepping on prayer flags, she said.

The tourism sector reinforces government propaganda, Yeh said. The ruling Communist Party says it liberated hundreds of thousands of serfs when it overthrew the theocracy in 1951 and has since brought economic development to the high plateau that borders the Himalayas.

Rewriting of history is very much a part of the tourism landscape, Yeh said.
Barbara and Christine Colucci long to remove their masks and kiss their 102-year-old mother, who has dementia and is in a nursing home in Rochester, New York. They would love to have more than two people in her room at a time so that relatives can be there too.

We dont know how much longer shes going to be alive," Christine Colucci said, "so its like, please, give us this last chance with her in her final months on this earth to have that interaction.

Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere  except inside many of Americas nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nations most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.

Frustration has set in as families around the country visit their moms and, this Fathers Day weekend, their dads. Hugs and kisses are still discouraged or banned in some nursing homes. Residents are dining in relative isolation and playing bingo and doing crafts at a distance. Visits are limited and must be kept short, and are cut off entirely if someone tests positive for the coronavirus.
NORTH BEND, Oregon (AP)  A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people in a small Oregon city forced a woman to drive him more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Wisconsin, where he surrendered to police, authorities said Sunday.

Oen Evan Nicholson approached Laura Johnson, 34, after she returned to her parking spot during a her lunch break on Friday in Springfield, Oregon, and forced her to drive him in her car, police said. Authorities were notified Sunday morning that Nicholson had surrendered to police peacefully in Milwaukee but did not release details about how he gave himself up.

Johnson was not hurt and was returning to Oregon, Springfield police said in a statement.

He approached her in her vehicle with a gun, Johnson's father, Dennis Johnson, told KEZI-TV. They said she was forced to drive 33 hours to where theyre at. She was able to talk him into turning himself in.
Ribble noted some left-leaning unions oppose expanding immigration because they believe it steals jobs from native-born Americans and depresses wages. One study after another has debunked those theories, he said. Some right-leaning groups claim immigrants cause more crime and add to social service burdens, which is also not borne out statistically, the speakers noted.

No one wants a free-for-all, as the status quo on the southern border demonstrates. But observers such as the June 15 panelists urged following a process that encourages legal immigration versus flying under the radar illegally.

Ankit Agarwal, president and CEO of Imbed Biosciences in Madison, said it is difficult to hire foreign-born graduates from Wisconsin universities. Because the total of H-1B specialty employment visas is capped at 65,000 per year, he said, most of the 200,000 or more annual applicants are unable to stay and work in the United States after graduation.

On one hand we talk about growth in businesses, growth in startups, hiring more highly educated workforce  but on the other hand, this 65,000 (cap) has been around for the last 20 years, he said. How can we grow the workforce and grow the education system ... but not increase the H-1B visas, which is the only way for them to become part of the American workforce?
A Livingston man was arrested for attempted homicide in the shooting of a man at a Livingston bar early Saturday morning, the Grant County Sheriffs Office reported.

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday, the Grant County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting a possible shooting at The Hell Inn Bar and Grill, 280 N. Center St. in Livingston, Sheriff Nate Dreckman said in a report.

When deputies and emergency personnel arrived, they found a 34-year-old man lying outside the door to the bar bleeding from wounds. The man, whose name was withheld pending notification of family, was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital for treatment and his condition was unknown, Dreckman said.

Investigators learned that a witness saw a suspect pointing and firing a gun toward the victim, and deputies later found the suspect, Todd Holder, 52, of Livingston, at a residence outside of Lancaster and he was taken into custody without incident, Dreckman said.

Holder was arrested and taken to the Grant County Jail on a tentative charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, as the investigation continues, Dreckman said.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It recognizes when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865  two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Stanley Woodard, of Fitchburg, has recognized and celebrated Juneteenth for decades. He said hes happy and proud to finally see it become a national holiday.

Were seeing the progression  it may not be as fast as we would like  but on the other hand, we are making steps, he said. This is a holiday for all Americans. Its a holiday for those who dont know why its so important to come out and learn a little bit as to why it is a part of their history, too.

Carrie Smith, who is white, and her husband Derrick, who is Black, have participated in Juneteenth events in Madison off and on since moving to the city in 1992.

With having two biracial boys, we always thought it was important to be a part of something and let them know the history of what has gone on in the United States, Smith said.
This sort of supportive father-child relationship is common  except perhaps in politics.

Former congressional staffer and political journalist Barron YoungSmith once wrote an article for Slate with the headline, Why Do So Many Politicians Have Daddy Issues? American politics, he wrote, is overflowing with stories of absent fathers, alcoholic fathers, neglectful fathers.

All the presidents fathersGerald Fords father, Leslie Lynch King Sr., was an abusive alcoholic. Fords mother left King 16 days after the future president was born, when her husband threatened her and her infant son with a butcher knife. Fords mother married Gerald Rudolff Ford. When he was 22, Ford changed his name from Leslie Lynch King Jr. to Gerald Rudolph Ford.

Jimmy Carters father, James Earl Carter Sr., was a high school dropout who encouraged his son to read, a hard worker who urged his son to work hard, and a devoted husband and father. He served in the Georgia Legislature but died during his first term of pancreatic cancer at age 58.

Unlike other presidents, Jimmy Carter did not have to search for his father, who never left. Carters upbringing stood in contrast to both Ford, the man who preceded him in the White House, and Reagan, the one who followed him.
Govt-and-politics

alert top story

New company to take control of Idaho National Lab waste cleanup

Eric Goodell / Keith Ridler, Associated Press This May 2015 file photo shows nuclear waste stored in underground containers at the Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS  The Idaho Cleanup Project contract, worth approximately $6.4 billion over a 10-year period, was awarded to Idaho Environmental Coalition, a joint venture between Jacobs Technology Inc. and North Wind Portage. IEC won the contract on May 27, beating out Fluor, which has held the contract since 2016.

The current 1,900 employees on the project will continue to work on the cleanup, but five senior staff members of Fluor will be replaced by staff from IEC, according to Ann Riedesel, Fluor director of communications. The way the RFP (request for proposals) that DOE put out, the new contractor will assume the vast majority of the employees. There are a handful of senior staff that wont transition over, said Riedesel. ... Well try to make it as seamless as possible for the employees.

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management determined the Idaho Environmental Coalition proposal provided the best value to the government considering key personnel, past performance, management approach, and costs, resulting in a new contract with a team able to achieve measurable results toward completion of the mission at the Idaho National Laboratory Site, according to an email response from a DOE spokesperson. Fluor, as well as the four other unnamed contractors that bid on the project, have the ability to protest the decision which would give the United States General Accounting Office 90 days to respond, according to a person familiar with the talks.

Riedesel said Fluor has not decided whether they will protest the decision.

Idaho Environmental Coalition

Jacobs Technology Inc., based in Tullahoma, Tennessee, has been a part of the Rocky Flats Closure, Hanford Plateau Remediation and West Valley Decommissioning according to their website. North Wind Portage, an Idaho Falls-based company, has been part of the Idaho Cleanup Project since 1997.

IEC declined to comment for this article.

History of the Idaho Cleanup Project

The Manhattan Project to develop nuclear weapons and the Cold War-era during which many were produced left a legacy of waste and contamination.

Under the environmental standards of that time, Idaho National Laboratory had affected the quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer water. INL injected contaminated wastewater directly into the aquifer leading to contamination of the groundwater below some areas of the INL with heavy metals, chemicals and radioactive elements, a DOE statement read.

Solid waste was buried in unlined trenches and on above-ground pads. Waste from Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado made up the majority of the plutonium-contaminated waste. This plutonium-contaminated waste contained large amounts of chemicals that could potentially leak into the Snake River Plain aquifer.

Over 40 years, the U.S. Navy and commercial nuclear facilities sent their fissionable materials  material that can maintain a nuclear reaction  to INL. The lab recycled $1 billion worth of uranium and generated 3.5 million gallons worth of liquid radioactive waste from this material, according to an INL film about the cleanup.

Used nuclear fuel, also known as spent fuel, came to the state from government and university research as well as part of the U.S. policy of nonproliferation. The spent fuel, in the form of metallic plates and rods, is stable and relatively easy to store safely in containers.

1995 Settlement Agreement

All of this waste, historical disposal practices, and the potential for Idaho to become the nations dumping ground for nuclear waste began to raise the hackles of Idaho residents and legislators.

On October 16, 1995 the Settlement Agreement was signed by then Gov. Phil Batt and the federal government. This agreement prevented shipments of spent nuclear fuel to the INL for permanent storage, required removal of various forms of transuranic waste from Idaho, required DOE to treat and remove certain high-level waste streams from the state, and required the transfer of spent nuclear fuel from wet storage into dry storage, according to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality website.

A 2006 stand-off between Gov. Butch Otter and the federal government ensured the cleanup of buried transuranic waste at INL as well.

Cleanup contractors

Bechtel and BWX Technologies had the original oversight contract, but DOE switched to a project-oriented contract for the long-term cleanup, according to Post Register reporting in 2005.

In 2005, CH2M-WG, a joint venture between CH2M HILL and Boise-based Washington Group  Washington Group was a subsidiary of Battelle Energy Alliance, which operates INL  won the first Idaho Cleanup Project contract, worth $2.9 billion. Jacobs also bid on the original contract according to a Post Register article from the time.

CH2M-WG was fined $27,000 in 2007 for radiation safety and quality improvement deficiencies identified during a May 2006 DOE assessment of radioactive waste processing activities at the Accelerated Retrieval Project at the Idaho National Laboratory, according to a DOE letter to the company. Of concern in this case was the safety culture problems indicated by an employees fear of retaliation for raising safety issues and the emphasis on production over safety, as identified during the DOE-ID assessment, the letter said. The DOE extended CH2M-WGs contract for three years at $730 million in September of 2012.

CH2M-WG managed to do some of the cleanup they were hired for but the company was never able to get the $571 million Integrated Waste Treatment Unit up and running. The IWTU was intended to convert 900,000 gallons of liquid sodium-bearing waste into a powder that can be stored in containers more safely off-site.

Fluor took over the Idaho Cleanup Project in June, 2016.

IEC will take over the project in October, 2021.

Where Fluor stands currently with the cleanup

Over its five years, Fluor completed the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facilitys goal to retrieve and repackage 65,000 cubic meters of transuranic waste and shipped more than 2,400 cubic meters (710 shipments) of transuranic waste out of the state for disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

Riedesel says 95% of the spent fuel storage basin is now empty and has been converted from wet to dry storage, making the project one year ahead of schedule. But it is still years from completion.

The company has modified existing buildings to treat more challenging waste like roaster oxides, reactive uranium generated during Cold War weapons production at the Rocky Flats Plant, reactive sludges, and high-activity wastes  the highly radioactive byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear reactors.

The .34 acres of waste at the Accelerated Retrieval Project at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex is slated to be completed at the end of this year but will be handed off to IEC. Other buildings at the complex still need to decontaminated, demolished, and covered with an earthen cap to prevent rainwater from seeping into the ground, according to Riedesel.

As for the IWTU facility, that has now reached a cost of $1 billion and that was a challenge for CH2M-WG, progress is debatable. The company has never had a successful run with nuclear material. In 2019, Fluor executed a successful 50-day demonstration run using simulant. In 2020 they disassembled and then reassembled the facility, adding new filters. This outage was extended by the COVID-19 pandemic but should be completed in the next several months for another 50-day run. In theory, giving the new contractor, IEC, the ability to work with DOE on the final demonstration and start processing the materials for storage.

Fluors highlights and what it should be remembered for

Riedesel says that Fluor should be remembered for its innovative work with IWTU. Our team really looked at what the issues were and came up with a plan on how to solve them  they methodically solved each one of the issues and got the facility to a point where it will run successfully. Additionally, Fluor has contributed more than $1.3 million to area education initiatives and non-profit organizations.

Our expectations dont change when a contractor changes, Mark Clough, INL Settlement Agreement Coordinator said in an email.
At the beginning of June, I found out that the library was facing a lot of criticism and public attacks about a display it had up for Pride, and sadly many of these were being led by Christian faith communities  people in the name of Jesus raging against displays informing people that they are loved and safe just the way they are. Then I began to hear stories about the rocks at the high schools, landmarks that are repainted often to celebrate all sorts of occasions, and the battle back and forth between messages of love, acceptance, affirmation and inclusion, and messages of unwelcome, anger or antagonism. This reminded me of another story.

In Detroit in 1967 there was a statue of Jesus in an almost exclusively Black neighborhood. One day, in connection with the civil rights movement growing at that time, members of the community painted the statues skin tone black and in so doing offered this message of hope: Jesus is like us. There were some white individuals outraged in the community who painted the statue white again, clearly exclaiming with their actions: Jesus is not like you, but exclusively like us. The statue went back and forth a number of rounds until the institution on whose grounds the statue resided weighed in, definitively stating the statue would stay black.
Applicants for all seats must reside or work within an associated county per region. The low-income representative must be either income eligible and aware of the problems affecting low-income families, or currently working with low-income families and willing to speak up for their needs.

Representatives of private groups, interests and agencies are selected from among private social agencies, private educational institutions, and constituencies of the low-income concerned with specific problems and other private organizations within the community.

Health Care Hiring Fair

The Idaho Department of Labor at 420 Falls Ave., Twin Falls, will host a health care hiring fair from 1-4 p.m. June 23. It will also provide a free COVID-19 shot for those who still need one. This is your chance to look over the health care jobs available in our area in one place. For information or to reserve a spot, contact the IDOL at 208-735-2500 ex. 3822 for Kent or ex. 3405 for Oscar.

Manufacturing Job Hiring Fair at CSI

The Idaho Department of Labor will host a manufacturing job hiring fair from 1-4 p.m. Friday, June 25 at the College of Southern Idaho. For information or to reserve a spot, call the IDOL at 208-735-2500 ex. 4092 for Brooke or ex. 3653 for Randy.

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IDAHO FALLS  The Idaho Cleanup Project contract, worth approximately $6.4 billion over a 10-year period, was awarded to Idaho Environmental Coalition, a joint venture between Jacobs Technology Inc. and North Wind Portage. IEC won the contract on May 27, beating out Fluor, which has held the contract since 2016.

The current 1,900 employees on the project will continue to work on the cleanup, but five senior staff members of Fluor will be replaced by staff from IEC, according to Ann Riedesel, Fluor director of communications. The way the RFP (request for proposals) that DOE put out, the new contractor will assume the vast majority of the employees. There are a handful of senior staff that wont transition over, said Riedesel. ... Well try to make it as seamless as possible for the employees.
CRT goes on to suggest that if there are wrongs that still need to be righted (and there are) then an understanding by the rising generation of our historical pitfalls might be useful in avoiding those pitfalls in the future.

At least thats the general idea. Those opposed to CRT seem to fall into two camps. Many appear convinced that the whole premise is untrue, that America has never exploited any of its citizens, and that all Americans have been, and are today, universally treated with fully equal opportunities in every respect at every moment.

Others acknowledge our nations past unsavory actions but claim those actions have no lingering impact on America today, and to say otherwise will make todays students (translation: todays white students) feel bad about themselvesan instant non-starter for a nation of hovering helicopter parents.

Meanwhile supporters of CRT defend it by simply pointing out that the whole point of education is to teach students about actual real stuff. Otherwise, we impose the same cancel-culture techniques on history that we love to bash in politics and modern culture.
So much for quaint notions of bipartisanship. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week bluntly admitted what should long have been obvious: He views partisan politics as a zero-sum game in which the only goal is to seize power from the opposing party by any means necessary. In an interview, McConnell acknowledged that, should Republicans retake the Senate next year, he wouldnt even consider a Supreme Court nominee from President Joe Biden in 2024  maybe not even a year earlier.

This should be a bright red warning on two fronts. Liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, 82, must stop tempting fate and announce his retirement well in advance of next years midterms so Biden can appoint his replacement. And Sen. Joe Manchin and other centrist Democrats must decide whether extending doomed olive branches to a rogue Republican Party is more important than protecting democracy.

McConnells bottomless cynicism regarding the high court has been evident since 2016, when he refused for the final 11 months of President Barack Obamas tenure to let him fill a court vacancy. McConnell, then Senate majority leader, swaddled his stunt in populist piffle, saying the people should fill the vacancy via their presidential vote. Not only is that not how the Constitution works, but it ignores the fact that the people had already hired Obama (twice).
Although the meeting will be open to the public, Conmy said he didnt know where it would convened.

Because of the governors declared state of emergency will be lifted on June 30, this next CLG meeting will be held in-person, Conmy wrote. Details on the location are forthcoming, and its possible a virtual/streaming component for this meeting for members of the public will be provided, but that option is pending.

The second part of the process begins when the three judges are appointed. Based on the three previous reversions in Virginia, the court would take six to nine months before issuing a ruling.

The third step in the process occurs when the court issues its ruling, with the setting of terms and conditions that will ensure an orderly transition, adjusts for any financial inequities and ensures protection for the best interests of the localities and the residents.

It is unclear if the court will forgo consideration of any adjustments and accept the MOU as agreed upon by the city and the county.

Finally, Martinsville must decide whether to accept the ruling with any additional terms or conditions required by the court.
Vet Tix provides event tickets to 1.6 million verified veterans, currently serving military members and first responder members.

To participate in Track Laps for Charity, fans must sign up in advance by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com/events/tracklapsforcharity.

Home sales still on the rise

Home sales and prices continue to rise steadily across the commonwealth, a report for May from the Virginia Realtors shows.

There were 14,145 home sales in Virginia in May 2021, a 35.9% increase from May 2020, when the housing market was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said. Sales were up 5.5% between April and May this year.

There were 18,000 active listings statewide at the end of May 2021, which is 32.9% lower than a year ago but about 3.5% higher than in April.

The statewide median home sales price was $367,200 in May, up 16.6% from a year ago. Overall, statewide, the average sold-to-list price ratio was 102.4%, meaning that, on average, homes sold for 2.4% more than the asking price. But homes selling for $800,001 or more sold for 3.6% more than the asking price, on average, the release said.

Griffiths staff visits this week
From selling physical goods like yoga mats to creating music to turning to the budding market of NFTs, Ive been able to monetize my creativity in a number of ways with just an internet connection. Through the process, I was also able to quit my corporate job.

With advances in technologies come novel opportunities for creatives to monetize their art. From the booming NFT market to the bustling world of e-commerce, many artists are finding lucrative ways to monetize their art in the digital realm. Whether youre a painter or a musician, there are numerous online channels that can help you make a living doing what you love. Here are the ways top creatives are doing that around the web.

Turn your art into NFTs

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have seen a sudden influx in popularity. As a novel way for artists to make money, it seems the next step in our tech-heavy marketplace. You may have heard about Jack Dorseys first tweet selling for almost $3 million, or the Nyan cat GIF selling for more than $500,000.
Supporters of the middle school's Gay-Straight Alliance argue that requiring permission slips to participate threatens the existence of the club, particularly for the students who need it most.

I will sign a permission slip for my kids to be in the GSA, however somebody down the road may not be able to get their parent to sign that permission slip because they dont think its right, McLaughlin said. And then that is the kid that loses out, thats the kid that needs this group more than anything because they dont have anyone else.

Some said requiring permission slips might force a student to come out to their parents about their sexuality before they are ready.

Those opposed to the group expressed concerns their parental rights are being taken away. They worry about the secretive nature of being part of a group that you dont feel comfortable disclosing to your parents.

The fact is, that anything done in secret or in hiding, there is an underlying motive that cannot be good, commenter Danell Miller said.

Other commenters explained that students might not feel safe coming out to their parents.
Our actions are not partisan. For over 100 years since the League was founded as a non-partisan organization to help women understand how to participate as voters, the League has taken action to defend and strengthen our democracy. The LWV works to:

 Protect one person, one vote;

 Improve our free elections in which all citizens have the opportunity to vote;

 Advocate for fair elections where sources of financial support for candidates, issues and campaign ads are clear;

 Secure elections that maintain the integrity of ballots and the counting process;

 Encourage elected representatives to set policy and law that reflect constituent concerns and preferences;

 Protect the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government;

 Maintain an independent judiciary; and

 Defend the rule of law.

Just as a house cannot stand if its foundation is weak, our democracy will not stand if these foundational principles are compromised. If our republic is not a representative democracy then our government is not of the people, by the people or for the people. Take action now to protect our representative democracy by urging Montana's U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester to support S. 1, the For the People Act.

This opinion is signed by Nancy Leifer, president of the League of Women Voters Montana; Nancy Maxson, past president of the League of Women Voters Missoula; and Brenda Desmond, co-president of the League of Women Voters Missoula.

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Montana Territory was born in a spasm of violence. In 1863, when Bannack was the territorys first gold mining town, Henry Plummer, the sheriff later hanged by vigilantes, got into a heated argument in the saloon. Reputed to be the best shot in the territory, Plummer rose and at point blank range emptied his pistol. Three bullets hit the man he was aiming for, two grazed bystanders, and one was lodged in the beam above the bar.

According to the territorys first newspaper editor Thomas Dimsdale, shooting, dueling, and outrage were daily occurrences in Virginia City and Bannack. Granville Stuart, as close to a founding father as the territory produced, remarked that in 1860s Virginia City it became the custom to go armed all the time. Yet the territorys first legislature passed a law banning the carrying of concealed deadly weapons anywhere within the limits of any town in the territory. Such laws were not unique to Montana. Most states banned concealed weapons in the 19th century, considering them the weapons of assassins and thieves, not appropriate for an honest man.
When we think about the effects of climate change, its usually images of polar bears or faraway island nations under water. Wednesdays article Reclamation warns of low season water levels is a somber example of effects of our warming planet here in Montana. Low water in reservoirs this summer will likely impact our farmers and ranchers (who depend on irrigation) and any Montanan who enjoys fishing and boating (who doesnt?).

Im a small-business owner in the outdoor recreation industry, and Ive already experienced the impact of increasingly intense weather (global weirding, we call it) on my company. Thats why Im motivated to speak out as a climate advocate for effective solutions.

Last weekend, along with a dozen other Montanans, I attended the Citizens Climate Lobby national conference: A Push for a Price on Carbon. We heard from leaders around the country who support putting a price on carbon, like Todd Tanner (Bigfork) from Conservation Hawks, a group of passionate anglers and hunters devoted to protecting our natural heritage.
Her extensive research into her family heritage comes as a reminder that when we speak of history and heritage that we must confront the good, the bad and the ugly of it all and not whitewash it to make it less painful. If not, we do a disservice to future generations in our recognition of history. Indeed, the reason we study history is to prevent mistakes of the past and to better lives for the future.

Indeed, todays front page may make some feel uncomfortable. It should. For those who dont feel uncomfortable, you should. With frequent controversy over symbols of the Civil War, such as the Confederate flag or the Confederate statue that prominently stands in downtown Morgantons public gathering space, many supporters of such symbols often say, Its heritage, not hate. But as todays News Herald shows, heritage is important to many people, but so often for Blacks, they are expected to forget their heritage in order to not make others uncomfortable. Meanwhile, theyre being shown that the heritage of whites are given prominence  the good, the bad and the ugly  no matter how uncomfortable it is to them.
Dominic DeBenedictis participates in the weaving portion of the Valley of the Latte summer camp on Guam.
The chartered flight of Garuda Indonesia carrying 99 repatriated Filipino seamen from Fiji arrives at Davao International Airport on the southern island of Mindanao, Wednesday.
The morning sun rises over a neighborhood as a heatwave continues in Encinitas, California on Aug. 19, 2020.
The Marshall Islands is seeing a surge in domestic violence, depression, drug use and other mental health related problems this year. Late last month, the Ministry of Health broke ground for the first mental health facility to be constructed in Majuro. Dr. Holden Nena, the head of Human Services, center, was joined by numerous government and health officials for the ground breaking.
The National Weather Office-Weather Forecast Office facility in Tiyan, Guam tracks data day and night. On the left is a receiver that monitors balloon launches. The structure on the right is a polar sat receiver which constantly moves to communicate with satellites orbiting above.
Frank McCourt, the billionaire real estate mogul and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is pouring $100 million into an attempt to rebuild the foundations of social media. The effort, which he has loftily named Project Liberty, centers on the construction of a publicly accessible database of peoples social connections, allowing users to move records of their relationships between social media services instead of being locked into a few dominant apps.

The undercurrent to Project Liberty is a fear of the power that a few huge companies  and specifically Facebook Inc.  have amassed over the last decade. I never thought I would be questioning the security of our underlying systems, namely democracy and capitalism, McCourt said. We live under constant surveillance, and whats happening with this massive accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few, thats incredibly destabilizing. It threatens capitalism because capitalism needs to have some form of fairness in it in order to survive.

McCourt is hardly the only one to feel this way. Others are trying to reform social media by passing new laws or regulations, waiting for the next generation of startups to disrupt the current incumbents, or pressuring Facebook to look inward and revise its business model. McCourt, along with others like Twitter Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey, say the solution may be blockchain, the technology underpinning bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Project Liberty would use blockchain to construct a new internet infrastructure called the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol. With cryptocurrencies, blockchain stores information about the tokens in everyones digital wallets; the DSNP would do the same for social connections. Facebook owns the data about the social connections between its users, giving it an enormous advantage over competitors. If all social media companies drew from a common social graph, the theory goes, theyd have to compete by offering better services, and the chance of any single company becoming so dominant would plummet.

Building DSNP falls to Braxton Woodham, the co-founder of the meal delivery service Sun Basket and former chief technology officer of Fandango, the movie ticket website. Woodham had been toying with the idea of building something like DSNP, but didnt imagine anyone would be interested in investing in it. When he mulled the idea over with McCourt, he says, I just thought we were talking about our daydreams, I didnt think it was something wed actually do.

Instead, McCourt hired Woodham to build the protocol, and pledged to put $75 million into an institute at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Sciences Po in Paris to research technology that serves the common good. The rest of his $100 million will go toward pushing entrepreneurs to build services that utilize the DSNP. McCourt calls this his third attempt to fix social media, after previously investing in tech companies he thought would help transform the way people interact online. His previous attempts convinced him that entrepreneurs must be supported by academic thinkers exploring the industrys biggest ethical questions.

The blockchain protocol idea echoes a project Dorsey has been pushing at Twitter called Bluesky. Dorsey has been at the center of the fight over how companies like his should police their users. He said after Twitter banned former President Donald Trump that a blockchain-based social graph would reduce the stakes when private companies make user decisions. The reason I have so much passion for Bitcoin is largely because of the model it demonstrates: a foundational internet technology that is not controlled or influenced by any single individual or entity, Dorsey tweeted on Jan. 13. This is what the internet wants to be, and over time, more of it will be.

While the power of social media companies makes many people uneasy, critics also accuse them of not wielding their power effectively, allowing for abusive behavior. A decentralized approach to social media could actually undermine the power of content moderation, by making it easier for users who are kicked off one platform to simply migrate their audiences to more permissive ones. McCourt and Woodham say blockchain could discourage bad behavior because people would be tied to their posts forever.

Before Project Liberty grapples with such problems it has to worry about attracting enough people to matter. The current way of doing things is deeply entrenched, and Project Liberty is proposing that the entire internet start doing things drastically differently. Eventually, the group plans to create its own consumer product on top of the DSNP infrastructure, and wrote in a press release that the eventual result will be an open, inclusive data economy where individuals own, control and derive greater social and economic value from their personal information.

McCourt also believes that recent history has underscored the disfunction of the current system, punctuated by the misinformation-fueled riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. What do social media users really have to lose? Look at the cesspool thats been created, he said. Look at the reality that the internet has become.

Now read: What Google and Facebook know about you
Your feet are not stuck.

Soar like the birds, your Mother lives in you.

She lives in the fires and snow and wind and soil.

It hurts to watch, so scream.

Do not let Her crumble, do not let the monsters take Her away.

Kennedy adds, "We do not have the time for our political leaders and local billionaires to sell our futures for power and personal gain.

"We cannot allow those in positions of power who have become corrupted to greenwash their black hearted deals, We see their greasy handshakes, We smell their spoiled breath.

"Protect your mother. She lives inside all of us, in the clouds, soil, and rain. She inhabits every animal and tree. We can no longer turn our backs on our mother; the time has come for us to stand as one, to be the change, the change that we need to see in the world, before 2030."
Swan, who is quite modest about his artwork, recalled that the hospital wanted to decorate some of the large rooms and spaces.

They were trying to make things better, he said.

After he painted murals in dormitories and a day room, word spread of his artistic talent.

My boss John OFlaherty, he wanted me to do other units, said Swan. And then he wanted me to do the dining room.

From then on, Swan effectively became the artist in residence at the state hospital, probably a first for the facility.

He spent years decorating the walls of the state facility.

I did four dining rooms, six units, the cafeteria, a lobby, hallways (and) a couple entrances to the units, the artist recalled. Swan also worked with other NSH staffers on holiday decorations that were cut out of plywood and painted.

So what about that aircraft carrier mural with the crazy cornucopia of 1950s to 1980s pop culture icons and celebrities?

It was in a dining room, he said. Its called Noahs Ark, explained Swan, during a phone interview on Monday.
But it could be hard to get visitors on board.

Tory Wadford and her partner waited around 40 minutes to get into the park on Memorial Day weekend. Thats not long compared to the two-hour wait visitors experienced at Zion National Park to board shuttles that Sunday.

Wadford said it was longer than she expected to wait. Still, she said she has mixed feelings about a potential reservation system that would require purchasing tickets online.

What weve realized with Zion, with the shuttle system, the tickets sell out within minutes, she said. So we actually only were able to reserve one ticket for both of us to get there. So were having to wait until the day before to get the second ticket so that can, you know, be a little nerve wracking.

Chet Kleinot and his wife were turned away three times before they got into Arches, after waiting in line for an hour. They were a little more receptive to the idea of timed-entry, but they had some concerns.

What if you didnt know about it? So it was almost like every hotel would have to tell you when you checked in, you know what I mean? Kleinot said.
I read with interest the article in Saturdays paper, Native Americans stun U.S. cavalry at Little Big Horn" (June 12). After Sitting Bull and his braves killed Custer, they ran for Canada. My grandmother lived at Ft. MacLeod in southern Alberta, Canada. She told his Sitting Bull and his tribe knew that the red coats  the Mounties  would protect them.

This was the northwest Mounted Police fort. My great grandfather and his family lived at the fort. He was with the first Mounties that came west on horseback to make the fort. The Canadian Indians were not happy to see them killing their game.

They camped outside the fort. They sent word that Sitting Bulls baby was very sick and needed help. After they cleaned up the baby and got rid of the lice, the baby was OK.

After a few years, the U.S.A. sent word that Sitting Bull was to come back home.

In my grandmothers family, there were five children. They were sent to Montana to a convent for the school year. They loaded up their trunks on a cart and were driven into Montana. How far, I dont know.
Baku court sentences 2 Armenian POWs to 4 years in prison, 12 captives to 6 months in prison

Bishkek offers Baku to create Council in "5+3" format at level of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan

Ambassador: US ready to provide support to peaceful normalization and reconciliation of Azerbaijan and Armenia

Man detained in Afghanistan for carrying explosives in musical instrument

Armenia government sets up inter-agency commission to eliminate consequences of drought or water scarcity

Armenia Shirak Province deputy governor sacked

Cyprus authorities change rules of entry for tourists

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of another Armenian soldier found in Fizuli region

'Armenia' bloc representative: Many police officers from Yerevan voted in Shurnukh and other villages of Syunik Province

'I Have Honor' bloc also applies to Armenia Constitutional Court regarding results of snap parliamentary elections

Mitsubishi Electric president resigns amid document forgery scandal

'Armenia' bloc representative: Petition submitted to Constitutional Court for impossibility of judge's participation

Erdogan: Turkey will maintain its presence in Azerbaijan and take what belongs to it

French government denies concealment of radiation levels in Pacific Ocean after nuclear tests

Boeing 737 cargo crew rescued after falling into water

Digest: EU commissioner to visit Armenia; Armenians discover 97kg heroin, Turkey citizen detained

Old school in Geghhovit village of Armenia's Gegharkunik Province being renovated

Yerevan Police solve loan office robbery case

India confirms 400,000 deaths from COVID-19

Russia FM says there is significant progress in talks over Iran's nuclear deal

Boeing 737 cargo crashes near Honolulu

Sham trial continues in Baku, prosecutor demands sentencing 12 Armenian POWs to 2 years in prison

Armenia acting PM dismisses Vayots Dzor Province deputy governor

Armenian analyst: Armenia needs to understand what it can offer China through One Belt One Road project

Over 100 organizations urges Biden to stop using drones

Armenia Constitutional Court registers Zartonk party petition to invalidate snap parliamentary election results

Dollar still dropping in Armenia

Lawyer Aram Vardevanyan to represent Armenia bloc at Constitutional Court

Armenia acting Deputy PM visits construction sites in Yerevan

YouTube deletes video about hate speech against Armenians posted by Turkey President's spokesperson

Armenia acting justice minister receives Kazakhstan Ambassador

European Commissioner plans visits to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia

Four new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

IMF sharply raises its forecast for US economic growth to 7%

Fan Yong: We work to draw Chinese investors to Armenia

Body implementing proceedings completes case of Armenian doctor Armen Charchyan, sends it to court

Macron warns of American-style culture dangers

Armenia Shirak Province village veterinarian commits suicide

Facebook to start warning some users that they may have seen extremist content

July in Armenia will be as hot as in June, says chief meteorologist

China ambassador to Armenia: We are waiting with pain in our hearts for return of captives

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are included in Belt and Road Initiative, says China ambassador to Yerevan

China envoy to Armenia refutes Azerbaijan media report

US worries China is building over 100 new ICBM silos

Armenia State Revenue Committee discovers 97kg heroin, Turkey citizen detained

Armenian captives 'trials' continue in Azerbaijan

Chief meteorologist: June heat in Armenia is absolute record-breaking in meteorological monitoring history

Ombudsman informs CoE Commissioner for Human Rights on urgency of Armenian captives return from Azerbaijan

Australia announces drastic reduction in number of people who will be allowed to enter country

Armenia Seismic Protection Department activities terminated

Outgoing MP attends OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session, speaks about Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan

118 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia bloc petition already at Constitutional Court

Seven villagers with symptoms of anthrax are hospitalized in Gyumri

Yerevan hosting international conference on 100th anniversary of Communist Party of China

Armenia President visits US ambassador

130 countries support introduction of global minimum tax for multinational corporations

New Zealand to ban most single-use plastics by 2025

Al Pacinos rental home in Beverly Hills to be demolished?

Newspaper: Armenia Investigative Committee dismissals have interesting backstory

Newspaper: Why Armenia ex-President Sargsyan calls 7 "I Have Honor" bloc MP candidates to him?

World Bank pledges $20bn in funding coronavirus vaccine purchases, deployment

Newspaper: Why is coronavirus-related reality in Armenia being kept secret?

Armenia Ombudsman calls on Artsakh-Armenians to remove or block phone numbers, personal data on social networks

Armenia acting minister: Two new electric trains to transport passengers to and from Yerevan and Gyumri soon

Body of 33-year-old man found hanged in Armenia's Lori Province

Karabakh State Minister: I also have questions regarding loss of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd villages

Armenia Ambassador to Ukraine hands copies of credentials to Ukrainian MFA leadership

Erdogan defends Turkey's withdrawal from Istanbul Convention

Parliament of Morocco recognizes 'third sex'

11 apprehended during opening ceremony of Tbilisi Pride Week

Armenian analyst: Opposition could have won the elections, if it used the right technologies

Adam Schiff: We have been able to secure more than $52,000,000 in funding for Armenia and Artsakh

Court declares head of Armenia's Odzun village as victim under criminal case, there is no accused

Direct flights to and from Kazakhstan and Armenia restored

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 2 more soldiers found in Hadrut, Varanda and Jrakan

Karabakh Security Council Secretary discusses issues related to water supply and power supply

Armenian analyst: Turkey wants to do everything possible to absorb Azerbaijani army, turn it into subdivision

'Armenia' bloc to apply to Constitutional Court with demand to annul results of elections in coming days

Catholicos Aram I meets with Pope Francis at Vatican

Independent MP sues Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker Lena Nazaryan for calling her 'an idiot'

Digest: US House calls for at least $50m aid to Armenia, New Jersey recognizes Artsakh independence

Did China's Ambassador to Azerbaijan talk about the "Zangezur corridor"?

Armenia 3rd President sends congratulatory message to China's Jinping

FM: Armenian statehood will become geopolitically disabled without Artsakh

Armenia fuel company owner Barsegh Beglaryan says he won't plead guilty and didn't incite anyone

Armenia 1st Military Unit participants in recent Artsakh war are solemnly demobilized (PHOTOS)

Armenia Environment Ministry: 1,650 structures being dismantled in lakeside zone of Lake Sevan

Armenia acting PM's ex-chief of staff to serve as Member of Parliament

Karabakh President makes new appointment

Karabakh: Searches for remains of servicemen continue in southern direction not under Artsakh's control

Armenia ex-President Sargsyan on criminal charge against him: The accusation is completely false

Google to change rules for finding information on web

Azerbaijan declares impossibility of Armenia lawyers defending Armenian captives in Baku

Armenia Parliament approves several amendments to existing laws

Dollar holding steady in Armenia

Republican Party of Armenia vice-president summoned to Investigative Committee after returning from Brussels

Armenia acting PM attends meeting dedicated to 103rd anniversary of prosecutor's office

Karabakh State Minister: Artsakh is planning to build a few reservoirs

Karabakh State Minister: Artsakh should prepare for elections, but under one condition
Tbilisi is ready to work to carry out important geopolitical infrastructure projects within the format of the Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trio. Georgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani stated this at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, News Georgia reported.

"Stability is important for the development of the region," he added, in particular.

At that, the Georgian official noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey are Georgia's strategic allies, as well as stressed his countrys historical and friendly ties with Armenia. "It is a practical demonstration of our practical cooperation. And that is why we want to convey that message to all our neighbors and, especially, to our Armenian partners. We are ready to work in the format of the Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trio in terms of regional cooperation," Zalkaliani said.

He reiterated that strengthening regional cooperation is an absolute priority for Georgia.

Also, Zalkaliani noted that it is important to implement specific projects that should contribute to economic cooperation, the expansion of transport links, the use of the potential of the Caspian and Black Seas. "We [Georgia] have realized that we need to work actively, even despite our limited resources. A good example of this is the humanitarian cooperation that has been achieved between Armenia and Azerbaijanwith the support of the Prime Minister of Georgia and our American partners, which provides for the release of captives in exchange for maps of minefields, which also shows that Georgia can do more. I think this is a good start to that process," he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on Sunday released a statement on World Refugee Day. The statement reads as follows: Today, the international community honours the World Refugee Day, while still facing forced deportation. This year, the World Refugee Day is marked with new challenges for Armenia and the Armenian people. The war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] in September 2020 led to massive forced displacements. About 90,000 people were displaced from their homes and fled to Armenia, 88% of whom were women and children.

These people had to leave their homes and property acquired through generations to escape mass atrocities. Significant part of the displaced people, particularly from Shushi and the Hadrut region, today are unable to return to their homes as those territories are now under the Azerbaijani control. Many of those people are displaced twice: they were forcibly displaced in the 1990s from the settlements that had fallen under the control of the Azerbaijani forces in the result of the aggression against the people of Artsakh and were subjected to ethnic cleansing. Particularly, it implies to the Armenians displaced from the settlements in the northern part of Shahumyan and Martakert regions, most of whom later settled in the territories under the control of the Republic of Artsakh.

During the recent aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September-November 2020, these people became refugees twice, while still facing the consequences of the humanitarian crisis. The provision 7 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, which states: internally displaced persons and refugees shall return to Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas under the control of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is not being implemented. The rights of the Armenians of Artsakh have not yet been restored, among which first of all are the insurance of their safe return to the places of their residence and the creation of appropriate conditions, including through the de-occupation of the territories of the Republic of Artsakh currently under the Azerbaijani control.

By politicizing the outreach of humanitarian assistance to the affected population, Azerbaijan has been impeding the access of international organizations, particularly international humanitarian organizations, to Artsakh. As a result, an unprecedented humanitarian situation has unfolded, wherein more than seven months after the end of hostilities, the internally displaced persons in Artsakh are deprived of comprehensive international humanitarian protection. Armenia has repeatedly called the attention of the international community to the vulnerability of the population living in the conflict areas, urging them to ensure their protection on the basis of international law, first and foremost the principle of universal human rights. The manipulation of refugee issues, the shameful practice of turning them into an instrument of political pressure, must be condemned. The implementation of humanitarian projects, the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to the population in crisis situations must be carried out regardless of any circumstances, including the status of the territory.
YEREVAN.  I was illegally detained for 1.5 days. Doctor Armen Charchyan, who is director of Izmirlian Medical Center and is on the "Armenia" blocs electoral list in Sundays snap parliamentary elections, told this to a press conference on the same day.

"I do not want to refer to the legal side of the issue at all; I have only two things to say. First of all, I consider the suspicion of the charge against me absolutely unacceptable because I know enough about the law, and I have never committed any transgression, crime with my activities. Therefore, this [criminal] case that was tailor-made, brought against me does not contain material in it; it is a balloon that will explode like a balloon.

Secondly, if there is really no basis, if our very respected lawyers, being convinced that there is no basis, in any case initiate a case, even detain me, it means that there was a clear order, there was a strict demand for my being detained. With this, they revealed my strength and ability. This showed that this case has an exclusively political tone and depends exclusively on my civic and political position.

There is a third point, too, but now I will not say [that] now, so that it would not be considered [election] campaign," Charchyan said.

"() the matter [should] be considered in a purely legal context. We are all equal before the law. The issue should also be considered in the moral sphere," he added.

Asked whether he actually had instructed the employees of Izmirlian hospital, Charchyan answered: "Did you find an element of instruction in my recording? You did not find because it does not exist."

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that a recording was spread in the press alleging Armen Charchyan putting pressure on his subordinates at Izmirlian Medical Center, and a criminal case was initiated at the Special Investigation Service (SIS) in that regard.

According to the respective SIS statement, Charchyan had forced the employees of this hospital to vote in Sundays snap parliamentary elections. In particular, he urged them to vote against the current authorities, at the same time threatening that if his request is not met, they will receive "much harsher treatment" and "severely inadequate response," and that they will "check" who among them voted in the elections, insinuating that he decides the "fate of their generations."

Armen Charchyan on Saturday was remanded in custody on suspicion of committing a serious respective crime under the Criminal Code.
YEREVAN.  Armen Charchyan does not accept the charge in full. Erik Aleksanyan, an attorney of Doctor Charchyanwho is director of Izmirlian Medical Center and is on the "Armenia" blocs electoral list in Sundays snap parliamentary elections, told this during a press conference Sunday.

"As for the recording, I want to say that this very recording was the basis for the SIS [(Special Investigation Service)] for that. But you have to understand how that recording came about. The recording published by the Telegram channel of Baghramyan 26 [i.e., the address of the presidential office] is put in the charge. We are dealing here with a recording published by an unpublished source. In criminal proceedings theory, any argument or fact published by an unknown source is equivalent to an anonymous report; and an anonymous report is not a legal reason to initiate a criminal case.

Usually, in the case of such reports, they are not ignored, they carry out inspection actions, and only after that, if the features of a crime are confirmed, the result of the inspection actionsbut not an anonymous reportbecomes a reason for initiating a criminal case.

Therefore, not only could Armen Charchyan not be prosecuted, but, also, we cannot talk about initiating a legal criminal case," the lawyer explained.

He noted that the court based its decision to release Armen Charchyan on the fact that there was no reasonable suspicion of his arrest. "The court also considered that it was equivalent to an anonymous report, and therefore a person's freedom could not be restricted on that basis.

This is an obvious political persecution, very soon Mr. Charchyan will gain the status of acquitted, and this disgraceful persecution will end. "

Also, Erik Aleksanyan noted that the investigative body had sent this recording for expertise to make sure that Armen Charchyan was actually speaking in it; that is, they also had doubts.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that a recording was spread in the press alleging Armen Charchyan putting pressure on his subordinates at Izmirlian Medical Center, and a criminal case was initiated at the Special Investigation Service (SIS) in that regard.

According to the respective SIS statement, Charchyan had forced the employees of this hospital to vote in Sundays snap parliamentary elections. In particular, he urged them to vote against the current authorities, at the same time threatening that if his request is not met, they will receive "much harsher treatment" and "severely inadequate response," and that they will "check" who among them voted in the elections, insinuating that he decides the "fate of their generations."

Armen Charchyan on Saturday was remanded in custody on suspicion of committing a serious respective crime under the Criminal Code.
Early this morning, the Human Rights Defender phoned and talked to candidate of the Shirinyan-Babajanyan Democrats Bloc for Prime Minister Arman Babajanyan right after receiving reports on the gunshot fired at the windshield of his Land Cruiser Prado. This is what the Office of the Human Rights Defender reported, adding the following:

Babajanyan informed that the law-enforcement authorities, which are conducting an investigation, have visited him and performed the relevant actions.

During his phone talk with the Human Rights Defender, Babajanyan stated that he doesnt rule out the fact that todays incident is linked to the emphases that he made in the remarks that he gave at the concluding campaign meeting of the Shirinyan-Babajanyan Democrats Bloc on June 18.

The Human Rights Defender says the gunshot fired at Babajanyans bloc is very troubling, especially on the day of the vote.

Law-enforcement authorities need to take all the necessary measures to ensure speedy investigation and reveal the case. The Human Rights Defender stated that the Investigative Committee has already launched a criminal case, designated forensic-ballistic and forensic-traceological expert examinations and carried out other procedural actions.

The Office of the Human Rights Defender will forward to law-enforcement authorities a letter regarding the issue, and the issue will be in the focus of the Human Rights Defender.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov arrived in the United States on Sunday after about three months in Moscow.

The plane landed at New York's John F. Kennedy airport, TASS reported.

The diplomat flew in on a regular Aeroflot flight at 11:50 local time. It is expected that Antonov will head to Washington from the airport.

Russian-American relations have escalated after a high-profile interview in which US President Joe Biden said that the Russian leadership will have to pay the price in connection with Moscow-attributed attempts to interfere in the American elections.

In addition, the head of the White House answered in the affirmative when asked whether he considers Russian President Vladimir Putin a killer.

After that, Antonov was invited for consultations to Moscow, where he was from March 21. US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan departed for consultations in Washington on April 22.

A Russian-American summit was held in Geneva on Wednesday. The initiative to hold it came from Washington. Following the meeting, Putin and Biden agreed on the return of the ambassadors. In addition, they discussed the state and prospects for the further development of bilateral relations, issues of strategic stability, as well as issues on the international agenda, including interaction in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the settlement of regional conflicts.
It is necessary to record the fact that its too early to talk about summing up the results of elections since the count is still ahead, but we will record several flagrant facts and will leave it to you to draw conclusions. This is what I Have Honor blocs candidate for MP Hayk Mamijanyan said during todays press conference.

First of all, a little while ago, the apartment of our blocs candidate, mayor of Masis Davit Hambardzumyan was searched, and an attempt was made to search the car as well. He has no status, and his only status is being a candidate on the electoral list of I Have Honor bloc. This is another unlawful act committed by the authorities, and the one perpetrating it is the National Security Service, Mamijanyan said, adding that two candidates of the bloc for MP and two members of the headquarters were abducted in Artik.

There was datum that the mentioned persons would be transferred to the city of Artik, but the National Security Service isnt giving a clarification about their whereabouts in Artik or Gyumri. You can accept this as a report on crime. At this moment, they are abducted, he added.
Taiwan to 'adjust' services of HK office amid row

The Mainland Affairs Council says its office in Hong Kong will only maintain "essential operation" from Monday due to visa problems.

Taiwan says it will be "adjusting" the services provided by its office in Hong Kong from Monday with all but one staff member having left the SAR, though "essential operations" will be maintained.



In a statement released on Sunday, the island's Mainland Affairs Council said the decision was made in light of "unreasonable political conditions" the Hong Kong government imposed over its staff's work visas.



The council said the staff members were asked to sign a statement to support Beijing's view that Taiwan is part of one China for them to be granted a work visa.



Lin Fei-fan, the deputy-secretary of the island's Democratic Progressive Party said most of the staff of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong returned to Taiwan on Sunday, and only one representative from the ministry of economic affairs was staying.



He said this worker's visa will expire in July.



The council said since the office was set up, all of its activities had complied with local laws and it had never exceeded its functions.



"The Communist Party and Hong Kong government used the statement to create a barrier, which affected the office's staff rotation and normal operation," the council said.



"They have to take full responsibility for harming the the relationship between Hong Kong and Taipei as well as the interest of the people," it added.



A council's spokesman was expected to give more details on Monday.



The move comes after Hong Kong and Macau both recently shut their trade offices in Taipei, with the Hong Kong government accusing the island's administration of "grossly interfering" with the SAR's affairs, such as providing assistance to what it called "violent protesters."



The Hong Kong government also said staff members of its trade and cultural office had been threatened by "radicals" in Taiwan and so they had to leave to protect their safety.
Russian ambassador returns 'optimistic' to Washington

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov has flown back to the United States. File photo: AFP

The Russian ambassador in Washington flew back Sunday to the United States saying he hoped to build "equal and pragmatic" ties after a US-Russia summit in Geneva aimed at reducing tensions.



The plane transporting ambassador Anatoly Antonov, who was recalled in March for consultations, took off at 9:20 a.m. (0620 GMT) from Moscow's Cheremetievo airport for New York, where he will travel on to Washington, Russian news agencies reported.



"Given the results of the meeting between the two presidents, I am counting on constructive work with my American colleagues to build equal and pragmatic relations," Antonov told the Ria Novosti agency, adding he was in an "optimistic mood."



Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow and Washington agreed for their ambassadors to return, after summit talks in Geneva with US counterpart Joe Biden.



Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington had all but broken down since Biden took office and accused the Kremlin of interfering in US elections and launching cyberattacks.



After Biden likened Putin to a "killer", Russia in March took the rare step of recalling ambassador Antonov and said the US envoy John Sullivan to Moscow likewise should return to Washington.



Sullivan left Moscow in April, as the two countries announced a wave of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats.



In May, Russia formally designated the United States an "unfriendly" state, barring its embassy from employing Russian nationals. The only other country on that list is the Czech Republic. (AFP)
Beijing hits out at DPP's 'groundless slander' of HK

Ma Xiaoguang expressed "firm support" for the Hong Kong government's policies towards Taiwan. Photo: Xinhua

Beijing's key body on cross-strait affairs has joined a row over the future of Taiwan's representative office in Hong Kong, accusing Taipei's ruling Democratic Progressive party of "groundless slander", as well as sheltering rioters and meddling in the SAR's affairs.



A spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office made the comments on Sunday, as seven of the eight Taiwanese staff at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong headed home amid a visa row. Taipei said it would set out plans for the office on Monday.



State news agency Xinhua quoted the spokesman, Ma Xiaoguang, as saying that the DPP showed "no remorse" in meddling in Hong Kong affairs while providing support and shelter for rioters, as well as advocating "Taiwan independence".



"We firmly supports the HKSAR government in dealing with Taiwan-related affairs in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law, and the policies of the Chinese central government," Ma was quoted as saying.



He accused the DPP of trying to "sabotage the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong", which he said would "result in severe punishment".



Taipei's Mainland Affairs Council said the staff members were asked to sign a statement to support the view that Taiwan is part of one China for them to be granted a work visa.



It said the remaining staff member would leave when their visa expires next month. Both Hong Kong and Macau have suspended the operations of their respective offices in Taipei.
The latest book from Politics and Legal Studies Professor Mark Fathi Massoud, Sharia, Inshallah: Finding God in Somali Legal Politics, challenges Western notions of Islam and secular law-making by revealing the many ways in which Somali Muslims have embraced Sharia, a system of Islamic religious rules.

Western democracies tend to carefully guard separation of church and state, but in many predominantly Muslim countries, a majority of Muslims say they want to be governed by Sharia. Massoud, a human rights lawyer, sought to understand why. So he took a closer look at Somalia, a country where 99 percent of the population are Sunni Muslims.

Somalia is perhaps best known for its struggles with piracy, terrorism, famine, and civil war, but the regionwhich includes the self-declared independent state of Somalilandalso provides an example of the diversity of ways in which Sharia has been interpreted and applied throughout history. Dictators and European colonial administrators used Sharia to justify their power, but Somalis have also invoked the Quran, Islams holy book and a primary source of Sharia, to resist oppressors, expel warlords, fight for gender equality, and build a path to the rule of law.

People are reinterpreting, reasserting, and reclaiming the sources of Shariawhether they want to oppress, or whether they want to progress, Massoud said. My book is an antidote to those who see religion as an obstacle to peace.

Sharia, Inshallah documents these findings through Massouds historical research and extensive field work in East Africa. He also studied theology for a year in order to better understand the underpinnings of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish faiths. Massoud was raised Catholic in California after his family fled a dictatorship in Sudan.

Internationally, Sharia is often portrayed as a tool of oppression or violent extremism, but Massouds book includes many examples of Sharia as a force for liberation. Perhaps the most striking is the work of modern Somali womens rights activists.

Massoud spoke with many women who said that organizations like the United Nations communicate about womens rights in ways that do not resonate with Somalis. Activists within the country have found that one of the most effective ways to create meaningful change is through the lens of Sharia. Rather than emphasizing legal rights under international law, Somali activists focus on teaching how equality for women is compatible with the principles of Islam. Massoud says this is an important lesson for the international community.

Theres a disconnect between how international lawyers are thinking about human rights and how the people for whom human rights matter most are thinking about it, Massoud explained. Its not just about what the law says. Its about how Gods will requires political leaders to protect the rights of women, minorities, and refugees. For some people, God means much more than a constitution.

Sharia, Inshallah also demonstrates the importance of religious moral authority by recounting how ocean robberies declined when religious leaders spoke out against piracy. Activists have also used Islam to bring about environmental protections. Massoud said these and many other examples from the book demonstrate how, in Somalia and Somaliland, the rule of law and the rule of God are not on a collision course; they could actually be swinging in the same direction. And this relationship between law and religion has many parallels in American history.

During so much of the state-building process in the United States, judges saw Christianity as part of the common law, which gave the legal system legitimacy, Massoud said. Religion is the unseen foundation of the law, and religious systems can be interpreted in a variety of ways, just like legal systems.

Ultimately Sharia, Inshallahs insights demonstrate how Sharia, like any form of religion or law, can be used to either uphold or struggle against systems of oppression. And international law experts will need to understand and acknowledge the role of Islam in order to support human rights efforts in Somalia and other Muslim-majority nations.

As international lawyers and activists, we can promote the power of human rights not just by writing new laws but also by understanding how people submit to the will of God, Massoud said. If we want to build peace, we have to appreciate Godwhether or not we believe.
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's airlines and holiday companies are planning a "day of action" on Wednesday to ramp up pressure on the government to ease travel restrictions, with just weeks to go before the start of the peak summer season.

Travel companies, whose finances have been stretched to breaking point during the pandemic, are desperate to avoid another summer lost to COVID-19. But with Britain's strict quarantine requirements still in place that now looks likely.

As the clock ticks down to July, Europe's biggest airline Ryanair and Manchester Airports Group on Thursday launched legal action to try to get the government to ease the rules before the industry's most profitable season starts.

On Wednesday, June 23, pilots, cabin crew and travel agents will gather in Westminster, central London, and at airports across Britain to try to drum up support.

Britain's aviation industry has been harder hit by the pandemic than its European peers, according to data published by pilots trade union BALPA on Sunday.

That showed daily arrivals and departures into the United Kingdom were down 73% on an average day earlier this month compared to before the pandemic, the biggest drop in Europe. Spain, Greece and France were down less than 60%.

UK airports were also badly affected, with traffic in and out of London's second busiest airport Gatwick down 92%, according to the data.

The government had to balance the risks of foreign holidays bringing new variants of the virus into Britain, justice minister Robert Buckland told the BBC. Public Health England official Susan Hopkins said people should predominantly holiday at home this summer while the population is vaccinated.

But time is running out for the industry, said the union.

"There is no time to hide behind task forces and reviews," said BALPA general secretary Brian Strutton.

"BALPA is demanding that the UK Government gets its act together and opens the U.S. routes and European holiday travel destinations that it has blocked with no published evidence at all."

Over 45,000 jobs have already been lost in UK aviation, with estimates suggesting that 860,000 aviation, travel and tourism jobs are being sustained only by government furlough schemes.

(Reporting by Sarah Young, additional reporting by William JamesEditing by Mark Potter and Louise Heavens)
The square on December 27, 2020. Valery Sharifulin/TASS/Getty Images

An American student and former Marine was found dead in Russia on Saturday, days after she went missing.

Catherine Serou had texted her mom Tuesday saying, "I hope I'm not being abducted," NPR reported.

A suspect with prior convictions is in custody, though he has not been named.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

An American citizen and former Marine who was studying in Russia was found dead Saturday, several days after she went missing, Russian media reported.

Catherine Serou, 34, was last seen Tuesday getting into a car. NPR reported she had texted her mother, Beccy Serou of Mississippi, that day to say: "In a car with a stranger. I hope I'm not being abducted."

Russia's Investigative Committee said Serou's body was found in a wooded area near Bor, about 250 miles from Moscow, after a large search, The Associated Press reported. The cause of death has not been provided.

The committee said a suspect with prior convictions is in custody, but he has not been named.

Read more: Democrats want some of them gone, but these 9 Trump-era officials are still holding high-level positions in the Biden administration

Beccy Serou told NPR she believed her daughter may have gotten into a stranger's car accidentally instead of an Uber because she was in a rush to get back to a clinic where a payment she made did not go through.

"I think that when she saw that the person wasn't driving to the clinic, but instead was driving into a forest, she panicked," she told NPR Friday.

Serou moved to Russia in 2019 to study law at Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod. Previously, she served in the Marine Corps and completed one tour in Afghanistan.

A video posted by Russian news site NN.RU last year shows Serou talking about the differences between the US and Russia, while alternating speaking in English and Russian.

Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com.

Read the original article on Insider
Arizona police shoot motorist who drove truck into bike race participants (Show Low Police Department)

Police shot a motorist who allegedly drove his truck into a group of participants in a bike race.

Officials say that seven victims were taken to hospital after the incident in Show Low, Arizona.

One of the victims was transported by air ambulance, and police say that of the other six, four are in critical condition and two in critical but stable condition.

Police say that the suspect is also in critical but stable condition, and that there were up to three walk-in victims who are in a stable condition.

Authorities say that the suspect, who was driving a Ford F-150 truck, hit multiple bicyclists at around 7.25am on Saturday at the event 180 miles northeast of Phoenix.

When the suspect, a 35-year-old white man, fled the scene officers gave chase and shot him behind a hardware store.

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Our community is shocked at this incident and our hearts and prayers are with the injured and their families at this time, said Kristine Sleighter, a spokesperson for the Show Low Police Department.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety will investigate the officer-involved shooting.

The event, which is called Bike the Bluff, is a 58-mile benefit race for the Mountain ChristianSchool in Show Low.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blames a crime wave in her city on lax gun laws, young people being out of school and Republican Gov. Brian Kemps decision to make Georgia one of the early states to begin reopening.

Asked if officers have been "hesitant" to respond to crime amid heightened tensions of the past year, Bottoms said "absolutely not."

"Remember in Georgia we were opened up before the rest of the country, even before the CDC said that it was safe for us to open so our night clubs and our bars remained open so we had people traveling here from across the country and partying in our city," Bottoms told MSNBCs Stephanie Ruhle on Friday.

KEMP BANS STATE COVID VACCINE PASSPORTS: WE DO NOT SUPPORT THAT

Kemp began easing COVID-19 restrictions in late March, following states like Texas and Mississippi and drawing the ire of Democrats. The Centers for Disease Control didn't relax its guidelines for vaccinated people until mid-May.

Killings are up 58% in Atlanta from 2020, but even that year, amid widespread lockdowns, was one of the deadliest in decades, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. There were 157 homicides in 2020, up from 99 in 2019. K

"We are doing every single thing we can," the Democratic mayor said. She said her administration is making a push for young people to find work this summer, noting that closed schools of the past year left young people restless.

"Were getting at least 1,000 young people to work this summer. That will help until we deal with systemic issues of the gun violence epidemic in this country - how easily young people, people with mental illness can access guns in this country."

Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted Saturday in response to Bottoms: "According to the mayor, rising crime in our capital city is everyones fault but hers. Getting Georgians back to work, back to school, and back to normal didnt lead to more crime. The lefts anti-police, soft-on-crime agenda is to blame."

Story continues

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As Bottoms noted, cities across the country are grappling with a spike in crime. Shootings in New York City were up 166% from April 2020 to April 2021.

The mayor's comments come as crime has become so high in one affluent suburb of her city  Buckhead  that residents are trying to separate from being part of Atlanta

The mayor's office did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Jun. 19BOSTON  A Methuen attorney previously sanctioned by the Board of Bar Overseers had his law license reinstated with conditions recently.

Saba Hashem, a Massachusetts attorney since June 1999, had his license to practice law initially suspended in 2015 due to criminal conduct, according to information released by the BBO, which investigates and evaluates complaints against lawyers in the state.

The BBO concluded Hashem could again practice law while remaining in treatment with his current therapist and entering into a mentoring agreement for two years, according to a "judgement of reinstatement" filed in the Supreme Judicial Court on May 20.

Hashem was convicted of assaulting a woman he was dating for two years. On the evening of Oct. 8, 2015, he called and texted the woman, then went to her apartment and banged on the door, according to a statement released by the BBO.

"When she opened the door, (Hashem) picked her up by the shoulders, pushed her down a nearby stairway, choked her on the ground by placing his hands around her neck and spit in her face," according to the BBO.

When the woman got up and went into her apartment, Hashem followed her and "again choked her and bit her upper lip," the BBO statement said.

A friend of the woman's then asked Hashem to leave and he did, according to the statement.

On Nov. 24, 2015, Hashem admitted to sufficient facts (the disciplinary equivalent of a conviction) to one count of strangulation or suffocation and he pleaded guilty to one count of domestic assault and battery, according to the BBO.

On the domestic assault and battery charge Hashem was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in the county jail, with six months to be served and the balance suspended until Nov. 24, 2017, according to the BBO statement.

According to the BBO, Hashem's "misconduct' violated bar rules for engaging in conduct that constitutes a crime and "other conduct reflecting adversely on fitness to practice."

Story continues

A report from a BBO panel said Hashem's license to practice was being restored because he's shown "improved perception of his ethical obligations, unobscured by personal issues that contributed to his suspension."

The panel also included a list of volunteer and charitable causes Hashem has been involved in including volunteering at a women's shelter and a food bank, mentoring high school, college and law school students, teaching English as a Second Language at the Lawrence Adult Learning Center and Nevins Memorial Library in Methuen, and more.

Also, the panel noted Hashem has been away from practicing law for five years "an absence equal to the typical minimum term of an indefinite suspension."

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
On the nations first federally recognized Juneteenth holiday, about 50 people gathered at the Idaho Black History Museum to commemorate the ending of slavery.

The day has been celebrated by many Black Americans for more than 150 years as one of emancipation and hope. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on Thursday, and Idaho state agencies were closed on Friday in observance of the new holiday.

On a sunny Saturday morning, a crowd stood in front of the museum, in Boises Julia Davis Park, to listen to a man dressed as Abraham Lincoln read quotations from the former president.

Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves, said Skip Critell, quoting the 16th president.

The museums director, Phillip Thompson, read from Lincolns 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that slaves living in Confederate states still rebellious against the Union Army were free. He also read from Gov. Brad Littles own proclamation announcing the holiday on Thursday.

Phillip Thompson, board president and director of the Idaho Black History Museum, speaks during a Juneteenth celebration at the Idaho Black History Museum in Boise on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Juneteeth was made a federal holiday this year.

Lincolns announcement exempted many slaves from emancipation, and Black people living in Confederate-controlled states remained enslaved. The news reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865  over two years later  when General Gordon Granger announced that the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were free.

The holidays modern name, Juneteenth, is a combination of the dates two words: June and nineteenth.

Attendees listen as Abraham Lincoln presenter Skip Critell of Boise gives a history of Lincoln, the Civil Rights movement, and recollections of his personal life as a child living in the South, during a Juneteenth celebration at the Idaho Black History Museum in Boise on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Juneteeth was made a federal holiday this year.

At Saturdays celebration, Thompson said he was pleasantly surprised about the new holiday. But he emphasized the importance of concrete social progress, which he said should not be confused with symbolic change.

He told the Idaho Statesman the new holiday is a beautiful thing ... Celebration is important, but that needs to precipitate action.

He added, Celebration is a luxury many people dont have.

Thompson noted the importance of land ownership, education, and jobs, all of which he said are needed for people of any background to thrive.

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Everything revolves around those three things, he said.

His mother, Cherie Buckner-Webb, a former state representative and vice chairwoman of the Board of Trustees for the College of Western Idaho, echoed her sons call for action, noting that in America today, women and people of color still often make less money than white people with similar education levels.

She told the Statesman that the new holiday is an important step in recognizing the contributions Black Americans have made to the country.

The United States has actually acknowledged a date that has to do with Black folks in particular, she said. Thats unheard of in the history of the United States.

Buckner-Webb added that she thinks the Idaho legislative session this year, which saw the passage of bills that curb the teaching of racial justice and cut funding for state universities over diversity issues, was in part a reaction to changing demographic trends.

I think the impact was that a lot of white folks were feeling threatened, intimidated and fearful about the growing presence of people of color, not just Black folks ... in our country, she said.

Dennis Patterson and Lavonna Patterson of Boise applaud during a Juneteenth celebration at the Idaho Black History Museum in Boise on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Juneteeth was made a federal holiday this year.

For Thompson, he said that teaching the history of racial discrimination isnt an effort to make people uncomfortable.

I cant be ignorant of the history of a given area and pretend that my perspective of what I know is all that exists, he said. Nobody should feel guilty about the sins of their father ... but you should be aware of what transpired.

Phillip Thompson, board president and director of the Idaho Black History Museum, shakes hands with Jayne Black as she and members of Boise Galloway Training award $1,600 to the museum from a 10K Juneteenth run the group sponsored. Juneteeth was made a federal holiday this year.

At the commemoration, a local fitness group, Boise Galloway Training, announced a $1,600 donation to the history museum from the groups members. The organization held a 10-kilometer race named for the holiday on Saturday morning.

To be able to do this two days after Juneteenth was made a national holiday was so significant for all of us, Louise Seeley, the groups program director, told the Statesman.
Raisi, who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Iran's presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, convening his first televised cabinet session since taking office last week, described Raisi's ascent as enabled by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rather than by a free and popular vote.

"Raisi's election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with," said Bennett in a statement he read out first in Hebrew and then in English.

"A regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass-destruction," he said. "Israel's position will not change on this."

Raisi has never publicly addressed allegations around his role in what Washington and rights groups have called the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.
President Joe Biden will travel to Raleigh on Thursday, visiting the state capital as part of his continued efforts to encourage people across the country to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The visit comes as part of Bidens National Month of Action, a nationwide sprint in June to get 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by July 4.

But two weeks out from that date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that roughly 65% of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

And in North Carolina, that figure is significantly lower. As of June 18, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reports that just 55% of adults in the state have received a dose of the vaccine.

Earlier this month, The News & Observer reported that at its current pace, the state will not reach Bidens vaccine target until November.

Gov. Roy Cooper and other North Carolina officials have implemented various incentives in an effort to drive up the vaccine rate, with Cooper announcing this month that the state would offer a $1 million cash prize to four randomly selected North Carolinians who have received the vaccine. Several states have tried similar drawings.

But in spite of these efforts, Cooper said Friday that the state had not seen a significant increase in new vaccinations.

Were hoping over the next few days and few weeks that we will see some significant improvement in our numbers, he said at a press conference in Johnston County.

Bidens visit to the state attempts to revitalize those numbers.

The White House has not yet said where in Raleigh the president will be stopping during his visit.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China reported 23 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the mainland for June 19, down from 30 infections a day earlier, the country's health authority said on Sunday.

All new cases were imported infections from overseas, with 12 reported in the southern province Guangdong, the National Health Commission said.

The number of new asymptomatic infections fell to 20 from 42 a day earlier. China does not classify them as confirmed cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China reached 91,587 by the end of June 19, with the death toll unchanged at 4,636.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Tony Munroe)
Asha Omega leaned into her mic while striding confidently on the grass in her bronze-and-green patterned skirt.

They try to tell us every day that we are not worthy of what we desire, she said during a pause in her musical performance. Were not worthy of happiness, were not worthy of money. Were not worthy of seeing our dreams come into fruition. But really, if we wasnt worthy, then why would they say that?

Then the artist continued rapping, repeating the phrase, Im worthy, you worthy. You worthy, you worthy. They worthy, they worthy.

It was Saturday afternoon, and the crowd of about 50 people gathered at Hamilton Park in the Englewood neighborhood for food, live music and volleyball was just one of countless celebrations of Juneteenth across Chicago.

The event was organized by the community group My Block, My Hood, My City and followed a volunteer-led park beautification earlier Saturday.

To many people rejoicing the occasion, the block parties, barbecues and mini parades on all sides of the city were one big party to commemorate the holiday that they said has finally reached the recognition it deserves, they said.

Its been out for years; all of a sudden its a big hit, 61-year-old Chatham resident Tamara Bennie, who was at Hamilton Park, said. Everyone wants to be a part of it.

Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers told enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and they were free. It has been observed by Black Americans for 155 years and became a federal holiday on Thursday amid mounting calls for more recognition following the 2020 Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd, a Black man whose death sparked historic protests in the U.S.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker also signed a law this week designating Juneteenth a paid state holiday, while Mayor Lori Lightfoot made similar calls for the city to make the holiday official in 2022.

But Bennie said the mainstream appeal of Juneteenth must not wash away the ongoing calls for racial justice.

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We werent free in 1776 on the Fourth of July. That wasnt for us, Bennie said. We are free (now), but were not, if that makes any sense. Its a long way to go, but Juneteenth is special.

Brenda Rivers, a 68-year-old woman from the Gresham neighborhood, remarked at how on Saturday it seemed everybodys celebrating somewhere. She hopes the enthusiasm translates into more progress for combating racism.

The holiday for me right now is a beginning, Rivers said. But right now we are celebrating freedom, and thats what it means to me.

On a table next to the grassy field, Jasmine Robinson stood in front of a board reading, What does freedom mean to you? in capital letters. Underneath the message were Post-it notes with messages such as, Equality for everyone, Always feeling safe and Love.

Robinson, the community engagement specialist for the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, said she will collect those responses into a mixed media art piece.

Its Juneteenth, and thats a day of freedom and everybody has different versions of what freedom means, Robinson said.

She added that this year, Juneteenth is bigger than ever in Chicago.

This city is alive with Juneteenth events, and its one of the most beautiful things Ive ever seen, Robinson said.

ayin@chicagotribune.com
Miami Herald

Tropical Storm Elsa strengthened into a hurricane early Friday, and it still has Florida in sight for early next week, although the National Hurricane Center stressed that the forecast is uncertain that far out.
A pair of CNN anchors are going after Fox's Tucker Carlson for his claims that undercover federal agents may have orchestrated the Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6.

CNN's Jim Acosta, who noted he previously "described Fox News as the bulls*** factory in honor of its steady stream of bogus segments aimed at ginning up viewer outrage," said he decided to award Carlson "the distinction of bulls*** factory employee of the month" because he "has really outdone himself this week."

"Congrats, Tucker. You did it," he said sarcastically on Saturday. "Nobody bulls***s like you when it comes to the insurrection."

TUCKER CARLSON SUGGESTS UNDERCOVER FBI AGENTS MAY HAVE ORCHESTRATED CAPITOL RIOT

Brian Stelter then followed suit on Sunday, claiming he decided to "send some questions to Fox News" about Carlson's "completely bogus conspiracy theory."

"I asked Fox News [public relations] executives, 'Did anyone vet Carlson's reporting? Did the Fox newsroom go through his reporting? Did they examine it ahead of time? Why haven't they followed up on it since?'"

After questioning why Carlson's claims aren't covered on other Fox shows, such as Fox News Sunday, hosted by Chris Wallace, and Special Report with Bret Baier, Stelter said, "We know why."

"Carlson's out there on his own [on] Carlson Island. ... He's out there on his own, claiming to be telling the truth to viewers, and the defense from Fox is that it's an opinion show and that everyone knows it's an opinion show, but it looks like news, it smells like news, and his fans think it's news. They trust Tucker more than they trust real reporters," he continued. "So what was the vetting? What was the process? Why isn't Fox following up?"

A representative for CNN told the Washington Examiner "the segments speak for themselves."

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Carlson made headlines last week after he suggested that undercover agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation may have orchestrated the Jan. 6 riot, saying the tactic has been used before, specifically in the plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last October.

"In the FBI's telling of that plot, a whole team of insurrectionists was going to drive a van up to Gretchen Whitmer's vacation house and throw her in the back and drive away. ... It turns out one of the five people in the planned 'Gretchen Whitmer kidnap van' was an FBI agent in the van. Another was an FBI informant, and the feds admitted in these documents that an informant or undercover agent was 'usually present' in this group's meetings," he said on Tuesday, adding the alleged kidnapper who suggested using a bomb to blow up a bridge as part of the plot "was an undercover FBI agent."

A criminal complaint the Department of Justice filed on Oct. 6 of last year with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan showed that while a confidential human source, or informant, shared a picture in the kidnappers' group chat of a map, it was Ty Garbin, an airline mechanic who later pleaded guilty to conspiracy in connection to the case, who suggested blowing up the bridge.

Carlson added that the FBI's strategy of "encouraging people and assisting people to participate and plot, largely scripted by the FBI itself," also appeared in an Islamic terror attack in Garland, Texas, where "it turns out that an FBI employee played an active role in that shooting." The Fox News host then played a clip from CNN in which an official told Anderson Cooper that an undercover FBI agent "had been texting with [suspect Elton] Simpson less than three weeks before the attack ... which, to me, was an encouragement to Simpson."

"So, if you're wondering why they keep comparing Jan. 6 to 9/11, there's your answer: They're using the same tactics," Carlson said.

While many on the Right have theorized the Jan. 6 siege of Capitol Hill was instigated by outside infiltrators, FBI Director Christopher Wray has said there is no evidence that fake Trump supporters or antifa were responsible for the attack.

"Do you have any evidence that the Capitol attack was organized by, quote, 'fake Trump protesters'?" Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin asked Wray during a committee hearing on March 2.

"We have not seen evidence of that," Wray responded.

Acosta and Stelter have both been frequent critics of Fox News, often singling out Carlson in particular. In March, Stelter called the Fox News host "the new Donald Trump," claiming that Fox News leadership encourages Carlson's "radicalized content" to keep profits "flowing."

Every day, Carlson is throwing bombs, making online memes offending millions of people, also delighting millions of others, tapping into white male rage and resentment, stoking distrust of Big Tech in the media, generally coarsening the discourse, never apologizing for anything, and setting the GOP's agenda," Stelter said on his CNN show, Reliable Sources. "Sounds like a recently retired president, right?

As Acosta mentioned on Saturday, he recently called Fox News a "bulls*** factory" on live television, slamming Carlson in particular as a "doctor of disinformation."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The chief domestic correspondent is frequently met with chants of "CNN sucks!" when covering GOP events, and on one occasion, he responded to a crowd of hecklers gathering behind him as he was broadcasting live.

"And as this crowd is chanting that there are members of the press here who suck, I should also point out what also sucks  getting the coronavirus," he said.

A representative for Fox News did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, CNN, Fox News, Conspiracy Theories, Jim Acosta, Tucker Carlson

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: CNN anchors slam bulls*** factory employee of the month Tucker Carlson for Jan. 6 claims
Jun. 19Cody Holte was recognized as a "true servant," who displayed extraordinary leadership and courage, at a ceremony Saturday, June 19, to bestow the 2020 Ray Atol Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award by the American Legion, Department of North Dakota.

The award is given annually to deserving officers in North Dakota communities for their dedication to duty, professionalism, high performance standards, and leadership ability.

The ceremony, hosted by the local American Legion Post 6 at Veterans Memorial Park, was held to honor the Grand Forks police officer who was shot and killed May 27, 2020, at age 29, when he was called to provide emergency assistance for officers who were serving eviction-related paperwork to occupants of an apartment on the city's south side.

During Saturday's ceremony, Officer Holte's widow, Amanda Holte; his brother, Brady Holte and sister Alexis Holte accepted the award on his behalf. Other family members also attended the event that drew dozens of audience members, including representatives of the state's Congressional delegation; the U.S. Air Force's Grand Forks Air Force Base Security Forces; the American Legion, Department of North Dakota; and the North Dakota National Guard; and area state legislators, as well as Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski and Police Chief Mark Nelson.

In prepared remarks, Kenny Wiederholt, commander of the American Legion, Department of North Dakota, said he was "truly overwhelmed" by the testimonies and information he received about Holte, in support of the award nomination.

What he read in his research "resulted in an admiration of 1st Lt. Cody Holte that I had not experienced for quite a long time," he said.

"Cody will always be remembered for his ability to demonstrate personal courage, fortitude, and determination," Wiederholt, of Gwinner, N.D., told the crowd.

"I also read in an article that Lt. Holte lived the Army values both in and out of the uniform ... (he) led by example and set the standard for others to follow."

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Wiederholt also repeated the words of Grand Forks Police Chief Mark Nelson who, in his letter of nomination, described Holte "as a true servant who served his community, asking for nothing in return, and making everyone around him a better person."

"Chief Nelson wrote that whenever Holte was on duty, there was never anything to worry about," Wiederholt said.

Holte was "a true Christian," Wiederholt said, noting that the honoree's favorite Bible verse was Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength."

"In return for Cody's religious and moral beliefs, I believe that he was rewarded with a very fulfilling personal and professional life," Wiederholt said.

The ceremony also included the placement of a small U.S. flag by the brick, inscribed with Holte's name and branch and dates of military service, along the walkway lined with bricks commemorating other veterans at the park.

Holte was also honorably recognized with the Woodrow W. Keeble Award, presented by the North Dakota National Guard to a Guard soldier who displays courage and determination to protect life, limb or property, he said.

Holte, who had served three years and three months in the police department at the time of his death, was a member of the Grand Forks Sheriff's Office Regional Water Rescue Team and was an officer in the North Dakota Army National Guard.

The Ray Atol Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award is presented by the American Legion, Department of North Dakota in honor of the late Williston police chief who served in that capacity for 27 years. Ray Atol, who also served as chief deputy sheriff of William County, N.D., was also a member of the 164th Infantry National Guard. He served in the U.S. military's Seventh Cavalry Division during the Korean Conflict in the 1950s.

He also held several leadership positions in the VFW and state and national American Legion organizations.
An Afghan Air Force helicopter lands at Camp Shorabak, Afghanistan, May 11, 2021. (Jim Huylebroek/The New York Times)

KABUL, Afghanistan  An Afghan Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, shelled while on the ground by the Taliban on Wednesday, sat helpless at a small outpost in the countrys southeast, its burning and damaged airframe displayed in a video on Twitter.

Even if it could get to the chopper to try to service it, the Afghan military would face another escalating problem: It is heavily reliant on American and other foreign contractors for repairs, maintenance, fueling, training and other jobs necessary to keep their forces operating, and those contractors are now departing along with the U.S. military, leaving a void that leaders on both sides say could be crippling to Afghan forces as they face the Taliban alone.

The problem is especially acute for the Afghan Air Force. Not only does the small but professional fleet provide air support to beleaguered troops, but it is also essential to supplying and evacuating hundreds of outposts and bases across the country  the quickly thinning line that separates government and Taliban-controlled territory.

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With their ability to maintain their aircraft diminishing, Afghan pilots who fly over Taliban-held territory are finding that the condition of their aircraft upon their return is as pressing a concern as the success of their mission.

There are a lot of problems in the Afghan Air Force and it needs American support, one pilot said bluntly shortly before he flew to retrieve Afghan troops in a besieged district. His helicopter was hit with several bullets and narrowly missed a rocket-propelled grenade.

The Pentagons command to train, advise and assist the Afghan Air Force, known as TAAC-Air, concluded in January that no Afghan aircraft could be sustained as combat effective for more than a few months in the absence of contractor support.

I am concerned about the ability of the Afghan military to hold on after we leave, the ability of the Afghan Air Force to fly, in particular, after we remove the support for those aircraft, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., head of the Pentagons Central Command, which oversees Afghanistan, told a Senate committee in Washington in April.

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The issue is at the center of tortuous discussions among Biden administration officials, who are trying to devise workarounds for the myriad problems associated with President Joe Bidens decision to withdraw all American troops  and the contractors who support them  from Afghanistan. The withdrawal is expected to be complete by early to mid-July.

Officials at the Pentagon say that one possible solution would be to transfer contracts with private companies now paid for by the United States to the Afghan government. Under such an arrangement, American and other foreign contractors would stay in Afghanistan, but they would be paid by Afghan officials in overseas aid, mainly from the United States.

That way, the Pentagon and the Afghan government could get around the terms of the deal the United States struck with the Taliban, which implies that the Americans will not have private contractors in the country after the withdrawal.

We should encourage the Afghan government to retain or engage contractor support for the Afghan Air Force and other key logistical and operational elements of the Afghan security forces  and we should pay for that support (including private security to protect those contractors), former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in an essay this past week in The New York Times.

Contractors in Afghanistan have long operated under a system that is susceptible to corruption and mismanagement. Transferring their payments through another entity  in this case the Afghan government  is bound to make the contracts even more open to charges of corruption, lawmakers and independent analysts warn.

Even if the contracts are transferred, several senior American commanders and policymakers say it is unclear how many foreign contractors will choose to keep working in Afghanistan with the American security umbrella gone or if those companies will stomach the risk.

Another idea is to relocate aircraft out of the country for any major overhauls. But that would most likely become hugely expensive, one Pentagon official said, and could end up costing American taxpayers more than they pay now to maintain the Afghan Air Force and its planes inside the country.

Maj. Robert Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, said in an email Saturday that contracts with the Afghan Air Force and its special mission wing have been modified, and the contractors continue their support. Lodewick said he could not identify specific contractors or provide details on how the maintenance and logistics support would be provided.

These issues, fundamental to the survival of the Afghan national security forces once the U.S. military withdraws, are still being hashed out. That they are still being addressed even as the last U.S. troops are preparing to leave speaks to the years of disconnect between the Pentagon and a succession of presidents, all of whom, at one point or another, sought a more reduced American presence in the country than officials in the military and the Defense Department.

How to deal with the contractors is just one of a number of pressing problems created by the rapid withdrawal of American troops. The CIA is struggling to ensure that it can gather intelligence about potential threats from Afghanistan once the U.S. military presence ends.

The Pentagon is still weighing how it will strike terrorist groups such as al-Qaida from afar once it no longer has troops or warplanes in Afghanistan. And the Biden administration has yet to strike deals to position troops in any nearby nations for counterterrorism operations.

The Afghan government has always relied heavily on foreign contractors and trainers. As of this spring, there were over 18,000 Defense Department contractors in Afghanistan, including 6,000 Americans, 5,000 Afghans and 7,000 from other countries, 40% of whom are responsible for logistics, maintenance or training tasks, according to John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction.

The Afghan security forces rely on these contractors to maintain their equipment, manage supply chains, and train their military and police to operate the advanced equipment that the United States has bought for them.

For instance, during a virtual forum this year, Sopko spoke of the challenges the Afghans were facing with maintenance work. As of December, he said, the Afghan National Army was completing just under 20% of its own maintenance work orders, well below the goal of 80% that had been set and the 51% that they completed in 2018. The Afghan National Police carried out only 12% of its own maintenance work against a target of 35%.

Since 2010, the Defense Department has appropriated over $8.5 billion to develop a capable and sustainable Afghan Air Force and its special mission wing, but American policymakers and commanders have always known that both would need continued, expensive logistics support from contractors for aircraft maintenance and maintainer training, the inspector generals office concluded in a report in February.

Contractors currently provide 100% of the maintenance for the Afghan Air Forces UH-60 helicopters and C-130 cargo aircraft, and a significant portion of Afghans light combat support aircraft, Sopko said.

Problems with contractor support were mounting well before Bidens decision in April to withdraw all American military personnel and contractors.

An assessment last fall by the inspectors general of the Pentagon, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, found that worker shortages, coronavirus-related restrictions and a lack of oversight made it difficult for American military officials to hold contractors accountable to performance standards.

Coupled with reduced training time and a lack of American officials to assess Afghans proficiency, the assessment found that basic skills for Afghan aircrews and aircraft maintenance workers declined.

By the end of last year, the American training command reported that only 136 of the 167 aircraft in the Afghan fleet were ready for combat missions or would be after minor maintenance, a drop of 24 aircraft from the previous quarter.

Even then, Afghan aircrews overworked what planes they had, the training command found, regularly exceeding the recommended number of flying hours between scheduled maintenance checks.

Another logistical headache emerged several years ago, after U.S. lawmakers lobbied to phase out Afghanistans fleet of Russian-made helicopters, called MI-17s, replacing them with U.S.-made Black Hawks.

Aside from not being able to carry as much cargo at higher elevations as the MI-17s, the more complicated Black Hawks effectively reset maintenance training for Afghan mechanics. One U.S. official said it would take until the mid-2030s for the Afghans to be able to maintain the Black Hawk fleet on their own.

This plan we have for over the horizon, the official added, is not going to work as effectively as we need it to.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

 2021 The New York Times Company
Danica Roem sits in her campaign office on September 22, 2017, in Manassas, Virginia. (AFP via Getty Images)

The first state lawmaker who identifies as transgender, Virginia Delegate Danica Roem, has said that members of the LGBT+ community have to care about politics.

When you are an LGBTQ person, you have to care, she told CNN.

They were willing to look at me and they go, Yeah, we know she's trans and she'll do a great job, Ms Roem said of her constituents who elected her in 2017. She was sworn in on 10 January 2018.

I never say trans but, always trans and. Because its like, no, I dont hide who I am. People know exactly who I am here, she told the outlet.

She represents the Manassas area in northern Virginia where she grew up. She said her success is due to her strong knowledge of local issues.

When I was asked on election night, Hey, what does this mean? It was just like, well, it means that a trans woman is going to finally work on fixing Route 28, she added.

Despite being a state lawmaker, her trail-blazing candidacy has given her a spot on the national stage. She knows how visible she is and that she has a role in changing the conversation on a countrywide basis.

What we learned from the marriage equality fights, is that if you know a gay person in your life and you see just that person, just being a person, that you [are] far less likely to want to restrict their civil rights, she said.

Ms Roem acknowledges that for many people in her life, she may be the only transgender person they know, since according to a Gallup poll released earlier this year, only 0.6 per cent of Americans identify as transgender.

If you know a trans person, youre much more likely to support our civil rights. But because there are fewer of us, it makes it a harder conversation, she said.

She was a local journalist in the community for nine years before she ran for the seat.

What person is going to be more qualified to represent their community than a lifelong resident of that community who spent their career actually covering the public policy issues of the community? she added.

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She became personally invested in politics in 2003 when then-President George W Bush wanted to limit marriage to straight people.

I would read the newspaper, I would read USA Today, New York Times, she says. I would read those every single day, and then I would go online and I would read about politics, two hours a day, seven days a week, every day for years.

Ms Roem was 14 years old when Matthew Shephard was killed in Wyoming in 1998 because he was gay.

I knew damn well who I was at that point, and I was too scared to tell anyone. And then when you see a young gay man in Wyoming being pistol-whipped, bound to a fence post, and left to die in the freezing cold ... When you see that play out, its the late nineties and youre in the South and you go, whats happening in Wyoming is not far fetched from what could be happening in Virginia, Ms Roem told CNN.

Scared for her safety, lack of legal protections, and worried about the reactions of others, she waited a further 14 years before she decided to transition.

I was at a point at age 28 where I did not want to go into my thirties living a lie. I had pretended to be someone else my entire life by this point. I had known who I was since I was 10 years old, she said.

The Human Rights Campaign said in May that 2021 was the worst year in recent history for LGBTQ state legislative attacks. Until that point, more than 250 anti-LGBT+ bills had been introduced on the state level, and 17 had been signed into law.

When you are an LGBTQ person in the United States, regardless of whether you care about politics, politics cares about you, Ms Roem said.

If youre not involved, if you are not your best advocate, youre asking someone else to fill that void. Some of the people who will try to step up to fill that void are going to be political charlatans who have no interest in preserving your best interest, she added.

You cant count on other people to be your best advocate. You have to step up.

Read More

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Arizona audit boss accused of anti-trans insult at count

LGBT+ charities launch appeal over anti-trans group LGB Alliances charitable status
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A Florida man is accused of pulling a gun on a Starbucks employee for getting his order wrong.

The employee was the daughter of Chief Noel-Pratt of the Miami Gardens Police Department.

The suspect was arrested and charged with armed robbery and assault, per a local news outlet.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Florida man is accused of pulling a gun on a Starbucks employee, who turned out to be the local police chief's daughter, over not having cream cheese for his bagel.

Omar Wright, 38, is the suspect accused of threatening Chief Delma Noel-Pratt's daughter when his order was wrong at the Starbucks drive-thru in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, according to Local 10 News.

"She felt in fear of her life," Noel-Pratt said, adding that her 23-year-old daughter was "traumatized" as a result of the incident, the Associated Press reported. "It was upsetting to me to know that someone would go to that extreme not having cream cheese on his bagel."

Her daughter told authorities she gave the man the cream cheese before he drove off and left the scene, the AP reported.

Local 10 News reported that Wright was arrested and charged Thursday with armed robbery and assault. An arrest report obtained by the outlet said Wright "caused a well-founded fear in the victim leading her to believe that if she didn't give him the cream cheese, whether he pays for it or not, her life was being put at risk."

In a statement, Starbucks said it was "concerned" after being informed about the incident, according to the news station.

"The safety of our partners (employees) and customers is always our top priority, and we are grateful to learn that no one was injured," the statement said, according to Local 10 News.

Read the original article on Insider
By Ann Wang

TAOYUAN, Taiwan (Reuters) - Taiwan welcomed 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from the United States on Sunday as help from a true friend, more than doubling the major semiconductor-producing island's arsenal of shots as it deals with a cluster of domestic infections.

Washington, competing with Beijing to deepen geopolitical clout through "vaccine diplomacy," initially had promised to donate 750,000 doses but increased that number as President Joe Biden's administration advances its pledge to send 80 million U.S.-made shots around the world.

A China Airlines Boeing 777 freighter carrying the vaccines landed at Taoyuan airport outside of Taipei late afternoon, greeted on the tarmac by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and the top U.S. diplomat in Taiwan, Brent Christensen.

Speaking from her office in comments broadcast after the arrival of the Moderna Inc shots, President Tsai Ing-wen expressed her "sincere gratitude".

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," she added, switching into English.

The American Institute in Taiwan - the de facto U.S. embassy - said the donation reflected the U.S. commitment to Taiwan "as a trusted friend and an important security partner".

"As President Biden has said, 'we will not use our vaccines to secure favours from other countries,'" it said in a statement. "Instead, 'we'll share these vaccines in service of ending the pandemic everywhere.'"

Taiwanese politicians from across the political spectrum also thanked the United States, including the main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which has hammered Tsai for what it says is slow procurement of vaccines.

The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is its most important international backer, to China's anger.

"We urge the U.S. side not to seek political manipulation in the name of vaccine assistance and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs," said Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson at China's foreign ministry.

Story continues

The newly arrived 2.5 million doses will more than double the number of vaccines that have come to the island, including 1.24 million AstraZeneca Plc shots donated by Japan this month.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as an integral part of its territory, has offered Chinese-made vaccines, but the government in Taipei has repeatedly expressed concerns about their safety and efficacy.

Despite the pandemic, China has continued to pressure Taiwan militarily, seeking to assert its sovereignty.

Last week, 28 Chinese air force aircraft, including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers, entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone, the largest reported incursion to date.

Taiwan is trying to speed up the arrival of the millions of vaccines it has on order as it deals with a rise in domestic cases, although infections remain comparatively low and have stabilised.

Only around 6% of Taiwan's 23.5 million people have received at least one of the two-shot coronavirus vaccine regimen.

(Reporting by Ann Wang; Writing and additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Cate Cadell; Editing by William Mallard and Jacqueline Wong)
Jun. 20CHEYENNE  Jaxon Farella is going to be a busy young man this week.

The 15-year-old will compete at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in goat tying, tie-down roping, team roping and ribbon roping. The latter two are team events. He will team rope with Trigg Thompson of Cheyenne, and Ava Reno of Gillette.

Farella would rather be busy starting today in Des Moines, Iowa, than biding his time waiting for his next go-round.

"I have one event each day, and I like that because I have plenty of time to rest and I'm not running around going crazy trying to take care of one horse while getting another horse saddled up and ready for my next event," he said.

Farella finished No. 2 in the state all-around race this season. He also was second in ribbon roping, third in goat tying, third in team roping and third in tie-down despite missing the final three rodeos of the all portion of the season after breaking his left shoulder in three places when he was blindsided while covering a punt for McCormick Junior High's eighth-grade football team.

"I was a little rusty when I first came back, but I was lucky that it was my left shoulder because I rope with my right hand," Farella said.

He knocked that rust off by tie-down roping at the Junior American in Fort Worth, Texas. He roped and tie all of the calves he drew that weekend, but he was assessed penalties for breaking the barrier on each run.

He was back in form by the time the junior high portion of the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association season resumed.

Farella started roping shortly after he could walk, and won a trailer as the all-around cowboy at the 2015 Youth Elk Rodeo. The then 9-year-old had the highest score in five roping events to claim the prize.

He opted for roping because the risk of injury was less than it is in roughstock events.

"You can have one bad wreck and it's over. I can rope until I'm an old man," said Farella, who qualified for the NJHFR all three years he was eligible.

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This is the second year Farella and Thompson have roped together.

"We're pretty good friends, and (Farella) is one of the best headers in the state," Thompson said. "He helps make my end of the run easy. He very rarely misses."

Thompson, 14, is going to be an eighth-grader at McCormick this fall. He started team roping as a youngster and worked the heel end because his father, Ty, was a header.

"We did it that way so we could both rope at the same time," Thompson said.

This is Thompson's first NJHFR trip. He competes in other events during the regular season, but only qualified for nationals in team roping.

"I only started doing the other events two or three years ago, so I'm still learning and getting better," he said.

Bull riders make the finals

Brenson Bartlett won bull riding at 12 of the 15 rodeos on the junior high portion of the WYHSRA schedule. Dalton Willis won two of the other three, and picked up the aggregate title at the state finals.

Both Cheyenne cowboys will compete at the NJHFR starting today. Neither is a stranger to the national stage.

Both have competed at the National Junior Finals Rodeo, while Willis also has competed at the Youth Bull Riders Association and International Miniature Bull Riders Association world finals.

This week's trip means the most to Willis.

"I have been trying to make nationals since sixth grade, and I finally made it the last year I could," said the 14-year-old, who just finished his eighth grade year at Carey Junior High.

Willis finished second in the season standings behind Bartlett. It's not a spot he envisioned himself in when the season started last fall.

"I was really struggling at the beginning of the year, and I was getting really mad about it," Willis said. "When I got really mad, I decided to start riding everything I got on. I was bucking off too much early, so I needed to stay small and right the best I could."

Bartlett credits his consistent winning to a positive attitude.

"I never get down bad and start thinking, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm going to get bucked off this bull,'" said the home-schooled 14-year-old. "I try to approach every ride like, 'I'm the baddest around and I'm going to ride this bull because I'm the best.' It's not a cocky thing, it's a positive thing.

"You have to keep moving forward, stay positive and look at the upside instead of the down. You can't look at the negative things about yourself as a bull rider, you have to look at the good things."

Bartlett  an eighth-grader  still found areas he needed to improve upon heading into the NJHFR.

"I need to set my hips more," he said. "When the bull kicks, I need to make sure my hips are down that way I'm not way over the front end."

Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke.
Georgina Chapman has made her red carpet debut with the new man in her life, Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody. The couple embraced as they posed for photographers at the premiere of Brody's film Clean at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, just a few days after a New York judge ruled that Chapman's ex-husband, Harvey Weinstein, could be extradited to Los Angeles on charges of sexual assault.

Her romance with Brody, 48, is said to be the Marchesa co-founder's first relationship since her 2018 divorce from the disgraced Hollywood producer, 69, following widespread accusations of sexual assault; the former couple, married since 2007, share two children. In March 2020 Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in a New York prison, and now faces 11 more charges of sexual assault from five women in Los Angeles.

The British designer, 45, was first linked to Brody in the fall of 2019, with People confirming their relationship in February 2020. That same month, a New York City jury found Weinstein guilty on two of five possible counts: criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree.

Adrien Brody and Georgina Chapman made their red carpet debut on Saturday. (Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

Chapman  whose Marchesa fashion line has faced scrutiny over claims that Weinstein pressured actresses to wear his then-wife's designs, though stars like Meghan McCain, Priyanka Chopra, Constance Wu and Scarlett Johansson have shown support post-scandal  gave a rare interview to Vogue in 2018 about dealing with the fallout from her ex's behavior, which left her "so humiliated and so broken."

"I dont want to be viewed as a victim," she told the magazine, "because I dont think I am. I am a woman in a s**t situation, but it's not unique."

Chapman with ex-husband Harvey Weinstein in Febuary 2017, months before allegations against him would be made public. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

Brody, next up in The French Dispatch and Blonde, has never been married. His most high-profile relationship, an on-off romance with Elsa Pataky, ended in 2009, prior to her marriage to actor Chris Hemsworth.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Photo credit: Robert Peterson



Hearst Magazines and Verizon Media may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Last month, HGTV announced that Jeff Yanes of Kyle, Texas was the winner of the 2021 Dream Home Sweepstakes. Valued at over $2.8 million, the fully-furnished and brand new home located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, $250,000 cash, and a motorhome from Camping World were awarded to Yanes, per a news release from the network.

Photo credit: Robert Peterson

The four-bedroom waterfront home was built by JPS Construction and designed by Brian Patrick Flynn (he discusses the home's design in the video above!), who has been at the helm of HGTV's Dream Home projects since 2016. Just right outside of Newport, RI, the three-story home epitomizes New England's coastal charm. But despite its beauty and Yane's diligent efforts (for the past six years he entered the HGTV Home Giveaways giveaway twice daily), he is parting ways with his highly-coveted grand prize. The home is currently on the market for $2.39 million.

Photo credit: Robert Peterson

Photo credit: Robert Peterson

If you were part of the 136 million entries that weren't selected, now's your chance to scoop up this dream property. Some highlights of the 3,300 square foot home include: a rooftop deck with a built-in wet bar, a custom outdoor kitchen, a backyard putting green, a basement game room and lounge area, a walk-in closet and en suite bathroom in the main bedroom, and more. Just as when Yanes won the home, all furniture, art, and appliances are included in the sale. Brands that helped furnish the house include: Wayfair, Belgard, Cabinets To Go, Delta Faucet, Trex, Sherwin-Williams, LL Flooring, SimpliSafe Home Security, Sleep Number, and VELUX USA.

Photo credit: Tomas Espinoza

Last but not least, you'll get to live in a Brian Patrick Flynn original! With this year's home, he opted for a modern nautical style rich in deep reds and blues. "Every detail about the home, from the construction to the design elements, capture the spirit of Newport," he said in a press release last December, when the home was unveiled. Interested in owning the HGTV 2021 Dream Home? Tracie Hall of Keller Williams Realty Newport holds the listing, which you can view here.

Story continues

Photo credit: Robert Peterson

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Barcelona have announced Holland forward Memphis Depay will join the club on a free transfer after his contract expires with Lyon at the end of the month.

Depay, 27, has agreed a two-year deal, with the former Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven man set to link up again with former Oranje boss Ronald Koeman at the Nou Camp.

A statement on the LaLiga clubs website read: Barcelona and Memphis Depay have reached an agreement for the player to join the club once his contract with Olympique Lyonnais is at an end.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The player will sign a contract until the end of the 2022/23 season.

Depay, who is with the Dutch squad at Euro 2020 and scored a penalty in the Group C win over Austria, becomes Barcelonas third free transfer signing of the summer following the arrival of Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia.
Jun. 19Sharon Mills knew her dad would be happiest if his Palestine High School letterman's sweater made its way home.

So she made sure it did.

Mills returned the 86-year-old sweater of George E. Pickett, Sr. to PHS last week.

Mills' father graduated from PHS in 1935 and would go on to be a highly awarded three-star general for the United States Army.

"He loved Texas," Mills said, pausing while getting choked up.

He had fond memories of growing up in East Texas, according to Mills.

Pickett died in 2008 and Mills' mother passed away three and half years ago.

While going through boxes of their belongings she came across his letterman sweater.

"There were things that would just stay in moth balls," she said.

"My dad grew up in Palestine and had two brothers," she said. "One was a congressman, one a surgeon and he a three-star general."

The success of the Pickett brothers included George's distinguished military career which led to him being named an outstanding graduate of PHS in 1989.

But Mills makes clear that he was a kind man who liked to have fun. In Palestine, people called Pickett's dad, who was a local lawyer, "the judge." And he was not to be trifled with.

Mills said her dad would tell stories about coming home late.

"He told a story about coming home from a high school dance. There was only one working bathroom in the house. And you never wake up the judge. So he'd pee in the backyard," she said laughing.

When she called the school and found they would be happy to have the sweater, she was thrilled.

Mills said she was excited by the idea of a current student seeing that sweater and a picture of her dad in uniform. If that could serve as an inspiration, Mills thought it well worthwhile.

Pickett graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1939. His military career began June 12, 1939 when he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Signal Corps in the regular Army.

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His first assignment was with the 1st Signal Company, 1st Infantry Division. He remained with the 1st Infantry Division throughout World War II, participating in eight campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and Europe, including D-Day landings in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy.

His career and resume with the Army are more than impressive and resulted in a number of citations, decorations, and/or service medals including: Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star; Legion of Merit with 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star with V Device; Army Commendation Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster; Croix de Guerre (France); War Cross (Czechoslavakia); Fourragere (France); Fourragere (Belgium); Presidential Unit Citation; Meritorious Unit Emblem; American Defense Service Medal; European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (one Silver, three Bronze, one Arrowhead); American Campaign Medal; WWII Victory Medal; Army Occupation Medal (Germany); National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He served in the following campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Normandy (Arrowhead); Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes Alsace; Central Europe.

In May 1974 General Pickett retired from the Army to become the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.

In January 1977 General Pickett assumed the position of Executive Vice President of the United States Independent Telephone Association retiring in 1984.

After finally retiring he was active in many civic affairs, but never lost his natural good humor or wit.

Mills said that every year she and her mother would take a trip to Florida together and her dad would give her money to buy some "illegal fireworks" when they passed through South Carolina.

"My friends would come over and he would shoot off the fireworks," she said. After a few minutes, they would here sirens approaching. "He would tell us to get inside."

Mills said he'd meet the police out front asking where they'd been and tell them he'd called them 20 minutes ago.

"They were the greatest parents, just so much fun," Mills said of Pickett and his wife Jane.

As the youngest child, Mills said she was able to visit frequently and bring her kids to spend time with their grandparents.

"I would come back to get them and there would be a note on the door in his handwriting," she said. "To whom it may concern, no need to worry. The kids are not here. They are out having fun. You can go. They are safe. Thanks, The management."

Pickett died on May 18, 2008 at the Walter Reed U.S. Army Medical Center and was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery but his memory lives on.

Mills said Pickett once tried to leave the military for a job offer in Ohio, but the Army just would not let him go.

"He became a three-star general staying in the military," she said. "God has a plan."
Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

I voted for Donald Trump, but Arizonans need whoever is in charge in Washington to put aside politics.

We work from sun up to sun down everyday and are just barely making it financially.

Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan will create good jobs, and I'm calling on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to support it.

Chea Yeomans is a resident of Duncan, AZ and a member of WorkMoney.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Until the pandemic hit, my wife Tessa and I were living out our dream in Greenlee County, Arizona, owning our own auto-detailing business and raising sheep and horses. But when the copper mine in our area closed in the midst of the pandemic, it felt like every good job in Greenlee disappeared with it. And as the good jobs disappeared, so did our customers.

Tessa and I pride ourselves on our resiliency. We've been through some major hardships in our four-year marriage, but we work hard, and we still believe that should mean we live a good life. The problem, though, is there are few good jobs left in Arizona, and when working people are struggling, small businesses like ours just can't stay afloat.

Video: Biden's first joint address to Congress

We voted for Donald Trump, but no matter who's in office, we need Washington to put aside politics, put working people first, and focus on creating good jobs. This isn't a political issue, it's a quality of life issue. Aside from voting, I'm not that political, but with my family's well-being on the line, I've started taking action to get us out of this hole.

A few weeks ago, my fellow WorkMoney members and I spoke to Senator Sinema's office and urged her to support Joe Biden's American Jobs plan. We desperately need good quality jobs in Greenlee County, across Arizona, and around the country.

Even before the pandemic, good jobs were non-existent in my hometown of Duncan. In 2018, I got a job in Tucson doing construction. I'd stay there during the week and come home on the weekends. It was an incredibly difficult time in my marriage, but we needed the money and I had no choice.

Story continues

Then in August of 2018, Tessa was in a terrible car accident and broke both her arms. She needed me to be home with her all the time. That's when we came up with the idea for our car-detailing business as a way to stay afloat. The business really took off and we were able to pay our bills and live a good life - nothing fancy, but we could afford an occasional dinner-and-a-movie or a vacation to visit family.

But the one-two punch of the mine closing and the pandemic were a disaster for our customers and for us. We tried looking for work in and around Duncan. We tried to find better jobs in Colorado, but there are few good jobs out there that would help us get back to the life we had even just a few years ago.

My wife and I now have to work four jobs just to try and keep our heads above water. She's going to school full-time and working as a substitute teacher and waiting tables in the evening. She recently lost her restaurant job, but she's looking for another. I've been working on my family's farm and trying to pick up work detailing cars when I can. We work from sun up to sun down everyday and are just barely making it. We don't get days off around here. So many of my friends, family members, and neighbors are in the same boat as us.

The American Jobs Plan is all about creating the good jobs Arizonans need, fixing up our beat-up roads and bridges, upgrading water, electricity, and broadband networks, all things that would help Arizonan families and businesses. It will get money flowing through our economy so small businesses like mine can thrive again.

It will also mean people have money in their pockets for their wants and needs, so they can live the good life they deserve. They'll have more money to spend detailing their cars, and so much more that will help the small businesses that have been decimated by the pandemic come back stronger.

Senator Sinema has said she welcomes the focus on expanding economic opportunities and will "[work] with the administration and colleagues in both parties to achieve lasting results that improve the lives of everyday Arizonans."

Senator Sinema, that is a good start, but we need you to go one step further. Please use your voice to support the American Jobs Plan and get this bill passed right away. Hard-working Arizonans can't wait any longer for the good jobs we need.

Read the original article on Business Insider
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Irans Supreme Leader has the last call on whether a nuclear deal will come together. (ABC News)

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said that Irans Supreme Leader has the ultimate decision on restoring the nuclear deal between the two countries.

When asked if he shared the optimism of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif that a deal could be reached before the newly elected President Ebrahim Raisi takes office, Mr Sullivan told ABC News: Theres still a fair distance to travel on some of the key issues, including on sanctions and on nuclear commitments that Iran has to make. But the arrow has been pointed in the right direction in terms of the work thats being done in Vienna.

Talks between Iran and global powers took place in the Austrian capital on Sunday in an effort to re-establish the 2015 agreement after it was abandoned by the Trump administration.

Mr Sullivan said we will see if the Iranian negotiators are prepared to make the hard choices that they have to make in order for the deal to be reinstated.

When he was asked about whether the election of Mr Raisi increases the chances of a deal being struck, Mr Sullivan said: The ultimate decision for whether or not to go back into the deal lies with Irans supreme leader.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was the same person before this election as he is after the elections, Mr Sullivan added.

Mr Sullivan said it was the Supreme Leaders decision as to whether he wants to go down the path of diplomacy here, or face mounting pressure, not just from the United States, but from the rest of the international community.

His comments come as North Korean state-controlled media reported on Friday that the countrys leader Kim Jong-Un ordered his government to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, indicating that he might be open for new nuclear talks.

Time will tell, Mr Sullivan told ABC News concerning the possibility of the US reengaging with North Korea.

What President Biden has communicated is that the United States is prepared to engage in principled negotiations with North Korea to deal with the challenge of North Koreas nuclear programme towards the ultimate objective of the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Story continues

We are awaiting a clearer signal from Pyongyang as to whether they are prepared to sit down at the table to begin working in that direction, he added.

Mr Sullivan said that the administration regarded Kim Jong-Uns recent comments as an interesting signal but added that the White House will wait to see whether they are followed up with any kind of direct communication to us about a potential path forward.

When asked what the administration was waiting for, Mr Sullivan said that a clear signal they could send is to say yes, lets do it, lets sit down and begin negotiations. We think that, just as in the case of the Iranian nuclear issue, with the North Korea nuclear issue there is no substitute for diplomacy to begin to make progress towards that ultimate objective  the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Read More

Israeli PM: World powers must 'wake up' on Iran nuke deal

Diplomats to meet in Vienna for more Iran nuclear talks

Iran has a new president, but a question mark remains over the nations future
Iran's only nuclear power plant is experiencing an "unexplained temporary emergency shutdown" that began Saturday and could last three to four days, according to an official from the state electric company, the Associated Press reported Sunday.

Why it matters: This marks the first time the plant, located in the southern city of Bushehr, has reported a shutdown.

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The big picture: Power outages could result from the shutdown, Gholamali Rakhshanimehr, an official from state electric company, Tavanir, told a local talk show Sunday, per AP.

Earlier Sunday, Tavanir released a statement saying the plant is undergoing repairs that would last until Friday, reports AP.

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JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli police said Sunday they have arrested eight Arab suspects in the killing of an Israeli Jewish man during a wave of ethnic violence last month.

Yigal Yehoshua, 56, died after being pelted with rocks during clashes between Arabs and Jews in the mixed city of Lod.

Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in Jerusalem clashed on a nightly basis during the holy month of Ramadan in April and May over restrictions on public gatherings and attempts by settlers to evict dozens of Palestinian families. The clashes spread to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem, igniting mob violence in Israel's mixed cities and an 11-day Gaza war.

In Lod and other mixed cities, groups of Jews and Arabs fought one another and rampaged through neighborhoods, torching cars and shops, and attacking anyone from the other side who crossed their path.

The police and Israel's Shin Bet security agency said six Arab residents of Lod and two Palestinians from the West Bank were arrested on suspicion of hurling stones at Yehoshua's car. He died from his injuries several days later, on May 17, and his kidney was donated to an Arab woman.

Israeli prosecutors plan to charge seven of the suspects with murder.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett congratulated the security forces. Every enemy and terrorist that tries to hurt us must know  the state of Israel will put its hands on every wrongdoer sooner or later and will bring them to justice, he said in a statement.

Israel's Arab citizens account for around 20% of the population. They have citizenship and the right to vote but face widespread discrimination. They have close family ties to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and largely identify with their cause, leading many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's new government approved on Sunday an official inquiry into a stampede in April in which killed 45 people at a Jewish pilgrimage site long deemed dangerously crowded by authorities.

Though it was the country's worst civilian disaster, a full-scale investigation into the Mount Meron deaths and dozens of injuries had lagged under the previous government amid feuding between its ultra-Orthodox Jewish and opposition politicians.

Establishing the state commission of inquiry a week after he was sworn in, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in televised remarks that while it "cannot bring back those who are gone, the government can do everything to prevent future needless loss".

A cabinet statement said the inquiry's findings would help safeguard other mass-attendance events in Israel, which has sites sacred to Islam and Christianity as well as to Judaism.

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews thronged to the Galilee hillside tomb of 2nd-century sage Rabbi Shim Bar Yochai on April 30 for the annual Lag B'Omer festival that includes all-night prayer, mystical songs and dance.

The numbers were lower than in previous years but still beyond those permitted by COVID-19 curbs. Some Israelis questioned if the former government under Benjamin Netanyahu and police were reluctant to further limit the crowd size because of pressure from influential ultra-Orthodox leaders.

During the ceremony, part of the crowd surged into a narrow tunnel and the 45 men and boys were asphyxiated or trampled.

Police are already carrying out a probe and Israel's government watchdog, which years ago deemed the Mount Meron site hazardous, has announced its own investigation, though it cannot bring criminal charges.

Netanyahu had promised a thorough investigation, but his cabinet, which included ultra-Orthodox Jewish ministers, never took formal action and major hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas broke out less than two weeks later.

Story continues

Bennett is himself religiously observant but his broad coalition does not include any ultra-Orthodox parties. In his cabinet remarks, he said Meron draws Jews "from all sectors", an allusion to denominations other than the ultra-Orthodox.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz, who pushed for the inquiry, said its findings would carry "heavy weight" and could not be ignored.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel condemned on Sunday the election of hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi as Iranian president, saying his would be a "regime of brutal hangmen" with which world powers should not negotiate a new nuclear deal.

Raisi, who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Iran's presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, convening his first televised cabinet session since taking office last week, described Raisi's ascent as enabled by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rather than by a free and popular vote.

"Raisi's election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with," said Bennett in a statement he read out first in Hebrew and then in English.

"A regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass-destruction," he said. "Israel's position will not change on this."

Raisi has never publicly addressed allegations around his role in what Washington and rights groups have called the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

Bennett, a nationalist atop of a cross-partisan coalition, has hewed to the opposition of his conservative predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, whose caps on projects with bomb-making potential Israel deemed too lax.

The former U.S. administration of Donald Trump agreed with Israel and quit the deal. Current President Joe Biden wants a U.S. return to the deal. Iran denies seeking nuclear weaponry.

(Writing by Dan Williams, Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that the Biden administration is preparing another round of sanctions against Russia over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Why it matters: The news of a potential new sanctions package comes days after President Biden warned Vladimir Putin during their summit in Geneva that if Navalny died in prison the consequences for Russia would be "devastating."

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The state of play: The Biden administration has already sanctioned Russia twice this past Spring.

In March, the administration announced sanctions against 7 senior Russian officials over the poisoning and jailing of Navalny.

Then in April, it followed up with even more sweeping economic sanctions in coordination with its allies, and formally accused the country's Foreign Intelligence Service of carrying out the SolarWinds hack.

But, but, but: "Those penalties were not specifically directed at Mr. Putin or the oligarchs who support him," notes the New York Times.

What they're saying: "We are preparing another package of sanctions to apply in this case," said Sullivan.

"We've shown all along the way that we are not going to pull our punches, whether it's on solar winds, or election interference, or Navalny when it comes to responding to Russia's harmful activities."

Sullivan did not offer details as to the timeline for the new sanctions, but noted they would be rolled out "as soon as we have developed the packages to ensure that we are getting the right targets."

Of note: White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the timing of Sullivan's comments was not significant, and that there had been no change from before the summit to after the summit," according to the Times.

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Joe Biden has had more foreign policy experience than any other president in U.S. history. When he entered the Senate and began dealing with global issues, it was 1973 and Leonid Brezhnev was chairman of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The previous most experienced among our presidents when it came to foreign policy was George H.W. Bush. Add up his time in Congress, as ambassador to the United Nations, head of the U.S. Liaison Office in China, head of the CIA and vice president, Bush became president with 17 years of foreign policy experience.

That is a third of the foreign policy experience Biden has had.

It is probably unfair to compare Biden's early performance to the first months of Donald Trump, the only president in U.S. history to have had zero public service experience of any kind before he took office. In fact, its probably unfair to compare him with any of his predecessors since the senior Bush. Former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, former Texas Gov. George W. Bush and freshman Sen. Barack Obama all came into office with little or no international affairs experience. And it showed.

First-term foreign policy fumbles

George W. Bush oversaw the beginning of the worst foreign policy calamity in U.S. history  the unwarranted and disastrous U.S. invasion of Iraq. As hard to imagine as it is, his decisions in the global arena were even worse than Trumps.

Clintons first-term foreign policy fumbles ranged from the Black Hawk down incident in Somalia and failing to act swiftly enough to stem the genocide in Rwanda, to unsteadily handling the first challenges posed by the Balkan war and a misguided, overly optimistic view of post-Soviet Russia. The U.S. intervention in Haiti backed the wrong horse (Jean-Bertrand Aristide); his Iraq policy was muddled; and the Oslo Accord between Israel and the Palestinians, in the end, did not work. And I say all this as a former member of the Clinton administration.

Obama, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for no apparent reason other than not being George W. Bush, gave some uplifting speeches in the early days of his administration  promising a different view toward the Arab world and an end to nuclear weapons. Ultimately, reality did not live up to his vision. He pledged to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan and failed at both. For example, in Afghanistan, he ignored the advice of then-Vice President Biden and bought into a surge strategy that did not work. His vaunted reset with Russia  proposed during an early visit to Moscow  flopped.

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President Joe Biden speaking at the Group of Seven summit of the major industrial nations on June 13, 2021, in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

By virtue of his long experience, Bidens first months in office have been far more successful. He rapidly put together a respected team of foreign policy veterans. He quickly undid Trump policy errors, bringing America back into international groups like the World Health Organization and international accords like the Paris Agreement. When crises erupted in places like Ukraine and between the Israelis and Palestinians, he intervened with a sure touch and helped avert escalation.

Jennifer Granholm: China profits off our passivity. Biden's American Jobs Plan would change that.

Biden's recent trip to Europe is among the most successful ever for a new president. He launched a refresh of the Atlantic Charter with the United Kingdom, reengaged with the Group of Seven industrialized countries and played a leading role in an unprecedented commitment of vaccines to needy nations. He led an effort to reshape NATO priorities, got agreement to cite both Chinese and Russian threats and reasserted Americas absolute commitment to Article 5, NATO members' principle of collective protection in the event of an attack.

At a summit with European Union leaders, a major trade issue was resolved and a long list of new initiatives was undertaken. And in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden laid out Americas concerns, underscored our resolve in standing up to future Russian abuses, helped usher in a new focus on cybersecurity threats and sought areas of potential cooperation, such as restarting the Iran nuclear deal.

Biden vs. Bush 41 is a fair comparison

That is why, of all the presidents across the past 32 years, the only one to which Biden can fairly be compared is to George H.W. Bush. Eastern and Central Europe were in the midst of deep unrest when Bush took office. His first two years saw an unprecedented wave of revolutions that ultimately led to the fall of Berlin Wall in November 1989 and, shortly after, the end of the Soviet Union. The Tiananmen uprising came that summer in Beijing. Effective, well-managed diplomacy was required to usher in what became known as the new world order.

Bushs experienced team showed it was up to the task  not only in how it handled the end of the Cold War but also with its management of Operation Desert Shield. The administration accomplished its goal of driving Iraq out of Kuwait, and did not prolong the war or destabilize the Middle East by going after Saddam Hussein.

Restoring America's role: Biden warns Putin on human rights and cybersecurity in Geneva. US moral clarity is back.

Leaving Geneva last week, Biden dismissed the idea that foreign policy is a great, great skill that somehow is, sort of, like a secret code. He argued that it was a logical extension of personal relationships. Its the way human nature functions.

While he was certainly right about that, he downplayed another fact: In complex affairs of state, experience matters. If Bidens record stands the test of time, perhaps his and Bushs relative success  contrasted with the struggles of less experienced presidents  will put an end to the notion that on-the-job training is adequate for the toughest job in the world.

David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) is a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors, host of "Deep State Radio," and CEO of the Rothkopf Group media and podcasting company. He was deputy undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Policy and later acting undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade during President Bill Clinton's first term.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden's world debut: Experience, preparation, stark contrast with Trump
Associated Press

Honolulu police officers' use of deadly force was justified and no charges will be filed against them in a shooting that killed a Black man because an investigation found that he entered a home uninvited and physically attacked the officers, the city's prosecuting attorney said Wednesday. The April 14 shooting death of Lindani Myeni, 29, has drawn international attention, including from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, at a time when police violence in other parts of the U.S. have prompted protests over racial injustice. Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said his office's investigation refutes those who said the shooting shows that despite Hawaii's multicultural diversity, police are racist.
The sixth round of indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran ended on Sunday with progress but without a deal, according to the European Union's envoy to the negotiations.

The big picture: The Biden administration has said it would like to finalize an agreement with Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal before the inauguration in August of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who won the presidency over the weekend.

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The United States had initially hoped for a breakthrough ahead of the election.

State of play: Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov said last week that a deal was perhaps "a couple of weeks" away. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also stressed that "playing for time is in no one's interest," Axios reported.

Go deeper: U.S. wants nuclear deal done before Iran's new president takes power

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Basic respect

While on a recent visit to the historic Union Cemetery here in Kansas City, I had a chance to observe a blatant disrespect for the people who are buried there and for the people who have loved ones there and visit them.

Numerous people were letting their dogs run loose in the cemetery and use it as if it were a dog park and a toilet. I also noticed a few who actually had their dogs on leashes but were basically allowing the same behavior.

I realize it is an outdoor area and all, but in the short time I was there I was beginning to wonder if these people were aware of where they were. The purpose of the cemetery can be a lot of different things to different people. It is foremost a final resting place for our loved ones and a place to pay our respects to them and their memory. At Union, it can also be a history lesson about our great city.

Two things it is not: It is not a dog park. It is not a doggy toilet.

Show some respect. Please.

- Kelly Tuttle, Kansas City

Share the cost

As a Leawood resident, I travel U.S. 69 often. I would be happy to pay a toll for express lanes. (June 16, 6A, Overland Park business leaders push for new highway toll lanes)

When traveling with my wife in the car, we try to spot trucks, service vans and tradesmen on this highway. We exit at the 135th Street exit and try to follow trucks with Missouri plates east. More than half of these vehicles continue past State Line Road and into Missouri. We dont know where they go from there as we turn to head to our residence.

Im sure the Kansas Department of Transportation has, would or should make a study of these traffic patterns. Let Missourians help Overland Park and Kansas pay for this improvement.

- David McIntyre, Leawood

In his honor

Kansas has recommended that tolls pay for a lane to be added to U.S. 69 to relieve congestion. The Star noted that some people have nicknamed these Lexus lanes. Shouldnt they be called Brownback lanes, since former Gov. Sam Brownback looted the states highway fund to pay for his tax cuts?

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- John S. Savella Jr., Overland Park

School math

I spoke at the recent Independence School District Board of Education meeting to ask the board to be more accessible, transparent and accountable to our community.

In looking to speak to the board back in February regarding what my family believes was a lack of district support for its virtual learning program, I learned that the ISD policies for public participation and accessibility are arduous at best.

To determine whether this was out of the norm, I looked at the policies for 20 other Kansas City-area school districts. According to my calculations:

 Ninety percent have deadlines to request to speak the day before or the day of the meeting.

 Eight-five percent have deadlines the day of the meeting.

 Seventy-five percent have clearly listed public participation policies on direct web pages or using online board governance services.

 Sixty percent record their meetings.

 Fifty percent broadcast their meetings.

The Independence School District does none of these things. You can view the comparison chart I compiled at bit.ly/boespeakers.

This is our local, publicly elected school board. We need easy-to-find board policies that encourage public comments and engagement. We need both recorded and broadcast meetings. We need a board that is accessible, open and willing to hear from our community.

- Wendy Baird, Independence

Kudos, Sen. Moran

Thank you, Sen. Jerry Moran, for joining the bipartisan Senate group working on an infrastructure bill. (June 17, KansasCity.com, Bipartisan infrastructure group swells to 21 senators)

This is the way government is supposed to work.

- Lisa Benge, Leawood

Jesus message

As a teacher, I spent 31 years of my life looking into the faces of children. When immigrant children were intentionally separated from their parents at the U.S. Mexico border starting in 2017 and the church I was attending never mentioned them in a sermon or prayed for them at the altar, I left.

Jesus points us to the poor.

- Thomas R. Krause, Kansas City

Out of date

Well, Jackson County has done it again. As if 2019s property reassessment fiasco wasnt bad enough, now comes our 2021 reassessment notice with a deadline to request an informal review on or before May 31, which we received on (you guessed it) June 1.

What a way to run a government.

- David Peterson, Lees Summit

Make us all count

The National Popular Vote bill in the Missouri House would make every vote equal in presidential elections, guarantee the presidency to the candidate who gets the most votes nationwide and give candidates reason to campaign in all 50 states.

It would ensure that every voter, in every state, will be politically relevant in every presidential election.

- Kelley Keisch, Troy, Missouri
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar have closed the border with Algeria, they said on Sunday, after major deployments of his forces to the south underscored his continued role despite efforts to unify the country.

Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) last week sent troops into the southern city of Sebha, which was already allied to eastern forces, and then on Saturday to a southern border crossing with Algeria.

"The armed forces has closed the Libyan-Algerian border and declared it a military zone in which movement is prohibited", said the Moral Guidance Department, an LNA media unit.

The nearly 1,000-kilometre (620 miles) border between Algeria and Libya cuts through mostly uninhabited desert and has few crossings.

Haftar was put onto the back foot last year after the collapse of his 14-month offensive against Tripoli, while a new unity government backed by a U.N.-facilitated peace process has called into question his political position.

However, despite progress towards a political solution for Libya after a decade of violence and chaos, most of the country is still controlled by armed groups, corruption is rampant and the outside powers involved in the conflict have not withdrawn.

Progress is expected on Sunday in implementing the terms of a military ceasefire in place since September, with the planned reopening of the main coast road across front lines, and foreign powers will convene in Berlin this week for Libya talks.

(Reporting by Reuters Libya newsroom, writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
French President Emmanuel Macrons centrist party, La Republique en Marche, garnered only 10.9 % of the vote in Sunday's regional elections, which saw bigger wins for mainstream left-and-right wing parties, according to an exit poll by Elabe.

Why it matters: Sunday's regional elections are seen as a barometer for next year's national elections, which are only 10 months away, Politico reports.

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The good news for Macron is that Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally) also performed worse than expected on Sunday, per The Guardian.

The state of play: About 34% of the vote went to left-wing parties and about 29% went to right-wing parties, while the National Rally walked away with 19% of the vote, reports Politico.

Turnout was also low, with "68% of voters shunn[ing] the polling stations  an unprecedented rate of abstention," notes The Guardian.

Aurore Berge, a member of Parliament for Macron's LREM, told local news that the results were a "slap in the face," per The Guardian.

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks about "News Tab" at the Paley Center, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019 in New York. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Despite the declining reputation of Big Tech, many business school grads are setting out to become the next great tech founder.

Tom Eisenmann, an entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School, set out to examine why so many grads are attracted to startup's in his new book "Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success."

But beyond providing a few interesting case studies, Eisenmann fails to deliver insight on what is driving the continued move towards these "ill-considered, ill-fated ventures."

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Big tech's dramatic fall from grace has occurred with stunning speed. In the eyes of the public and regulators the leaders of these businesses went from being considered iconic beacons of American ingenuity to little more than self-serving robber barons.

Facebook, for instance, had been widely viewed as the best run company in technology and in 2018 was coming off an unprecedented three year run as the best place to work in America overall. But that image has quickly changed. The FTC last year took the extraordinary step of suing Facebook to undo two previous acquisitions that had been reviewed and approved almost a decade ago. Before that dramatic about face, the federal government had left largely unchallenged literally hundreds of deals by Facebook and the other tech giants. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg went from being Time Person of the Year in 2010 to being described in 2020 as the "worst Bond villain ever."

Despite modern tech titans' collapse in popularity, the aspiration to become the next transformational founder has never burned so bright. Top business school graduates of a previous generation aspired to become investment bankers or consultants. Today, the ultimate sign of success is starting your own thing or working at an early stage company with dreams of becoming the next unicorn - securing outside capital at a valuation of over $1 billion.

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This fight to lead the next big thing persists despite the fact that most of these companies will end in financial ruin. So it is good news that Professor Tom Eisenmann, who has long taught the required introductory entrepreneurship course for first year MBA students at Harvard Business School, has decided to step back and consider what he has learned from following his students' ventures for almost a quarter century.

Cheerleading with few useful conclusions

In "Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success," Professor Eisenmann relies not only on his personal experience but a detailed survey of almost 500 founder/CEOs to chart a detailed end-to-end obstacle course from original ideal all the way to picking one's self up and figuring out what to do next once a venture collapses. The book is helpfully organized to address the distinct challenges faced in launching, scaling and ultimately dealing with failure.

Although chock full of helpful insights along the way, Why Startups Fail reads a little too much like a business school case discussion: long lists of issues are identified, and both sides of each topic are considered yet few specific conclusions are drawn.

This both sides' approach is more exhausting than engrossing. So, charismatic founders are great at raising money and inspiring troops but can be defensive and dangerously unrealistic. Similarly, raising too much or too little money each has pros and cons. In the hands of a great teacher - and Professor Eisenmann has written over a hundred classic Harvard Business School cases - who can draw out these considerations through a Socratic dialog with students, the case method can be a remarkably effective live teaching tool. But to sustain an engaging narrative in book form, more is required than exhorting the reader to carefully balance the various factors depending on the situation.

The survey results might have supported a stronger point of view on some key topics, but often these bordered on the tautological. How surprising is it that unsuccessful startups were more likely to report that they undertook either too many or too few business model "pivots" than did their successful counterparts?

In the end, although I don't doubt that the numerous checklists and stories provided in Why Startups Fail are valuable, the sheer breadth of variables identified and the depth of uncertainties involved leaves a strong impression that nothing is likely to fundamentally change the overwhelming proclivity of startups to fail.

Professor Eisenmann identifies an important social benefit to his effort to eliminate "avoidable errors" that cause startups to fail. "Society needs entrepreneurs to solve a spate of problems,and can't afford to have talent and resources tied up in ill-considered, ill-fated ventures," he writes. Eisenmann does not consider, however, the possibility that far fewer should be pursuing startups in the first place and that society would be better off if more of that talent were directed towards improving established businesses.

Indeed, Professor Eisenmann ends the book by noting that he reached out to early former students who launched ventures- "almost all of which failed" - at the top of the first internet bubble in 1999 and 2000. According to him, "all but one alumni founder insisted they had no regrets whatsoever," leading Eisenmann to exhort the latest crop to put aside their fears and "Go build something great!"

The problem is that the number who may answer his call now is far greater than in 2000. In 2020, for the first time ever, more than 10% of the class representing over 100 graduates of Harvard Business School decided to start their own company rather than take a job. In years prior to 2010, it was not unusual for as few as 3% of the class to take this path. That reflects a broader explosion in the number of the most talented graduates who now want to either start their own new business or go work for someone else's startup. At Stanford Business School, ground zero for start-up fever, nearly 20% of the graduating class now go out on their own - double the number that followed this path in 2000.

Sure, if you have always dreamed of starting a business you should go do it. But I am dubious that fervent entrepreneurship has infected such a large part of the population. This radical shift in career focus probably reflects the same old herd instinct pointed in a different direction rather than a suddenly discovered innate longing. And no amount of preparation or study will change the statistical likelihood that most of these ventures will end in tears.

Given the haphazard nature of training and development available at startups, the downside to those who follow this path in the absence of a genuine calling is not insignificant. And the potential upside to the rest of us if they were to instead contribute their skills to proven enterprises in need of innovation could be meaningful.

Jonathan A. Knee is Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Business School and a Senior Advisor at Evercore. His next book, The Platform Delusion: Who Wins and Who Loses in the Age of Tech Titans, will be released in September by Portfolio.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The sign was apparently posted in Louisville, Kentucky. Twitter/Great Ape Dad

A McDonald's employee reportedly resigned by posting an angry note in a local drive-thru.

The worker apparently hated the job so much, they closed up shop early Saturday night.

The note captures the trend of employees 'rage-quitting' their jobs in a tightening labor market.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A McDonald's employee who worked at a branch in Louisville, Kentucky, apparently quit their job by posting a sign at a drive-through on Saturday night.

A photo of the sign read: "We are closed because I am quitting and I hate this job." It was shared on Twitter by a user, Great Ape Dad, who spotted the posting the following morning.

He later explained in a follow-up tweet that the sign was stuck up by a night shift manager who had "suddenly quit" the night before and closed up shop early, Today reported.

Great Ape Dad told Today he was en route to pick up the new BTS meal for his wife, when he came across the note. "I took a picture, uploaded it to Twitter, not thinking much of anything about it," he said. "And much to my surprise, it's had quite a success."

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Apparently, employees were unaware of the note until he pointed it out to them.

"I used to work in the service industry myself," the user added. "I think that people are just frustrated, especially the working-class people who are there in the front line  things that are in a boiling point where I can definitely see where someone on a Saturday night that doesn't want to be working the drive-thru - wants to just call it quits."

McDonald's did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on this story.

US employees are increasingly "rage-quitting" their jobs as a tightening labor market means that companies must reckon with the often unfavorable conditions and low pay they are offering.

Frustrated employees are often choosing to depart their roles, rather than wait around and hope things will change.

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In an interview with Insider's Aine Cain, a former employee at Dollar General rage-quit her job in the springtime of 2021, after finding her drowning in an increasingly fraught work environment.

"By the time you get down to that lowly stay-at-home mom that just wanted a part-time job - who is earning less than a hundred dollars a week because she's making $7.25 an hour and only working 10 hours a week - it's not worth it," the employee told Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
CHICAGO (AP)  Alec Mills watched as the Chicago Cubs got battered in back-to-back games by the Miami Marlins. Things sure were different this time.

Mills and three relievers combined on a shutout and Chicago bounced back from two lopsided losses to beat Miami 2-0 Sunday and avoid a sweep.

A lot of us starters have similar repertoires, but I think we're all different in our own kind of way, Mills said. We kind of attacked maybe a little bit differently the first two days. I kind of changed it up, maybe worked a little bit more toward the inner half of the plate, especially against the righties."

Outscored 21-3 in the previous two days at Wrigley Field, the Cubs squeezed out the win despite managing just four hits. They also extended their season-high streak of scoring no more than three runs to eight games.

But Chicago came out on top thanks to a solid start by Mills (3-1) and a perfect performance by the bullpen.

Marlins rookie Zach Thompson (1-2) took the hard-luck loss after holding the held the Cubs to one unearned run over four no-hit innings.

Pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom opened the fifth against Miami reliever Ross Detweiler by singling on the 15th pitch of the at-bat, hanging in after falling behind 0-2 and hitting nine foul balls to give himself more chances.

Wisdom later scored on Joc Pederson's single to make it 2-0. The Cubs came away with the win after dropping five of six to fall into a first-place tie with Milwaukee in the NL Central.

MILLS, BULLPEN DOMINATE

Mills worked around six hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out three without a walk.

The bullpen shut down Miami the rest of the way, with Ryan Tepera throwing two innings and Andrew Chafin working the eighth before Craig Kimbrel came on in the ninth for his 20th save in 22 chances. Kimbrel also tied Jonathan Papelbon for ninth on baseball's all-time saves list with 368.

It was just what the Cubs needed after getting knocked around for 10 or more runs in back-to-back home games for the first time since August 2015 against Detroit.

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THOMPSON SHARP

Thompson struck out seven and walked three in his third major league start. The 27-year-old right-hander threw 73 pitches, after beating Atlanta for his first career win eight days earlier.

This will probably give me a lot of confidence knowing that I can pitch against a pretty good lineup, Thompson said. Whoever I'm facing, when you have 38,000 people screaming at you with a good lineup, being able to face these guys and do well against them, I mean, that's priceless for moving forward.

Adam Duvall went 0 for 4 after joining Derrek Lee in 2002 and Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 as the only Marlins with back-to-back multi-homer games. Duvall hit a grand slam and two-run shot Friday and two more two-run drives on Saturday.

Obviously, today's not the way we wanted to end it," manager Don Mattingly said. "But I think we did get back on track as far as being able to swing the bats.

QUOTABLE

It was very fun to battle like that. I get to first and the pitcher just kind of looks over at me and we just kind of made the eye contact, like, Dang, what a battle. Obviously, I love to come out on top and spark that inning, get a run in. It was huge for us.  Wisdom on his 15-pitch at-bat.

TRANSACTIONS

The Cubs selected LHP Kyle Ryan from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Cory Abbott to Iowa. They also designated RHP Robert Stock for assignment.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Manager David Ross acknowledged INF Matt Duffy's recovery from a strained lower back is taking longer than the Cubs expected. Duffy has not played since May 22. It's something that's I think more of a chronic injury that we want to make sure that we take care of before we get him back, Ross said. ... The Cubs hope to have 2B Nico Hoerner (strained left hamstring) start a rehab assignment in the next week to 10 days. ... LHP Justin Steele (right hamstring strain), sidelined since May 20, threw a bullpen session on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Miami opens a two-game series against Toronto at home on Tuesday, with RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-6, 3.09 ERA) starting for the Marlins and RHP Ross Stripling (2-4, 4.64) pitching for the Blue Jays. Alcantara lost 1-0 at St. Louis last week, when Paul Goldschmidt reached on an error by shortstop Jazz Chisholm Jr. leading off the ninth and scored on Yadier Molina's one-out single.

Cubs: RHP Adbert Alzolay (4-5, 4.06) returns from a blister on his right middle finger as the Cubs open a two-game series against Cleveland. RHP Aaron Civale (10-2, 3.48), tops in the majors in wins, starts for the Indians.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
A 19-year-old woman was killed Saturday after allegedly exchanging gunfire with a police officer near a Juneteenth parade in Flint, Michigan, authorities said.

The suspect, whose name was not released, died at a hospital following the shooting, and the officer was uninjured, Michigan State Police said in a statement.

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The afternoon confrontation between the woman and the Flint police officer occurred near the Juneteenth Champions Parade, NBC affiliate WEYI of Saginaw reported. Authorities said the suspect opened fire first.

Cellphone video reviewed by NBC News and verified by police as showing a portion of the shooting, captured an officer pointing a handgun at a stopped car and saying, "Let me see your hands. Hands up."

The officer opened fire, and the vehicle rolled forward. The officer got on his knees and appeared to show emotional distress as another officer appeared to console him. It was unclear what transpired in the moments before the video was recorded.

State police said the suspect had driven up to a "traffic point" near the parade and opened fire on an officer. WEYI reported the parade was rerouted.
A truck has rammed into a crowd celebrating the Stonewall Pride Parade in Florida, killing one and hospitalizing another, police confirmed.

A white pickup truck was lined up with other floats in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when the driver slammed on the accelerator and struck two adult males waiting to participate in the parade along Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors, Florida, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. First responders rushed to help both victims, who were transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where one died and the other remains in critical condition, the Local 10 News reported. The victims' identities remain unknown.

The truck missed striking the car of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was participating in the parade, "by inches," Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said.

ONE DEAD AND DOZENS REPORTEDLY INJURED AFTER CAR CRASHES INTO CROWD AT TEXAS MUD RACE

The motive of the driver, who is now in police custody, remains unknown, but Trantalis believes it was intentional.

"This is a terrorist attack against the LGBT community," he said. "This is exactly what it is. Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person. Luckily, they missed that person, but unfortunately, they hit two other people."

In addition to Wasserman Schultz, two elected officials, Rep. Ted Deutsch and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, both Democrats, confirmed they attended the event and witnessed the incident. Deutsch said that he was "devastated by the horror [he] saw at Wilton Manors Pride" and was "mourning life taken & praying for injured & families of both," and Fried wrote that she was "praying for [the victims] and their families," noting she was "lucky to be safe."

Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton called the incident "tragic" and said the city would be canceling the parade.

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The twilight parade, themed "Out of the Darkness, Into the Light," began at Northeast 21st Court in Wilton Manors at approximately 7 p.m., but the crash reportedly took place in nearby Fort Lauderdale. Other festivities will be allowed to continue as scheduled, and participants are not in any danger, Wilton Manors Police said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The incident will be investigated by authorities, Newton added.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, LGBT, Florida, Crime, Law Enforcement, Law, Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: One dead and one hospitalized after truck drives through Pride event in Florida: Police
In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of B&M European Value Retail S.A. (LON:BME) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

Check out our latest analysis for B&M European Value Retail

Crunching the numbers

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK458.8m UK281.4m UK340.7m UK373.8m UK397.1m UK415.5m UK430.1m UK441.9m UK451.6m UK459.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x8 Analyst x5 Analyst x9 Analyst x5 Est @ 6.23% Est @ 4.64% Est @ 3.52% Est @ 2.74% Est @ 2.2% Est @ 1.81% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 5.7% UK434 UK252 UK288 UK299 UK301 UK298 UK292 UK284 UK274 UK264

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK3.0b

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We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (0.9%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 5.7%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK460m (1 + 0.9%)  (5.7% 0.9%) = UK9.7b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK9.7b ( 1 + 5.7%)10= UK5.6b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is UK8.6b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK5.4, the company appears quite good value at a 37% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

Important assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at B&M European Value Retail as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 5.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.013. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For B&M European Value Retail, we've compiled three fundamental aspects you should further examine:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for B&M European Value Retail you should be aware of, and 1 of them is potentially serious. Future Earnings: How does BME's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the LSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly refused to acknowledge China's repression of Uyghur Muslims during an interview with "Axios on HBO," deflecting to other global human rights issues and citing China's denial of the crackdown in Xinjiang.

Why it matters: As one of the most prominent leaders in the Muslim world, Khan has otherwise been leading a public campaign against Islamophobia in the West  especially in Europe. His demurral hints at China's sway over his country.

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Khan is silent for a simple reason: cash-strapped Pakistan has become increasingly financially dependent on China, for billions in loans and investment.

These loans come at a price: the developing countries receiving them better not say anything publicly to incur Chinas wrath.

Between the lines: Khan delivered a powerful speech against Islamophobia at the United Nations and published an open letter urging other Muslim leaders to join his fight.

But Khan has been totally silent about China's detention of more than 1 million Muslim minorities just across his border.

It's part of a sweeping campaign by China of forced assimilation, forced labor and sterilization that the U.S. and several Western parliaments have deemed a genocide.

What they're saying: Pressed by Axios' Jonathan Swan about why he has been silent, Khan pointed to Beijing's repeated denials of the crackdown in Xinjiang  denials that fly in the face of mountains of witness testimonials, satellite images of detention camps and other evidence.

"Whatever issues we have with the Chinese, we speak to them behind closed doors. China has been one of the greatest friends to us in our most difficult times. When we were really struggling, our economy was struggling, China came to our rescue. So we respect the way they are," Khan said.

Asked if it makes him feel "sick" that he must be silent because of the money China has poured into Pakistan, Khan responded: "I look around the world what's happening in Palestine, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan. Am I going to start talking about everything? I concentrate on what is happening on my border, in my country."

Flashback: Khan says he will "absolutely not" allow the CIA to use bases in Pakistan for Afghanistan operations.

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File image of Pakistani police on patrol at a checkpoint - Sayina Bashir/Saiyna Bashir

A prominent Pakistani cleric who has led anti-blasphemy rallies has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a student after a purported video of the assault provoked widespread public anger.

Aziz-ur-Rehman was held after cellphone videos apparently showing a cleric forcing himself on a student at a religious school went viral on social media.

The video prompted protest about the lack of government action to protect students at such schools, which are often linked to hugely influential hardline religious parties.

Police on Sunday promised the prosecution would be a test case after they seized Rehman alongside his sons, who are accused of intimidating the alleged victim.



Inam Ghani, inspector general of Punjab police said: We want our kids protected from these child molesters and keep our society safe for our future.

Rehman, a former leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) religious party, has worked as a custodian of Lahore's Jamia Manzoor-ul-Islamia seminary for several years. In recent months he has been seen in photos and videos of anti-blasphemy rallies held to denounce publication of cartoons in France depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

After video of the alleged attack emerged last week, Rehman issued a video statement denying sexual abuse and saying he was drugged before the filming of the alleged incident. He said the video was part of a plot to throw him out of the seminary.

The seminary said the cleric has been expelled from his position, and Wafaq-ul-Madaris, the body that oversees the religious schools system, said it has stripped him off his title, mufti, which means a religious scholar.

The alleged victim, said to be in his early 20s, has gone into hiding but told police the abuse had lasted for several years.

In his police complaint he said, I was admitted into the madrassa in 2013 and had been attending it since.

Mufti Aziz promised passing me in exams in exchange for keeping immoral relations with me.

Story continues

In a video message later shared on social media, the survivor said "my attacker's son's have threatened to kill me for exposing him."

Pakistan's leading English newspaper, Dawn, used a lead editorial to denounce inaction over the physical and sexual abuse of students and question whether the political clout of religious parties was to blame.

There are all too many examples of madrassah students who have been sexually assaulted or beaten within an inch of their lives. The state seems to have turned a blind eye to these cases and many others like them, the paper said.

Over 2.2 million children attend religious seminaries in Pakistan. Sexual abuse cases are often hushed up.

Previous high profile sexual assaults have also touched off widespread anger in Pakistan, but public fury has often been directed toward imposing harsher sentences or death penalties for the culprits.

There were intense calls for the death sentence in rape cases after a stranded woman motorist was gang-raped on a Lahore motorway last year. Similar anger followed a string of child abductions, rapes and murders in Kasur in Punjab province, including the killing of a six-year-old girl called Zainab.

There has been a lot of public outrage, rightly so, on the child abuse case involving a cleric. However, this is not the first time that child abuse scandals have resulted in public anger and outrage, said Saroop Ijaz, of Human Rights Watch.

He said: Public anger comes in episodes and it is the authorities that need to act. The government has shown initiative on taking serious policy measures and hopefully they will be pursued further and not be distracted by populist, temporary measures only focusing on harsher punishments etc.

He said more training and resources were needed for police, doctors and social workers to tackle abuse, as well as better oversight for religious schools.


Jun. 20Two blocks of East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's South Side will be closed Monday afternoon for a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris.

City police said the street between Sarah and South 28th streets, including the intersection of Hot Metal Street, will be closed between noon and 4:30 p.m. Other roads will be closed temporarily as Harris' motorcade moves around the city which could cause delays or detours for motorists.

Details of other roads that could be affected were not released. Public safety officials said they would use social media accounts to notify motorists and residents when the motorcade has passed and streets reopened.

Few details of Harris' visit have been announced. She will be joined by U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, former Boston mayor.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Demonstrators took to the streets in at least 22 of Brazils 26 states to protest President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic  as deaths from COVID-19 in the country surged past 500,000 Saturday, per AP.

The big picture: Brazil has the world's second-highest coronavirus death toll and third-highest number of reported cases. Only 12% of the country's population has been vaccinated against the virus, AP notes.

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Protesters holding signs reading "'Bolsonaro out" and other statements against the president's administration in Rio de Janeiro on June 19. Bolsonaro was fined earlier this month for not wearing a mask at a rally. Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images

A demonstrator with boards depicting Bolsonaro (L) and his son (R) as prisoners during the protest in Sao Paulo on June 19. Brazil's Senate has launched an investigation into the government's handling of the pandemic. Photo: Rodrigo Paiva/Getty Images

A rally against Bolsonaro's administration in Brasilia June 19. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga tweeted that the 500,000 lives lost to the pandemic "affects Brazil" and the world. "I work tirelessly to vaccinate all Brazilians in the shortest time possible and change this scenario that has plagued us for over a year," he added. Photo: Andressa Anholete/Getty Images

Members of opposition parties and social movements participate in a protest against Bolsonaro's handling in Brasilia on June 19. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images

A demonstrator holding a sign in the shape of a cross stating "500,000 deaths" during the Sao Paulo protest June 19. The decision to host the Copa America soccer tournament during the pandemic has angered many in Brazil. Photo: Rodrigo Paiva/Getty Images

Demonstrators wearing costumes depicting Bolsonaro and death during the Rio de Janeiro protest on June 19. Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos.

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Missouri authorities responded to a call of a possible dead body, only to discover it wasnt what it appeared to be.

County firefighters, EMS, and deputies all rushed to the scene where it looked like a body had been dumped by the side of a road, the Bollinger County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post.

Waiting for them was a long bundle of garbage bags, filled with clothes tied together with tape and twine, and a pair of boots sticking out from the bottom. It all made for a convincing corpse  but there was no body.

Upon these findings, officials immediately confirmed that it was not a human body but was rather a disturbing and unnecessary prank, the post said.

Theyre not laughing. In fact, theyre looking for the prankster responsible.

We are asking that if anyone has any information pertaining to this incident, please contact the Bollinger County Sheriffs Office at (573) 238-2633, the post said.

Bollinger County is about 120 miles south of St. Louis.

A similar thing happened earlier this year in Stockton, California. A driver noticed bodies and limbs floating in a pond by the highway and dialed 911, McClatchy News reported, but they turned out to be discarded mannequins.

Police shoot suspect during pursuit in Kansas City, Kansas; investigation ongoing

Body of Granite City man found in Missouri river Saturday, police say

Toddlers accidental shooting connects dad to separate Easter killing, Texas cops say

Truck driver drowns while fleeing after his semi barrels through house, Ohio cops say
NORTH BEND, Oregon (AP)  A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people in a small Oregon city forced a woman to drive him more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Wisconsin, where he surrendered to police, authorities said Sunday.

Oen Evan Nicholson approached Laura Johnson, 34, after she returned to her parking spot during a her lunch break on Friday in Springfield, Oregon, and forced her to drive him in her car, police said. Authorities were notified Sunday morning that Nicholson had surrendered to police peacefully in Milwaukee but did not release details about how he gave himself up.

Johnson was not hurt and was returning to Oregon, Springfield police said in a statement.

He approached her in her vehicle with a gun, Johnson's father, Dennis Johnson, told KEZI-TV. They said she was forced to drive 33 hours to where theyre at. She was able to talk him into turning himself in.

Nicholson is suspected of killing his father, Charles Simms Nicholson, whose body was found in a trailer in an RV campground of The Mill Casino in the coastal city of North Bend, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) southwest of Springfield, on Friday.

While driving his fathers pickup truck, Nicholson is suspected of hitting and killing Anthony Oyster, 74, at the campground and critically injuring his wife, Linda Oyster, 73, Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier said.

Shortly after, Nicholson is also suspected of shooting and killing resident Jennifer L. Davidson, 47, at a marijuana dispensary in North Bend, Frasier said.

The pickup was found Friday crashed and burned about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Springfield. A witness reported an armed man got out and ran into the woods, prompting a unsuccessful search, police said.

Nicholson was charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of his father, Oyster and Davidson as well as second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and failing to help a person injured in a traffic accident, Frasier said.

Nicholson will appear in court in Milwaukee in the coming days before returning to Oregon to face the charges, Fraiser said. It was not clear if Nicholson has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.






Racing is a significant part of Porsche's heritage, and gradually adopting electric technology isn't going to keep the firm away from the track. It announced a joint venture called Cellforce whose task will be to design and manufacture battery cells suitable for high-performance race cars and a handful of high-end, racing-inspired production vehicles.

Powering a race car with batteries is difficult because the technology adds weight and requires more time to charge than it takes to fill up a fuel tank. Porsche is out to solve these issues, and it believes it's on the brink of a breakthrough. It's working on battery cells that rely on silicon as the anode material, a solution which should allow its engineers to boost a battery's power density and in turn decrease its overall size and weight to benefit performance. And, the new chemistry reportedly reduces a battery's internal resistance, meaning the pack takes less time to charge. It can also withstand higher temperatures than the technology found in electric cars in 2021.

Porsche warned this new battery isn't the tipping point that will make EVs mainstream. It doesn't perform well in freezing temperatures, and it's not designed to withstand years of use and abuse. This is perfectly fine on the track  races are rarely held when it's 10 degrees below zero, and race car components are replaced on a regular basis in pursuit of reliability. But the technology would be problematic if put in the hands of, say, a police department in Michigan.

Michael Steiner, the head of the German carmaker's research and development department, also clarified this isn't an answer to Tesla's Gigafactories. It's considerably smaller because it's primarily a racing-oriented project.

"It will be a small plant compared to all of the Gigafactories. We are looking at around 100 megawatt-hours per year as a production capacity. It could be slightly more, but in terms of cars it should be about 1,000 units a year," he told Autoblog during a media roundtable. Many will be race cars, but the technology that Cellforce will design and manufacture will also end up in what Steiner described as "high-performance derivatives of existing cars." It sounds like something along the lines of a 911 GT2 RS with an electric drivetrain instead of a power-dense flat-six engine, though he declined to provide details, partly because production isn't scheduled to start until 2024 at the earliest.

Story continues

Porsche selected Customcells, a German company formed in 2012 to develop cells for lithium-ion battery packs, as its partner in the project. It holds 83.75% of Cellforce, while Customcells owns the remaining 16.25%. Although neither party disclosed the financial terms of the deal, Porsche noted its investment lies in the middle-double-digit-millions range. German's federal government and the state of Baden-Wurttemberg contributed a total of 60 million euros (around $71 million) to the project. In exchange, the factory will be located somewhere in southern Germany.

Steiner explained Cellforce is still at the embryonic stage. "We have started with research and pre-development to build up knowledge about cell chemistry," he noted. Racing is very clearly the project's main focus, but Porsche is cautiously open to the idea of scaling up the project during the 2020s if everything goes according to plan.

"If this works, and if we see potential to come down with costs, there might be a chance for higher volume. But, this is not the task I gave to the team that has to start this new facility. They have a clear task: high-performance cells," he stressed. He added other brands in the Volkswagen Group will be able to use the cells if executives scale up.

Whether they will is up in the air. Transferring technology between the street and the track is often difficult.

"High performance and low costs do not go together very well in my experience," Steiner concluded.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party won 53.9 percent of the vote in snap parliamentary polls called in an effort to defuse a political crisis after a war with Azerbaijan, official results showed Monday.

An alliance led by his rival, ex-leader Robert Kocharyan, came second with 21 percent, according to the results based on ballots from 100 percent of precincts counted.

A winning party or bloc needs to obtain at least 50 percent of seats plus one and can be assigned additional seats in order to form a government.

Pashinyan hours earlier claimed victory based on early results, but Kocharyan's grouping swiftly contested the vote and alleged election fraud.

A record four electoral blocs and 21 parties ran for election on Sunday.

The vote was seen as a two-horse race, with both Pashinyan, 46, and Kocharyan, 66, drawing massive crowds in the run-up to the polls.

"The people of Armenia gave our Civil Contract party a mandate to lead the country and personally me to lead the country as prime minister," Pashinyan announced in the small hours of Monday.

"We already know that we won a convincing victory in the elections and we will have a convincing majority in parliament," he added, urging supporters to turn up at Yerevan's main square Monday evening.

Kocharyan's electoral bloc said it would not recognise Pashinyan's quick claim to victory, which came when around 30 percent of precincts had been counted.

"Hundreds of signals from polling stations testifying to organised and planned falsifications serve as a serious reason for lack of trust," the bloc said in a statement, adding it would not "recognise" the results until the "violations" were studied.

On Sunday evening, the general prosecutor's office said it had received 319 reports of violations. It said it had opened six criminal probes, all of which concerned bribes during campaigning.

- Conflicting opinions-

Story continues

The vote was followed by Armenia's Soviet-era master Russia, arch-foe Azerbaijan and Turkey, which backed Azerbaijan in the six-week war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

Despite stifling heat, nearly 50 percent of around 2.6 million eligible voters cast their ballots, election officials said. Some observers said turnout in the South Caucasus country of three million people was higher than expected.

During a campaign marred by polarising rhetoric, Pashinyan had said he expected his party to secure 60 percent of the vote. Some pollsters had called that estimate far-fetched.

Election officials said the vote was conducted in accordance with Armenia's legislation.

Kocharyan was himself accused of rigging a presidential election in favour of his hand-picked ally and presiding over a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2008.

Armenia won international praise for holding its first free and fair vote under Pashinyan in 2018.

On the streets of Yerevan on Sunday, Armenians voiced conflicting opinions about Pashinyan.

Voter Anahit Sargsyan said the prime minister, who spearheaded peaceful protests against corrupt elites in 2018, deserved another chance.

She said she feared the return of the old guard whom she accused of plundering the country.

"I voted against a return to the old ways," said the 63-year-old former teacher.

- 'Secure borders' -

Another voter, Vardan Hovhannisyan, said he had cast his ballot for Kocharyan, who calls Russian leader Vladimir Putin his friend.

"I voted for secure borders, solidarity in society, the return of our war prisoners, the well-being of the wounded and a strong army," said the 41-year-old musician.

Critics blame Pashinyan for having ceded territory in and around Karabakh to Azerbaijan in a humiliating truce agreement, and accuse him of having failed to deliver reforms.

Pashinyan has said he had to agree to the Moscow-brokered peace deal with Azerbaijan in order to prevent further human and territorial losses.

More than 6,500 people were killed in the war, according to the latest official figures from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Besides Kocharyan, who hails from Karabakh and was in power between 1998 and 2008, two other leaders of post-Soviet Armenia backed parties in the race.

During a venomous campaign, candidates exchanged insults and threats. Pashinyan brandished a hammer at rallies, while Kocharyan said he would be ready to fight the prime minister in a duel.

mkh-ant-as/mtp
In this photo illustration a Zoom App logo is displayed on a smartphone on 30 March 2020 in Arlington, Virginia (AFP via Getty Images)

A woman in Texas has been robbed at gunpoint while in the middle of a Zoom meeting, with those looking on from their screens calling for help, a report has said.

The disturbing incident began on Friday at around 2.50pm on the northwest side of San Antonio when two assailants forced their way into the unidentified victims apartment, police alleged in a statement.

A 19-year-old man, identified as Adrian Guillen, and an unnamed 15-year-old suspect, allegedly went on to ransack the victims residence taking multiple pieces of property.

During the alleged robbery, Mr Guillen used a weapon [to] demand the victims property police said. KENS5 reported that one of the suspects put a gun to the victims head.

The broadcaster also reported that the victim had been in a Zoom meeting when the robbery occurred and that other participants watched on as the crime unfolded.

The attendees on the video call reportedly informed their boss of what was happening and the police were called to help, the outlet claimed.

Following the ransacking, the suspects in the house allegedly fled the scene in a white Honda Accord driven by a third suspect, identified as 39-year-old Jaime Trevino, KENS5 reported.

Police said they tracked down the suspects and followed them to another address where they allegedly began to start unloading the stolen items.

During this time, Officers arrived on scene and quickly took all three suspects into custody without incident, San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) said in the release.

The Independent has contacted the SAPD for further comment and to confirm details reported by KENS5.

Such incidents have become less unusual amid the coronavirus pandemic, with more members of the population working from home throughout the day.

In December last year, a special education teacher in Ohio was robbed at knifepoint in her home in the middle of a virtual meeting with a student and their parents.
In a small, book-strewn apartment in Beijing's outskirts lives one of the last Chinese academics who refuses to be silenced by the ruling Communist Party's relentless crackdown on intellectuals.

Wu Qiang, 50, once had an enviable career as political science lecturer at the elite Tsinghua University.

But he was dismissed in 2015 after conducting fieldwork at the Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong a year earlier.

"This caused shockwaves at Tsinghua. I was cut off and they thought I was a troublemaker," he said, adding that the university instead gave an "obscure technical reason" for his dismissal.

Since then, Wu continues to speak to foreign media despite a nationalistic climate that is increasingly hostile towards outside views.

He also filed a labour lawsuit against Tsinghua earlier this year.

"I am still protesting against Tsinghua's illegal dismissal, just like how I am still resisting in my thoughts and my comments on politics," says Wu, a stocky, energetic man who rattles through Chinese Communist Party history as his cats weave between his feet.

"It is very important not to stop speaking out. You need to comment on politics and society; that's how you participate in it," he said.

He remains an anomaly. Since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, China's vibrant intellectual circles gradually fell silent as Party critics were arrested, fired from their institutions or forced to flee abroad.

"Ten years ago, perhaps every weekend in every corner there would be a large number of salons and meetings (in Beijing)," he said.

"But now, this wonderful scene does not exist anymore... everyone always talks about one issue when we meet: who's disappeared or been detained recently. Everyone is waiting to see who will be next."

In a sign of the sweeping changes to come, a leaked 2013 internal communique -- known as Document No. 9 -- warned against promoting "false ideological trends" such as constitutional democracy, civil society and press freedom.

Story continues

It has been likened to a gag order for universities.

Intellectuals, NGOs, civil rights lawyers and liberal media were the first in line to be targeted by successive state-backed purges of dissent, which reached a peak in the 2015 nationwide "709 crackdown" when over 300 lawyers and human rights activists were arrested.

In the past year alone, influential business tycoon Ren Zhiqiang was jailed for 18 years and legal scholar Xu Zhangrun was detained and sacked from Tsinghua after writings that criticised Xi's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, former Central Party School professor Cai Xia fled to the US and was expelled from the Party last summer, after a recording of a lecture surfaced in which she likened Xi to a "mafia boss".

- 'Taste of freedom' -

The silencing of dissent comes as China, having successfully tamed the coronavirus, flaunts an unprecedented level of confidence on the global stage, sparring with Western countries who view it as a strategic threat.

The ruling Chinese Comunist Party is also about to celebrate 100 years since its founding with triumph.

"The anniversary is, to a large degree, to celebrate how China avoided the fate of many other Communist parties in eastern Europe, as well as the Soviet Union, that collapsed after the Cold War," Wu said.

"(The party) wants to deeply intertwine the CCP's survival with China and the Chinese people, to establish a sense of historical legitimacy for future rulers."

Within China, public intellectuals who voice liberal opinions or engage with foreigners are frequently trolled by ultra-nationalists - while those with strident pro-China views are promoted by the state.

Wu decries the "intellectual poverty" of Chinese scholars, whose foreign contacts and research areas are increasingly subject to official approval, leaving them isolated from the international community and locked in internal squabbles.

"Like how labourers derive meaning and self-actualisation through work ... my comments are my labour and the source of my fulfilment," Wu said.

"My generation experienced political opening and the short-lived freedom of 1989," he continued, referring to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests that ended with hundreds of students massacred by the army.

"You only need to have tasted freedom once to not give it up."

lxc/apj/reb
The White House is considering ending  as early as July 31  the use of a Trump-era public health order that's let U.S. border officials quickly turn back migrant families to Mexico, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The policy known as Title 42 has resulted in tens of thousands of migrant family members, including asylum seekers, being sent away  as well as thousands of kids then separating from their families to cross into the United States alone.

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Title 42 was rooted in protecting the United States from an influx of COVID-19. Maintaining its use has been harder to defend while the Biden administration touts climbing vaccination rates and slowing death and infection numbers.

Top Centers for Disease Control officials, as well as physicians who serve as consultants for the Department of Homeland Security, also have opposed using the public health order to expel migrants.

Between the lines: President Biden has been briefed on a plan for stopping family expulsions by the end of July, as well as the option of letting a court end it, Axios has learned.

The administration has been in negotiations with the ACLU, which has put a temporary hold on its lawsuit targeting the practice of expelling families.

Details of internal discussions relayed to Axios show top administration officials have suggested Biden seize the initiative by ending the order, which has been sharply criticized by immigration advocates and many of his fellow Democrats.

They argue that allowing the ACLU to sue would force the Justice Department to defend Trump's policy.

That, in turn, could result in sensitive information being released through the litigation process and could be seen as contradictory to Biden's commitment to asylum.

What they're saying: A White House official told Axios it's "a public health decision that will be made ultimately on those grounds," adding the administration would not get ahead of any CDC determinations.

Story continues

Although thousands of families have been kicked back to Mexico under Title 42 in recent months, since March, the policy has been applied to less than half of family encounters.

This is due to limited space in Mexican shelters and some Mexican states refusing to take in families with young children

The administration also has set up a process for exempting more migrants from Title 42 out of humanitarian concern.

What to watch: Over the weekend, the ACLU extended its pause on litigation until July 2.

White House officials believe there are far fewer risks in ending the policy on their own.

Still, they've also admitted there's a chance it could lead to an uptick of migrant families coming to the U.S.-Mexico border and could create more pressure to also end Title 42 for single adults.

Over the past four months, migrant adults have been expelled more than 350,000 times under the order.

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Texas governor Greg Abbott (R.) vetoed funding for members of the state legislature on Friday, making good on his threat do so after state Democrats blocked a Republican-backed bill on election procedures.

Texans dont run from a legislative fight, and they dont walk away from unfinished business, Abbott said in a statement following his veto. Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early, leaving their state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session.

House Democratic Caucus chair Chris Turner criticized Abbotts veto as an abuse of power.

Texas has a governor, not a dictator, Turner said. The tyrannical veto of the legislative branch is the latest indication that [Abbott] is simply out of control.

The veto came after Democratic state lawmakers walked out of the legislature before a scheduled vote on an elections bill, denying a quorum and effectively blocking the bills passage. The bill would have placed limits on absentee voting, including additional identification requirements for mail-in voting, and bar state officials from sending mail-in ballots to voters who didnt request them.

Democrats accused Republicans of attempting to suppress Souls to the Polls, initiatives among black churches meant to encourage members to vote.

Texas state lawmakers are paid $600 a month with an additional $221 per diem for every day the legislature is in session. However, the budget provision vetoed by Abbott also would have funded legislative staff.

My only concern is how [the veto] impacts staff, especially those who live here in Austin, which is not an inexpensive place to live and raise your family and children, Texas House speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican, told the Texas Tribune earlier this month.

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Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon attend a charity screening of Thelma & Louise at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California

Some 30 years ago, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon were propelled to new heights of stardom for their leading roles in crime drama Thelma & Louise.

In the 1991 film, the American actors played two women whose characters' journey challenged traditional notions of femininity.

Now Hollywood royalty, the pair attended a special screening to mark the film's 30th anniversary on Friday.

At the event in Los Angeles, Davis and Sarandon considered the film's impact.

When the film was released, the media predicted there were "going to be so many movies starring women, about women, female road pictures, whatever", Davis said in a Q&A session, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"I'm thinking, hot dog, let's sit back and wait for all this magic change to happen. We're still waiting. It really did not happen. It seems like every five years or so, there's another movie starring women that's a huge hit and people say, 'Well now certainly everything is going to change,' and it really hasn't."

The film did change the lives of Davis, 65, and Sarandon, 74, though.

Sarandon (L) and Davis (R) have won multiple awards for their acting

Directed by Ridley Scott, the film was a critical and commercial success, winning Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards, where it received six nominations.

Davis and Sarandon went on to continue their illustrious careers, each collecting numerous accolades for their acting.

Seen as a feminist trailblazer by many, Thelma & Louise only burnished their credentials.

For those who have not seen it, the film casts Davis as Thelma, a meek housewife whose friend Louise - who is played by Sarandon - convinces her to come on an impulsive road trip.

But on the road, a series of unfortunate circumstances soon get them in trouble with the law.

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When Louise fatally shoots a man who tries to rape Thelma at a bar, the pair decide to flee to Mexico, leaving their old humdrum lives behind.

Spoiler alert: the film ends in dramatic fashion, culminating in a police chase that sees Thelma and Louise kiss before driving off a cliff at the Grand Canyon.

Thelma and Louise spend most of the film fleeing from the law

The film's portrayal of Thelma and Louise as plucky, independent women prepared to risk it all for friendship was praised as a step forward for female empowerment in Hollywood.

Yet some male critics took exception to the depiction of violence against men in the film.

"I completely underestimated that we were backing into territory held by white heterosexual males," Sarandon said at Friday's event.

"They got offended and accused us of glorifying murder and suicide and all kinds of things. It didn't seem like a big deal, it seemed like it was unusual that there would be a woman that you could be friends with in a film."

Sarandon and Davis recreated the famous kiss scene in Thelma & Louise

For Davis, the backlash was worth it, not least for the degree to which the film inspired women.

"The reaction from women was so strong and nothing I'd ever seen before. It made me realise how few opportunities we have for women to come out [of] a movie feeling empowered by the female character," Davis was quoted as saying by Variety magazine.

"It made me think, 'well, I'm really going to think about what are the women in the audience going to think about my character from now on.'"

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Shutterstock.com / Shutterstock.com

Cryptocurrency investing has been one of the big news stories of 2021. Although the first Bitcoin was mined way back in 2009, it wasnt until Bitcoin millionaires began being minted that crypto started grabbing the publics attention. Now, new coins have flooded the market, and more millionaires have been created, as some coins have rallied 1,000%, 2,000% or even more. In the midst of all of these incredible gains, the natural question is whether or not its too late to invest in cryptocurrency. The truth is that no one can guarantee whether crypto will rise or fall from here, as its an entirely new market that is neither well-defined nor well-regulated. But there are clear arguments on both sides of the coin as to whether its time to buy or not.

Check Out: 10 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest in for 2021

Consider: Dogecoin: Is It Still Worth an Investment?

Its Too Late: Governments Are Cracking Down

One of the fears of entering the crypto market has always been that governments around the world will shut down acceptance and even production of the coins. That time may already be here. In late May 2021, China began cracking down hard on bitcoin mining and trading, which sent crypto prices cascading downwards. According to Boris Schlossberg, managing director at BK Asset Management, the primary reason for this crackdown was because Chinese authorities are keen to see their own digital currency in the form of the yuan become the primary unit of account in the Chinese economy. If other governments follow suit, demand and support for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies could falter.

The Economy and Your Money: All You Need To Know

Its Not Too Late: Crypto Is Down Significantly From Its Highs

If youre a believer that the crypto market is another version of the stock market, there might be no better time to buy cryptos like Bitcoin because they are on sale. As of June 4, Bitcoin was more than 40% off its all-time high, and other cryptos had fallen by a similar amount or even more. As the history of Bitcoin has shown, massive drops like this are not at all unusual, and yet the cryptocurrency has managed to consistently climb to new highs. If you were curious about Bitcoin a few weeks ago, the current sell-off might be a chance to dip your toe into the market.

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Explore: What Are Altcoins  and Are the Potential Rewards Worth the Risks?

Its Too Late: Crypto Is Going To Zero

Skeptics believe that cryptocurrency is an asset class with no store of value, no barrier to entry and no value as an exchange currency. As such, skeptics view crypto as simply a speculative asset class with no long-term viability as a true asset class. At a CNBC-hosted panel in Davos, Switzerland in 2019, Jeff Schumacher, founder of BCG Digital Ventures, had this to say about Bitcoin: I do believe it will go to zero. I think its a great technology but I dont believe its a currency. Its not based on anything. In 2020, famed investor Dennis Gartman offered the same assessment to Bloomberg, saying that if central banks refuse to give up their monopoly on monetary policy,  Bitcoin could one day plunge to zero.

Read: Where Does Cryptocurrency Come From?

Its Not Too Late: Crypto Is Going To $500,000-plus

Rather than seeing Bitcoin go to zero, believers like Ark Investments Cathie Wood suggest quite the opposite. The popular investment strategist and CEO believes that Bitcoin will actually hit $500,000. Part of the reason for Woods bullishness is her belief that asset managers will eventually allocate up to 5% of their portfolios to cryptocurrency. Greg Cipolaro and Dr. Ross Stevens, researchers at New York Digital Investment Group, support this belief, adding that Increasing fundamental demand combined with a fixed supply and automatically declining supply growth make a compelling case for Bitcoin as an alternative investment for institutional investors. The researchers are referring to the fact that the supply of Bitcoin is limited to 21 million coins.

More From GOBankingRates

Last updated: June 9, 2021

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Is It Too Late To Invest In Cryptocurrency?
Nine years after winning their third major tournament in a row, Spain are struggling to qualify for the knockout stage of Euro 2020 after only drawing their first two group matches.

Coach Luis Enrique said if Saturday's 1-1 draw with Poland had been a boxing match, his team would have won on points but his team looked like they were on the ropes and lacking a knockout punch.

After starting with a stalemate against Sweden last week, Spain now sit third in Group E and need to beat Slovakia on Wednesday to guarantee qualification for the last 16.

Placed in a group that appeared one of the kindest in the draw and cosseted by a format that allows all but the very weakest to go through, failing to reach the next round would be nothing less than a humiliation for Spain.

"I was expecting more," said Luis Enrique. "I was expecting six points and zero goals conceded but this is the situation."

Luis Enrique complained last week about the state of the pitch at La Cartuja in Seville where Spain are playing their three group games, a gripe that was repeated by Manchester City midfielder Rodri on Saturday.

Jordi Alba, La Roja's stand-in captain in the absence of Sergio Busquets, said they also "lacked a bit of luck" as Gerard Moreno's penalty struck the post while Alvaro Morata failed to convince despite his opening goal.

One explanation favoured by the Madrid press is that the squad has talent but not leaders, the kind of survival instinct a 35-year-old Sergio Ramos might have provided.

"Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Sergio Ramos -- they give you fear, it will be a battlefield," former Germany striker and coach Jurgen Klinsmann told the BBC.

"This Spain team is full of technical talent, they know how to read the space and when to play, but there is no fear of them anymore."

- Spanish downturn -

Busquets was in the stands against Poland after receiving a negative Covid-19 test and he should return against Slovakia, but Spain's problems appear to run deeper.

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They have now managed just one win in their last eight games at major tournaments, a run stretching across five years, and have scored more than one goal in only two of those matches.

Since thrashing Italy at Euro 2012 to complete their historic hat-trick, Spain have recorded five victories in 13 tournament games, one of those a dead rubber against Australia at the 2014 World Cup when they had already crashed out in the group.

Luis Enrique was appointed in 2018 to sharpen the focus and oversee a shift in approach, to tweak Spain's possession style and bring them in line with the game's more modern, physical style.

Yet there has been little evidence of it at Euro 2020, where his team have racked up almost 2,000 passes in two games for the return of a single goal.

Robert Lewandowski showed what can be done even with a scarcity of opportunities, his brilliant back-post header in the second half on Saturday a clear demonstration of the cold, clinical finishing that Spain desperately lack.

He gives Poland hope, given they will go through as runners-up if they beat Sweden and Spain's final match against Slovakia produces a winner.

Spain, meanwhile, must beat Slovakia to make sure they qualify. A draw would leave them open to missing out on the four best third-placed teams and even the possibility of finishing last if Poland claim victory.

"We are used to this kind of pressure," said Alba. "I am sure the victory will come."

ta/td/gj
Peter Fleet said some Conservatives lent their vote to the Lib Dems to register their protest on HS2, planning and the state of roads - Yui Mok/PA

Many Conservative voters deserted the party in the Chesham and Amersham by-election because they fear it is on course to preside over a "bloated public sector which stifles enterprise and demands ever-higher taxes", Boris Johnson's candidate has said.

Writing for The Telegraph, Peter Fleet, the Tory candidate beaten by the Liberal Democrats in the Buckinghamshire seat, said many wanted Mr Johnson to return to "traditional Conservative values" including "fiscal discipline".

Mr Fleet, a former Ford executive, said the Lib Dems, who overturned the Conservatives' 16,000 majority, benefited from Tories who "lent their vote" to register protests against the "deeply resented" HS2 rail line, the Government's planning reforms and the "appalling state of our local roads".

His intervention came as Tory MPs prepare to use a Commons debate on Monday, called by Labour, to urge Mr Johnson to water down the proposed planning changes, which will loosen restrictions to build more houses.

Separately, Steve Reed, the shadow housing secretary, told The Telegraph that Labour is planning to bring forward a private member's bill to guarantee "communities' right to object to planning applications that threaten their local area".

The Planning and Local Representation Bill will allow anyone making representations on a planning application the "right to be heard", and would give the public a right to be consulted on all forms of development for at least 21 days.

The move is intended to drive a wedge between the Government and dozens of backbenchers who fear that the result in Amersham and Chesham could be replicated across Tory heartlands if ministers press ahead with their planning reforms.

Mr Reed said: "We challenge Conservative MPs, who say they believe in local democracy, to back our plans and to vote with Labour. Labour wants communities to have more control over how their neighbourhood is developed, while the Conservatives want to sell out communities to pay back the developers who increasingly bankroll their party."

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Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Fleet said: "Some Conservatives lent their vote to the Lib Dems to register their protest on HS2, planning and the state of our roads. Many more simply stayed at home.

"These stay-at-home Tories want to hear more about traditional Conservative values. While they fully recognise that we had to commit emergency wartime levels of public expenditure to deal with Covid, they are now looking for clear evidence that their Conservative government will restore fiscal discipline at the earliest possible opportunity.

"They fear a return to a bloated public sector which stifles private enterprise and demands ever higher taxes.

"They very much like and respect Rishi Sunak. And they do not expect fretful Tory backbenchers to push the Chancellor into saying yes to every request for more and more public spending from the benches opposite."

In an article for The Telegraph, James Frayne, a founding partner of opinion research agency Public First, warns the Tories to ditch the language of "levelling up", which he suggests is alienating voters in the South.

Writing for The Telegraph on Saturday, Amanda Milling, the Conservative party co-chair, said concerns over "planning and HS2 were loud and clear".

Comment: Why we lost in Chesham and Amersham

I congratulate Liberal Democrat Sarah Green for winning the Chesham and Amersham by-election, writes Peter Fleet.

As the Conservative candidate, I am deeply disappointed that I was unable to retain the late Dame Cheryl Gillan's seat for my party. Dame Cheryl, like Sir Ian Gilmour before her, served the people of this constituency with enormous distinction. Sarah Green has large shoes to fill.

We must be humble in our defeat. We must listen to the voters. Extraordinary local issues were much to the fore in this by-election, but there were national concerns as well.

HS2 is deeply resented in this part of the country. Residents only see the cost, both financial and environmental, for no gain. Ancient woodlands have been destroyed. Beautiful landscapes have been scarred. "Florence", the HS2 tunnel boring machine (surely an abuse of The Magic Roundabout heroine) started digging operations on the first full day of campaigning, raising fears of the unknown risks to the fragile chalk aquifer beneath the Misbourne Valley, our water supplies and precious chalk streams.

The monolithic Environment Agency has so far refused to install a comprehensive inspection regime into the HS2 tunnelling operations control centre. Ministers must instruct them to think again.

Even though the Lib Dems' 2019 manifesto confirmed their commitment to proceeding with HS2 (and not a single Lib Dem MP voted against the HS2 Bill), the Lib Dem candidate managed to cast herself as being against HS2. I am in awe of her ability to present black as white! Her canvassers promised that "if elected, Sarah Green's first act would be to cancel HS2". Electors angry at the project were ready to take this promise at face value.

On planning reform, the Prime Minister demonstrates admirable restraint in accusing the Lib Dems of pushing a "wilful misunderstanding" of the forthcoming Planning Bill. The Lib Dems claimed that changes would give greedy developers "a free hand to build whatever they want" across the Chilterns.

It did not help my cause that prominent Conservatives were quoted front and centre of the Lib Dem leaflets which advanced this pernicious charge. As a party we need to do better at conducting policy debates in private.

I argued that the Planning Bill would help speed-up the redevelopment of brownfield sites for the construction of affordable housing in Chesham and Amersham while providing important protections for our green open spaces. Ministers must ensure that this is how the Bill can be presented.

I also promised that I would work with ministers to elevate the Chilterns Area of Outstanding National Beauty into the Chilterns National Park to safeguard the unique character of our living landscape for generations to come. I will continue this campaign.

The appalling state of our local roads was an issue repeatedly raised on the doorsteps. Supported by additional funds from the Government, I know that Conservative Buckinghamshire council has a plan to fill the potholes. This is an existing plan, not as she will doubtless claim an early win for our new Lib Dem MP.

Some Conservatives lent their vote to the Lib Dems to register their protest on HS2, planning and the state of our roads. Many more simply stayed at home.

These stay-at-home Tories want to hear more about traditional Conservative values. While they fully recognise that we had to commit emergency wartime levels of public expenditure to deal with Covid, they are now looking for clear evidence that their Conservative government will restore fiscal discipline at the earliest possible opportunity.

They fear a return to a bloated public sector which stifles private enterprise and demands ever higher taxes. They very much like and respect Rishi Sunak, and they do not expect fretful Tory backbenchers to push the chancellor into saying yes to every request for more and more public spending from the benches opposite.

While I wish her well, we now have a Lib Dem MP for Chesham and Amersham who will be powerless to enact change. She will shout from the sidelines, trying to claim local credit for the successes of our Conservative government and Buckinghamshire council while disowning any necessary but unpopular decision. We know the Lib Dem playbook. We will have to get used to being more politically partisan than has been the norm in this part of the world.

This was a thumping by-election defeat for the Conservatives. As the Conservative candidate, this happened on my watch. I love living here in the Chilterns with my family, and I am not going anywhere. I will continue as a local Conservative to do everything that I can to restore faith and trust with the electors of Chesham and Amersham.

Peter Fleet was the Conservative candidate in the Chesham and Amersham by-election
US President Joe Biden lifted a ban on trans people serving in the US military in January

The US government has announced it will offer gender confirmation surgery for transgender veterans through its health care coverage for the first time.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) secretary Denis McDonough announced the change at a Pride event in Florida.

He said it would allow veterans to go through the full process "with VA at their side".

Previously hormone therapy and mental health services were covered but not surgery.

Gender confirmation surgery, also known as sex reassignment surgery, covers a range of procedures which alter a person's anatomy to match their gender identity.

Mr McDonough made the announcement in Orlando on Saturday. The city this month marked five years since a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub, killing 49 people.

He said the VA would work to overcome a "dark history" of discrimination against trans veterans. A spokesman said the two-year process to start covering the surgeries would begin this summer.

"This time will allow VA to develop capacity to meet the surgical needs that transgender veterans have called for and deserved for a long time... and I am proud to begin the process of delivering it," Mr McDonough said.

He added that VA clinicians recommended the switch in policy, saying the decision "has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts."

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a range of health care to those eligible, including routine care, hospital services like kidney dialysis, surgery and organ transplants, and emergency care. However, it says some services are not covered, including abortion and cosmetic surgeries.

The National Center for Transgender Equality quotes a widely cited estimate that there are more than 134,000 trans US veterans, and some 15,000 trans people currently serving in the US armed forces, but research for the US Department of Defense in 2016 put the numbers lower.

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Former President Donald Trump banned trans Americans from serving in the military in his first year in office. President Joe Biden repealed the ban in January.

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Jun. 20Two people died in a single-motorcycle crash on Wellington Road in Manchester early Sunday morning, police said.

The driver, a 31-year-old man, and passenger, a 33-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities were not released by police Sunday afternoon. Both are from Manchester.

The crash was the fourth motorcycle fatality in the Queen City in a matter of weeks.

The road remained closed between Currier Drive and Linda Lane for much of the afternoon. The crash occurred around 5:15 a.m. near 1112 Wellington Road, according to a news release.

At the scene, police set up a white tent near the front lawn of the home as they investigated. Around 12:15 p.m., a medical examiner arrived.

"This crash continues to be investigated by the Manchester Police Department," the news release said.

On June 11, Forrest Emra, 34, had been riding south on Perimeter Road about 6:15 a.m. when he left the road between Triangle Mall and the St. Mary's Bank branch building on June 11. Emra was thrown from the bike and succumbed to his injuries before first responders arrived, according to police.

On June 9, a motorcycle passenger, Paige Parkinson, 25, died when the motorcycle she was on struck a parked car about 10:15 p.m. near Pine and Willow streets. Police said the 23-year-old driver of that motorcycle was not seriously injured. They have not released his name.

Police are asking those with information on the Wellington Road crash to call 603-668-8711. An anonymous crime tip can be left at the department's CrimeLine at 603-624-4040.
For 10 years, Norlando Saavedra left his house in Kendall at 4 a.m. to arrive at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach by 5 a.m. The 58-year-old worked for eight hours making omelets, bacon, waffles and pancakes for hotel guests. Then, he got back into his car and drove to the Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Doral, where he worked from 2 until 10 p.m. making tacos, hamburgers, pizzas and churrascos. Most days, he arrived home at 11 p.m.

Two jobs. Sixteen hour days. Six days a week.

It took both jobs for Saavedra to earn close to the $31.41 per hour that, according to MITs calculator, constitutes the full-time living wage needed in Miami-Dade to cover his familys basic needs. The Fontainebleau paid him $16.83 per hour, or $35,006 per year for 40 hours per week. The Hilton paid him $14 per hour, or $29,120 per year for 40 hours per week. MIT figures the local living wage ranges from $33,441 and $105,804 per year, depending on how many adults in the household are working and how many kids they have.

Most days, Saavedra said, he felt more like a machine than a person, moving mindlessly from his bed, to his car, to the windowless hotel kitchens and back again.

One of the things I learned during the pandemic is that Im a human being, Im a professional, he said.

For weary, strapped hotel workers like Saavedra, the back to normal promise of the COVID-19 vaccine holds little allure. After suffering the shock of abrupt layoffs in March 2020 when hotels closed, many workers say they are now reevaluating what they need from employers.

Meanwhile, South Floridas critical hospitality industry  like many low-wage sectors  is struggling to find enough workers to keep the beds made and the dinners served. The national leisure and hospitality workforce was 15% smaller in March 2021 than in March 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although Miamis hotel room rates and occupancy levels have rebounded, the local leisure and hospitality workforce was still 24% smaller in March than the year before.

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When the Fontainebleau Hotel laid off cook Noraldo Saavedra in March 2020, he found work elsewhere. He doesnt plan to return in favor of finding higher wages elsewhere. He poses in the kitchen of MKT Kitchen restaurant in Coral Gables on Friday, June 11, 2021.

The shortage has already boosted wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average hourly pay for leisure and hospitality employees nationwide increased from $17.24, or $35,859 per year for 40 hours per week, in January 2021 to $18.09, or $37,627 per year for 40 hours per week, in May 2021. But thats still far shy of a living wage for many  a reality that hit home for workers during the forced inactivity of the pandemic, leaving them time to search for jobs closer to home, with better schedules or benefits, or higher wages.

The normal has to be transformed, said Jamila Michener associate professor of government at Cornell University and the co-director of Cornell Center for Health Equity. The way to transform it is to realize that there were and continue to be deep inequities built into the norm. When we talk about returning to normal, were talking about returning to a state of profound inequality and suffering for people who have less.

As customers come roaring back from pandemic paralysis ready to spend record savings, hotel room rates are climbing and wages should rise too, said Alex Horenstein, an assistant professor of economics at Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, who studies behavioral economics. In May, the average daily rate for hotel rooms in Miami was $236.07, according to STR, a hospitality data analytics firm. Thats up 34% from pre-pandemic May 2019, when the average daily rate was $176.70.

We will go back to a new normal with higher salaries and higher prices, said Horenstein. These are the natural dynamics of the economy. If they are not going to accommodate the salaries to the new economic reality, they are going to have trouble hiring.

But not all hotels are confident they can raise prices enough to offer competitive salaries. Thats especially true for small properties with much thinner profit margins than the large, international chains.

Jamila Ross, co-owner of The Copper Door bed and breakfast and Rosies pop-up restaurant in Overtown, flinches when she sees job ads for bussers and servers offering $18 an hour and signing bonuses. The hotel has just 22 rooms and the restaurant has 25 seats.

Being the lower person on the totem pole, its a little frightening, she said. Thats really tough for us.

Jamila Ross and Akino West are co-owners of The Copper Door B & B in Overtown.

Two jobs required

The narrative being pushed by the Associated Industries of Florida, the lobbying group for some of the states largest businesses, is that workers are sitting on the couch collecting unemployment instead of working. Jobless Floridians will soon lose additional support; Gov. Ron DeSantis has cut off $300 per week in federal COVID-19 relief funds theyve been receiving on top of the states unemployment assistance of $275 per week. The change takes place June 26.

The hotel workers interviewed for this story said they are all back at work or expect to be soon. But not all are back at their old jobs  or even in hotels.

Of the 11 South Florida hotel workers interviewed for this story, three are back in their pre-pandemic hotel jobs or planning to return soon, five have switched to hospitality jobs that pay more or provide housing or quicker promotions, two have found hospitality jobs outside Miami and one has left the industry.

When Saavedra got the call from the Fontainebleau to return to work in March, he was already working two new jobs  mornings at MKT Kitchen in Coral Gables making $14 per hour, and evenings at the Rusty Pelican on Virginia Key making $20 per hour. The Fontainebleau said they would pay him his pre-pandemic wage, but the hotel couldnt guarantee he would always have his morning shift. Without that fixed schedule, Saavedra cant maintain his second job. Soon hell move to a different Miami Beach hotel in the mornings making $17.50 an hour; the hotel also will pay a portion of his health insurance premium, as did the Fontainebleau.

The insurance plans offered by large hotels are a plus, Saavedra said, but if neither of his jobs offer it, hell buy a plan on the public exchange.

I thought that the Fontainebleau was the only place. I was scared to go look for a higher wage, he said. But now we dont have to keep going with our heads down.

Beach goers enjoy South Beach on March 2, 2021. One year after Miami Beach shut down spring break, the tourists are back and hotels are at 70% occupancy.

Another former Fontainebleau employee, Ernest Taylor turned down the hotel for the same scheduling reason. By the time the Fontainebleau called him back in May offering his pre-pandemic $16.85 per hour wage, Taylor, 40, had already started as a cook at the Hotel Maren in Fort Lauderdale Beach making $16 per hour. Still, he has to work a second, full-time job cooking at the Marlins stadium loanDepot Park, making $15 per hour, to cover his basic needs. His wife also works two full-time customer service jobs.

After 18 years working in the hospitality industry, Taylor hopes for a promotion somewhere that will allow him to have one job.

Im most concerned about how many jobs I actually have to have, he said. The work is not the issue for me, its how many jobs I have to have to support what I need to support.

For Herman Gonzalez, 59, an 18-year employee at the Diplomat Hotel, returning to work will be bittersweet.

As head captain of the steakhouse and a sommelier, Gonzalez figures with tips he earns $25 per hour, or $52,000 per year for 40 hours per week.

After he was laid off in March 2020, hes stayed away from work, fearing that his high blood pressure will put him a greater risk if he catches COVID-19 in cramped kitchen environments from others who arent vaccinated, even though he is. The break has allowed him to exercise regularly and go to sleep before midnight for the first time in decades.

But when he gets the call to return to work at the hotel, which just reopened June 1, Gonzalez said hell go.

Its like choosing between life and death for a paycheck, he said. Im still afraid of getting infected... I think I have to choose the paycheck, Im not going to have a choice really.

A wake-up call

Hotels have long struggled to retain low-wage workers and have traditionally relied on J-1 visa recipients to work seasonally. In Miami, hospitality workers are further strained by a dismal public transportation infrastructure, expensive tourism-zone parking fees, and expensive childcare options that make holding onto a hotel job difficult.

Still, employers are finding the worker shortage jarring.

Managers and representatives at some of the areas largest hotels  Fontainebleau, Loews, Intercontinental  interviewed recently say they are taking a hard look at wages; some are offering bonuses to employees who refer others who get hired. But mostly they are hoping workers return to their same jobs, which offer health benefits  a rarity in hospitality  and a foot in the door in a cut-throat industry.

Glenn Sampert, general manager at the InterContinental in downtown Miami, has been plugging holes himself, jumping in to help the hotels short-staffed operations team. So far the hotel has not raised wages and is focusing recruitment efforts on promoting its benefits package, which includes a 401k, and opportunities to move up into management roles, he said.

The opportunity for advancement is there. Its not just about the starting wage, said Sampert. Its more about the opportunity, the quality of the benefits.

A hotel guest enjoys having the pool practically to herself at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The hotel reopened on June 1, 2020, after having to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But not all hotels are feeling the same pinch. The Diplomat Hotel, Broward Countys largest, has been slowly welcoming back its pre-pandemic workforce since reopening this month. General manager Laurens Zieren said most workers want to return. The hotel has studied its workers ZIP codes and is considering a shuttle service that could alleviate the high cost of getting to work, he said.

The pandemic has made The Betsy Hotel owner Jonathan Plutzik more acutely aware of his staffs sacrifices. He said he has raised wages, but other systemic barriers, like transportation and childcare, will have to be tackled city-wide to really make Miami Beach hotel jobs viable, long-term careers for people starting out today.

Its not a stroke of the pen resolution, he said. Some of it is money, some of it is transportation, some of it is school, some of it is public health.

Ross, the co-owner of The Copper Door and Rosies, longs for the day she is able to pay workers a living wage with benefits. Throughout the pandemic, she and her co-owner and husband Akino West have worked housekeeping and cooking shifts alongside their eight-person staff to keep the business afloat.

The pandemic forced workers to stop and think about what they need for the first time, Ross said, and served as a wake up call for employers.

We are used to working days on end until we literally cant anymore, she said. People are recognizing that having quality time with family, going on vacation, these are things that I value....We need to take better care of our workers.

As a first step, she would like to see more grant funding for small businesses and help from large insurance companies to provide her employees with medical and dental coverage.

She tries to hire workers that can walk to the hotel, and her goal is to make sure that each worker is promoted so that when they move on, theyre able to land managerial roles with higher wages. After busy weekends, Ross offers bonuses to workers, and she hopes that securing a liquor license for Rosies will bring in more income and allow her to boost wages.

Ross transparency is part of what drew Jason Uzhca, 21, to Rosies. He turned down a call back in May to his cook job at the Fontainebleau, which paid him nearly $15 per hour, in favor of a job at Rosies making $12.50 per hour. Uzhca has some financial help from his parents and scholarship money to finish his nutrition degree at Johnson & Wales.

He said the pandemic shifted his priorities.

One of the things I realized is it doesnt matter how big of a name or small of a business it is, its the people you work for, he said. [At Rosies] theyre always trying to be better. That type of energy is really motivating.

New normal

For now, employers will have to compete for workers by offering higher salaries or richer perks  meaning they will have to reduce their profit margins, boost prices for customers, or shrink their staffs.

And while that may cause a strain for businesses, employers are better equipped to handle that financial stress with access to bank loans than low wage workers, argues Michener, the Cornell professor.

The alternative is that working people are taking the losses, she said. For us to look at the people who have the least to constantly bear the burden of the economy because we want employers to be comfortable, its not really right. We want people in a position where people choose to do whats good for them and their family instead of doing anything to make a bare-subsistence living.

Miamis hotel industry recovery has been quicker than anyone anticipated, said Rolando Aedo, chief operating officer of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. He expects rising room rates will plateau eventually, and there will continue to be ups and downs. But hotel workers having more clout is a good thing, he said.

This gives us the opportunity to reset our thinking, he said. It should be a win for the hotel operators and a win for the hotel employees who are the backbone of the tourism economy.

South Beach visitors walk down Ocean Drive near the Clevelander in Miami Beach during the start of Memorial Day Weekend on Friday, May 28, 2021.

Theres progress. Taylor, the cook working at Hotel Maren and Marlins stadium, said the hotel has raised his wage from $14.50 to $16 since he started in September in an effort to keep him.

Its still not a living wage, but its a start.

I think the best thing thats going to come out of this is employers learn to take care of the people who take care of them, he said. I really think that is going to happen. Some places it will take longer than others, but I still see that happening.

It may be too late for some. Even if she is called back to her housekeeping job, Maribel Saldana, 43, isnt sure shell return to the resort where she worked for nine years and made $14.72 per hour pre-pandemic.

The time away from the hotel has allowed her to be with her big family, including 10 siblings, one adult son and one grandchild. I spend more time with my grandbaby, she said. I have a big family. Theres always a birthday to celebrate. She has attended doctors appointments she put off for years because she said it was difficult to get approval to miss work.

Next week, she and her sister are planning to open a food truck business making fried seafood. If the business takes off, shell still have time for what matters to her most  her family.
By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden will meet at the White House with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah on Friday to discuss U.S. troop withdrawal amid a surge in fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban across the country.

In their first face-to-face meeting, Biden will seek to reassure Ghani and Abdullah of U.S. support for the Afghan people including diplomatic, economic and humanitarian assistance, the White House said in a statement. Biden will also repeat his pledge to ensure that the country never becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups.

"The visit by President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan as the military drawdown continues," the White House said.

However, since Biden's decision in April to pull out all U.S. troops before Sept. 11 to end America's longest war after nearly 20 years of conflict, at least 30 districts have been seized by the Taliban.

The group has staged a campaign to expand its influence across the country as the United States began withdrawing troops on May 1 and closed some bases and handed them over to the Afghan government.

The Taliban said the visit would be "useless."

"They (Ghani and Abdullah) will talk with the U.S. officials for preservation of their power and personal interest," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. "It wont benefit Afghanistan."

There was no immediate reaction from Ghani's office but a senior Afghan official said the Afghan president would be seeking assurances from the United States over its continued support for Afghan security forces in the aftermath of the withdrawal.

The visit would also come in the face of slow progress in talks between the Taliban and Afghan government representatives in Qatar. Officials have raised concerns over the stalling negotiations and have said the Taliban has not yet submitted a written peace proposal that could be used as a starting point for substantive talks.

Story continues

In May, U.S. intelligence analysts released an assessment that the Taliban "would roll back much" of the progress made in Afghan women's rights if the Islamist extremists regained national power.

'PARAMOUNT PRIORITY'

Afghans who worked for the United States during the two-decade deployment of U.S.-led NATO troops fear the insurgency will target them and their families as retribution for helping foreign forces.

The Biden administration says it is adding staff to expedite the visa process for Afghans. Refugee advocates and some members of Congress, however, say the effort falls short of their expectations.

Speaking in an interview with ABC News on Sunday, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the issue was of "paramount priority" to Biden and that the administration was getting people out "at a record pace," although he gave no specific figure.

"And we are doing the kind of extensive planning for potential evacuation should that become necessary. We will take all of these steps to ensure that we do right by the people who did right by us," he said.

Asked if the increased violence in the country was forcing the administration to delay U.S. departure from Bagram Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, Sullivan said there has been no change in plans so far but added:

"What we're doing is looking every week to check as the drawdown unfolds, whether or not it lines up with our effort to ensure that there is a sufficient security presence at the embassy, that the airport will be secure."

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in WashingtonAdditional reporting by Rupam Jain in Mumbai and Abdul Seddiqi and Hamid Shalizi in Kabul Editing by Daniel Wallis and Matthew Lewis)
Carson King has more than 5 million YouTube subscribers across channels and is well-known in the Minecraft community. YouTube/CallMeCarson

Carson King, known on YouTube as "CallMeCarson" is teasing his return to social media.

King mostly vanished from social media in January after he was accused of sexting his underage fans.

King tweeted Saturday and said: "give me a little bit longer."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Carson King, a YouTuber and "Minecraft" streamer, teased his return to social media on Saturday after a months-long hiatus following accusations he groomed and exchanged inappropriate messages with underage fans.

King tweeted Saturday night, "give me a little bit longer." More than 95,000 people have liked the tweet teasing his return.

As Insider's Kat Tenbarge previously reported, King faced accusations in January from two girls who accused him of sending them inappropriate messages when they were under the age of 18.

One accuser said King sent her sexually suggestive messages when he was 19 and she was 17 in 2019. Another accuser later came forward and said she and king shared nude photographs on Snapchat when she was 17 and he was 20, Insider previously reported.

"I'm not into kids but I did trade nudes with people under the age of 18 which is very bad," King appeared to say in a Discord chat at the time, according to a screen recording posted by one of his former collaborators, according to the previous report.

Several of King's collaborators turned against him once the allegations were made public, according to the previous Insider report. Two of his former collaborators came forward in an interview with Daniel Keem, also known as Keemstar, and said King told them he had sexted with underage fans, Insider reported.

Following the allegations, King disappeared from all of his social media platforms. He last uploaded a YouTube video in November 2020 and he stopped tweeting regularly in January 2020. His last Twitch stream was seven months ago.

King did not immediately return Insider's request for comment Sunday. He has not publicly commented on the allegations against him.

Story continues

The last time King appeared on social media was in May when he tweeted and quickly deleted tweets about President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He said those tweets were accidental, according to Newsweek.

King has 1.3 million followers on Twitter, 2.95 million YouTube subscribers, and 1.3 million followers on Twitch. According to data from Social Blade, King lost approximately 240,000 YouTube subscribers when the allegations against him were made public in January.

Read the original article on Insider
Scientists set out to learn about the countrys non-native parrots a few years ago, after behavioral ecologist Stephen Pruett-Jones, of the University of Chicago, became intrigued by the quakers living in Chicagos Hyde Park. Quakers first were observed in the park in 1968, according to Forbes, and built their first nest in 1970.

Jennifer Uehling collaborated with the professor to study how widespread these non-native parrots were by combing through annual bird counts and sightings by bird watchers from 2002 to 2016.

The study found the most common of the U.S.s parrot species is the quaker, otherwise called the monk parakeet.

Simons extended family accounts for more than one-third of the parrots in the country, with the red-crowned Amazon weighing in at No. 2 with about 13% of the population. Rounding out third place is the nanday parakeet, accounting for 11% of the sightings.

But where did they all come from?

For the quakers, legend says they jumped ship from a broken cargo container in the late 1960s to early 1970s at New Yorks John F. Kennedy airport. The tale behind Connecticuts wild colonies is quite similar, except they fell off a truck on I-95.
Saturdays event was also notable for several reasons, primarily because it arrived two years after the last pageant; the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the Miss Virginia and Miss America events in 2020.

It was also the first Miss Virginia event held in Roanoke since 2017. Although the Star City was home to the pageant for more than 60 years, it relocated to Lynchburg in 2018 and 2019.

Camille Schrier was named Miss Virginia in 2019, and later that year was crowned Miss America, a title she has held ever since. In the wake of Schriers national win, first runner up Dot Kelly ascended to serve as Miss Virginia.

Earlier in the pageant, on Friday, Ella Strickland of Warrenton was crowned Miss Virginias Outstanding Teen 2021. She is a graduate of Kettle Run High School and plans to attend Hollins University. She also won the talent award with a musical theater performance, for a $500 prize, and her social initiative is Type 1 diabetes research and support.

Stricklands win earns her a $5,000 scholarship and a shot at being named Miss Americas Outstanding Teen later this year.

The other teen finalists Friday included:

First Runner Up: Ayana Johnson, from Piedmont, who won a $1,000 scholarship.
Why did they not determine my eligibility before sending the benefits out? Cogar asked. If they were trying to get the money out, I can appreciate that, but I dont think you can come back a year later and say, We goofed! 

Ideally, Healy said, people who were self-employed would be evaluated for eligibility under the federal PUA program before they are considered for traditional unemployment benefits, which are tied to employers who pay into the state unemployment trust fund through payroll taxes.

Benefits under PUA dont come from the state trust fund, but instead are paid with federal money that Virginia received through the trio of federal relief packages.

Healy and the VEC say Cogars best option is to qualify for PUA benefits before they expire on Sept. 6 so she could use them to pay her debt. The agency said it would help her apply for the federal benefits.

If she qualifies, those federal benefits will pay off the overpayment and she wont be liable for that, VEC spokeswoman Joyce Fogg said.

Cogars other option would be to apply for a hardship waiver to show she was overpaid through no fault of her own and cannot afford to repay the money.
Wherever he was, he would be a tremendous asset and a tremendous draw because of his kind and warm personality and his easy way with people, Randolph said about his son. That, and I knew that we would never find anybody better than him.

Randolph II said he doesnt take for granted that he gets to see his father every day. He knows not every father and son has that kind of relationship.

Hes such an incredible man, and its such an honor and a blessing to able to see him on a daily basis, he said. To share in what we do, which is, doing everything we can to help our patients and improve their lives  to share that journey with him has just been better than Ive ever imagined.

Before the pandemic, Fathers Day  which also happen to be the elder Randolphs 39th wedding anniversary this year  involved him making brunch for his whole family, he said. If nothing else, he and his wife will do what they normally do now on weekends  the grandkids rounds, which means visiting their 2-year-old grandson, David Randolph III, as well as their daughters 10-month-old twin boys, Max and JoJo.

Both men said that the only tradition their family holds tight is making time for each other.
The sound of Spring 2021 is the cicada chorus.

The critters have been so thick in the Washington area they have shown up on Doppler weather radar. Even the president had a close encounter.

Joe Biden brushed a cicada away on June 9 as he was about to board Air Force One for his first foreign trip.

The separate charter flight with dozens of journalists covering the presidential trip was delayed seven hours after cicadas swarmed into a jet engine at Dulles Airport in Virginia. Panic averted: Pizza was ordered. For the humans.

Billions of Brood X  pronounced Brood 10  cicadas that spent 17 years underground are out in force in the eastern United States, and theyre doing what comes naturally.

Males woo females with their songs, the louder the better. They mate, the female lays eggs and, having fulfilled their destiny, they die. Their offspring burrow underground and sustain themselves for years sipping sap from roots of trees and grasses.

See you in 2038.

While entomologists revel in the periodical cicada show, the invasion makes some people anxious. Having critters fly in ones face and hair can be a buzz kill and their noise intimidating.
But it was an exercise in sophistry that begged the federal courts to engage in the worst form of judicial activism: ruling that Congress intended to do something it patently did not, and then rewriting the law to match the judges assumptions. And sadly, two lower courts fell for it in whole or in part, setting the stage for the justices to weigh in.

The high court did what the lower courts should have done. It observed that neither the states nor the individuals had shown any harm, or prospect of harm, suffered as a consequence of Congress enacting what amounted to a tax cut. And with no harm, there can be no lawsuit.

This should have been obvious from the get-go. No one can claim with a straight face to be injured by Congress decision to reduce the penalty to zero. Its a tax with a 0% rate  whats not to like?
An uncommon form of pottery, raku, can be experienced 30 minutes east of Council Bluffs at Pottery by the Creek Studio in Carson. Raku is a Japanese style of pottery that originated in the 1580s.

Potter and ceramic artist Paul Koch and his wife Carol Jean own the studio and both host raku events. These events include a meal, with participants able to decorate and take home their own piece of pottery. So not only do people just get a pot, they learn the process of how its done.

Kochs artwork is featured in galleries in Omaha and western Iowa, but can also be seen at the Painted Camel Gallery in Macedonia  started by Koch and Jean.

Koch began potting in 2000, before doing it full time in 2002. But only four years ago did he start doing raku because its a fun new challenge. Before pottery, Koch painted for 12 years.

The process begins by throwing a pot, applying terra sigillatta (which roughly translates to settled earth) and then bisque firing the pot, said Kelly Towne, a partner with the Painted Camel Art Gallery.

Once the piece has been fired, it is ready to go into the raku kiln, she said. It is heated to around 1,700 degrees and then it is removed and combustible materials are applied to the surface.
Long story short, Iowa Democrats are going to need four or five strong candidates, including in two statewide races, if they are to effectively dispute the notion that Iowa is simply turning into a red state.

Can Iowa Democrats, mostly decimated atop the ticket in the past four elections, go four or five deep next year? Well find out. And were starting to hear some of the names that ultimately will provide that answer.

Ras Smith, a state lawmaker from Waterloo, this week became the first Democrat to announce a run for governor. Smith will be an intriguing candidate to follow: he does not have a statewide profile, but he has been a passionate legislator, particularly on issues of racial and social justice, as well as education.

It is likely the Democratic primary for governor will be competitive. Axne, for example, is considering a run, and she would be a formidable candidate. She has won twice in the very competitive and politically balanced 3rd District.
LINCOLN  The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation announced during the Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Meeting in Fremont that it awarded $69,500 in scholarships to 54 students furthering their education goals in the 2021-22 academic year.

The Foundation strongly believes in the importance of a sound education for tomorrows industry leaders and is pleased to be able to provide this funding to these outstanding students to aid in their academic career, says Mark Jagels, president of the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation. Due to the generosity of many donors and the success of our Retail Value Steer Challenge fundraising project, the foundation was able to offer these scholarships.

Established in 2014, the Nebraska Cattlemen Beef State Scholarship is the premier Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation scholarship providing a $10,000 award to an outstanding junior, senior or graduate level Nebraska resident student enrolled in a Nebraska college or university pursuing a beef industry related degree. The 2021 Nebraska Beef State Scholarship was awarded to Malina Lindstrom of Elm Creek. Malina will be a senior at UNL this fall, double majoring in animal science and agriculture communications. Malina is also working on a minor in beef industry scholars and is a member of the senior livestock judging team.
 Now, the technology. It isnt so much about cost. Its about being sure the city could successfully livestream elsewhere.

North Platte has televised council meetings over at least one local cable TV system for years. But one of the inadvertent blessings of COVID-19 has been the citys development of its ability to livestream meetings  via Zoom early in the pandemic, now via YouTube  and record and link them to its website.

People are watching, Mayor Brandon Kelliher said. One of those two big recent meetings had nearly 1,000 hits. The other had nearly 800.

So were not really talking about 50, 100 or 200 people. Were talking about a substantial chunk of North Platte residents, some of whom maybe cant physically come to City Hall.

We dont believe anyone would want to move a council meeting, or any other public meeting, if that would keep ill or homebound neighbors from staying informed about our government.

City employees must be sure they could interface their livestreaming equipment with whatever system a larger venue might have.

Or theyd have to move City Halls equipment there and back. And maybe do it again.
After leading most of the race, Andrew Yang finds himself behind the candidate he says has gotten off easy: Eric Adams. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

I have a pet peeve I want to share with you, Andrew Yang declared immediately after we were introduced on Zoom late Thursday night.

The emotional toll of a series of setbacks that saw Yang fade from front-runner to fourth place in some polls was evident. He leaned forward toward the camera, face taut.

So, Eric Adams two debates ago said what he couldnt do without was a bubble bath, Yang said. When he gave reporters a tour of the basement he supposedly lives in, there is no bathtub in the basement. So, I just want people to notice theres no bathtub.

Adams had spent the better part of the past week facing questions about where exactly he lives, between his office in Borough Hall, a New Jersey condo he owns with a romantic partner, and the Bed-Stuy brownstone he represented to reporters as his home. Yang didnt buy it, pointing to the presence of a small shower cabinet  but no bathtub  in the residence as apparent proof Adams is lying about where he rests his head at night.

The issue seemed personal to Yang, who has been loudly criticized for decamping to a second home upstate with his family at the start of the pandemic, while the city he wants to lead as mayor was under siege by the coronavirus. Yang has had it with feeling like his own conduct is under constant attack while Adamss has been treated lightly.

So for over two hours, Yang and his wife, Evelyn, aired their frustrations with the campaign season. Andrew had returned to their apartment after a day on the trail wearing his signature ensemble: navy suit, light-colored shirt, blue campaign-logo lapel pin, no tie. Evelyn looked every bit the well-heeled Manhattan public-school mom in athleisure. Behind them were plants and campaign posters in their dedicated room for interviews. It was an initial question about the location of their Zoom backdrop that caused Yang to lace into Adams.

Where is he? Like a lobbyists office? Who knows? Yang said, raising his voice incredulously.

Part of the appeal that helped Yang go from a long-shot presidential candidate to national celebrity to mayoral front-runner was his cheerful demeanor. And while he smiled and made exaggerated gestures and dopey voices to mock what he sees as a lack of scrutiny for Adams, it was evident there was anger boiling below the surface.

You can tell that this is actually frustrating, Evelyn said as she gestured toward her husband who was rocking in his chair and stewing after begging the city to pay attention to Adamss basement bathroom. She describes herself as more fired up about the campaign than ever after watching what she sees as unfair and racial attacks on her husband.

You can tell I have a lot of this pent up right? she asked with a laugh.

The pair argued in the final days that the race is a battle between Yangs positive vision for the city and the machine of Adams, a reference to the fact that his decades-long career has ties to old-school political clubs. The Brooklyn borough president has also faced allegations of corruption, which he dismisses as political attacks. Yang insists Adamss issues left him with no choice but to speak up.

Ive been put in a position where I have to say, look, Eric Adams is not a principled leader, Yang said.

Yang is one of four candidates in the top tier, along with Adams, Maya Wiley, and Kathryn Garcia  whom he has appeared alongside with in the final days of the campaign. But Yang is clearly focused on Adams. The couple expressed deep frustration at their impression that his record and conduct were ignored until the closing weeks of the campaign  the same time he pulled ahead as front-runner in most polls  while they believe Yangs every move has come under a microscope since the start.

The contrast! The contrast! Evelyn said, sighing and waving her hands.

As an example, Yang pointed to an incident where he was heavily criticized for awkwardly giggling when a YouTube interviewer asked him: Do you choke bitches?

Its like DEFCON Four, Andrew responded poorly to street comedy, Yang said, before going after the media. And then its like, Eric Adams, rampant corruption  well, who cares because Im not going to get clicks on that one.

Both Yang and his wife believe hes received undue attention because of the same thing that, at first, fueled his City Hall bid: broad name recognition and a vast online following he earned while running for president. Yang arrived on the national stage warning about the threat automation posed to millions of workers and focused on the idea of a universal basic income as a solution.

He made the stimulus checks happen, Evelyn said, arguing her husbands promotion for universal basic income as the pandemic took hold was directly responsible for some of the coronavirus-relief payments. Yang piped in to clarify that he didnt have his UBI advocacy organization up and running when the first round of checks were issued in March 2020. But he said he talked to dozens of legislators ahead of the second payments and was responsible for the House version by Democrats that eventually gave people $2,000.

As an evangelist for giving everyone money, Yang said he initially expected to be viewed as left of Bernie Sanders when he entered the presidential race, but instead was perceived as a libertarian. Yang believes this was just political and attributed it to the fact he did not already already have a following like Sanders, the nations most prominent socialist. Yang similarly believes entrenched politics are behind progressives reluctance to embrace him in New York, too.

Of course, this analysis discounts Yangs other stances that have irked the left: more funding for the NYPD, including more cops on the subway, support for charter schools, ties to allies of billionaire former mayor Michael Bloomberg, and, recently, an expression of unqualified support for Israel as it waged war in the Gaza Strip.

Yang got attacked from across the political spectrum when on a debate stage last week he said taking people with mental illness off the streets was a matter of public safety. Yes, mentally ill people have rights, but you know who else have rights? We do! The people and families of the city, Yang said. We have the right to walk the street and not fear for our safety because a mentally ill person is going to lash out at us.

Evelyn came to her husbands defense on this front as well, arguing the policy substance of his answer  getting them help  was sound even if he sounded insensitive. The words are not politically correct in the way a politician would present it, she said. I think its because hes not a politician, but you know what his values are.

After the debate, Yang emphasized on Twitter that he was referring to a surge in attacks on New Yorkers of Asian descent that have, in many cases, been perpetrated by people with a history of homelessness and mental health crises. In general, Yang said the violence has motivated him to speak up more about anti-Asian hate.

The way Asians were treated before COVID was invisibility, said Yang. It was invisibility and diminution.  Then, post-COVID, it became a higher degree of animosity and vitriol and sometimes that manifested in violence.

Evelyn added: As one of the most prominent Asian people, he was like, I have an obligation to speak about this and this experience for everyone else who looks like me.

Born in Schenectady to Taiwanese immigrants and living in the city since the 1990s, he is adamant that some of the questioning of his ties to New York City is racial. I think a lot of it is the fact that Im of a community that people naturally cast as being somewhat on the outside, said Yang. Thats not a positive thing.

Indeed, criticism of Yangs status as a true New Yorker has gone beyond a spotty voting record in local elections to nitpicking everything from his descriptions of subway routes to his musical choices. Last month, a Daily News cartoon mocked him for being a tourist with a caricature that included his eyes drawn as simple slits, which first appeared online. After criticism, the paper changed the illustration of Yangs eyes for the print edition.

I felt the sting, Evelyn said of her initial reaction to the cartoon. When you see it, automatically, it hurts you. That was on top of another incident during the campaign where she says a woman accused her of carrying disease  a racist trope commonly used against Asians during the pandemic.

Yang, who has alluded to being bullied for his race in his youth, described being blindsided by the Daily News portrayal. I was surprised by several aspects of running for mayor in New York City and Id say this was one of them, he said.

Despite his diminished political standing, he still has a shot at City Hall. Yang and his campaign insist theyre bullish on his chances and are counting on an influx of new voters who may have been undercounted by surveys. Either way, the polls have varied with the new ranked-choice voting system injecting a degree of uncertainty into the home stretch of the race. While Adams is a front-runner thanks to a strong base of support in the Black community and among labor groups, Yang and the other three major challengers each have a plausible chance at an upset.

To make that happen, Yangs campaign has changed tactics in recent days, with the singular focus on Adams as just one example. Over the weekend, he appeared with Garcia and urged his supporters to rank her second on their ballots. When pressed repeatedly, Garcia would not return the favor and insisted her ballot was a private matter  and resisted pushing her people to rank Yang. And Evelyn has taken on a more prominent role.

Wow look at this! What a sport! She really is the closer! Yang quipped as he kissed his wife on the cheek before excusing himself after an hour.

Evelyn stayed on because she wanted to share her view that her husband was truly motivated to help others, despite knowing the popularity he earned in the presidential race could take a hit in the rough world of New York City politics. Andrews mission was to do what he could to help, Evelyn explained. Its not like the mayors office is a stepping stool to a higher office.  You get your hands dirty as mayor.

The race has been especially grinding on the couple, who are raising two young sons. Theyve been particularly candid about their oldest, Christopher, who has special needs due to autism. We do have fun but this was  all of it  like a sacrifice, she said. We had very good civilian lives.

Evelyn also suggested campaigning is harder on Yang than his gleeful appearances might lead you to believe. The couple both described Yang as an introvert and she described public life as depleting for him.

To be in the spotlight as he is, thats not where his energy comes from, Evelyn said of her husband after he retired to bed. He gets his energy from  being alone basically.

The long hours and intense political fighting have also worn her out, but she has no regrets. If the machine wins, then so it does, but we tried our best, she said.

And with that, at nearly two in the morning after two Zoom rooms both expired and gave way to a phone call, Evelyn felt unburdened.

It was like a therapy session, she said before hanging up. I feel like I unloaded so many things on you.
Long overdue government legislation must come into place in Nigeria if the country hopes to reform its oil industry to make it more accessible for international players and win back investment. The Nigerian Senate is expected to finally pass legislation known as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), originally presented in 2008, to change how energy assets are operated and funded following pressure from Royal Dutch Shell Plcs oil-drilling unit.

Bayo Ojulari, managing director at Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co. explained that For every month and every week that we delay, the investment fund is moving somewhere else, further, Weve got the commitment that it will come up in June. Weve heard that before and we are waiting to see.

Africas biggest oil-producing country, with an estimated 37 billion barrels of oil, has been criticized for failing to pass the PIB for so long, leaving international companies facing regulatory uncertainty. This is surprising for a country that relies on oil for around 80 percent of its earnings, churning out around 2 million bpd of crude, with the potential of producing nearer to 4 million bpd.

The reform would make the NNPC, the Nigerian oil and gas sectors regulator, a private limited liability company, deregulating much of the sector, reducing taxes, and making Nigerian oil generally more attractive to investors.

Criticism over the delay dates back to 2016 when the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) published a report titled The Urgency of a New Petroleum Sector Law, where the group estimated that Nigeria had lost over $400 billion from not passing the 2008 law.

Nigerias Senate President Ahmad Lawan stated last week, our expectation is that well pass the PIB within the month of June. But some wonder if this move is too little too late.

Related: Hedge Funds Grow More Bullish On U.S. Crude Oil

As the International Energy Agency (IAE) and governments around the world are pushing for a green revolution and the movement away from fossil fuels, there is not the same urgency to invest in major oil-producing countries as there once was. While the PIB could make investing in Nigerian oil more streamlined, investors are not so willing to bet big on the African state, following years of uncertainty.

The once attractive onshore oil business is no longer compatible with the objectives of several international oil firms. Royal Dutch Shell, for example, is in talks with the Nigerian government to shift away from onshore production to focus on offshore operations as they have experienced regular incidents of theft, sabotage, and oil spillage.

Other international giants, Chevron and ExxonMobil, have also reduced their operations in Nigeria in an attempt to move away from certain oil and gas projects to go green.

In May, Nigerias oil output hit a record low following an average first-quarter output of just over 1.4 million barrels per day, which caused oil revenues to slump by 98 percent in April. This low output is owing partly to OPEC+ cuts at the beginning of the year, but this is not the only challenge.

Several of the countrys largest oil fields, including the Niger Delta like Forcados, Bonny, Escravos, Brass River, and Qua Iboe, and offshore fields Bonga, Usan, and EA have been producing lower levels of oil because of technical or maintenance issues. Leakages in the countrys oil pipelines, owing to sabotage and generally aging infrastructure, have caused more oil to be lost.

If Nigeria hopes to profit from its substantial oil reserves over the next decade it must stop delaying industry reform and pass the PIB. However, to attract foreign investment in its crude oil, the government must also commit to increased funding to improve aging infrastructure and improve security measures for onshore production to win back oil majors who have been discouraged from continuing operations in the country.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The first featured stop is Omaha, just in time for the College World Series.

All the locals can show off everything they like to do, Bunnell said.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate has been generating social media content through her jobs in New York for years, starting with an internship at The Late Show With David Letterman and then her work for a record label. Her campaigns have produced more than a billion hits on YouTube.

She also loves to travel, and soon realized that slick media campaigns dont tell the real story of a destination. For example, when she would ask places to share a video so she could understand the difference between a basic tour of a wildlife preserve in South Africa compared with the deluxe model, she was met with confusion and resistance.

What she also discovered is that fellow travelers much prefer user-generated content.

As I was traveling the world, I was seeing the industry of travel was still a dinosaur when it comes to video, she said. Im trying to bring transparency to travel, through honest video. User-generated content gets four times more clicks than a promotional video.
Some issues will depend on the work the troopers perform while in Texas.

There will likely be overtime involved for the troopers traveling to Texas, but the extent of the overtime will be based on the functions performed while in Texas, so its not determined at this point, Thomas said.

The State Patrol has adequate staffing for the deployment, and no overtime is planned to cover the shifts of the troopers in Texas, Thomas said.

Although Abbott and Ducey sent their letter on June 10, Texas formal request wasnt issued until Wednesday, according to Taylor Gage, a spokesman for Ricketts. The agreement between Nebraska and Texas was finalized through the emergency compact Friday night.

Abbott and Ducey have said that Arizona and Texas are ground zero for the border crisis and bear a disproportionate share of the burdens. The State of Texas has spent $3.5 billion to secure the border since 2014. Arizona has created the Arizona Border Strike Force, which, according to the letter, has intercepted 284 pounds of firearms, fentanyl and other drugs.

The letter also said that its the job of the federal government to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, but that the Biden administration has proven unwilling or unable to do so.
Saturday marked Juneteenth, June 19, a time to celebrate Union Army General Gordon Grangers order to free the people still enslaved in Texas. The holiday marks the effective end of slavery in the United States.

Now, over 150 years later, Juneteenth reminds us to be critical of how progress is measured.

A year after George Floyds murder in Minneapolis, Congress still hasnt passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020. And the few remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma, massacre have yet to receive reparations from their federal, state or local governments.

In his Tulsa speech marking the massacres 100th anniversary, President Joe Biden did recognize that addressing the racial wealth divide was essential to bridging racial inequality. He outlined commitments to build Black wealth by removing discrimination in home equity appraisals and increasing funding for socially disadvantaged businesses.

These measures are welcome but hardly sufficient.
Some western Nebraska residents and Republican partisans are calling for the restoration of a two-house State Legislature, saying it would offer greater opportunity to defend rural interests. Its fully legitimate to debate the pros and cons of the Nebraskas unique Legislature. We find, on balance, that it offers considerable pluses, including transparency and enabling lawmakers, regardless of party, to contribute significantly according to their talents and dedication.

Proponents are clearly mistaken, though, if they argue that a two-chamber Legislature would significantly shift the urban-rural balance at the State Capitol in a way beneficial to rural interests. The U.S. Supreme Court has rightly ruled, beginning in the 1960s, that districts must reflect the one-person-one-vote principle, meaning each vote is roughly of equal weight. That means state legislative districts  whether House or Senate  must have about the same number of residents.

So, if the share of a states population is increasing in urban areas while that of rural areas is decreasing, the representation in both legislative houses will reflect that. There is no getting around that fact.
The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr seems confused over some deals the country is involved in as far as purchasing of the COVID-19 vaccine is concerned.



Ghana is securing some 3.4 million doses of Russias Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines through Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum; acting as the middleman.



Ghana has negotiated for the vaccines at $19 per dose instead of the ex-factory price of $10 per dose and according to a report by a Norwegian tabloid Ghana was being shortchanged by Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.



According to Kweku Baako, the deal to purchase this vaccine is not clear to him.



"How many people are we dealing with . . . ?" he sought to know.



Parliamentary approval



The renowned Journalist further indicated that the Russia-Sputnik deal with Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum "has serious challenges and I hope we've not gone far with that deal".



This is "because it must go to parliament in accordance with article 181:5 (of the 1992 constitution). The agreement might have been signed but it cannot be effective until it gets parliamentary approval".



". . but I learnt there are other deals making the whole saga confusing; it is not good enough," he added.



Overpriced purchase of Sputnik V vaccines



Responding to a media publication regarding the overpriced purchase of Sputnik V vaccines, the MoH said the move was against the background of non-response from direct channels and global shortages of the vaccine.



It confirmed the MoH on March 9, 2021, responded to an offer from the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the supply of a total quantity of 3.4 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines, at a unit cost of US$19.



The unit price was negotiated at a meeting held at MoH, with representatives from MoH and Office of Dalmook Al Maktoum, who had travelled to Accra for the purpose. The MoH, after ascertaining the type and nature of the vaccine, through the delivery of 15,000 doses, placed an order for the supply of 300,000 doses of the vaccine at a cost of US$5,700,000," the statement said.



This is yet to be delivered. This undertaking includes an option to opt-out of any obligations if supply conditions are not met, the statement added.



A report by a Norwegian newspaper published on June 3, 2021, alleges that the Ghana government has signed a contract for the purchase of Sputnik V vaccine with an Emirati official which it said was involved in the controversial Ameri power deal and a Norwegian citizen charged with money laundering in Norway.



The newspaper alleges that Ghana is buying the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine produced in Russia for $19 per dose from businessmen instead of $10.





Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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ROBBERS made off with close to P10 million worth of cash and jewelry after leaving the dead bodies of their two victims inside a vehicle that was discovered in Barangay Tananas in San Fernando, Cebu around 7 p.m. on Friday, June 18, 2021.

The victims were identified as Gavino Sanchez, 49, and his wife Arlene, 47.

Police Maj. Eduard Sanchez said when he found that his brother and his sister-in-law had been abducted, he immediately sought the help of authorities.

Eduard believes the couple was killed at dawn Thursday, saying residents in the area heard gunshots during that time.

He also saw a security camera footage of a white pickup chasing after his brothers black pickup at a crossing in Barangay Tubod, Minglanilla.

He said Arlene had a gunshot wound in the head. However, he couldnt stomach to look at his brothers dead body.

The Scene of the Crime Operation 7 was able to recover several bullets at the crime scene.

Eduards niece Aileen, 23, said her father returned home at 10 p.m. Wednesday. However, he didnt stay long. She said he went straight to the vault to get money and jewelry and then headed out again. Her mother must have been waiting outside inside the pickup with the perpetrators, she said.

Aileen has requested Police Regional Office 7 Director Ronnie Montejo to create a task force to fast-track the investigation of her parents murder.

Eduard said their two families were last together on June 5. He said Gavino didnt mention any enemies or any sort of trouble. They only talked about business, family and religion, he said.

Eduard said he will ask the Anti-Cybercrime Group 7 to look into the case since he discovered that his brother was online on Facebook at the time he was killed.

Eduard said Gavino, who was a liaison officer of the Department of Education in Minglanilla, would pick up Arlene at the Tubod Elementary School where she was a teacher every afternoon.

He said the robbers must have placed his brother under surveillance, especially since Gavino also ran a successful business.

Story continues

Lt. Zosimo Ravanes Jr., team leader of the Anti-Kidnapping Group 7-Visayas Field Unit, told SunStar Superbalita Cebu that the perpetrators were organized.

The way they carried out the crime was similar to the modus of notorious kidnap-robbery groups, he said, adding that the perpetrators must have had local contacts.

Nasubay nato Huwebes sa alas 10:00 sa buntag naka-withdraw sa ATM sa may dakbayan sa Mandaue, P50,000, pero duda mi dili ang biktima gidala sa mga suspetsado ang ATM, Ravanes said.

(At 10 a.m. on Thursday, P50,000 was withdrawn from an ATM in Mandaue City, but we suspect it was not the victim who actually withdrew the cash.)

He said theyve already advised the victims family to close their accounts in three banks.

He also clarified that theyre only assisting local police in their investigation by providing them with technical support.

Maj. William Homoc, head of the Minglanilla Police Station, said theyve already located witnesses. However, the witnesses are too scared to testify, he said.

According to them, the armed perpetrators faces were not covered, but they ran when the perpetrators pointed their guns at them.

Homoc said the security camera footage they recovered captured the perpetrators vehicle but they couldnt make out its license plate.

He said his men are checking all the security cameras in the vicinity to look out for the vehicle.

Amo sab susihon sa uban area basin naay nakuhaan sa CCTV footage kay sure ko gi-survielance ni nila ang mga biktima, he said.

(We will look at other areas to check if they were caught on the security camera because were pretty sure they had been following the victims movements for some time.)

Homoc said they still dont have a person of interest in the case. (GPL / PJB)
Warren County Health Services reported one additional COVID-19 case and no additional COVID recoveries Sunday.

One individual was hospitalized as of Sunday, unchanged from Saturday. This individual is critically ill, officials said.

Warren County Health Services is monitoring 10 active COVID cases as of Sunday, nine of them suffering from mild illness.

The source of Sundays new infection remains under investigation. This person had not been vaccinated.

As of Sunday, 18 of 38,788 fully vaccinated Warren County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. All three vaccines were involved with these 18 cases. A total of 16 of 18 had mild illness, while one became moderately ill and one critically ill.

To learn more about the benefits of vaccination and vaccination options, county officials urge residents to visit the Warren County COVID Hub website, warrencountyny.gov/covidhub. To keep up to date about which New York state COVID restrictions remain in place, go to https://forward.ny.gov/.

Vaccine update
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Atlantic City COVID-19 vaccine mega site wraps up operations at Convention Center

clowe-pressofac / Claire Lowe, Staff Writer Kaitlyn Moliver, 12, of Galloway Township, claps after receiving the final shot at the Atlantic City Convention Centers COVID-19 vaccine site Saturday. At right, nurse Anna Maria McGehean readies a bandage. clowe-pressofac / Claire Lowe, Staff Writer Sherrie Bragg of AtlantiCare, clinical facilities manager at the Atlantic City mega site, speaks to workers before the final shot on the final day of the mega site Saturday. clowe-pressofac / Claire Lowe / Staff Writer Marifer Ramierez, 12, winces as she receives the COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Donna Mirro-Brown as her father Luis, of Egg Harbor Township, takes a video on Saturday, June 19, 2021, the final day of the Atlantic City Convention Center state mega site for COVID-19 vaccinations. clowe-pressofac / Claire Lowe / Staff Writer Darran Longman, 45, of Tuckerton readies for his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on the final day of the Atlantic City Convention Center state mega site Saturday, June 19, 2021. "It's important for me to do what I can for my species," Longman said. clowe-pressofac / Claire Lowe / Staff Writer Umma Sulma, 19, of Atlantic City receives her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on the final day of the Atlantic City Convention Center state mega site Saturday, June 19, 2021.

ATLANTIC CITY  Twelve-year-old Kaitlyn Moliver was so eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine that she had been asking her mom to make her an appointment even before people her age were eligible.

On Saturday, Kaitlyn, of Galloway Township, received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and received the 272,585th overall dose of vaccine from the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center mega site. She also was the last person to be vaccinated at the Atlantic City Convention Center site, which is closing after Saturday and transitioning to a mobile operation.

"What made me want to get vaccinated was to be part of the solution to end COVID and help everybody stay safe, especially my family members," said Kaitlyn, who was escorted by mom Mary.

Saturday was somber as the tables were broken down, chairs stacked up and partitions removed from the hall where the site has been located since late January. It also was a celebration for those who'd staffed the site over the past five months from AtlantiCare and the New Jersey National Guard. As Kaitlyn received her shot, she was surrounded by the workers onsite, who broke out in applause. Some shed tears, others hugged or fist-bumped goodbye.

"We will probably never help as many people as we helped here," said Michael Heck, infection preventionist for AtlantiCare.

The closing comes a day after Gov. Phil Murphy announced the state had reached its vaccination goal of 4.7 million eligible New Jerseyans by June 30, although efforts to vaccinate even more people in the state continue.

In late January, a portion of the Convention Center was opened as a COVID-19 vaccination mega site run by AtlantiCare, and eligible residents were clamoring to get an appointment. On its first day in January, 45,000 residents attempted to get one of only 3,000 appointments.

As the weeks and months passed, more residents became eligible to get the vaccine, and as the availability of vaccines increased, the demand waned.

"At one point, we had lines of people," said Sherrie Bragg of AtlantiCare, the clinical facilities manager at the Atlantic City mega site. "This was January. Everybody was masked up. It was a fearful time."

Bragg recalled meeting with state representatives over the winter in a conference room at the Convention Center when AtlantiCare was asked to run the mega site, one of six in the state. They had to develop a plan and a system that was modified many times over the past few months to be both efficient and safe.

Atlantic City pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics set for Resorts casino, Boys & Girls Club ATLANTIC CITY  Two COVID-19 vaccine clinics are scheduled to be held in the resort over the next week.

"There was no playbook. Nobody knew how to do these mass clinics," she said. "And we wrote the playbook."

In the first weeks, only 10 vaccinators were at the site, but at the height of vaccine distribution in March and April, there were as many as 35 vaccination stations giving out 5,000 doses a day.

On Saturday, Bragg said she felt excited and honored to be a part of it. She said one of her proudest moments was when the Atlantic City site was chosen by Murphy and his wife, first lady Tammy Murphy, to be the location where they were vaccinated. She also recalled the more personal moments, being a shoulder to cry on for those who lost loved ones, and celebrating birthdays with people who wanted the vaccine to be their gift.

"Every shot is a life saved," she said. "Every shot is important."

Capt. Tanya Kaminsky of the New Jersey National Guard said the collaboration and teamwork that went into running the facility, and the pride of providing so many access to a vaccine, were her biggest takeaways from her time at the mega site.

"It was just listening to everybody," she said, adding that working the mega site was also a great opportunity for the public to get to know the National Guardsmen. "I've been overseas. I've been in combat, but this was so special in such a different way, and we all felt it."

Over the months, vaccinators also included staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nursing students from area colleges and retired nurses. There was also community outreach to provide transportation, fill canceled appointments and help those without technology or language barriers make an appointment.

Both Kaminsky and Bragg said the work of AtlantiCare's information technology team was vital to the process.

Jenny Hernandez, a process management consultant for AtlantiCare, worked with the Hispanic Association of Atlantic County to make appointments for Spanish-speaking residents in the region, making more than 1,000 appointments between February and March.

Hernandez was at the site Saturday with her daughter, AnnaSophia, 15, who received her second dose. She said the biggest obstacle in the outreach work was having enough time in the day to make more phone calls.

"They were in tears when they knew we were calling to get them vaccine appointments," Hernandez said, recalling one woman she made an appointment for was 102 years old.

"I can't believe we've made a difference for those 1,080 people."

In May, the mega site began doing community-based clinics, working with schools, churches, community organizations and more to create "mini" vaccine sites. As the mega site shuts down, the mini sites will expand, Bragg said.

Kaitlyn said it was great that the facility was transitioning, because it seemed like a turning point in the pandemic.

"It makes me really excited that things can go back to normal now," she said.

For more information on vaccines and AtlantiCare's clinics, visit vaccination.atlantiCare.org. AtlantiCare Physician Group Urgent Care Tuckerton and Somers Point locations are providing vaccinations one day a week by appointment. Call 609-463-4090 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to make an appointment.

PHOTOS of Atlantic City's COVID-19 vaccine mega site

Related

Atlantic County COVID-19 vaccination site offering vaccines to those 12 and older ATLANTIC CITY  The Atlantic County COVID-19 vaccination mega site is now offering vaccines to those 12 and older.
Alyssa Sullivan, of Cape May Court House, the newly crowned Miss New Jersey, has a message for everyone, Dont put limits on yourself.

Sullivan, 25, never thought in a million years that she would be lying in bed making a post about winning on her Facebook page at about 6 a.m. Sunday. She was named Miss New Jersey late Saturday during the competition at Resorts Casino Hotel.

Not every dream will come true, and not every dream is from God. But when your dreams connect with Gods plans, youll find open doors that you never thought youd see, Sullivan wrote on Facebook. Im falling asleep on Cloud 9 and resting in the reality that dreams do come true ... rarely in the timing that we want them to.

Sullivans is a story of persistence. This is the sixth time she has competed in the Miss New Jersey pageant.

In 2015, Sullivan was Miss South Shore, won her talent preliminary and made it into the top 10. In 2016, she was Miss Atlantic Shore and made it into the top 10. In 2017, she was Miss Camden County and did not make it into the top 10.

Sullivan could have quit at that point, but she competed again in 2018 as Miss Cape Shore and made it into top 10. In 2019, she was Miss Atlantic Shores, won the on-stage interview and finished as the first runner-up.
Some were great. Some OK, and some were horrendous, Sandson said. That meant for someone facing an accusation, the justice received would at least in part depend on which court heard the case.

Im not for Washington or Trenton taking over everything. But in your system of justice, home rule should be oxymoronic to equal justice under the law, he said. The home rule argument does not wash with me, in this area.

According to Sandson, a combined court would also be able to offer services well beyond the reach of municipal courts.

Intoxication plays a role in a significant portion of cases in front of municipal judges, according to Sandson, who served as a recovery court judge before his retirement last fall. Alcohol and drug abuse issues routinely arise in municipal court cases, along with mental health concerns and incidents of domestic violence.

+2 Egg Harbor Township man pleads guilty to making false distress call, bank fraud CAMDEN  An Egg Harbor Township man has pleaded guilty to sending a false distress call to t

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He said a combined court would have a representative of a treatment facility at every proceeding, along with more information on available social services for those who need them.

We may be able to help two or three of those people, and were going to be able to clear some of the backlog in municipal court, Sandson said.
On June 12, Preserving the Wildwoods sent out a mass email warning that the site could become a parking lot, citing state rules.

We stand to lose one of our oldest establishments in a historic building at the heart of downtown to a parking quota that would permanently hurt neighboring businesses and start a domino effect of blight, it reads. The demolition of the Shamrock will destroy Pacific Avenue.

The Philadelphia-based firm BG Capital has big plans for the next block of the downtown, from 3601 to 3615 Pacific Ave. The Wildwood Planning Board has given preliminary approval for a 74-unit residential development with commercial uses on the ground floor. The four-story construction is set to house international student workers each summer.

Wildwood OKd the plan without parking, but the ongoing environmental review by the state Department of Environmental Protection of the proposal has said the project will need dedicated parking after all, according to Joe Byrne, the president and managing principal of BG Capital.

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But he said the company has already acquired property on 3800 Pacific to provide one parking spot for each of the units. There is already another vacant tavern at that site, one that dates from the 1950s, which has not drawn the same calls for preservation that the Shamrock has received.
Times were tough for a lot of people before the pandemic and things got tougher. Unfortunately, being able to afford health care and medicine was not an option for the working poor, Meiluta said.

But the staff at VIM can be a valuable resource to diagnose and treat illnesses and help find low-cost prescription assistance. For the uninsured, the clinics can serve as a primary care office.

We have a whole team of health care professionals to chase down low or cost-free services for those who need it. Our mission is to make sure whatever limited funds our patients have goes to put food on the table, not be indebted to health care services, Meiluta said.

And while the typical person seeking services is middle aged and may be dealing with chronic issues, many young adults and families are finding they need help. The Egg Harbor Township office works with volunteers from Rainbow Pediatrics for families with children who dont qualify for services anywhere else. Doctors and nurses can give check-ups, provide vaccinations and line up specialists if needed. The site doesnt offer COVID-19 testing, but staffers can help patients register for the vaccine and tell them where it is available. It does, however, offer flu and other vaccines.

Atlantic City introduces ordinance to repeal needle exchange ATLANTIC CITY  After a concern that the resort has shouldered the burden of providing out-o

The pandemic is still limiting walk-in services. But staffers man the phones Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and can answer questions and register patients for appointments. In Cape May Court House, call 609-463-2846. In Egg Harbor Township, call 609-867-6384.

Contact Lucia Drake: 609-272-7295 ldrake@pressofac.com

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The Vaticans persistent detente with Beijing raises some troubling concerns. For starters, it continues even as the Chinese Communist Party continues to spearhead an ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minorities. To make matters worse, despite the agreement, the condition of Catholics in China has not improved.

Further, while the pastoral intent of the Holy See is understandable, in reality it is not possible to clearly distinguish the pastoral from the political in China. The Vaticans deal gives political legitimacy to the Chinese regime.

It cant be coincidental that three years ago the Italian Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica, in supporting the original agreement with China, mentioned the case of the Concordat of 1801 between Pope Pius VII and Napoleon. It is true that the Sino-Vatican agreement is not a concordat, but it could become one. Thats a problematic scenario, supporting moral and political values that are not simply different from but antithetical to Christianity. Accepting the total incompatibility of value systems seriously jeopardizes the principle of Libertas Ecclesiae (the freedom of religion of ecclesiastical authority of the Catholic Church from temporal powers).
Bipartisanship is the broccoli of politics.

Everyone knows its good for us, but few of us love it.

When I was elected to Congress in 2010, I became a member of the new House majority, facing a Democratic majority in the Senate and the Obama administration in the executive branch. The only way to pass legislation was through bipartisanship.

In the summer of 2011, Republicans who had been elected in the tea party wave were sorely challenged when it became necessary to raise the ceiling on the national debt. The very idea of countenancing, let alone authorizing, an even more massive burden on American taxpayers, was repugnant  especially because successive generations had no say in this depredation against them.

Many of us, including me, had inveighed vehemently in the public record against raising the debt ceiling, and even vowed (ignorance is bliss!) to vote against so doing. But the heady days of campaigning against the leftward juggernaut of the first two Obama years were long over, and, as the grayer (no wonder!) heads advised us, we were now obligated to govern.
The U.S. Supreme Court again has put itself in a position where it might revisit its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that women have a constitutional right to abortion. It last did so in 1992, when it clarified somewhat the conditions and limits on abortion that would be allowed.

Unlike then, now the court has a majority of six Republican-appointed justices considered more conservative than its three Democratic appointees. It has taken a case concerning Mississippis ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a more severe restriction than has previously been allowed. People from all perspectives on abortions think  some fearing, some hoping  theres a significant chance this time the court could revise Roe v. Wade.

As it happens, this is also the year in which Gov. Phil Murphy is seeking reelection, and the pro-choice governor has started pushing for New Jersey to enact its own legal abortion law just in case the federal right is lessened or disappears. The proposed New Jersey Reproductive Freedom Act, dormant in the Legislature since its introduction in October, would guarantee residents the right to choose to continue a pregnancy or have an abortion.
Joe Biden was elected president and soon enough reversed Donald Trumps reduction of illegal southern border crossings to the point that we now have the highest influx in 20 years. The human suffering has been excruciating, the publicity has been poisonous and so Biden walked away from the problem, handing it to Vice President Kamala Harris who almost disappeared and has since demonstrated why that was a good idea.

She finally ended up in Guatemala, a primary source of young people risking their lives in tortuous, thug-infested, sometimes deadly desert treks to the United States. Sounding like the audacious Trump himself, Harris said cut it out. Dont come north anymore. We are not going to let you in. Here are thoughts repulsive to some and a delight to others even if insufficiently backed up with action to keep many out.

Along with smugglers abetting thousands of American drug deaths, illegal immigrants are rushing the border in record numbers even as TV reporters almost seem more on hand to greet them than border agents. One person less in sight than winter snow has been Harris, who didnt seem to understand when an interviewer asked why she had not gone to the border. She replied with an incomprehensible joke about not going to Europe either. Biden practically invited the immigrants when, among other moves, he freed refuges to wander in America without hearings.
Megan McArdle, in a column published in this newspaper two weeks ago, states that tax hikes wont fix inequality. Towards the end of the column, she suggests perhaps the "best way to reduce the pernicious effects of unequal wealth might be aggressively taxing consumption." A little further into the column she manages to admit that consumption taxes are usually regressive. Well, yes, indeed they are, and so why is McArdle positing that perhaps they could be helpful in reducing inequality? Then she goes on to talk about a "highly progressive, revenue neutral consumption tax." Ive never heard of a progressive, consumption tax. By definition they are regressive, hurting the poor who have little to spend and have to spend it on the basics of life.
AMES, Iowa  When youth have the opportunity to learn something new in Iowa 4-H, sometimes its hard to predict where the opportunity will take them. In the case of Ananya Balaji and Shreya Srinath of Story County, a project in one 4-H program led to a win at the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa.

4-H youth team wins state science fair. The Ames-based team first came together in 2020 to complete in the Iowa 4-H AgOvation competition. Their adult mentor is Kapil Arora, a field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Arora encouraged them to compete in SSTFI.

AgOvation is a research-based competition that challenges youth to explore and develop innovative, science-based solutions to agricultural problems that they identify in their own communities. Youth in grades 7-12 work in teams to develop a project and create a presentation to share their results.

The team demonstrated how to improve water quality by removing excess nutrients. They used chemistry and engineering to devise two methods, one for removing phosphate and one for removing nitrates. These strategies could be implemented in buffer strips and bioreactors at the edge of fields to reduce nutrient contamination in water ways.
Now, Iowa law enforcement cannot conduct a warrantless search of garbage that is waiting to be picked up.

In writing for the majority, Iowa Supreme Court Justice Christopher McDonald said Wright had not abandoned his property. The ordinance in Clear Lake states that only a licensed collector under contract with the city may collect garbage.

In moving his trash to the alley for collection, Wright agreed only to convey his property to a licensed collector. Wright would have the right to retrieve the property prior to collection and the right to exclude all others from rummaging through his garbage bins prior to collection.

Until such time as the garbage bags were collected by a licensed collector and commingled with other garbage, Wright had not yet abandoned the property, McDonald wrote. Additionally, the officer who searched the garbage trespassed on property to get the Wrights garbage.

In his concurrence, Justice Brent Appel said, I regard the protections afforded by search and seizure law to be expansive and broad enough to include evolving concepts of property, privacy, and security.
The news release said more details would be provided in the coming weeks. COVID-19 testing will continue to be provided by health care providers, pharmacies and other retail testing sites statewide. Test Iowa is a public-private partnership between the State of Iowa, Nomi Health, Domo and Qualtrics that provided access to 540,000 PCR test kits plus the equipment and technology to automate the testing process.

Tuesday, June 15

The second day of the week was not unlike the first  reports of low numbers of new COVID-19 cases tempered by the news of virus-related death.

The Rock Island County Health Department reported Tuesday the COVID-19 death of a woman in her 70s at a long-term-care facility. The total number of deaths linked to the virus is 333.

The news came one day after the Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed two virus-related deaths in Scott County. There were no deaths reported Tuesday in Scott County, and the total remained 246.

The Rock Island County Health Department reported no new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases stayed at 14,986, and the last time the health department reported no new cases was June 9, 2020. At that time, the total number of cases was 746.
CHICAGO  A 7-year-old Chicago boy has been honored and showered with gifts for helping save his mother by calling 911 and calmly providing information on her condition as she was suffering a seizure.

Daniel Armani and his family got a tour Friday of the Engine 16 fire station in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. He got to sit behind the steering wheel of a fire truck and received several gifts, including a plastic fire helmet, a Lego fire truck, a new bicycle and a bike helmet.

Daniel, who goes by D.J., called 911 on May 30 as his mother was having an epileptic seizure. He then calmly and coolly relayed critical information while comforting his mother, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

"This kid was spot-on. ... He talked to me calmly, calmer than most adults I talk to. He handled it like a champ," said Dianne Statts-Mareci, the Chicago Fire Department communications officer who handled the call that helped save D.J.'s mother, Tarissa Clark, 25.
Ruling that way would require overturning Employment Division v. Smith, a 1990 decision written by conservative hero Antonin Scalia that most conservatives have come to regret. In that case, the court said that the state of Oregon didnt owe unemployment insurance to two counselors it had fired for breaking the drug laws by using peyote in a religious ceremony. It said, as well, that a law that does not single out religious believers for penalties can be applied to them even if it happens to impose a burden on the exercise of their faith.

It was a highly controversial decision then: There were four dissenters, and Congress nearly unanimously passed a law to undo much of its effect. Academic heavy-hitters, including conservatives, have argued for each side of the subsequent debate.

Alito zeroes in on the chief weakness of the Scalia rule: It seems to give religious liberty less judicial protection than other parts of the Bill of Rights. Matthew Franck, a scholar at Princeton University, has elaborated on the point in an essay.

Scalia, Franck explains, envisioned two categories of government policies with respect to the free exercise of religion: invalid ones that aim to restrict it, and valid ones that may place incidental limits on it. The justice concluded that the Constitution does not guarantee exemptions for believers from the second type of policy.
Warnings from health officials that fully vaccinated people should avoid indoor spaces and continue wearing masks may lead many to wonder whether getting vaccinated will get their lives "back to normal".

As a doctor, veteran, and the former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I have an important part to play in dispelling rumors and encouraging my fellow Americans to become vaccinated. I have traveled to every county in Iowas Second Congressional District, touring health clinics, hospitals, and other vaccine sites. Since my medical license is still active, I was able to personally administer dozens of vaccines across the district. During these visits, I spoke with so many people who were excited to get their vaccines.

In Muscatine, one gentleman mentioned that you could get your vaccine card laminated. That is how important these vaccines are. The way I see it, getting a vaccine is a ticket to freedom.

As Members of Congress, it is part of our duties to encourage our constituents to live safe and healthy lives and this includes encouraging them to get vaccinated against this novel coronavirus. In a recent survey conducted by Carnegie Mellon University, 23% of those surveyed said they are hesitant to get one of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Neither was he inclined toward Catholicism, the faith of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. As the nominal head of the Church of England, James was most concerned about the growing influence of Puritanism, a brand of personal Christianity which was based on the Geneva Bible of Calvin and which had no tolerance for kings or bishops.

A new translation of sacred scripture was needed, one which might bridge all differences. So he commissioned a group of men  who were not extremists  to find a middle way.

What resulted was the only genuine work of art ever to be created by a committee. Over 50 translators, divided into six "companies," were given responsibility for a portion of the Old or New Testament. Then, each group submitted its work to the other companies for final approval.

Nicolson gives us all the information he can find on the men and their work  and there isn't a whole lot of historical data. But he does bring to light the principals involved and manages to tease out their procedures.

I was struck with two facts about the King James Bible: it wasn't immediately popular (Bishop Lancelot Andrewes, director of the project, continued to preach from the Geneva Bible) and its language is purposely artificial. No one ever spoke English that way.
The Council of State Governments has selected State Senator Jessica Castleberry to serve as a team lead for the economic development committee for the State of South Dakota. The Council of State Governments conducts the Midwest Legislative Conference- a nonpartisan association of all legislators representing 11 states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin) and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Sen. Castleberry will be reporting on our states challenges, proposals, and policies for economic development. This organization provides a forum for legislators to examine strategies for economic growth in individual Midwest states and the region as a whole.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The State Legislative Leaders Foundation has also chosen Sen. Castleberry for the prestigious Emerging Leaders Program. This national program is for first and second-term legislators who their peers have identified as future leaders. The State Legislative Leaders Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to professional development for our nations current and future state legislative leaders.
CARLISLE, Pa. (AP)  The remains of 10 more Native American children who died more than a century ago at a boarding school in central Pennsylvania are being disinterred and will be returned to their relatives, authorities said.

A team of archaeologists began work Saturday at the cemetery on the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks, which also houses the U.S. Army War College. Nine of the children were from the Rosebud Sioux tribe in South Dakota and one is from the Alaskan Aleut tribe.

The cemetery contains more than 180 graves of students who attended the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School  a government-run boarding school for Native American children. This is the Armys fourth disinterment project at the school in as many years.

The school founded by an Army officer opened in 1879 and housed some 10,000 indigenous children before it shut down in 1918. Students were forced to cut their braids, dress in uniforms, speak English and adopt European names. Infectious disease and harsh conditions claimed the lives of many of the children buried there.
Fifteen years ago, Schmetterling said those native fish strongholds in tributaries were considered to be places where brown trout couldnt survive.

It was the habitat we thought was unsuitable for brown trout, he said Water temperatures were cool enough that we thought it would be inhospitable for brown trout. What we started to see  and it happened pretty rapidly  brown trout were showing up and it didnt take them long to get established.

And it wasnt happening only in the upper reaches of the Bitterroot. Other watersheds in western Montana were experiencing the same brown trout expansion.

Biologists looked to see if brown trout were out-competing bull trout and displacing the native fish. What they found was the habitat had changed enough that it wasnt suitable for bull trout, which require cold and clear waters to survive.

Brown trout moving into the tributaries in western Montana might be linked to the population declines in southwest Montana.

Biologists and researchers are tapping into decades of data thats been diligently gathered on Montanas blue-ribbon fisheries. It shows decades of overall declines in stream flows.
Northam, a Democrat, did not respond to questions about how tension over what to teach youths  felt from Texas to Ohio  is affecting children in his own state.

The head of his education department, James Lane, likewise was not available for an interview about the response in Chesterfield and other nearby politically conservative counties, where elected officials and community members have voiced concern about critical race theory. Republican lawmakers have passed laws banning the teaching of critical race theory to students in Florida, Tennessee, Idaho, Texas and Oklahoma.

In an emailed response through a spokesperson, Lane said that the main thing Id like to convey is that it is not a curriculum but a concept about the origin and perpetuation of racism and inequity. In its simplest form, critical race theory is an academic theory that emerged in the 70s and 80s about how racism is embedded in policy and legal systems and is not just about individual bias or prejudice.

Opponents of the teaching are taking a narrow view of the concept and distorting it, said Mikail Petin, a Chesterfield resident with a doctoral degree in cultural studies from George Mason University who studies the framework, among other disciplines.
In one of Richmonds hottest neighborhoods, a pool that was a source of recreation and respite for generations of public housing residents has sat empty for almost a decade.

Leaders at the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority have said for years that they will fix the pool in Gilpin Court, but it remains dry inside the neighborhoods Calhoun Center. The broken promises are a source of frustration for some in a community that has heard more than its fair share of them over the years.

Its hot, and its getting hotter, said Sparkle Veronica Taylor, a five-year resident of the neighborhood. For those of us who know about it, were like: When are we going to have this? Its not like were asking you to build a brand-new pool from scratch. Restore what is actually, rightfully ours.

When RRHA hosted a meeting this month about its latest push to redevelop the 781-unit housing complex, it didnt take long for questions about the defunct pool to surface.

The housing authoritys interim CEO, Stacey Daniels-Fayson, told about 40 residents in attendance that RRHA intends to fix it, as well as address other problems with the facility for which it is responsible. Its unclear how much it would cost and when repairs might take place.
Charges were dropped in one part of Montgomery Countys sprawling Icy Roads methamphetamine case due to an investigators improper communication with a suspect, the countys commonwealths attorney confirmed last week.

Railene Gloria Cabrera of Christiansburg, whose age was not available, was scheduled for a two-day jury trial last week in Montgomery County Circuit Court on charges of conspiring to distribute a Schedule II drug, and child abuse or neglect. Instead, her case, which has been in the courts for a year, wrapped up with the prosecutions request to drop all charges.

The decision to drop the charges against Cabrera came after we learned that an officer had a unrecorded conversation with her after she had been appointed counsel, Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt wrote in an email. The decision was made in order to insure the fairness of the criminal justice system.

Once a defendant has an attorney, investigators generally are to communicate with the defendant through the attorney, or at least in the attorneys presence.

Pettitt did not disclose when the officers conversation with Cabrera occurred or other details of the communication. Attorney Thomas Debusk of Christiansburg, who represented Cabrera, on Friday declined to discuss details of the case.
But once the VEC determines they were not eligible for traditional unemployment benefits, they get the bill to repay the money. In Cogars case, the agency determined she wasnt eligible for traditional benefits because she had left the newspaper job voluntarily because of the commute.

Why did they not determine my eligibility before sending the benefits out? Cogar asked. If they were trying to get the money out, I can appreciate that, but I dont think you can come back a year later and say, We goofed!

Ideally, Healy said, people who were self-employed would be evaluated for eligibility under the federal PUA program before they are considered for traditional unemployment benefits, which are tied to employers that pay into the state unemployment trust fund through payroll taxes.

Benefits under PUA dont come from the state trust fund, but instead are paid with federal money that Virginia received through the trio of federal relief packages.

Healy and the VEC say Cogars best option is to qualify for PUA benefits before they expire on Sept. 6 so she could use them to pay her debt. The agency said it would help her apply for the federal benefits.
An alliance of state organizations is hosting a crumbling schools tour and inviting local, state and federal lawmakers to participate.

Virginias Coalition of Small and Rural Schools is working with several other organizations to showcase eight examples of schools in urgent need of repair or replacement.

Although the condition of school facilities in Virginia is well documented, the crumbling schools tour will allow decision makers to have a first-hand account of the conditions our students and staff endure on a daily basis, according to information promoting the tour.

The tour starts Tuesday at King and Queen Elementary, which was built in 1937, in Mattaponi in King and Queen County. The Department of Education divides Virginia into eight regions, and one school from each region has been selected for the tour, according to Keith Perrigan, president of the Coalition of Small and Rural Schools and the superintendent of Bristol schools.

In recent weeks, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe; current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax; Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, who chairs a new committee on school construction needs; and Dels. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, and Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, visited Bristol city schools. All were candidates in this months Democratic primaries for statewide office.
In reality, the problem is even older and deeper. W&L was tied to proslavery from its birth, not just because the names of slaveholding figures were added later. The founder of the institution that now is known as Washington and Lee was William Graham, who first called it Liberty Hall Academy. Graham was a Presbyterian clergyman, born in 1746 in Pennsylvania to a poor farm family. His Scots-Irish parents had migrated to the United States and only were lettered enough to read the Bible. Grahams education at Princeton in the 1770s separated him from his humble beginnings, and introduced him to powerful men, many of whom were slaveholders. He was befriended by students from Virginia, who invited him after graduation to move south, where Graham first became a minister to two Presbyterian churches in the western part of the state.
Why is the price of cars going up so much?

Why are so many tech jobs going to so few metro areas?

Why cant Congress get anything done on a bipartisan basis?

All good questions and they all overlap  with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., standing in the center of trying to fix all three.

Theres sometimes a difference between big news and important news. The big news out of Washington recently had to do with whatever Democrats and Republicans were arguing about on any given day.

The important news was that the U.S. Senate passed  and sent to the House of Representatives  something called the Innovation and Competition Act. The bill didnt get much attention because there werent many people arguing about it; the measure passed by a wide and bipartisan margin.

A decade or more from now, this bill might turn out to be more important than anything else Congress did last week, or maybe lots of weeks.

The answer to the first question we posed deals with computer chips. They are the brains that make computers run  and cars these days essentially are computers on wheels.
A new full-service fly shop and guide service has opened in Salem.

Carter Fishing Company specializes in fly fishing, offering customers the clothes, rods and reels necessary to head out to the water on their own or customized, guided trips if they want to bring an expert along.

Jeremy Carter, a Salem native, has experience working as a guide in North Carolina and Colorado  Carter actually met his wife when he was her guide on a fishing trip in Colorado.

A few years after returning to his hometown, Carter decided to open a local business to serve his own community.

Ive always felt like there was a need for it within the fly fishing community. Were right in the middle of some of the best fishing I think really in the country, he said.

The fact that many Roanoke Valley transplants are drawn to the area by its opportunities for outdoor recreation, and that more people took up activities like fishing during the pandemic, presented a good opportunity for his business, Carter said.

The shop carries popular brands like Simms Fishing and Patagonia, Carter said, especially those that share his interest in conservation and restoration of natural resources.
VIRGINIANS AND THEIR HISTORIES. Brent Tarter. University of Virginia Press. 504 pages. $34.95.

So rapid was the industrial growth of Roanoke that it acquired the nickname of the Magic City. And somebody even quipped that Roanoke grew so fast that it was the only place in the country where people could catch bullfrogs by electric lights.

Brent Tarter, retired historian/editor at the Library of Virginia, makes that observation in a valuable book published by the University of Virginia. He has employed research from primary sources on every decade of Virginias English language history to review and interpret the history of the people who have lived in the colony and the state. Tarter, author or editor of 16 books, is well qualified to tell the story, described by a reviewer as the single best narrative history of Virginia.

The story begins long before Jamestown, with archeological evidence of people living here 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. Spanish, French and English explorers sailed the coast and a few even traveled through Lee County. But for centuries, historians often have overlooked the lives of American Indians, women and African Americans.

He fills that gap with much information about these marginalized people.
Christiansburg Mayor Mike Barber said the brewery definitely contributes to that effort. He said it complements other places such Great Road Coffee, which precedes Iron Tree but is itself a recent and much touted addition to the downtown.

Its nice. Ive been really impressed with it, Barber said, further describing it as a wonderful move for downtown. It brings in some other things.

Barber said he hopes to eventually see some kind of pizza establishment open up near the brewery to complement it.

The more we can bring, the better off we are, he said.

The mayor, however, said he understands whether that happens rests in the hands of the property owners.

But Locklear said hed like to see some kind of dining option added in the vicinity. He said he hopes to eventually partner with some food trucks, but added that they cant just go on the street in front of the brewery due to local ordinances.

Locklear said food trucks may have a better chance of working in the parking lots on either side of the brewery. He, however, said that requires further exploration and talks with Montgomery County as they own those two lots.
Jones suggested I call Megan Healy, Gov. Ralph Northams chief workforce development adviser. Tuesday shortly after noon, I did. Healy was in a meeting. I wound up talking to her assistant, Felix Shapiro, who sounded quite sympathetic to Norreds plight. He said he would see what he could do.

I have no idea who Shapiro talked to. But no kidding, less than 15 minutes after our calls end, two managers at the VEC made a conference call to Norred. One of them, Malissa Short, was able to troubleshoot the problem.

And Friday afternoon about 3:30, Norred found the money in her account  every bit of the $11,593 in benefits she was due.

You are my hero, Norred wrote me in an email.

Joyce Fogg, a VEC spokeswoman, said the payment problems root was that the agency had an incorrect bank account number for Norred. Fogg said the account number was furnished to the agency by Norred herself.

But I know from talking with Norred there was a bit more to her ordeal than that. At one point, during one of those appointment phone calls with the VEC, Norred said a staffer told her shed have to find out where the errant funds went by herself. How was Norred supposed to trace the VECs money?

There are lots of questions hanging.
Cherbaka said hes also still a bit concerned about the younger student population.

The pandemic is not over for them, and they are still vulnerable, he said. Well need to carefully consider their unique situation, especially in the fall.

The first day of school for MCPS is set for Aug. 12, according to the plan. The schools are slated to open on a full-day schedule, for five days a week, but officials plan to keep providing a fully remote option.

The past school year was a tricky affair for the school board, with members over the past year often divided over the degree of reopening the schools. Board members who were more lenient on in-person instruction emphasized concerns over difficulties created by remote learning, while members who pushed for more conservative approaches to reopening raised concerns about the health risks.

MCPS spent most of the past school year in a hybrid model of remote learning and half-day, in-person instruction four times a week. Just before the spring, the district began allowing full-day, in-person classes four times a week. An all-remote option, however, was available all school year.
Christmas appears to be coming early this year for at least some local governments in the region, as they and others across Virginia and around the nation wait to spend the latest multimillion-dollar, per-locality round of American Rescue Plan Act money.

Last years infusion of federal pandemic fiscal help was used by governments to help shore up their situation as the pandemic shut down businesses and other regular economic engines. This years round of money is coming as governments are seeing improved numbers as communities are getting back to normal.

Some government officials in the region said the federal infusion could put at least some localities in a better situation than they might have been even without the pandemic.

Bestowed to governments of the Roanoke and New River valleys is at least $181 million out of the $1.9 trillion set to go out nationwide as part of the initiative to help during the pandemic. This second wave of federal recovery money follows the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act of 2020.
The pandemic has become a split-screen for Raja, a health care worker who was stationed in COVID-19 units and then came home to call his family on the other side of the world to share the most up-to-date information on how to protect themselves.

With Pakistan cutting down the number of flights coming in, and his most recent plane ride canceled a few weeks ago, thats the closest he can get to being there for them  one year since his dad died last May.

Raja suspects his father contracted the virus, but COVID-19 tests were so scarce at the time that theyll never know for sure what killed him.

People did not want to get tested, either, because it was hard for them to go through the process. At one point, they were saying that people who are positive were quarantined as a family. ... They would take the whole family, he said. That part of the world, they dont have much resources. No family can sit on the side and do that.

His brothers continue sending him daily messages asking about the different vaccines and what their options are, whether certain activities are safe and how to verify information. Raja spends his days combing through the internet, hoping to find the resources they need in a country he doesnt live in. Working full time in a hospital doesnt make the ability to answer easy.
No Bristol schools appear on the list, Perrigan said, because theyve already been heavily visited. In recent weeks, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, who chairs a new committee on school construction needs, former attorney general candidates Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, and Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, visited Bristol city schools.

As legislators from across Virginia toured our facilities this spring, it became very apparent that a firsthand look at school facility needs in areas outside their immediate area were enlightening, Perrigan said. Our coalition and partner organizations decided that a tour in every region in the commonwealth would be a very good way to draw attention to these issues and to share the message that localities cant do it on their own. Adding an urban division to the tour (Petersburg) demonstrates that this issue is not only a rural issue, but urban as well.
Editors note: The Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams recently won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Were re-publishing each of the seven columns that were included in his entry. This is the fifth one, which ran July 7, 2020.

Hanover County appears intent to live on in infamy as the Prince Edward County of the 21st Century.

In 1959, Prince Edward became the poster child for Massive Resistance, closing its public schools and establishing a private all-white academy  Black students be damned.

Racist intransigence was wrong in Prince Edward then.

Its wrong in Hanover County now.

The overwhelming majority of longtime residents in Prince Edward County regret that Massive Resistance not only happened, but that it played such a leading role in creating it and sustaining it, says Justin Reid, a Prince Edward native and director of community initiatives for Virginia Humanities. I think honestly there were many people who felt that way while it was happening, but because of peer pressure and intimidation and fear of retribution, were simply afraid to speak out.
The Marquis de Lafayette, a French general whose contributions to American independence endeared him to this new nation, fell so much in love with it that he named a daughter Virginie and his son George Washington Lafayette.

He was as beloved across America as the nations Founding Fathers with whom he fought the British.

At age 19, Lafayette joined Washingtons Continental army, and was wounded. Four years later in 1781, the young Frenchmans command of siege forces at Yorktown won him fame and gratitude.

In the successful Virginia campaign, Lafayette used his own private wealth to help feed and equip the combined Continental and French forces.

Americans knew that a powerful French fleet and 9,000 seasoned French troops out of a combined force of 17,000 turned the tide to victory for American independence at Yorktown. In fact, more French troops died than Americans at the battle that secured the surrender of British General Lord Cornwallis.

While he was a major figure of both the American and the French revolutions, Lafayette was more celebrated in his adopted country. His final American tour in 1824 and 1825 will be remembered more and more over the next four years as Americans prepare to commemorate its 200th anniversary.
So, at this weeks one-day summit, NATO unlimbered its heavy parchment artillery. It labeled Russias actions a threat. Evidently, however, Russia is not sufficiently threatening to require stopping the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will deepen Europes, and especially Germanys, dependence on Russian energy.

Of the 30 NATO members who subscribed to the banal threat label, it is probable that only the United States, Britain and five smaller nations will in 2022 spend the 2 percent of their gross domestic product on their militaries that is the minimal target that NATO adopted seven years ago to be reached by 2024.

When NATO was assembled in 1949, it was all about Europe. Its first secretary general, Lord Hastings Ismay, famously said it was created to keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.

Today, the memory of the Soviet Union that nurtured Putin haunts and motivates him; he calls its death the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.

President Biden has wisely reversed his predecessors order reducing U.S. forces in Germany. But although that nation has Europes largest economy, in 2022 it probably will, as usual, fall at least 25 percent short of NATOs defense spending target.
Still, no one, absolutely no one, wants to run up a medical debt  all that is forced upon us by circumstances beyond our control.

And that raises a bigger question: Why is health care in the United States so expensive?

The United States is an outlier in how we pay for health care.

In France, the typical cost of a visit to the doctor is $1.12. In the United States, the Health Care Blue Book puts the cost at $68 and up.

In Germany, an overnight stay in the hospital costs about $11. In the United States, its between $9,300 and $12,600.

Why is there such a big difference?

The Los Angeles Times delved into this two years ago and the results arent pretty: Nearly all of Americas global competitors  whether they have government health plans, such as Britain and Canada, or rely on private insurers, such as Germany and the Netherlands  strictly limit out-of-pocket costs.

So while tens of millions of insured Americans must balance medical bills with spending on food and other basic needs, such trade-offs are largely unthinkable for patients in Western Europe, Japan and Australia.

The next time you hear some politician talking about health care  be it in favor of a public option or warning against socialized medicine  you might want to ask them why were such an outlier. And why we must resort to charity to pay the medical bills of so many people.
During the presidency of Donald Trump, there was an evident trend of decline in student and work visas from Asian countries, predominantly China. Now, it seems that the US can expect an influx of Chinese workers, but it has nothing to do with a new US administration. This influx will be driven by the nature of economics.

Due to the recent crackdown on cryptocurrency mining and trading by Chinese authorities, the now-100,000-strong crypto mining workforce is at an occupational crossroads.

Last month, China imposed new rules on crypto currencies with the Peoples Bank of China saying that financial services companies and payment services would be banned from pricing or conducting business in virtual currencies, citing zero protection for consumers should they incur any losses from crypto transactions.

Recently, cryptocurrency prices have skyrocketed and plummeted, and speculative trading of cryptocurrency has rebounded, seriously infringing on the safety of peoples property and disrupting the normal economic and financial order, the regulators statement said. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He also said that tighter crypto regulation was needed to protect the financial system.

In order to curb money-laundering, cryptocurrency trading has been illegal in China since 2019. The Chinese authorities issued similar bans in 2013 and 2017.

Considering that at least 65% of global miners working on the bitcoin blockchain were based in China, experts are already calling it the Great miner exodus. Some of Chinas provinces already have given miners eviction notices, blaming them for power shortages.

Local media is reporting that Chinese crypto miners have already started packing their bags, some selling their equipment or just transporting their machines to neighboring countries.

Quite a few of them are expected to move to the US, with CNBC reporting that Texas might be the obvious choice.

Texas often has some of the worlds lowest energy prices, and its share of renewables is growing over time. In addition to that, the states authorities are crypto friendly. Also, last month Chinese BIT Mining announced plans to invest $25 million in a cryptocurrency mining data center in Texas.

And now, it may be easier for Chinas bitcoin miners to set up shop in the U.S., under an administration that is slightly friendlier.

The Trump administration was accused repeatedly of making it increasingly difficult for foreign students and skilled workers to obtain visas. U.S.-based tech companies warned that tightening immigration policies could result in the US losing tech dominance war.

In early 2020, the administration imposed a travel ban on students entering the U.S. from China, but there was a decline in visa approvals even before the pandemic

In 2017, there was a 17% drop in international students in the U.S., with a 28% drop in Indian students and a 24% drop in Chinese students receiving visas.

In 2018, immigration officials denied nearly one out of every four requests for new visas for skilled foreign workers. At that time, it was the highest denial rate for new H-1B visa applications in nearly 10 years.

In the six months to September 2020, the Trump administration granted just 808 visas to students from Chinaa 99% decline from the same period in 2019. As for the applicants from India, the U.S. granted 88% fewer student visas.

We saw a similar situation with work visas. The Trump administration either suspended or made it hard to obtain several temporary work visas for skilled workers, managers and au pairs.

However, since taking office, President Biden has issued several decisions to reverse that. In February, Biden revoked the Trump-era ban on certain immigrant entries. Then, in late April, President Biden lifted travel restrictions that prohibited Chinese students from entering the U.S.

A new wave of crypto-mining immigrants may be among the first to take advantage of that.
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Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger said in a statement that the proposal "helps secure the water resources and facilities that SNWA needs to provide reliable and safe water to our customers for decades to come.

When Cortez Masto's proposal was introduced, there was little mention of how water factors into plans for future growth or if the conservation components of the bill could have any impact.

Roerink said the plan's funding allocations for water infrastructure need to be accompanied by additional serious, realistic modeling" of the Colorado River.

When an entity says, Let's go and build some homes in this region,' theres an implication that waters going to be there in perpetuity," he said.



Associated Press reporter Suman Naishadham in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Metz 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.



This story was first published on June 18, 2021. It was updated on June 19, 2021, to correct the title of Marci Henson and the spelling of her first name. She is the Clark County director of Environment and Sustainability, not Air Quality Department director, and her first name is spelled Marci, not Marcie.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Monday, I was invited by Vice President Harris to participate in the We Can Do This vaccination initiative in Greenville. This is important work, especially since South Carolina has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Elected officials, including our governor and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, commented publicly about this event. In essence, both Gov. Henry McMaster and Mace implied that the vice president was not welcome in South Carolina. In other words, she should take her politics and leave.

While disappointed, I am not surprised. Recently, I was stopped at a light in rural Greenville County (I have a Biden/Harris bumper sticker) when a pickup truck pulled alongside me. Because the driver was frantically waving his arms, I rolled down my window. He shouted, Take your God- liberal  and leave. This is my  state. Without missing a beat, I replied, This is my state, too.

We need to stop this. If my grandmother were alive, she would send all of us to bed without supper.

South Carolina is deeply divided politically. I, myself, am an outspoken advocate for the economic prosperity of all citizens, not just the privileged. In this way, I am like the vice president. But if the governor, or any Republican official, were to knock on my door, I would invite them in.
 "Bargained Justice: Plea Bargaining and the Psychology of False Pleas and False Testimony" | Main | "The Presidents Conditional Pardon Power" 

June 19, 2021

Juneteenth reflections on American justice systems

Befitting this forum, I thought to celebrate the first official federal holiday year for Juneteenth by rounding up some recent articles about the perspective it can provide on criminal justice issues in our nation. Here goes:

From the AP, "Lawmakers mark Juneteenth by reviving abolition amendment"

From the Brookings Institution, "To celebrate Juneteenth, elect officials focused on ending mass incarceration"

From PBS NewsHour, "Lawmakers call for an end to forced labor for felons to mark Juneteenth"

From Teen Vogue, "Juneeteenth Is a Celebration of Liberation, But Mass Incarceration Lives On"

From the Vera Institute of Justice, "The Chains of Slavery Still Exist in Mass Incarceration"

From the Wausau Pilot & Review, "Juneteenth: Freedoms promise is still denied to thousands of blacks unable to make bail"

June 19, 2021 at 07:25 PM | Permalink

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 "The Presidents Conditional Pardon Power" | Main | Lots of GVRs (especially to Fifth Circuit) on latest SCOTUS order list 

This new NBC News article, headlined "Derek Chauvin sentencing thrusts Minnesota Judge Peter Cahill back into spotlight," provides something of a scouting report on the judge who is scheduled to sentence Derek Chauvin later this week. Here are excerpts:

A Minnesota judge who, former colleagues and friends say, has no penchant for publicity will again find himself in the media spotlight this week when he sentences the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd.

Judge Peter Cahill, who has served on the bench in Hennepin County for 14 years, could sentence Derek Chauvin to as little as probation, an outcome requested by his attorney, or more than the 30-year punishment favored by prosecutors.

In interviews, people who know Cahill and cases he has overseen say he is likely to land somewhere in the middle. They said he is a fair judge, though there is no guarantee he will mete out a punishment that will make either side entirely happy. "He's been both a prosecutor and a defense attorney," said Craig Cascarano, 72, a Minneapolis lawyer in private practice who met Cahill at the Hennepin County Public Defender's Office when Cahill was a law clerk. "So he understands what it's like to do both jobs. And he tries very hard to do the right thing."...

Cahill will sentence Chauvin on Friday, about two months after he oversaw the trial that ended in his conviction on charges of second- and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter. Cahill has paved the way for Chauvin's punishment to be up to double the 15 years at the top of the range recommended under state guidelines, having ruled in May that there were four aggravating factors in Floyd's death....

From 2008, the year he was elected to the bench, through January, Cahill has sentenced six people convicted of second-degree murder to prison. They received terms ranging from 12.5 years to 40 years.

In Cahill's most recent case of sentencing on unintentional second-degree murder  the most serious charge on which Chauvin was convicted  he handed down a punishment of 15 years. In that case, Matthew Witt pleaded guilty in January 2020 to unintentional second-degree murder for beating his mother to death and to first-degree assault for violently attacking his father July 24, 2019, authorities said. He received an additional seven years for the latter charge.
Hong Kongs pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper has enough cash on hand to continue operating as normal only for a couple of weeks. (PHOTO: Leung Man Hei/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

By Iain Marlow and John Cheng

(Bloomberg)  Hong Kongs pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper has enough cash on hand to continue operating as normal only for a couple of weeks, according to a person familiar, after authorities used a sweeping national security law to freeze company assets and arrest top editors and executives.

To continue print operations and pay staff, the quarter-century-old tabloid is planning on seeking relief through the courts and is also looking to use its Taiwan operation to manage digital donations through GoFundMe.com and PayPal, said the person, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of a police investigation into the company.

China took another step toward extinguishing any form of dissent in Hong Kong, hailing police in the city for arresting top editors of the pro-democracy Apple Daily and warning journalists not to write articles that challenge Beijing.

Executives are now examining the practicalities of keeping the newspaper running, including checking supplies of ink and paper in its warehouse, the person said. Its unclear how the newspaper can pay staff and even whether regular suppliers and vendors will continue doing business with it, the person added, after local news outlet HK01 reported that authorities warned more than a half dozen banks not to deal with the companys bank accounts.

The HK$18 million (US$2.3 million) in Apple Daily assets frozen by police are only a small part of parent company Next Digital Ltd.s HK$521.4 million in cash as of end-March, according to an exchange filing. But, the person said, its uncertain if the newspaper can access that cash given the various court orders and warnings to financial institutions to avoid handling accounts linked to alleged national security violations.

If Apple Dailys print newspaper operation is shut down, the media outlet could continue publishing digitally from Taiwan while potentially paying journalist salaries via crowdfunding, the person said. Police have charged companies connected to Apple Daily, including Apple Daily Printing Ltd., with the same national security crimes as the individuals arrested this week.

Story continues

Some staffers are concerned about getting paid and planning to leave for other jobs after the raid on Thursday, according to three reporters who asked not to be identified. They are also worried that companies or media outlets wont hire anyone who worked at Apple Daily.

Representatives from Apple Daily and Next Digital didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

Roughly 500 police officers on Thursday descended on the headquarters of Apple Daily, which is owned by the now-jailed democracy activist and Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai. Police searched the companys offices, barred journalists from their desks and eventually carted away nearly 40 computers belonging to journalists, the paper said.

Hong Kong arrested the three most senior editors at Jimmy Lai's pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper along with two top executives for suspected breaches of its sweeping national security law, generating fresh concerns about diminishing press freedom in the former British colony.

Chief Operations Officer Chow Tat Kuen is escorted by police from the headquarters of the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong on June 17, 2021. (PHOTO: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

Bail Denied

A Hong Kong court on Saturday denied bail to Editor-in-Chief Ryan Law, and Cheung Kim-hung, the newspapers publisher and chief executive officer of Next Digital. The others arrested included Chief Operating Officer Royston Chow and Apple Daily deputy editors, Chan Pui-man and Cheung Chi-wai.

The citys Security Bureau had earlier frozen some of Lais assets and sent letters to some of his bankers, threatening them with years in jail if they deal with any of his accounts in Hong Kong.

The government always has ways to freeze all of its assets, and that will cause a lot of problems for paying salaries and cash flows, said Ka-chung Law, an Apple Daily columnist who was previously the chief economist and strategist at the Bank of Communications Hong Kong. Companies which do business with Next Digital may also ask for payments immediately.

Police said Apple Daily published articles that violate the security law but they havent disclosed details about the articles in question, prompting confusion about what would amount to illegal journalism. It was the first time the national security law  which bars subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion  was used to arrest journalists, though Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee said they were not targeting normal journalistic work.

Pay a Hefty Price

Still, with authorities investigating Apple Daily and warning others to stay away from the paper, it wasnt clear how long it could survive. Lee warned Hong Kongers to distance themselves from the suspects or you will pay a hefty price, and the Communist Party-backed Global Times newspaper ran an article late Thursday speculating that a total shutdown of Apple Daily cant be ruled out.

Convenience store managers and operators should seriously consider whether they should still shelve the paper for sale  they should seriously seek legal advice on that point, said Lawrence Ma, barrister and chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation whos also a provincial representative of the Chinese governments political advisory body. They might potentially be exposing themselves to liability for potentially being accomplices to aiding and abetting an offense.

The Apple Daily arrests generated criticism from the U.S. and Japan, as well as human-rights groups and press-freedom advocates. The move marked an escalation by China, which warned journalists that press freedom wasnt a shield and that their professional status wouldnt protect them if they violated the national security law.

Bottomless Assault

Human Rights Watch called the Apple Daily arrests a new low in a bottomless assault on press freedom, while Amnesty International said Hong Kong authorities are ramping up their crackdown on press freedom and using the pretext of national security to justify it.

In a statement, the Foreign Correspondents Club, Hong Kong, also said it was concerned that this latest action will serve to intimidate independent media in Hong Kong and will cast a chill over the free press, which is guaranteed under the citys mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Chinas Foreign Ministry office in Hong Kong hit back, saying external forces had distorted the truth, smearing Hong Kongs press freedom and even spreading rumor about so-called chilling effects.

But it has only laid bare their ulterior motive to disrupt the rule of law in Hong Kong on the pretext of press freedom, in a bid to obstruct the HKSAR Governments law-based governance and undermine Hong Kongs prosperity and stability, it said. Such attempts are doomed to fail.

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SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- Al and Carol Levine are very ready to bid farewell to the summer heat in their non-air-conditioned dry cleaning shop in South Sioux City.

After 70 years in business, Levine Cleaners is set to close July 30 -- "if not before," said Carol Levine, 75. The couple would like to retreat to the air conditioning as soon as possible.

"The hotter it is, every day I have to get up -- I just want it to be over," she added.

The shop at 2116 Dakota Ave. remains open now for only one reason: so that customers can pick up their dry cleaning and repaired clothing before the couple turns the keys over to the building's new owner.

They stopped accepting cleaning and repair jobs some time ago -- Al ran his last load of dry-cleaning on June 11 -- and they want all the pants and coats and gowns and shirts picked up as soon as possible.

They've done their best to reach out to the people who need to pick up their cleaning. It's not exactly an easy process.

"(Sometimes) the phone's disconnected, or I wrote the number wrong, or they told me the wrong number -- I've found some on Facebook," Carol said.
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The drone measures about 12 feet long by 12 feet wide and 6 feet tall, weighs about 500 pounds, and has a 220-pound carrying limit. It's estimated flight speed is anywhere from 45 to 65 miles per hour and has an estimated flight time of around 15 minutes.

During the 2019-20 school year, COVID-19 forced the first team of students to delay their work.

"Originally, the project was supposed to last only one year," Ciarcia said. "But because of COVID, NASA allowed us to extend the project for one more year."

Once Sydow's team is off the project this summer, the next group will have the remainder of this year to get Albatross flight ready. Ciarcia could see it being ready by then.

The technology and development of passenger drones is rising rapidly. Ciarcia said that one of NASA's goals in funding the project was for the innovation in aeronautic transportation.

Sydow and Ciarcia agree that having this type of aircraft could greatly affect the future of personal transportation.

"We wanted to be one of the first pioneering groups in this new niche that hasn't really started at all," Sydow said. "To say we had a hand in this industry is something to take pride in."
Everybody needs somebody sometime, and if I can be that person or she can be that person it makes life worth living, Travis said. Its just who we are.

A unique opportunity for the pair is the ability to talk through tragic scenarios and process grief. Through Travis years on the department, he has seen a variety of tragedies and will now be able to help Kylee when she needs it.

Shell know that Ive been there, Ive done it, Ive seen it, she can come talk to me, he said.

Travis said the department encourages peer support. Many times, the situations cannot be discussed with family members because of HIPPA laws. After a tragic event, he said the firefighters will sit down together and talk through the incident.

It makes the department even more like a family.

Originally, Travis and Kylee were going to be on the same shift, but because of her deployment she is now on the opposite shift.

Holidays and weekends are not off days for a firefighter.
PHOENIX (AP)  Bicyclist Tony Quinones had only just shaken hands with a fellow cyclist and wished him good luck in this weekend's community race in an Arizona mountain town when a truck sped into a crowd of bike riders.

Suddenly, Quinones said in an interview Sunday, he was watching bodies going on top of the hood, bodies going to the left, bodies going to the right" about six minutes after the race had started.

The sounds of breaking and smashing as the truck plowed through the cyclists on Saturday was quickly replaced by their groans of pain  including those of the cyclist Quinones had just met.

Authorities in the small city of Show Low said the unidentified 35-year-old male suspect fled the crash scene in the pickup and was shot and wounded by officers a short time later.

Of the seven cyclists hospitalized, six were in critical condition, and one was in stable condition on Sunday, police said in a statement. The suspect, described as a local resident, was in stable condition, police said.

Quinones, 55, said the man he had met before the race was a fellow New Mexican and that blood was flowing from his head and his nose after the pickup hit him.
Lower taxes? Weve been hearing that mantra for years. But this year, it could actually come true.

Thanks to bills signed this week by Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowans could see a decrease in state income taxes from 6.5 percent to 8.5 percent.

Additionally, funds used for mental health care services will gradually switch from counties to the state, which proponents say will lower local property taxes. When Reynolds signed the mental health funding bill, advocates saw it as a good sign. Peggy Huppert, executive director of Iowas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said the old way of funding was antiquated and did not encourage collaboration. The new model would relieve stress counties felt when considering property taxes for mental health.

And Republicans who control the governor's mansion and the House and Senate say they aren't done cutting taxes. The aim, Reynolds said, is to reduce income tax even further. Other states have eliminated it entirely, which looms as a goal.

On the surface, the changes sound great. But there are some snags.
A multiple-car accident on Interstate 65 in Butler County, Alabama killed nine children and one adult on Saturday. The crash took place during Tropical Depression Claudette and likely began when vehicles hydroplaned on a bridge. This led to a chain reaction of 18 vehicles, including a van owned by the Alabama Sheriff Youth Services that caught fire. Eight children ranging in age from 4 to 17 were in the car along with the one adult who was driving. A bystander was able to pull the driver out of the vehicle but was unable to help the children, all of whom died in the crash. It was too late to get back to them because the bus was engulfed in fire, Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock said. A 29-year-old man and his nine-month-old daughter who were in an SUV also died.

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It was a Horrific Scene, Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond said. It was the worst traffic accident Ive witnessed in my life. The van carrying the children was from the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, which is run by the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches and assists neglected or abused children. They were coming back from a week-long trip to the beach in Gulf Shores. It is traumatic whenever you pull up on a scene like this knowing that youre dealing with children, Bond said. Its always worse on your first responders. It was a tough day.

The vans driver who was pulled out of the crash was identified as Candice Gulley, director of the Tallapoosa County facility, who is in serious but stable condition. Two of Gulleys children were in the van. Ive never seen a tragedy or heard of a tragedy like this in my entire life, Michael Smith, CEO of the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, said. Im still certainly trying to process whats going on here. The National Transportation Safety Board is launching an investigation into the crash.

The crash took place as Tropical Depression Claudette moved through the state and was blamed for at least two other deaths. A 24-year-old father and his 3-year-old son died in their home in Tuscaloosa County after a tree fell. Yesterday was a tragic day for our state, Gov. Kay Ivey wrote on Twitter. My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished during the storm in Butler & Tuscaloosa counties. Lets keep these families, communities & first responders lifted in prayer.
A driver slammed into spectators at the beginning of a Pride parade in South Florida on Saturday, killing one man and seriously injuring another. The two men struck by the pickup truck were taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where one was pronounced deceased, said Fort Lauderdale Police Department detective Ali Adamson at a Saturday night press conference. After much speculation, it was revealed the driver was a 77-year-old member of a mens chorus group who appears to have unintentionally hit other members of the group.

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At first witnesses said the crash at the Stonewall Pride Parade and Festival in Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale looked intentional and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis publicly said that this was a terrorist attack on the LGBTQ community. When asked whether he thought it could be an accident, he was categorical: Hardly an accident. It was deliberate. It was premeditated, he added. But then the president of Fort Lauderdale Gay Mens Chorus, Justin Knight, sent a statement to media outlets contradicting that characterization. Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver was also a part of the Chorus family, Knight said. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community. Police detained a man wearing a Gay Mens Chorus T-shirt. Some witnesses said the driver told police that it was an accident.

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Important context from the Fort Lauderdale Gay Mens Chorus:



Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver was also a part of the Chorus family. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community. https://t.co/SJBi9caCn8 pic.twitter.com/s1y5arGCcw  Liane Morejon WPLG (@LianeWPLG) June 20, 2021

On Sunday, Tratalis released a statement walking back his earlier claim that it was an attack. I was an eyewitness to the horrifying events. It terrorized me and all around me  I feared it could be intentional based on what I saw from mere feet away, he said. As the facts continue to be pieced together, a picture is emerging of an accident in which a truck careened out of control. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Paul Rolli also said the early investigation now indicates it looks like it was a tragic accident.

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Police said the FBI is helping the investigation and insisted they are still analyzing the situation. We are evaluating all possibilities, Adamson said. Nothing is out of the question. The people who were hit were standing near the car in which Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was riding. I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration, she tweeted. May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.

Were praying for the victims and their loved ones as law enforcement investigates, and I am providing them with whatever assistance I can. I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration. May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.  Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) June 20, 2021
Scioto Downs contested two $50,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) second preliminary for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday (June 19), with Rock N Republic and Charlie May emerging victorious from the splits.

Piloted expertly by Josh Sutton, Rock N Republic stormed past the field coming out of the final turn to capture his OSHS contest in a lifetime best of 1:51.3. Trained by Robert Taylor for Dossie L. Minor of Springfield, Ohio, the brown gelding by Pet Rock pushed his career earnings to $68,522 with this latest win, the 10th in 16 starts.

Bred by L&J Racing, Rock N Republic is out of the Dragon Again mare My Julianas Girl (p, 4, 1:52.3f [$121,560]) and is a half-brother to Juliana The Barn (by Art Major) (p, 3, 1:55.4f [$25,480]). The second leg of the four-event series was Rock N Republics first venture into OHSS competition.

The winner left the gate at 7-1 odds, finishing a neck in front of the late-charging Laughagain Hanover, with Im Sorry Man getting up for third in the late going for driver Chris Page.

The second OHSS division was a virtual slugfest between the two top rivals  Heart Of Chewbacca and Charlie May, who battled from the three-quarter marker to the wire, with the latter grabbing a half-length decision over the former in 1:49.3. Driven by Brett Miller as the 8-5 choice, Charlie May picked up his ninth win for breeder-owner Don R. Tiger of Canonsburg, Pa.

The gelded son of McArdle pushed his lifetime bankroll to $368,627. He is the seventh of nine foals out of the unraced Western Hanover mare Stipple Hanover and has half-siblings in Velocity Stifler (by Arts Chip) (p, 3, 1:50.3f [$217,143]) and Nikki Bella (by Arts Chip) (p,2, 1:55f [$47,005]), and in the two-year-old Racing Hill colt Shane Falco (p, 2, Q1:56.3).

Heart Of Chewbacca was the 8-5 publics choice with Danny Noble driving, KB Mac was third for Hunter Myers.

(Ohio Sires Stakes)
Off a decisive win in the $34,000 Preferred Pace last week, Wheels On Fire landed at the finish just in time to score at the top class again on Saturday (June 19) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driver Doug McNair protected position with Wheels On Fire from the pylon post and led the field by the quarter in :26. As he slowed on the lead, odds-on favourite Century Farroh fired from third and took over command heading to a :55.2 half.

Hail Christian N then angled first over moving to the far turn and ranged to within a head of the lead to press the pace to three-quarters in 1:23.4. But Hail Christian N stalled off the turn and Century Farroh began to drift on the lead, opening a seam from Wheels On Fire to shoot through late and snag victory by a nose in a 1:51 mile. Century Farroh settled for second with Hail Christian N taking third.

A six-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere, Wheels On Fire won his seventh race from 10 starts this season and his 29th from 78 overall, earning $499,523. Richard Moreau trains the $4.60 winner for owner Brad Grant.

James MacDonald again had the hot hands on Saturday, winning five of the evenings 11 races. He opened the card with a victory by No Free Lunch ($5.00) and came back two races later to win with Second Bruiser ($5.40). A couple races later, MacDonald returned to the winners circle with Mary Kat ($5.90) and capped the night with a sweep of the late double by Highlandbeachlover ($21.40) and Pointomygranson ($6.70), the latter of which won in a dead heat.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Not wishing to abandon his prior headquarters venue, General Stuart ordered his headquarters camp to be pitched on the same knoll, but a staff aide reported when we reached the place it was covered so thickly covered with dead horses and men, and the bluebottle flies were swarming so thick over the blood stains on the ground, that there was not room enough to pitch the tents among them.

The staff officer further added that the General reluctantly consented to camp at another place, a necessary shift Stuart deeply regretted, for as a matter of pride he was inclined to hold the field as he held it in the morning, even in this particular. So, Stuarts headquarters were then shifted on the night of June 9 to Farley Plantation, located two miles west of southern Fleetwood.

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On the morning of June 10, a trooper observed a horrible calm now settled over the battlefield, and the air was yet hazy with suffocating artillery smoke. The only water he could find to drink was dirty, muddy, and tasted and smelled like blood, man and animal, blood. Another tallied fifty dead soldiers, their bodies sprawled randomly and grotesquely, then covering the southern slopes of Fleetwood, along Flat Run.
Many Americans might not realize it, but we are sprinting into a new space raceone involving hypersonic technology that enables flight at speeds of more than 3,000 miles per hour. Just like in the Sputnik era, the United States is in pursuit of international rivals who already have outpaced us in next-generation technology. This time we have fallen behind both Russia and China. Winning this race is critical to protecting U.S. national security, and we must act urgently.

Fortunately, the answer is right in our backyard: Virginia is the ideal place for the federal government and the private sector to make investments in U.S. hypersonic technology because it offers the optimal combination of existing aerospace facilities, proximity to leading agencies and private sector partners, world-renowned expertise in hypersonics, and a large and growing local talent pool of exceptional university and community college STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates.
Second, the researchers found that Democrats took minority voters for granted in a big way. Party strategists viewed black, Latino and Asian voters as targets for get-out-the-vote efforts -- not as voters who first need to be persuaded to support Democrats. For example, party leaders didnt do any research to find what issues were important to black voters. Why? They were already in the tent, werent they?

It was a major miscalculation. First, with black voters: Despite historic turnout, even where black voters were key to Democratic successes this past cycle -- including in Georgia, Arizona and Michigan -- the data show drop-off in support in 2020 compared to 2016 and 2018, the report said.

Next, with Latino voters: Drop-off in support among Latino and Hispanic voters were [sic] the lynchpin in Democratic losses in races in Florida, Texas and New Mexico -- especially among working-class and non-college voters in these communities, the report said. And then, among Asian voters: Drop-off in AAPI [Asian American-Pacific Islander] support fueled losses in key races in California, especially among Vietnamese and Filipino voters, the report said. So the party paid a big price for taking its voters for granted.
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Mr. Martin, through his compassion for the young men at SHS, has worked to create not only a positive influence in their lives but created a fellowship that can be drawn on for the rest of their lives, SHS principal Chad Parker said. Mr. Martin is a constant in these young mens lives and by his example, has provided a blueprint as these young men transition into men. A Few Good Men has become involved in our community and is working to shape the future narrative and trajectory of our graduates.

The hope is that the young men will see that the decisions they make on their own have the most influence on them reaching their goals in life.

Its not about where they are now as much as it is the choices they make, Martin said. I cant be more invested than you are yourself, then you wont want it. I will help you and show you, but at the end of the day, then if you wont want to be at that college, youre going to drop out when you get a break. But I fully support them throughout.

College isnt for everyone, he said, which is why he tries to show them other ways they can find their footing in life without extending their formal education. He said the goal is to get them into a position where their options arent limited, and thats done by showing them the opportunities they have.
Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday before the meeting that "we think almost all the agreement documents are ready, according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

"Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said.

The U.S. did not have a representative at the table in Vienna. However, President Joe Biden's administration has signaled willingness to rejoin the Iran deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Tensions remain high with Iran and both the U.S. and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.
Familiar pattern

The forecast is a weaker but similar weather pattern as Labor Day last year, with temperatures hitting the 90s and high winds, Botner said. In Washington, 39 new fires started on Sept. 7, 2020, according to the DNR.

The Big Hollow Fire in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest was the closest to Cowlitz County, about 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar. The fire was first reported Sept. 8 and burned nearly 25,000 acres before the weather eventually put it out later in October.

+3 Slow-burning Big Hollow Fire 70% contained The Big Hollow Fire just east of Cowlitz County is now considered to be 70% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief of Operations Jason Sanders said the agency is monitoring the situation and is prepared at any point to bring on additional staff if they see a trend of east winds, high temperatures and low humidity.

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Normally we see this stuff more on the east side (of Washington), but in last couple years were experiencing more in our backyard, he said. And we certainly anticipate locally, and within the rest of the state and Oregon, having another busy summer because of weather trends and temperatures.

Sanders said last year was a busy fire season, and in March 2019, a series of 28 Southwest Washington wildfires burned more than 350 acres, including blazes in Rose Valley and near Cathlamet.
When Leigha Hendrix discovered her Longview apartment complex had mold, rats, leaks and maintenance problems, she thought Washingtons seemingly renter-friendly tenant protection laws would help. But the laws tangled her in confusion and required lawyers, which she couldnt afford.

What she faced is not unusual, lawyers and renter aid groups told The Daily News. Enforcement of rental law through the court system leaves many people to fall through the cracks. New Washington laws should help streamline the process, but advocates say there is a ways to go before all renters get the protection the laws promise.

Hendrix wanted a fresh start with her daughter, a cancer survivor, but found the state of the apartment made her childs breathing problems worse.

We had to up her steroid inhaler and her allergy medication just because her breathing had gotten so bad being in there, from all the mold and moisture and rats, Hendrix said.

Cindy Elliott, who lived in a neighboring unit, said she couldnt even describe how bad the rat problem was, along with leaks and mold.

I would hate to see somebody else move into that place, she said.

They both contacted Northwest Justice Project, a pro-bono legal service, as tenant complaints are handled through the courts in Washington. Neither has filed a lawsuit.

On paper, renters have rights and ways to deal with landlord problems, said Peter Houck, a staff attorney with the King County Bar Association who also teaches renter law at Seattle University.

But in practice, he said, The laws dont really work for renters.

Renters usually cant afford lawyers and usually you need that to make your rights a reality, Houck said. In contrast with that, most landlords have a lawyer they work with.

Longview adds $170,000 in mortgage payments to plan for low-income rental assistance The change comes after the county government received millions of federal dollars to help renters since the pandemic began.

Barriers to help

Hendrix and Elliott brought up the issues they faced to landlord Paul Jollissaint, who lives in Kalama and owns more than a dozen properties in Longview and Kelso, according to the county auditors website.

Both women lived at 2128 46th Ave. in Longview and complained of rats, mold and a leaking roof to Jollissaint, but they said nothing changed.

Jollissaint said he gave all tenants notice he planned to replace the roof and there might be leaks, and said he offered to refund rent if they had to go to a hotel. Elliott said her hotel room costs were not covered.

Jollissaint also said his on-site handyman has been provided with rat poison at that location. Overall, he said he has three handymen and we take care of our tenants.

When somebody brings up a problem, we address it, he said.

Tenant resources  The CLEAR intake hotline provides free legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. Call CLEAR at 1-888-201-1014, from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.  The Northwest Justice Project has self-help resources at washingtonlawhelp.org on topics ranging from unemployment insurance and repair of rental houses to help with domestic violence and family safety, as well as publications and an interactive app for those facing eviction. The Northwest Justice Projects local office can be reached at at 360-425-1537. People in low-income families and individuals can also apply online at nwjustice.org/apply-online.  Cowlitz Wahkiakum Legal Aid can be reached by phone or email to coordinate an intake appointment at 360-425-2579 or cwlap@live.com.

Hendrix said that was not her experience. After waiting for help from Jollissaint, she called the city, the county and health departments. She learned the civil court system was the only way to enforce the states Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, but she didnt have the means to sue Jollissaint.

Houck said the current system of laws is not easy to understand.

Its not clear, he said. Most people and renters know they have some rights, and if a landlord is doing something thats clearly unfair, theres probably a law against it. But then what do you do?

State law

The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 1973 is the states primary law that covers residential rental issues, including healthy living environments.

The act lays out what duties both the landlord and tenant have in maintaining the property and requires the tenant to notify the landlord in writing of perceived violations.

Those duties include complying with maintenance codes, maintaining structural components like roofs, floors and walls, keeping shared or common areas reasonably sanitary and providing a reasonable program for the control of infestation by insects, rodents and other pests except when the infestation is caused by the tenant.

If that does not happen and if tenants deliver written notice to the landlord, the law requires landlords to start fixing the problem in specific time frames.

If the problems are not fixed, tenants can terminate the rental agreement without further obligation or bring an action in court. However, filing a court case can be costly and confusing, and housing in Cowlitz County is scarce.

Common issues

Lisa Waldvogel is a senior attorney with the Northwest Justice Project, a network of 175 attorneys statewide who provide civil legal assistance to low-income people in cases affecting basic human needs, including family safety and security, housing preservation, education advocacy, healthcare access and workers rights.

Each year, the Project opens on average more than 12,000 cases. Waldvogel is not representing Elliott or Hendrix and could not speak about their specific situations, she said.

When a landlord rents a unit, she said, they make an unspoken promise that your home is safe to live in called the warranty of habitability. If that turns out not to be the case, the landlord may have violated the warranty of habitability even if the lease doesnt mention it, Waldvogel said.

Seventy percent of all low-income households experience at least one civil legal problem each year, she said, and nearly three-quarters of those do not get the legal help they need to solve their problems.

In Cowlitz County, 12.6% of the population, or about 14,000 people, live below the federal poverty line, according to 2019 U.S. Census data. That means about 9,800 local low-income people have a civil legal problem each year, and about 7,350 do not get legal help.

Because we cannot provide services to everyone, we prioritize the types of cases that we can handle to those most in need of legal help and on matters that affect fundamental interests such as personal and family safety, homeownership and shelter protection, economic security and health care, Waldvogel said.

Lori Bashor, executive director of Cowlitz Wahkiakum Legal Aid, said the nonprofit organization opened 354 cases in 2020. Nineteen of them were related to landlord/tenant or housing issues. Bashor said thats lower than usual due to the COVID-19 eviction moratorium.

Those numbers likely will rise as evictions return because renters rarely prevail when a landlord wants them out  and most dont even fight, said attorney Houck.

Most evictions end because the tenant, for whatever reason, doesnt make it into the courtroom for the hearing or to do the paperwork, he said.

One of Houcks colleagues tracked eviction court cases in King County, and found half end in default, which means the tenant didnt respond to paperwork or show up in court.

My sense is that thats not by choice, theres just a lot of barriers the tenants have to go through to understand what they need to do and do it really quickly, Houck said. Normal lawsuits take years and each step takes months, but evictions usually take days or weeks. Its not a lot of time if youre a renter trying to figure it out on your own.

Market squeeze

A growing population and low vacancy rates means a perfect storm for vulnerable households, said Gregg Colburn, assistant professor in the University of Washingtons Runstad Department of Real Estate.

+2 Cowlitz County contracts with CAP to distribute $6.1 million in rent, utility assistance from feds Cowlitz County commissioners approved an agreement Tuesday with Lower Columbia CAP to distribute $6.1 million in rent and utility assistance t

Cowlitz Countys apartment vacancy rate was 0.5%, according to the spring 2021 apartment market report from the Washington Center for Real Estate Research. Thats a fraction of the 7% to 8% considered healthy for the economy, according to the state Department of Commerce.

We have a pretty severe housing crisis in this region and that manifests in a variety of ways, Colburn said. One is the visible homelessness problem that we have, but also there are many, many, many households that are really struggling, one, to find housing, and then if they have it, to afford the purchase or rental cost.

Bar Association Attorney Houck said the tight market not only makes finding safe, healthy housing more difficult, but it also makes renters reluctant to ask for repairs.

You have a lot at stake in a tight market, Houck said.

Until a recent law change requiring just cause for evictions, A landlord could basically tell you to move out in a month. Especially for clients I work with, its not realistic to move your home and find other housing in a month, Houck said. So that means for the renter asking for an important repair, its going to be pretty risky.

A new law that went into effect May 10 requires landlords to give tenants a written notice with one of 17 good reasons for ending rental agreements and evicting tenants, such as failure to pay rent, or unlawful activity. Landlords no longer can refuse to renew a month-to-month agreement with a 20-day no cause termination notice.

Despite the changes, Jennifer Westerman, CEO of the Longview Housing Authority, said issues regarding tenants and landlords are getting a little bit hotter.

Longview renter Elliott said she feels the effects of the tight market. She was paying for her apartment with help from a Department of Housing and Urban Development program and worked with them to find a new place to use her rent voucher, but housing is limited.

The program provides vouchers renters can use to negotiate a lease with a private landlord. Elliot said she waited years to get the voucher and her apartment was a big next step for her.

Im a single mother on a fixed income and I just got my daughter back from (Child Protective Services), she said. That house was a stepping stone to getting her back.

The voucher waiting list is closed due to insufficient funding, Westerman said, a situation faced by many other housing authorities.

+2 Homeless face barriers, limited availability of permanent residences in Cowlitz County For many of the people living at the Alabama Street homeless camp in Longview, there are numerous reasons why they don't stay at the county's two emergency shelters or one of several temporary housing programs.

Ultimately, the market defines the landlord-tenant relationship, Colburn said.

As vacancy rates go down and rents go up  the power shifts to landlords and there just arent a lot of units, he said. Tenants are really stuck and its hard to push back when there are 20 other people who want this place. When vacancy rates go up, the power relationship shifts.

Seeking solutions

Some areas experiencing dynamic population growth are keeping up with housing, Colburn said. But those places tend to be in the Sun Belt, where cities can sprawl.

Part of that is they dont have mountains and water, and generally speaking theyre sprawling cities so they dont have urban growth boundaries and, generally speaking, the regulatory landscape is a little less restrictive, Colburn said.

However, there are elements of those cities approaches that southwest Washington could learn from, he and Houck said, including:

Changes in zoning or regulatory processes could allow people to build denser housing.

Programs to help renters file health and safety complaints for free.

Cowlitz County Superior Court announces eviction resolution program once moratorium ends Cowlitz County Superior Court announced it will start a program to help prevent tenants from becoming homeless when the federal and state evic

Seattle has such a program, through which the city sends a staff member out to do an inspection in the case of a suspected building or health code violation and issue a fine if the problem isnt fixed in a certain timeline. However, the cost falls on the city, so this might not be a practical solution for smaller cities such as Longview, Houck said.

A mediation program outside of the court system could help renters and landlords solve their differences. Houck said such programs exist in some parts of Washington and are popular in British Columbia.

The Cowlitz County Superior Court plans to launch a mediation program at the end of this month. The Eviction Resolution Program will use mediators to create realistic payment plans between landlords and tenants and help tenants access relief funds.

This pandemic has been very challenging for tenants and landlords alike, Presiding Judge Gary Bashor said in a statement. We are optimistic that this program will assist tenants in maintaining their housing, avoiding potential homelessness and will help make the landlords whole.

A repair process for renters that runs parallel to the eviction process.

Judges and appellate courts who have interpreted the laws and help shape them say eviction law is meant to do one thing quickly and cheaply: Let landlords force a renter out, Houck said. But theres no counterpart to that for renters, no procedures that say the purpose of this is to help renters quickly and cheaply get a repair made, especially when its a safety issue.

New York City has a process for that, Houck said. It allows a renter, with simple paperwork and no lawyer, to go to a local, lower level court and get in front of a judge.

The judge hears both sides and then issues an order, Houck said, perhaps a timeline for when the landlord needs to have the problem fixed.

Laws that expand tenant protections, such as the law Washington just passed on just cause and another passed this year that gives low-income renters the right to legal counsel in eviction cases.

Houck said those laws could help empower tenants to ask for repairs they need, and those laws could have helped Hendrix, had they been in effect. The right to counsel law takes effect next year, while the just cause law took effect in May of this year, after Hendrix and Elliott had moved out.

It will be a little less risky for them to demand repairs and try to advocate for themselves without worrying about the landlord ending their lease, Houck said.

Few, if any, other states have passed similar laws, Houck said, though plenty of individual cities have. The right to counsel law guarantees people who receive public assistance or who have incomes at 200% or below the federal poverty level  $25,760 annually for individuals, $53,000 for a household of four  will have access to public attorneys at no cost during evictions.

Longview landlord Jollissaint said while he and his attorney work through the nuances of the new state laws, the whole process of eviction is going to be much more difficult than it ever was before and hes not sure it will improve outcomes.

You have to give them the opportunity to pay back rent, he said. Im fine with that if they will do that, but Im not convinced it will happen.

Local struggles

When Hendrix first toured her apartment, she said many of the issues that ended up plaguing her were apparent, but Jollissaint promised to fix them before she moved in.

That didnt happen, she said, and she ended up cleaning the apartment herself. She bought rat traps, wall patches and cleaning products for the mold, she said.

Eventually, she said rat traps were scattered throughout the house, especially in the kitchen and living room. She had to patch holes in the wall where rats chewed through, and the roof started to leak.

At the end of May 2020, she realized the bathtub and bathroom sink were not hooked up to anything under the apartment.

We had free-flowing waste under our apartment, she said.

When she told Jollissaint, she said he gave her an eviction notice alleging she violated the lease by making the house uninhabitable. Hendrix called the county, and the Environmental Health Department confirmed on June 9, 2020, there was water flowing under the house.

Environmental Health Manager Season Long said the department sent an enforcement letter June 10, 2020, and on June 22, 2020, got a response stating the plumbing was no longer in use and was being fixed.

Hendrix said Jollissaint hooked up plumbing underneath the apartment, but left it partly unfinished. Hendrix called the county again and reported it, along with the mold and rats.

Long said the department got another complaint about running water underneath the crawl space on Sept. 15, 2020, but inspections had been suspended because of poor air quality from wildfires. An inspection was performed Sept. 23, 2020.

The inspector looked in the crawl space and could hear the water running, but could not see or hear it hitting the ground, Long said. The inspector did not go into the unit, but told the tenant they could contact building and planning if they felt the issue was structural.

Mold and rodents are harder things to address, and Long usually refers people with those problems to the Northwest Justice Project.

We live in a wet climate, she said. Mold could come from improperly vented bathrooms, loose windows or a host of other sources. The department mostly provides educational materials about how to eliminate mold. Rats could be attracted by the habits of another tenant, she said.

Most people respond to the departments instructions with voluntary compliance, Long said, even if the clean up takes a long time.

As long as theres a good faith effort, we try to work with them best we can, she said.

For example, Long said there is a building permit issued for the roof of Hendrixs and Elliotts old apartment building, so as far as compliance with us, we could say thats them actively trying to address it.

Jollissaint said he keeps his buildings up to code, and as most of his tenants are through the Longview Housing Authority, both tenants and a representative inspect apartments before move-in.

I meet all of their requirements. Everything has to be up to code, even  and this one drives me crazy  the requirement that I have a CO2 detector in every apartment, even though I dont have any gas appliances that give off CO2, he said. But the law says it, so I have them.

Work left to do

Elliott and her daughter got into a nice new place recently, after living in a motel for several months after leaving the apartment in January 2021.

Hendrix and her family moved out in mid-December 2020 with the help of CORE. Life has been better since then for the two families, but they worry other families will face similar situations.

Our CORE worker did an amazing job getting us this place and getting us the financing to move into this place, Hendrix said. Shes a rock star, but now I dont want it to be forgotten.

Houck said he and other lawyers will keep working to make sure renters do not get stuck in such situations, and while the new laws will help, theres plenty left to do.

I dont think those laws are going to fix all the problems, he said. But those are big steps forward in the right direction.

 Former TDN Reporter Mallory Gruben contributed to this story.

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There are several new notice and form requirements for the landlord and the tenant that can have significant impacts on the unlawful detainer process. An unlawful detainer can only be filed and granted after the landlord receives a Certificate of Participation from a DRC. Landlords are required to participate or offer ERP. Tenants are not required to participate in ERP, but could face eviction if they dont respond to a request.

The original Senate Bill 5160 sent to the governor allowed landlords to apply for additional reimbursements for unpaid rent if the tenant failed to follow a repayment plan. However, the governor vetoed that financial support for landlords. Landlords may still have other programs available such as the Landlord Mitigation Program through the Department of Commerce at Commerce.WA.Gov.

Tenants who are sued for unlawful detainer have the right to a free attorney paid for by the Office of Civil Legal Aid if certain factors are met, such as having insufficient available funds to retain counsel. Landlords do not have the right to a free attorney, but may retain private counsel.

House Bill 1236 provides many RLTA notice changes and defines cause and without cause eviction.
Landlords, on the other hand, face a gauntlet of their own when they seek to evict deadbeat renters. They must, for example, get a court to order the tenant out by issuing a notice of unlawful detainer. This process is meant to give tenants due process of law  a constitutional right.

Landlords have rights, too, such as the right to earn money from a tenant and for the tenant to take reasonable care of the premises. We all know of trashy tenants who are as quick to complain as they are to cause damage.

In addition, many landlords have been carrying the costs of their properties during the COVID-related moratorium on evictions. The moratorium, which Gov. Jay Inslee imposed at the onset of the pandemic, ends June 30. An estimated 211,000 Washington households were behind on rent as of late March, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

How fast should these households be forced to pay up? Do they have recourse? How do landlords react short of seeking mass eviction orders, a move that would clog the courts?

The Legislature took at stab at addressing these and other landlord-tenant issues by passing two bills last session.
Apple's Find My network is one of its most efficient services. This is what Apple uses to find lost devices including Macbooks, iPhones, iPods, etc. This is also the tech Apple uses for its recently launched Bluetooth trackers AirTags. Samsung too has its SmartTags that uses a crowd-sourced network of devices as Apple does. Now, as an APK teardown suggests, Google is working on a similar crowd-sourced network to locate lost objects, as GSMArena reports.

The APK teardown has revealed a hidden code found in the latest version of the Google Play Services 21.24.13 in the beta channel. There are two parts to this hidden code, the first says Allow your phone to help located your and other people's devices and the second says Find My Device network.

This can be taken as a clear indication of the fact that Google is working on a Find My-type of network for its devices. Also it looks like the company wants to leverage every device on Google Play Services to help locate lost/stolen Android devices, even if they are out of Bluetooth coverage/network area.

The wording of the first string of the code suggests that everyone who turns on the Find My Device feature will also be required to enable tracking for other lost devices". However, before we get too excited, this code comes from an APK teardown of the beta version of the Google Play Services so let's just say nothing is concrete. All of this might change once once Google actually launches its Find My Device network, whenever it does.

The main concept of a network like Find My Device is to make other devices in the vicinity of the lost object detect it if by any chance it is out of the main device's network. If any device detects the lost object, it will send the location to the main device to help the owner track it. Bluetooth trackets like Tile also uses a network like this where devices are tracked via Bluetooth and with the help of other devices on the same network. For it to be really successful, Google will have to use something similar for its service.
The VB 10,000 crane vessel completed its cut of Section 3 from the shipwrecked Golden Ray in the St. Simons Sound at around daybreak Thursday, ending an eight-week ordeal stymied by dense steel brackets and a massive internal fire.
During her almost 50 years in Bryan-College Station, Anne Hazen has touched nearly every corner of the community, improving the cities one selfless act at a time.

Hazen, 89, moved with her family from New England to Aggieland in 1972 when her late husband, Ted, got a job in Texas A&Ms chemistry department.

Now, she is saying her goodbyes to a community that she helped form through time with the College Station City Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, several volunteer efforts and the creation of health care institutions that still stand today.

Next month, Hazen will leave a retirement community in Bryan and board a plane to Massachusetts to be with family. Its a hard decision and one made largely because the COVID-19 pandemic made her realize that if she falls ill again  she contracted the novel coronavirus early in the pandemic  she wants to at least be close to most of her children.

The city she leaves behind is vibrant, Hazen said, filled with interesting community members whom she will remember when she is gone.

Im going to miss the people, she said. I love the people, and I hate to leave.
For almost 250 years, America has been a nation in which the majority of the people upheld Judeo-Christian principles. Now our country is facing an attack by progressives to tear down all aspects of our history and culture and rebuild America to the leftists ideal of a socialist/communist society  not advantageous to most people in any place it has been tried.

How to do that? Replace God with government. Destroy the family. Kill unborn babies and indoctrinate the survivors. Take away private property. Divide the people. Cause chaos. Rule by fear. Create an elite ruling class that controls the workers. All of this is happening in America right now.

Christians must stand against this attack. How to do this? Educate people: public relations ads, letters to the editor, email committees of correspondence, conduct political discussion groups, billboards and yard signs across the country. Be creative! Form and support conservative organizations. Support and file lawsuits. Be active in politics, especially locally.

With June declared Pride Month, Christians must say, No, no, dont celebrate sin! Gods word implicitly denounces homosexual behavior. God or godless ideology? That decision by the majority of Americans will determine Americas future.
Rate the U.S.-Russia summit in Geneva as a success for President Joe Biden. If you want to understand why, just look at what Vladimir Putin said back home the day after the summit ended.

I want to say that the image of President Biden, [as] portrayed by our and even the American press, has nothing to do with reality, Putin told alumni of a Russian management program, by video. (He was referring to constant efforts by Russian state-controlled media, along with Trumpist media, to portray Biden as senile.)

The Russian leader said his U.S. counterpart barely looked at his notes in more than two hours of direct talks. Biden is a professional, Putin went on, and you need to work very carefully with him so as not to miss something. He himself does not miss anything, I assure you.

So why would the Russian leader refute the state-controlled media messaging on Biden, whose tone is set by the Kremlin? Why would Putin praise Bidens professionalism to an obscure Russian audience  and note the need to deal very carefully with the U.S. leader?

I put that question to Yevgenia Albats, who clued me into Putins remarks, and is one of the few independent journalists still working in Moscow. Her answer strengthened my assessment that Biden did achieve his goals.
Gov. Greg Abbott has called a special legislative session to start July 8, but hasnt revealed what will be on the agenda. Theories range from voting issues to bail bills to teaching critical race theory in the classroom. What do you think should be on the agenda?

You voted:
The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.
Mary Walker Clark is an award-winning travel writer. Her book, Landing in My Present, about the premature loss of her flying father, details her trip to follow his WWII footsteps in India and China. Her stories are featured in The Paris News and may be found at her blog, Mary Clark, Traveler, and their podcasts at the NPR station, KETR, 88.9. She is a member of the North American Travel Journalist Association. Clark lives in Paris, Texas, and may be contacted at maryclarktraveler@gmail.com.
Education

editor's pick alert featured

UNSUNG HEROES

UNSUNG HEROES: 'We're going to get through it together'; OCtech staff went 'above and beyond' during pandemic

LARRY HARDY, T&D Members of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College staff are, from left, Maintenance Department Specialist Frankie Summers, Building and Grounds Supervisor Laney Cornelius, Network and Systems Administrator Rebecca Rivas, Business Analyst Audrey Curry, Police Officer Linda Luck and Police Chief Jermaine McFadden.

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College staff members made sure students and faculty had the tools they needed to continue learning and teaching amid the coronavirus pandemic.

We are a big family and each department depends on the other departments to help get everything done, said Rebecca Rivas, a network and systems administrator at OCtech.

Despite the pandemic, we still had students finish their programs, we still had people that worked from home. Its over a year later, and were still here.

Were still moving on. Everybody did what they had to do and pulled together. I think it was a success.

The colleges maintenance, physical plant, police and information technology staff members were often on campus when others were not allowed back. They kept the campus clean, safe and in good working condition, from generators to desktop computers.

One of the first tasks that needed to be completed was the installation of signs telling people how to be safe on campus, according to Frankie Summers, a trade specialist III in the colleges maintenance department.

Laney Cornelius, OCtech building and grounds supervisor, said his staff from the physical plant, IT and police departments were the only ones allowed on campus at the onset of the pandemic.

Campus cleaning was ramped up amid the coronavirus pandemic.

UNSUNG HEROES: S.C. Farm Bureau: We can always count on farmers; growers use creativity to provide healthy food during pandemic The need for nourishment did not stop with the coronavirus.

"We try to keep our campus clean in regular times, but we added some additional areas that needed extra cleaning. At some points, we'd bring in some contractors from the outside to help us with disinfection if needed.

Also, a big part of our department was shipping and receiving. We had to keep that going. We had to get supplies in here to keep the college running. So we did a good job of keeping our shipping and receiving department open and being able to get those supplies and get them distributed to where they needed to go, Cornelius said.

OCtech Campus Police Chief Jermaine McFadden said protecting the college was business as usual amid the pandemic.

We did enhance our patrols to accommodate the colleges request to keep folks off the campus. The presence of masks with everybody, that presented a challenge as far as identification and things like that, McFadden said.

He said, We were very active anyway. We just became a little bit more active.

Linda Luck, a campus police officer, said while mask wearing did present a challenge in doing her job, safety had to be maintained.

I found it challenging, just talking and seeing people. When they have the face masks on, you can't see their facial expressions. On a daily basis, we have to read body language and look at facial expressions. That tells us a lot about a person, but when you can't see that, it really puts a hinder on things, Luck said.

She said OCtech made it a priority to create only one entrance into the college at the onset of the pandemic.

So there was one entry and one exit. We had control of that point. I thought that that worked out in keeping the campus clear of people. They took care of that from day one, Luck said.

Rivas and Audrey Curry, a business analyst at OCtech, said the colleges computer network had to keep running even when employees and students were working from home.

Just because they're not here, they're still accessing our network. We still had to be here to make sure everything was up and running here, the servers were up and the networks were working fine, Rivas said.

She said, We're just here and behind the scenes, making sure people can access what they need from campus.

Curry said a multitude of needs could come up at any given time, whether or not it's a password issue, a user name issue or updating the active directory with a correct name.

Even after hours, we still received calls and still would have to assist any way that we could. We just knew that we had to still do what we had to do whether we were on campus or not. All of us just pulled together and did what we had to do, Curry said.

Summers said maintenance jobs sometimes took a little longer, but the staff had to adapt to accommodate social distancing and other coronavirus safety protocols.

When we would go to do a remake or set up of a room, we had to make sure that the room could accommodate all of us, or just half of us. ... We all couldn't be there like normal to make it happen, he said.

Cornelius said his department had to deal with the sometimes difficult task of purchasing enough cleaning supplies, including sanitizer, wipes and disinfectant spray.

Luckily, we keep a pretty good inventory. So we started off standing strong on that, he said.

McFadden said service calls to assist those in need became a bit different with social distancing requirements.

It's harder to connect with masks and things like that. It's harder to see and read people's facial expressions or intentions and things like that, he said.

The staff members all learned lessons during the pandemic.

We learned to pull back some and just try to be more conscious of the social distancing. In that way, we learned to get along with the pandemic and get our jobs done, Summers said.

Cornelius said, I guess the biggest lesson I learned is always be ready to adapt to change because it can happen quickly. Just like Frankie said, we had to learn how to social distance.

When you're used to being personal with everybody like the year before and in the years past and things change, you can only get so close. You can only communicate so much with people. So it was a learning curve for everybody."

McFadden said, "This college is a really close-knit community college. We are always interacting with each other. That pandemic is real and it changes the way we had to do things."

Luck said the pandemic taught them all that life can, change at the drop of a dime.

Rivas stressed the importance of patience and versatility.

Patience in having to find new ways to help people, patience in the new kind of questions that we were getting and people still needing access to things. We had students that don't necessarily have (internet) access at home. So we found new ways for them to be able to have access, she said.

We put up access points in the parking lots so that you could just drive up and sit in your car and do what you needed to do. It was a lot of patience and versatility and just learning new ways to still help everybody be successful in what they needed to do, Rivas added.

Curry said calming nerves among students amid the pandemic was also part of the job, especially when access to the campus was limited last year.

You have to go beyond yourself and tell them, We're going to get through it together, and just calm them down and help them the best way that you can, she said.

Curry said, You just have to stay focused. Everybody just came together and worked as one as we should have.

OCtech President Dr. Walt Tobin said, When we transitioned to a completely virtual environment more than a year ago, my staff and I were committed to making sure that we could continue to deliver a high-quality academic experience for students.

For us to accomplish those goals, students in specific programs had to return to campus. With a safety-first and student-first philosophy in mind, our physical plant staff increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting, our IT staff increased access to technology and our campus police maintained the security of our campus, the president said.

Tobin said that the staff members returned to work with a willingness to perform their duties and that he cant say enough about how proud he is of them, along with faculty and students.

Summers felt a sense of accomplishment in helping the college move forward amid the pandemic.

This college is pretty much family-oriented. We all speak, we all talk and we all get along. To work in this pandemic with these people that you normally can touch and talk to and (then) you had to pull back, it was out of the norm. So I felt a lot of sense of accomplishment to keep that camaraderie just going on, he said.

Cornelius said he was especially proud of his department.

We came back to work. We didn't slow because the college was expecting us to keep this place as clean as possible and the grounds looking as good as they did normally. So we had to keep that going. We had to keep our shipping and receiving docks rolling and getting the materials and the supplies needed so we could bring our students back one day, he said.

Cornelius said, We installed a lot of Plexiglas shields, had them in different areas of the college. So it was numerous things. Like Frankie said, I think everybody pulled together and did a great job, not just my department."

McFadden said, I feel that we accomplished a lot. We are tasked with the safety and security here, and I must say that we did a real good job with that. I'm proud of my officers.

Luck said the college worked as a team.

I think we all did a pretty good job working together and keeping things going the best we could, Luck said.

The staff members said the college administration officials made the necessary changes to accommodate pandemic conditions in an efficient and positive way.

I just think that the leadership took the helm and just guided it just like the captain of a ship. They did their job, Summers said.

Cornelius said, "I feel like every department on this campus had to make a change, significant changes probably on the faculty side, too.

The team worked together to accomplish its mission.

We made some temporary schedule changes, did some additional cleaning and did what we had to do to keep the college going at that point and try to get our students back, Cornelius said.

McFadden said, "I think the college did a wonderful job transitioning from the norm with the pandemic. Oftentimes I get to sit in some of the meetings, and we did a real good job of including each department's concerns and coming up with a plan. We did that really well.

"Absolutely, Luck said, noting that the college kept everyone informed of the ever-changing rules and regulations from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

They were really on top of everything from the beginning, she said.

Tobin said, Employees want to know not only what decisions are being made, but why they are being made, particularly in a crisis.  It was important for my staff and me to get feedback from faculty and staff throughout the pandemic to ensure everyone felt a part of the decision-making process.

Rivas said, "I never felt in the dark. I always felt like there were emails coming telling us about a change in rules. What the administration decided was always based on what would keep us safe. We handed out hundreds of notebooks to faculty, staff and students.

We handed out Wi-Fi access points to make sure they could access their classes from home. All those decisions came from above. I really feel like they did the best they could to keep everything going and to keep everybody safe at the same time.

Curry agreed.

They also made sure that you were able to take care of your family as well as continue to do your work, Curry said. Everybody accommodated everyone."

"It wasn't just about, 'We need you to do your job.' It was, 'Are you safe there too? Are you OK there?' Rivas said.

It was just great, it really was. You're so nervous about everything going on anyway, it was comforting to know that at least I was safe. You were informed and you were cared about, she said.
Brian Roy Macgregor, 45, of 2068 Muriel Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to hit-and-run with minor personal injury and hit-and-run involving property damage.

Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended to one year of probation in late May.

She also ordered him to pay restitution, stipulating that his probation may end upon full payment.

As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed Macgregors charge of failing to give information and render aid in the Jan. 1, 2021 incident.

In other recent guilty pleas:

 Antonio Kareem Jacques, 40, of 517 Cedar Lane, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession with intent to distribute a scheduled drug.

Goodstein sentenced him to five years in prison, suspended to two years of probation.

She gave him credit for having already served 21 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

She also ordered him to complete substance abuse counseling, undergo random drug/alcohol testing and attend Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous twice weekly.
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We would have to get into our MOPP gear for the duration of the threat. That occurred every day around meal time, Jamerson said.

When the ground war started, he stood ready to perform whatever duties he was assigned to.

We left Khobar Towers and went out into the desert. We stayed out there for two weeks while the ground war was going on. Well, some of us were detached out. We had to go out into the desert not so much to fight, but to scout out different things to be brought back. When the ground war concluded, then we came back, he said, noting that that put him in a precarious position.

Actually, there at the complex, at Khobar Towers, a Scud landed and killed several persons from a reserve unit, as I recall, from somewhere in Pennsylvania. It was real stuff that went on, Jamerson said.

Jamerson said he was absolutely glad when he returned back to the U.S. in May of 1991.

He was so small when he came back. When they left from Fort Jackson, the family goes up to the buses to see them leave. They went to Fort Bragg to stay for a couple of weeks to get them ready. When they got on that bus to leave, all of them were out of shape, Mrs. Jamerson said.
Gilmore worked for the city as an animal control officer before finding his way to ODPS.

I knew him before he ever came with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. His reputation was such that I just really felt compelled to meet him. His relationship with some of the area animal rescues, the things that he would do to help to find placement for stray, injured animals  that really just kind of speaks to his character, Adams said.

Adams continued, I did get him to come to work for the Department of Public Safety working in our animal support services. He took to that like a duck to water. I had so many people calling in, talking about the caliber of his work and his passion for the job. I told him that I felt like there were some things the he needed to do, and one of those was to get his Class 1 law enforcement certification. He agreed.

The chief cited the 29-year-olds infectious smile and willingness to go above and beyond his duties as among the things that make him an incredible man" and valued team member.

OCSO Capt. James Green presented Deputy Jonnie Felder with his award.

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It was hard to take a year off. It was hard to make the right decision. We dont know if we made the right decision in not going virtual. But we did the only thing we could do, which was hold on to our funding, he said.

Pride events often serve as fundraisers for charitable organizations that support the queer community.

Park Circle Pride, a new festival started this year in North Charleston, was a major boon for the Alliance for Full Acceptance and We Are Family, two queer nonprofits that received a cut of the proceeds.

Alliances president Colleen Condon said Park Circle Pride provided critical support for her organization, which had to cancel its annual November gala that typically brings in more than $200,000.

We dont know yet how much were going to get from this opportunity, but we appreciate the donations. We also appreciate the opportunity to make more connections with people who may not have been active with AFFA or We Are Family before, Condon said.

LOSING OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Police discuss their investigation after a shooting at the Herbal Choices Cannabis store in North Bend on Friday. One person died at the scene and a second person died in a linked incident about a mile away.
Several buildings (mostly cabins) were in jeopardy in the Ruby Creek and Gold Creek drainages just over the Wyoming border in Montana, but details about any losses werent available by press time.

Fire managers had scheduled a virtual public meeting for Tuesday evening, but it was rescheduled for Wednesday as the Robertson Draw Fire remained active.

Firefighters are needed on the fire line tonight [Tuesday] given the intense fire behavior and dynamic situation, Custer Gallatin National Forest officials said in a Facebook post.

Crews from Belfry, Fromberg, Columbus, Red Lodge, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service and others have all converged on the scene.

The towns of Bearcreek and Belfry were excluded from the evacuations as of Wednesday afternoon. But Red Lodge residents could see the fire burning near the towns perimeter, visible from downtown businesses and homes. Many took to the scenic viewing area on State Highway 308 at Brophy Road to watch the fire engulf Mount Maurice and the surrounding areas.

Although the fire is largely located in the Custer Gallatin, its smoke is settling over the Shoshone National Forest.
In Wyoming, election officials did not report feeling unsafe, however, as much as they were frustrated and disheartened.

To have your party not stand behind you and allude to fraud and not give you specifics is extremely upsetting, Fritz said. I cant handle politics anymore. Thats what it did to me. she added.

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Fritz is not alone in considering leaving election work following the 2020 election.

Of those surveyed in the study, the unsustainable workload came up repeatedly as a reason for leaving election work.

Large numbers of election officials have resigned in the past year, raising alarm bells. But the wave of departures could soon turn into a tsunami, the study stated. As of 2020, close to 35% of local election officials were eligible for retirement by the end of the 2024 election.

The 2020 election was the toughest election since Ive been here, Good said. You have to work an election to understand all the time and effort and preparations that go into it.
Its not perfect, but its a start, Nunez said.

Nunez said she felt like they were making baby steps, and were headed in the right direction and were on the path to understanding and addressing the juvenile justice issue in Wyoming. That is, until the 2020 budget cuts Gov. Mark Gordon issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Nunez said it felt like she was slowly pushing a boulder up a mountain for 24 years and then had it roll back down because of the budget cuts.

The lack of data is largely the reason for the persistence of this issue, Nunez said following her testimony.

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Another barrier to data collection is the lack of coordination between the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and the Legislature, despite the fact that there is meant to be a committee member at the council meetings, according to statute. A couple minutes into the discussion of the relationship between the committee and the council, the chairman of the committee, Rep. Jared Olsen, R-Cheyenne, said he realized right then that he was recently appointed as the liaison but has not been attending the groups meetings.

Almost the entire day was spent discussing the holes in data collection and how data may be collected going forward  but not without pushback.
Because of the requirements, Few initiatives have passed over the years.

Those that have succeeded were well-financed so the supporters had money to hire professional signature gatherers. Grass roots efforts with volunteers didnt work.

The marked shift in public opinion on marijuana meanwhile was amazing in its speed. The phenomena is equal to the turnaround in public acceptance of gay marriages.

Yet in the Wyoming Legislature, the marijuana discussion currently has come to a dead end.

In the session last winter, the House Judiciary Committee passed a bill to legalize marijuana on a 6 to 3. vote. The main sponsor, Cheyenne Republican State Rep. Jared Olsen, the committee chairman, said the topic was one the lawmakers had been avoiding for four years.

Citing public opinion surveys and the movement of all the other states, Olsen said it was important to deal with it now rather than having to live with the language in the coming citizens ballot initiative.

Olsen, an attorney, said he was not a marijuana advocate at all, but was trying to deal with the reality facing the state that will be surrounded by other states that offer marijuana at some level.
Editor:

The old saying goes There comes a time in everyones life to set aside their principles and do whats right!"

Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney met that time in her life when she set aside party allegiance to call out former President Trumps Big Lie that he won the election. He lost in a fair and honest election. The Big Lie technique is that if you tell a Big Lie often enough people will believe it. Hitler used it in WWII to convince people that the Jewish people were the root of Germanys problems. That was not the case.

Rep. Cheney did the honorable thing when she called out the former presidents Big Lie that he won the 2020 election, which he lost by some 8 million popular votes and 74 Electoral College votes. Trumps loss was also revealed when the numerous court cases he filed claiming fraud were all dismissed for lack of evidence.
July 3, 2021, is the 200th birth anniversary of my maternal great-grandfather, Norman McNeil.

According to the February 1822 Annual Return of Plantation Slaves, he was born on the Dunvegan Estate, in the Whim district of Tobago, on July 3, 1821, to a mother simply called Cathrine (sic). In the column headed Colour, he is listed as a mestee, which in the Tobago of the time usually meant the child of a white man and a mulatto or quadroon woman.
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Do not bully the people of Tobago and do not bully the Opposition.

This was the position taken by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she led a walkout of Opposition members at a heated Parliament sitting yesterday.

The move marked a dramatic end to two days of debate on a motion to adopt the report of the Joint Select Committee on the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self-Government) Bill, 2020.
If the scenes of despair circulating around the nation and the desperate pleas by people are not enough to get the Government to understand the generational crisis we are facing, what will?
We want to be the Henry Ford of the space industry with mass production, while others in this space are focused on vertically integrating their technology and supply chain, Cantrell said, adding that combining mature technologies with Phantoms own innovations will help it reach orbit faster.

That strategy is a departure from that of Cantrells last Tucson-based rocket startup, Vector, which tried to perfect a proprietary rocket-engine technology but failed in 2019 when a major investor withdrew its support. Vectors launch assets were acquired in a bankruptcy auction by investors and the company is restarting testing in Tucson with different engines.

Phantoms two-stage Daytona rocket is powered by eight engines built by Colorado-based Ursa Major Technologies. The engines have been qualified for flight, though they have not yet been flown.

The Daytona is about 61 feet long and will be capable of launching nearly 1,000 pounds into low-Earth orbit at a cost of $4 million per mission, the company says. Phantom also is developing the larger Laguna rocket, with more than twice the payload capacity of the Daytona.
Ultimately, Avery recommended any differential rate adopted undergo a cost-of-service study before final adoption in order to withstand any legal challenges to the reasonability of the rates. However, Avery said since revenues generated will stay within the utility, Tucson Waters rates, in the aggregate, are cost-of-service rates.

As to why city staff have not conducted a cost-of-service analysis yet, Thomure said they havent been told to do one by city leaders. And according to the citys legal interpretation, they are not obligated to, as the decision can be based on policy as well as cost.

Thomure says if the council asked for a cost-of-service study, it would take about six months. Historically, Tucson Water has only conducted cost-of-service studies on a system-wide level, and not by wards or ZIP codes.

A city-county rift

Before mayor and council voted unanimously to begin the process of raising water rates for unincorporated customers April 6, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to publicly oppose differential water rates.

Supervisor Rex Scott, who represents many unincorporated residents in District 1, called in to the June 8 public hearing to express his concerns.
The agency has great latitude to determine when there may be such endangerment, said Kinkade. Generally, the agency will rely on scientific evidence and documentation in order to demonstrate the existence of conditions that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment.

Guards priority

So far, the Guards first priority has been to identify potential PFOS and PFOA impacts to drinking water and to respond when PFOS and PFOA concentrations in drinking water exceed the EPAs health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for lifetime exposure, Kinkade said.

Its top priorities also have included changing formulations of firefighting foam used on base to eliminate use of PFAS compounds and changing training and emergency response procedures. Its been retrofitting emergency vehicles to prevent inadvertent PFAS releases, he said.

As members of the community, we recognize the importance of water to the Tucson community, and we are taking aggressive action and working closely with regulators to address risk to drinking water sources. The first thing we can and have done is protect drinking water because it is the most immediate pathway for human exposure to PFOS/PFOA, and the EPA has established a health advisory for PFOS/PFOA in drinking water.
The results of the Nupoint Marketing survey showed two main reasons unvaccinated respondents dont want to take the vaccine: They dont think its safe and dont want to experience the side effects.

Other common reasons included: They dont think COVID-19 is a threat to their health, they dont think vaccines are effective and they dont like being told what to do by the government.

They survey had some limitations, Cullen said. For example, the surveys sample size was small, with only about 900 people. And not many people from minority populations took it.

Cullen said the Health Departments communication efforts have continually emphasized that the vaccine is safe, effective against the virus and that the side effects are manageable. Its been more difficult, however, to get the message across of the true threat to those who go unvaccinated.

Its been difficult to figure out how we translate that into a communication strategy other than saying, Youre really at risk right now, Cullen said. Given that the incidents of the COVID virus variants in the county have increased, youre now more at risk to get ill. We are seeing that vaccines protect you from the variants of concern.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  A 22-year-old man was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting in Oakland near the citys Juneteenth celebration, though it wasn't known whether the violence was connected with the event, police said.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at a hospital after gunfire erupted Saturday evening near Lake Merritt, said Oakland Police Department Officer Johnna Watson.

The other five victims, males ages 16 to 27, and a woman in her 20s, were hospitalized in stable condition, she said Saturday night.

Investigators said they were trying to determine a motive for the shooting and identify suspects. Police said two men running from the scene with guns were arrested, but it was unclear if they were responsible for the shooting, the Bay Area News Group reported.

The shooting occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. about a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, where hundreds of people had gathered throughout the day to commemorate June 19, 1865.

That's when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered.
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SEOUL, South Korea  South Korea says it plans to allow social gatherings of up to six people and allow restaurants and cafes to operate until midnight in the densely populated Seoul area, starting from July 1.

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said Sunday the eased distancing rules are aimed at finding a balance between quarantine and (effort to) return to normal amid the prolonged COVID 19 pandemic.

After a two-week transition period, health authorities plan to allow gatherings of eight people in the Seoul area from July 15. Currently, authorities allow gatherings of up to four people and permit restaurants, cafes and other businesses to operate until 10 p.m.

Restrictions on the number of people at private gatherings in the non-Seoul area will be lifted.

Kwon says about 30% of South Koreas 52 million people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccines. He says South Korea reported an average of 444 new virus cases each day last week, a 15% decrease from the previous week.

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BEIJING  China has announced that more than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the country.
One year ago: At a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Donald Trump defined the election as a choice between national heritage and left-wing radicalism; there were thousands of empty seats at the rally, believed to be the largest indoor event in the nation since the start of the pandemic. (Most attendees bucked the guidance of health care experts and did not wear a mask.) Six staffers helping to set up the Trump event tested positive for the coronavirus. A federal judge ruled that former national security adviser John Bolton could move forward with his tell-all book, despite efforts by the Trump administration to block the release. A standoff between the Justice Department and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman ended when the prosecutor agreed to leave his job with an assurance that his investigations into allies of President Donald Trump would not be disturbed. In front of an empty grandstand, Tiz the Law won the Belmont Stakes in New York; the race normally marks the end of the Triple Crown series, but all three races were postponed due to the pandemic and the Belmont was run first.
The Arizona Daily Star Opinion team has been hosting a weekly Zoom chat for over a year now. We have loved getting to know our readers better,
OPINION: "Its critical that Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema support legislation that would make it easier for nurses and other workers to join a union," writes Fawn Slade, a nurse at St. Josephs Tucson.
WASHINGTON  More than half the cosmetics sold in the United States and Canada are awash with a toxic industrial compound associated with serious health conditions, including cancer and reduced birth weight, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame tested more than 230 commonly used cosmetics and found that 56% of foundations and eye products, 48% of lip products and 47% of mascaras contained fluorine  an indicator of PFAS, so-called forever chemicals that are used in nonstick frying pans, rugs and countless other consumer products.

Some of the highest PFAS levels were found in waterproof mascara (82%) and long-lasting lipstick (62%), according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. Twenty-nine products with higher fluorine concentrations were tested further and found to contain between four and 13 specific PFAS chemicals, the study found. Only one item listed PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as an ingredient on the label.
None of that was clear to Anthony when she sat down in front of a screen to interview for a seasonal job last year. She dressed for the occasion and settled into a comfortable spot. The only hint of a human presence came in a prerecorded introduction that laid out what to expect  noting, for instance, that she could delete an answer and start over.

But she had no way to know what sort of impression she was creating. Were unable to provide specific feedback regarding your candidacy, Targets rejection email said. She was rejected again after completing a HireVue interview for a different job in December.

I understand companies or organizations trying to be more mindful of the time and the finances they spend when it comes to recruitment, said Anthony, who obtained a masters degree in strategic communications last year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Still, the one-way interviews left her uneasy about who, or what, was evaluating her.

That inscrutability poses one of the biggest concerns about the rapid growth of complex algorithms in recruitment and hiring, Kelly-Lyth said.
On an Android, snap some photos and mark them as favorites in your picture gallery. That will make finding your documents easy, no matter where you are.

Pro tip: I also recommend saving your identifying documents as PDF files and saving a copy to your iOS Books, Android e-book app or even sending to your Kindle. This way, you can access them offline. Send a copy to your travel partner, too, if you feel safe doing so.

2. Get your digital drivers license

Pictures are great, but what about an actual digital drivers license? You can use a digital drivers license for any transaction or situation where ID is required. Think of it as a supplement to your physical ID as various jurisdictions figure out how to implement its use.

A digital license can be updated quickly with new information, such as a change of address. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can remotely wipe the digital ID before getting a new one.

Whats the catch? Right now, digital licenses are only available in some states, including Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.
Ideally, moviegoers will leave cinemas armed with a general knowledge of what took place and where. The Conners trust that Scorsese will make a historically accurate film.

In the meanwhile?

We want to try to make it clear to people that, while other murders happened throughout the reservation and the county, the story that is being made into a movie is about Osages who lived right here in Fairfax, Joe said.

The Conners, asked why spreading this message is important to them, spoke about authenticity.

The truth is the truth is the truth, Carol said, noting that it would be ridiculous to say the Tulsa Race Massacre happened somewhere other than north Tulsa.

Carol said many descendants of people who lost their lives in Killers of the Flower Moon live in Fairfax. She said they have learned to live with what happened. Maybe they have even figured out a way to make peace with it.

But, since people in Fairfax suffered from the events of 100 years ago, the Conners contend it would be disappointing if Fairfax was excluded from reaping movie-related benefits.
When the volcanic Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, the resulting waves of molten rock, toxic gases and deadly debris wiped out a number of cities and settlements along Italys southwestern coast.

The most famous of these decimated cities was Pompeii, which would end up buried under as much as 20 feet of ash and debris. Over time, as archaeologists rediscovered and began to excavate the city, they found that a good portion was well-preserved under its layers of volcanic ash and rock.

That included many frescoes  paintings done on the walls of public and private buildings, depicting everything from daily life to mythological images  that, because of the techniques used to create them, and the unique way they were preserved, provide a surprisingly vivid look into the cultural life of this ancient civilization.

A collection of 70 examples of these frescoes will come to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in a landmark exhibit, The Painters of Pompeii: Roman Frescoes from the National Archaeological Museum, Naples.

It is the first time these objects have been exhibited in the United States, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will be the only venue to host the exhibit, which opens to the public June 26.
Thats where his brother Doug Scott, a Tulsa attorney, is on record as having told state auditors that he grew up along with Epic founders Chaney and Harris.

On two social media platforms, another family member named Bethany (Scott) Stewart lists her current employment at Futuristic Education, alternately as computer programmer and software engineer.

Neither Greg nor Doug Scott responded to requests for comment.

Campbell declined to answer any more questions about the $2.5 million licensing deal with Futuristic Education over the phone but agreed to respond to other questions if they were emailed to an Epic school spokeswoman.

In written responses, Campbell said later: In retrospect, given we are trying to be the most transparent organization in the state, that tie could have been disclosed. However, it would not have changed the need to contract with FE. The code and integrations were critical to forever severing ties with EYS and transitioning our data to a superior platform with superior functionality for our students, families and staff.

He added, Epics technology costs are going down, its technology is being vastly improved and EYS is gone.
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Tulsans of all demographics gathered on Greenwood Avenue to celebrate the holiday honoring the end of slavery in the United States. And both lifelong Tulsans and new residents said the celebration in Greenwood showed how important it is for people to come together.
Unity was on display at Tulsa's Juneteenth Festival this year.

Tulsans of all demographics gathered on Greenwood Avenue to celebrate the holiday honoring the end of slavery in the United States. And both lifelong Tulsans and new residents said the celebration in Greenwood showed how important it is for people to come together.

Angel Okolie, a current student at the University of Tulsa, attended the festival carrying a painting he made of George Floyd containing the words "equality" and "Black lives matter" written around his face sprawled over a background of different shades of brown, tan and white.

He said he was inspired by all the events that took place after Floyd's death, and the painting's background represents unity of all races.

Okolie said the festival was one of the first Tulsa events he's gone to, and he saw the unity that inspired his painting in action. He said it was amazing to see so many different people come together and celebrate Juneteenth.

"Nobody is worrying about their bills, and if you don't have to worry about your bills for a day, that's a good day," he said. "That's the good thing about Juneteenth. You forget about everything you feel like you have to do and just live life. It refreshes you."
If a department doesnt have a strict policy like this, then you wind up with tragedies, said Wexler, a former Boston Police officer.

A well-defined policy would include limitations specifically offering direction to troopers to remove some of the many variables, such as what to do if passengers are on board, Alpert said.

We see periodically babies in the car; we see kids in car seats. Well you know they arent complicit in the crime, he said. Theyre innocent people trapped in the vehicle. So are we going to put them at risk? And is that worth it?

IACPs model pursuit policy published in 2015 discourages chases for minor violations, authorizing them only when an officer holds reasonable belief the suspect is a danger to human life or threat to cause serious injury if allowed to flee.

The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office in its annual safety plans encourages law enforcement entities to adopt policies similar to those recommended by IACP to govern pursuits.

In a written response, OHP said it considered IACP recommendations and listed multiple instances in which it says it used the groups suggestions in its policy  cited earlier in the article  but not wording to specifically discourage or prohibit pursuing for minor violations.
The 2002 AUMF was originally intended to authorize the U.S. invasion of Iraq following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Since then its been used to cover a wide range of activities in the Middle East.

As originally drafted, the 2002 AUMF provided clear legal authorities to confront Saddam Hussein and to enforce UN Security Council resolutions, Cole said. Today, Saddam Hussein is gone, his odious regime is gone and the necessary nature of the American presence in Iraq is very different. As such, this prior authorization should no longer be on the books or used as justification for U.S. military force.

Cole went on to say the administration and Congress should work together to come up with a new authorization that better fits current circumstances in the region.

R&D: Third District Congressman Frank Lucas, the top-ranking Republican on the House Science Committee, urged colleagues to move forward with the House version of legislation aimed to bolstering American research and development.

As much as 85 percent of Americas long-term economic growth is due to advances in science and technology, Lucas said. Theres a direct connection between investment in research and development and job growth here at home.
ARPA oversight: Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, and Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, appointed a 24-member joint committee last week to oversee the $1.9 billion in federal funds the state is expected to receive from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA.

Lawmakers were miffed last year by Gov. Kevin Stitts nearly complete control of CARES Act funds, and passed legislation assuring they will have a say in how this latest round of COVID-19 relief is spent.

Treat and McCall both issued statements emphasizing collaboration with the administration, and Stitt said he is all right with that.

I look forward to working with the legislative committee to invest in making Oklahoma a Top Ten state, Stitt said in his own written statement. These funds are an opportunity for us to improve our infrastructure, make sure Oklahomas workforce can better compete in the global economy and help improve the health and lives of Oklahomans.

Treat and McCall said the committee will work with the administration to prioritize possible uses for the money. The $1.9 billion does not include funds going directly to nine Oklahoma towns and cities, including Tulsa and Broken Arrow.
Medicaid expansion is welcomed, but children with complex medical needs are receiving reduced care in Tulsa.

Two decades ago, Hillcrest Medial Center purchased 75-year-old Children's Medical Center, which included 12 professionals.

It was downsized, and after 12 years, eventually closed. They first closed inpatient services for complex medical needs, and then outpatient services as well.

To define the reduction in health care for complex medical needs in the Tulsa area, in 1998-2001 there were four pediatric neurologists, five developmental pediatricians and two geneticists.

Now there are only two neurologists and no geneticists and no developmental pediatricians, now that I have retired.

Children with complex medical needs are not included as part of current privatizing. They used to be funded by state and federal programs and private philanthropy.

Both state medical schools and all four hospitals refused designated federal funds for our complex medical needs children.

Private attempts at individual sites have dwindled to no sites with a designated program for these children.
The Foundation also presented merit-based Academic All-State Scholarships of $1,000 each and medallions to 100 Academic All-State Scholars, representing 77 schools in 69 Oklahoma school districts.

Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, attendance for the 2021 Academic Awards Celebration is limited to honorees and their registered family members. Former TV journalist Scott Thompson served as the evening's master of ceremonies. A broadcast of the ceremony is available on the foundations website, ofe.org.

The Academic Awards Celebration is such an inspiring, entertaining and important event for public education in Oklahoma, said Foundation Trustee Ken Busby, executive director and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance, who served as chair of the event. Some have described it as the Academy Awards of public education in Oklahoma because we really roll out the red carpet to honor extraordinary teachers and students. Top that off with an inspiring address by educator Erin Gruwell, and you have a very memorable celebration.
Authorities in the northern Vietnamese province of Bac Giang announced on Saturday that 28 health workers at a COVID-19 treatment facility had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Among them, 24 are health workers sent from northern Phu Tho Province to assist in COVID-19 prevention and control efforts in Bac Giang.

They worked at a local COVID-19 treatment facility and were in charge of collecting patients samples on a regular basis, according to the provincial Peoples Committee.

Bac Giang has recorded 5,330 local cases since the beginning of the fourth transmission wave on April 27.

About 29,000 direct contacts and 95,000 indirect contacts have been traced in the province so far.

New patients linked to clusters at local industrial parks are still detected every day, but the number has been decreasing considerably, the Bac Giang administration stated.

Health workers have collected more than 1.28 million samples for COVID-19 testing, while district-level authorities have taken over 546,000 random samples in the community.

Task forces have been established to inspect local quarantine centers to make sure all pandemic prevention and control conditions are met and prevent cross infection.

Vietnam has documented 12,978 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 5,054 recoveries and 64 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 9,720 local infections in 41 provinces and cities since April 27.

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Here are todays leading news stories:

Politics

-- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated Antonio Guterres on his reappointment as United Nations Secretary-General for the 2022-26 tenure, and proposed a number of measures to further foster the Vietnam-UN partnership during their phone talks on Saturday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

COVID-19 Updates

-- The Ministry of Health confirmed 78 local COVID-19 cases, including 46 in Ho Chi Minh City, raising the countrys tally to 12,978, with 5,054 recoveries and 64 deaths.

-- Ho Chi Minh City authorities have decided to shut down all makeshift markets as well as suspend public transport and taxi services in order to curb the serious coronavirus pandemic.

-- The administration in northern Bac Giang Province announced on Saturday that 28 health workers at a COVID-19 treatment facility had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

-- Military units carried out large-scale fumigation at offices, schools, hospitals, and public places across Vinh City in the north-central province of Nghe An on Saturday as the locality recently recorded an increase in local COVID-19 infections.

Society

-- Police in the central city of Da Nang said on Saturday they had arrested a 41-year-old Chinese man after he was booked for staying in Vietnam with an expired visa for the second time since August 2020.

-- A 51-year-old has been fined VND7.5 million (US$324) for having another person replace him at a quarantine center in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. The man who agreed to help him also faced a similar penalty.

-- Three men and two women have been booked for throwing an eating and drinking party along the sidewalk at Gia Dinh Park in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. They now face a combined fine worth up to VND39 million ($1,688).

-- Officers in the central province of Quang Nam said on Saturday they had apprehended many members of a gambling ring whose transactions were worth hundreds of billions of dong (VND100 billion = $4.3 million).

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Police of Da Nang City on Saturday served Xua Xiao Rong, 41, a Chinese who overstayed his Vietnamese visa and resisted an exit order, with an arrest warrant after detecting him at a local apartment.

According to preliminary ivestigation, Xue Xiao Rong entered Vietnams Hai Phong City in November 2019 with a tourist visa whose validity lasted until August 2020.

Rong later overstayed his visa, which prompted Hai Phong police to fine him and force him to leave the country.

However, the Chinese man only obeyed the first order, proceeding to travel the country and hiding in an apartment in Da Nangs Khue My Ward after paying the fine to Hai Phong authorities.

He was detected as an illegal immigrant by Da Nang police in early June this year.

Investigative police forces in Da Nang are further investigating the case after indicting the man on June 2.

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Da Nang reinstated several measures against the coronavirus epidemic on Sunday, including closure of beaches and suspension of sit-down services at restaurants, according to the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Phan Van Son, deputy chief of the Da Nang Peoples Committee Office, confirmed the measures on Saturday.

The ban follows the emergence of a new COVID-19 cluster in Da Nang with 23 infections detected as of Saturday evening.

All of these cases were linked to a guard of a local plastics factory, who had been confirmed positive for the pathogen on Friday afternoon.

He was deemed at high risk of infection after being listed as a close contact of a driver from Ho Chi Minh City, who tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

Da Nang had not recorded a single community coronavirus case for a month before H.s diagnosis.

This track record allowed local beaches and dine-in services to be reopened on June 9 after a month-long closure for COVID-19 prevention.

The latest cases took the citys tally documented since the beginning of a new wave of domestic infections in Vietnam on April 27 to 182.

As many as 9,720 local cases have been recorded in 41 out of the countrys 63 provinces and cities since.

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Eateries in Da Nang are closing again after having offered dine-in service for only a few days, as authorities have restarted several COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

On Sunday afternoon, staff members of local restaurants, diners, and cafes put away tables and chairs to prepare for another suspension of sit-down service.

N.T.K., owner of a coffee shop, said he finished serving his last customers at 11:30 am the same day.

The store started offering sit-down service about 10 days ago, but business has been quite slow.

The situation was just about to improve when the city reinstated the ban, K. said.

Employees of a coffee shop prepare for the suspension of sit-down service in Da Nang, Vietnam, June 20, 2021. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre

Prior to the reopening, we had to sell takeaway drinks, but the income was not very promising, he continued.

I understand that the pandemic is dangerous, but I may have to stop operating and return the space if this situation persists.

Tran Van Thao, who owns a restaurant on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, said he had recently spent tens of millions of dong (VND10 million = US$433) on fresh seafood and other ingredients to serve dine-in customers.

I may have to resell the foods to local markets before they become spoiled, Thao elaborated.

Business owners like me can only hope mass inoculation to be rolled out soon so that the economy can recover.

A beer restaurant in Da Nang, Vietnam is closed on June 20, 2021. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre

Da Nang authorities allowed the resumption of sit-down service in eateries and coffee shops from June 9, after the city had not recorded a single community coronavirus case for 21 days.

However, the ban was reinstated from Sunday afternoon following the detection of a new outbreak.

The source of infection is believed to be patient No. 12,190, a driver from Ho Chi Minh City, a major coronavirus site with over 1,500 domestic cases now.

The driver transported goods from the southern city to a plastics factory in Da Nang on the early morning of June 10.

He passed a COVID-19 checkpoint at a Da Nang gateway but no one was on duty at the time.

A woman puts away tables and chairs at a cafe in Da Nang, Vietnam, June 20, 2021. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre

He returned to Ho Chi Minh City later the same day and tested positive for COVID-19 on June 15.

A security guard of the plastics factory, who came into direct contact with the driver, was confirmed positive for the pathogen on Friday.

About 32 people traced to the guard had tested positive as of Sunday morning.

Vietnam has documented 13,117 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 5,054 recoveries and 66 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 9,850 local infections in 42 out of its 63 provinces and cities, including 182 cases in Da Nang, since April 27, when a fresh outbreak hit the nation.

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A man who entered Vietnam illegally from Cambodia on a boat carrying live fish has been confirmed as a COVID-19 patient, while one of his direct contacts has also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The man was identified as 29-year-old T.V.T., who hails from the Mekong Delta province of An Giang but resides in Cambodia, according to a report by local authorities.

T. works for N.V.G., a 33-year-old fisherman in An Giang.

On their typical working day, G. carries his fish on a boat to Khanh An Commune, An Phu District, where he files necessary procedures with local border guards.

T. then travels from Cambodia to the location to take over the boat.

He steers the boat back to Cambodia, where the fish are delivered to local merchants and loaded onto their vehicles. T. wears protective clothing during this process.

After the job is done, T. turns the boat to Vietnams An Giang Province, before it is fumigated and handed over to G..

On Thursday, T. hid inside the boat after taking it to the Vietnamese province in order to enter the country unlawfully.

The incident was discovered by G. after he had steered the boat back to his home.

T. then told G. he wanted to visit his wife and child at their house in Phu Huu Commune, An Phu District and borrowed the latters motorbike.

On his way home, T. was caught by police in Phu Huu Commune and escorted to the local administration to fill out a health declaration form.

He was later brought to a quarantine center and tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

T. was confirmed by the Ministry of Health and coded patient No. 12,642 on Saturday evening.

G. tested positive for the novel coronavirus later the same day and was confirmed by the health ministry on Sunday afternoon.

Fourteen other direct contacts of T. have tested negative once.

Vietnam has documented 13,117 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 5,054 recoveries and 64 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 9,850 local infections in 42 provinces and cities since April 27.

G. is the first community-based case that An Giang Province recorded in this bout.

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A shipment of 500,000 Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine doses touched down in Hanoi on board a Vietnam Airlines aircraft on Sunday, adding to the countrys stock of AstraZeneca and Sputnik V jabs, according to the Ministry of Health.

The plane landed from Beijing at Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital at 3:10 pm, the national carrier said in a statement.

The shipment also includes 502,400 syringes, the Ministry of Health added.

The Sinopharm vaccine shots, donated by China, will be used to immunize Chinese nationals in Vietnam, Vietnamese people who want to study or do business in China, and those who reside along the borders with China, the health ministry elaborated.

The ministry approved the jab for emergency use in Vietnam on June 3, following similar approvals for AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Pfizer vaccines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) listed the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on May 7, according to a news release posted on the global health agencys website the same day.

The WHO had already given emergency use authorization to AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna, and Sinovac vaccines.

More than 450 million Sinopharm doses have been supplied to over 70 countries and the COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme as yet, the health ministry said.

Vietnam has received nearly four million AstraZeneca shots from the COVAX scheme, direct purchase via a local company, and Japan, in addition to 2,000 Sputnik V jabs donated by Russia and 500,000 Sinopharm doses in the year to date.

The Vietnamese government has administered 2,359,376 AstraZeneca jabs to medical staff and other frontline workers since inoculation began on March 8.

It has given two doses to 115,315 people since.

Vietnam set a target of securing 150 million vaccine doses and inoculating two-thirds of its population of almost 98 million people this year.

So far the health ministry has recorded 13,211 patients, including 9,944 local infections since April 27, when the fourth and worst virus wave broke out in the country.

By comparison, Vietnam 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.

Recoveries have reached 5,229 while 66 patients have died, most with critical pre-existing medical conditions.

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Creators from Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt are behind upcoming animated shorts set to screen on Disney+.

10 part anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire has been announced for Disney+ in late 2022.

We are bringing the work of a visionary new generation of African filmmakers to Disney+. In addition to delivering thrilling animation for fans of all ages, this collection of ten original films taps into the Afrofuturism phenomenon which was turbo-charged by Marvels Black Panther and reflects Disneys ongoing commitment to partnering with leading global talent to tell the stories of the world from fresh and authentic points of view, said Michael Paull, President, Disney+ and ESPN+, The Walt Disney Company.

Im really pleased to part of a ground-breaking, fresh and exciting project thats aimed at exposing the world to a whole new wave of creativity and invention from a place that is just ready to explode onto the world animation scene. The films in the anthology kind of run the gamut when it comes to science fiction. There are stories that touch on other worlds, time travel, and alien beings, but all of these genre conventions are seen through an African lens that makes them totally new. I cant wait for people to have their minds blown and say I want more! commented Peter Ramsey, Executive Producer.

Kizazi Moto derives from the Swahili phrase kizazi cha moto which literally translates as fire generation, capturing the passion, innovation and excitement this new cohort of African filmmakers is ready to bring to the world. Moto also means fire in several other African languages, from Rwandas Kinyarwanda to Shona, a Zimbabwean language, speaking to the pan-African spirit we hope this anthology embodies, commented Tendayi Nyeke, Supervising Producer, Triggerfish.

This animated anthology brings together a new wave of animation stars to take you on a wildly entertaining ride into Africas future. Inspired by the continents diverse histories and cultures, these action-packed sci-fi and fantasy stories present bold visions of advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters imagined from uniquely African perspectives.

Oscar-winning director Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) will serve as executive producer for the anthology, with Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston as supervising producers. Triggerfish will be the lead studio for the anthology, working in collaboration with animation studios across the continent and globally.

About the development and production of Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire:

More than 70 leading directors and creators across the continent were invited to pitch their ideas, after a multi-year research phase that included input from Ghanian comic book blogger Kadi Tay, award-winning Congolese animation supervisor Sidney Kimbo-Kintombo (Avengers: Endgame) and Namibian-South African producer Bridget Pickering (Hotel Rwanda).

The process was curated and produced by the team at Triggerfish, including Supervising Producer Tendayi Nyeke, Head of Development Anthony Silverston and Kevin Kriedemann, who proposed the initial idea for the anthology. 15 shortlisted projects were mentored by Academy Award-winning director Peter Ramsey and the creative teams from Triggerfish and Disney.

The final 10 films are from Ahmed Teilab (Egypt), Simangaliso Panda Sibaya and Malcolm Wope (South Africa), Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane (South Africa), Ngendo Mukii (Kenya), Shofela Coker (Nigeria), Nthato Mokgata and Terence Neale (South Africa), Pious Nyenyewa and Tafadzwa Hove (Zimbabwe), Tshepo Moche (South Africa), Raymond Malinga (Uganda) and Lesego Vorster (South Africa). Each film will be roughly ten minutes long, and together will comprise a feature-length anthology of original animation that will be released as a Disney+ Original across the globe.
Farmer Wants a Wife returns to Seven in two weeks time.

It returns 7pm Sunday July 4, set to conclude before the Olympics begin on July 23rd.

Hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski, last year Farmer Wants a Wife was actually Sevens biggest show

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!

Farmer Matt (26, Orbost, Victoria), Farmer Andrew (30, Delegate, NSW), Farmer Sam (24, Canowindra, NSW), Farmer Will (39, Longwood, Victoria) and Farmer Rob (40, Snowy Mountains, NSW) were all born for life on the land, but agree theres one thing missing; a soul mate to share it all with.

From thousands of single women who saw their profiles online, our Farmers will choose eight ladies to meet, before inviting five of them back to their beloved farm.

This seasons road to love will be even more romantic, with dream overnight dates, luxury country getaways and spectacular group get-togethers, setting the stage for life-changing love stories to blossom. But will romance be enough for the reality of life on the farm?

With 99 marriages and 225 beautiful farmer babies worldwide, Farmer Wants A Wife, hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski, is the worlds most successful dating show. Dont miss 2021s greatest love story, coming soon.

7pm Sunday July 4 on Seven.
Just how deeply as the pandemic has impacted on Australians will be the under the microscope tonight when Australia Talks screens on the ABC.

Annabel Crabb admits to being sceptical in mounting a second special surveying 60,000 Australians, given the last was only in 2019.

Opinions dont change that rapidly, she tells TV Tonight.

But then of course COVID happened. What we had was this incredible data set to measure against. In hindsight doing that big survey in 2019 was the greatest baseline we could do to see how this international disruptive event will change a nation of people.

600 questions were posed to 60,000 Australians in March from every federal electorate in every State and Territory by Canadian-based private company Vox Pop Labs.

They include questions around how Covid has affected our friendships and family; whos keeping secrets that could end their relationships; whos having the most sex and even how often Aussies change their sheets?

Its at arms length from the ABC

For those who are worried that its myself or Leigh Sales picking out survey results, we have nothing to do with it! she jokes. Its at arms length from the ABC. And that sample of 60,000 people is appropriately weighted, so that it is a representative sample. We havent relied on data from groups that are too small to quantify, or so on. Its pretty rigorous.

Viewers can also log online to complete a selection of questions to see how their own views compare to the wider public.

I found out that I cried more than 85% of Australians

You can find out where you differ from the rest of Australia, which is incredibly interesting. I found out that I cried more than 85% of Australians, which is a pretty tragic, Crabb continues.

But the hard core data sample that we are basing all of our reporting on is not those people who are jumping on and filling it out.

Joining her for the second special is Nazeem Hussain, plus various guests.

Weve also got special reporters coming in and doing packages on some of the notable trends.

Its 90 minutes of fairly intricate television, having crosses to various parts of Australia, we have a fairly significant interview.

We have people like Hamish Blake, Tanya Hennessy and Tony Armstrong  a massively popular inclusion, I must say!

What were trying to do is convey information which, when you look at statistics on a page, can be fairly dense.

These stats tell us something about the beating heart of Australians. Not only the stuff that we think in our secret heart-of-hearts, but some things we probably wouldnt answer if somebody asked us on the street -like bedroom habits. People are more happy to share as part of a survey, but not face to face.

So many people think pets are preferable to people!

Are pets better than people? Oh my gosh, so many people think pets are preferable to people!

In July Crabb will also return to ABC with Ms. Represented, a four part series exploring the experience of women in Parliament. She will interview profile politicians who mark a female first in Australian politics.

But first she is ready to wade through reams of stats and data, from serious questions to lighter fare.

We have a little bit of fun with it, because its got to be interesting television. But itll also tell you something really intriguing about the diversity of views that exist across Australia, she explains.

What I like about the project is it reminds us that sometimes our views differ depending on where we live, what we look like, where we came from, our gender, age, religious or cultural beliefs.

She adds, So much info.. Delicious!

Australia Talks airs 8pm tonight on ABC.

australiatalks.abc.net.au
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)
Utility patents are among the most valuable assets in the world, covering new, useful processes or machines, the patents generally thought to improve quality of life. UH was issued 37 in 2020.

With 37 utility patents, the University of Houston ranks among the top 100 global universities for the number of utility patents issued in 2020. Utility patents are among the most valuable assets in the world, covering new, useful processes or machines, the patents generally thought to improve quality of life.

The University of Houston is No. 79 on the list, joining two other Texas universities in the top 100  The University of Texas and Texas A&M University.

Since 2013, The National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association have published this list of top-performing public and private institutions, using data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. UH has ranked among the top 100 global universities for the past six years.

The University of Houston is making critical contributions to science and engineering and hence to society, driven by our overarching goal to improve the quality of life. This ranking reflects our dedication to addressing the most pressing problems faced by society, including energy technology and medical care, said Amr Elnashai, vice president/vice chancellor for research and technology transfer at UH.

Central to the success of moving technologies from the lab to the marketplace is the UH Technology Bridge. With 30,000 square feet of incubator space and over 700,000 square feet of space suited for laboratories, pilot-scale facilities and light manufacturing, the Technology Bridge  located on the Gulf Freeway a few miles from campus  houses 28 startups.

The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. The NAI works collaboratively with the USPTO and publishes the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation.

The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. IPO is the only association in the U.S. that serves and advocates for all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology.
On Saturday, Macy Gray published an op-ed, calling for a redesign of the American flag.

She opened the piece, penned for Market Watch, by observing that the Confederate flag, which was created as a symbol of opposition to the abolishment of slavery, has recently proven tired.

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We dont see it much anymore, she wrote. However, on the 6th [of January], when the stormers rained on the nations most precious hut, waving Old Glory  the memo was received: the American flag is its replacement.

The Grammy winner went on to address President Biden, Vice President Harris and members of Congress directly. The American flag has been hijacked as code for a specific belief. God bless those believers, they can have it. Like the Confederate, it is tattered, dated, divisive, and incorrect, she wrote. It no longer represents democracy and freedom. It no longer represents ALL of us. Its not fair to be forced to honor it. Its time for a new flag.

Gray subsequently gave a visual breakdown of our current flag, suggesting that while there have long been 50 stars on it, there should be 52. In her opinion, an extra pair of stars should go to Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, which she noted have been lobbying for statehood for decades.

Both have been denied, since statehood would allow each territorys elected officials seats in the house. Assuming D.C. reps would be African-American and Puerto Rican reps would be Hispanic, the ultimate assumption is that these elected officials would be Democratic, Gray wrote. That alone is racist.

Then, there are the flags white stripes, which were intended to represent purity and innocence, according to The Smithsonian. America is great. It is beautiful. Pure, it aint, wrote Gray. It is broken and in pieces.

Story continues

In her opinion piece, Gray also gave a detailed description of the flag, as she believes it should be. What if the stripes were OFF-white? What if there were 52 stars to include D.C. and Puerto Rico? What if the stars were the colors of ALL of us  your skin tone and mine  like the melanin scale? she said. The blue square represents vigilance and perseverance; and the red stripes stand for valor. America is all of those things. So, what if those elements on the flag remained?

In her piece, Gray included a sketch of the American flag she thinks would better fit the America of today. She wrapped things up by reminding readers that the current version of the flag was designed in 1959, by a 17-year-old named Bob Heft. Back then, there were only 48 states, though Hawaii and Alaska were up for statehood, and ended up getting included, as stars, in Hefts design. He crafted a NEW flag with 50 stars for the then-future, because things had changed, wrote Gray. Sixty-two years later, in 2021, we have changed and its time for a reset, a transformation. One that represents all states and all of us.

Grays op-ed was published on Juneteenth. Just this week, President Biden signed legislation which made the day, commemorating the end of slavery, a federal holiday.

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Hands of the Week: Katz Turns Straight Flush, Petrangelo Nearly Finds Fold

June 20 2021 Chad Holloway

PokerNews is known throughout the world for our industry-leading live updates for both live and online events. In fact, right now we're offering various updates right here.

Over the years, weve captured memorable hands, many of which have become a part of poker history. In this new column, we will bring you some of the biggest hands of the week as reported in the PokerNews Live Updates.

Remember, if youre playing an event PokerNews is covering, you can get in the updates via the MyStack App. You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

Petrangelo Nearly Finds Fold

This hand was actually captured by our friends over at Poker Central, who were live reporting Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em of the 2021 US Poker Open.

As the final table neared, the board read when Nick Petrangelo bet 380,000 and left himself 250,000 behind. Cary Katz, the only other player in the hand and holding the bigger stack, raised all in and action was back on Petrangelo, who his the tank.

He burned through four time extensions before calling off with the for the second-nuts. Unfortunately for him, it was no good as Katz rolled over the for a straight flush!

Petrangelo, who was clearly considering a fold, wound up busting in 12th place for $19,800.

Song Hits Runner-Runner Boat

Stephen Song

On Day 1b of the MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event, it was Level 9 (500/1,000/1,000) when the player in the lojack opened to 2,600 and was called by Stephen Song on the button. The flop came and Song called a 3,500 from his opponent.

The came on the turn and Song called another bet from his opponent  this time for 8,400.

The completed the board and Song's opponent slowed down and checked, prompting an all in from Song for 20,500. Song's opponent went deep into the tank but eventually put in calling chips.

Song revealed for a runner-runner full house and his opponent showed for a flopped (but then counterfeited) two pair and mucked.

Aces No Good For Affleck

Matt Affleck

In the same tournament a little while later on Day 1b, it was Level 12 (1,000/2,000/2,000) when Matt Affleck opened to 4,500 from the lojack and action folded to the player in the small blind, who three-bet to 12,000. It was then folded back to Affleck, who smooth called.

Affleck's opponent continued for 13,500 on the flop and Affleck called.

The small blind then shoved for a bit less than 100k when the came in on the turn. Affleck called instantly for less to put himself at risk.

Affleck:

Small blind:

The small blind had flopped two-pair and had Affleck drawing slim. The river sealed Affleck's fate and he was sent to the rail.

Sneideman's Kings Can't Outstand Three Way All-in

Michael Sneideman

On Day 2 of the RunGood Poker Series all Stars Jamul Casino $575 Main Event, it was Level 17 (4,000/8,000/8,000) when When PokerNews made it to table three players were all-in including Sneideman with . He was in a great spot to triple up, though that's not how things would go down.

Michael Sneideman:

Opponent:

Opponent 2:

Board:

With the ace in the window, Sneideman knew he needed help but it, unfortunately, did not come. Sneideman finished in 63rd place for $1,000.

Miholich Shows the Bluff

Kyle \"Jackinthebox\" Miholich

On Day 1c of the RGPS Jamul Main Event, it was Level 9 (600/1,200/1,200) when Kyle Miholich was the first to the pot preflop with a raise to 3,000. Action folded around to the big blind and a call was announced.

Flop:

After being checked to, Miholich continued to show aggression with a bet of 2,100 and was called rather quickly.

Turn:

Maybe it was the jack on the turn that inspired Miholich to continue as he pushed forward a bet of 3,900. The big-blind player quickly folded, and Miholich, who is famous for often playing in the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event while wearing a suit and extra-large Jack In The Box mask/helmet from the fast-food establishment, turned his cards over and tossed them forward.

Miholich:

Miholich had just the flush draw and made eye contact with his opponent and sorta shrugged with a "What else could I do?" look on his face.

To see what all PokerNews is live reporting today, simply click here.
Making up nearly 50 per cent of the labour force and contributing about 30 per cent of Vietnams GDP each year, women are becoming an important driver of economic development.

However, the startup stage is still heavily slanted towards men, with deep-rooted stereotypes and prejudices putting women in a disadvantage.

Having more women entrepreneurs can create more employment for women while addressing crucial preconceptions holding them back

Marina Tran Vu, one of the 21 female entrepreneurs to watch highlighted by Female Laboratory of Innovative Knowledge in 2021, surprised the audience of Shark Tank Vietnam by appearing on the show at the end of May to raise capital for startup Equo Vietnam.

Vu is a veteran who has filled senior management roles at several large corporations. She has served as assistant brand manager at Unilever, brand manager at LG Global, global brand manager at Spin Master Global, and head of marketing at California Fitness & Yoga Centers Vietnam.

However, she gave up her cushy corporate position to produce disposable plastic substitutes such as straws, knives, and spoons from used coffee grounds and rice grass two years ago.

Although only established a short time ago, Equo Vietnams products are now distributed in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Vietnam, drawing the attention of prestigious international press agencies such as Forbes and Business Insider.

Vu shared, There are many women who are very smart but are not brave enough to overcome the prejudices surrounding them, she said. I believe that the value of a woman lies not in her family background, status, or her life partner but on what she brings to life, to her family and loved ones. Women should be given more opportunities to pursue success and demonstrate their capabilities, and I aspire to be able to do that as a young woman starting a business, said Vu.

Difficulty finding support

Vu is certainly not the first or only person to raise their voice about the challenges women face in starting a business. In a country like Vietnam where the startup movement is on the rise, the increasing number of women starting up a business means that more of them are coming face to face with discrimination and prejudice.

According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs 2020, Vietnam ranks sixth among the countries with the highest percentage of female entrepreneurs and is the only Asian representative in the global top 10.

Women-owned enterprises in Vietnam accounts for 26.5 per cent of the total number of enterprises in the country but they are mainly micro- and small-sized enterprises with limited access to support programmes and policies. Besides, pre-defined gender roles and characteristics mean that women also face more difficulties than men in realising their business ideas.

According to Pham Khanh Linh, founder of Logivan, one of the 15 startups with great influence in the Vietnamese economy as voted by Asias leading technology news site Tech in Asia in 2019, while many people first think of capital as the No.1 difficulty for startups to take off, there are deeply ingrained prejudices that make it an uneven playing field for women.

Since establishing Logivan, Linh has been facing the abundant stereotypes in the digitisation and trucking industries, two fields that are more associated with men than women.

From the very beginning I have been told that I know less about the transport sector because I am a woman, she explained, adding that this has made it particularly difficult to convince business partners that she can develop this Uber for trucks in Vietnam, replicating a tried and tested model from around the world.

Apart from the common difficulties of a startup, women have to make more sacrifices and tradeoffs. However, I hope that in 10-20 years, none of these prejudices about women leaders will remain, Linh shared.

In fact, female-owned businesses find it much harder to access capital in the very first stages. Tu Thu Hien, CEO of the Womens Initiative for Startups and Entrepreneurship (WISE), said that only 2 per cent of venture capital investment reaches female startups due to prejudices. Investors think that women are less ambitious than men when it comes to business, therefore, many investors will unconsciously favour male-owned businesses.

According to WISE, the majority of women have little access to credit from banks, mainly because they do not own collateral or have their name on the family assets.

Lack of motivation

In addition to the issue of capital, long-standing prejudices make it twice as hard for women then for men as they have to take care of their families while running a business. Women also lack opportunities to participate in trade promotion activities and have far fewer opportunities to participate in training or exchange next to family and childbirth.

A survey of Vietnamese labour force by the International Labour Organization (ILO) shows that women spend an average of 20.2 hours per week cleaning the house, washing clothes, cooking, shopping, and taking care of the family and children while men spend only 10.7 hours on such tasks. Nearly a fifth of men do not even spend time on housework.

Valentina Barcucci, labour economist from the ILO, affirmed: Inequality for women in terms of job quality and career development also stems from the double responsibility they have to shoulder. They have to spend more than twice as much time doing housework as men.

Family responsibilities require women to work more and their startup journey is often quite lonely without the support of family members.

Mai Pham, founder of Made in Vietnam leather goods brand Lecas, said that she was luckier than most other female startup entrepreneurs as she received a lot of support and help from her husband. However, her responsibility for their children kept her from longer business trips that men can take. While building a brand and opening stores, Pham also had to overcome disrespect and bullies.

However, she affirmed that if they can overcome these challenges, women founders will experience success they would not see in any other way. Starting a business will help women become more brave and proactive. Successful women will not only earn a certain amount of respect from men, they will also be able to support and create jobs for many other women, said Pham.

Currently, 90 per cent of employees at Phams business are women. They are also filling up positions that are traditionally reserved for men such as warehouse management, machinery operation, and technical management.

Vietnams National Strategy on Gender Equality defines that by 2025, about 20,000 women will be supported to start a business. The rate of female directors or owners of businesses is expected to reach at least 27 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030. Since 2017, more than 38,400 women have received support to start a business. The proportion of women holding senior leadership positions in businesses in Vietnam is 39 per cent, according to a 2020 report by Grant Thornton Vietnam.

Source: VIR

Two VN female entrepreneurs named in 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Three Vietnamese women, including two entrepreneurs and a fashionista, were listed in the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, which was announced on April 20.
Tran Kha Vy, 23, has had quite an experience studying abroad at Minerva Schools at KGI (USA), which has an acceptance rate of only 1.8%.

Tran Kha Vy

Vy always had a dream of studying abroad. After graduating from high school, she spent a year as a freshman majoring in Medical Techniques at International University, Vietnam National University - HCM City.

Despite my major in literature since 8th grade, Im not so much the dreamy type as Im a thinker and a problem solver. Thats why I decided to follow a different path going to college.

Vy won a chance to present one of her projects at MIT after winning the VietChallenge contest in 2017. This further encouraged her desire to study abroad. With the help of a friend, she applied for and won a full scholarship at the Minerva Schools program.

Sharing her experience at Minerva, Vy said she especially loves the flexible study program, in which students get to choose the subjects theyd like to learn. The teachers focus on practicing problem solving rather than theory learning. Each semester is spent in a different country. She has studied in the US, South Korea, India and Taiwan.

The adventures through many foreign lands gave Vy an understanding of cultural diversity, interracial working culture, unemployment and homelessness problems in the US, sexism in India, and more.

Studying in Silicon Valley had made Vy even more passionate about Computer Science and she decided to follow this field.

Ever since her freshman year, Vy had always been looking for opportunities of internship. Her first one was at Keck Graduate Institute (California), where she participated in collecting data to develop an AI designed to diagnose and predict possible symptoms for type 2 diabetes. For her sophomore year, she interned at the Particles Physics Lab at Hanyang University, helping classify and specify particles from CERN CMS trial data. Vy continued to study and develop medical AI applications at AI Healthcare Company in her junior year.

For me, being able to go out in the field and take part in research is even more important than my grades. I get to use my knowledge for practical reasons and learn so more skills. Besides, it helps build a good profile for my CV so that I can find even more opportunities in the future.

Former Vietnamese literature student graduates from university in the US with flying colors.

The first year in America, Vy had a few problems in communication and coping with a new life, making her less confident. She was scared of falling behind. After hundreds of hours spent in the library, and making new friends, she slowly but surely gained back her confidence.

However, there was another issue: she was, most of the time, the only female student in the classroom. Many times she felt alone. But with perseverance, Vy finally fit in, blurring the line between genders.

I once had insecurities about my capabilities. I even questioned myself, why I didnt choose a less challenging major. But through time and overcoming my difficulties, I realized I couldnt have chosen a better path. Other female Information Technology students should be confident in themselves, be confident. Just start doing and you will reach your destination.

Although the amount of work and pressure is enormous, Vy is still determined to achieve the highest goal. My personal idol is Stanfords famous computer scientist Li Fei Fei. Every time I feel discouraged or insecure, she is the person I look at to remind myself nothing is impossible if you put your mind and body to it.

Another encouragement is her family. My family has a small business selling groceries. We dont get to meet nice people all the time. I have seen my parents disregarded for being poor. Remembering that time makes me even more determined.

Tran Kha Vy just graduated from Minerva Schools with a GPA of 3.9/4.0. She is planning to get a master's degree in the future.

Ngoc Linh

Village student enters top business school in Spain Getting out of a rut and choosing to follow his own way, Dinh Tien Dat wants to help next-generation students to pursue their own path.
The Vietnam 2035 Report, issued by the Government of Vietnam and the World Bank (WB), points out that if Vietnam doesnt carry out reform, the average income per capita will be no more than $4,500 per annum by 2035.

Under the 13th Party Congress Resolution, Vietnam is expected to be a developing country with technology towards modernization by 2025, surpassing middle income status. It will be a developing country with a modern industry and higher average income by 2030. And by 2045, when Vietnam celebrates the 100th anniversary of its establishment, it will be a developed country with high income.

Le Anh Vinh, Vice Director General of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES), the goals are based on human resources and stable economic growth.

To become a high income country by 2045, Vietnam needs to maintain a high GDP growth rate of 7-7.5 percent per annum as calculated by Ministry of Planning and Investment, higher than the average 6.7 percent in 2016-2019, and increase the average income per capita to over $7,000 by 2035 from $2,052 in 2014.

Manufacturing and processing industries

The strong rise of the UK in the 19th century, of the US, Germany and Japan in the mid-20th century, of South Korea and Taiwan in the late 20th century and of China recently, shows that manufacturing and processing industry development is the way to growth and the key to prosperity.

A new opportunity has opened for Vietnam to rise as the world enters the 4.0 industrial revolution. Vietnam, as a latecomer, bears a lighter burden from the past on its shoulders, and is less burdened by facilities left by previous industrial revolutions. This will allow it to adapt to new situation, new model and new infrastructure more quickly.

In the 4.0 era, the countries with more problems to solve will have more opportunities to develop technologies.

In Africa, which has few banks and people have few bank cards, Mobile Money has been developing strongly. Just within a short time, the non-cash payment method has become popular, leading to high use of e-commerce. It took developed countries hundreds of years to popularize non-cash payments.

The 4.0 industrial revolution will help the poor. In principle, small enterprises dont have many opportunities. But Alibaba, for example, changed this by creating a commercial platform that gives access to all people and reaches the global market, which in the past could be done only by large enterprises.

In Vietnam, Mobile Money can help people in border areas sell oranges and bananas at high prices, because urbanites are willing to pay more for safe products. Meanwhile, students in remote areas and islands can study with the best teachers in the country.

Vietnam is now classified as a lower middle-income income country with many existing problems that need breakthrough solutions.

The great advantage of Vietnam is that it has a high number of digital technology firms (60,000 firms now and 100,000 by 2025 under the Make in Vietnam strategy). These include powerful technology companies and companies that shifted to technology development after commercial success. They develop products and bring technologies to every province, every commune and reach every corner of life.

There are not many countries with this advantage.

Vietnamese people are clever, quickly adaptable and flexible, and can tailor technologies and products to fit every subject and situation.

Vietnamese people are clever, quickly adaptable and flexible, and can tailor technologies and products to fit every subject and situation.

Nguyen Van Dang from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics said the digital economy is one of the key solutions to create a breakthrough for Vietnams economy.

Dare to reform, take risks

Many localities have set goals and designed plans, seeking a new growth engine to realize the goals mentioned in the Party Congress Resolution.

Ben Tre has designed a plan on developing toward the East, mobilizing and using effectively all resources for rapid and sustainable development. The locality aims to become a well developed province in the Mekong Delta by 2025 and in the country by 2030.

Quang Ninh authorities have decided that manufacturing and processing industry will be the pillar of the province. The first resolution of the provincial Party Committee in the new tenure emphasized the development of the industry in 2020-2025.

The journey of Vietnam stepping out of the group of countries with low income in 2008 and becoming the fourth largest economy in ASEAN shows the extremely important role of technology.

Keun Lee, a renowned researcher, who has studied the countries that successfully overcame the middle-income trap, pointed out that the only way to overcome the trap is encouraging innovation and building technological capability (The Art of Economic Catch-up, 2019).

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), in the draft plan on economic restructuring in 2021-2025, repeats the words innovation and creativity many times in the document.

The Vietnam Report 2035 also says that strong technological breakthroughs eldewhere will have an impact on Vietnam. However, a modern national innovation system will prepare Vietnam well to be able to take full advantage of opportunities and control challenges.

However, the digital economy and innovative economy model still lack space for creativity. Many innovative ideas on new technologies and production optimization have not been recognized because of rigid laws.

Addressing the issue, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung believes that it is necessary to use a new management method with the sandbox mechanism, which will allows new models under the supervision of state agencies. Vietnam needs to build a law on venture investment specifically designed for innovative activities.

If traditional policies continue to be applied to innovative businesses, existing problems will never be settled radically. In the digital era, new technologies are created continuously. If businesses have to follow all the procedures at the current rate of speed, opportunities will be missed.

Luong Bang

Without significant reform, development goals will be difficult to reach Vietnam needs to design proper solutions and policies to reach its development goals. How will the country overcome challenges to realize its development plans?
The 13th Party Congress Resolution says Vietnam aims to become a developed country with high income by 2045, when it will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the country's establishment.

This means that Vietnam has 24 more years to reach that goal. And it will be very difficult to turn this into reality if Vietnam still cannot become a developing country with modern industry and higher average income by 2030.

Core technology

Dang Vu Chu, former Minister of Industry, said Vietnam cannot become a country with modern industry if it doesnt speed up the development of core technology.

Chu, 81, was Minister of Light Industry and then Minister of Industry for 12 years.

He was a special politician who was a a member of three cabinets under three PMs (Do Muoi, Vo Van Kiet and Phan Van Khai) and has a lot of experience from different development periods. He has been keeping a close watch over the countrys industrial development though he retired 20 years ago.

Chu affirmed that in order to have a modern industry, Vietnam needs to develop core technologies very early.

Vietnam laminates steel, but cannot manufacture steel from ingot steel; it manufactures automobiles, but cannot design engines; it makes electronics, but just does assembling and doesnt have microchip manufacturing technology. And Vietnam is one of the few countries with rare earth natural resources.

He said the time when Vietnam felt satisfief with doing outsourcing for foreign enterprises to generate jobs is over. The country cant develop modern technology with assembling only.

Chu said he is happy as Hoa Phat Group can earn big money thanks to the steel price increase of 40 percent. The steel manufacturer can manufacture steel from ingot steel, and there is no need to import ingot steel as it had previously.

He said that it is a core technology, and that this is the most radical thing for the country to develop a modern industry. However, Vietnam needs more such complexes to create healthy competition.

Private enterprises seem to do better than state-owned ones, if comparing Hoa Phat with Tisco, one of the 12 mega loss-making projects, Chu said.

The Party and the State need to pay special attention and create favorable conditions for the private sector to develop. He praised the fact that the Party has released an important resolution dignifying the role of the private sector. It has been serving as the driving force of the national economy.

He pointed out that in order to develop the fledging automobile industry to catch up with some countries, the State should help the supporting industry with necessary policies. This is also the key problem of many other fields.

Tailoring shop for the world

Chu is concerned about the textile and garment industry, which never left his thoughts during his working years.

Coming from the textile and garment industry, he affirmed that the core technology of the industry needs to begin from the weaving industry, spinning, and fashion design at a level to make Vietnam known to the entire world.

Only by doing this will Vietnam be able to have its own input materials and its strong brand in the world. If not, it will forever just do outsourcing for other countries.

Chu said the textile and garment industry is developing very rapidly with 2.5 million workers. However, Vietnams fabric brand remains weak. It is difficult to export fabric to choosy markets such as the US and Europe at times just because Vietnam uses imported accessories.

Chu mentioned the story of Philip Kotler, the father of modern marketing, who came to Vietnam some days ago. The politician suggested that Vietnam should think of becoming a kitchen of the world and consider this one of the choices to build a national brand, because Vietnam has great advantages in farm produce and food processing.

The idea should be studied and researched by the countrys agricultural sector. As for the textile and garment industry, perhaps Vietnam should think of becoming a tailoring shop for the world, Chu said.

Vietnamese input materials

Why not become a tailoring shop for the world as Vietnams textile and garment exports are at a high level?

To succeed, according to Chu, it is necessary to build a core technology for Vietnams textile and garment industry, i.e building weaving, fiber and yarn factories with Vietnamese characteristics.

If Vietnam cannot make its own input materials and control this, it will forever be passive in organizing production.

Textile and garment sector has export turnover of $10 billion a year (Vietnam wants to export $39 billion worth of textiles and garments this year, the same as last year, according to Vinatex). It is one of six industries with this export turnover level.

Vietnamese have only 24 years to become a developed country with high income.

Though the goals are believed to be within reach, they will be unattainable if Vietnam doesnt set proper plans and make every effort.

Quoc Phong

FDI inflows remains spotlight of Vietnam's economy The government has set up an FDI task force to support multinationals and foreign businesses grasping investment opportunities in Vietnam.
There are currently nine lighthouses on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago's islands, namely Son Ca, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, Da Lat, Da Tay, An Bang, Song Tu Tay, Tien Nu and Truong Sa Lon.

In addition to ensuring maritime safety in the surrounding territorial waters, these lighthouses have also affirmed Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands.

The 28 metre lighthouse on Son Ca island was put into operation in August 2010. It operates from 5:30pm to 5:30am on the next day. (Photo: Phan Sau-Thang Trung-Sy Tuyen/VNA)

Built in 2013, the 24.9-metre-high Nam Yet lighthouse lights up the waters of the East Sea, guiding vessels operating in the waters off the coast of Khanh Hoa province. (Photo: Phan Sau-Thang Trung-Sy Tuyen/VNA)

Built in 2013, the 24.9-metre-high Nam Yet lighthouse lights up the waters of the East Sea, guiding vessels operating in the waters off the coast of Khanh Hoa province. (Photo: Phan Sau-Thang Trung-Sy Tuyen/VNA)

The lighthouses are considered as sovereignty markers and diligently shine every night to assist and guide ships passing through the area. (Photo: Phan Sau-Thang Trung-Sy Tuyen/VNA)

The lighthouse helps to ensure safe movements of vessels, asserts Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands and makes it easier for rescue and search activities at sea. In the photo: Lighthouse on Da Tay B Reef. (Photo: VNA)

The lemon-yellow octagon shaped lighthouse stands out from the sky and water, sending out its light signals across the East Sea. (Photo: VNP/VNA)

Source: VNP

Truong Sa lighthouses affirm Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands In addition to ensuring maritime safety in the surrounding territorial waters, lighthouses on islands of Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in Truong Sa District of Khanh Hoa province, have also affirmed Vietnam's sovereignty over seas and islands.
Teff and his team camped out in 120-degree weather with nothing but sand around them. There was no electricity in the dining hall or sleeping tents, with most of the electricity reserved only for the medical facility, Teff said. Besides battling enemy forces and the heat, there were biting sand flies and blinding sand storms to contend with.

Water was rationed. Each soldier or staff member got eight liters of water per day to use for laundry, drinking or bathing.

There was no such thing as cold water, Teff said. The only thing you got was what was sitting in the sand. So the water was nice if you wanted to pour it over your head and wash up. But if you wanted to make Kool-Aid out of it, you drank warm grape Kool-Aid, and the food was lousy. It was a miserable way to live.

As uncomfortable as it sounds to a doctor, there were people living in much worse places than I was. If you talk to the Marines, their housing was whatever they made for the day, and they went out and looked for a fight every day. That was their job. Their house for the night was a hole, and they had even less water and food than we had.
Looking back to Tribune-Herald articles in recent years about more Waco ISD playgrounds being closed to the public, Hinojosa decided to contact Waco ISDs administration and ask if the Dean Highland playground could be opened to the public.

Waco ISD Superintendent Susan Kincannon said the fences around school playgrounds all went up before she joined the district, but in talking to principals at various schools she learned vandalism and trash have been problems in the past. Now, the city parks and recreation department will help maintain the facilities and close them at night to address those issues, she said.

I want to make sure that the community has access to the schools, Kincannon said. The schools belong to the community.

Waco ISD Board Vice President Stephanie Korteweg, whose district includes part of the Dean Highland neighborhood, said she knows the agreement will only meet some of her neighbors needs. The elementary school playground equipment is meant for younger kids, and the playground will still be limited to school use only during the day for the sake of students safety.
She said for her, Juneteenths new status as a federal holiday does not change her own personal feelings about the holiday.

I just appreciate the acknowledgement as a first step for us going in the right direction, connecting and being more of a community, being more accepting of each others culture and history, Victorian said. I think thats very important.

April Walker, a 34-year resident of Waco who recently moved to Troy, said she has been coming to the parade since her father brought her as a little girl. She came back from Troy with her own family to attend this years celebrations in Waco. Her spot along the parade route on Elm Avenue was only a few blocks from the location of Dr. Alfred T. Braithwaite, Walkers great-grandfather and one of the first African American doctors in Waco.

Weve come every year, and this is the biggest its ever been, Walker said. Now its almost like its for the entire community.

She said while there is a risk the holiday could become further commercialized now that it is a national holiday, the positives outweigh the negatives in her mind.
State Sen. West and WISD Chief of Staff DeBeer are right. In an age when more of us are eager to cherry-pick from a history that some of us desperately want to define and justify our race, religion or tribe, teachers trying to do their jobs in a fiercely polarized society face a treacherous minefield not only in what they highlight and interpret (with student input) but also in how they use history as relevant context for events of today. Imagine explaining to someone elses kid the sometimes violent, statue-vandalizing summer 2020 protests focused on former Texan George Floyds brutal death by Minneapolis police or the disgraceful Jan. 6 spectacle of an American president encouraging supporters to employ violence in halting congressional certification of Electoral College results in his opponents favor. Good luck, teachers.

All this happens amid an equally disorienting national backdrop. Last week Congress passed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday with the Senate approving it unanimously. The bills author, African American Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, incredibly claimed its passage represented our racial divide crumbling. The same week Republican Sen. Tom Cotton and his Capitol Hill allies reintroduced a bill to prohibit use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project. To quote Cotton: Activists in schools want to teach our kids to hate America and hate each other using discredited critical race theory curricula like the 1619 Project. Federal funds should not pay for activists to masquerade as teachers and indoctrinate our youth. And when a notorious QAnon-indoctrinated congresswoman who compared Capitol Hill mask-wearing rules to the Holocaust walked back the comment last week, New York humorist Paul Rudnick was waiting to pounce: The fact that Marjorie Taylor Greene, at 47, had to visit the Holocaust Museum in DC (as a publicity stunt) to announce that the Holocaust was bad is why our schools should teach critical race theory: Imagine what else Marjorie doesnt know. All of which conjures up an impassioned plea Morgan Craven, policy director of the San Antonio-based Intercultural Development Research Association, made to state senators this spring: Racism and sexism and discrimination are real. They are real in this country and they are real in this state, and to have a bill that says teachers cannot discuss certain concepts is dangerous for a lot of students and teachers in this state who need to be able to discuss that, not only for the current events that are going on right now but as part of their social studies curriculum. (Craven was a briefing attorney for then-Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, descendant of a former slave who served on the Waco City Council after the Civil War.) And heres something reassuring from Gov. Abbott as he signed House Bill 3979 into law last week: House Bill 3979 is a strong move to abolish critical race theory in Texas, but more must be done. The issue will be added to a special session agenda. Guess whos running for re-election in Texas as Trump Mini-Me?
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The company was founded by Faleys father, Mike Faley, who ran the business out of his mothers garage in Dubuque. Teddy Jo said his father would travel from gas station to gas station, largely selling oil filters.

At the time, cars were less complicated feats of engineering. Ford cars all shared the same Ford oil filters, while the Dodge-Chrysler family of cars all had a filter of their own. When it came to individual manufacturers, it was largely a one-size-fits-all model, Faley said. As time has gone on, cars have become more complex in their design, and the number of unique parts made for each make and model of a vehicle has expanded dramatically.

We used to have only a few different types of oil filters, Faley said. Now, I have hundreds of different oil filters to fit all the different types of cars out there.

IWI has looked to meet this increasing complexity by expanding outward with new warehouse locations in order to fit its ever-expanding supply, including Iowa locations in Cascade and Dyersville, along with Wisconsin locations in Lancaster and Platteville.
The Iowa Supreme Court 2020-21 adjudicative term ended Wednesday with the court having rendered opinions on 120 cases and held one over for resubmission.

The courts decisions are available at https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-opinions/. Oral argument videos, case briefs, attorney names, and the Iowa Court of Appeals decisions from further review cases can be found on the Iowa Judicial Branch website by searching for the case name or number using the sites search function on the homepage at https://www.iowacourts.gov.

A new administrative term begins Thursday. A schedule of cases will be posted on the judicial branch website. The Supreme Courts 2021-22 adjudicative term begins Sept. 1.

SAFETY FIRST ON THE FOURTH: With thousands expected to travel across the state and enjoy Iowas natural resources, state and local law enforcement agencies will be focusing on safety this Fourth of July holiday.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau will focus efforts on intoxicated boaters as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign to draw public attention to the hazards of boating under the influence.

In Iowa, it is illegal to operate a vessel or vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher.

DNR conservation officers will heavily patrol Iowa waterways Friday through Sunday. They will conduct heightened awareness and enforcement of boating under the influence laws in hopes of decreasing the number of crashes and removing any impaired boat operators.

Tips for staying safe while boating include staying sober because alcohol and drug use impair judgment, balance, vision and reaction time; wearing a life jacket and having the proper number onboard; and taking a boating safety class.

The DNR also offered safety tips for people using the states public beaches: Swim in designated areas, wear a life jacket, swim with a buddy, and avoid areas with waves or rip currents.

MORE COMPENSATION: Beginning Sunday, there will be an increase in the maximum weekly benefits paid to unemployed Iowans and to workers injured on the job, according to Iowa Workforce Development. A statutorily required annual review of wages covered by unemployment insurance has triggered the increase. The average annual wage for insured Iowa workers increased to $52,130.71 in 2020, up from $48,455.86 in 2019.

Iowa Workforce Development officials noted that about half those eligible for unemployment insurance benefits have enough earnings to qualify for the maximum benefit. The 2022 taxable wage base will be $34,800.

The new benefit payment schedules apply to individuals who file new unemployment insurance claims and workers injured on or after Sunday. Those currently receiving benefits from state or federal programs will continue to receive the same weekly benefit amount.

Beginning Thursday, the workers compensation maximum weekly benefit for temporary total disability, healing period, permanent total disability and death will rise to $2,005. For permanent partial disability, the weekly maximum will be $1,845.

For more information, visit https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov.
Before her speech, RedState.com reports, a student recited the Pledge of Allegiance, but not the one we are used to: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under Allah, indivisible, and with liberty and justice for all.

This summer offers a unique opportunity for parents and their children. After more than a year of distance learning that has left some students behind, especially those in marginalized communities, now is an excellent time to rethink our entire education system. Public education, established three centuries ago with values that are in sharp contrast to what is taught today, has long exceeded its expiration date. Parents should take advantage of school choice in states that allow them to choose the schools  public, private, religious, or home school  which best teach subjects that matter and at a minimum do not undermine the country, its history (good and bad), their faith and societal values.
Like other American cities and towns, Cedar Falls is at a cultural crossroads. Waterloo and Cedar Falls have different but equally compelling challenges. In Cedar Falls, we must come to terms with the reality and enduring harm caused by past sundown town practices.

As recently as 1947, an abstract for 22 new properties in the Cedar Heights neighborhood contained the restriction that, No part of the premises herein platted shall be sold, leased to, owned or occupied by any person or persons other than persons of the Caucasian race, except that this provision shall not apply to servants of the owners or tenants. This abstract was signed by the mayor and city clerk, making the government complicit in this discrimination.

That we are a 91% white, 2.5% Black population was not a mere accident, or simply a matter of people living where they preferred. Cedar Falls was designed this way, and we werent alone  such practices were commonplace in the last century, and its pernicious legacy haunts American communities even today. Its time we recognize and renounce that sundown town past.

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Iowa (ahy-uh-wuh); state in north-central United States.

Totalitarian (toh-tal-i-tair-ee-uhn); dictatorially controlled government

Party (pahr-tee); relating to a faction.

Extensive evidence reveals Iowas Republican Party  ever since garnering trifecta control of the Governors Office, Senate and House in 2016  has become more dictatorial over the lives of her citizens and communities.

Iowas GOP should be renamed TP (Totalitarian Party). Likewise, by the national Republican Party recently embracing personality over policy they have changed their 1854 founding principles to become POTTY (Party of Trump Today & Yesterday). TP and POTTY go hand-in-hand.

Iowas elected TP officials legislative dictums imposed on her plebeians  low life citizens like you and me  usually came from POTTY and right-wing conservative groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council and Heritage Foundation.

Iowas TP lords have imposed the following 11 edicts upon her kingdom:
As the Senate returns to work and faces a fistful of thorny issues  from upgrading infrastructure to upholding voting rights  the ghost of a man named Jim Jeffords haunts the Capitol.

Jeffords, who died in 2014, served three terms as a senator from Vermont. And 20 years ago, in May of 2001, he rocked the political world.

At that point, the Senate was equally divided between 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, just as it is now. Because George W. Bush was president, however, Vice President Dick Cheney could break ties, so Republicans controlled the chamber.

Jeffords was a classic progressive New Englander in a Republican party whose center of gravity was shifting to the South, to the West, and especially to the right.

Increasingly, I find myself in disagreement with my party, he stated. Given the changing nature of the national party, it has become a struggle for our leaders to deal with me and for me to deal with them.

Finally, that tension overwhelmed Jeffords. He left the GOP, became an independent and threw his support to the Democrats. Overnight, Tom Daschle of South Dakota replaced Trent Lott of Mississippi as majority leader, Democrats took over the committees, and Jeffords became head of the Environment and Public Works panel.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Wheres the best place to get lamb bucatini in Santa Fe? How about a Guatemalan breakfast, or a poke bowl, or lengua tacos? What about golden, cornmeal-crusted catfish, or a strawberry paleta drenched in white chocolate and studded with Fruity Pebbles?

These days, St. Michaels Drive is the exciting new center of the gourmet action in town. The commercial corridor of seemingly bland strip malls between Cerrillos Road and Old Pecos Trail has, over the course of the past year or so, exploded into the most favorable foodie destination in Santa Fe. With lower rents than those offered by downtown landlords, St. Michaels is a haven for first-time and mom-and-pop restaurateurs. Block by block, theyre offering a more exciting array of dining options than any other neighborhood in the city.

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In 2014, Loyal Hound paved the way for its successors by settling into a cozy corner of the Plaza del Sol shopping center and offering up a creative, well-executed menu of elevated pub food, along with a robust beer and wine list. Sagches Coffee House, opened around the corner by brothers Erwin and Walfre Sagche in 2018, followed suit, drawing a loyal following with its single-origin Guatemalan, Colombian and Mexican beans. Theres also a lineup of tasty New Mexican classics and Guatemalan specials (try the pepian, a chicken-tomatillo stew with pumpkin seeds).

By 2019, after Santa Fe Bite was reincarnated in the former Tecolote space over at St. Michaels Village West  and began serving Belgian Liege waffles alongside what many consider to be the finest green-chile cheeseburgers in the land  it was clear a revolution was taking place on St. Michaels Drive.

Last summer, James Anthony Moore, a 14-year veteran chef of Asian fusion, opened Anthonys Grill in St. Michaels Village West. Word of mouth about his straightforward build-your-own stir fry operation (and killer catfish and hush puppies) spread fast. By fall, the restaurant had become a bona fide pandemic hit.

This winter, Agapao Coffee joined the party, moving into the drive-through kiosk in the same parking lot and quickly becoming a must-stop for St. Michaels commuters. Santa Fe was crying out for more independently owned coffee drive-throughs  have you seen the regular line at Ohoris on Pen Road?

Strip-mall dining is a pretty Los Angeles thing, so it makes sense that perhaps the most LA restaurant in town has colonized the Food King shopping center. Earlier this year, Liu Liu Liu restaurateurs, and California transplants Cameron Markham and Elizabeth Blankstein decided to invest their wedding money in a restaurant instead of having a pandemic wedding. Eager to spend their budget on quality ingredients rather than a steep rent, they say their location perfectly suits them. It might be a bit jarring to be forking up exquisite mouthfuls of Pernod-scented swordfish next to a barber shop, but its all in the delicious dissonance of the new St. Michaels Drive.

Yes, there are food trucks, too. The Sanchez Tacos truck, parked next to Liquid Company Package Liquors, and El Pilar, on the corner of St. Michaels and Cerrillos, are recent transplants. Both offer solid taco plates and Mexican staples (try the fiery red sauce from Sanchez). After your food truck feast, you might venture across to College Plaza South, where the rapidly growing ice-cream chain Paleta Bar opened an outpost in February.

I recently indulged in a dark chocolate-dipped, creamy coconut bar that was expertly crusted with chopped pistachios. I was also wowed by the efficient assembly line and array of not-too-sweet aguas frescas.

The newest kid on the St. Michaels scene is Ocean Maung, a native of Burma who worked as manager of Asian foods at Whole Foods for more than a decade before going out on his own. His sushi trays are available at Chomp Food Hall, Buffalo Thunder Casino, and markets in Pojoaque and Eldorado. But, a few weeks ago, he also opened Golden Land Cafe. Nestled into Plaza del Sol, the bright yellow space offers a sorely needed grab-and-go array of delights that include righteous pork buns, dumplings, egg rolls and sushi. The menu spans noodle and teriyaki bowls, sukiyaki hot pot ramen and poke bowls (I am the poke master, Maung told me proudly). I loved his shrimp and basil soup with rice noodles, Napa cabbage, straw mushrooms and bok choy in a rich, savory broth, served with sriracha.

Miraculously, among all the new faces and flavors, there are still plenty of empty storefronts along St. Michaels Drive. With this wealth of choice, it makes sense to leave downtown to the tourists this summer  and keep an eye on those spaces. You never know what the next strip-mall sensation might be.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Alina Boyko and Devendra Contractor aim to be a conduit within the art community.

The pair started the collaborative gallery Pie Projects earlier this year in the Baca Railyard.

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The gallery hosts art-related events to support human creativity, allied organizations and contemporary artists.

We opened at the beginning of March, Boyko says. Weve done several shows and have had community support.

Pie Projects recently collaborated on a show with the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque.

In Santa Fe, the general audience knows a little less about Tamarind, Boyko says. Its been wonderful to have some old and new work from there, and talk about the history of Tamarind. It was an opportunity for an Albuquerque organization to have some space in Santa Fe.

Contractor says the Tamarind show is one of my favorites so far.

The current exhibit is Summertime at Pie Projects, a two-person show that features scratched portraits in plexiglass by Joanne Lefrak and mixed-media paintings by Martha Tuttle.

Both artists play with light, shadow and corporeal relationships.

The exhibit is presented in Santa Fe in partnership with Albuquerques Richard Levy Gallery.

This is the second time weve worked with Levy Gallery, Contractor says. Its another opportunity to bring art to an audience.

Lefrak is known for scratching portraits of women she knows into plexiglass surfaces.

Her portraits are not idealized and she is unconcerned with social obsessions for youth or perfection; rather, Lefraks subjects are middle-aged women who are fully empowered and in the prime of their lives.

In addition to being an artist, Lefrak is the Director of Education and Curator of Public Practice at SITE Santa Fe.

Meanwhile, Tuttle uses traditional techniques to create mixed-media paintings. She spins, weaves and dyes wool, and embellishes her handmade fabrics with an assortment of such media as graphite, stone dust and natural pigments. Her paintings reference physical connections to the natural world through texture and translucence.

She grew up in New Mexico and currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Both Boykin and Contractor are excited about bringing more art to the area.

A lot of our neighbors to support, Contractor says. Its almost like we have a neighborhood gallery with great art.

If you go

WHAT: Summertime at Pie Projects

WHEN: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; runs through July 10; reception from 5-7 p.m. June 26

WHERE: Pie Projects, 924 B Shoofly Street

HOW MUCH: Free to attend
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By edward r. baca

A scenario I encountered on a road trip from Santa Fe to visit my cousin in the Texas Hill Country this past spring left me unexpectedly stunned.

The first couple of hundred miles of U.S. Highway 285 through Clines Corners, Vaughn and Roswell were uneventful. However, the 86-mile stretch between Carlsbad, New Mexico and Pecos, Texas, jolted me into a state of fearful awareness.

Upon leaving the southern outskirts of Carlsbad, I crossed the boundary into ground zero of fracking in the Permian Oil Basin of Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. I had driven this road about 10 years ago, and was familiar with the pump jacks, pipelines, storage tanks and associated oil field cross traffic, but was not prepared for what I saw this time.

The advent of fracking had increased the activity between Carlsbad and Pecos to an exponential degree. Semi-tanker trucks and oil field service trucks raced up and down this two-lane highway. They turned off and on gravel service roads in a hurried frenzy. The cactus and mesquite bushes lining the highway were heavily strewn with plastic grocery bags, and the sides of the road were littered with trash, plastic bottles, beer cans and pieces of rubber from blown-out tires. This whole surreal landscape was covered by a thick layer of gray dust stirred up by these trucks.

The sprawling man camps, RV parks and truck stops that popped up along this stretch since the last time I had been there were another shocking surprise. Driving through this Mad Max-like desert wasteland while dodging tanker trucks in my little RAV-4 elicited fears I had not experienced since negotiating the I-90 semi-truck gauntlet between Chicago and Gary, Indiana, years ago. Its understandable why no one, including the New Mexico Department of Transportation, would dare to collect litter on this road.

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This is just the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is the environmental damage caused by the fossil fuel industry. Big oil and its elected enablers would have you believe that global warming is not as serious as the environmental scientists report it to be. Actually, they want you to believe that it is a hoax, and methane emissions, well, theyre really not that bad. Increased respiratory issues? Bah! Theyre no worse than seasonal allergies. And, whats more, look at all the revenue this industry generates for New Mexico! They dont want you to know that the revenue our state receives from them is chump change compared with the profits they extract from New Mexico and deliver to their boardrooms in Houston, Dallas and New York for distribution to their CEOs and majority stockholders.

When the boom is over, well be left with a littered highway, increasing health problems, rusting oil field boneyards and a vastly depleted water table, i.e., a toxic desert wasteland. Meanwhile, Steve Pearce continues to parrot big oils denial of the climate crisis existing in our state, nation and planet. Its no coincidence that he chose to take the recent Republican state party convention to the oil and gas industrys home turf of Texas to strategize ways of advancing their drill, baby, drill agenda. The alternative is to build a diverse sustainable economy that is not fossil fuel dependent. Do we bite the bullet now or later?

Edward R. Baca lives in Santa Fe.
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City Councilors Chris Rivera and Signe Lindell are revisiting a chronic, chronically contentious issue  whether some Santa Fe city employees should be required to live in or near Santa Fe.

No, Rivera and Lindell arent jumping back into the long-running discussion over how city government subsidizes, at considerable expense, daily police officer commutes of up to 60 miles one way, 120 miles round trip, with free use of take-home patrol cars and gas.

A new proposal by the two councilors would apply only to the city manager, the police chief and the fire chief, but apparently not the incumbents in those three positions. Anyone appointed to the three top jobs after July 1 would have to live in Santa Fe or within 10 miles of the city limits, the resolution says.

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The resolution hit a wall during an initial review by the advisory Public Safety Committee. Concerns were raised about its effect on recruiting and retaining people for the three top jobs or on promoting someone into the positions.

Rivera, himself a former Santa Fe fire chief, is pitching the measure as intended to improve response times if theres an emergency. When you have a big issue going on, like other cities have, you want your top brass there making decisions as much as possible, he said.

Interestingly, Mayor Alan Webber also has signed on to the resolution.

In a 2019 report by the Journal North, Webber indicated he wasnt particularly worried about half of the citys police officers living outside Santa Fe County, or only 27% actually residing within the city limits. He said then that he doesnt see a relationship between residency and job performance. I would love to see more data on that, the mayor said. I have yet to see anything that convinces me one way or the other.

That same year, after Police Chief Andrew Padilla moved to Rio Rancho (where many Santa Fe officers live), Webber said the chief moved for personal reasons and that the chief is a highly visible presence in our community regardless. Padillas attendance at numerous community events was testament to his commitment to Santa Fe, the mayor averred.

But now, Webber is saying that Santa Feans want city leaders to live in or near the city. He told the Santa Fe New Mexican that where top city officials should live is a conversation I want to have.

Such a conversation is a good idea.

The Journal North has long raised concerns about the impact, fiscal and otherwise, of the city underwriting the cost of long police officer commutes. It incentivizes the transition to what, in effect, is a visiting police force, reducing the community buy-in and cultural commitment citizens should expect from law enforcement or any municipal agency. And its a bad advertisement for Santa Fe that its officers dont want to  or cant  live here.

Officers have, among other things, cited the high cost of living in Santa Fe as a problem. That argument has new weight, for sure, as Santa Fe home prices are blowing up again to prices way beyond the salaries of the workforce, including police officers. In any case, the free-car-and-gas job benefit has become pretty much set in concrete as an eternally necessary recruiting tool.

But city officials at the top of the pay scale are a different matter. They can afford to live in or near town, and should. They should drive through and live on the same streets, in the same neighborhoods, as the rest of the Santa Fe population, get to know the place and its people, and experience how what happens (or doesnt happen) at City Hall affects us all. They could even report a few unfilled potholes.

If an officer has made a home Rio Rancho, she or he needs to move to Santa Fe to become the chief  its a sign of commitment to the position and the community.

And if Santa Fe really cant recruit a top manager from, say, Kansas City, Tucson or Las Cruces because the applicant really wants to live in Albuquerque, thats OK.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Two Santa Fe high-tech companies were among five selected for a $25,000 Economic Development Department science and technology business startup grant.

Avisa Diagnostics USA Inc. and iBeam Materials Inc. were selected from among the 56 applicants. Eligible businesses were required to be New Mexico-based, for-profit science and technology companies, and employ fewer than 50 people. Businesses must work in a field related to aerospace, biosciences, cybersecurity, intelligent manufacturing, and sustainable and green energy.

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The grant is designed to help high-growth-potential companies that deliver a unique product or service and have the potential to create jobs or attract private investment.

This was a rigorous review process, with outside technical experts looking at businesses that have the best chance of success, said Myrriah Tomar, director of the state Office of Science and Technology, which oversaw the selection process.

Avisa is in the process of perfecting a revolutionary approach for the rapid diagnosis of lung issues.

I think any grant is important to us as a growing company, and the need for capital is essential, particularly for companies in situations like ours, said CEO David Joseph. As a growing company, we always have a need for capital.

Formed in 2010, Avisa began operation in 2011 and now has six employees.

The original concept was co-invented by Dr. Graham Timmins, an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of New Mexico. Avisa is working the concept on license from UNM.

The oral process allows doctors using biomarkers to diagnose and begin treatment of possible lung infections within 10 minutes, Joseph said.

Rapid diagnosis allows the physician to create an actionable plan for his treatment, or not to treat in some cases, he said.

Right now, precisely identifying respiratory or bacterial infections in the lungs  which generally requires the creation of cultures  can take as long as three days, Joseph said. That time lapse can be critical in the treatment of lung infections, as was proven all too clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Think of it as a thermometer for the lungs, Joseph said.

During the coming year, Avisa will be conducting pivotal studies, with a forecast of commercialization by early 2024, he said.

iBeam Materials is delving into micro-LED technology to create super-bright, paper-thin, flexible and power-efficient lighting for use with displays.

Light-emitting diode displays are currently made on a single-crystal round wafers of sapphire 4-6 inches in diameter.

The company has developed an alternative proprietary process that allows the LED to attach to other, larger materials and to do so at a much lower cost, said CEO Vladimir Matias.

Thats the breakthrough that we have, he said.

The initial research was conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which loaned iBeam some of the hardware Matias and his team used originally to create the process. The company continues to work both with LANL and Sandia National Labs.

Samsung Ventures has already invested in the company as the process could be used for such displays as phones and televisions, providing brighter and better colors with longer life, Matias said.

The company, which was founded in 2011 and has six employees, is looking to have a prototype ready within a year or two, he said.

It has won some $4 million in federal grants over the past five years, but money from the state is important, as well, Matias said.

Were very happy to receive the award, he said. And I think that, while its relatively modest in terms of money, it shows the state is putting more confidence in us. Weve won other awards from New Mexico state.
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Q: Before the pandemic, I paid $1,025 for an annual travel insurance policy through Allianz for my wife and me. Shes in her 70s, and Im in my 80s. Then COVID-19 came along, and we had to cancel everything we planned to do in Europe. So our policy became useless.

I asked Allianz if we could transfer our policy to next year when travel appears to be coming back. The company offered a 90-day extension, but its clear that there will be no travel for us during those 90 days. Id like your help to either get a refund for the useless travel insurance or have the policy extended for another year when it appears we will actually be able to make use of it.  Durndord King, Santa Monica, California

A: Im sorry you had to cancel your trip to Europe. You would think that your travel insurance would be refundable, but it usually isnt.

Allianz travel insurance plans offer coverage for any trips that are more than 100 miles from your home and occur during the policys effective period. So it would have also applied to your trips within the U.S. to visit friends and family during the summer and holidays. If you want to cancel your annual travel insurance, you can do so for any reason and receive a prorated premium refund.

It appears you asked for an extension of your policy. Allianz was offering extensions during the pandemic on a case-by-case basis, so it offered you an extra 90 days of coverage. But you told an Allianz representative you couldnt use the extra 90 days, which is totally understandable.

Travel insurance companies have some flexibility when it comes to requests like yours. You could have appealed to Allianz online (I recommend a written appeal with any documentation). You could have also appealed to an executive at Allianz. I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

By the way, I have the same annual policy that you do. It makes a lot of sense for travelers who take multiple trips in a year.

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Unfortunately, the time for a prorated refund had already passed by the time you contacted me, and a 90-day extension wouldnt have been useful. The terms of your travel insurance purchase were clear, but you were asking the company to bend a rule during a pandemic. I think that was a fair request.

I contacted Allianz on your behalf. A representative said that as a one-time consideration it would refund your plan in full.

Christopher Elliotts latest book is How To Be The Worlds Smartest Traveler. Get help by contacting him at elliott.org/help.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Politician and businessman Elias Sleeper Stover started his life near an ocean and ended it near a river.

That ocean was the North Atlantic, off the coast of Maine, and that river was the Rio Grande, which was just a few miles from Stovers home near Eighth Street and Central Avenue where he died. It was also just blocks from Stover Avenue  the street named in his honor.

Its only a residential street and its not very long. Its prominence comes from its location. Stover Avenue runs alongside the zoo, and anyone who has ever visited there has most likely traveled along Stover Avenue.

Like many streets in that area, the name pays homage to a man who helped guide the city into a new age. Stover was instrumental in establishing what is now Downtown Albuquerque. He also served as the University of New Mexicos first president, a state legislator and a Bernalillo County commissioner and was a co-founder of the First National Bank of Albuquerque.

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It was timing and probably some luck that put Stover at the forefront of Albuquerques economic boom and growth that largely spurred by the 1880 arrival of the railroad. The timing was that Stover moved to Albuquerque in 1876, just four years before the railroad came. The luck was in his choice of friends and associates who helped him sketch out and achieve ambitious plans.

He teamed up with fellow city pioneers Franz Huning and William Hazeldine, notable men in their own right. They bought up land near the proposed railroad depot. The three were involved in establishing the citys first subdivisions south of Downtown and helping bring the train to Albuquerque.

Stovers foray into public life began well before he came to New Mexico.

He came from a family that witnessed some of the most pivotal moments of American history. His great-grandfather on the Stover side fought in the Revolutionary War. Stovers father was a sea captain, and Stover himself was active in the anti-slavery movement. He moved to Junction City, Kansas, in 1858 to participate in the effort to keep slavery out of territory if it gained statehood. He was one of the citys first settlers. Just a few years later he enlisted in the Union Army and spent two years fighting in the Civil War.

He was an artillery officer in the 2nd Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and saw extensive action at the Battle of Cane Hill, the Battle of Prairie Grove, and the Battle of Dardanelle.

After serving, he went into politics. He was elected lieutenant governor of Kansas from 1872 to 1874. He also served in the legislature there.

He arrived to Albuquerque in 1876 and set up a shop in Old Town. At that time, Old Town was still the center of commerce in Albuquerque. It didnt take him long to step into the political arena again. He served as a Bernalillo County commissioner from 1881 to 1883 and on the territorial Legislature. He was also a member of a state constitutional convention in 1889.

A July 28, 1890, Santa Fe New Mexican article about the Republican League convention described Stover as a commanding figure and level-headed man, and what he says is always listened to with marked attention.

He served as president of the University of New Mexico from 1891 to 1897, although UNM archivist Portia Vescio said he did not leave a legacy worth boasting about. Stover had very little experience in academics and he had an unruly son, Roderick Stover, who was a student there. The younger Stover was a rule breaker and clashed with his father and other university officials.

His UNM presidency may not have been that remarkable, but Stover did many remarkable things in his nine decades of life. Even learning to live without a hand. According to the Dec. 25, 1886, Junction City Weekly Union Kansas newspaper, during a trip Stover had a hand so badly shattered by the discharge of a gun while out hunting the other day that amputation was necessary.

Stover was born Nov. 22, 1836, in Rockland, Maine, when America, New Mexico and Albuquerque were in their infancy. He died Feb. 3, 1927, at the age of 90. His Albuquerque Journal Feb. 4 obituary reminded readers of his many contributions, including to those of his final home town.

For more than 50 years he had resided in New Mexico, but prior to his coming here, he had crowded into his 40 years possibly more experiences of a noteworthy nature than many public men encounter in a lifetime.  His civic activities were many and varied and he contributed much to the upbuilding of Albuquerque, where he came when practically the entire settlement was around the Old Town Plaza.

Curious about how a town, street or building got its name? Email staff writer Elaine Briseno at ebriseno@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3965 as she continues the monthly journey in Whats in a Name?

Editors note: The Journal continues Whats in a Name?, a twice-a-month column in which staff writer Elaine Briseno will give a short history of how places in New Mexico got their names.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Paul Ingles learned many things from his father.

Yet, it was the final months of his fathers life where he learned the most from the World War II veteran.

It is also the impetus behind the feature film, A Soldiers Passage.

It was ambitious, Ingles says of the project. But I wanted to capture everything that my father wanted to say.

While spending time with his father in the months leading up to his passing, Ingles was swept up in the profundity of the experience and began to think about making his second collaboration with fellow filmmaker Tim Nenninger a feature film about that time with his dad.

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The films title comes from the title of a memoir that Ingles father wrote in the mid-1980s about his experience as a first lieutenant in Pattons Third Army at the Battle of the Bulge and in other European action towards the end of World War II.

The senior Ingles was awarded both a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service, but he chose not to make the military his career, instead going into business as an executive with a phone company in the Washington, D.C. area, which is where Ingles and his siblings grew up.

The Albuquerque-based filmmaker and actor self-financed the project which is a mildly fictionalized account of his experience with his dad.

Ingles began to work on the script in January 2017  about six months after his father died.

Also an actor, Ingles starred as a version of himself in the movie.

I began taking acting classes at Sol Acting Academy in 2010, Ingles says. I was obviously the oldest person there. I learned and took this notion with me. If I wanted to be in films, I would write them myself. So I did.

Ingles father, John S. Ingles was widowed at the age of 88 when his wife of 60 years died, leaving him to finish out lifes ride alone in an assisted living community in North Carolina. John S. Ingles died July 5, 2016.

In the film, the John S. Ingles character is played by Fred Schwab. Ingles siblings are played by Paul Venable and Janelle Lovin Mancha.

The film tracks the nine months from the fall of 2015 to the summer of 2016 when his father, now 93, begins to see his health slide after some fainting spells at the retirement home and subsequent visits to the hospital.

The three adult kids, spread out across the country, have differing opinions about whether to place their dad in hospice care with 24/7 home health support, something he is adamantly resisting. A long-planned trip to Australia for Jane and her family forces a decision on his care.

Ingles says he wrote the script largely from his point of view as the one able to spend the most time with his father in those last months.

Both of his siblings need to hold down their full-time teaching jobs and cant visit their dad as often.

Ive been telling folks that the film is a cross between the very talky cult classic My Dinner with Andre and Tuesdays with Morrie, another film about life-lesson sharing between generations, says Ingles.

The films subtitle is Conversations from the Last Mile of the Long March Home

My father was in a very active life-review in those final months, Ingles says. I was humbled at some of the things he chose to share with me. I wanted to be conscious about being as good an end-of-life companion as I could be, so I was talking it over a lot with my therapist in real life here in Albuquerque. He was a huge help to me.

Ingles took the opportunity to spend the time with his father because when his mother died, he wasnt there.

He knows that the subject is universal because most everyone is going to have to go through this at one point.

My dad told me he could have been a better father and husband, Ingles says. Its an ordinary story. I think an audience will walk out with a lot of useful ideas about how to talk their aging loved ones through these challenging times at lifes end. And how to be present with the beautiful moments that can still happen as a death unfolds in front of them. Its not something that has to be feared or avoided. The death-witnessing experience can reveal a path to a better life for those who are left to carry on.

Ingles also teamed up with the Guild Cinema to stream the film as part of its virtual theater programming. The film will be available to rent or buy at guildcinema.com through the end of June.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Toward the end of the Great Depression, a loose configuration of New Mexico artists rebelled against the social realism and Americana then dominating American art.

Founded in 1938 in Taos, the Transcendental Painting Group explored a spiritual vision of the American landscape. These painters used free-wheeling symbols and imagery drawn from the collective unconscious to portray a spiritually vibrant America.

Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group opens at the Albuquerque Museum on Saturday, June 26. The traveling exhibition was organized by the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.

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Under the guidance of the painters Raymond Jonson and Emil Bisttram, the groups affiliated artists included Agnes Pelton, Florence Miller Pierce, William Lumpkins, Horace Pierce, Robert Gribbroek, Stuart Walker, Lawren Harris, Dane Rudhyar and Ed Garman. All of them worked in New Mexico except Pelton, who lived in southern California.

The Transcendental Painting Group issued a manifesto stating that their purpose was to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world, through new concepts of space, color, light and design, to imaginative realms that are idealistic and spiritual.

They wanted to engage in works that were more abstract, curator Josie Lopez said. It was also embedded within broad issues of spirituality. They were really trying to imagine a better world; they did it with their beautiful artwork.

The group incorporated theosophy and Buddhism, as well as the non-objective experimentation of the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky. These artists sought to evoke sensuous experiences of nature and the cosmos, often incorporating rhythm and music into their work.

Jonson moved from Chicago to New Mexico in 1924. He began teaching at the University of New Mexico in 1934.

He opened one of the first gallery spaces that allowed contemporary artists to show here, Lopez said.

The university built the Jonson Gallery in 1950 to serve as the artists private home and studio, as well as a teaching gallery. Jonson donated his personal collection, intending to establish a lasting repository for works by the Transcendentalists.

Jonsons work developed over time, ranging from landscapes to a pointillist self-portrait. He often produced abstractions of the New Mexico landscape.

Jonsons painting Oil #2 reveals a transparency through layers of color and shapes. In 1938 he began to use an airbrush, allowing him to eliminate brushstrokes.

His titles were often obtuse, Lopez said. He doesnt offer you a lot of information. Hes asking the viewer to look at the work.

Born in Hungary, Bisttram moved to Taos in 1930, overwhelmed by the grandeur of the landscape as well as its mystical light.

He founded the Taos School of Art in 1932.

Bisttram said he painted Creative Forces (1936) while he was meditating on creation.

He has that overlapping oval and circular technique, Lopez said. The top resembles an eye with light streams of enlightenment.

Last year, New Yorks Whitney Museum of American Art presented a one-women survey of Peltons work as a Desert Transcendentalist. She visited New Mexico via an invitation from artistic magnet Mabel Dodge Luhan in Taos in 1919.

Using an abstract vocabulary of curvilinear, biomorphic forms and delicate, shimmering veils of light, Pelton portrayed her awareness of a world that lay behind physical appearances  a world of benevolent, disembodied energies animating and protecting life.

Light is very much central to the work she created, Lopez said. There are also overlapping ovals and circles.

Pelton often incorporated the night sky into her painting as she remained engaged with the natural landscape. She regularly painted more traditional landscapes to support herself.

They all were fascinated by the light here and the sky here, Lopez said.

Short-lived, the Transcendental Painting Group dissipated in 1941 as the pending war limited their ambitions. Revivalist New York art dealer Martin Diamond rediscovered their work in 1979 after a colleague showed him a Jonson painting.

Diamond began representing Jonson and introduced the groups paintings to a wider New York audience. Since that time, the Transcendentalists have appeared in numerous gallery and museum shows and in important public and private collections.

If you go

WHAT: Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group

WHERE: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Exhibit begins Saturday, June 26 and runs through Sept. 26

HOW MUCH: $3-$6 at holdmyticket.com
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Until recently, there was a spot outside of Albuquerque, the locals know it, where if drivers slowed down to 45 mph and drove just over onto the shoulder, the rumble strips played America the Beautiful. It was a small thing really, just a quarter mile stretch on a historic highway. Among all the bike trails around Albuquerque, this one, Route 66 into the mountains, remains one of my favorites. I loved hearing the old songs melody, poetic in its marriage of mans engineering, our nations history and an ode to our countrys wide open spaces.

The purpose behind that musical stretch was to bring joy to drivers, to the American public  a goal shared by all public lands. Everything from your local bike trail to sweeping national parks are designed to serve generations of Americans. These uniquely American spaces host families for yearly camping trips, veterans for post-war reunions, and American businesses from sea to shining sea. Sometimes, they also host energy companies, extracting natural resources on landscapes we share with wildlife and our friends and families.

I understand the need for energy companies to operate, but the current federal oil and gas leasing program is simply antiquated, broken, and requires holistic reform. In addition to bearing the cost of hundreds of abandoned wells that scar the landscape, New Mexico taxpayers are not getting a fair return on the value of these lands. Finite government resources are being wasted in the current leasing system, and we need every cent we can get in New Mexico. Most notably, the existing leasing program prioritizes development over protecting wildlife, recreation, renewable energy resources, and maintaining clean air and water. As a result, public lands have not been managed to best serve the public interest. But public lands belong to all of us, and we must again return to our responsibility for protecting them for future generations.

We are more than overdue the time to protect our communities health, wildlife, water and lands from mismanaged oil and gas drilling. Multimillion-dollar oil and gas CEOs have for too long been the recipient of sweetheart deals on public lands. In New Mexico, there were over 400 produced water spills in 2020 alone  threatening the land, the life and the freshwater of communities across our state. Living in a desert climate, we cannot afford this continued destruction while dollars leave our state.

The Biden administration was right on the mark to pause new leasing and is undertaking the first comprehensive review of the leasing program in decades. During this review, we encourage the administration to embrace a number of solutions and reforms, including: Adopting a new mandate for the program  one that recognizes leasing is not required and/or mandatory and should only be allowed if/when consistent with multiple use and sustained yield objectives and other conservation/taxpayer fairness goals. These reforms should also include closing loopholes that put cleanup costs on taxpayers and make sure corporations start fairly compensating the public with rates that reflect the cumulative costs of drilling and exploration.

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, and Im proud to call a spot of land between the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande my home today. I earned my commercial pilot license in the late 70s and early 80s. Most of my flight hours have been over our Land of Enchantment, and Ive witnessed the beyond-words beauty of this country up close and from thousands feet in the air. I urge the Biden-Harris administration to continue what it is doing and prioritize protecting public lands for the American public, keeping this great nation America, the beautiful.

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The ongoing drought is having devastating effects on New Mexicos agricultural community as ranchers cull their herds for lack of grass and farmers fallow productive land for lack of irrigation water. While we pray for rain and conserve what little precipitation comes our way, the infrastructure package currently being debated in Washington, D.C., could hold the key to lessen the impacts of future droughts.

Despite extensive water conservation and soil health measures enacted by our states farm, ranch and dairy families, the current water shortage is extreme. Chile, a crop were known for far and wide, is in danger from reduced water flows in the Rio Grande. Not only does a reduced green chile harvest affect our tourism industry  think of the thousands of people that flock to Hatch and follow the Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail  it also has negative consequences for our rural areas who rely on agriculture as an economic driver.

Employees, seed companies and farm equipment dealers all depend on a vibrant ag community to create jobs and economic activity. These same dollars fund schools and public safety. Statewide, New Mexico agriculture is worth $3.44 billion and provides jobs for over 149,000 of our citizens  jobs that are imperiled by a lack of water.

Less water also means fewer locally grown products such as tomatoes and corn at your neighborhood farmers market and fewer New Mexico-grown chile, onions and pecans on our grocery store shelves. And ultimately, it means the gradual disappearance of farms and ranches that have been in families for generations.

How can a bill that deals with water infrastructure help? The water we need for our homes and businesses, to grow our food and maintain natural habitats, depends on a complex system of dams, reservoirs, canals, pipes, treatment plants and other facilities.

Unfortunately, most of the federal projects that store our water and move it around the state were built over 50 years ago and not constructed with the current population demands or changing conditions in mind.

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To ensure water supply reliability for urban areas, and to keep water flowing to local food production, Congress must allocate funding to bolster deteriorating storage and conveyance facilities for increased efficiency and safety. Expanding our surface and groundwater storage capacity will allow us to capture water during times of excess for use during times of scarcity.

President Bidens desire for an infrastructure package aligns perfectly with New Mexicans desire to preserve our agricultural community. We call on Congress to act now in creating a better future for New Mexico and our western neighbors.

Craig Ogden farms and ranches near Loving. Glen Duggins has been growing chile for 37 years near Lemitar.
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Pressed by NBCs Lester Holt earlier this month about why she hasnt visited the U.S.-Mexico border to personally witness the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the unforgiving desert, Vice President Kamala Harris tried to make light of a deadly serious situation.

I havent been to Europe. I dont understand the point youre making, Harris quipped, her words falling as flat as a TV sitcom missing its laugh track.

Holts question seemed pretty straightforward: Why hasnt Harris, who was tapped by President Joe Biden in March to lead efforts to stem the crisis on the southern border, yet visited it? Harris recently returned to the U.S. from her first international trip as VP, visiting with leaders in Mexico and Guatemala. She promised Central American countries $4 billion in foreign aid over the coming years (no details on how that money will get to would-be immigrants) and when in Guatemala City told those thinking of making the journey to the United States: Do not come.

Then she took her own advice and didnt make a stop at our nations southern border.

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Maybe thats because once there, she might have seen the 14-foot barrier near Santa Teresa, from which two human smugglers callously dropped two young sisters in late March. Border agents rescued the Ecuadorian girls  one 5 years old, the other 3  after the gangsters completed their end of the bargain and just trotted away.

She might have toured the 35-foot border wall near El Paso, where police said a 24-year-old Mexican national fell to his death June 11 while trying to scale it.

She might have had the opportunity to ask a group of migrants why they left a 20-year-old man behind in Sunland Park. His body was found June 10 outside an elementary school. He had made it a mile into the United States before being abandoned to die of heat-related illness.

With about 900,000 migrants apprehended at our southern border already this year, theres a lot to see and a lot of people who have a wrenching tale to tell. Immigration officials say border agents made 180,000 apprehensions at the Mexican border in May alone. There were 178,000 apprehensions in April and 172,000 in March, each subsequent month a 20-year high.

And there are record numbers of children traveling by themselves. Border Patrol and U.S. Health and Human Services had almost 17,000 migrant children in custody last week, all of whom need care while authorities search for family members and sponsors in the United States.

Journalist Reyes Mata III recently shared some stories of the migrants with Journal readers. One of those he spoke with for his June 15 story was Iris Johana Banegas, a 33-year-old mother who left her two daughters, ages 11 and 16, behind in Honduras. The decision to leave, it was so hard, to leave my girls. I cried all the way, she said. Banegas traveled for five months with her husband and 5-year-old daughter with hopes of obtaining asylum in the United States.

Now, she is one of thousands of migrants whose entry into the U.S. has been delayed by Title 42, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative implemented in March 2020 that prohibits entry into the United States of unvaccinated immigrants who may have traveled through areas with high infection rates. The law has sent 867,000 immigrants back to Mexico from its inception to May of this year. Its one of former President Trumps policies the Biden administration has continued.

Mata also spoke with Jessica Corley, coordinator for nonprofit agencies in the Albuquerque region that provide help to asylum-seekers. Corley says nobody wants to flee their country, but the caravans of migrants speak otherwise. There is not one parent who would not do what they are doing to protect their kids, Corley says.

Thank goodness shes wrong. Most Central American parents dont send their unaccompanied children on a 1,800-mile, one-way trek through the Chihuahuan desert. Releasing a child into the hands of gangsters for a grueling and perilous journey is an incredibly risky and irresponsible thing for a parent to do  whatever the motive.

Will the gangsters protect children from being sexually assaulted? Do the criminal outfits provide health care and medicine, or even fresh water and shoes? People who pay these gangsters thousands of dollars initially and sometimes an additional ransom later ensure these criminal enterprises continue to flourish and exploit desperate people.

Harris and Biden need to see firsthand the horrible mess theyve both inherited and enhanced. U.S. Customs and Border protection says at least 148 immigrants died along the border between October and the end of April. Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents are responding to about one fatality a week, most of whom drowned in the Rio Grande or nearby canals or got lost on vast ranches and died of exposure or dehydration.

With temperatures in Arizona, New Mexico and South Texas routinely in the triple-digits, more people are going to die in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts if the migrant caravans continue.

The Biden administration abruptly stopped border wall construction and then reversed Trumps remain in Mexico program, so Biden and Harris own the crisis now, with its new flood of immigrants.

The question is: What are they going to do to stop the human trafficking of hundreds of thousands of human beings risking life and limb only to be disappointed, while ensuring a manageable number of immigrants can get safely into the United States to seek a better life?

Harris decision not to stop at the nations 1,250-mile border on her first foreign trip south was an abdication of leadership. It also created an opportunity for Trump to reclaim the spotlight at the border during a planned June 30 trip with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Is that what Harris wanted or what Americans and immigrants need right now?

No. And the more our so-called border czar continues to avoid the border, the more questions she will face from journalists like Holt. And the fewer answers shell hear from migrants like Banegas.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

ELEPHANT BUTTE  Neal Brown dismantled, relocated and reassembled one of his marinas at Elephant Butte Lake State Park last week.

Dropping reservoir levels prompted the rare, labor-intensive move to deeper water.

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On a sweltering afternoon, Brown maneuvers a boat near the 300-foot-tall dam structure at the south end of the reservoir.

He blasts the horn at a watercraft cruising near a bright buoy.

Its real shallow, and theyre not supposed to be there, says Brown, whose Lago Rico company operates the reservoirs marinas. That boat could have some damage coming in.

The reservoir is currently 8% to 10% full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Texas Water Development Board.

Reclamation projections show the lake could dip to a mere 1% of capacity after the Elephant Butte Irrigation District season concludes later this month.

Brown said he tries to avoid slipping into doomsday mode while watching the forecasts.

But he thinks this year is an opportunity for agencies to re-evaluate water management practices and find a way to prevent the near-historic reservoir lows.

After Fourth of July, it will be dropping about a foot a day or so, Brown said.

Rock formations and sand surrounding the lake tell the feast and famine story of the Rio Grande.

Lines far above the water call back to the years New Mexico had good snowmelt, monsoon seasons and full reservoirs.

In recent years, the lower water lines are the ones exposed.

RVs take advantage of the real estate as the water recedes, careful to avoid muddy areas that were recently underwater.

There is a narrow window this summer for good lake recreation, said Edna Trager, City of Elephant Butte mayor and co-owner of Zia Kayak Outfitters.

My concern is that we will shrivel up and die down here, Trager said. Thats why were sounding the alarm.

The mayor joined Brown and a coalition of local lawmakers and business owners, led by U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, and sent a June 10 letter to Camille Touton, acting commissioner for Reclamation.

The group called for regulatory reform and infrastructure investments to tackle the lakes existential crisis this year.

Even if we find out that water levels might not be as bad as they were projecting, that doesnt mean the problem is going to go away, Trager said. You cant keep starting each year from the very bottom.

Elephant Butte Reservoir is considered part of Texas under the Rio Grande Compact, which governs water deliveries between Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.

A team of New Mexico state and federal agencies bears the burden of delivering river water from the Colorado-New Mexico state line to the southern reservoir.

Jennifer Faler, Reclamations Albuquerque area manager, pointed to prolonged drought, not water management, as a major factor in the lake levels.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows more than 60% of New Mexico is experiencing severe drought.

Outside of the irrigation season, were talking November to March when were not irrigating, the volume of water that flows past the Otowi gage is roughly the same as volume entering Elephant Butte, Faler said. The channel is clearly conveying water effectively.

The Cochiti Dam, constructed in the 1970s on the Rio Grandes main stem, may have also made Elephant Butte levels less consistent.

You look at pre-Cochiti flows, and it was routinely 10,000 cubic feet per second, and every one in four years youd see a low of 1,000 cfs, Faler said. The river could maintain itself. When Congress told the Corps (of Engineers) to build Cochiti, they told us to mechanically maintain the river.

Reclamation recently realigned three miles of the San Acacia river reach south of Albuquerque, Faler said, which is likely the reason why were not seeing significant drying yet below Bosque del Apache.

The federal agency also removes vegetation to improve flows and prevent sediment plugs.

An extensive permitting process for those projects stems from environmental laws designed to protect endangered species habitat.

More sediment removal and watershed restoration projects could improve water delivery efficiency in and out of Elephant Butte, said Earl Conway, New Mexico Bass Nations conservation director who helps restore or introduce fish habitat in several state reservoirs.

A dam starts dying the day its built, as it fills in with sediments, Conway said. Elephant Butte will probably be dead in 75 years. That sounds like a long time, but its just a few generations of farmers, and then theyll be in a world of hurt for water.

The Elephant Butte dam was built from 1912 to 1916.

For nearly a decade, Conway has installed more fish habitat, including plant life, at the southern reservoir.

Even though the lakes extremely low, a lot of our fish habitat is in just the right depth, he said. Without that the fish would just have sand and rocks. Well probably have one of the better spawns this year.

Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, said western waterways and reservoirs like Elephant Butte should play a major role in the infrastructure funding packages working their way through Congress.

We need a minimum pool not only for downstream use for farmers, and to provide assurances that theyre going to have a season next year, but also for the ecosystem, for fish and for the local economy, Dow said.

Dow signed onto the letter with Rep. Herrell.

She also joined fellow state Sen. Crystal Diamond, R-Elephant Butte, and Rep. Luis M. Terrazas, R-Santa Clara, in a letter requesting specific projects from New Mexicos congressional delegation.

The lawmakers asked for support of $30 million for Reclamation to clear sediment in the Socorro and San Marcial reaches of the middle Rio Grande, and $5 million for the Bureau of Land Management to manage the watershed and improve drainage surrounding the reservoir.

The dramatic water levels that can go to 10% or lower in a single season are not good for the structure of the dam thats past its life, Dow said.

Elephant Butte Irrigation District farmers growing chile and pecans south of the lake will receive a four-inch supply of surface water from the reservoir this year.

Thats just enough for one irrigation cycle, said Gary Esslinger, the districts treasurer and manager.

The district started its season on June 1.

If we get lucky and monsoons come in, we could extend our season past July 1, Esslinger said. But right now, we may be out of water by June 25.

In July 2020, state engineer and New Mexicos Rio Grande Compact Commissioner John DAntonio secured permission from Texas and Colorado to release about 12 billion gallons of water from El Vado Reservoir.

The water had been stored in upstream reservoirs to be delivered to Elephant Butte in the fall after central New Mexicos irrigation season ended.

The fail-safe decision kept the river flowing through Albuquerque and extended the irrigation season until October.

It also racked up New Mexicos water debt to downstream users.

Esslinger said he believes that last summers Compact Commission decision was an olive branch to middle valley farmers.

But in hindsight, it hurt us down here, he said.

For Brown, summer on the lake will be a waiting game to see just how low the reservoir will drop.

I know theres a big argument that this is for irrigation, not for recreation, Brown said. What I say to that is that if theres no water in here, theres no irrigation. A drought plan with a requirement for a minimum pool here could benefit both.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

When Arthur Lovato showed up with a .44 caliber revolver and a dead woman outside in the car, Kevin Rangel says he agreed to destroy the murder weapon.

Instead, after Lovato left his house that morning of Sept. 21, 2018, Rangel stashed the gun away to use as insurance, he later told authorities. A month later, Rangel turned the weapon over to New Mexico State Police. Then he became a key witness for the prosecution in Lovatos murder case in Valencia County.

With a violent criminal history that dates back decades, Rangel was facing his own pending felony charges of aiding Lovato after the fatal shooting in 2018. He also faced charges in the vicious beating of the mother of his child in March 2020.

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But after agreeing to testify against his friend, Rangel was released from jail last October by a Los Lunas judge and roamed the streets of Albuquerque on a GPS monitor, court records show.

His get-out-of-jail pass just ran out.

Rangel, 42, is being held in federal custody on orders of a U.S. magistrate judge after his arrest June 7 by an FBI-led multi-agency task force. During the raid, agents seized six weapons, including a machine gun, 15,000 fentanyl pills, 12.5 pounds of heroin, 2.5 pounds of meth, 60 pounds of marijuana, $15,000 in cash and one ballistic vest, court records state.

While waiting to testify in the murder trial, Rangel led somewhat of a double life, federal and state court records show.

As a concerned citizen, he appeared at pretrial interviews with defense attorneys and prosecutors. During the same period, he allegedly trafficked fentanyl pills, heroin, and up to 100 pounds of methamphetamine a week.

In recent weeks Rangel was extremely paranoid, constantly armed and reportedly recruited a group of gang members to kidnap and murder someone he claimed robbed him of $50,000 and 18,000 fentanyl tablets, according to federal criminal complaint.

For now, Rangel is facing a single federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm  an offense that could keep him in prison for a minimum of 15 years.

And the firearm Rangel is charged with possessing? The .44 caliber alleged murder weapon he kept as insurance.

25 prior arrests

Rangels rap sheet dates back to when he was a teenager. It includes at least nine felony convictions and 25 prior arrests. With convictions that include drug trafficking, armed robbery and attempted murder, Rangels sometimes went by the name, Wacko.

But his attorney, Robert Aragon, described his client in state court records as a concerned citizen and a witness to the horrendous crime that Arthur Lovato committed.

Lovatos ex-girlfriend, Rita Jaramillo, 49, of Los Lunas, was listed as a missing person after she was last seen by her daughter on Sept. 20, 2018, according to a report by Dateline NBC. On Sept. 23 of that year, her trailer home was set on fire.

For months, law enforcement searched for her body, which Lovato is now charged with hiding or destroying. Lovato has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Meanwhile, State Police investigators interviewed Rangel, who was on state probation at the time of her disappearance.

Court records state that Rangel claimed that Lovato, who was a friend, showed up at a home in Albuquerque where Rangel was staying. Lovato was driving Jaramillos car and Rangel contended he could see a partially covered womans body inside on the seat.

Rangel contends Lovato confessed to shooting her in the mouth and killing her, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Rangel told NMSP agents that Lovato had told him to destroy the gun, but Rangel said he kept it for insurance, in case something ever came back on him.

He said he hadnt been in town when Lovato burned down Ritas trailer, but said Lovato told him he placed tires inside the residence and set them on fire, which ignited the entire trailer.

Rangel took State Police to a shed at a friends house in Albuquerque where agents recovered a .44 caliber revolver hidden in a toolbox.

More than six months later, Lovato, 61, was indicted on first-degree murder charges related to Jaramillos disappearance, along with tampering with evidence.

Rangel wasnt charged until after he allegedly beat up the mother of his child in March 2020. He was charged with aggravated battery of a household member, child abuse and larceny.

Two months later, the 13th Judicial District Attorneys office in Valencia County brought a separate case against Rangel, charging him with tampering with evidence by allegedly hiding cellphone records, bullet casings, a weapon, and giving aid to Lovato after the slaying.

At the time, the DAs office in Valencia County asked that Rangel be held in jail without bond, contending in a May 2020 motion that no release condition imposed on Defendant will reasonably protect the safety of any other person or the community.

Assistant District Attorney Natalie Campbell, who no longer works for the office, wrote in her request for detention that in addition to the two pending sets of felony charges, Rangel has a criminal history that began as a juvenile at the age of 14. And her motion noted that he failed to abide by the rules of supervision and had tried to get the victim in the aggravated assault case not to testify against him.

District Judge James Lawrence Sanchez of Los Lunas in June ordered Rangel held in jail and continued the detention hearing to resume in the fall of 2020.

During the interim, court records show Rangel was transported from the Metropolitan Detention Center to meet with State Police and the prosecutors at the Valencia County DAs office.

His detention hearing was set for last Oct. 13, but theres no mention in court records of a hearing being held.

There is an order dated Oct. 19, in which Judge Sanchez denied the Valencia County prosecutors motion to detain. The judge cited the results of a pretrial assessment and Rangels financial resources. He placed Rangel on house arrest but allowed him to meet with his attorney. Travel was permitted for out of town work.

Officials with the DAs office in Valencia County didnt respond to Journal questions about the case last week.

Earlier this year, murder suspect Lovatos lawyer, Michael Rosenfield, questioned whether Rangel got a deal to testify.

In a motion to compel him to answer defense questions, Rosenfield stated that it appeared the judge denied the states motion to detain Rangel without conducting a hearing and seemingly with the States consent because counsel for the state approved the order.

A partial transcript of one defense interview with Rangel was included in the motion.

Was there an agreement between you and the state of New Mexico to be released on the aggravated battery charge in Valencia County in October 2020, as a result of his agreeing to cooperate with the state in the case against Lovato? asked Rosenfield.

Rangel responded no.

So your cooperation with the state in this case against Lovato had nothing to do with your being released from custody in Oct. 2020, is that what youre saying, Rosenfield said.

Rangel replied, Thats what Im saying  (Inaudible) dropped the ball.

Rangels attorney, Robert Aragon, didnt return a Journal request for comment last week.

But in court records he stated, As a witness and concerned citizen, Kevin Lee Rangel has voluntarily agreed to testify against Arthur Lovato, for the state, without any consideration from the State.

Armed with a gun

Rangel was still out of custody on June 7, when agents with a multi-agency task force and the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office arrested him on the federal firearm charge after obtaining a warrant to search two Albuquerque homes.

Over the past several weeks, members of the FBI task force and BCSO have been investigating Rangel based on his proclivity to firearm related violent crime, dedication to drug trafficking and association with area gangs, a federal criminal complaint states.

In recent weeks, FBI and sheriffs department sources reported that Rangel was armed with a handgun and AR-15, selling drugs, was extremely paranoid, and was trying to exact revenge on a person who had robbed him of $50,000 and 18,000 fentanyl tablets, the complaint alleges.

Moreover, a federal search warrant affidavit states that Rangel reportedly had recruited a group of gang members who included members of the Aryan Brotherhood and an outlaw motorcycle gang, to aid him in a plot to kidnap and murder the person responsible for robbing him.

Rangel is also alleged to have sold Fentanyl pills to a confidential informant. After he drove away, he travelled more than 100 mph on the freeway, dangerously weaving in traffic, the federal search warrant affidavit states.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in New Mexico on June 9 cited Rangels criminal history and alleged involvement with Lovato in seeking his detention pending trial on the firearm charge.

He is, without question, simply too dangerous to be released under any conditions, the detention motion stated.

Rangel was directed to destroy a firearm that was used as a murder weapon, the motion stated. He did not destroy it, and instead stashed it in a toolbox to use as insurance one day. The insurance scenario Defendant envisioned and planned for is likely different from the scenario he faces today, which is appearing before this court as a nine-time convicted felon charged with possession of a firearm that subjects him to mandatory minimum 15 years.

The motion stated that Rangel admitted, post-Miranda, that he was presently selling 100 pounds of methamphetamine per week in Albuquerque and is owed $1 million in drug debts.

He explained that he carried a gun to all of his drug deals because in the past six months, he had been robbed three times, and he lost $100,000 in cash from those robberies. He routinely drove around with an AR-15.

How the federal case against Rangel will impact the murder prosecution isnt clear.

No trial date has been set in the murder case. Rangels aggravated assault case for the alleged beating of a household member is still pending in state court in Valencia County. But on June 7, the tampering with evidence charges against Rangel were dismissed after Valencia County prosecutors stated the case would be prosecuted by another agency.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  A deranged individual was loose for weeks  a man who, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office says, tried to bait a deputy into pulling him over and later opened fire on her vehicle.

The encounter played out as the deputy, driving a marked patrol unit, was traveling on Interstate 40, then Interstate 25 and culminated in the shooting when she took the Gibson exit. She escaped the attack without injury and tried to pursue the bad guy, but he got away.

The incident occurred the night of May 27, but BCSO didnt inform the public that this dangerous man they described in a social media post as a deranged individual was on the loose until 2 weeks later. The agency held off on issuing a press release until after it had arrested and charged someone in the case.

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If you have someone brazen enough to open fire on a deputy from a vehicle, isnt it in the public interest to release the information  at least the make and model of the vehicle  so people are aware that hes out there and potentially dangerous?

BCSO also kept mum on three homicides  that we know of  for weeks or months. Its a break from the practice of other local law enforcement agencies, which typically inform the media of critical incidents like murders and officer-involved shootings within hours of them occurring.

The troubling trend at the sheriffs office has escalated in recent months as Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, the elected official who runs the agency, has ramped up his campaign to become Albuquerques next mayor.

Asked on Monday why the agency waited to inform the public of this officer-involved shooting, BCSO spokeswoman Jayme Fuller told a Journal reporter that their priority was to maintain the investigations integrity.

She tersely added that it appeared the Journal is constantly asking why we dont notify the public and she accused reporters of wanting a press release in order to get the scoop first.

In light of this, this is the last time we are going to address the issue.

Fuller, BCSOs transparency & public information coordinator, receives an annual salary of $72,800. Taxpayers also provide her with an additional $31,869 in benefits, according to the countys transparency portal.

We release information in a time and manner that we determine when it is feasible to do so and in the overall interest of both justice and the public interest, she added in her email.

Undaunted, reporter Elise Kaplan fired back, informing BCSO that we would continue to ask the question so long as the agency continued to hide critical incidents for weeks and months and pointing out that we have called out other agencies for the same thing in the rare instances when they havent been transparent.

Later in the week, the sheriffs office announced an arrest in another homicide, this one from 2020, that the agency had kept under wraps for months. BCSO again took exception to a Journal question about the reason for the delay in revealing the homicide and whether it was due to Gonzales mayoral run. On Thursday it posted reporter Ryan Boetels questions on social media.

Most of you already know how hostile the media is toward Law Enforcement but we thought this might be a good opportunity for you to get a look behind the curtain and see what we encounter on a regular basis, the agency wrote on its official Facebook page.

The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office has one goal, ensuring the safety of the citizens of Bernalillo County, the agency said. For us, politics dont enter the discussion, we dont have time for that.

Too busy solving crimes to play politics but not too busy to try to mobilize their social media followers against the people whose job it is to hold them accountable, apparently.

Post away.

We dont hide the fact that we call agencies on the carpet when theyre not being transparent. Thats our job, and we will continue to do it. Were not ashamed of the hard questions we ask or of the lawsuits weve filed over the years to force agencies to be transparent.

And we wont back down. Because doing so opens the door to other agencies adopting BCSOs seemingly new attitude of releasing information vital to the public when they feel like it and when they can do a victory lap about an arrest or some other accomplishment.

I wonder if Sheriff Gonzales would carry that practice to City Hall if he succeeds in becoming Albuquerques next mayor.

Imagine if the Albuquerque Police Department adopted BCSOs attitude of not telling the public about homicides or other critical incidents until they had solved the crimes. Imagine if state officials were to keep quiet about a prisoner escaping from the state penitentiary and only told us when the individual was caught.

Bernalillo County residents deserve to know when theres been a murder in their backyard or when a deranged man tries to ambush an officer and is on the loose. Arguing that notifying the public of the mere fact that there has been a murder or that someone opened fire on a deputy could jeopardize the investigation is weak. The man who shot at the deputy is going to know that authorities are searching for him, so theres nothing to be gained by keeping the public in the dark about it.

So to BCSO, I say pull back the curtain on your own actions and come clean about any other murders or critical incidents youve been hiding. Its going to come out sooner or later.

UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Reach city editor Martin Salazar at msalazar@abqjournal.com or 823-3841.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Eighteen people locked up in prisons around the state have filed a lawsuit alleging that the New Mexico Corrections Departments inmate grievance process is unconstitutional, and results in cruel and unusual punishment. They are asking for changes to the process rather than compensation.

Parrish Collins, the attorney who is representing the inmates, has already filed 17 lawsuits against the Corrections Department and its medical providers  formerly Centurion Healthcare and currently Wexford Health Sources Inc.  since 2018. The various lawsuits, including four that were filed on behalf of an estate after a person died, allege gross medical negligence, recklessness and deliberately indifferent refusal of basic medical care. Nine cases involved such infections as osteomyelitis and spinal sepsis, two involved severe diabetic neglect leading to amputations, and two involved failure to provide Hepatitis C or Hepatitis B treatment, leading to cirrhosis, according to the latest lawsuit.

In an interview, Collins said inmates have to complete the grievance process before they can file suit, but it is designed to prevent them from finishing that process. Thats why, he said, he had to file this latest action, a petition for declaratory relief and a temporary restraining order.

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For our clients, it means theyve gotten horribly ill, theyve ended up in the hospital for weeks or months, and quite a few of them have died because they cant get medical care, Collins said. The medical grievance process is supposed to protect their right to medical care, but because its broken, there is no check on the lack of provision of medical care. These guys are allowed to deteriorate.

The petition was filed in 1st Judicial District Court in Santa Fe on May 20 against the State of New Mexico; the Corrections Department; Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero; Health Services Administrator Wence Asonganyi; Orion Stradford, the Bureau Chief of Internal Audits and Standards Compliance for the state; and Grievance Appeals Manager Steve Madrid and other employees of the department.

Eric Harrison, a spokesman for the Corrections Department, said the department does not comment on active litigation, but lack of comment should not be construed as agreement with or stipulation to any allegations.

The well-being and safety of the inmate population is of upmost (sic) priority to the Department, and our staff remain dedicated to upholding our mission and building a stronger New Mexico, Harrison wrote in an email.

In the latest suit filed May 20, Collins calls the grievance process instructions misleading and deceptive, making it de facto unavailable. He says none of the employees involved in the grievance process are trained medical professionals and, after requesting documents dating back to January 2016, he has not found any cases where a grievance was decided in favor of an inmate.

A trained attorney would be hard pressed to unravel the many contradictory provisions in NMCD, while largely uneducated inmates must do so with no legal assistance at all, instead relying on a fellow equally uneducated inmate, if even this is allowed, Collins wrote. The intentionally vague, confusing and contradictory instructions on the grievance process render the medical grievance process unavailable.

He also said he has heard numerous reports of inmates who have been retaliated against for filing a medical grievance, including two who have pending litigation against the department.

Both clients, while in active litigation, were placed in segregation. One of the inmates was in segregation for over one month and the other for two weeks for filing medical grievances, the suit states. Another client was placed in segregation for filing medical grievances for untreated cancer, for which she was denied access to her (University of New Mexico Hospital) oncologist from May 2020 to her release date on February 1, 2021.

The suit asks a judge to declare the grievance process unconstitutional, to suspend requirements that inmates exhaust administrative remedies through the process pending trial, and to declare that any breach in the processes, procedure and deadlines by the Corrections Department nullifies the responsibility of inmates to exhaust all options.

It also asks that the judge allow attorneys to submit grievances for inmates and allow a minimum of 90 days for inmates to submit informal complaints to begin the grievance process.
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ATLANTA  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the vans only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

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Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

This is the worst tragedy Ive been a part of in my life, said Smith, who drove Sunday to the ranch to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like theyre our own children.

The crash also claimed the lives of two other people who were in a separate vehicle. Garlock identified them as 29-year-old Cody Fox and his 9-month-old daughter, Ariana, both of Marion County, Tennessee.

He was a great guy and were really gonna miss him, said Aaron Sanders, who worked with Fox at the emergency management agency in Marion County. He said Fox also ran a hot tub business with his father and doted on his daughter. He just loved her to death and that was his life.

Multiple people were also injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday to investigate the crash, photos of which showed at least four burned vehicles, including two large trucks. It said the inquiry would focus on vehicle technologies such as forward collision warning systems, fuel tank integrity and occupant survivability.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were also killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. Makayla Ross, a 23-year-old Fort Payne woman, died Saturday after her car ran off the road into a swollen creek, DeKalb County Deputy Coroner Chris Thacker told WHNT-TV.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains from Tropical Depression Claudette pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for eastern Georgia, the southern two-thirds of South Carolina and the North Carolina coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

WBRC-TV reported that search efforts were also under way for a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham. Crews were using boats to search Pebble Creek.

Garlock said the location of the multi-vehicle wreck is notorious for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents, county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at the 225-student Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

A GoFundMe account was set up for Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch to help offset the costs of funeral expenses, medical costs for the injured and counseling for those impacted.

Gulley had worked with children for years, beginning when she and her husband were house parents at the ranch for seven years.

During those years, there have been 74 girls that have come through our house and called us mom and dad, she told the Opelika-Auburn News in August 2019. She said she then became a relief parent, working on fundraising and being involved in the community, before she became the ranch director.

My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

Claudette was beginning to re-strengthen late Sunday, with the National Hurricane Center reporting top winds at 35 mph (55 kph) in a nighttime advisory. The depression was expected to return to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudettes disorganized circulation was located about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Columbia, South Carolina. It was moving east-northeast at 20 mph (31 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Aside from rainy weather, it seemed to be business as usual along North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sunday.

At Ace Hardware in Avon, shift manager David Swartwood said they were preparing for whatever might come, but the overall sense was that it wouldnt be that bad in that area. He said winds from the south dont usually cause huge flooding problems, so we dont really anticipate any bad scenarios.

Everybody here has been through it many, many times, so were used to the drill, he said. Weve been prepared.

For the hardware store, he said, that means having supplies like flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, ropes and sandbags on hand. As of Sunday morning, there wasnt a huge rush.

At Stack em High in Kill Devil Hills, a restaurant that specializes in pancakes, co-owner Dawn Kiousis said Sunday morning restaurant service was busy.

Were serving just like normal, she said.

You keep your eye on the weather and you prepare as much stuff in advance as you can, she said. Just know shes gonna win. Mother Nature is going to do what shes going to do, so you just prepare.

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Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
WENN Celebrity

The 'Oxygene' musician is scheduled to receive his latest Legion d'Honneur medal from France President Emmanuel Macron, earning him the title of 'Commandeur.'

Jun 20, 2021

AceShowbiz - Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre is set to be presented with France's prestigious Legion d'Honneur medal from President Emmanuel Macron.

The keyboard player will receive the nation's highest order of merit in Paris on Monday (21Jun21), hours before he performs as part of the Fete de la Musique Festival that evening, held in the courtyard of The Elysee Palace.

The free event, which was created by officials at the French Ministry of Culture in 1982 and takes place on the summer solstice, will also feature fellow artists Irene Dresel, NSDOS, Cerrone, and Glitter in what is designed to be a COVID-secure environment.

In a statement about the show, which Jarre curated, he said, "I am incredibly excited and honoured to be playing in such a unique and revered location. As we celebrate an international day of music together, it is my hope that we are seeing light at the end of this tunnel."

Previous recipients of the Legion d'Honneur include Sir Elton John and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The upcoming Legion d'Honneur medal will give Jean-Michel Jarre the title of "Commandeur." It's his third time to get the nation's honor.

As one of the world's greatest electronic music pioneers and an important cultural ambassador for French, Jarre previously earned the degree of "Chevalier" in 1995, the same day he performed the Concert pour la Tolerance at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The musician later received the degree of "Officier" in 2011.
CHICO, Calif.  The Chico Police Department said they have arrested a suspected drug dealer. The man they arrested is 56-year-old Stoney King who was already on supervision for previous narcotics convictions.

Police said Friday night at approximately 10:00 p.m. an officer stopped a vehicle and started a conversation with King at the Arco gas station on W. 9th Street downtown.

After the officer determined that King was on supervision they conducted a search of him and his vehicle. They said they did not find any contraband in the vehicle.

Police said King told officers he was homeless but an investigation revealed he lived in a home on the 1000 block of East Avenue.

After a search of the home, officers arrested King. They said they found 6.1 grams of heroin, 1.9 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, and other narcotics-related items.

King was charged with possession for the sale of methamphetamine and heroin in addition to a charge for violating the terms of his supervision program.

King was booked into the Butte County Jail.
REDDING, Calif.  Law enforcement agencies and officers came together in force of Friday to celebrate Special Olympics athletes through the annual Torch Run.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Northern Division raised more than $1,000 for Special Olympics athletes.

The 2021 Law Enforcement Torch run took place on Hilltop Drive and the route was 1.6 miles in length.

Law enforcement participants included the CHP Northern Division Air Operations; CHP Redding; the Redding Police Department; Shasta County Probation; and the Shasta County District Attorneys Office.
MANHATTAN, Ill.  A northeastern Illinois father-daughter team finds the fun in farming, every day.

It may be when Dave Kestel clicks a quick picture of his daughter Frankie Kestel-Forsythe taking a nap in the buddy seat during planting season, or special moments like her wedding reception in the farm shed last year.

Hes my best friend, Frankie said of her dad.

She takes his mischief, including some social media posts, in stride and is still planning what she might do to surprise him.

Hes my role model except when hes taking pictures of me, she said with a big smile.

Their enthusiasm for agriculture is contagious. Even as a kid, Frankie was all about farm life.

When she was little, we had to check her pockets for worms before she came in, Dave said.

It never crossed my mind to do anything else, Frankie said. I wanted to follow in my dads footsteps.

Starting in high school, she worked at Grand Prairie Animal Hospital in Manhattan, Illinois, near their farm. As a teen, she wondered about becoming a veterinarian, and still likes the work so much that she continues to be a part-time vet tech there along with farming.

She took a double major in animal science and agronomy management at Illinois State University in Normal, graduating in 2018.

She is also a crop insurance agent, and offers her dad advice on that topic. Dave, who sells Pioneer Seed and is active in trying new ideas in test plots, brings recommendations on seed choices and techniques to their partnership.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/A-Jewish-Call-to-Action-Ten-Ways-to-Respond-to-Jew-Hatred.html

There is much we can, must, and should do to confront the old and new demons that were facing today.

Seemingly overnight, anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and antisemitic incidents are being reported near and far. Many American Jews, who not so long ago thought these were threats faced by Jews elsewhere in the world but not here at home, are suddenly waking up to new realities.

From the halls of Congress to Silicon Valley, from high schools to universities, from Hollywood to labor unions, and from local town boards to globalized social media platforms, this has become a chilling version of Whack-a-Mole, where you dont know the next source but do know it will rear its headand with a vengeance.

One overarching question is how to respond. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are ten possibilities:

First, elected officials should be held accountable for how they react or fail to react when Israel is maligned, or Zionism is demonized, or Jews are threatened or, for that matter, when the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism comes up as a proposal for adoption.

Politicians who seek support in every election cycle should understand that these are factors that matter to many of us. They should not be allowed to get away with practiced soundbites or glib phrases when they appear in front of, say, a synagogue, but then take a different stance elsewhere.

Case in point: In the eleven days of fighting last month triggered by Hamas-launched rockets at Israel, many political leaders stepped up to express their support and clear understanding of the story line. But others, including some who purport to be friends of the pro-Israel community, were missing in action or resorting to whispered comments for fear they could otherwise potentially jeopardize their careers. That should be unacceptable.

Second, institutions need to be held accountable. Some schools and colleges support Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus who feel targeted, whether in the classroom or on the quad, while others have betrayed the trust of those students.

This is not about asking our institutions to become full-throated supporters of a particular political stance, but rather ensuring that their environments do not become poisoned by hatred, bigotry, intimidation, bullying, or ostracism. Jewish and pro-Israel students have the right to feel safe, protected, free to express their views, and take pride in their identity, no less than any others.

If those institutions fail, then they, too, need to be held to account by trustees, alumni, parents, prospective parents, and others.

Third, show Jewish pride. This is no time for American Jews to become Marrano Jews. We have not experienced the extraordinary journey from 1654, when the first Jews landed on this soil, to now consider, in 2021, removing the mezuzahs from our doors, or kippahs from our heads, or the word Jewish from the facades of our institutions, or in any other way seeking cover or hiding under the bed.

To the contrary, exactly like other Americans, we can and should openly affirm our identity, celebrate our remarkable heritage, and remind ourselves of the manifold contributions of Jews to every facet of American society.

Fourth, embrace Israel. Some Jews seem to believe that distancing, if not detaching, themselves from any link with Israel will protect them or, at the very least, endear them to the anti-Israel, anti-Zionist mobs. How tragic that, after nearly 1900 years of Jewish yearning for even a sliver of land, where Jews could govern themselves and not be subject to the whim of the majority, the fact that we live in an era of Jewish sovereignty is not universally valued. No, Israel is not a perfect country. Nor is any other country on earth, including the United States. Still, the story of Israel is awe-inspiring, a metaphor for the triumph of enduring hope over the temptation of despair, and a democratic, progressive beacon in a part of the world with too few counterparts.

Fifth, when it comes to antisemitism, its essential to be swivel-headed. This age-old pathology comes from multiple sources. But too many have insisted on a narrower vision, only calling out the threat when it serves their own partisan political preference. So, Jews on the left point their finger at the far right, while Jews on the right point their finger at the far left, when the truth is theyre both correct.

The events in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and Poway, not to mention the conspiracy theories peddled by the likes of QAnon, are stark reminders of the real, deadly menace from the far right.

Meanwhile, the events of recent weeks, from the streets of New York to the restaurants of Los Angeles, demonstrate that not all threats to Jews today come from the far right. The same can be said for what Jewish and pro-Israel students are facing on some campuses, where, again, the danger does not emanate from the far right. And then throw in the ever-present danger of jihadists, too often in alliance with the far left, as we have seen both in the United Kingdom and U.S., and it becomes all the more clear that we must have a 360-degree view.

Sixth, focus on young Jews. Insofar as one of the major battlefronts has indeed become educational settings, its all the more important that our children and grandchildren are as prepared as possible for what they may face. Not easy under any circumstance. In the classroom, there is a power imbalance between, say, a hostile professor or teaching assistant, on the one hand, and a student who tries to push back, on the other. A young person bucking the politically correct and intersectional crowd could easily face social isolation or worse. When it comes to affirming Jewish identity, Zionism, and pro-Israelism, it can require not just confidence in ones sense of self, but also a heavy dose amount of social courage.

Thats why if we count on young people to stand up and be heard, then we have to help prepare them for the various situations in which they may find themselves. Plus, they need to feel the support of family, Jewish organizations, and Jewish institutions on campus. Whats happening is not just battles over, for example, a boycott, divestment, and sanctions referendum, but, more broadly, a high-stakes fight for the outlook of the next generation of American leaders.

Seventh, antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem. When Jews are targeted as Jews, on the streets, in shops, or at synagogues, the threat is most immediately, of course, directed at Jews, however, these also need to be seen as assaults on the fabric and fiber of Americas democratic, pluralistic society. In other words, when any minority is threatened, our country as a whole is at risk. There are both real and potential allies out there, who understand the stakes involved, just as there are such allies who recognize that Israel is a key American partner, sharing both values and interests with our country. Hence, it would be shortsighted to try and portray the current challenges we, as Jews, face as if they were Jewish alone. Theyre not, and we shouldnt shortchange ourselves by thinking and acting as if they are.

Eighth, engage partners. In the current moment, amidst this new sense of vulnerability, lets be mindful of some basic facts about the United States. For one thing, poll after poll, year after year, reveal that large numbers of Americans support Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship. Similarly, a number of studies have also shown that Jews are highly regarded among the panoply of American group identities. So, its not as if were suddenly alone, isolated, and friendless.

Nor is it as if we, the Jewish community, havent been a friend to other communities in America over years, decades, and even centuries whether its been in the fight for civil rights and social justice, or overcoming unjust immigration restrictions, or standing up for other targeted or beleaguered communities. True friendships must work both ways, all the more so in times of need.

Ninth, learn some basic truths. Sure, the Middle East is an informational minefield, with competing narratives and story lines racing in every direction.

But none of that should obscure some basic facts, such as:

Jews are indigenous to the region, just as Arabs are. The relationship between Jews and this part of the world dates back continuously more than 3,500 years. Israels modern-day birthright emanated from the Balfour Declaration, the San Remo Conference, the League of Nations, and the United Nations. How many nations on earth, including a number of Israels neighbors, can claim so many layers of legitimacy? The Palestinians could have had a state of their own on multiple occasions, beginning in 1947-8, but spurned every opportunity. Israel withdrew lock, stock, and barrel from Gaza in 2005. By 2007, Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and European Union, seized power. The Hamas Charter explicitly calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and accuses Jews of fomenting the French Revolution, the First World War, and the Second World War. Hamas is funded and supplied by Iran, whose leadership openly calls for the annihilation of Israel. Gaza has borders with both Israel and Egypt, and not just Israel, as many allege. Israel is among the most multicultural, multiracial, and multifaith societies on the planet. Israel is a vibrant democracy and Israeli Arabs, who comprise approximately 20 percent of the population, can be found on the Supreme Court, in the Knesset, and throughout Israeli society.

And tenth, draw lessons from Jewish history. It should be abundantly clear from Jewish history that antisemites, whether from the far left or the far right, dont differentiate for long between good and bad Jews, any more than they would distinguish among Zionists, non-Zionists, and anti-Zionists. Yet, astonishingly, some Jews still dont seem to have gotten the message. They think they can buy time or space or security by joining in the assault against Israel or even by rationalizing attacks against Jews. Sooner or later, though, as has happened over the centuries, their day of reckoning would be likely to come if antisemites ever gain sufficient power again.

Bottom line: There is much we can, must, and should do, and the more we can achieve a sense of common purpose  dare I say unity?  the more likely we are to succeed in confronting both the old and new demons that were facing today.

This article originally appeared in the Times of Israel.
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Lake Charles, Louisiana (70615)

Today

Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. High 87F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 74F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Lake Charles, Louisiana (70615)

Today

Partly cloudy early then heavy thunderstorms this afternoon. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
The list is growing of historical figures or public personalities whose views are considered by the woke brigade as unacceptable, backward, or bigoted. It raises not only the changing assessments of these figures, but also whether one can enjoy any work or activity that is regarded as unacceptable for present-day political or cultural reasons, or for being the product of an unenlightened era.

A number of incidents in 2021 illustrate the manifestation of bigotry and cancel culture. One concerns a German artist, Jess de Wahls, a textile artist born in East Berlin, whose work has been removed from the gift shop of the Royal Academy after trans activists accused her of expressing transphobic views in a blog she posted in 2019. Apparently, she criticized gender identity ideology and Stonewall, the LGBT charity, which has been accused of fostering a climate of intolerance in workplaces in the UK. Miss de Wahls wrote in her blog that a woman is an adult human female and not an identity or feeling. She could not accept assertions that people are in fact the opposite sex to which they were born.

A more general issue is the suspension on March 24, 2021, of a teacher for showing pupils a drawing from Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical magazine, during religious studies class at Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire. The teacher refuses to return to teaching for fear of being attacked and has moved to a secret location, though the school board Trust ruled that the suspension should be lifted. However, the Trust did recognize that using the image did cause deep offense to some students, parents, and members of the school community.

A third issue involves a new TV channel, GB News, pledged to confront cancel culture. The channel expressed a critical view of taking the knee, becoming more familiar from Stop Funding Hate activists. The response was that large corporations, including Vodafone, Ikea, and Kopparberg, the Swedish cider brand, pulled their proposed ads to the channel.

A more controversial issue concerns the well-known writer Enid Blyton, the prolific writer of childrens books. English Heritage administers the blue plaque system marking the places where people lived or worked. These plaques in London commemorate more than 950 historical figures. Following BLM protests in 2020, English Heritage vowed to review all blue plaques for links to contested figures, individuals associated with Britains colonial past offensive to many or seen as negative. It plans to provide on the plaques more information on people of this kind so that their stories will be told without embellishment or excuses. Only about 19 words can be put on a plaque, but the EH website provides a fuller picture of a persons life.

In June 2021, EH updated the plaque, installed in 1997, on Enid Blyton, on her Chessington home in southwest London, linking her to racism.

Blyton has delighted children with tales of adventure, and her books encouraged generations of children to read. She composed more than 700 works and 4,500 short stories, and her books have sold more than 600 million copies.

Blytons work was criticized during her lifetime and in years since for racism, xenophobia, as well as lack of literary merit. In 2016 she was rejected by the advisory committee of the Royal Mint for commemoration on a 50-pence coin on the grounds she was a racist, sexist, homophobe, and not a very well recognized writer. Nevertheless, many generations of children have enjoyed her images of happy holidays by the seaside, picnics in the forests, the wreck on Treasure Island, escapist adventures to fire the imagination of a child.

Yes, some of her writing was racist and used language unacceptable today, but should her work be erased? Did her writings turn any child into a racist?

The problem has arisen once again. One must appraise the stories of Blyton in the context of the time her books were written. Criticism of Blyton is not new. In 1960 Macmillan refused to publish her book, The Mystery that Never Was, because of its Faint but unattractive touch of old-fashioned xenophobia towards foreign characters. In 1966 an article accused her of racism over her book Little Black Doll. In this, a toy doll named Sambo is only accepted by his owner once his ugly black face is washed clean by rain. Certain features in her writing have been changed, such as the substitution of goblins for golliwogs.

English Heritage has also updated profiles of Benjamin Franklin and Rudyard Kipling with new sections on their attitudes toward race, slavery, and empire. Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S., is viewed as regarding black people as inferior and as an owner of six enslaved people from about 1735 until 1781. But Franklins views began to change, and he questioned the morality of slavery, became president of Philadelphias Abolition Society, though he did not free his own slaves. Kipling was listed for portraying imperialism as a mission of civilization.

Wokery is alive and active in Britain. Goldsmiths College, University of London, in New Cross, in southeast London.

The British Equality and Human Rights Commission said in 2019 that about 13 percent of students said they had experienced racial harassment at a university. A fifth of those said they had been physically attacked and a half had experienced racist name-calling.

Another study in Goldsmiths in October 2019 indicated that 26 percent of minority students said they had experienced racism. At the time, 45 percent of their students were from minority backgrounds.

Hitherto, students could ask a university to take into account their serious life events, personal trauma, mental health problems, or caring responsibilities, when assessing their record of studies. To this has been added racial trauma. Already in 2020, Oxford and Warwick Universities offered black students the chance to apply for leniency in their grading. Goldsmiths goes further in allowing blacks and persons of color to defer essays and exams because of alleged racism. Is this fair to white students?

Cancel culture has been at work for some time at University College, London. The college authorities now express deep regret that UCL played a fundamental role in the development, propagation, and legitimization of eugenics. They pledged to give greater prominence to teaching the malign legacy, of the eugenics movement, and to acknowledge and address its historical links with the movement.

In accordance with this resolve, UCL renamed two lecture theaters and a building that honored the prominent eugenicists, Francis Galton, polymath in many fields of science and the pioneer who coined the word eugenics in 1883, and Karl Pearson first UCL professor of eugenics. UCL also stripped the name of Ronald Fisher, who succeeded Pearson as professor of eugenics, from a research center and renamed it The Center for Computational Biology.

The thrust of the UCL position is that the eugenics ideology cemented the spurious idea that varieties of human life could be assigned a different value. It therefore provided justification for some of the most appalling crimes in history; genocide, forced euthanasia, and other forms of mass murder and oppression based on racial hierarchy. UCL holds that the legacy and consequences of eugenics still cause direct harm through racism, anti-Semitism, ableism, and other harmful stereotypes that they feed. All this is a striking indictment, one contradicting the desirable values of equality, openness, and humanity.

Image: Pixabay

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Ive noticed something about California lawmakers: They dont trust us citizens to be good people on our own. So they create laws to help us become better people with their help.

As a transplanted Texan, do I need the enlightened folks in Sacramento to help me be a better person? Nope. When it comes to lightbulbs and handguns, I need a nanny state like I need a hole in the head.

Take this legislative push to help Californians use less energy. If you add floodlights to the outside of your home, by law they must have motion sensors that kick them on and then turn them off after the neighbors cat triggers them at 3 a.m. Why not just leave them turned off when you go to bed? Because this makes way too much sense.

You see, most Californians cant be trusted to turn off their floodlights before turning in. The folks in Sacramento know this right well, which is why they created a law to help mitigate our thoughtlessness. However, if you buy newer, more efficient LED floodlights, you dont need a motion sensor built in.

Its kind of a carrot, you see -- do the right thing, and buy an energy-efficient LED floodlight, and it doesnt matter that youre still likely to leave your floodlight on. This way, thoughtlessly burning it all night uses much less energy.

Many Californians use LEDs because they use a fraction of the energy of fluorescents and incandescents. They're smart and cheaper. Do we need a law to be wise and thrifty? Nope.

As silly as the lightbulb thing is, California's handling of the gun issue is the mother of all efforts to make us citizens better people. Heres an irony -- once a part of the Old West where saloon disputes were solved with revolvers on main street, California has become an overprotective, hyperlegislative wuss of a state.

Conversely, Texas is the rootinest tootinest shootinest hombre east and north of the Rio Grande. Most Texans take a heap of pride in this distinction. Mostly for this reason -- despite all its bluster, Texas runs on common sense.

Funny thing is that for years as a Texas resident, I didnt give a hoot about owning a gun. After moving to California and experiencing the angst and annoyance many Northern Californians felt during the Obama years, I now exercise my Second Amendment rights with grit and gusto.

You see, when a silly pseudo-Old West state like California tries to force itself on us for our own protection, we're likely to protect ourselves from it. Its called Freedom, and its mighty scarce round here.

It all boils down to this: California lawmakers, many of them hailing from the Northeast either directly or one or two generations removed, dont trust their citizens -- or anyone for that matter -- to do the right thing. This goes for energy use and for self and/or property protection. In the case of firearms, these Yankee know-it-alls think California citizens dont need those dangerous, treacherous things.

Know how many guns kill people in California annually? A big, fat zero. Criminals kill people -- with guns. Folks in Sacramento don't seem to understand this about guns: They need a finger to trigger them. Otherwise, theyre just pieces of steel or alloy. And limiting magazines to 10 rounds doesn't do diddly.

You see, its not like bad people are gonna abide by the law and make sure their magazines are legal capacity. They dont follow the rules in getting weapons; why would they give two shakes about a 10-round magazine limit? Here's a timeless truth: Criminals will always have and use guns.

Here's another truth: Good can always more effectively combat evil. How many times do we hear of a good guy with a gun saving others by stopping a bad guy with a gun? Depends on where we get our "news." It happens more than we know -- just as it used to be natural and right for police to stop criminals by shooting them.

How's this for fair: A background-checked and trained citizen is ready to protect others, but the 10-round limit gives the criminal the advantage in a firefight. Heres an idea: Instead of forcing citizens to carry more magazines (which negates concealment, by the way), why not let good guys and girls use magazines that hold as many rounds as the handgun can manage?

Level the playing field between good guy and bad guy, right? Common sense? Nope. California lawmakers dont consider this commonsensical; they think its dangerous. Why? The answer brings us back to an earlier point: If they dont trust us to turn off floodlights, why would they trust us with guns?

The truth is that they want to eliminate gun ownership in California period. Its that simple. They think citizens who want to own and use guns shouldnt. Their legislative message is always this: Dont be a right-wing, gun-crazy nutjob -- thats what Texans are for.

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More years ago than I care to remember, I was a college intern working on Capitol Hill. As part of our experience, various members of Congress came to speak to us. One of them as I recall was Strom Thurmond, at that time the Democratic senator from South Carolina, and a strong segregationist. He was pushing his plan to propagandize the military in something he called Americanism. Most of the interns in my class were well-socialized kids from northeast colleges like Yale and Mount Holyoke and such and they listened politely without objection. I wasnt. I said I could understand how you could propagandize Soviet troops in Marxism, but except for basic civics lessons, there was such a broad range of views on what were the appropriate policies to follow, it seemed to me that what he was really promoting was a plan to convert the military to his own political views. He was angered by the dissent and said he thought there probably were far-left people in that very room, glaring at me when he said it. In any event, his plan failed. (The next near brush I had with him was when we moved into a cooperative apartment building where both he and Hubert Humphrey were also owners. The first day we moved in I was taken aside by the older women residents. Never get into an elevator with Strom, they warned.)

At the moment, under claims of diversity and using the preposterous Critical Race Theory, this administration is trying to propagandize the military, and it is clear the plan is to demonize Donald J. Trump, Republicans, and white people. And while it looks momentarily like they are succeeding in this plan, there is every evidence that Americans will not put up with this much longer. Theres good reason not to. Its impossible to imagine anything more likely to destroy the cohesion military operations need to succeed. Nor can I see how any program can do more to destroy the morale of the troops than this does.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III is at the top of the pyramid and a look at his policies is enough to see that he is misguided and presents a real danger to national security. The point of a military is to defend the country, and it boggles the mind to conceive of any way such divisive pap as Critical Race Theory can encourage men and women to risk their lives to defend a country which your commanders portray to you as a racist hellhole. David Horowitz at Frontpage magazine has published a thorough article on Austin, his views, and his appointees working to carry out such a repulsive plot.

Secretary Austins appointment of Bishop Garrison to head the newly created Countering Extremism Working Group is a major giveaway. As Horowitz reports:

In July 2019, for example, Garrison said in a tweet: Support for him [Trump], a racist, is support for ALL his beliefs. Hes dragging a lot of bad actors (misogynist, extremists, other racists) out into the light, normalizing their actions. If you support the President, you support that. There is no room for nuance with this, Garrison added. There is no more but Im not like that talk. This is the man in charge of purifying our military. Austin's decision to appoint Garrison to head the CEWG is even more significant in light of the fact that Garrison is a vocal supporter of the 1619 Project. Garrison put forth a passionate defense of the 1619 Project in an August 2019 essay in which he wrote that America's hatred of communities of color and other vulnerable groups is deeply rooted in slavery, the treatment of African slaves, and the continued struggle of the black American community for equal treatment. No acknowledgement, of course, of the tremendous contributions to racial equality for blacks in the founders declaration of equality for all, the ultimate sacrifices made by President Lincoln and 350,000 Union soldiers to free the slaves, or the white majorities in Congress who passed the Civil Rights Acts. Instead: Now, arguably more than at any time in recent history, we need to recognize that extremism, racist policies, and white supremacy stand as existential threats not only to American life but to the future of our country and others around the globe, added Garrison. No evidence needed of racist policies of white supremacy or the existential threats they are alleged to pose to America and the globe.

Austin has already purged hundreds of Trump appointees from Pentagon advisory boards and panels. He believes, says Horowitz, that racism is Americas most salient and enduring feature. His emphasis on purging extremists from the military merits consideration of what he considers extremist, and a close look indicates the scary catch-all term extremist refers not to Islamic fundamentalists or Antifa anarchists or pro-Chinese infiltrators (none of whom the current administration regards as a national security problem) but to the 75+ million supporters of former President Trump, Republicans, and anyone who resists the anti-white racism currently rampant in our political discourse.

When Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, commander of a critical squadron of the U.S. Space Force, warned that Marxism and critical race theory (which after all is simply Marxism that replaces class with race as the boogeyman) was gaining a foothold in the military and would erode the trust and confidence these young people have in their country and in the Constitution, he was removed from that post.

Two members of Congress have pushed back: Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Congressman Jim Banks (R-IN). Cotton reported to Austin that hed received several hundred whistleblower complaints concerning the propagandizing about systematic racism and fake history, reports about plummeting morale, growing mistrust between the races and the sexes  and unexpected separations and retirements based on these training alone. Austin tried to sidestep that with pablum about diversity and Cotton wasnt buying it. This is not about diversity in general, though. This is about a very specific kind of anti-American indoctrination that is sweeping into some parts of our military

In like manner, Jim Banks tore into Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday for recommending to every sailor a book by Ibram X. Kendi (previously known as Henry Rogers) on Critical Race Theory in which he contends you can either be a racist or an anti-racist and to be an anti-racist you have to follow his directives.

I dont want to get on too much of a bandwagon about this, but when Gilday insists that making it the policy of the US Navy to allow officers, petty officers, and sailors to be degraded and humiliated based on race will create a stronger and more cohesive force, he is either mentally deranged (Im open to that excuse), trying to gaslight Congress and the American people and the Navy, or indulging in recreational pharmacology. Or any combination thereof. You cant expect sailors whove been forced to sit through the bullsh** Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity classes (they arent called DIE for nothing) to work together cooperatively or to socialize off duty or to even care about the service that is telling them that their worth is limited to their skin color and sexual preferences and preferred pronouns.

I'll leave the last words on this to be the salty Kurt Schlichter.

Everyone hates CRT, critical race theory, that bizarre, ridiculous, and morally illiterate hodge-podge of Marxist mumbo-jumbo blended with a healthy dose of the kind of racial hash that would make Democrat David Duke beam. Even the lib wine moms, who were so ecstatic about the recent lack of mean tweeting -- ironic that the only man able to give them pleasure was Donald Trump, and he does it by not doing anything -- despise this Marxist pestilence. The guys in the campaign business I talk to are giddy and often burst into spontaneous jigs of pure glee at the poll numbers they are seeing. Hey Congress, congratulations! Thanks to CRT, theres something America hates even more than you! [snip] We conservatives should actually be glad about the lefts CRT fetish. After all, these dummies have handed us a giant Louisville Slugger to use to pummel them. The best part is that they are surprised were upset. Maybe they should get out more. Maybe they should meet some normal people. And its not just normal people of pallor who are on their last nerve. Its all sorts of normal people - black, white, yellow, brown, whatever, united in their refusal to hate their neighbors in order to provide a short-term political edge to a pack of elite fools and scammers. Its not merely that normal people understand that Balkanization leads to the Balkans, and that the Balkans are not a role model (I was there  trust me, you do not want a society where ethnicity is everything). Its that normal people know that this is evil, that to judge one by the color of his skin instead of the content of his character is un-American and un-Judeo-Christian, and probably un-every other religion except Marxism. Id be ashamed that some in our society were drawn toward the siren song of bigotry if I wasnt so proud of my countrymen for so overwhelmingly rejecting hate in favor of truth, liberty, and Americanism.

Schlichter and I are not the only ones sensing a strong pushback against this obviously hateful drive to divide us. Over at the NY Post, Glenn Reynolds details the tide turning against the woke idiocy including CRT and defunding the police.

Parents are joining together to fight it in schools and even late-night comics are decrying it. Lets hope that it is as disastrous to the Democrats' 2022 dreams as I think it will be.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
One mark of a fanatic is the ability to create something negative out of something positive. That certainly marks the approach of CNN yesterday on its home page when noting that the federal government created a brand-new national holiday commemorating Juneteenth, when slaves in Texas first heard that they were freed.

Adam Ford noted the fanaticism on Twitter:

This is CNN's home page right now. Our corporate media wants so badly for us to hate each other. It's really sick. pic.twitter.com/yta3lWoQAF  Adam Ford (@Adam4d) June 19, 2021

Twitter screengrab

The cable news pioneer that now is mired in deep third-place ratings, owned by AT&T, which dearly wants you to buy your cell phone service from them, is following Saul Alinskys work, rubbing raw the sores of discontent, as the Chicago Tribune famously characterized it.

CNN now is run by fanatics, which goes a long way toward explaining that networks decline and fall.

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Contempt for this country has been spreading from academia, where it first gained a foothold during the Vietnam War, to infect the commanding heights of our institutions. The cities and towns that hist the most prestigious colleges and universities almost without exception are bastions of the left. Berkeley, California, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Cambridge, Mass, and not least Evanston, Illinois, home of Northwestern University.

Evanston, Illinois made headlines recently by becoming the first city in the country to pay reparations to Black residents who lived there between 1919 and 1967, or who were descended from someone who did, and who had been a victim of discrimination in housing because of policies or practices in the city in that time. Now, it is dissing the founding of the country:

My home town of Evanston, Illinois is having a Juneteenth Parade and a Gay Pride Parade, but is cancelling the 4th of July Parade & Fireworks. pic.twitter.com/KFhJ335LEl  Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) June 19, 2021

The Post Millennial reports:

The municipal government of Evanston had a grand announcement for its Juneteenth parade on Saturday. While the theatrical performance will be virtual, the parade will proceed in-person as scheduled. Residents are also invited in-person to attend post-parade celebrations outdoors for "an afternoon of art, music, food and community."

Homosexuals are to be honored as well:

Another major parade is scheduled in Evanston on June 26 to close out Pride Month. Once again, in-person events will continue after the parade, sponsored by the government, including a night-time "candle lighting ceremony and memorial."

But the founding of our country, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, will not be honored with a parade:

However, the July 4 parade and fireworks will not go on as scheduled in Evanston. The city opted to do everything in a virtual manner on that day, offering a "safe, creative virtual celebration" only, to be broadcasted over local TV.
Whether you knew it or not, if you got your COVID vaccine in California, your medical record of it went to the state of California, which keeps a database on it.

According to KCRA News:

California officials on Friday announced a way for residents to access their COVID-19 vaccine records digitally. The records, which can be used to gain access to businesses or events that require proof of full vaccination, can be found by going to myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. "The tool is a convenient option for Californians who received a COVID-19 vaccination to access their record from the state's immunization registry systems," the California Department of Public Health said in a news release. The state health department recommends that Californians still hold onto their paper cards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How many people knew that when they got their COVID vaccine that their medical records of it would be accessible like that. According to the California State Department of Health:

The State of California's Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record (DCVR) Portal allows Californians to download their COVID-19 vaccination record. In order for you to obtain your record: COVID-19 vaccination information must have been submitted to the California Immunization Registry (CAIR2, SDIR, and RIDE) by your vaccination provider

All the information you enter into the DCVR Portal must match your record in the registry

Do they have vaccine records for other stuff? Worth looking at, as well as other kinds of medical records, but that's for later. The news report video, here:

...goes all in for doing the state's public relations bid for this registry, selling as a good thing, with a pillow-faced, blonde lady named Genevieve Stevens of East Sacramento, who was interviewed while pumping gas (Who was she? A random member of the public? A state bureaucrat? An authority of some kind?) explaining that there was nothing to worry about. Addressing online privacy concerns, she told the reporter:

I think it's ridiculous because it's an easy way for us to know if someone's safe, ummmm, sort of like having a driver's license, you have to show it sometimes to prove that you're allowed to drive. Umm. You're not sharing secret information, you're just showing that you were vaccinated. Or, you can just stick to the old crumpled-up paper, the reporter added.

Actually, it shows a lot more than just whether you were vaccinated. It contains your name, telephone number, email, date of birth, all collected information that is highly attractive to hackers.

Here's a recent instance of "nothing to see here, move along" data breach from the vaccine records of CVS, a vaccine distributor, last month, definitely done for California's database, and reported as far as I can see, only by HealthcareIT News, a trade publication:

Security researchers earlier this spring discovered a database containing more than a billion records, including emails that could be targeted in a phishing attack for social engineering. The database, which was not password-protected, was flagged by the WebsitePlanet research team in cooperation with Jeremiah Fowler. Public access to the data was restricted the same day that CVS Health was notified. "In March of this year, a security researcher notified us of a publicly accessible database that contained non-identifiable CVS Health metadata," said CVS Health in a statement sent to Healthcare IT News. "We immediately investigated and determined that the database, which was hosted by a third-party vendor, did not contain any personally identifiable information of our customers, members or patients," according to the statement. "Weve addressed the issue with the vendor to prevent a recurrence and we thank the researcher who notified us about this matter."

It may have been metadata, but it contained a lot of emails at the very least. Since I got my vaccine at CVS, it could also have my medical insurance information, since CVS collected it, even though the vaccine was supposed to be "free." Well, that's gone, the phishers have at least the emails, maybe more. Nothing to see here, move along.

Who else gets to see this database besides the hackers? According to the California State Department of Health's website:

Will my information remain private? Yes. Filling out the form on the portal does not provide instant access to your vaccine record. The link to the vaccine record requires a PIN that you create and is sent only to the mobile phone or email that is associated with your immunization record. Only you can decide how and if you want to share your record with others.

Well, no. The federal government gets its cut. So do various California state offices - auditors, etc., according to the receipt of vaccine records page after you make the request.

Please note that any and all information collected in the DVR may be disclosed to the California State Auditor, the California Office of Health Information Integrity, the California Office of Information Security, or other state and federal agencies as required by law.

So those guys get access to it, too.

Sounds harmless, until you remember the state of California's voter registry records. And yes, having tried the vaccine registry and having seen them unable to find my own vaccine record after giving me that notice of who else gets the record after the request, the record system itself seems chaotic, too.

Over and over again, the state insists it's just for record-keeping and public health statistics and will never be abused or passed around.

But actually, it already has been used for political purposes beyond its static-record database claims:

The State of California held a lottery for vaccine recipients, with $50,000 prizes, claiming it had added the names of the potential recipients from the vaccine database whether the recipients asked for it or not.

Are you already vaccinated or about to be? Great! Youll have a chance at winning a dream vacation. Weve already given away cash prizes of $50,000 and $1.5 million! Not yet vaccinated against COVID-19? Get vaccinated as soon as possible to be eligible. Youll also get a $50 incentive card! Everyone whos vaccinated could get a free taco at Taco Bell, Chipotle queso blanco, tickets to Six Flags, and special deals on merchandise from the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, San Francisco 49ers, and the Team LA Store at STAPLES Center.

And for those who wanted to be entered, if they didn't have your records right, too bad about that, guess you didn't get entered in the lottery for the big payouts. It's like motor-voter registration, which has its own record of bad stewardship. Or the fraud-filled California unemployment claims payouts. What's more, they never published the names of the winners of the prizes, so there's no telling if all the big ones came from the same ballot-harvesting illegal migrant household.

So let's just say there are lots of ways the information can and will be used, not just as passive proofs of vaccine, contrary to the state's claims. You can bet they won't let this database just sit there to be used as a "voluntary" vaccine passport system -- they will think of more ways to use it well beyond its stated purpose.

The state and its boosters go to great ends to say that accessing those vaccine records is "all voluntary," and everyone is free to take a pass on it. But that is to beg the question. The vaccine records exist whether one likes it or not, whether one accesses them or not. And already, there are emerging some pretty far-flung ways it's being passed around. They didn't exactly tell us this back when they told us all about those "free" vaccines. Now that they've got it, they'd like us to trust them.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

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Joe Bidens appeasement of Iran is working out about as well as appeasement usually does. The Biden administration has been reaching out to Iran by moving to reinstate the JCPOA nuclear deal that President Trump pulled out of, and by withdrawing troops, aircraft, and anti-missile batteries from the Middle East, where they primarily defended against Iranian aggression.

And now, in response, the people that run Irans elections have announced the winner of Fridays presidential election.

Irans hardline judiciary chief won the countrys presidential election in a landslide victory Saturday, propelling the supreme leaders protege into Tehrans highest civilian position in a vote that appeared to see the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republics history. Ebrahim Raisi was elected president with 61.95 percent of the vote, according to figures released by Interior Minister Aboldreza Rahmani Fazli. Voter turnout was 48.8 percent of the more than 59 million eligible voters in Fridays election, he said, a record low for a presidential election in the Islamic republic.

Ebrahim Raisi [Fox News screengrab (cropped)]

Iranian dissidents overseas mock the election as a sham:

"Despite astronomical rigging and falsifying the vote tally, the dimensions of the popular boycott were so extensive that the regime succumbed to announcing a lower than 49 percent turnout, plainly admitting that the majority of Iranian people boycotted the sham election and testified to its illegitimacy," the National Council of Resistance of Irans (NCRI) President-elect Maryam Rajavi said in a statement. Khameneis Guardian Council had disqualified a number of candidates who could compete with Raisi, including a number of moderate and reform candidates -- causing even hardliners such as former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to join calls for a boycott. The State Department told Fox News last week that Iranians "should be allowed to exercise their right to choose their own leaders in free and fair elections."

Keep in mind that the real political power in Iran belongs to the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, so Raisis election is perhaps more symbolic than substantive.

Raisi previously served as prosecutor general of Tehran between 1989 and 1994 as well as the first deputy head of the judiciary between 2004 and 2014. The U.S. government has noted his involvement in what it described as a "brutal" crackdown on Irans Green Movement protesters following the 2009 election. Dissidents have zeroed in on his role in a "death commission" that ordered the executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. Iranian political prisoners were asked to identify themselves and those who responded "mujahedeen" were sent to their deaths, while others were questioned about their willingness to "clear minefields for the army of the Islamic Republic," according to a 1990 Amnesty International report. Estimates for how many were killed range from 5,000 to 30,000. When Raisi was appointed head of the judiciary in 2019, then-deputy State Department spokesman Robert Palladino called the move a "disgrace." "Ebrahim Raeesi, involved in mass executions of political prisoners, was chosen to lead #Irans judiciary. What a disgrace!" he tweeted. "The regime makes a mockery of the legal process by allowing unfair trials and inhumane prison conditions. Iranians deserve better!"

All that outreach by the Biden administration has strengthened the hand of the hardliners, who respond to weakness and see no reason to soften anything to gain favors from the Americans.

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The American left suddenly has a new it girl in New York City: mayoral candidate Maya Wiley. Shes been endorsed by the once and future it girl, Sandy Cortez, and now she is gaining in the polls (Wall Street Journal) and has surge[d] into second place [Daily Mail] as Gotham prepares to replace term-limited Bill DeBlasio, and seems to want yet another rich progressive in a biracial marriage as mayor. It's like a female Black Bill DeBlasio with an extra helping of Soros.

Maya Wiley appearing on The Breakfast Club last week (YouTube screengrab)

Rich Calder writes in the Wall Street Journal:

Progressive groups are coalescing behind candidate Maya Wiley in the final stretch before New York Citys mayoral primary, in an effort to block the moderate Democrat Eric Adams, Brooklyns borough president, who is leading in recent polls. Ms. Wiley, a former civil-rights lawyer and an ex-top counsel for the term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio, has picked up powerhouse endorsements from progressive leaders, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Our Revolution, the political action group that morphed out of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanderss 2016 presidential campaign, also supports Ms. Wiley. Meanwhile, the two other top progressive candidates in the Democratic primaryComptroller Scott Stringer and Dianne Morales were rocked by turmoil and lost key endorsements. The Working Families Party announced it bumped up Ms. Wiley to its top choice after pulling its support for the other two.

If hypocrisy were to determine who wins, itd be Wiley in a landslide. The Daily Mail takes a bullet point approach:

Mayoral wannabe Maya Wiley and her CEO investment fund husband Harlan Mandel live in a $2.75 million, 4,000 sq. ft. house in Brooklyn

She wants to defund the police but she and her neighbors pay $550 a month for private security for their wealthy area

Mother-of-two calls school programs for talented kids 'racially discriminatory'

But she sent one daughter, to an academy for the gifted, and the other to a $51,000-a-year private school

The civil rights activist and lawyer has become the left's new poster child after being endorsed by Democratic firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Critics however, believe she does not live by the standards she would force on the city's residents

The 57-year-old is the daughter of late activist and college professor George Wiley, founder of the National Welfare Rights Organization

She received a private school education as a child and went on to attend two Ivy League universities

'She talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk,' one political observer told DailyMail.com

The New York Post adds some granular details:

She lives with her husband, financier Harlan Mandel, 58, in a historic Prospect Park South estate valued at $2.7 million. The home, built in 1905 by architect John J. Petit, has come in for fawning praise by elite connoisseurs. (snip) The digs are fitting for Wiley, who has turned a life of activism into a lucrative career. In the two years she worked as counsel for Mayor de Blasio between 2014 and 2016, Wiley raked in more than $400,000 in compensation, city records show. After leaving that job, Wiley headed to the New School, where she became a senior vice president for social justice. Tax records show a nearly $300,000 payday in 2018 and another $250,000 in 2019. A plum gig as an MSNBC legal analyst netted another $60-100K a year as well, according to her public disclosures.

Her husband earns even more, and (surprise!) appears to be on the Soros money pipeline, as was Mara earlier:

Wileys beau, Mandel, does well for himself as CEO of the Media Development Investment Fund, a self-described not-for-profit investment fund. Mandel earned more than $900,000 in compensation between 2017 and 2019, tax records show. MDIF invests in the equity and debt of newsgathering organizations in countries including Poland, Brazil and South Africa. The organization received initial funding from George Soros and the billionaires Open Society Foundations continue to support it. The MDIF did not respond to The Posts requests for its most recent IRS tax filing, which charities must disclose by law. From 1996 to 1998, Mandel worked as deputy general counsel at the Open Society Foundations. Wiley also worked there in the late 90s, according to her LinkedIn profile. Later progressive organizations she was involved with  the Tides Foundation and the Center for Social Inclusion  were both bankrolled by Open Society grants, The Post has reported. As president of the Center for Social Inclusion, where she worked from 2002 to 2014, she was paid more than $180,000 in 2013, according to filings of that group.

With that background, defunding the police is a natural position for Wiley, and she means to cut radically:

She has spoken openly of her plans to overhaul the New York Police Department that she claims is filled with bureaucratic waste. Wiley has said she wants to move $1 billion from its budget to community resources. She also plans to appoint a civilian as the NYPD commissioner and reduce the department's 35,000 officers by roughly 2,500.

Maybe New Yorkers will wise up. But any city that could elect Bill DeBlasio could certainly choose Wiley.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
I am so old that I remember when National Guard troops were authorized to shoot looters on sight following natural disasters. The understanding back then was that if allowed to spread, looting was a mortal threat to the health of communities. Things are very different today, as NBC News (to its credit) reports:

In late May and early June 2020, looters smashed storefronts in the Bronx and Manhattan boroughs of New York City. Many were caught on tape, some with their faces visible. Others even posted their own videos of their actions those nights on social media. Hundreds were arrested. But a review of NYPD data by the investigative team at WNBC, the NBC owned station in New York, shows that a large percentage of the cases  particularly in the Bronx  were dismissed, and that many convictions were for counts like trespassing that carry no jail time. "I was in total shock that everything is being brushed off to the side," said Jessica Betancourt, who owns an eyeglass shop that was looted and destroyed along Burnside Avenue in the Bronx last June. According to the data, 118 arrests were made in the Bronx during the worst of the looting in early June. Since then, the NYPD says the Bronx district attorney and the courts have dismissed most of those cases  73 in all. Eighteen cases remain open and there have been 19 convictions for mostly lesser counts like trespassing, counts which carry no jail time.

The administration of justice in Manhattan, where many fancier stores were looted, is no better:

The NYPD data shows there were 485 arrests in Manhattan. Of those cases, 222 were later dropped and 73 resulted in convictions for lesser counts like trespassing, which carries no jail time. Another 40 cases involved juveniles and were sent to family court; 128 cases remain open.

A looted store in Manhattan (YouTube screengrab, cropped)

Prosecutors claim that evidence is lacking in some cases and cite overwork. But Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, Jr. has devoted enormous resources to finding a crime to prosecute former President Trump with, an outright abuse of his power, aimed at political intimidation and vengeance. But hes full of compassion for looters:

Vance told his office, "For many of these commercial burglaries, you will be asked to reduce the initial felony charge to a misdemeanor and to dispose of the case  with an eye towards rehabilitation."

New York City already faces a grim task recovering from the Covid shutdown, which has left many stores and restaurant spaces vacant, as the incumbent business folded under the weight of the lockdown, which we now know was totally unnecessary as well as unprecedented. Streets with lots of vacant stores are always creepy, and readily become hosts to crime because people dont want to linger on the sidewalks.

Letting looters off scot-free or with minor misdemeanor punishment means that future looters will be emboldened. Under such circumstances, who in their right minds would want to open new stores In New York?

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Artur Pawlowski is a Polish-born pastor who recently gained international fame when Canadian authorities came to arrest him for the crime of holding a church service on Easter. "Get out! Out! Immediately out!" Pawlowski roared at the police in a video that instantly went viral.

Pastor Pawlowski is traveling through America on his Courageous Faith tour, and on June 15, he spoke to an overflowing crowd in Manhattan. "Good people don't obey the order of tyrants," he bellowed, standing in front of an American flag. "If you're not pushing evil away, you are part of the problem."

As the audience listened, transfixed, Pawlowski described his year-long persecution by authorities in Calgary, where his Cave of Adullam Church is located. In the name of COVID restrictions, police routinely swarmed his church services, photographing every woman and child. "This is what the communists did in Poland. They would send you pictures of your wife and children to intimidate you," he said. "The police also gave me tickets for millions of dollars. I told them, 'Give me a billion dollars! Think big.'"

The obvious absurdities of COVID restrictions infuriate Pawlowski, who sees an evil agenda behind the contradictions. "In Canada to this day, prayer is illegal. But you can go to IKEA and abortion clinics and marijuana stores. I could bring my whole church to IKEA and have services there. But if one person comes to my church, I can be arrested. This is not about a virus! It's about control."

On Easter weekend, authorities sent 100 police officers and 52 police cars to stop the church service. After Pawlowski tossed them out, they followed him home and arrested him on the highway. They chained him, tortured him, and threw him into solitary confinement where he slept on a concrete floor. Reminder: This is Canada we're talking about.

Pawlowski speaks in tones unfamiliar to most Westerners, with the passion of unbridled masculine strength. "Men have forgotten their job to be protectors. The family is out of balance. In the West, men want to be women, and women want to be men."

Drawing inspiration from Joan of Arc and biblical figures like Daniel and Esther, Pawlowski spoke of how his faith strengthened him to fight for the future. "Why are young people turning to drugs and suicide? Because not enough people are giving them hope. There are lots of evil people in government. They're destroying the next generation, putting muzzles on your kids like a dog. Telling them you have no identity, no voice. You are a slave."

The more Pawlowski bellowed with rage, the more the audience cheered. There was a large contingent from the Polish community who learned of the event from Polish social media. "He's risking his life and his family's safety," a Polish woman told me. "He speaks for millions. People are sitting home watching TV, but he's an action man." David, a young man from China, saw a possible Chinese influence behind the assault on Pawlowski. "I went to school in Canada," he said. "There's a lot of connection to China."

Pawlowski, who's out on bail, faces four years in prison. His friend, Pastor Tim Stephens, who was recently arrested in front of his seven sobbing children, also faces an uncertain future. "This is your destiny, America, if you don't fight back," warned Pawlowski. "If you don't rise up like I did and say, 'No! Get out!,' you will not have freedom."

Pawlowski's impromptu tour was arranged by FEC United, a grassroots organization seeking to restore America's freedoms in faith, education, and commerce. (For his upcoming appearances, see here.) Cindy Chafian, the tour's organizer, implored the crowd not to surrender to discouragement. "God is working miracles in this country. Those of us on the ground can feel it," she said.

Pawlowski certainly didn't sound discouraged. "I have millions in penalties and may go to jail, but you don't see me depressed or terrified. Joan of Arc said, 'Act and God will act.' I pray we will rise up like a pride of lions. When a lion roars, other lions are attracted."

Image: Artur Pawlowski TV via YouTube.

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The Washington Post is displeased that Catholic bishops are even suggesting that Joe Biden, who never tires of flaunting his Catholicism, approaches his faith inconsistently with core Catholic doctrine, making it questionable whether he deserves to receive Communion. In a subtly dishonest article, it assures its readers that Biden is right and that it's only conservatives, out of line with both Biden and Pope Francis, who are wrong. In fact, Biden has abandoned a core Church doctrine and should be willing to accept the consequence.

Matt Viser's article opens by telling us that Biden is so darn Catholic he even wanted to become a priest. Even now, hes justwell, so darn Catholic:

Biden is arguably the most observant president in decades, and his faith is a core part of his identity. He rarely misses Mass. He crosses himself in public. He quotes scripture, he cites hymns and he clutches rosary beads ahead of key decisions.

Only two paragraphs later, though, when discussing the bishops actions, Viser assures readers that Biden, despite his obsequious public observations rarely discusses his Catholicism. Its apparent that, when youre a young(ish), college educated, Democrat WaPo writer, you can hide behind Emersons statement that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. That way, you dont need to sweat the details in any article you write.

Viser frames the fundamental problem as one between the liberal and conservative sides of modern Catholicism:

The move puts Biden, who rarely discusses his Catholicism, at the center not only of a political fight between conservatives and liberals but also a church battle between traditionalists and reformers. In that sense he is aligned with Pope Francis as world-renowned liberal Catholics, a phenomenon that presents a challenge to traditionalists. [snip] Biden has long looked up to Francis, who traditional Catholic priests consider too liberal. The two men  an Argentine Jesuit and a Scranton-born pol  in some ways share similar philosophies, aligned on climate change, social change and economic disparities. Each is attempting to break with a more rigid predecessor in ways they believe are more inclusive, but which anger those who view the changes as too permissive.

The article has several more paragraphs intended to ensure that readers know that Biden is Catholic, unlike Trump who wasnt really Christian at all but just pretended to be so for political reasons.

This is disingenuous. Why? Because the real issue, of course, is abortion, something Viser eventually gets around to discussing:

The debate among the U.S. bishops often views Bidens faith through the lens of abortion rights, a topic that has been divisive for the church and problematic for Biden. During the 2012 vice-presidential debate with Republican nominee Paul Ryan, also a Catholic, Biden said he personally accepts the churchs position on abortion, but I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews.

But of course, the issue is not whether Biden is personally preventing pro-abortion people from having abortions, which is how and the WaPo frames it. Instead, Biden is aggressively promoting abortion. It is a core political stance for him.

Meanwhile, Bidens alleged icon  Pope Francis  for all that many of his values seem more closely aligned with Marx than Paul or Jesus, has continued to insist that the value of fetal life is a core doctrinal stance for the Church.

A vast moral and intellectual chasm separates them so that they are polar opposites. Just as the Pope has no say over American politics (although he can give doctrinal and spiritual advice that the faithful apply to their politics), Biden doesnt get to have a say in Church doctrine. If his political calculation calls for him to be ardently pro-abortion, thats his right. However, he must then accept the strictures of his faith, one of which is that he no longer qualifies for Communion. Biden doesnt get to eat his cake and have it simply by crossing himself whenever its convenient for him to do so.

Forty-five years ago, my Dutch mother took me to see a Dutch movie called Max Havelaar, based upon the famous (in Holland) book of the same name by Eduard Douwes Dekker, who wrote the book in 1860 under the nom de plume Multatuli. The book was a scathing attack on the cruelties of Hollands colonial system in the Dutch East Indies. What I remember is that the movie opened with Sunday churchgoers mouthing platitudes about the brotherhood of man, only to leave church and, for profit, fiercely abuse the Indonesian people.

That movie reminds me that, just because people drape themselves in the trappings of faith, that doesnt mean that the substance of faith has any meaning for them. To the extent that Biden actively promotes policies violating a core principle animating Catholicism, the bishops are right when they say his freely made choice should deprive him of one Catholicisms core benefits. The WaPo, as always, is wrong.

IMAGE: Biden attends religious service (cropped). YouTube screen grab.

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Youth climate activists have resumed their protest at the Science Museum over its links to Shell after being threatened with arrest when they staged an occupation of the building on Saturday evening.

Members of the London branch of the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN London) are demonstrating against the museums decision to accept sponsorship from Shell for its Our Future Planet exhibition.

The exhibition will feature carbon capture and storage technologies and nature-based solutions to the climate crisis.

Izzy Warren, 17, an A-level student from west London, told the PA news agency: The fact that Shell, and oil company, are sponsoring the exhibition is absurd.

Its blatant greenwashing.

Izzy said UKSCN London had tried to engage with the museum in various ways to get them to abandon the deal with Shell, including through petitions, a boycott and letters to directors.

The group also previously staged demonstration outside the Science Museum.

(The Science Museum) continues to justify the sponsorship and so the protest last night was us taking further action because further action needed to be taken, she said.

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UKSCN London said that on Saturday evening a team of police officers had arrived and threatened to arrest them when they tried to spend the night in the museums Kensington building.

We hadnt been given any warning that the police were coming, they just showed up, Izzy said.

They told us they wouldnt hesitate to arrest us all, they had the resources to arrest us all, and that they would arrest us all for aggravated trespass.

The move prompted the group to abandon the protest for the night but return at 1pm on Sunday.

Protesters hang anti-shell banners in the Science Museum (UKSCN London/PA)

Izzy said the UKSCN London campaign had received a wave of support overnight as a result of the polices actions.

All of us have heard from friends who have never even been to the climate strikes who have said we are coming down because what (the police) did was so terrible, she said.

Its really brought attention not just to the Shell sponsorship but also the lengths to which the Science Museum will go to protect that sponsorship deal.

She added: People are angry and rightfully so, and they will hopefully come and join us outside the museum now.

An open letter to the museum published on UKSCNs website said: We condemn the Science Museums decision to accept this sponsorship and provide Shell with an opportunity for brazen greenwashing.

It said Shell had a history of committing horrific human rights violations in the developing world.

The letter continued: Solving the climate crisis goes beyond cutting carbon emissions; this must be a fight for climate justice.

We stand alongside the activists in the Global South who face violence from fossil fuel corporations, such as Shell, and the communities who are and will be hit hardest by climate change, despite contributing the least to cause it.

The Science Museum has been approached for comment.
Democracy in the UK is being undermined by a small but vocal minority, the Culture Secretary has said after multiple brands pulled advertising from GB News.

Oliver Dowden has warned that basic democratic values can no longer be taken for granted after the upstart channel saw the withdrawal of advertising from companies such as Ikea, cider firm Kopparberg and Octopus Energy.

The network, which launched last Sunday, has promised to take on so-called cancel culture.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Dowden said: When he launched the channel, veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil vowed that GB News would not be an echo chamber for the metropolitan mindset, and that it would empower those who feel their concerns have been unheard.

GB News launched and promised to offer an alternative to current affairs shows from the likes of the BBC and Sky (Gareth Milner/GB News/PA)

Rightly so. A free media is one that has a diverse range of opinions and voices.

He added: Sadly we can no longer take them for granted.

Across the West, our values of tolerance and freedom of expression increasingly risk being undermined by a small but vocal minority.

GB News has faced accusations it will be broadcasting US-style partisan news shows in the UK, and campaign group Stop Funding Hate challenged advertisers on social media.

Swedish furniture giant Ikea said it had not knowingly advertised on GB News.

It added: We are in the process of investigating how this may have occurred to ensure it wont happen again in future, and have suspended paid display advertising in the meantime.

In its statement, Kopparberg also said it was unaware its adverts were running on the channel and said they had been suspended pending further review of its content.

Octopus said it would only advertise with GB News if it proved to be genuinely balanced.

The Open University also paused its advertising.

Mr Dowden said the channel seeks to empower those who feel their concerns have been unheard.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has accused the Scottish Government of hypocrisy over a travel ban to the North West.

Nicola Sturgeon announced on Friday all non-essential travel to Manchester and Salford would be banned from Monday, but the Labour mayor said he or his administration were not contacted before the announcement.

The First Minister pinpointed the areas as Covid-19 hotspots, despite figures in the cities matching case rates in parts of Scotland.

Anyone travelling elsewhere in the Greater Manchester or Lancashire area, Id ask to think carefully about whether your journey is really necessary, because we do see cases rising across that region, she said on Friday in a coronavirus briefing.

Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Russell Cheyne/PA)

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Mr Burnham said: I was really disappointed on Friday that the First Minister of Scotland just announced out of the blue, as far as we were concerned, a travel ban saying that people couldnt travel from Scotland to Manchester and Salford and people couldnt go the other way.

That is exactly what the SNP always accuse the Westminster Government of doing, riding roughshod over people.

The SNP are treating the north of England with the same contempt in bringing that in without any consultation with us.

He added: I just think its double standards, its hypocrisy.

Theyve done to us exactly what they always complain that the UK Government does to Scotland.

Mr Burnham said he would be looking for his constituents who planned to travel north of the border to be financially compensated by the Scottish Government.

Ill be writing to the First Minister today, he said.

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Ill be asking for compensation for the individuals who might lose holidays and the businesses who might lose bookings.

Why should a couple from Salford who are double jabbed who are about to go on a walking holiday in Scotland not be able to go?

Its completely disproportionate in my view  we could have come up with a different arrangement if the First Minister had been in touch with us.

Mr Burnham went on to say there should be an arrangement put in place, which would mean there would have to be consultation between Scotland and the north of England before such a travel ban was put in place.

Speaking on BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show, Scottish Government trade minister Ivan McKee said a decision on Covid-19 had to be made quickly.

The virus, as we know, moves very fast, decisions are made very fast and those decisions are communicated at a four nations level, he said.

Andy Burnham is going to write to the First Minister about it, thats absolutely fine and Im sure there will be a conversation about how we can keep him better informed in future.

But Tory leader Douglas Ross, speaking on the same show, said: We know that law was made on Thursday morning to introduce these restrictions into Greater Manchester and a ban on travel, yet it wasnt announced until over 24 hours later.

If Ivan McKee says theres not good enough dialogue between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, there was 24 hours that passed before anyone in Greater Manchester knew of a decision taken by the Scottish Government a day earlier.
Family feud. A new book excerpt claims Prince William and Prince Harrys rift deepened following allegations that Meghan Markle bullied a palace employee during her time as a working member of the royal family.

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New details about the bullying allegations were published in U.K. newspaper The Times on Saturday, June 19, as part of an excerpt from Robert Laceys new book Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, out June 24. The author alleges that the Duke of Cambridge, 38, initiated the separation of his household from the Sussexes after complaints about the former actress, 39, were filed.

Prince William and Prince Harry's feud allegedly worsened after bulling allegations.

Prince William went ballistic when he heard the dossier of distress that [former communications secretary Jason] Knauf had gathered, Lacey wrote, adding that he was astonished and horrified.

The second in line to the throne believed the California native had an agenda and was undermining some precious principles of the monarchy, the book claims. More importantly, William was allegedly concerned that Meghan seemed to be stealing his beloved brother away.

Prince Harry, 36, however, was equally furious that his brother was more inclined to believe staff members than his own family. He defended his wife while William felt betrayed. The showdown that followed was said to be fierce and bitter.

He had seen it as his job to look out for Harry but this was the moment the protection had to stop, Lacey wrote. At the end of the day the British crown and all it stood for with its ancient traditions, styles and values  the mission of the monarchy  had to matter more to William than his brother did.

As the relationship deteriorated, William simply did not want her or Harry around anymore, the royal expert added.

The Battle of Brothers excerpt ends by noting that Meghan and Harrys move from Kensington Palace to Frogmore Cottage and the division of their households was one that William allegedly orchestrated. William wished to be separated from Meghan on a day-to-day basis  and that meant being separated from his brother as well, Lacey wrote. William, says a friend, threw Harry out.'

When accusations of bullying were published in March, Buckingham Palace said HR would look into the matter.

We are clearly very concerned about allegations in The Times following claims made by former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the palaces statement, released via social media, read. Accordingly our HR team will look into the circumstances outlined in the article. Members of staff involved at the time, including those who have left the Household, will be invited to participate to see if lessons can be learned.

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A representative for the Duchess of Sussex denied the claims. The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma, a rep for Meghan said in a statement to Us Weekly in March.

The rep also told The Times that the bullying accusations were part of a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. (Knauf, one of several staffers who complained about Meghan, stepped down from his role as CEO of the Royal Foundation in May, two months after the claims were published.)

The alleged treatment of staff isnt the only issue keeping the brothers apart. Last month, a royal insider told Us that the relationship between the siblings has only gotten worse amid Harrys recent candid interviews in his CBS tell-all and more.

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William feels that Harry should discuss his issues privately and cant comprehend why he continues to shade his own flesh and blood on TV, the source said after the release of Harrys docuseries The Me You Cant See. Of course, mental health is a serious issue, but William cant get his head around why Harry keeps throwing his family under the bus.

The source added: Theres no way theyll ever trust him after this. The damage is done.

Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for Kensington Palace and the Sussexes for comment on the new claims.
Gone but not forgotten. The royal family is celebrating their first Fathers Day since Prince Philips death, but they made sure to include him in their tributes.

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To all Papas everywhere, and to those who may be missing their Dads today, we are thinking of you and wishing you a special #FathersDay, Prince Charles and Duchess Camillas Clarence House shared via Instagram on Sunday, June 20.

The caption accompanied three photos. One showed Charles, 72, as a toddler next to a young Philip. Other pictures included Camilas father, the late Bruce Shand, as well as a photo of Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posted an animated Happy Fathers Day message, and they included photos of all the dads in their lives. In one photo, Philip and Queen Elizabeth II are surrounded by seven of their great-grandchildren. Another snap showed a young Harry, now 36, and William, now 39, with Charles while Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis surrounded their dad, William, in another picture.

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The official royal family Instagram shared a photo that honored the Queens dad as well as Philip and Charles.

To all dads everywhere, we wish you a very special Fathers Day, the caption on a black and white photo read. To mark #FathersDay we are sharing this photograph of The Queen with her father, King George VI, and Prince Philip watching a young Prince Charles sitting on a statue at Balmoral in 1951.

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Philip died of natural causes on April 9 at age 99. The Duke of Edinburgh passed 2 months shy of his 100th birthday.

The loss of the patriarch has been difficult for the royals. [He] left a giant-sized hole in our lives, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, told BBC Radio 5 Live on Wednesday, June 16. I think unfortunately the pandemic has slightly skewed things, inasmuch as its hard to spend as much time with the queen as we would like to. Weve been trying to, but of course its still not that easy.

Sophie, 56, added that she believes the pandemic has affected the mourning period. The whole grieving process is probably likely for us to take a lot longer, she said.

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A royal insider told Us Weekly in April that Elizabeth, 95, was struggling in the wake of her husbands death.

Royal Family Honors Prince Philip on Fathers Day: See How Charles, William Paid Tribute

Prince Philips passing has hit the queen harder than expected, but shes remaining calm and collected, the source explained. Shes strong and Im sure shell pull through.

While honoring Philip, both William and Charles also included photos of Harry despite the ongoing rifts with the California resident. The Duke of Sussexs candid commentary from his CBS tell-all, his Apple+ TV series The Me You Cant See and other recent interviews has strained their relationships.

Read article

Another insider told Us that Charles and William were livid after hearing his comments in May.

It definitely hasnt helped with healing the rift, the source said, adding the family doesnt want to engage with Harrys criticism. They feel it was thoughtless and irresponsible of Harry to once again shade The Firm so soon after Prince Philips death, while the queen is still mourning the death of her husband.
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP)  Gunmen aboard a number of vehicles staged attacks in several neighborhoods in the Mexican border city of Reynosa on Saturday, and at least 15 people died in clashes that caused widespread panic, according to local law enforcement.

The Tamaulipas state agency coordinating security forces said in a statement that the attacks began in the early afternoon in several neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city, which borders McAllen, Texas.

The agency said one person died during an attack on police near a border bridge, but it was not clear if the others were shot in random attacks or were targeted.

The shootings mobilized the army, National Guard, state police and other agencies. Authorities said they detained a person who had two women, apparently kidnapped, in the trunk of his car, and said they seized three vehicles.

Reynosa Mayor Maki Esther Ortiz Dominguez sent a tweet demanding the attack be clarified and that the citizenry be protected.

The area's criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf Cartel, but there have been fractures within the gang.
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In Doklam, in the June of 2017, the NDA/BJP government was more interested in a propaganda triumph rather than a substantive outcome

Galwan clash was the most grave confrontation after the October 20 1975 ambush by the Chinese at Tulung La in which four Assam Rifles personnel lost their lives. (Representational image: PTI)

On June 15, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in a barbaric clash with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in the Galwan Valley. It was the most grave confrontation after the October 20 1975 ambush by the Chinese at Tulung La in which four Assam Rifles personnel lost their lives.

On June 20, the Prime Minister gave a rather bizarre twist to the entire tragedy when he told an all-party meeting that neither have they intruded into our border, nor has any post been taken over by them (China). Then why did we lose 20 braves? Did India then intrude into Chinese territory?

Herein lies the nub of the problem qua China. The NDA/BJP government by repeatedly underplaying both the aggressiveness of Chinese intent and blatant intrusions into areas that lie within the Indian perception of what is the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This has exposed a serious chink in their armour that the Chinese have now exploited to the very hilt. That fissure is the governments desperation to protect its narrative of muscular nationalism at any cost. It makes them both muddle and mask the truth.

The problem started way back in 2014 when Modi decided to swing with Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad deliberately playing down the Chinese transgression into Indian territory in Chumar. It is inconceivable that the PLA would embark on this adventurism on the LAC without explicit political clearance from the standing committee of the politburo especially when Xi was visiting India.

The Chinese had tried this stunt a year earlier too in Depsang plains area. The 19-kilometres deep incursion by an armed patrol of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) into the strategically delicate Daulat Beg Oldie sector in the Aksai Chin region was noticed on April 16, 2013, and immediately interdicted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). It came just weeks before Chinese premier Li Keqiangs visit to India between May 19 and 21 and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singhs visit to Japan later that month between May 27 and 30.

The Depsang incursion was designed to send twin messages. First, Chinese were experimenting their new found assertiveness after Xis triple anointment as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), president of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the chairperson of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Second, it was also a caution to India against expressing overt support to Japan against the background of steadily worsening tensions between China and Japan over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands.

The Chinese were as worried then as they are today about the Quad then. The Standing Committee of the Politburo Chinas top decision making forum apprehended that the US was again engaged in putting together a broader alliance in the Asia Pacific comprising India, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia to contain Chinas rise.

The Depsang intrusions were handled firmly but with elan by the then UPA government. It was acknowledged upfront that the Chinese had indeed come across Indias perception line. A firm message therefore was sent to Beijing that Premier Li Keqiang who was undertaking his first foreign trip would not be very welcome in Delhi if status quo ante was not restored. On May 5, 2013, the Chinese fell back to their default position on the LAC.

As B.G. Verghese pointed out in a signed column on May 28, 2013, that the government can stand its ground and take farsighted decisions was proven by the way it handled the Chinese intrusion into the Depsang plain without getting rattled or pushed by chauvinistic clamour. At the end of the day, the Chinese blinked and pulled back. That the joint statement issued later did not mention the word intrusion  the PM used the phrase incident  signified a welcome restraint and desire to avoid teasing statements.

However, a year later when Chumar happened on the cusp of Xi Jinpings visit from September 17 to September 20, 2014, an over-sanguine Prime Minister desperate to flaunt his newfound importance in his backyard of Gujarat did not send word to Xi Jinping that he would not be very comfy in India if the Chinese did not withdraw before the visit commenced. Having recently won an election, Prime Minister Modi had the political capital to do that but he blinked. This set the tone for the future.

In Doklam, in the June of 2017, the NDA/BJP government was more interested in a propaganda triumph rather than a substantive outcome. Not only was the withdrawal sequential rather than simultaneous with India withdrawing first, but the Indian government took its eye off the ball and allowed the Chinese to occupy substantial parts of the Doklam plateau within one year of the standoff.

This was followed by the opaque summits in Wuhan in 2018 and Mamallapuram in 2019. A subservient media and a deferential strategic community did not ask the hard questions as to what really was achieved at these informal tete-a-tetes. By that time the Chinese had sussed out the Indian leadership and had concluded that were they to launch an intrusion across a broad front along the LAC the NDA/BJP government would cover it up rather than deal with it candidly.

This is precisely what happened in April 2020. When the Chinese decided to saunter across the LAC first the government tried to palm it off to differing perceptions of the LAC.

In fact, they had already started running this narrative from December 2019 onwards. Speaking in the Lok Sabha on December 4, 2019, defence minister Rajnath Singh said, Due to different perceptions of the LAC, sometimes incidents of incursion occur. I accept it. Sometimes the Chinese Army enters here and sometimes our people go over there.

The government stuck to this chicanery from April to the June of 2020 as a mortified country bristling under a harsh lockdown was trying to keep body and soul together. Only after the Galwan tragedy when the body bags could not be kept under the wraps did the nation wake up to the enormity of the challenge. There again the Prime Minister unleashed the mendacities that he has perfected to an art form much to the delight of the Chinese as it endorsed their position that they have never intruded into Indian territory.

One year later this sad saga continues unchecked. After vacating significant territorial positions on the South Bank of Pangong Lake under a yet-to-be-microscopically-evaluated disengagement plan the government tries to escape the antiseptic glare of sunlight by not even allowing Parliament to have a full-fledged debate on perhaps the most portentous national security challenge that India faces today.
Paswan made the announcement following a meeting of the LJP national executive

New Delhi: Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan on Sunday announced "aashirvaad yatra" from July 5, the birth anniversary of his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan, from Hajipur in Bihar, as he seeks popular legitimacy in a battle with the rival faction headed by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras for the party's ownership.

Accusing his family rivals of "stabbing" him in the back, Paswan made the announcement following a meeting of the LJP national executive which endorsed his leadership and hit out at the faction headed by his paternal uncle for working against the party's constitution.

Paras, in turn, dismissed the meeting as an assembly of "rented crowd" and claimed that it held no legitimacy. The Election Commission will now decide whether his group is the real LJP or whether the Chirag-led faction is right, he told reporters.

The meeting chaired by Chirag Paswan also urged the Modi government to confer Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, on Ram Vilas Paswan, a popular Dalit leader from Bihar who died last year.

He asserted that over 90 per cent of the national executive members were in the meeting.

The decision to launch the yatra from Hajipur is significant as Paswan's father was elected to Lok Sabha from there for eight times, and Paras represents the seat now in the House.

Chirag Paswan said Hajipur had been "karmabhoomi" of his father and added that the yatra will roll out across the state and culminate with a meeting of the party's national council.

As he fights an all out battle to reclaim his father's legacy with all other party MPs, including his cousin Prince Raj, siding with Paras, Paswan launched an emotional attack on the rival members of his family for not waiting for even the first death anniversary of Ram Vilas Paswan and stabbing him in the back.

Paras alleged that the national executive meeting called by Paswan was attended by very few genuine members and was full of "renter crowd".

He claimed that the national executive meeting in Patna, which was called by him a days back, was genuine.

Noting that both factions have gone to the Election Commission with claims and counter-claims, he said it was now up to the EC to decide which one represented the real LJP.

Paras claimed that Paswan's elevation as party president in 2019, when his father was alive, was illegal as he was nominated and not elected.
ASC

An even smaller segment of the collector market is that of collectors who buy time capsules only for the sake of ownership. These are the cars that are still brand new even decades later, with hardly any mileage recorded on the odo, and some not even out of their plastic wrapping.Like this record-breaking 1987 Buick GNX , also known as the Las Vegas GNX.It sold on June 19, at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas event, for the incredible amount of $275,000, buyer fee included. This makes it twice a record holder: it is the lowest-mileage example known to exist and the most expensive one as well. Its the same GNX that became the worlds most expensive in 2019, when it sold at auction for $200,000, only to outdone by the one that fetched $205,000 in May 2021.With just 8.9 miles (14.3 km) showing on the clock (the listing mentions an 8.7 mileage / 14 km), this GNX was sold new to Ralphs Buick in Mena, Arkansas. Though not driven, it did travel a bit, moving to the display area of a Texas business after many years, and then into controlled storage. It was never driven and never registered, and its still wrapped in factory plastics.The Buick GNX , or the Grand National Experiment, developed withMcLaren as a 547-unit series, is a rare car even without the somewhat dubious distinction of low mileage. The turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine officially rated at 276 hp that actually produced some 300 hp made it one of the quickest cars back in the day, and its limited production also helped drive up its appeal.For some people, getting one such rare muscle car still brand new is, apparently, worth a fortune. And that makes it not worth driving.
Developed at the request of the companys U.S. president, the BRAT can only be described as a lovable oddity with various bits and pieces from the Leone. A single-cab trucklet with a unibody construction, the Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter is best known for the cool-looking jumpseats.Welded into the bed right behind the rear window, the rear-facing jumpseats were nothing more than a law-bending trick. The BRAT was classified as a passenger car because Subaru preferred to pay a 2.5-percent import tariff, not the 25-percent Chicken Tax protectionist import tariff on light trucks.The four-wheel-drive ute was offered until 1994, then Subaru revisited this concept in the 2000s with the Baja. The BRATs heir was larger due to Outback underpinnings, and on this occasion, production was handled locally at the Lafayette factory where the Outback is made to this very day.A lukewarm reception and extremely poor sales were enough for the Japanese automaker to drop this nameplate at the end of the 2006 model year. Considering that a Baja used to cost more than a half-ton pickup like the best-selling F-150, the writing was on the wall from the very beginning.Subaru hasnt tried reviving the BRAT/Baja recipe in these last 15 years, but pixel artist Theottle did with the help of Photoshop. Based on the Levorg station wagon for the Japanese market and loosely inspired by the single-cab Fiat Strada for Brazil, the design study before your eyes is very interesting from a visual standpoint but not good enough for the real world.Theres no mistaking that a small automaker with limited R&D resources has no chances of one-upping a giant such as the Ford Motor Company, which has recently confirmed more than 36,000 reservations for the double-cab Maverick. Subaru would also have to outperform the Hyundai Santa Cruz, which boasts higher payload and tow ratings than Fords truck.
Officially born way back in September 1989 and with production kicking off early in 1990, the very first examples of the BMW 8 Series already qualify for entry into the classic cars' pantheon. And, of course, the one that everybody loves is the V12-powered 850CSi flagship, which at the time was powered by a 5.6-liter mill capable of producing 375 horsepower.Its a bit less than what the current M8 Competition has under the hood, but of course, for some, the 4.4-liter turbo V8 still isnt as elegant as the twelve-cylinder of its predecessor, even though it churns out no less than 617 horsepower. But these modern BMW considerations arent exactly of interest for the CGI master that just played with an 850CSi in the quirkiest way possible.Actually, hes been at it for a while, as he previously used the 850CSi mug on the E34 BMW M5 Touring and then even on a less feisty Porsche 944. It seems that hes keen on exploring the alternate universe choices where BMW joined forces not with Toyota (for the Z4/Supra), but with various other creators of vintage legends.The latest isnt necessarily also the greatest, but it certainly sparked a heavy dose of funny comments from the followers. Its a BMW 850CSi face plastered all over the equally black body of a 1970s Lincoln Continental. And while some asked to give it a Daytona wing and call it a day, were pretty much in tune with the people that see it as a proper Batmobile... but only if Batman became an active player in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe!
SOHC

Within its steel frame, Honda s 1996 MY PC800 Pacific Coast houses a 45-degreeV-twin powerplant, which packs a sizeable displacement of 798cc and three valves per cylinder head. The liquid-cooled behemoth will gladly summon 57 horses when the tachometer hits 6,500 revs per minute. On the other hand, a maximum torque output of up to 48 pound-feet (65 Nm) will be achieved at approximately 5,500 spins.A five-speed gearbox is tasked with enabling the engines force to reach a shaft final drive, resulting in a top speed of 120 mph (193 kph). Furthermore, the Pacific Coast is fully capable of running the quarter-mile spring in 14.1 seconds, which isnt too bad for a massive tourer that weighs a hefty 578 pounds (262 kg) on an empty stomach.Up front, the colossus is supported by 41 mm (1.6 inches) Showa forks, joined by dual shocks at the rear. Stopping power is handled by dual 290 mm brake rotors and twin-piston calipers on the front wheel, along with a drum module on the opposite end. The Japanese tourer crawls on cast boots that feature five sets of double spokes, with a diameter of 17 inches at the front and 16 inches at the back.If you happen to be a fan of the 96 PC800, well have you know that one such entity is going under the hammer at no reserve as we speak. Those of you who are interested may submit your bids on Bring A Trailer until June 21, when the auction will come to an end. For the time being, youd need about 3,000 bucks to become the top bidder.Additionally, the bike were looking at here was blessed with a tasty selection of modern components under current ownership, including new fork seals, top-shelf front brake pads and grippy tires, as well as an aftermarket windshield to round things out. Besides retuned carbs, the Pacific Coast s 798cc V-twin mill also received fresh spark plugs and air filters for good measure.
As the U.S. troop withdrawal accelerates, President Biden will welcome Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, at the White House on Friday.

Our thought bubble: Axios politics editor Glen Johnson, who traveled to Afghanistan while working for Secretary of State John Kerry, said inviting both Ghani and Abdullah to Washington shows the administrations respect for the delicate balance of power in the country.

The two worked out an initial power-sharing agreement in 2014 that has faltered over the years but, since renewed in May 2020, has largely provided a framework for governance and engagement with the United States and the rest of the world.

The Afghan government now faces its greatest peril as the United States withdraws its troops and the Taliban recaptures territory and asserts itself.

Inviting both leaders for talks in Washington is both a sign of respect and a means for the Biden administration to have direct engagement and give the two leaders a public sign of support back home.

Between the lines: Glen reports that Pentagon officials fear a bloodbath when the U.S. completes its troop withdrawal.

The president has set a Sept. 11 deadline, to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but Defense Department officials expect the withdrawal to largely be completed by July 4.

Afghanistan's former president, Hamid Karzai, said Sunday that the United States has failed its primary objectives to "fight extremism and bring stability" to the war-ravaged nation, the Associated Press reports.

What they're saying: The international community came here 20 years ago with this clear objective of fighting extremism and bringing stability ... but extremism is at the highest point today. So they have failed, Karzai said, per AP.

We recognize as Afghans all our failures, but what about the bigger forces and powers who came here for exactly that purpose? Where are they leaving us now? In total disgrace."

"The United States will remain deeply engaged with the Government of Afghanistan to ensure the country never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups who pose a threat to the U.S. homeland," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Sunday. "The United States continues to fully support the ongoing peace process and encourages all Afghan parties to participate meaningfully in negotiations to bring an end to the conflict."

Go deeper: Pakistan PM will "absolutely not" allow CIA to use bases for Afghanistan operations
Police said Sunday they believe a driver unintentionally hit spectators at a weekend Pride parade in Wilton Manors, Florida, resulting in the death of one man and leaving another person hospitalized.

The latest: Addressing speculation that the crash may have been a hate crime against the LGBTQ community, Wilton Manors police chief Gary Blocker said in a statement: "Today we know yesterday's incident was a tragic accident, and not a criminal act directed at anyone, or any group of individuals."

Blocker did not comment on what led to the crash, nor did he identify the driver or those injured by the pickup truck.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who is gay and told reporters Saturday that he believed the incident to be a "terrorist attack" on the LGBTQ community, said in a statement Sunday that he feared it "could be intentional based on what I saw from mere feet away."

"As the facts continue to be pieced together, a picture is emerging of an accident in which a truck careened out of control," he added.

The big picture:Reports emerged about 7 p.m. local time Saturday that a vehicle had "crossed multiple lanes, striking multiple people" at the Wilton Manors Stonewall Parade and Festival, according to the SunSentinel.

Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus president Justin Knight told news outlets that the driver and victims were a part of his group and that he understood it to be an accident, rather than a deliberate action.

Trantalis told reporters Saturday that police had "apprehended the driver" and that the vehicle missed a parade car carrying Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) "by inches."

What they're saying: Wasserman Schultz tweeted Saturday night that she's "deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost and others seriously injured."

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Of note: The incident was one of two involving a pickup truck hitting a crowd on Saturday, with several cyclists left critically wounded in Show Low, Arizona.

The driver in the mountain town "plowed into bicyclists during a community road race," AP reports. Six people were taken to a local hospital in a critical condition.

The 35-year-old suspect was shot by police at a nearby hardware store and was in a "stable but critical condition," per AP.

Police told AP the motive for the incident was not immediately known.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Major companies have said in recent job postings that Colorado residents are ineligible to apply for certain remote positions because a new state law requires businesses to disclose the expected salary or pay range for positions, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Why it matters: The law, which went into effect in January, is meant to help close the gender wage gap and to promote wage transparency for employees, but companies have said Coloradans need not apply to avoid disclosing the information.

Johnson & Johnson, CBRE, McKesson and Cardinal Health are among businesses that have added such caveats in recent online listings for remote positions, according to the Journal.

The big picture: Businesses have argued that the wage disclosure law is overly burdensome for employers, while the state's labor department is investigating complaints of postings excluding Coloradans.

Colorado residents can still apply for the positions, but it's unknown if companies would actually consider them as candidates.

Go deeper: Nudging our way to better remote work
Voting was largely peaceful but there were allegations of government pressure on voters and harassment of opposition activists. There were virtually no reports of violent incidents inside polling stations across the country.

According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission (CEC), 49.4 percent of Armenias 2.6 million eligible voters participated in the snap polls. Many of those Armenians live abroad and are not allowed to cast ballots outside their country, suggesting that actual turnout was higher.

The highest official turnout (60.4 percent) was registered in southeastern Syunik province, an opposition stronghold and major source of complaints and irregularities alleged during Sundays voting.

In the provincial town of Goris and two nearby villages, representatives of major opposition alliances led by former Presidents Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarkisian claimed that soldiers serving there were told by their commanders to vote for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians Civil Contract party.

They stand a bit far away from the polling booths and all drop the same ballots on orders, an opposition proxy at a Goris polling station told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

The Armenian Defense Ministry denied that such orders were issued to soldiers in Syunik or any other part of the country.

Armen Khachatrian, a Civil Contract figure who has represented a Syunik constituency in Armenias outgoing parliament, also dismissed the allegations made by Kocharians Hayastan bloc and Sarkisians Pativ Unem alliance.

Khachatrian accused the two opposition forces of trying to buy votes before and during the elections. He said that more of their members will be prosecuted in the coming days.

In another Syunik town, Sisian, police raided on Sunday morning Hayastans local campaign headquarters. Artur Sargsian, the Sisian mayor affiliated with Hayastan, said they looked for fake ballots but did not find any. Nevertheless, he said, they confiscated a computer and detained two local campaign activists of the Kocharian-led bloc.

The bloc condemned the police actions, saying that they are aimed at paralyzing the work of its Syunik campaigners.

In Yerevan, law-enforcement authorities detained late on Saturday several supporters of Hayastan and the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) on suspicion of distributing or receiving vote bribes.

The office of Armenias human rights defender, Arman Tatoyan, expressed concern over those detentions. It said one of the detainees told office representatives that police officers verbally abused her and threatened to prosecute her if she does not confess to vote buying.

Sarkisians Pativ Unem bloc said that dozens of its members have been rounded up in recent days.

The ex-president claimed that the entire law-enforcement system is harassing the bloc seen as one of the main opposition election contenders. Speaking to journalists after voting at a Yerevan polling station, he condemned illegal arrests of its members and illegal searches conducted at Pativ Unem offices in various parts of Armenia.

The Armenian police said, meanwhile, that they received 57 reports of election-related violations and launched preliminary inquiries into 20 of them as of 4 p.m. local time.

No serious irregularities were reported in Armenias second largest city of Gyumri. Election observers and opposition proxies interviewed by RFE/RLs Armenian Service at two local polling stations said they did not witness any wrongdoing.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) said three hours later that with about 80 percent of ballots cast counted, Pashinians Civil Contract party had 55.3 percent of the vote. Its main opposition challenger, the Hayastan (Armenia) alliance led by former President Robert Kocharian, came in a distant second with 20.3 percent.

Another opposition force, the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), was falling short of a 5 percent threshold to get seats in the countrys new parliament, according to the CEC.

The official results put former President Serzh Sarkisians opposition Pativ Unem bloc in third place with 5.2 percent. But under Armenian law, party alliances need to poll at least 7 percent of the vote in order to be represented in the National Assembly.

The 21 other parties and blocs running in the elections fared much worse.

Pashinian arrived at the Civil Contract headquarters in Yerevan after midnight to declare his partys victory in the polls.

We can conclude that the people of Armenia have given Civil Contract and me a mandate to lead the country, he said in a speech delivered there.

Pashinian described his victory as a steel revolution that will allow him to resort to tougher methods of governance and establish a dictatorship of the law in the country.

Meanwhile, Hayastan refused to concede defeat, saying that the partial vote results do not inspire trust.

They sharply contradict various manifestations of public life which we have witnessed in the last eight months, the results of all opinion polls  and common sense, the opposition bloc said in a statement.

It said that Sundays voting was marred by hundreds of fraud reports that testify to a coordinated and pre-planned falsification of the election results. Hayastan will thoroughly examine the recorded and presumed irregularities, it said.

As long as all contentious issues have not been fully explained and suspicions have not been dispelled the Hayastan alliance will not recognize the election results, added the statement.
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - A hiker who went missing in South Mountain Park Saturday morning has been found dead, Phoenix fire officials say.

The hiker, a man in his mid-20s, told his family he was going for a hike, according to Phoenix fire. But no one had heard from him since around 10 a.m.

Crews spent hours searching the area by ground and by air. Phoenix Fire Dept. Technical Rescue teams, City of Phoenix park rangers and the Phoenix Police helicopter Firebird 10 all took part in the search.

Early this afternoon, police say they located the man's body near the T-Bone Trail Head, said fire officials.

His cause of death is not known. Phoenix police will be investigating what happened.

[CHECK FORECAST HERE]

Although it's not known yet whether heat had anything to do with this hiker's death, fire officials say hiking and other outdoor activities can be extremely dangerous when the weather gets this hot. By Saturday at 4 p.m., temperatures in the Phoenix area had already reached 115, and crept up to 116 by 5:05 p.m. An excessive heat warning is in place until Sunday evening.

Heat is the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. And the extreme heat were experiencing is having deadly consequences in Maricopa County. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner says over the last 10 days they have confirmed one heat-related death and are looking into 9 other deaths that are potentially heat related.

Stay with Arizona's Family for more on this developing story.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Mainly sunny. High 104F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 75F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here Sundays. Reach him at RobertPrice@KGET.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz. The opinions expressed are his own.
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Summer Preview of Wild Nature on Oregon Coast: Whales to New Beaches

Published 06/20/21 at 1:25 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast)  Every year, summer brings one new thing or another to the Oregon coastline. Whether it's wildlife or the vast changes that can happen to your favorite beach, here is a preview and some insider's tips. (Above: high sand levels vastly change Oceanside so you can walk around the point)



Above: Fogarty Beach - a section normally untouchable in winter it sometimes opens up in summer



The Joys of High Sand Levels. Summer always brings higher sand levels to the beaches of Oregon, and most years this means various remarkable changes for many parts of the coast. In many areas, it will look remarkably different, and some beaches may actually have new parts to them  in a way a new beach.

When sand levels get extremely high they can create a sort of faux minus tide look: it seems like the tide is farther out there all the time. Oceanside is often the recipient of this. When the sandbars build up just offshore, they keep the tides back and you can walk around Maxwell Point with considerable ease instead of having to tread through the tunnel to get to the secret beach and its many tidepool options.

You may be able to enter the Devil's Punchbowl more often than usual. Arch Cape suddenly allows you access to the arch that gave the town its name. The beach at Coos Bay's Sunset Bay gets larger and you may get to see rock formations not normally seen. Many of the rocky giants around the Oregon coast become suddenly accessible, such as at Bandon, Ariya's Beach or Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. Fogarty Beach near Depoe Bay could have a section accessible that you can never dream of getting near during winter.



Humpback at Astoria; photo courtesy Seaside Aquarium

Masses of Pelicans - Whales on Some Parts of N. Oregon Coast. This is usually a late summer thing. Parts of Seaside's shoreline can get some wild, frenzied bird activity  because, in turn, of even more frenzied baitfish activity in the area. Many years  not every one  you may see an extraordinary feeding whirlwind as pelicans swarm the Necanicum River and wrestle with gobs of fish.

Late summer brings a lot of anchovies, herring and schade for the Oregon coast. This can also attract a lot of humpback whales and Orcas from the Washington coast to the stretch from Cannon Beach into the Columbia River.



Bird feeding frenzy at the Necanicum: courtesy Seaside Aquarium

The more visible feeding activity takes place around Astoria near the river's mouth, and it seems it's happening more and more often in recent years. Killer whales and Humpbacks can get quite numerous, and they occasionally create the spectacle of weaving in and out of the recreational boats in the area, and easily spotted from the shoreline. There's a decent amount of splashing and diving going on.

On more than a few occasions, Humpbacks have been spotted lingering near Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock during that time.





Baby Seal Watching on the South Coast. For a little while longer the area will be in baby seal season, and that means stay the heck away from them. Always report a stranded baby seal to State Police if you see one on the beach.

However, there are places on the southern Oregon coast where you can watch them safely at a distance, where it won't disturb the parent.

Even into early summer seals can be seen with their young in places like Shore Acres State Park. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) said that area offers several trails that skirt the bluffs along the shoreline, thus giving you opportunities to see them as well as other wildlife.

Be careful not to get too close to the bluffs when looking for wildlife - falling can be dangerous and deadly, ODFW said.

Rocky areas like this on the south Oregon coast are excellent for checking out nesting seabirds, harbor seals, and sea lions. ODFW suggested to keep a watch from Cape Arago State Park, where many seals and sea lions use Simpson's Reef and the Shell Island area, seen from the park.

Now is a great time to visit the lookout at Simpson's Reef, which offers a great view of these animals, ODFW said.

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Humpback in the Columbia, courtesy Seaside Aquarium

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Last March, as COVID-19 was beginning to spread in Midland, Mayor Patrick Payton sat across from a group of doctors who told him if he didnt shut the city down, he would have 2,000 deaths on his hands. Shortly after that, he met with a group who said if he shut the city down, he was a communist or a socialist and 2,000 people would come after him.

The mayor told that story Wednesday to his audience at the Permian Basin chapter, American Association of Drilling Engineers, to illustrate how extremism has taken hold and important a middle ground has become.

Those in the oil and gas industry  and Payton noted everyone in Midland is touched in some way by the industry  are familiar with extremes, he said at the luncheon, held in conjunction with the Shale Energy Conference.

He defined those extremes as either no fossil fuels at all or renewable energy being unreliable. Residents of the Permian Basin are the only ones qualified to have that discussion, but theyve abdicated that position to the extremes, he said.

Those in the Permian Basin and in the industry need to learn to have better conversations, pointing out that there is no such thing as energy with no fossil fuels or a world with only renewable energy like wind and solar.

This country cant move unless the Permian Basin wakes up every day, he stated, urging those in the industry to tell their story of how important the industry is, what it is doing to improve the environment and how it works to provide power to billions around the world without reliable power, greatly improving those lives.

Payton told his audience he and the mayors of other energy-producing towns in North Dakota and Oklahoma and elsewhere plan to go to Washington, D.C. and speak with senators and congressmen.

We will show up on Capitol Hill and tell or story, he said. We need to step back from the extremes and step down to the issues ahead of us. Real life occurs in the middle. Those are the doors we will knock on. If we change the minds of three senators, we will win. If we get 10 representatives to change their minds, we will win. We will sit across the table from them and ask if they understand energy, if they understand oil and gas production.

You stand at the epicenter of a moment in history to take back the narrative on the oil and gas industry that powers America, that powers the American dream. You have to spread that gospel, you have to tell that story, he said.

He concluded, This is the third most strategic oil and gas producing basin in the world. Its time to grow up and act like it.
In season 13 of The Food Networks acclaimed mobile culinary competition "The Great Food Truck Race," seven teams set up their moveable feasts in Alaska, where they take on various challenges in the face of diverse meteorological and logistical obstacles.

This years field of competitors included Houston-based team Misti Buard, Nadia Ahmed and DAmbria Jacobs, whose food truck Tasty Balls churned out delectable sweet and savory spheres in flavors such as chicken pot pie, churro and crabless crab cake (vegan).

JUNETEENTH 'JUBILEE': Unique Juneteenth dinner to bring top Black chefs to Houston

They came in first, making them the first Black all-female team ever to win The Great Food Truck Race.

The women found each other through word of mouth. Buard, a public relations professional known on Instagram as The Food Truck Lady was first introduced to Jacobs. Immediately, Buard was bowled over by her tantalizing fare.

It was phenomenal, she gushes.

Jacobs then connected her to fellow chef and vegan food educator Ahmed, whose creative culinary chops immediately stole both of their hearts. After Buard secured a BeyGood small business grant, the three joined forces to enter the competition. Initially, the team was slated to film a winter challenge in March 2020 in Utah, but those plans (like virtually all of that year) were scrapped due to the pandemic. The network then informed the team they would be competing in Alaska instead, and so in late October 2020 the ladies were on their way to Anchorage with only seven days' notice.

Contestants on the show are prepared to deal with budgetary constraints, supply stumbles and staffing issues, but the Alaskan environment presented its own unique complications.

Our biggest challenge was definitely Mother Earth, Buard says as Ahmed follows up laughing, The weather was definitely not on our side.

Buard recounts how at one point Nadias fingers were so cold she couldnt even hold the knife and I took off my gloves to warm up her hands. And Im trying to take down orders and the iPad is frozen  literally.

So, why balls when it comes to the food served on the truck?

Chef Dee (Jones) thought we needed something that would grab consumers attention, Ahmed explains. The Network responded well to the batch of balls we sent and kept requesting more. Misti and I were against [naming the truck Tasty Balls] at first, but it worked!

In addition to national fame and eternal bragging rights, the women also garnered a $50,000 jackpot. But the real prize, according to Buard, Ahmed and Jacobs, has been the opportunity to inspire others, especially culinarily inclined women of color.

When we were filming in this small town Palmer, we met these young Black girls who waited in the cold just to meet us, Buard recalls. And in our hotel in Seward, our Black housekeeping attendant came to visit our truck to tell us we were an inspiration.

Such encounters have made the already passionate threesome even more committed to serving as educators and advocates.

Representation matters, Ahmed says. There is this stereotype when it comes to food that women are the cooks at home but men are the professionals. And in a field that is already super-dominated by white men, getting this far shows other women of color, you can do this, too.

It should come as no surprise that these baller women have even bigger plans.

Buard recently signed on to host her own morning show, while Ahmed and Jacobs, in addition to continuing to run their own ventures, will join her in hosting pop-ups at local high schools. Such endeavors are all in service to the same goal: galvanizing other aspiring culinary professionals.

We want people to dream out loud, Buard says.
Sometimes a person is filled with so much rage and anger that lotus poses and pan flute music just cant take one down the path of enlightenment.

Thats why rage yoga exists.

Yes, you heard that right  rage. Its a yoga class unlike anything else practitioners of the Eastern art engage in. Sure, there is stretching, centered breathing and the recitation of mantras. But there is also a lot of screaming, swearing, drinking and heavy metal music.

In Houston, you can get in on the action at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company under the guidance of rage yoga instructor Ashley Duzich. Classes are $20 each.

It is yoga that allows you to release all of your negative emotions in a safe space, Duzich said. Its basically a yoga practice that youre allowed to scream and let go of all the sh*t youre feelingand man, 2020 was a bunch of sh*t.

She started offering classes at Buffalo during the pandemic after the previous brewery in which she was teaching closed. At Buffalo, attendees are in outdoor tents in the parking lot where she has marked spots for the yoga mats six and a half feet apart. It can accommodate up to 20 people  and their dogs. Children are not welcome.

The responses to the idea ride the spectrum.

I get everything from oh my god, thats the greatest thing ever, to youre a horrible person and you are destroying yoga,' Duzich said.

Duzich learned rage yoga from Lindsey Istace, whom she refers to as the creator and mother of rage yoga. Duzich was at a low point in her life, having made an unwelcome move to Croatia. She Googled yoga and heavy metal and found Istaces rage yoga page.

I had to have it, Duzich said. I didnt even question it. I had no money to my name and I was still buying this. I needed this.

Ashley Duzic on Instagram

Eventually, in February of 2017, she would fly to Calgary, Canada where she became the first and (then) only American to become a certified rage yoga teacher.

Istace was also in a time of emotional upset when she created rage yoga. She was in the middle of a bad breakup, something she points out can make a person a little nuts.

I was finding that I was feeling super not OK and it wasnt really a feeling I could sweep under the rug. It kept leaking out, Istace said. In my personal practice, I felt like that meant I was doing it wrong and that just wasnt really the case. I leaned into it and found it really powerful when I had this space to just be not OK, even if it was colorful.

Her organic experiment snowballed, she said. Istace joked about it on social media and someone told her she should teach a class. She began doing workshops and festivals and then regular classes and teacher certification.

It got kind of out of control, ya know, Istace said.

What does a rage yoga class look like?

Both women describe it as an offering for people who are just on the cusp of engaging in yoga but may be turned off by the traditional trappings of the practice. Still, Istace says the experience is more like a conventional class than a person might expect.

Everybody always pictures a bunch of people just screaming F-words and blasting metal and for sure, that can absolutely be a feature, Istace said. But honestly, the flow of rage yoga is very similar to that of a regular yoga class.

They start with connecting to their breath and their bodies. They go through poses and stretches. The difference is that throughout the session, there are a lot of F-bombs and middle fingers.

Several traditional yoga postures take on new names. For example, the cat cow becomes the bad backup dancer. A favorite pose of Duzichs is what she calls the fireballs to knee the balls pose. It starts with people in a lunge position holding their hands out with fingers spread as if casting a fireball spell. She then has them transition into a high kick.

We call that kneeing the balls, Duzich said. I tell them to picture their mortal enemy standing in front of them and just kicking them in the balls.

Ashley Duzic on Instagram

In other words, everything gets a little ragey. The practice, she said, isnt about postures, but about releasing emotions.

It doesnt matter if youre doing the pose right or even doing the same pose as us, Duzich said. Its about doing what is right for you and your body. As long as youre just letting go and having a good time, thats what matters.

Another move that in traditional yoga is called a Forward Fold, they dub Let That Sh*t Go. Its based on a classical cleansing breath that starts as a mountain pose and on the exhale, you squeeze your diaphragm, pushing out all the stale air and flopping forward with a deep guttural noise or an expression of whatever makes you angry.

You dont just exhale, you let out all your bullsh*t, Duzich said. One of the best things weve ever heard was, I told you to close the refrigerator!

Istace cited her favorite as a person who growled with fury, I asked you to wash the dishes yesterday!

Both are big fans of colorful language, encouraging people to do no harm, take no sh*t.

There is a lot of energy behind your curse words, Istace said. Culturally, weve put such focus on them for a long time, that there is power in just owning them.

And while they are optional, both teachers cited frequent use of fist unicorns, a hand gesture with two middle fingers stuck up in a powerful fist thrust.

Istace believes there is something for everyone in yoga. If they are comfortable with the classical style, they can go to yoga studios. If not, they can give rage yoga a try. She especially recommends it for people coming out of the mess that was 2020.

There is something to be said for a safe space to yell and let go, Istace said. There is something beautiful in a room full of people you may or may not know just screaming F-words and flopping your body around like some angsty teenager.

She says youre not angry for long. Its about letting go of the anger, not just holding onto it or throwing a temper tantrum. Its why, she explains, there is so much more laughter in the classes than most people expect.

You let it out and you realize how silly it is and that its OK, Istace said.

Word-of-mouth marketing is their gold standard. Duzich focuses on making sure everyone is having fun and not taking themselves too seriously.

Rage yoga is more than a practice, she said. Its an attitude designed to make you zen as f*ck. Thats exactly why we say its not for everyone. Were not hating on you, so dont come hating on us.
Four former Beaumont mayors whose service stretches back 40 years appraised the seven terms of Mayor Becky Ames, whose final day in office is June 29.

Ames is Beaumonts longest-serving mayor with 14 years at the center seat of the Beaumont City Council and the helm of the citys disaster responses.

The former mayors agreed Ames has done well in office and led under difficult circumstances, and perhaps has been the busiest mayor of all since records started in 1881. The sheer number of federally- and state-declared natural disasters outpaced any other mayors tenure by far, records show.

Heres what they had to say:

Bill Neild, 1982-86

Neild brought about the charter change that resulted in four ward council members, two at-large members elected citywide and the mayors position, who also is elected by citywide vote.

Neild, 84, also presided in a time of financial disaster when the city fell prey to an investment fraud that resulted in a loss of $20 million. The city eventually got its money back, but opportunities were lost along the way and austerity budgets followed.

It was catastrophic at the time, but the council held it together, Neild said. His time in office also faced the 1982 oil recession that resulted in devastating job losses all over the Texas economy.

Neild said Ames has done a particularly good job dealing with recent hurricanes  both the naturally occurring and those that sometimes arise between council members personalities.

I sometimes think people stay too long in office, but shes been able to work through it and still be effective, he said. She served admirably, like every other mayor.

Evelyn Lord, 1990-94; 2002-05

Lord was the first woman to become the mayor of Beaumont. She previously had served on council for several terms.

I think Becky did a good job, said Lord, now 94. In the beginning (of Amess tenure as mayor) she asked me lots of questions, and I think she matured very quickly in office.

Lord said Ames tried hard to relate to people of wide-ranging backgrounds.

Shes had a big load (with all the natural disasters), but she has had a great staff and the best city manager, Lord said, referring to longtime city manager Kyle Hayes.

I had the advantage of not having a full-time job, Lord said. Its extremely hard to have a job and be mayor.

When Ames won election as an at-large council member in 1994, she worked as an executive and the opening team at the former Beaumont Hilton Hotel, built during Neilds early years as mayor and later at Atria Collier Park assisted living community as director beginning in 1996.

In 2012 to 2019, Ames served as chief executive of Victory Medical Center on Dowlen Road near Folsom Drive, which is now Medical Center of Southeast Texas-Victory Campus.

She now works for GMJ Inc., a consultancy firm founded by former Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith, working on business development, site selection and tax abatements for industrial clients.

David W. Moore, 1994-2002

Moore had almost 10 years as a Ward 4 council member before running and winning the first of four terms as mayor in 1994.

Now 66 years old, Moore said Ames won her seat on council as he became mayor.

I think we made interesting moves across the city  development in all the wards, he said.

When she became mayor, she had to deal with a lot of disasters, but she weathered those storms. The city kept going. Its all about providing citizens with the best possible options, he said. As mayor, youre the team captain. You drive the team forward and avoid the distractions. The greatest challenge is to keep the focus. Becky worked really hard to do that.

Guy Goodson, 2005-07

When Beaumont lawyer Guy Goodson ran for mayor in 2005, Hurricane Rita struck. So, he knows how demanding the office of mayor and chief emergency management officer can be.

The city has been through a whole lot during her tenure, said Goodson, now 70. He had served on council as a Ward 2 councilman previously.

Rita was the first big disaster in 20 years at the time, he said regarding the span between Hurricane Bonnie, which struck High Island, and the direct hit up Sabine Pass from Rita.

(Ames) and the city staff comported themselves really well during all the disasters. You can plan for all you can, but you cant anticipate every one, he said. Becky gave a great deal of time to the city. People should appreciate anyone willing to serve and voters had the opportunity to comment every two years.

Dan Wallach is a freelance writer.
Annette Steele isn't destitute or unemployed. But for a year she'll be receiving $500 per month in no-strings-attached payments as part of an experimental universal basic income program in upstate New York.

Places from Compton, California, to Richmond, Virginia, are trying out guaranteed income programs, which gained more attention after the pandemic idled millions of workers.

Steele, a special education school aide, is getting her payments through a program in Ulster County, which covers parts of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River Valley.

During the pilot program, funded by private donations, 100 county residents making less than $46,900 annually will get $500 a month for a year. The income threshold was based on 80% of the countys average median income, meaning it includes both the poor and a slice of the middle class  people who face financial stress but might not ordinarily qualify for government aid based on income.

For researchers, the pilot could give them a fuller picture of what happens when a range of people are sent payments that guarantee a basic living.

For Steele, 57, its a welcome financial boost that helped her pay for car insurance and groceries.

It lessens my bills, said Steele, who lives in the village of Ellenville with her retired husband. People think because youve been working so many years, that you make this tremendous amount of money. But no, actually.

Less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of New York City, Ulster County is a popular destination for weekenders headed to Woodstock or the Catskill Mountains. Its big city, Kingston, is small, with 23,000 people.

Basic income programs elsewhere tend to focus on cities. In contrast, this upstate program stretches out over a mix of places: a city, small towns and remote areas many miles from bus lines and supermarkets.

Showing that this approach will work not just in urban areas, but for rural parts of the country  which we know is one of our big national problems  I think theres great opportunity there, said Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan.

Ryan saw cash payments as a way to help local families struggling to get ahead, or even get by, as the pandemic ebbs. Many people in the county were already stretched thin by housing costs before the pandemic, when a large influx of New York City residents led to skyrocketing real estate prices, he said.

The first payments were made in mid-May. Recipients of the money can spend it as they wish, but will be asked to participate in periodic surveys about their physical health, mental health and employment status.

The Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania, which the school formed with the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, is evaluating the pilot program.

Recipient Eric Luna, a 26-year-old electrical lab technician, said the money will help pay the bills at the home he recently helped his parents buy in Wallkill. But he also hopes to set some aside, possibly for a masters degree.

Im also learning how to save money as well, he said. So this will be a learning experience.

There were more than 4,200 applicants for the program in a county of 178,000 people. Center for Guaranteed Income Research co-founder Stacia West, who is evaluating more than 20 such pilot programs, is interested in seeing how spending compares to cities like Stockton, California, where more that a third went for food.

Knowing what we know about barriers to employment, especially in rural areas, we may see more money going toward transportation than weve ever seen before in any other experiment, said West, also a professor at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. But it remains to be seen.

Proponents of guaranteed incomes say recipients can decide how to spend the money best  be it food, job searches or to replace a refrigerator. The money can complement the existing social safety net, they say, or can be used as an emergency response when the economy starts tanking.

The end goal for a number of advocates is a universal basic income, or UBI, which would distribute cash payment programs for all adults.

The UBI idea helped fuel a stronger-than-expected Democratic presidential primary run last year by Andrew Yang, who proposed $1,000 a month for every American adult.

Yang, who has a second home in Ulster County, is now running for New York City mayor with a basic income proposal to help lower-income residents.

Officials say Yang hasnt been involved in Ulster's program, but that the nonprofit he founded, Humanity Forward, was helpful in sharing experiences on starting a UBI pilot.

Critics of cash transfer programs worry about their effectiveness and cost compared to aid programs that target funds for food, shelter or for help raising children.

Drake University economics professor Heath Henderson is concerned the programs miss needier people less likely to apply, including those without homes.

While there are times people might benefit from a cash infusion, the money is unlikely to address the structural issues holding people back, like inadequate health care and schools, he said.

If we keep thinking about remedying poverty in terms of just throwing cash at people, youre not thinking about the structures that kind of reproduce poverty in the first place and youre not really solving the problem at all, Henderson said.
BOSTON (AP)  Some New England hospitals are delaying or rescheduling surgeries because of a shortage of blood donations during the pandemic.

We havent seen anything like this in about 30 or 40 years at least, Dr. Vishesh Chhibber, director of transfusion medicine at UMass Memorial Health, told the Boston Globe.

Periodic, localized blood shortages are not uncommon, but this shortage is unprecedented in its scope, said Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for the American Association of Blood Banks.

Officials point toward a number of factors including the typical summer drop in blood donations at a time when surgeries are increasing because of procedures that were postponed during the pandemic.

Nationwide, the Red Cross normally has a five-day supply of all types of blood, said Kelly Isenor, spokesperson for the Red Cross of Massachusetts,

Right now, the supply of the sorely needed type O blood would last only a half-day. Its going out faster than its coming in, Isenor said.

In other pandemic-related news:

___

MAINE

Inspired by critical shortages during the pandemic, University of Maine chemical engineers are working to make sure people never run out of sanitizer again.

William DeSisto, a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, worked with distillers around the state to get ethanol to make the sanitizer early in the pandemic when store shelves were bare.

His work is now focusing on a different kind of disinfectant, hypochlorous acid, the Bangor Daily news reported.

Hypochlorous acid is 70 to 80 times more effective than bleach and less toxic for people, but it needs to be produced locally because it has a shorter shelf life, DeSisto said. Since its made with salt water and electricity, its possible to find a way for people to produce it at home, he said.

DeSisto, who was awarded a federal grant for about $374,750, said the goal is to avoid future breakdowns in the supply chain. We dont want what happened last year to happen again, DeSisto said of sanitizer shortages.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshires four community development financial institutions will receive more than $7.3 million in federal grants from the coronavirus relief package approved in December to help small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Each organization will receive more than $1.8 million from the funds, the states congressional delegation said in a statement last week. The institutions are the Rockingham Economic Development Corporation, Strafford Economic Development Corporation, the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and Resident Ownership Capitol USA, LLC.

The institutions said the money will help them to support more growing and challenged businesses, and homeowners.

We have been working with a large array of businesses during the pandemic and seen first-hand how not everyone fits in the perfect box for need, and there is still a lot of small business owners who are struggling, said Laurel Adams, Rockingham Economic Development Corporation president.

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VERMONT

The Vermont National Guard will be taking down a pandemic-related surge hospital at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex starting on Monday.

The Guard will store the modular components at Camp Johnson, Colchester, officials said.

The state initially set up the Essex Junction field hospital and several others in March of 2020 during the first wave of COVID-19. The Essex Junction site was the only one to house patients.

The field hospitals were mostly dismantled that spring but some were reassembled during the second wave of the virus.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Vermont National Guard has also been there for us -- for vaccinations, food distribution, building and maintaining medical surge sites or anything we have asked of them -- they have been there ready willing and able, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said in a statement on Friday. On behalf of all Vermonters, I want to thank the Guard for their continued dedication to our state and communities."
Sixteen years ago, Texas lawmakers created a small program with a big goal: persuading women not to have abortions. It was given a few million in federal anti-poverty dollars and saw fewer than a dozen people its first year.

Since then its ballooned. Alternatives to Abortion is poised to cost taxpayers $100 million over the next biennium  a twentyfold budget increase  and served more than 100,000 pregnant women and parents last year.

RELATED: Texas Republicans pushing abortion ban after 6 weeks

But the Legislature has required little information about what the program has accomplished.

It wasnt until 2017 that lawmakers began requiring a public report on what contractors do with the money. The subcontracting process is secret, one lawmaker said. And state health officials dont track how many abortions are prevented by the program. The abortion rate has steadily declined in Texas and the U.S. for decades, making it hard to decipher what, if any, role Alternatives to Abortion has played.

I dont know if this is untouchable by design, said state Rep. Bobby Guerra, D-Mission. If they have good outcomes, I would think that they would be proud of sharing that information.

Critics say Alternatives to Abortion has eluded accountability in the often fiscally conservative Legislature, which this year requested a study on how to make safety net services cheaper and better. At the programs worst, critics allege, it shames women seeking abortions and is a poor and expensive substitute for womens medical care.

But proponents say Alternatives to Abortion meets a different need than heavily regulated medical clinics do  by offering social assistance to those who decide to choose life in difficult circumstances.

The program has overwhelming support in the Republican-led Texas Legislature, where lawmakers have pushed through budget increases and say its proven to be a massive success.

I dont know if you can always peg how many abortions were not done or how many lives were saved through this program, said state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth. Its almost like: How many ships does a lighthouse save? You dont know, right, but the fact that its there you know is helping those ships get safely to where theyre supposed to go.

Averted abortions are deliberately not tracked to save women the burden of returning and sharing their decision, he said.

To proponents, the programs rationale is simple: Women might prefer to continue their pregnancies if their life circumstances were different. And learning there are options can make the difference.

READ ALSO: Texas Senate OKs half a dozen bills restricting abortion access

Modeled after a similar initiative in Pennsylvania, Alternatives to Abortion channels money to a far-flung network of nonprofits  many of them ardently anti-abortion  to pay for counseling, classes and baby items. Its contractors cover topics like prenatal nutrition and newborn care, and also help parents land jobs. It caters to pregnant women and mothers of young children but also to fathers, adoptive parents and those who have lost a child.

The program has seen more and more people each year, and lawmakers have boosted its funding in nearly every budget.

In 2017, they gave it $20 million from an air quality program. In 2021, they sent it another $20 million from a health technology budget.

When other programs lost state money in 2011, Alternatives to Abortion was spared. The state prioritized the availability of Pro-Life alternatives, 80 lawmakers wrote in a 2019 letter.

Of a dozen states The Texas Tribune could identify with comparable programs, Texas has had by far the biggest budget in recent years.

As the program has expanded, Democratic lawmakers and other critics have agitated for details about what it does and how cost-effective it is.

State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, supports the programs aims but said it was proposed in 2005 without minimum standards, adequate oversight or even a requirement that the information provided to women be medically accurate.

Discrepancies in the data are common because the contractors and subcontractors are not certified or regulated by the state, she said, and the states reports dont offer enough data for lawmakers to meaningfully assess the programs performance.

Biennial state budgets list the cost per patient and number of clinical providers enrolled for publicly funded womens health programs, but not for Alternatives to Abortion. Without appendices, the annual report about the states womens health programs is 65 pages long  longer than all four of the states reports about Alternatives to Abortion combined.

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Former state Rep. Sarah Davis, a Houston Republican who supports abortion rights, said she thought the lack of information about the program was very deliberate and that funding the program had felt like a trade-off when she served in the Legislature from 2011 to 2021.

If I wanted to get the money that I wanted for the Healthy Texas Women program, breast and cervical cancer and family planning [programs], she said, then I also had to go along with the Republicans wanting to dump money into Alternatives to Abortion.

Spending on traditional womens health programs that help low-income women get birth control or access cancer screenings is on track to almost triple since the abortion alternatives program began, according to numbers from the Legislative Budget Board. The state spends far more on the health programs, budgeting $352.6 million for the next biennium counting federal and state funds. Womens health advocates say there is still unmet need.

Davis called Alternatives to Abortion predominantly a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Kelli Weldon, a spokesperson for the state health commission, said the current contracts include standards and oversight and require that evidence-based information on topics like pregnancy and fetal development be used.

The programs two largest contractors said the same, adding they dont shame women and do turn over reams of data and monthly information to the health commission. They also comply with detailed rules imposed on state contractors and provided over 116,600 hours of counseling and 110,000 hours of classes last year, said John McNamara, executive director of a contractor called the Texas Pregnancy Care Network.

How is that a waste of taxpayer dollars? he asked.

The Texas Pregnancy Care Network was created to administer the Alternatives to Abortion program and was its sole contractor until 2018. It doesnt provide services itself, instead doling out state money to pregnancy centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies and religiously affiliated organizations like Catholic Charities. Those organizations are reimbursed for nonmedical services they provide.

The Texas Pregnancy Care Network stated in contracting documents that it and the nonprofits it works with must be able to withstand extreme scrutiny from opponents of the program, and McNamara said it vets and monitors each subcontractor for compliance.

But critics have complained they have little insight into what those subcontractors do  and are often stymied when they try to add more oversight and accountability. Some said the effort is so futile its not worth the fight.

During a recent floor debate, Guerra told House lawmakers that the Texas Pregnancy Care Network was not required to evaluate subcontracts with a predetermined rubric like other state contracts, and that the process was secret and only viewable after signing a nondisclosure agreement. He abandoned a proposed reform after guessing he didnt have enough support to pass it, he said.

If [the Texas Department of Transportation] wants to build a road and theyre going to hire contractors, they want all the history of the contractors, they want to know what jobs theyve done, he said. I just want to do the same thing for the mothers and the children.

State Rep. Donna Howard, an Austin Democrat, made a similar bid for information in 2019.

There really isnt anything to look at here to give me any kind of assurance that these dollars are being used in a way thats trying to address the stated purpose of helping women, she said.

Krause, the Republican lawmaker who has fought to give Alternatives to Abortion more money, said the program is treated the same as other social services and should not be compared to the womens health programs because it doesnt offer medical care.

The program has grown to meet demand and is regularly audited, including by the health commissions office of inspector general who found nothing amiss in its financials five years ago, he said.

Though he supports making more information about the program public, transparency measures added by lawmakers in 2019  namely, a more detailed 2020 report  have allayed some concerns and shown the programs contractors are legitimate groups, helping the needs of women and newborns all over the state, he said.

You dont want to just give money to a place that isnt making a difference, right, even if it aligns with your beliefs, Krause said.

Counseling, diapers and vitamins

Alternatives to Abortions subcontractors are spread across the state and there has been a booming waitlist of nonprofits hoping to join, lawmakers have said.

Offerings vary by location but often focus on counseling for pregnant women or basic preparation for motherhood such as parenting classes and an assortment of maternity items.

Demand for its services shot up last year, as parts of the state saw shortages of diapers and other baby needs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a state report.

Catholic Charities of Dallas, a subcontractor slated to get almost a half-million dollars through the Texas Pregnancy Care Network last year, has food pantries stocked with vegetables and gives out diapers, wipes and other baby items. It teaches weekly parenting classes in English and Spanish, covering topics like water safety, potty training and positive discipline.

READ ALSO: Gov. Abbott signs into law one of nation's strictest abortion measures

Human Coalition, another contractor, is largely a call center and marketing operation that tries to intercept women seeking an abortion who dont typically search for pregnancy support services.

At Human Coalitions few in-person clinics, visitors take pregnancy tests, identify obstacles they perceive to their pregnancy and watch a video about abortions, the nonprofit said in contracting documents. Pregnant women may get prenatal vitamins, referrals to obstetricians or an ultrasound, which helps attract clients and lets those inclined to get an abortion fully understand their pregnancy, the contracting documents said.

At a residential facility that subcontracts with the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, women receive around-the-clock counseling and other services like impromptu four-minute conflict resolution sessions, 20-minute trainings on how to soothe a colicky baby or 90 minutes of professional counseling on goal setting and transitioning to self-sufficiency, according to McNamara, with the Texas Pregnancy Care Network.

These are intense, trauma-based intervention facilities that help homeless women and their families, he said in an email. They help them learn how to break cycles, be successful parents, and ultimately be self-sufficient.

Alternatives to Abortion contractors gave out more than 1 million material goods last year, led 331,000 counseling sessions and taught 314,000 classes  some completable in 15 minutes, according to state statistics and information provided to the Tribune. Numbers for previous years have not been published.

Contractors also refer people to assistance programs they may be eligible for, like Medicaid or food stamps. State data provided to the Tribune show less than a third of those 218,000 referrals last year led to someone actually signing up or being waitlisted for an assistance problem. The health commission said thats an undercount that relies on women circling back to confirm they were enrolled or waitlisted. They dont have the actual number.

The contractors said cumbersome application processes or client motivation and needs could contribute to the low figures.

Tension and competition between contractors has at times revealed claims of unprofessional or misleading tactics.

The Texas Pregnancy Care Network said in contracting documents that Human Coalition deceptively advertised itself as a medical facility that might perform abortions and targeted ads to internet users who searched Google for abortion clinics.

Meanwhile, Human Coalition said its advertisements are effective at reaching women contemplating abortions and that its staff followed up with women more frequently than a typical pregnancy center would. Contracting documents written by a former employee portrayed pregnancy centers as unprofessional  places where volunteers sometimes dont answer the phone or are unprepared to speak with someone having an emotional crisis  in contrast to Human Coalitions own heavily trained employees and regimented protocols.

Agents utilize a dialogue format that has been tested and refined over tens of thousands of calls, the former employee said in contracting documents.

Abortion rights advocates have also raised alarms about pregnancy centers, likening them to fake clinics that lure in women seeking an abortion with the promise of a free ultrasound or general slogans like: Pregnant? Know for Sure.

Affiliates of the pro-abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America have sent people undercover into these crisis pregnancy centers in other states and reported they provide misinformation about the health risks associated with abortion or describe abortion clinics as being dirty and splattered with blood.

Two women who have gone to crisis pregnancy centers in Texas told the Tribune they felt pressured to say they wouldnt have an abortion, with one recalling being told if you have an abortion, youre going to go to hell. Neither center has received money through the Alternatives to Abortion program. Both women said they ultimately got abortions out of state.

Pregnancy centers receive about a third of the funding from the Texas Pregnancy Care Network. They are not regulated by the state health commission.

McNamara disputed the suggestion that the Texas Pregnancy Care Networks providers are inept or undertrained and said they follow up with women frequently  four times, on average  and are extremely effective.

He also said broad accusations about pregnancy centers dont apply to the nonprofits subcontractors. Those groups are prohibited from using tactics or language that shame or coerce a client, do not reference spiritual topics or God unless requested and convey information about abortions using the same document that abortion clinics are required to use, he said.

Chelsey Youman, national legislative advisor for Human Coalition, said the organization deeply values the vital work of pregnancy centers and disavowed how they had been characterized in the contracting documents.

Human Coalition has experienced a change in leadership, and we deeply regret and no longer stand by any demeaning language in the past towards pregnancy centers, she said.

A second spokesperson for Plano-based Human Coalition said its advertisements explicitly say they do not provide abortions and that they are upfront about who we are and what we do.

The results about care for women speak for themselves, exit surveys show: 98% said they felt staff cared about their needs; 95% said staff figured out their needs based on their current situation; 96% said they received information that enabled them to connect with local community resources, the spokesperson said.

Since it joined Alternatives to Abortion in mid-2018, Human Coalition helped with 18 adoptions in Texas and 4,064 life decisions, or instances where someone chooses to carry their child to term after previously seeking an abortion, the spokesperson said.

The Texas Pregnancy Care Network does not ask women to disclose their ultimate decisions to avoid any semblance of pressure, McNamara said.

Reviewing that data

Critics of the program say Alternatives to Abortion funding sucks up money that could be better spent elsewhere.

In written testimony, residents of South Texas said lack of affordable health care in the predominantly Latino region meant women couldnt get biopsies or treatment for cancer and other serious conditions.

A Nurse-Family Partnership program has asked for Alternatives to Abortion funding, saying its mission of pairing low-income mothers with a nurse during pregnancy and for a few years after they give birth fits squarely within the goals of the anti-abortion program.

We are prepared to fill the gap of health care and education services needed by pregnant mothers that the current program does not fully provide, a representative of the nurse program said in written testimony.

Since 2020, the state has required Alternatives to Abortion contractors to successfully sign up at least one-fifth of the people they refer to the Nurse-Family Partnership program. But lack of funding for the nursing program  and the fact that its not in every region of the state  means not all the women sent by Alternatives to Abortion can get in. Some have been placed on waiting lists.

OPINION: Keep your hands off my uterus, Greg Abbott

Contractors must sign up a similar percent of people for Medicaid.

Alternatives to Abortions offerings are more loosely defined than medical services, which are assigned strict numerical codes to denote the procedure or typical time spent. Because its a social service program, there is no minimum time for an Alternatives to Abortion counseling session, for example, and one of the contractors said they tailor counseling sessions or classes based on a womans needs.

Program spreadsheets provided to the Tribune under public information laws suggest there can be considerable variance.

Between September 2019 and August 2020, the Texas Pregnancy Care Network reported more than a dozen women received over 1,000 counseling services and classes in a single month  meaning that on average they each would have taken at least 16 classes and gone to 16 counseling sessions every day. More than 70 received more than 300 counseling sessions and classes in a month, about 10 each day.

McNamara said these numbers could reflect the experiences of women who live in a residential unit where counseling sessions could range from as few as four minutes to as long as 90. It could also possibly show instances where people received counseling that touched on multiple topics like pregnancy and life skills. (Facilities are reimbursed based on the amount of care given, he said.)

Zaffirini, the state senator, said the different lengths of counseling sessions could reflect peoples willingness and desire to engage.

Krause, the representative who supports the program, said each familys needs are different and that it would be wrong and ineffective to try to streamline counseling or similar social services.

Weldon, with the state health commission, said the agency has worked to ensure consistency in data reported across the contractors as the program has grown, including by offering technical assistance and a training session to help with accurate reporting.

The health commission, she said, is reviewing that data.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Gov. Greg Abbott spoke Wednesday from the Texas Capitol about a new plan to build a wall at the Texas-Mexico border, once a campaign promise of former President Donald Trump.

Abbott previously revealed some details in Del Rio, Texas last week, saying that a wall was needed "to stem the flow of unlawful immigration," The Texas Tribune's Heidi Perez-Moreno reported. The Texas-Mexico border has seen a huge increase in apprehensions and migrants in 2021.

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The Texas governor laid out several points under the new plan, promising "the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen."

The wall will be partially funded through donations

While the governor said a $250 million down payment will be allocated for the wall, Abbott announced he would seek donations from across the country to pay for it as well.

However, we don't know yet how much the wall will cost, where it will be, how long it will be, or how long it will take to build. Abbott said the state must first hire a program manager who will be able to answer those questionsalthough the wall will cost "far more than $250 million," the governor said.

Abbott is soliciting donations at borderwall.texas.gov and by mail.

State elected officials say they're stepping in because the federal government won't

Abbott and other officials had harsh words for the Biden administration. Previously, the administration issued a proclamation stopping border wall construction on President Joe Biden's first day in office.

"Make no mistake: The border crisis we are facing right now is because of the open border policies put in place by the Biden administration," Abbott said.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick echoed this.

"[The federal government has] left us no choice," Patrick said. "Trump was getting the border under control. Had we had four more years with him, we would have had the border under total control."

It will soon be easier for state officials to make arrests at the border

Abbott is expanding the powers of state officials. Under his plans, state officials will be able to "turn them over to a jail cell" and not federal officials, because those illegally crossing the border will have broken state law instead of committing a federal violation. Abbott announced the state would also increase space in local jails.

Abbott says federal officials have largely released those arrested at the border.

IN TEXAS: These koozies for George P. Bush's campaign are raising some eyebrows

The border wall plan partially relies on volunteered private land

The Texas government is approaching private landowners to host portions of the border wall, according to Abbott. The governor said fencing was being installed "as we speak," and those private landowners who agreed to host fencing from the state will create "no trespass zones" that will allow state officials to arrest those attempting to cross the border.

Abbott says Texans are facing a "humanitarian crisis" at the border

When asked how Texas would respond to the humanitarian crisis faced by those looking to come to the U.S., Abbott countered that Texans living along the border were facing a crisis instead.

"Texans on the border are suffering a humanitarian crisis [with] with guns and gangs and [their communities] being riddled with crime," Abbott said, "We have a responsibility as leaders in this state to step up and address that humanitarian crisis and that is what began today."
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Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
After steering the towns public schools through the stresses and strains of hybrid learning, and a multiweek shutdown of the middle and high school this spring because of asbestos issues, interim schools superintendent William Bill Cameron will depart June 30.
LENOX  In response to concerns voiced by town officials in Lee, The Mount has proposed reducing the acreage of the Laurel Lake farmhouse property to be transferred to historic site if voters in Lee and Lenox approve a warrant article at their upcoming annual town meetings.

The farmhouse, part of the Edith Wharton Park, was built in 1906 and is jointly owned by the two towns. The Mount was Edith Whartons estate from 1902 to 1911.

If approved by a two-thirds majority of voters in each town, the sale would allow The Mount to restore the deteriorating property.

The issue raised in Lee concerns the 3.4-acre size of the parcel, including about 960 feet of waterfront on Laurel Lake. Susan Wissler, The Mounts executive director, is now proposing to reduce the size of the parcel to be transferred to just under 1.4 acres, limited to the land immediately surrounding the farmhouse, with the towns retaining most of the shorefront.

A number of Lee Town Representatives reached out to me to express concern about the extent of shoreline to be transferred, Wissler stated in a prepared announcement. This new proposal is in direct response.

I appreciate the generosity of the towns original proposal of the land to be transferred, she added. But The Mounts Board Chairman Dan Kasper and I walked the property on Thursday and we feel that the 1.39-acre lot is sufficient for The Mounts purposes of saving and restoring the farmhouse.

Wissler said she has reached out to Lee-Lenox Chief Administrative Officer Christopher Ketchen to suggest an amendment to the warrant article in each town.

The Lee annual town meeting for elected representatives is on June 24; Lenox voters assemble at 5 p.m. June 29. Approval of the sale to The Mount, in addition to the two-thirds approval by each town, also requires a future two-thirds favorable vote from both houses of the Massachusetts Legislature.
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The Outlook is today's look ahead at the week's weather, its impact on the Berkshires and beyond. Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com.
Two people were killed and a third was critically injured Thursday morning when their car crashed into a tree on County Welfare Road in Bern Township.
Driver in accident that killed 2 may have been trying to avoid police, authorities say
In the days before Donald Trump made a decision to change the date for a June 2020 rally, a Black Secret Service agent told him that holding it on Juneteenth would be very offensive, according to a new report.

In an excerpt from Wall Street Journal writer Michael Benders upcoming book, Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost, Trump officials had discussed holding a rally on Juneteenth in Tulsa, Oklahoma because it was run by a Trump-friendly Republican and had the most flexible Covid restrictions in the country, Politico reports.

According to Bender, when Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale first recommended holding the Tulsa rally on June 19, no one had flagged concerns over the combination of time and place  as potentially problematic.

RELATED: Donald Trump Backs Off Of Juneteenth Tulsa Rally After Heavy Backlash

Had Parscale bothered to ask Katrina Pierson, the highest-ranking Black staffer on the campaign and a close friend of Parscales, she would have told him that June 19 was Juneteenth, a significant holiday for Black Americans that commemorated the end of slavery, writes Bender.

She also would have said to him that Tulsa, as most Black Americans are well aware, had been home to one of the bloodiest outbreaks of racial violence in the nations history.

After Republican National Committee staffers heard of the plans they warned Parscale against holding the Tulsa rally, and warned him: Dont do this.

The media is not going to give us the benefit of the doubt, especially now, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said, according to Bender.

Despite the warning, the rally plans continued. It wasnt until the Black Secret Service agent questioned Trump about the day.

I know what it is. And its very offensive to me that youre having this rally on Juneteenth, the Secret Service agent told Trump, after the former president began questioning why no one told him the rally was scheduled on a historically significant day, according to Bender.

Subsequently, Trump famously proclaimed Nobody had heard of Juneteenth.

Bender writes that Trump was surprised to learn his own administration had put out statements in his first three years of office commemorating the holiday.

Oh really? Trump responded, according to Bender. We put out a statement? The Trump White House put out a statement?

I made Juneteenth very famous, Trump followed up, the journalist writes.


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(Jackson, Wyoming) No masks. Thats the first thing you notice upon leaving the airport. Everyone is face-forward.



No homeless. Its cold at night in the summer time Rockies and I didnt see anyone sleeping on the streets. Somehow, shelter is available to all.



Skin color doesnt seem to be a problem, either. Lots of different races touring the National Parks. Rangers say its calm on the human-agitation front, the way it should be in the land of the free.



Bears, however, are a different story. You dont mess with them out here.



This western enclave is a unique part of America, but so is San Francisco, where thousands of homeless drug addicts now roam the streets assaulting the senses of fellow citizens, looting businesses without restraint, dying in record numbers from overdoses.



The difference between the two American towns is a simple concept. Its called the will of the people.



In San Francisco, there is little concern about social order, so citizens have none. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the symbolic leader of the city, presides over a district that is dangerous. Mrs. Pelosi lives behind a wall. Others dont have that luxury. They are at risk.



Speaker Pelosi is not interested is protecting people - quite the opposite. Shes an abortion zealot whos been told by the citys Archbishop not to receive Communion because of her dismal record on the unborn.



She is also a race-provocateur, using her power to divide Americans based on skin color. This causes unrest. President Biden is right behind Nancy on abortion and racial division.



The people of San Francisco have elected Pelosi 17 times. So they deserve the depravity they are getting. Not all. But most.



Here in Wyoming, it is unheard of for public school children to be taught that their country is essentially based on evil. No one is tearing down statues. Few are canceled for stating an opinion.



But in the mega-cities of New York and Los Angeles, careers are routinely destroyed by political witch-hunters. Its now a macabre sport. Hollywood is the worst.



In Wyoming, almost every household has firearms. Yet the murder rate is one of the lowest in the country.



In Chicago, gun restrictions are severe. Yet thousands are murdered. Again, its the will of the people. They elect leaders who blame homicide on society, not actual criminals.



So there is no longer one America. Now we have fiefdoms like the Middle Ages. King Cuomo in New York has radicalized the state and street violence is surging. Yet according to the polls, most democrats would reelect him.



In western Wyoming, folks dont even have to lock their doors because dangerous thugs are few as they are quickly punished. Thus, the bad people migrate to places like San Francisco where they go unpunished - there is no political agenda to protect the innocent.



This is not hard to fathom. The will of the people dictates what kind of neighborhood they will have, and whether fairness, order, or disorder prevails.



Today, there is little unity in the USA. We are no longer one nation under God.



Many citizens simply do not have the will to make that concept reality.



Do they?
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A weeklong search for a Manitoba man suspected in the homicide of his missing neighbour ended Friday with shots fired at police in Ontario during his arrest.

A weeklong search for a Manitoba man suspected in the homicide of his missing neighbour ended Friday with shots fired at police in Ontario during his arrest.

"When we heard that the (Ontario Provincial Police) had this residence surrounded, our entire team was holding their breath," Manitoba RCMP Supt. Michael Koppang said at a news conference.

Eric Paul Wildman is seen in an undated police handout image. Manitoba RCMP say a man wanted for a homicde in has been arrested near Belleville, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-RCMP, Sgt. Paul Manaigre, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Mounties had been scouring Manitoba for Eric Wildman, 34, for nearly a week. There had been credible sightings of him renting a vehicle at the Winnipeg airport and at city hardware stores.

The search had expanded to the area near the Ontario boundary after a sighting of a suspect vehicle.

Then tips started to come in from east of Toronto more than 2,000 kilometres away.

"It was a heck of a long drive in a fairly short period of time," Koppang said.

A vehicle with a matching description and licence plate was spotted at a residence just outside Belleville, Ont., on Thursday night.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said police surrounded the home.

"Upon entering, they were met with gunfire coming from the residence," Schmidt said in a video posted online.

Schmidt said crisis negotiators were eventually able to get the two men inside to surrender. One of the men arrested was Wildman. RCMP said the other was his "associate."

Mounties said they believe the home was always Wildman's destination.

"We are very grateful there were no injuries in this situation as it could have been a very violent encounter," Schmidt said.

Wildman is a suspect in the homicide of Clifford Joseph, 40, who was his neighbour in rural Manitoba. Joseph has been missing since June 7. He was last seen leaving his home in the Rural Municipality of St. Clements, north of Winnipeg.

RCMP later found his truck abandoned in a rural area. Investigators have said there is evidence he was the victim of a homicide.

Mounties had warned that Wildman was armed and dangerous and could have clothing and gear resembling that used by police. Officers found police tactical equipment, patches and other items resembling officer uniforms when they searched his vehicle on Sunday.

Koppang said Mounties are still searching Wildman's vast rural property.

Fire crews were called to a blaze on the property last month. Fire Chief Mark Sinclair said the fire had taken over the home, a garage, a workshop and more than 40 nearby vehicles.

"The spread was fairly fast due to winds and high temperatures," Sinclair said.

It took four hours to put out and the cause of the blaze remains unknown, he said.

Images supplied by RCMP from their search of the land showed burned-out vehicles and other debris.

Koppang added Friday that despite an extensive investigation, there is no evidence to show that the disappearance of another missing man in the area is linked to this case.

Vernon Karl Otto was reported missing in 2018. His burned-out truck was found, but Otto has not been located.

Both Otto and Joseph had lived in the same house at different times and were Wildman's neighbours.

Wildman was being transported back to Manitoba.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 18, 2021.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said Wildman was missing.
Several Black and Indigenous families whose loved ones have been harmed and killed by police came together in Ottawa to mark Juneteenth and demand accountability and changes to the justice system.

Regis Korchinski-Paquets mother, Claudette Beals, is comforted after singing at a public memorial and walk for justice held to honour the woman who fell to her death from a balcony while police were in her apartment in Toronto, Saturday, July 25, 2020. Several Black and Indigenous families whose loved ones have been harmed and killed by police came together in Ottawa to mark Juneteenth and demand accountability and changes to the justice system. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Carlos Osorio

Several Black and Indigenous families whose loved ones have been harmed and killed by police came together in Ottawa to mark Juneteenth and demand accountability and changes to the justice system.

Black Lives Matter Toronto organized the gathering on the steps of the prime minister's office, where 10 families from across the country shared their harrowing experiences and called for a defunding of the police system.

The event came on what's also known as Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. and has been declared a federal holiday south of the border.

Black Lives Matter Canada co-founder Syrus Marcus Ware says while Juneteenth is about celebrating liberation and justice, it's also a day to highlight activism and the struggle for freedom.

The visual artist, activist and scholar says the group wanted to come together on Juneteenth to show that they're still living with a lot of the same conditions and racism that the police force was built on.

BLM dubbed the event as Canada's first gathering of Black and Indigenous families affected by police violence, and the group hopes to bring them back together on Juneteenth next year.

"Juneteenth is a day to come together and to continue our activism and to say, 'Until we are all free, the work is not done,'" Ware said in a phone interview after Saturday's gathering, which was livestreamed on the BLM Toronto Facebook page.

"Because Blackness has no borders, because Indigeneity has no borders, because the concept of U.S. and Canada was a colonial-created construct, we know that the celebration of emancipation is felt all throughout North America. So on Juneteenth, we are definitely in a moment of celebration and activism here in Canada, saying: 'What can we do to talk about the struggles here in Canada on Juneteenth?'"

While Juneteenth specifically commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, it's also a time to remember "there was slavery here in Canada, too," added Ware.

"This is part of why we mark August 1 as Emancipation Day, which was when the British Empire outlawed slavery. So these struggles are connected, our work is connected," he said. "And Juneteenth is a day here in Canada to talk about our colonial past, our history with slavery, and also to say, 'What is still happening for Black life? And how can we improve the conditions so that we're not living under these terrible situations where all of these families are losing their loved ones?'"

Saturday's news conference included the family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a Toronto woman who fell to her death from a balcony while police were in her home on May 27, 2020.

Last summer the Ontario police oversight body known as the Special Investigations Unit cleared the six Toronto police officers who were in the apartment, saying their efforts to de-escalate the situation were unsuccessful but none of them broke the law.

The family's lawyer, Jason Bogle, said her relatives are still seeking accountability after the Office of the Independent Police Review Director rejected the family's application to file a complaint over the SIU findings.

"We are appealing to once again bring to the forefront that systemic racism exists in police forcing, that systemic racism has to be battled inside of police forcing, and that if the powers that be do not hold those accountable for these actions, that these situations will still occur again and again," Bogle told the gathering.

"We will not stand for it, we will continue to fight and we will find answers, whether it's by marching or by protesting or by lobbying the powers that be that change has to come."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):

7:30 p.m.

Yukon health officials are reporting 29 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases in the territory to 87.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brendan Hanley says 22 cases are in Whitehorse and seven are in rural communities.

Hanley says 31 of the cases are believed to be caused by the Gamma variant of the virus, which was first identified in Brazil.

The territory has seen 182 cases of COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic.

6:10 p.m.

Alberta is reporting six additional COVID-19 deaths and 127 new cases of the virus.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, says in a series of tweets that the new cases were identified from 5,055 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 2.5 per cent.

Hinshaw says there are 2,170 active COVID-19 infections in Alberta, with 221 patients in hospital and 49 in intensive care.

She says 3.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered across the province, with 70.4 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 with one dose and 27.3 per cent with two.

5 p.m.

Saskatchewan says Step Three of its COVID-19 reopening plan will begin on July 11.

The province had said it would begin the third stage three weeks after 70 per cent of adults received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The province's daily pandemic update says that goal was reached today.

In Step Three, the majority of public health measures will be lifted and the only remaining restrictions will be on mass public gatherings and the mandatory masking order.

Saskatchewan also reported 55 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

2:50 p.m.

Manitoba is reporting three new deaths of people with COVID-19 and 151 additional cases of the virus.

Two of the deaths were linked to outbreaks in hospitals -- one at Winnipeg's Health Science Centre and another at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach.

Manitoba's current five-day test-positivity rate is 8.3 per cent provincially and 7.4 per cent in Winnipeg.

The province says 58 virus patients are in intensive care, and another 18 from the province are in ICUs in neighbouring provinces.

2:20 p.m.

New Brunswick residents who have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are being encouraged to book an appointment for their second shot.

The province announced today that everyone who received their first dose before May 15 can now book an appointment for their second dose.

Currently, 76.1 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 17.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Public Health reported five new cases of COVID-19 in the province today, bringing the number of active infections to 55.

2:10 p.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting six new cases of COVID-19 and 10 recoveries fromt he virus over the past 24 hours.

Four of the most recent cases are in the central zone, with three close contacts of previously reported cases and one under investigation.

Two cases are in the western zone, with one related to travel and the other under investigation.

As of today, Nova Scotia has 88 active cases of COVID-19, with six people in hospital due to the virus and three patients in intensive care.

11:15 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 160 new cases of COVID-19 today and nine more deaths attributed to the virus, none of which occured in the last 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations increased by three in the past 24 hours and now stand at 178, while the number of patients in intensive care is holding steady at 39.

The province says it administered 85,917 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, for a total of 7,249,641 ; about 70 per cent of Quebecers have received at least a first dose.

Quebec's health ministry announced on Friday that walk-in clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine are on hold until June 24 due to a shipment delay.

10:50 a.m.

Ontario is reporting 355 new CASES of COVID-19 across the province over the past 24 hours.

Provincial data also shows 13 new deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 58 new cases in Toronto, 54 in Waterloo,45 in Peel Region, 23 in Hamilton and 22 in the region served by the Porcupine Health Unit.

The Ministry of Health says 336 people are in hospital with the virus, with 335 patients in intensive care and 221 on a ventilator.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.
Marvel Studios' God of Mischief returns in an all new MCU and Disney+ original  "Loki." The series dives into backstory, and the first episode shows a glimpse of the emotional rollercoaster to come.
Dr Naomi Smith, a Federation University sociologist who researches wellness and conspiracies, says this is a typical anti-vaxxer brigading tactic to make themselves more visible and create the impression there is a debate to be had. Theyre trolling, but with that comes eyeballs and it creates this murky information atmosphere, Smith says. Hardcore anti-vaxxers, who are a minority, arent the big problem, Smith says, rather its that they can plant seeds of doubt and lead some to not seek out the COVID-19 vaccine. Illustration: Dionne Gain Credit: It just gunks up the wheels of the public health response, Smith says. The pregnancy and early childhood years are a very vulnerable time, and theyre ripe for this form of disruption when theres so much emphasis on doing everything you can to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby ... It actually makes me angry to think anti-vaxxers are targeting women at this time in their lives.

After the College of Midwives posts, health authorities updated their advice in line with new evidence to recommend that the Pfizer vaccine is safe for women who are pregnant, after breastfeeding women already had the green light. The risk of severe COVID-19 is higher for pregnant women who are unvaccinated. And antibodies in the umbilical cord and breast milk following a mothers vaccination may offer protection to infants. But while the latest results of the University of Melbournes Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey show that vaccine hesitancy in Australia has fallen since the latest Victorian outbreak, it remains high, with just over two-thirds of people willing to be vaccinated. We also know that women are more likely than men not to want a COVID-19 vaccine. More specifically, women in their 30s  child-bearing age  are most likely to hold safety concerns. The pregnancy and early childhood years are a very vulnerable time and theyre ripe for this form of disruption. Dr Naomi Smith Anti-vaxxer narratives exploit this, Smith says, by spreading misinformation about vaccines causing not only death and injury (sometimes with outlandish comparisons to Nazi crimes), but also miscarriage, infertility, menstrual issues and genetic abnormalities, all of which health experts say is untrue. Claims that simply being near a vaccinated person is harmful because of shedding are also false. Theyre standard pregnancy fears  and theyre being weaponised, Smith says. Theres a lot of really scary discourse.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association has been stormed on Facebook twice this year by anti-vaxxers for sharing information to breastfeeding women about COVID-19 vaccination. Senior manager of breastfeeding research Naomi Hull says the association spent up to three days dealing with each incident, concerned that new mothers following the page risked absorbing unsafe information. It was quite labour-intensive. We removed dangerous comments and violent and aggressive comments, she says. Hull believes the pandemic has highlighted the importance of pregnant and breastfeeding women being included in research trials, because having enough hard evidence early on could counter the anti-vaccination camp.

Obstetricians social media pages have been ambushed, too. One Melbourne obstetrics and fertility specialist, who asked not to be named out of fear of being targeted again, says her Instagram page  followed mainly by patients  became inundated last week by truly horrendous comments, including ones calling her a murderer and likening her to Nazi criminal Josef Mengele. It came after she posted the new COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women. Never in my life have I experienced this, she says. I tried some respectful debate initially, then I realised it was pointless. It was terrifying. Someone can just trash your reputation out of nasty malevolence. Against my better judgment, I took down my post. I might be in the right, but if youre going to be tortured, theres no point. Dr Katie Attwell, chief investigator of the University of Western Australias Coronavax project  which monitors vaccine sentiment online  suspects that the trolling is not simply about trying to convert others. They are seeking to speak their truth and address their feelings of betrayal, she says.

By that, Attwell means that those refusing vaccines tend to feel under siege, and that maternal health spaces should be theirs. So a midwifery organisation supporting vaccination feels like a particular affront to a mother who genuinely fears it, Attwell says, because the essence of a midwife is that the most important thing is the mother and child theyre caring for. Joanne Gray stresses that while midwives always promote whats best for women and babies, and tend to be pro-vaginal birth, they are also pro-science and vaccination. We give women choice, give the evidence, and respect that some women will make a different choice, she says. Never in my life have I experienced this ... I tried some respectful debate initially, then I realised it was pointless. Melbourne obstetrician, anonymous Anti-vaccination activists commonly sit in sectors of the wellness realm where a natural lifestyle reigns and essential oils and organic food are sold as curative. Attwell says its unsurprising that some women entering motherhood are more vulnerable to vaccine misinformation  youre on the whole my body is a temple trip, thinking about vitamins and foods and exercise and lifestyle and stopping drinking  but its concerning.

That pregnancy zone is not just a nine-month thing. Youre getting ready to try, youre trying, youre going through IVF, youre pregnant, youre breastfeeding. It can be a three to four-year period, she says. Sociologist Smith says that the intensity and competitiveness of motherhood in modern society feeds the anti-vaccination problem. Anti-vaxxers come in and say you dont have to take this risk, and there is a whole community of people here to support you, she says. So in a society that critiques women constantly for not being the best possible mother, you can see why women are pushed towards these spaces ... even if its a choice thats socially marginalised. To combat the problem, Smith believes medical professionals, who rightly deal in facts, need to be better at meeting people in their emotional moments. Theyre not good at saying I understand your fears, and theyre rational and relatable, but here are things to reassure you, she says.
Its been a bigger seven days than most for barrister and former Law Council of Australia president Arthur Moses, who was outed on Friday as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklians main squeeze.

Arthur Moses and Vedran Drakulic Credit:John Shakespeare

The celebrated silk and devoted NRL fan featured in a social media post uploaded by Berejiklians younger sister Mary on Friday in an image with the Premier captioned Glad and her Boo. Earlier on in the week, Moses made headlines in his role representing Ben Roberts-Smith in the former soldiers high-stakes defamation trial against this masthead and others.

So its surprising he found spare time on Thursday night to squeeze in another high-profile do, freezing his chops off as part of the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout, where he raised almost $27,000 for the St Vincent de Paul charity on an initial target of $20,000. His donor list reads like a whos who of Sydneys legal fraternity.

But he was far from the only one to brave the cold on Thursday.
A campaign for change Its a spring day in Canberra and Labor senator Kristina Keneally is on her feet in the red chamber of the Australian Senate, debating a motion excoriating the Morrison governments Aged Care Minister, Richard Colbeck. The deputy opposition leader in the Senate is fired-up, pointing at Coalition members on the other side of the room as she delivers her lines with theatrical flair. What we know about this Minister for Aged Care is that he follows the example set by his Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who never accepts responsibility, who hates accountability, and is all about the photo opp and the announcement but never about the follow through! Keneally bellows. Behind her in the camera frame is Kim Carr, dressed immaculately in one of his trademark three- piece suits, slumped over in his chair fast asleep.

The footage was recorded in September last year. As Keneally explained to Sky News at the time, he fell asleep because he had a bad back. But it has resurfaced in recent months as Carrs enemies make the case that Australias longest-serving senator is past his use-by date. Labor Senator Kim Carr appears to be asleep while Labor Senator Kristina Keneally is speaking. After reaching his professional peak as a minister for innovation, industry, science and research in the Rudd and Gillard governments, critics argue that Carr has not held a frontbench position since he moved to the back benches of opposition two years ago after Bill Shorten lost the election. The prospect of a promotion under Albanese looks uncertain because there is significant animosity between the pair. The veteran politician continues to sit on several Senate committees, where his imposing figure and policy knowledge can terrify public servants and ministers who are grilled by him. But as one Labor MP put it on condition of anonymity so they could discuss internal matters: Hes been around for 30 bloody years. Any person who had the party at its heart would have gone some years ago, and certainly should be going now with a really strong plan to support the next generation. If Carr has any desire to leave without a fight, hes not showing it. He declined to be interviewed for this piece, but recently told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald: Ill continue to serve while Im making a positive contribution. My main focus is making Labor electable.

Carrs future was put firmly on the front pages when Bornstein  whose high profile cases include running the unions successful case in the 1998 waterfront dispute and representing women at the heart of the sexual harassment claims against High Court judge Dyson Heydon  was touted to replace Carr as part of a new factional deal. Ryan Batchelor, a think-tank director and son of former Victorian transport minister Peter Batchelor, has also been named as a potential contender with the support of forces aligned to federal MP Andrew Giles. Josh Bornstein principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, last year. Credit:Joe Armao Batchelor is still said to be considering his options but Bornsteins bid was short lived. Within days of it becoming known, tweets he had posted over the past decade were leaked against him. One included a bitter exchange with former Australian Services Union assistant national secretary Linda White in which he suggested she was a dog who had misplaced her chew toy and likened her to a poodle snapping at my heels. Another Tweet from 2013 noted that Labors leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, would make a very fine Morticia  a reference to the gothic TV mum from the series The Addams Family  prompting her to release a statement affirming the need to respect women.

Bornstein quickly announced he was no longer considering preselection. He declined to comment when contacted by The Age and Herald, but Labor insiders are all but certain about who was responsible for the damage. It wouldnt be the first time Carr has prevailed in a challenge. Five years ago, the Victorian powerbroker helped deliver the numbers to prevent then opposition leader Bill Shorten from being defeated at the ALP National Conference on a motion regarding Labors asylum seeker boat turnback policy. Tensions simmered in the aftermath, culminating in Carrs own left-wing colleagues, including Albanese, Penny Wong, and Tanya Plibersek deciding he should not be part of Labor Lefts shadow ministry line up. In response, Carr rallied a breakaway group which gave him a quorum to demand a position on the frontbench under ALP rules. With the help of Shorten, who ensured the Right backed Carr, he prevailed. If ever there was a nuclear war, go around to Kim Carrs house because after the bombs have fallen you can guarantee he will come out alive, says Melbourne deputy Lord Mayor Nick Reece, a former Labor state secretary who also worked for Gillard and Victorian premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumby. He is the ultimate survivor of Australian politics.

Unpopular causes In some ways Kim Carr represents a dying Labor breed. He was born in Tumut, NSW, the son of a boilermaker. He went to a public high school where his interest in politics was fuelled by socialist literature. He worked as a tech-school teacher in the working class suburbs of Melbourne cut his political teeth as a policy adviser to Victorias first female premier, Joan Kirner, and was educated at Melbourne University. In 1993 he entered the Senate to replace John Button, the man who reduced much of the car industrys tariff protection. Kim Carr as a freshly minted senator in 1994. Credit:Patrick Cummins In addition to being Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Carr also held a broad range of other portfolios throughout his career, including higher education, manufacturing, and human services. He was unashamed about his support for the car industry, placing him at odds with bureaucrats, economists and some colleagues who viewed it as a waste of public money to keep pumping taxpayer money into manufacturing. As more of Australias manufacturing capacity was shipped overseas, Carr often warned about the danger.

Some view Albaneses recent promise to establish a $15 billion national reconstruction fund if Labor wins the next election as a sign that the times have swung once again behind Carr. Announcing the fund ahead of Labors special policy conference in March, Albanese argued the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted significant weaknesses in Australias manufacturing industry and that billions of dollars ought to be spent ensuring the nation could make more of its own goods in future. There are not many people in politics that have championed the idea that this country needs to be more self-sufficient like Kim, says former ALP state assistant secretary and Carr ally, Kosmos Samaras. Those who want to follow in his footsteps will not only need to fill some big shoes but perhaps realise that championing unpopular causes can at times be the right thing to do. He also steered through Parliament Research & Development tax credit laws, which effectively reduced the cost of R&D in Australia and set up a blueprint for a sustainable pharmaceutical industry. ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, who worked as the senators chief of staff over several years, recalls a boss who was passionate about policy and wanted to foster an environment where innovation could thrive. It wasnt just about building cars she says, but about building capability.

One of Kims great strengths is that he employs people who will disagree with him... He likes a good argument, she added. Its clear that hes there to make a difference. He is not someone who sways with the prevailing breeze. A new generation Nonetheless, his enemies are once again circling. With an election looming, Carr is said to have lost the support of much of his own faction and two key unions: the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Electrical Trades Union, who had initially backed Bornstein. United Firefighters Union chief, Peter Marshall. Credit:Eddie Jim

Loading His main support is now coming from United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall, the man best known for his role in a long-running dispute with the Andrews government and its former emergency services minister Jane Garrett. The push for renewal is not so much about gender equality  two-thirds of the Victorian Lefts federal members are women  but the need for Labor to usher in a new generation of talent. A clear challenger has not yet emerged, but friends and foes acknowledge that whoever puts their hand up will need broad support across the Left to knock off Carr. This is not the first time Carrs career has been on death row. As one Labor MP put it: Hes the great cockroach of the ALP.
As we emerge from another lockdown in Victoria involving more transmissible variants and an outbreak linked to a Melbourne primary school, questions are raised on the role and impact on SARS-CoV-2 transmission for children and adolescents.

Snap lockdowns are likely to continue to be part of Victorias outbreak response until vaccination coverage in adults increases so that the risk of death and severe illness declines.

North Melbourne Primary School has been closed after two COVID-19 cases were linked to the school. Credit:Eddie Jim

So are children and adolescents more at risk of infection and transmitting these new variants? And what do we do with schools when we know school closures harm children?

Most children have a mild illness or no symptoms at all, and it is very rare to need intensive care. In the United Kingdom, one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19, there have been 15 COVID-19 deaths in 13-14 million children under 15 years. For adolescents under 19, 40 died from the disease and most (32) had underlying health issues. Long COVID-19 is uncommon in children and adolescents.
Its been a bigger seven days than most for Gladys Berejiklians new beau - sorry, boo - Arthur Moses.

Arthur Moses and Vedran Drakulic Credit:John Shakespeare

The celebrated silk and devoted Parramatta Eels fan was outed on Friday evening as the Premiers new main squeeze. Earlier that week, he had made headlines for his role representing Ben Roberts-Smith, a former soldier whom this newspaper has accused of war crimes, in a high-stakes defamation trial against Nine newspapers which is entering its third week.

So its surprising he found spare time on Thursday night to squeeze in another high profile do, freezing his chops off as part of the annual Vinnies CEOs sleepout. And its worth noting, Moses didnt just attend the event. Evidently a firing-on-all-cylinders kinda guy, he batted it out of the park with his fundraising and generated almost $27,000 for the St Vincent de Paul charity on an initial target of $20,000.

That effort was enough to put him in 15th position in the state out of a field of 556 Sydney entries.
A man has been charged after allegedly abducting a little girl from a home in Beenleigh on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old man, who was known to the child, is accused of entering a Wardell Crescent home about 9.30pm and assaulting a woman.

Police allege he then fled with the one-year-old girl.

Police issued an Amber Alert and the child was found safe and well in Beenleigh about 10am on Sunday morning.

The Beenleigh man has been charged with a string of offences related to child stealing, assault and contravention of domestic violence orders.
Homicide detectives investigating the murder of bikie Shane Bowden have warned those with information to co-operate with police now or get ready to be sitting in the dock.

Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith on Sunday released information and images about two getaway cars found burnt out on the northern edges of the Gold Coast hours after Bowden was shot dead at on October 12 last year.

Superintendent Smith said it was believed both cars  a silver Holden Commodore and a maroon Ford Falcon  were bought from the Ipswich-Redbank area by associates of the offenders about a week before the hit.

Police have put the Commodore at the scene of the murder. It is believed the killers and a driver used it to flee the Cox Road property to the Falcon, which had been staged elsewhere.
Melbourne researchers who have developed new global standards for healthy schools did not realise how timely their work would be in terms of the damage to students mental health caused by remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

When we first took on this task, we had no idea of its timeliness in terms of what every school in every country is now having to deal with, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute project leader Professor Susan Sawyer said.

Susan Sawyer led the project to build on the idea of health-promoting schools. Credit:Wayne Taylor

The impact of school closures has been profound, not just for school engagement and learning outcomes but in terms of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Professor Sawyer and her team were asked by the World Health Organisation and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to build on the idea of health-promoting schools and set guidelines that can help education systems worldwide create whole-school approaches to mental and physical health.
Victoria was initially receiving about 71,000 Pfizer doses of vaccine each week but that has been temporarily increased to 105,000 due to the latest coronavirus outbreak. The number of doses delivered to the state will fall to about 83,000 doses from July 5. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video People want to get vaccinated. We need people to get vaccinated, Mr Merlino said on Monday. The higher the proportion of your population that is vaccinated, the better options there are for public health advice in terms of how we get through this pandemic. Victorias COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said he expected the supply of Pfizer vaccines from the Commonwealth to drop from the start of July and into August, an extension of what the state government initially expected. At the very point where the winter gets darker and deeper and colder, were being asked to reduce the throughput in our vaccination clinics. And thats something we would like to avoid, Mr Weimar said.

Following a pause on first doses of Pfizer at Victorian state clinics last week, 41,000 are scheduled this week  about half the number of first doses being administered earlier this month  along with 51,000 second doses. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Despite the notable drop in the number of Victorians able to get their first Pfizer vaccine this week, Mr Weimar insisted it was always part of the states plan. So Im very relaxed about having to temporarily slow down first doses while we get to that bulge of second doses that are due this week, next week and the week after, he said. Where we do have concerns is that net [drop in July]. We want to get back to vaccinating 50,000, 80,000, 90,000, 100,000 Victorians a week, as soon as possible.

In Victoria, two-thirds of people over 70 have had at least one dose of vaccine along with about half of those aged 50 to 69 and a quarter of people aged 40 to 49. Were making really good headway into those eligible groups, Mr Weimar said. The trick now will be to make sure that people whove already had one dose of vaccine make sure they get their second dose  and then theres a fair bit to go. I think it goes back to why the urgency needs to be there, the momentum needs to be there. Federal officials stressed that those who have already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should go on to receive their second dose, regardless of their age.

However, Commodore Young said Pfizer vaccination efforts would be escalated given the increased demand for the shot. We currently have 22 Commonwealth vaccination centres administering Pfizer, the Commodore said. That will increase to 70 in the first week of July, and all 136 will be administering Pfizer by the end of July. Commodore Young also said that authorities expected 500 Australian general practitioners to be administering the Pfizer vaccine in the week of July 5. They expected another 500 GPs to come online for the Pfizer vaccine in the week of July 12, and an additional 300 to join the effort in the week of July 19. Lieutenant-General John Frewen, recently appointed to lead a new COVID-19 vaccination task force, said authorities expected to have far freer flows of the Pfizer vaccine towards the end of the year.

On current forecasts, we are looking forward to ramping up availability of Pfizer through August, into September, and into October, General Frewen said. The vaccination centre at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton. Credit:Getty So, as we get into that third quarter, fourth quarter, we think we will have far freer flows of Pfizer, and we will start to be able to allocate that more freely. But for now, we have to manage the resources that weve got against the highest priorities that weve got. Commodore Young said authorities were also making sure Commonwealth, state and territory vaccine booking systems were being continually updated so people eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine could schedule a time to receive one.

Mr Merlino said despite a high number of cases in hotel quarantine on Monday, there had been no advice to change arrangements for returned travellers. Obviously, the focus for us is to get the alternative facility built as quickly as possible because that is the way that you can respond to both need of returned travellers coming to this country but for high-risk individuals, getting them sent to a purpose-built facility, Mr Merlino said. On Sunday, a $5 million investment in the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences was announced. It is hoped the institute will begin clinical trials of a locally produced mRNA vaccine by November and have results by mid-2022. Meanwhile, the federal government said it would start using GPs to administer the Pfizer shot, as well as all Commonwealth vaccination centres, but limited supplies threaten to slow immunisation rates.

The Kings Park apartment complex in Southbank. Credit:Eddie Jim Victorias new local case linked to Southbank outbreak Mr Weimar said the states new local case was a primary close contact in the Kings Park apartment complex in Southbank. He said no new exposure sites had been linked to the case, and authorities were comfortable that those in the complex were all doing the right thing. Mr Weimar said less than 1000 primary close contacts were still isolated in their homes in Victoria, after about 10,000 people were stood down as primary close contacts.

He said about 450 primary close contacts had been associated with the Kings Park apartment complex outbreak. Of those, about 200 people were residents of the complex. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video NSW border restrictions There were two new cases reported in NSW on Monday, both close contacts of known cases in the Bondi cluster and already in isolation. Mr Merlino reiterated that people from seven local government areas in NSW must obtain a permit and isolate upon arrival in Victoria under the states traffic light travel system.

Victorian authorities declared the City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra orange zones on Thursday. On Sunday, Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton added another four areas to the list: the Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick. The Northern Territory revoked its designation of Greater Melbourne as a COVID-19 hotspot on Monday, meaning that visitors to the territory who have passed through the city would no longer need to quarantine on arrival. NT Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie said in a statement it has now been 28 days since the last mystery case in Victoria, and I am confident that the outbreak in that state has now been brought under control. Loading
A two-year-old boy who is believed to have fallen out of a car in Cranbourne East on Sunday is in a critical condition in hospital.

Police and ambulance were called to the scene, and the child was airlifted to the Royal Childrens Hospital with serious injuries.

Channel Nine News reported on Sunday night that the boy had serious head lacerations after he fell out of his familys slow-moving station wagon as it was reversing out of a driveway on Hunt Club Boulevard about 10.20am.

The driver assisted police at the scene and police are investigating to find out how the incident happened.
Loading June 9 was a hellish night. They took shelter downstairs inside the bluestone walls, but after the first tree fell on the house, they scrambled to their next door neighbours. They lost Tinker, their cocker spaniel, at one point and their neighbour went on a rescue mission, scooping up the dog, which was frozen in fear at the back door. And now the clean-up begins. All the odds and ends that survived will eventually go back again. When we rebuild theyll be back here again, like we will be, Ms Guest said. No question about being back here after. It has made the community hold even stronger. In Olinda, dozens of navy, army and air force personnel arrived on Sunday to start handing out about 200 generators to people who are still without power, and are predicted to be so until July 10.

Sergeant Mark Davis, who was leading the Australian Defence Forces effort on Sunday, was preparing his troops for locals who wouldnt necessarily roll out the red carpet. Theres going to be a lot of upset and angry people out there so Im talking to them [the troops] about how to approach them, accommodate them and find out what they need, he said. Troops prepare to distribute generators to residents in the storm-ravaged Dandenong Ranges. Credit:Darrian Traynor The loss of power for so long, Sergeant Davis said, was one of the main issues. Olinda Country Fire Authority captain Phil Skiller, who has lived in the area for 40 years, said a lot of people will be stoked with the arrival of generators.

Its a pity it didnt happen a week ago, he said. But it takes a while to get the wheels turning. On Sunday acting Premier James Merlino announced recovery funding for businesses affected by the storms. Businesses with an annual payroll of less than $10 million can apply for payments from the state and Commonwealth for up to three weeks if they were still without power as of June 17. Olinda CFA captain Phil Skiller has welcomed the arrival of power generators. Credit:Darrian Traynor Opposition energy spokesman Brad Rowswell was critical of what he said was a slow response from government. The last thing families need is another night without power in the freezing cold, he said.

With temperatures in the Dandenongs as low as zero degrees, the cold eventually became too much for Edward and Heather Jewell-Tait, both 93, and they moved into their daughter Elizabeths place around the corner in Olinda. Elizabeth kept saying, Mum, Mum, come here, and last night I gave in, Mrs Jewell-Tait said. Heather Jewell-Taits home is still without power, so she moved into her daughters place in Olinda. Credit:Darrian Traynor Originally from England, the pair lived through the Blitz air attacks in London, and they got through the coronavirus pandemic fine, being in relatively good health and staying close to home. The days of dinner parties and all that lark are behind them, as Mrs Jewell-Tait put it. Ive really not known anything like this at all, she said of the storm, but she counted herself lucky as their home was undamaged.

Both slept through the storm, though Mr Jewell-Tait said the power was out when he got up to go to the toilet during the night. They spent the past few days using candles for light and their neighbour even hooked up a lead to some power so they could enjoy television one night. You pull yourself together and get on with it, Mrs Jewell-Tait said. On Sunday police were still stationed on the main roads to turn back city folk trying to get up the mountain, but by the afternoon a handful of tourists who could prove they had a booking were allowed as far up as Olinda to grab a meal and support local cafes devastated by the recent three-week lockdown. Though outside help has started to arrive, for the first few days community members relied on each other.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer has been bombarding letterboxes urging people not to get a COVID-19 vaccine and citing discredited figures on the number of deaths caused by the jabs.

Mr Palmer last week sent letters to households across the nation claiming the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the government are spreading misleading information designed to create fear in the population.

Clive Palmer has continued to spread the misleading figure on the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 vaccines. Credit:Fairfax Media

The Australian governments Therapeutic Goods Administration report confirms 210 deaths and 24,000 adverse reactions after the COVID-19 vaccines. There are over 5000 deaths in the USA attributed to COVID vaccines including Pfizer, Mr Palmers letter says.

The TGA did say in May that there had been 210 deaths reported to have occurred following immunisation, but this did not mean they had been found to have been caused by COVID-19 vaccines.
Mr. Barry Robinson, one of three young men who chased and caught a youth after the incident, talking to reporters outside the Town Hall. June 21, 1966. Credit:Paul Murray The bullet shattered a side window of the car and showered Mr Calwell with glass. FLUNG HANDS UP Mr Calwell flung his hands to his face and cried out, Oh, Ive been shot. With blood streaming from his face, he slumped across the lap of his driver. His driver pulled him up and called out, Whats the matter? Mr Calwell said, Oh, Ive been shot. Ive been shot.

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and held it to his face. As his driver called out for help, Mr Calwell motioned as if to open the car door. But as he was attempting to do this, two men wrenched open the door and helped him from the car. CARRIED INTO HALL He sagged slightly as they grabbed him and carried him into the Mayors chamber of the Town Hall.

He was placed in a large chair in the chamber as he was attended to. He made no reply to anxious inquiries, but only slumped dazedly in the chair. As ambulance-men bandaged Mr Calwell, he closed his eyes as if asleep. When detectives dashed into the room, he stared dazedly at them. Then he greeted them with Hello. He then sank back into the chair and again closed his eyes. Mr Calwell phoned his wife from the Town Hall to tell her of the shooting. CHIN BANDAGED As ambulance-men carried Mr Calwell from the Town Hall, a Herald reporter spoke to him. Im all right . . . Im all right, he told the reporter.

Mr Calwell arrived at the casualty section of Royal North Shore Hospital in an ambulance at 11.23 p.m. He was taken in a stretcher into the casualty reception area for immediate attention. His chin was heavily bandaged and he was grasping a tightly rolled while handkerchief in his right hand. Mr Calwell, who is 69, looked pale and his eyes were closed. Dr P. McClure, who had treated Mr Calwell at Mosman, accompanied him to the hospital. A hospital doctor said later that Mr Calwell was hit by glass splinters. His condition was satisfactory and he would be kept in hospital overnight. He suffered lacerations to the chin and we removed a number of glass fragments, the doctor said. The shooting occurred 20 minutes after the Vietnam meeting. The 800 people at the meeting had left the hall. Mr Calwell had stayed behind talking to Labor Party members.

At 10.50 p.m. he left the hall receiving congratulations and handshakes from scores of his supporters congregated on the footpath outside. Senator D. McClelland walked with Mr Calwell from the hall shortly before the shooting. Just before he closed the car door, he waved goodbye. I was about to turn when I saw this youth standing near the car door as if he was hiding something, he said. I DONT KNOW WHY

The man was chased and caught by several young men Credit:Paul Murray I then heard a bang as if a firecracker had been let off. I saw the glass had been shattered and Mr Calwell put his hands to his face. Senator McClelland and another man carried Mr Calwell into the Town Hall. He told them, Ive been shot, but who could have done it? 1 dont know why. There was blood all over his shirt and I suggested that he take his coat off to prevent it getting stained, Senator McClelland said. He added that Mr Calwell had been very shocked. Senator McClelland said he believed the shooting was the first attempt in Australia to seriously wound an Australian parliamentarian.

HE IS CHEERFUL Police took possession of a sawn-off .22 rifle which was later examined by C.I.B. Scientific Bureau men. The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator N.E. McKenna, arrived at the hospital early this morning to see Mr Calwell. He is completely cheerful and he almost seems to be enjoying it, Senator McKenna said later. Speaking of the shooting, Senator McKenna said, Its a dreadful outrage but fortunately he is quite all right.

Loading DEEPLY CONCERNED In Canberra, the Prime Minister, Mr Holt, called for full details of the shooting. In a special statement issued shortly before midnight, Mr Holt said: I am deeply concerned and have been in touch with the hospital. Also I have asked for full details of this dreadful incident as soon as possible.
With COVID-19 situation easing across various states, leading companies in the country have initiated steps to ramp up production to "normal levels" to meet pent-up demand, clear backlog and reduce waiting periods on their products.

Auto firms, which were forced to down shutters temporarily due to lockdowns and curfews, expect business activity to pick up going ahead with the opening of dealerships across states.

"With the easing of the in various states, production is gradually ramping up and likely to stabilise to normal levels by the end of the month," Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle Business Unit President Shailesh Chandra told PTI.

He noted that production at the company's passenger vehicle plants operated at about 50 per cent capacity during the period in April and May, constrained by pandemic restrictions and compliance to safety protocols as also shortfall in supplies from vendor partners located in auto clusters across various states.

The country's largest company, however, added that the challenges pertaining to global semiconductor shortages continue to hamper the production ramp-up.

"We foresee the semiconductor issue continuing to adversely impact our production in the next quarter also," Chandra noted.

Mahindra and Mahindra CEO (Automotive Division) Veejay Nakra said the automaker is carefully reviewing the demand and supply situation and re-calibrating its operations accordingly while protecting the interest of its customers, dealers and suppliers.

"The endeavour is to ensure optimal level of inventory at plants and dealerships in order to be prepared for a rebound in demand once the situation returns to normalcy," he added.

A spokesperson of the country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India noted that operations at its plants have resumed with due caution and revised safety protocols in place.

"We are ramping up production cautiously. Meanwhile, we continue to vaccinate all employees and families on priority. Over 36,000 employees have already received the first shot," the auto major stated.

As per SIAM data, overall in May declined by 57 per cent to 8,06,755 units as compared with 18,75,698 units in April this year.

Similarly, passenger witnessed a drop of 58 per cent to 1,28,225 units from 3,05,952 units in April.

Honda Cars India Senior Vice President and Director (Sales and Marketing) Rajesh Goel said that with relaxations regarding opening of dealerships in place across states, the company expects improvement in business activity going forward.

"So far, dealers contributing to 42 per cent of our sales have opened and accordingly we are operating at less than 50 per cent of the daily production output that we had before the second wave hit the country. This is planned to gradually ramp up from next month," he added.

Similarly, Kia India Executive Director and Chief Sales & Business Strategy Officer Tae-Jin Park said that the automaker is preparing to ramp up its production in order to cater to the existing and future demands and is planning to start the third shift at its Anantapur facility very soon.

He added that the company is optimistic about a faster market recovery with the ongoing vaccination drive.

"We have received consistent demand for all our products even during the most challenging economic and industry conditions and we expect the demand to further increase as markets begin to open up in phases," Park said.

Similarly, Hyundai Motor India Director (Sales and Marketing) Tarun Garg said that the company has already initiated two shifts at its Chennai plant and the third shift would commence from Jun 21.

Luxury carmaker Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said the company is ramping up its production at the Aurangabad plant for models that are currently produced there the Audi A4 and the Audi A6.

"In parallel, we are also preparing for upcoming products that will be produced in India in the near future," he noted.

Like carmakers, two-wheeler makers also remained cautiously optimistic about the business scenario going ahead and are taking steps to boost their capacities.

"With progressive unlocking across different states, all our plants have resumed production with a single shift only. We are closely monitoring the evolving market dynamics while maintaining our cautious optimism. With many regions opening up and markets resuming business operations, we are hopeful that further relaxations in economic activity will follow in the coming times," HMSI Director (Sales and Marketing) Yadvinder Singh Guleria noted.

Moving ahead, the company shall evaluate its production plan and gradually ramp up operations with two shifts based on visible gain in sales momentum, he added.

Similarly, mid-size bike maker Royal Enfield noted that with the situation stabilising and easing of lockdowns, it resumed production activity on May 31.

"We are gradually ramping up production across our manufacturing facilities while supply chain disruptions are coming around, to meet the outstanding order book and current demand generation," it said.

Consumer demand continues to be robust and the company has strong order books across its portfolio of motorcycles, it added.

"The success of the Meteor and the recently launched Himalayan continues to fuel demand across urban and rural markets," Royal Enfield, which is part of Eicher Motors, stated.

(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.)
CHENNAI, India (Reuters) - Global such as Renault-Nissan, Hyundai Motor Co and Ford Motor Co may operate with their full workforces in India's automaking hub from Sunday, despite worker protests over safety in the pandemic.

Tamil Nadu state, one of the country's worst-hit, allowed industrial units with export commitments to operate at 100% capacity, boosting its flourishing automobile industry.

New cases in the state have fallen from more than 30,000 a day in May to about 8,000 but still account for one-seventh of all cases in India, which is second only to the United States in total infections.

"Any company which exports or supplies to export-oriented industries will be allowed to operate at full capacity as cases have come down," a senior state government official said.

An Indian court tasked industrial safety officials this month with visiting in the southern state to draw up uniform safety guidelines.

The Madras High Court was responding to a case filed last month by workers at the Indian unit of the French-Japanese alliance of Renault SA Nissan Motor Co.

They asked for operations to be halted, saying social distancing norms were being flouted and the risk to their lives outweighed the health benefits provided by the company.

Labour unions for global have written letters of protest, arguing that hundreds of workers in the automaking hub of Chennai have fallen ill with COVID-19 and dozens have died.

Ford and Hyundai also halted work at their plants last month after workers protested and some went on strike.

(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by William Mallard)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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has time till mid-July to challenge the lawsuit filed by Britain's PLC demanding that a US federal court force the airline to pay a USD 1.26 billion arbitration award it had won against the Indian government in December last year, sources said.

is controlled by the Indian government so much that they are "alter egos", Cairn had said in the lawsuit filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The court should hold the airline company liable for the arbitration award, the company had said.

A three-member international arbitration tribunal that consisted of one judge appointed by India had unanimously in December overturned levy of taxes on Cairn retrospectively and ordered refund of shares sold, dividend confiscated and tax refunds withheld to recover such demand.

The government of India, despite participating in the arbitration proceeding over four years, has not accepted the award and has filed a 'setting aside' petition in a court in The Netherlands - the seat of the arbitration.

With Cairn seeking to recover the award from state-owned entities such as Air India, the government has said it will contest any enforcement.

has time till mid-July to file a plea contesting Cairn lawsuit, three sources aware of the matter said.

The airline, which is in the process of being privatised, is likely to argue that it is a separate entity and not the alter ego of the Indian government and cannot be forced to pay for any liability of the government, they said.

Air India spokesperson declined to comment on the story.

Cairn has identified USD 70 billion of Indian assets overseas for potential seizure to collect award, which now totals to USD 1.72 billion after including interest and penalty.

The assets identified range from Air India's planes to vessels belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India, and properties owned by state banks to oil and gas cargoes of PSUs, the sources said.

These assets are across several jurisdictions, they said without giving further details.

Cairn plans to move courts in the US to Singapore for seizure of the assets in absence of Indian government's refusal to honour an international arbitration award.

Once a court recognises Air India as the alter ego of Indian government, Cairn can seek attachment or seizure of its assets in the US such as airplanes, immovable assets and bank accounts to recover the amount it was awarded by the arbitration tribunal.

The move is similar to a court in the British Virgin Islands ordering in December last year hotels in New York and Paris owned by Pakistan International Airlines to be used to settle a claim against Pakistan's government by a Canadian-Chilean copper company.

Crystallex International Corp had brought a similar lawsuit to attach property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A (PDVSA), the state-owned oil company of Venezuela, in Delaware couple of years back after the Latin American country failed to pay the firm USD 1.2 billion that an arbitration tribunal had ordered to pay in lieu of the 2011 seizing gold deposits held and developed by the firm.

In 2012, Elliott Management, a buccaneering American hedge fund which held distressed Argentine bonds, seized a handsome tall ship belonging to Argentina's navy.

Recently, French courts ruled that a stifled creditor could seize a business jet belonging to the government of Congo-Brazzaville while it was being serviced at a French airport, as well as USD 30 million from a bank account of the country's state oil company.

The Indian government, however, plans to contest any enforcement proceeding brought by Cairn.

"The Indian government naturally will challenge such seizure but to save the assets it may have to pawn money equivalent to the value of assets in some form of financial security such as bank guarantee. The court will return such a guarantee to India if it does not find merit in Cairn's case. But the surety will be passed on to Cairn if the court finds that India had failed to honour its obligation," a source said.

Last month, the finance ministry said that the tribunal "improperly exercised jurisdiction over a national tax dispute that the Republic of India never offered and/or agreed to arbitrate".

The ministry called the 2006 reorganisation of Cairn's India business for listing on the local bourses as "abusive tax avoidance scheme that were a gross violation of Indian tax laws, thereby depriving Cairn's alleged investments of any protection under the India-UK bilateral investment treaty".

The Scottish firm invested in the oil and gas sector in India in 1994 and a decade later it made a huge oil discovery in Rajasthan. In 2006 it listed its Indian assets on the BSE. Five years after that the government passed a retroactive tax law and billed Cairn Rs 10,247 crore plus interest and penalty for the reorganisation tied to the flotation. The state then expropriated and liquidated Cairn's remaining shares in the Indian entity, seized dividends and withheld tax refunds to recover a part of the demand.

Cairn challenged the move before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, which in December awarded it USD 1.2 billion (over Rs 8,800 crore) plus costs and interest, which totals USD 1.725 million (Rs 12,600 crore) as of December 2020.

The company, which previously said the ruling was binding and enforceable under international treaty law, has been since then courting Indian government officials to get the money paid. But the government has not agreed to pay.

(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.)
PNB Housing Finance says it has got a letter from Indias markets regulator asking the company to hold its Rs 4,000-crore share allotment to a clutch of led by The

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is studying PNBHFs Rs 4,000 crore share sale after a proxy adviser said earlier this month the deal is unfair to the mortgage lenders minority shareholders.

The deal would make Carlyle, a US-based private equity giant, a majority shareholder in the company and bring down the stake of state-owned Punjab National Bank in its housing finance subsidiary to under 26 per cent, said a media report.

PNBHF on Saturday told BSE the market regulators letter asks the company not to act on the share and "comply with the legal provisions in the matter".

called as "ultra-vires (against the law) the decision taken on May 31 at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of shareholders and should not be acted upon until the company undertakes the valuation of shares.

The Company and its Board of Directors have considered the Letter, and continue to believe that the Company has acted in compliance with all relevant applicable laws, said PNBHF in its letter to BSE.

PNBHFs decision to preferentially allot Rs 3,200 crore worth of shares and Rs 800 crore worth of warrants to Carlyle, former HDFC Bank chief executive officer Aditya Puris family investment vehicle, General Atlantic, and Alpha Investments at Rs 390 a piece was unfair to public shareholders and shareholders, said Stakeholders Empowerment Services, a governance watchdog, in a report earlier in the June

The company, in its letter to Sebi, said it had complied with the laws the preferential allotment was "in the best interests" of shareholders.
The market capitalization of Anil Ambani led has surged by over 1,000 per cent in less than 3 months.

The market cap of the group, which stood at Rs 733 cr in March, jumped to Rs 3,890 cr in May 2021, and Rs 7,866 cr on the last trading day of this week i.e. June 18, 2021.

The market capitalization of the group companies, Reliance Infrastructure, Reliance Power, and Reliance Capital has more than doubled over the last 20 trading days.

The market cap of Reliance Power now stands at Rs 4,446 cr, Reliance Infrastructure at Rs 2,767 cr, and Reliance Capital at Rs 653 cr.

Nearly 50 lakh retail investors of Reliance Infrastructure, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital, who have continued faith in the group, have gained from this immense value creation.

The has the largest family of retail shareholders in India, with around 33 lakh retail shareholders in Reliance Power, 9 lakh in Reliance Infrastructure and 8 lakh in Reliance Capital.

Over the last couple of years, while FIIs/ MF exited the group companies, and lenders who had invoked pledged shares have sold the same in the markets, the same had been picked by retail investors who are now reaping the benefits of this wealth creation.

The surge in the stock prices of has been backed by various significant positive developments across group companies, in the last 3 weeks.

Reliance Infrastructure announced fund raising of Rs 550 cr from the promoter group and VSFI Holdings Pvt Ltd - an affiliate of Varde Investment Partners, LLP.

In another significant development, Reliance Power announced the preferential issue of equity shares and warrants to its promoter company, Reliance Infrastructure, aggregating Rs 1,325 cr, in order to convert debt into equity.

Reliance Capital Group company, Reliance Home Finance is also in the final stage of its asset monetisation, as Authum Investment and Infrastructure, with a bid value of Rs 2,887 cr has emerged as the successful bidder for its assets. This will reduce the Reliance Capital debt by over Rs 11,000 cr, giving a big boost to the company and its investors.

The debt reduction drive of Reliance Group achieved another milestone when recently Axis Bank and Yes Bank decided to remove the red flag classification of the Reliance Capital account, paving the way for the successful monetization of Reliance Capital assets.

Reliance Capital has received over 70 bids for its multiple assets, that include its general insurance, health insurance, life insurance, and securities business, apart from its private equity investment in like Paytm E-commerce and Nafta Innovations.

--IANS

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(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 500,000 people in have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, informed Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga on Saturday.

"The pandemic, which struck our and the entire world, has claimed 500,000 lives. I am relentlessly working to vaccinate all Brazilians as soon as possible and change the scenario that has been tormenting us for more than a year," the Minister tweeted.

Queiroga expressed condolences to the friends and relatives of those who died due to the disease. The country has registered more than 17.8 million COVID-19 cases.

According to CNN, there is barely a person in today who hasn't lost a loved one to said local scientists, as the country reached the grim milestone of half a million deaths.

The South American nation, which holds half the continent's population, is being decimated by the virus. The 500,000 death toll is twice as high as it was six months ago, a sign that the mortality rate is accelerating, according to experts.

"In June of last year, we reached 50,000 deaths for Covid-19. In just one year we have multiplied this number 10 times. It's very scary," says Brazilian neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis, who in January predicted that the country would reach 500,000 deaths in July. "At the time, people thought that the number was exaggerated," he recalls.

The country has suffered from a slow vaccine rollout and staunch resistance to containment measures by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the gravity of the virus.

With no lockdown and just 11.4% of the population fully vaccinated, the country is considered a "barn of new variants" and is increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. To date, more than 100 countries are restricting the entry of Brazilians, according to the foreign relations ministry.

(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 chamber CII President has suggested that the government should follow a cautious approach in opening up of all activities with a view to avoid a possible third wave of the COVID pandemic.

The focus of opening up in the immediate run, he said, should be on economic activities including restarting the supply chains as they are essential for reviving the growth and ensuring livelihoods to the vast majority of the workforce.

"We should prioritise what activities should be allowed, rather than opening up everything. Avoid the avoidable activities. There are many things which do not need to happen. There are many things which need to happen like economic activities... but social events etc... can wait for a few months, let them wait for a few months. Why increase the risk," Narendran told PTI in an interview.

He cautioned that one should be "very" watchful before unlocking so that "we do not open up sooner than required and create a (coronavirus) wave three".

Several states and union territories have announced easing of curbs on account of decline in the number of infections.

The Delhi High Court Friday took cognisance of the violation of COVID-19 protocols in various markets in the capital and observed that such breaches will only hasten the third wave of which cannot be permitted at all.

The new CII president said that economic activity has shrunk in May and to some extent in April and everyone was impacted by multiple local lockdowns, disruptions to supply chains and demand.

"The fact that economic activity has come down is obvious, it has also reflected in the GST (Goods and Services Tax) numbers...The second wave has derailed economic recovery," he added.

He also advocated for appointment of a "Vaccine Czar" for speedy vaccination coverage, stating that there should be a minimum 71.2 lakh average daily vaccination doses from now till December 2021 to cover the entire adult population.

Vaccination is here to stay and the country needs to be ready for the long term, he said.

When asked about FIR against social media giant Twitter and the kind of signal it would send to global investors, Narendran said that it is not just in India, across the world, countries are figuring out how to deal with the social media firms.

Several countries are looking at ways to regulate social media companies and put in place checks and balances, he added.

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has recently slammed Twitter for deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the country's new IT rules, which has led to the US giant losing its intermediary status in India and becoming liable for users posting any unlawful content.

Talking about concerns of MSME engineering sector on rising steel prices, Narendran, who is also CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, said that was conscious of those concerns, but stated that steel prices in India were still the cheapest in the world.

"They have a concern where they have a fixed price contract...I am not insensitive to their concerns," he said.

Volatility of prices is the unfortunate reality of the industry, it sometimes hurts producers and sometimes consumers, "both of us need to de-risk ourselves," he said.

Ludhiana Hand Tools Association President S C Ralhan has recently stated that many of the competing countries, particularly China, provide support to manufacturing units by providing steel and other inputs at much reasonable prices to boost competitiveness of their engineering sector in the global markets.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Sunday reported a net reduction of 30,776 in active cases to take its count to 729,243. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 6.29 per cent (one in 14). The country is second among the most affected countries by active cases. On Saturday, it added 58,419 cases to take its total caseload to 29,881,965. And, with 1,576 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 386,713, or 1.29 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 3,810,554 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Saturday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 276,693,572. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 28,766,009  or 96.27 per cent of total caseload  with 87,619 new cured cases being reported on Saturday.

With a daily increase of 58,419 in total cases, Indias tally of coronavirus cases has risen from, 29,823,546 on Sunday to 29,881,965 an increase of 0.2%. has reached 386,713, with 1,576 fatalities, an all-time high in daily spike. Now the second-most-affected country by active cases, total cases and recovery, and third by death, India has added 441,976 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 6.29% of all active cases globally (one in every 14 active cases), and 9.94% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 276,693,572 vaccine doses. That is 925.95 per cent of its total caseload, and 19.86 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Maharashtra (32271188), Uttar Pradesh (30426240), Gujarat (25834905), Rajasthan (25621806), and West Bengal (23045019).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (411297), Gujarat (404477), Delhi (403448), Uttarakhand (365207), and J&K (338563).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 14 days.

The count of active cases across India on Sunday saw a net reduction of 30,776, compared with 38,637 on Saturday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are West Bengal (322), Manipur (292), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (3), and Arunachal Pradesh (2).

With 87,619 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 96.27%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.29%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.66%), Uttarakhand (2.08%), and Maharashtra (1.97%). The rate in as many as 18 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 89,195  1,576 deaths and 87,619 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 1.76%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.2%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 354.2 days, and for deaths at 169.7 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (12443), Maharashtra (8912), Tamil Nadu (8183), Karnataka (5815), and Andhra Pradesh (5674).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Karnataka (94.12%), Kerala (95.74%), and Maharashtra (95.76%).

India on Saturday conducted 1,811,446 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 391,019,083. The test positivity rate recorded was 3.2%.

Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR)  percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases  are Goa (18.54%), Maharashtra (15.17%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.51%), Kerala (12.8%), and Sikkim (12.01%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are, Meghalaya (11.43%), Sikkim (10.34%), Kerala (10.22%), Manipur (10.08%), and Goa (8.71%).

Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1106100), J&K (694646), Kerala (612163), Karnataka (481997), and Uttarakhand (468744).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (5963420), Karnataka (2801936), Kerala (2797747), Tamil Nadu (2414680), and Andhra Pradesh (1844917).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 8912 new cases to take its tally to 5963420.

Karnataka, the second-most-affected state, has reported 5815 cases to take its tally to 2801936.

Kerala, the third-most-affected state by total tally, has added 12443 cases to take its tally to 2797747.

Tamil Nadu has added 8183 cases to take its tally to 2414680.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 5674 to 1844917.

Uttar Pradesh has added 257 cases to take its tally to 1704139.

Delhi has added 135 cases to take its tally to 1432168.
The Centre has told the that any death resulting from Covid-19 infection should have to be certified as Covid death, and if not done so, the certifying doctor will face action.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in an affidavit, said: "It is mandated that any death resulting from Covid-19 must have to be so certified that is, as Covid death, failing which everyone responsible, including the certifying doctor, will be responsible for penal consequences."

It emphasised that all deaths with a diagnosis of Covid-19, irrespective of co-morbidities, are to be classified as deaths due to the infection.

The MHA affidavit said: "All deaths with a diagnosis of Covid-19 irrespective of co-morbidities are to be classified as deaths due to the infection. The only exception could be where there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be attributed to Covid-19 (e.g. accidental trauma, poisoning, acute myocardial infarction, etc) where Covid is an incidental finding."

It submitted, that for recording of Covid-19 deaths, that there is a statutory mechanism in place either by way of an Act of Parliament or guidelines having the force of mandate and the law. Any breach of the guidelines mentioned here under would be a criminal offence as stipulated under Section 188 of the IPC, it said.

Noting that broad guidelines for recording of Covid-19 related deaths in India were prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it said: "The guidelines clearly state Covid-positive deaths implicate deaths related to the infection. These guidelines are in sync with the WHO Mortality Coding."

The Centre said as per the provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, the contemporary system is state governed and implementation of the statute is vested with the state governments/Union Territories administration.

The state authority (Chief Registrar) has been declared as the chief executive authority in the respective state for implementing the provisions of this Act and rules and the order framed.

"The District Registrar for each district within the state is responsible for executing the provision of RBD Act and rules in respective districts. There are more than 2.8 lakh registration centres in rural areas and nearly 7,500 in urban areas," the affidavit added.

According to provisions of the act, at the local area level, the death events are registered by the designated local authority (Registrar) on the basis of information given to him/her by the informant prescribed under Sections 8 or 9 of the RBD Act.

The affidavit said under the provisions of Section 10 of the RBD Act, the information related to cause of death is filled up by the medical practitioner attending to the deceased at the time of terminal illness.

"The medical practitioner should after the death of the person issue a certificate as to the cause of death in prescribed forms stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death. This cause of death certificate is sent to the Registrar along with death reporting form on the basis of which the Registrar makes necessary entries related to cause of death in the register of death, at the time of registration of death event," the affidavit added.

Under the provision of Section 17 of the RBD Act, "no extract relating to any death, issued to any person should disclose the particulars regarding the cause of death as entered in the register".

"Accordingly, the cause of death cannot be disclosed by the Registrar to any person, hence the extract/death certificate does not include any information related to the cause of death of an individual, it is therefore most respectfully said the death certificate does not show the cause of the death of any individual," said the affidavit.

On May 24, the had suggested there must be a uniform policy and also some guidelines for issuance of death certificates for those affected with Covid-19.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R.Shah had said many times, reasons given in a death certificate can be heart attack or lung failure but these could be triggered by Covid-19. The bench asked Centre's counsel, "So how are death certificates being issued?"

The Centre filed affidavit in response to the petitions filed by advocates Reepak Kansal and Gaurav Kumar Bansal citing Section 12(3) of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) providing monetary compensation for the families of those who died during a notified disaster. The top court will take up the matter on Monday.

--IANS

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(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.)
With cases of dipping, the Haryana government has allowed relaxations in lockdown restrictions permitting markets and shopping malls to open. Owners of malls and restaurants are offering discounts and freebies to people who have taken the vaccine, in a move to encourage vaccinations.

A mall has started an initiative for heathcare workers while pub bar and restaurants in the Millenium city of India have rolled-out special offers for vaccinated people.

While Ambience Mall in is providing free parking and discounted rates on shopping from different brands available in the mall to healthcare workers, various pub bar and restaurants are offering specal discounts to people who are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Digvijay, a pub bar operator told ANI, "Currently the footfall s down due to the pandemic. Therefore, the sales are down. So to increase sales there is a need to attract customers. Hence, such offers are introduced. This offer not only attract customers but will also ensure that there is no spread of infection. It will also encourage people to get vaccinated which is a must.

"We have introduced a discount offer of 25 per cent for those who have received forst dose of vaccine and 50 per cent discount for thse fully vaccinated. This has been done to encourage and at the same time regularise customers to our pub and bar. Basically it will not only increase our customer base but also ensure that the infection does not spread. The customers will also feel safe. People will also feel good that when they step out of their house after a long time, they are able to dine and entertain themselves at a discounted price," said another pub bar operator Paras Katariya.

Geeta, official, management, Ambience Mall, said, "Our mall is providing free parking facility to healthcare workers. All the brands in the mall are providing special discounts to them. To avail these offers healthcare workers just need to show their ID cards which validates that they are a healthcare worker or a medical practitioner. During this pandemic heathcare workers are doing so much for the people. So it is small initiative to thank them for their efforts. "

"We are providing 10 per cent discount to frontline workers. This is a special initiative for them launched by the mall management. Although we have offers going on for our other customers but we have special offers exclusively for frontline workers," said Neha, a showroom manger at the mall."

Manu, a customer, said, "It is a very good initiative. This will not only benefit the brands which are providing the discount but also provide financial assistance to people. It will also encourage people to get vaccinated."

"The restaurant industry has been severly affected due to the pandemic. We ensure that our staff is vaccinated. So first got them vaccinated so that our customers feel secure. Then we introduced discouns for vaccinated customers so that they avila our services. We want that everybosy gets vaccinated so that we get rid of this disease as soon as possible and our business is back on track just like pre-pandemic," added Yudhveer Yadav, a restaurant owner.

(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 58,000 fresh cases reported

India reported 58,419 fresh infections on Sunday, taking the cumulative caseload to 29.8 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 1,576 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 386,713. The active caseload is at 729,243, while the total recoveries have surged to 28.7 million. As many as 27.6 million vaccine shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 3.8 million were given on Friday. Read more

135 million vaccine doses will be available in July

India's Covid vaccination drive will receive 135 million doses from the country's vaccine manufacturers in July, a report in The Indian Express said that cited sources familiar with the matter. The states will be informed that 75 per cent of the doses will be made available free of cost in July for advance planning, sources part of the team monitoring the Covid-19 vaccination drive told the paper. Read more

Can't pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation to kin of Covid victims: Govt to SC

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told the Supreme Court that granting Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the families of those who succumbed to Covid would not be feasible as resources of governments have limits, a report in The Indian Express said. The ministry said the entire State Disaster Relief Fund would deplete which in turn would affect the pandemic response on other aspects and might end up doing more damage than good. Utilisation of scarce resources for giving ex-gratia, may have unfortunate consequences of affecting the pandemic response and health expenditure in other aspects and hence cause more damage than good, the affidavit read. Read more

No holy dip on Ganga Dussehra in Haridwar

The celebrations for the Ganga Dussehra festival, where devotees take a dip in the Ganga river, have been cancelled in Haridwar to contain the spread of Covid, a report in the Hindustan Times said. The district borders will be sealed on Sunday and devotees coming from other states will not be allowed. "Legal action will be taken against those who would not follow the guidelines issued for Covid-19 under the Disaster Management Act," a top police official said. Read more

Transplant patients need three Covid vaccine doses, finds study

An international study on 30 transplant patients who received a third booster shot leading to antibody response in eight of them has sparked a conversation among transplant doctors, a report in Midday said. While the general population has been able to get an antibody response after two doses, doctors treating transplant patients have been worried as most of their patients have shown low or no antibody response. Doctors feel that booster doses should be considered for transplant patients if they have not mounted an immunological response. The medical fraternity treating transplant patients has called for more research and clinical trials. Read more
Claiming that migrant labourers of Jharkhand working in high-altitude are exploited by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Chief Minister said that he will take up the matter with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as the situation has not changed despite repeated communications.

The chief minister demanded 'martyr' status for the labourers who die laying infrastructure for the armed forces in inhospitable terrains, and claimed that labourers return to the state with bitter memories and do not want to work again for the BRO because of the undignified treatment they get.

In an interview to PTI, Soren said that once the state gets over the COVID-19 crisis, he will personally hold meetings with chief ministers and administrators of various states and Union territories such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and pitch for a robust mechanism to check workers' exploitation.

The BRO, however, denied the accusations of the chief minister and claimed that there are a number of labourers who are working for the organisation for a decade.

"In April, I personally received bodies of 18 of our workers killed in an avalanche in Sumna, near the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. All the victims were employed by the BRO but their families did not receive proper compensation.

"The state government brought the bodies with its own resources. This hurts me and pains me," Soren said.

The chief minister said that a few days ago, he heard Rajnath Singh praising the BRO for constructing roads in tough terrains, but "it ripped my heart" when he did not utter a word for those who actually lay such infrastructure there.

The Jharkhand government has written a number of letters to the BRO accusing it of "gross violation" of Inter- State Migrant Workmen Act, framed to protect workers whose services are requisitioned outside their home states, by involving middlemen and touts to hire workers.

Soren said that there are umpteen instances where he received migrant workers' bodies on the state's expenses with proper compensation to the kith and kin still pending.

"I am aghast at these. I will take up the matter with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh," the chief minister said.

"Are soldiers facing enemy bullets the only ones who should get the martyr status and not our brave migrant workers? Not a word for them ever. They get exploited by the BRO in high altitude, uncongenial climatic and extremely harsh conditions. This is a gross injustice," he said.

However, the ministries of defence and home have submitted before the Central Information Commission in December 2017 that there is no term as "martyr" or "shaheed" in the Army or the police and instead, a soldier or a policeman killed in action is called a "battle casualty" or "operations casualty" respectively.

Soren said, The workers are taken through middlemen and subjected to undignified treatment without proper compensation. This is the reason once a migrant worker comes back alive, he never wants to go back."



The JMM-headed state government has written to the BRO on the issues.

Jharkhand workers were killed in a flash flood in Uttarakhand, in cloud burst in Jammu and Kashmir and in cold conditions in Ladakh, he said adding: "Despite flagging such instances, policies to protect the migrant labourers are not being implemented."



Soren said that despite all these, keeping the interest in mind, he had flagged off a special train with 1,648 migrant labourers to work in BRO projects in Leh- Ladakh and other regions along the India-China border on assurance that 2021 onwards, all steps would be undertaken to protect their interests.

"Hundreds of migrant workers are made to live in pathetic conditions in the hilly and difficult terrains, devoid of proper amenities and wages. They are reluctant to take up similar jobs on their return to the state.

"Jharkhand, on its part, is augmenting the labour management system by ensuring registration for all workers, and efforts are being made for their gainful employment," he said.

A senior BRO official said that wages of migrant labourers are fixed liberally and the money is credited to their accounts directly.

"We deal with a large number of migrant workers and take care of their wellbeing in tough terrains. At places, we even run schools for their children.

"It is wrong to say that the BRO exploits workers. Rather, we have examples where workers continue with us for over a decade. If they fall sick, we provide with them the best medical facilities on par with our jawans," the official said.

The mission of the BRO, which functions under the Ministry of Defence, is to support the armed forces meet their strategic needs by committed, dedicated and cost-effective development and sustenance of the infrastructure, according to the website of the organisation.

Associate Professor of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Dr Anu Sabhlok who has done research on workers in tough terrains, said, " The workers live in pretty harsh conditions in high altitude using glacial cold waters. If the BRO is hiring, it needs to take care of all these. It could easily be done if a mechanism is worked out."



Soren said he is the first chief minister in the country to airlift 60 migrant workers stuck in Ladakh in May last year.

Meanwhile, the state government is yet to formalise a proper labour registration mechanism, a state government official said adding it is in the process.

After the Covid-19 pandemic struck last year, around 8.50 lakh migrant workers, out of the 10.45 lakh who got themselves registered while being stranded in different parts of the country, had returned to the state between March 2020 and August 2020.

The Supreme Court had on May 24 said that the process of registration of migrant workers is "very slow" and it must be expedited so that benefits of various schemes can be extended to them amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown in has been extended by one more week, till June 28, but with further relaxations.

As per the order by the government, Chennai Metro Trains can run with 50 per cent occupancy. Cinema and TV serial shooting can commence with a maximum of 100 people. Public transport can operate in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet with 50 per cent capacity.

Moreover, autos and cabs are allowed in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet without e-registration. Footwear and optical shops can function between 9 AM and 5 PM in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet.

Also, vehicle dealers and distributors can open shops between 9 and 7 in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet Districts. Only parcel service is allowed in road-side restaurants between 6 AM and 7PM in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet.

Relaxations for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts are as follows: Inter-district and intra-district public transport in these 4 districts with 50% occupancy will be allowed from June 21. Metrorail operation will be allowed with 50 per cent seat occupancy.

Public will be allowed to travel in call taxis, auto-rickshaws without e-registration in four districts --Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Film shooting and shooting for small screen allowed with 100 persons.

Fancy stores, photo studios/video studios, laundries, xerox shops, printing press, tailoring shops will be allowed to function in four districts--Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu between 9 AM and 7 PM.

All government offices in four districts-- Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu-- will be allowed to function with 100 percent employees. All private organizations can function with 50 per cent employees. Sub-registrar offices can function fully.

As per the order, all construction works will be allowed in four districts--Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram. Hardware shops and footwear shops can open between 9 AM and 7 PM. Takeaways only allowed in roadside food shops between 6 AM and 7 PM.

Shops selling computer hardware, software, electronic appliances, spare parts and shops selling construction materials can function between 9 AM and 7 PM in four districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, as per the order.

As per the Union Health Ministry, reported 10,229 fresh COVID-19 cases, 18,232 discharges and 180 deaths today.

(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 making a strong start, covering more than two-thirds of the country a fortnight ahead of its schedule, the southwest seems to have stalled a bit over parts of North-West India as "large-scale features are not favourable" for its advance, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

The monsoons progress over parts of Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and is likely to be slow, the met department said.

This is not a break in by any count, but just that the pace seen so far might have slackened a bit. However, the is well on course to cover the entire country well within its scheduled date, Chief Meteorologist of private weather forecasting firm Skymet said.

He said the normal date of onset of monsoon over is June 27 and it will reach the capital by that time.

The said that the wind pattern by numerical models does not indicate any favourable condition for sustained rainfall over the region during the forecast period.

The met on Thursday had said the impact of mid-latitude westerly on the monsoon is likely to continue till June 23 and hence its advance into Rajasthan, remaining parts Punjab, Haryana and is not likely during the period.

It had said the monsoon flow pattern is likely to organise and strengthen gradually between June 26 and June 30, and the further advance to most parts of northwest India is likely during the same period.

The weather department had earlier predicted that the wind system may reach Delhi by June 15, around 12 days early.

Normally, the monsoon reaches Delhi by June 27 and covers the entire country by July 8.

Last year, the wind system had reached Delhi on June 25 and covered the entire country by June 29, according to Skymet Weather, a private forecasting agency.

On Sunday, the Met office said isolated "heavy to very heavy" rainfall is very likely over east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the next 24 hours under the influence of a low-pressure area.

Moderate to severe thunderstorms accompanied by frequent cloud-to-ground lightning are very likely over the region during the period. This may cause injuries leading to casualties to people and animals staying outdoors, the weather department said.

Isolated heavy showers are also very likely over Uttarakhand on Monday under the influence of a western disturbance as a trough in mid-tropospheric levels and monsoonal easterlies.

The in June had upped its 2021 monsoon forecast to 101 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) with most parts of the country, except parts of East and North-East India, expected to get normal to above normal rainfall.

Rainfall between 96-104 per cent of the LPA is considered normal rainfall. The forecast is with a model error of plus and minus 4 per cent.
People who got Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine showed "substantially higher" levels of antibodies compared to those who received China's Sinovac shots, according to a new study.

The study, led by University of Hong Kong (HKU), aims to estimate the incidence of natural infections over time and level of population immunity due to infections and vaccinations, the South China Morning Post reported on Saturday.

The presence of antibodies is a sign that the vaccine is working to protect an individual, although the quantity of the proteins generated by the body's immune system to identify and neutralise the coronavirus does not directly correlate to the level of immunity, the report said.

Some who received the Sinovac vaccine might need a third booster shot as well, lead researcher Professor Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist with HKU was quoted as saying by the TRTWorld.

The study involved tracking the antibody responses of 1,000 people who received either vaccine.

On June 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) authorised the Sinovac-CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.

The two-dose Sinovac-CoronaVac product is an inactivated vaccine. Its easy storage requirements make it very manageable and particularly suitable for low-resource settings.

Based on available evidence, the WHO recommended the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks.

Vaccine efficacy results showed that the vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in 51 per cent of those vaccinated and prevented severe Covid-19 and hospitalisation in 100 per cent of the studied population.

On the other hand, the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine is based on mRNA technology and has been authorised for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Studies have shown that the two-dose shot is effective against Covid-19, as well as its variants - Delta, Gamma and Beta.

--IANS

rvt/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister on Sunday met union ministers, including and Rajnath Singh, at his official residence here, sources said.

Earlier this month, Modi held about five meetings with union ministers in different groups apparently to take stock of the work done by their respective ministries so far.

Besides Shah and Singh, union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal are also attending today's meeting, the sources said.

While details of the meeting were not known, political observers feel this could be an exercise before an expected cabinet expansion and reshuffle.

(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.)
Defence Minister on Sunday held separate meetings with the lieutenant governors of and Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is learnt to have apprised the defence minister about the security scenario in the union territory.

"The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri @manojsinha_called on Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh in New Delhi today," Singh's office tweeted.

Issues related to the overall development of figured in Singh's meeting with Lt Governor R K Mathur, people familiar with the deliberations 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.)
As some governments and pharmaceutical officials prepare for Covid booster shots targeting more-infectious virus variants, health authorities say its too early to tell if they will be required.

We do not have the information thats necessary to make the recommendation on whether or not a booster will be needed, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organizations chief scientist, said in a Zoom interview Friday. The science is still evolving.

Such a call is premature while high-risk individuals in most of the world havent yet completed a first course of vaccination, Swaminathan said. Data from countries introducing precautionary extra inoculations later this year--particularly for vulnerable people whose immunity to SARS-CoV-2 may wane faster--will inform WHOs guidance, she said.

Covid booster shots are likely to be rolled out in U.K. in the fall to avoid another winter surge. Seven different vaccines are being tested in volunteers in England in the worlds first booster study, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last month.

The U.K., which has inoculated a larger proportion of people than any other major economy, has been forced to delay a planned lifting of restrictions amid a resurgence of cases driven by the delta variant. The strain, first reported in India, is the most infectious reported to date.

Tweaking shots

More-transmissible variants, including the beta strain that emerged in South Africa, require higher antibody levels to prevent infection, prompting vaccine makers including Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. to test whether tweaked versions of their existing shots will provide broader immunity.





ALSO READ: India to hold off exports of Covid-19 vaccines until domestic demand met

One dose of Novavax Inc.s variant-directed vaccine may provide sufficient protection against the beta strain in individuals previously immunized against Covid-19, according to pre-clinical research released this month by scientists at the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The modified shot also has the potential to provide broad protection against various strains if used as a primary vaccine regimen, said Gregory M. Glenn, Novavaxs president of research and development, in a June 11 statement.

So far, the existing U.S.-approved vaccines work well enough to protect against beta, delta and two other strains that the has designated as variants of concern, said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

Our future

Nobody is saying you need a booster today, Collins said in an interview with biologist Lee Hood at the Precision Medicine World Conference Thursday. But boosters might very well be in our future at some point, and they might be here sooner if other variants pop up that arent covered as well by existing vaccines.

As a minimum, vaccines will need to protect against hospitalization, ICU admission and death, according to Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. With that bar, we probably would need a vaccine maybe every three to five years, he said in a STAT biotech podcast on Thursday.

Immunization with a combination of vaccinations may offer longer immunity or fewer side effects for certain individuals, Offit said.

Early data from the U.K., Spain and Germany suggest a mix-and-match regimen using two different types of vaccines generates more pain, fever and other minor side effects compared with two doses of the same inoculation, the WHOs Swaminathan said.



ALSO READ: AstraZeneca vaccine's chief investigator backs India's 12-16 week dose gap

Still, the so-called heterologous prime-boost combinations appear to spur a more robust immune response, leading to both higher levels of virus-blocking antibodies and the white blood cells that kill virus-infected cells, she said.

Combinations of the AstraZeneca Plc and Pfizer-BioNTech shots are being considered in Malaysia, where the government is trying to speed up immunizations to achieve population-level immunity by year-end, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday.

It seems to be working well, this concept of heterologous prime-boost, Swaminathan said. This opens up the opportunity for countries that have vaccinated people with one vaccine and now are waiting for the second dose they have run out of, to potentially be able to use a different platform vaccine.

(With assistance from Sanjit Das.)
Russian President has congratulated medical workers and veterans of the Russian healthcare system on Medical Worker Day, thanking them for their efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and calling for more active vaccination.

"Our common goal is to focus all our efforts and all our resources on protecting citizens against the and its effects. First, it is imperative to step up the vaccination rates. We have all we need to do this. has four vaccines of its own, and new vaccines and medications are under development," Putin said in a statement on Sunday.

The Russian president emphasized that medical workers are countering the epidemic around the clock, treating COVID-19 patients in intensive care units and hospital red zones, and providing ambulance emergency services.

"All links of our public healthcare chain continue working in unison, in a well-coordinated manner. Each of you is acting professionally and reliably," Putin said.

He added that Russian medical workers will continue getting special compensation for their work amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"During the pandemic, we are focusing on supporting doctors, nurses and ambulance teams that deal directly with coronavirus patients. Overall, almost 1.2 million medical workers received special payments. More than 350 billion rubles [$4.8 billion] have already been set aside for these purposes. And I want to make it clear today: these payments will continue into the future," Putin stressed on Sunday.

(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 roll out of Russian COVID-19 Sputnik V at Indraprastha Apollo and Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital in has been delayed for some days, officials said on Sunday.

A spokesperson of said the facility in will tentatively start administering the two-dose by June 25.

An official had earlier said the hospital would start giving Sputnik V jabs by June 20.

According to an official of Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital, there is a delay on the part of the suppliers.

"We are expecting (roll out) next week," he said.

Fortis Healthcare, which had said it would make Sputnik V available at its Gurgaon and Mohali hospitals from Saturday, also has not started administering the Russian so far.

"The roll out did not happen on Saturday. We expect there will be some clarity on Monday," an official said.

The Centre has fixed the price of the vaccine at Rs 1,145 per dose. The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose.

Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology has developed Sputnik V and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is marketing it globally.

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the marketing partner for the vaccine in the country, has been importing the shots from

Over a period of time, the vaccine is also going to be manufactured in India.

Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. It employs a different vector for each of the two shots, given 21 days apart.

According to Gamaleya and the RDIF, Sputnik V has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 92 per cent.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lack of internet connectivity in the Pukzing Vengthar Village of Mizoram's Mamit is hampering the studies of the students residing in the area.

Students have to travel more than three kilometers daily to get connectivity so that they can study. The poor connectivity is hampering the examinations and assignment submission by students.

Speaking to ANI, the village council president of Pukzing Vengthar said, "Due to lack of internet connectivity, students travel more than three km to get the signal. After crossing the Tlangnuam Village site we get the connectivity. Even during rain students have to travel miles to appear for their exam."

A local student said, "We travel more than three km to get the signal. It is really hard for us to appear for exams online as there is no internet connectivity in our Village. The assignment submission is also hampered due to this."

The village is situated just 60 km away from sub-district headquarter and 104 km away from district headquarter Mamit and has a population of 500 people.

Earlier this month, seven undergraduate students in a remote village in south Mizoram's Siaha district appeared their online semester examinations from a hilltop due to poor internet connectivity. A makeshift hut made of bamboo, tarpaulin, and banana leaves was erected on the summit of the hill which acts as their 'exam 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.)
The sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

The shipment arrived on a China Airlines cargo plane that left Memphis the previous day. Taiwan's health minister, Chen Shih-chung, and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan, were among those who welcomed the plane on the tarmac at the airport outside of the capital, Taipei.

The donation reflects our commitment to as a trusted friend, and a member of the international family of democracies, the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy, wrote on its Facebook page.

Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get vaccines. It has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.

The U.S. donation also signals its support for in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory. The U.S. does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan under what is known as the one-China policy, but is legally bound by its own laws to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

The U.S. promised 750,000 vaccine doses for Taiwan earlier this month, sending Sen. Tammy Duckworth and two of her Senate colleagues to the island aboard a military transport plane to make the announcement. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said the U.S. had decided to increase the donation through efforts on both sides over the past two weeks.

In a Facebook post, Tsai joined the U.S. in drawing attention to their shared democratic systems. China, which has been ruled single-handedly by the Communist Party since 1949, says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and reserves the right to use force if necessary.

Whether it is for regional peace and stability or the virus that is a common human adversary, we will continue to uphold common ideas and work together, Tsai wrote in Chinese.

She has accused China of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, the German co-developer. Chinese officials have repeatedly denied the charge, and say China is willing to provide vaccines to Taiwan. Taiwanese law, however, bans the import of Chinese-made medicine.

The U.S. donation follows Japan's shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them.

(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 State Executive Committee (SEC) on Sunday announced the lifting of weekend curfew from eight of the 20 districts, with further easing of restrictions owing to significant improvement in the Covid situation.

However, the night curfew would continue to remain in force in Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora in Kashmir and Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Udhampur in Jammu province, an official order said.

The SEC authorised the deputy commissioners to allow opening of paid and unpaid parks for the use of the public across the Union Territory, only after local assessment of the conditions and after due consideration, subject to Covid-appropriate measures.

In his order, Chief Secretary A K Mehta said the decision was taken at a meeting of the SEC with focus on total weekly new cases (per million), positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate and vaccination coverage of targeted population.

"Whereas it was observed that as compared to the previous week, while significant improvement has been made by at least eight districts, there is need for further improvement in the interest of public health in all districts. Besides, some districts need intense efforts to reach desired levels. As such, there is a need to continue with existing COVID containment measures in these districts, the order said.

Extending the ongoing restrictions till further orders, Mehta, who is also chairperson of the SEC, however announced relaxation in the eight districts on account of significant improvements in the Covid-situation.

"There will be no weekend curfew in these districts. However, daily night curfew will continue to exist from 8 pm to 7 am. District magistrates concerned shall issue orders under CrPC to this effect, the order said.

All outdoor shops and trades are permitted to open on all days, only from 7 am till 7 pm, 50 percent of the shops in the indoor shopping complexes and Malls can open subject to a roster to be issued by concerned Deputy Commissioners and all government and private offices can function without any restrictions subject to strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, it added.

In the rest of the 12 districts, including Srinagar, the order said the weekend curfew from Friday 8 pm till Monday 7 am and daily night curfew from 8 pm till 7 am shall continue to remain in force.

"All outdoor shops and bazaars are permitted to open on five days in a week (except on Saturdays and Sundays), while 25 percent of the shops would open in indoor shopping complexes and Malls to a roster to be issued by the deputy commissioner concerned," the order said.

"The district magistrates shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to Covid-appropriate behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code, the order said.

The SEC asked the district magistrates to constitute joint teams of police and executive magistrates for enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour. PTI TAS



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The government is



planning to allot more hospital beds for women as it prepares to deal with the possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior health official said on Sunday.

The state is planning to reverse the gender ratio in the 26,000 COVID beds at state-run and private hospitals, Director of Health Services Ajay Chakraborty told PTI.

"The gender ratio for COVID-19 beds in at present is around 60:40 for males. We are planning to reverse this by reducing the number of beds for male patients and increasing those for the females and make it 40:60," he said.

The plan is being formulated to cope up with a possible increase in the demand for beds for children during the third wave, Chakraborty said.

"The new COVID variant (Delta) is affecting all in a family. So, there will be high possibilities of children getting infected as well as their mothers. We have planned to keep them together even in case the mothers are negative or they have recovered," he said.

The government is consulting health experts to chalk out the plan, the official said.

"We have set a September deadline to be battle-ready for the possible third wave," he added.

"The admission rate of children was much less compared to the adults since the outbreak of the pandemic. But, it went up during the second wave and going by the warnings of the doctors and scientists, we presume that it will go up by two- fold in the coming months," Chakraborty said.

In view of this, the state government has decided to reserve at least 5 per cent of the critical care unit beds and another 10 per cent of the high dependency unit (HDU) beds, he said.

Chakraborty said the Health Department is planning to scale up paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) beds to 500 and HDU beds to 1,000.

Six new PICUs are being set up in Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, Purulia, Rampurhat and Diamond Harbour, he said.

For infants, aged below a month, the Health Department has decided to set up COVID beds at 68 special newborn care units (SNCUs) and newborn intensive care units (NICUs) in different parts of the state, he said.

The Health Department is also planning to procure paediatric oximeters and send paediatricians and nurses of the SNCUs and NICUs to different facilities to train healthcare workers, the official 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.)
Singapore gives half of population at least 1 Covid vaccine shot

Singapore has given at least one vaccine dose against for half of its population, the city-state's government said as it battles the resurgence of the virus. This comes even as Singapore slowed it reopening plans even as other countries are racing ahead with vaccinations and unlocks. Singapore will be able to keep most businesses open, but a resumption in travel, and keeping food and beverage outlets and gyms operating would require the vaccination rate to go higher, it's health minister said. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics Global infections: 178,201,176 Global deaths: 3,860,125 Vaccine doses administered: 2,571,541,139 Nations with most cases: US (33,538,037), India (29,881,772), Brazil (17,883,750), France (5,817,272), Turkey (5,365,208). Source: John Hopkins Research Center



Taiwan receives 2.5 million vaccine doses under Biden pledge

After criticising China for blocking vaccines to Taiwan, the United States has sent 2.5 million doses to the country as part of the President Joe Biden's pledge to donate 25 million shots worldwide. An administration official said the donations comes with no political strings attached. Taiwan has been a US partner since the onset of the pandemic more than a year ago, providing protective personal equipment and other supplies. Read here

Brazils upcoming fire season and drought are likely to complicate Covid cases

Scientists are projecting another bad fire season in the Amazon, one that could further complicate Brazils struggle with one of the worlds worst outbreaks. Widespread Covid devastated the Indigenous people living along the Amazon River in 2020, as fires  usually set by farmers or ranchers seeking more land  devastated the Amazon region. Brazil is also now suffering its worst drought in at least 91 years, adding to the likelihood that any fires will spread uncontrolled. Health experts warn that the smoke and ash that typically blanket the Amazon from June to September could further sicken those fighting Covid or recovering from it. Read here

Devastated Phuket in race to vaccinate 70% of islanders in time for holiday season

In normal times, Phukets resorts host extravagant weddings and luxury business summits. Since April, they have been at the forefront of the islands Covid vaccination campaign. The island in Thai region is racing to vaccinate as many people as possible in the hope that, if 70 per cent of the population receives a dose before 1 July, Phuket will become the first Thai destination to reopen to foreign tourists. If the island can build its immunity, it could soon come back to life again, said an infectious disease nurse. Read here
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders before finalising the new Information Technology Rules, the government has said in reply to concerns raised by the UN Special Rapporteurs.

Responding to a letter sent by the UN Rapporteurs to the Government of India on June 11, the Permanent Mission of India to the Office and other international organisations in Geneva has said the ministries undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry association and organizations and invited public comments to prepare the draft Rules. Thereafter an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received in detail and, accordingly, the rules were finalised.

The new IT rules, or the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, were notified by the Indian government on February 25. They came into effect on May 25, and have led to a storm over compliance.

In a statement on Sunday, the government said that the Permanent Mission has informed the UN Rapporteurs: The concerns alleging potential implications for freedom of expression that the new IT Rules will entail, is highly misplaced. India's democratic credentials are well recognized. The right to freedom of speech and expression in guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The independent judiciary and a robust are part of India's democratic structure.

It further says that the traceability of first originator of problematic content, which, industry has argued would break end-to-end encryption, seeks only limited information.

Only when a message already in public circulation is giving rise to violence, impinging on the unity and integrity of India, depicting a woman in a bad light, or sexual abuse of a child and when no other intrusive options are working, only then the significant social intermediary will be required to disclose as to who started the message, the Government said in its statement.

The rules require Significant social media intermediaries (with over 50 lakh registered users) providing services, primarily messaging services, will have to enable identification of the first originator of problematic content that may harm the country's interests and several other provisions described in the Rules.

The June 11 letter had been written by the UN Special Rapporteurs on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan; on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Clement Nyaletsossi Voule; and the right to privacy, Joseph Cannataci.

The UN Special Rapporteurs are in charge of holding inquiries into violations and to intervene on specific issues or urgent situations.

In their communication, they had said that IT Rules do not appear to meet the requirements of international law and standards related to the rights of privacy and to freedom of opinion and expression, as protected by Article 17 and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, acceded by India on 10 April 1979.

They had further said the Rules put undue onus on companies to do proactive content monitoring that could lead to over compliance and suppress legitimate expression.
A driver slammed into spectators at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, injuring at least two people.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis confirmed the crash occurred on Saturday evening at the Stonewall Pride Parade in the nearby city of Wilton Manors, WSVN-TV reported.

WPLG-TV reports that the driver of the truck was taken into custody. Authorities did not immediately give details about the victims' injuries or say whether they believe the crash was intentional.

Photos and video from the scene showed Democratic US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in tears while in a convertible at the parade. A spokesperson for Wasserman Schultz did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

We were at the start of the parade, right in front of Fort Lauderdale High School, spectator Christina Currie told the South SunSentinel. All of a sudden there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash through a fence. ... It was definitely an intentional act right across the lanes of traffic.

Wilton Manors police tweeted Saturday night that the public is not in danger.

"A tragic incident occurred at today's Stonewall event," Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton said in a statement, according to WPLG-TV. "Out of respect for everyone involved, the parade has been canceled and a thorough investigation is being conducted.

June is Pride Month, commemorating the June 1969 police raid targeting gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York that led to an uprising of LGBTQ Americans and served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.

(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.)
World powers and failed after a sixth round of negotiations in to revive a that would lift US sanctions on the oil-rich Islamic Republic in exchange for it scaling back its atomic activities. A day after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was declared the winner of Irans presidential election, diplomats adjourned their sixth round of meetings with significant gaps remaining to mend the six-year-old accord.

Its the third time since talks began in April that negotiators have missed self-imposed deadlines to rejuvenate the agreement. How many mistakes can I make, I dont know, said European Union deputy foreign policy chief Enrique Mora, who twice predicted the next round of talks would be the last, most recently on June 2. My expectation is that in the next round, delegations will come back from capitals with clearer instructions, clearer ideas to finally close the deal. Tehrans change in administration has complicated diplomacy as the president-elect is himself subject to sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in 2019, and insists they must be removed as part of an agreement to revive the pact. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US retains the option of imposing devastating sanctions. Whether the president is person A or person B is less relevant than whether their entire system is prepared to make verifiable commitments to constrain their nuclear program, Sullivan said in a separate interview. Failure to clinch a deal this week means that the focus shifts to June 24. Thats when a temporary monitoring pact expires with Atomic Energy Agency inspectors. and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi are already in talks and the agreement is expected to be prolonged, Mora said.
This is good news. The better news is that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposes to radically change the regulations for the industry. Following the Andhra Pradesh law in October 2010, which was put in place to curb the alleged excesses by the industry, the RBI set the stage for the entry of a new genre of financial intermediaries  the non-banking financial companies in the business of giving micro loans, the ...

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Digital Editor
Chinese brand is expected to launch its upcoming V21e in India at Rs 24,990.

The is likely to launch with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage in the country on June 24, GizmoChina reported on Sunday, citing Tipster.

The microsite of the V21e has revealed that it will be sporting a slim and trendy design.

The front view of the 5G-capable phone reveals that it has a waterdrop notch display and a noticeable chin.

The smartphone might feature a 6.44-inch AMOLED panel that delivers FHD+ resolution. It has a 32MP front camera and its rear camera setup has a 64MP primary lens along with an 8MP ultrawide snapper.

The Dimensity 700 chip powers the device with 8GB RAM and has 128GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The phone runs on FunTouch OS 11.1 and Android 11 OS.

The V21e is backed by a 4,000mAh battery that supports 44W rapid charging.

For security, it has an in-screen fingerprint reader. The handset weighs 7.67mm and weighs 165 grams.

--IANS

vc/vd

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Aramco chairman and Governor of the Kingdom's wealth fund Public Investment Fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, may be inducted on the board of Reliance Industries Ltd, a precursor to a $15 billion deal, reports said. An announcement of Al-Rumayyan's induction on the RIL board or the board of the newly carved oil-to-chemical (O2C) unit may come as early as at the company's annual shareholder meeting on June 24.

"RIL's Annual General Meeting (AGM) has historically been a keenly watched event (previously attended by 3,000 shareholders when held in physical format and last year saw 300,000 concurrent viewers of the virtual AGM across 42 countries and 468 cities) given that it has been one of the top 3 companies by market capitalisation in India, has a large free float and a large public shareholding (more than 3 million non institutional shareholders)," brokerage HSBC Global Research said in a report.

And expectations are already built up for the AGM.

"Over the last year, new investors have joined RIL's digital and retail business at subsidiary level and RIL has formed new partnerships with global players like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Qualcomm etc. Investors now expect RIL to give direction to these businesses and announce groundbreaking products," it said, adding reports suggest that it will likely announce a new smartphone partnered with Google and its pricing.

"There is also expectation of some update on Saudi Aramco deal and speculation that the Chairman of Saudi Aramco may join RIL's board," it said.

Both RIL and Saudi Aramco did not reply to emails sent for comments. An email sent to PIF too remained unanswered. PIF has already picked up a minority stake in Reliance Retail and Jio.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani had in August 2019 announced talks for the sale of a 20 per cent stake in the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business, which comprises its twin oil refineries at Jamnagar in Gujarat and petrochemical assets, to the world's largest oil exporter.

The deal was to conclude by March 2020 but has been delayed for reasons not disclosed by either company.

Talks have revived this year and the two are reportedly discussing a cash and share deal - Aramco paying for the stake with its shares initially and then staggered cash payments over several years.

In a separate report, BofA Securities said RIL's AGM each year has turned into a key event where chairman Mukesh Ambani provides more information on the outlook of key business divisions.

"Historically we have seen major announcements on phones, tariffs, stake-sales etc," it said. The deal to sell stake in O2C business to Aramco too was announced at RIL AGM in 2019.

"We expect an update on Jio-Google phone features (like 5G), potentially pricing and timeline," it said. "Clarity on JioMart/other online commerce businesses along with the JioMart-WhatsApp integration" is also expected.

Reports suggest "RIL may announce the appointment of Mr. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of Saudi Aramco and governor of the kingdom's wealth fund Public Investment Fund, on its board during AGM," it said. "RIL may introduce a new affordable laptop to tap into the massive demand for work from home machines."

Besides refineries and petrochemical plants, the O2C business also comprises a 51 per cent stake in the fuel retailing business. It, however, does not include the upstream oil and gas producing assets such as the flagging KG-D6 block in the Bay of Bengal.

RIL had in 2019 put USD 75 billion as the value of O2C business after signing a non-binding letter of intent with Saudi Aramco.

The firm had recently announced carving out the O2C business as a separate subsidiary to support strategic partnerships and new investors in order to accelerate its new energy and material plans. Digital business is already held by a subsidiary Jio Platforms and Reliance Retail holds the offline and online retail business.

Aramco buying 20 per cent in O2C business would allow Reliance to build financial muscle as it carves out space for itself in highly competitive omnichannel retail.

With a stake, Aramco would not only have a stake in one of the world's best refineries and largest integrated petrochemical complex. It has access to one of the fastest-growing markets, a ready-made market for 5 lakh barrels per day of its Arabian crude and offering a potentially bigger downstream role in future.

RIL refineries are one of the most complex in the world, allowing it to earn a significant premium to the benchmark Singapore gross refining margin. Its petrochemical complexes rank among the biggest in the world, whose dependency on outside raw materials is minimal. It has leadership positions both in the domestic polymer and polyester markets.

Also Read: India places orders to lift regular supplies from Saudi Aramco in June

Also Read: Will Saudi Aramco's stake sale plan to Chinese firm impact India's interests?
RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has urged the World Trade Organization (WTO) to relax the provisions of its Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for patent free access to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines and medicines.

SJM said it is organising 3,000 programmes, along with several organisations of workers, farmers, small traders, industry organisations, academic institutions and civil society groups, in 20 countries, including India, on June 20 to support its 'Patent Free Vaccine' campaign.

The campaigners want global pharmaceutical companies to voluntarily transfer technology, raw material sources and trade secrets to other pharma companies to facilitate production of vaccines and medicines free from patents. They also asked governments to use their sovereign rights to license more pharmaceutical firms to make vaccines, and exhorted citizens, parliamentarians, civil society organisations, opinion makers, academicians and others to support this campaign for humanity.

"In the last 16 months, 38.76 lakh people worldwide and 3.87 lakh people in India have died due to COVID-19. Though countries like Israel, US, UK, Norway etc. have almost controlled fresh infections and deaths from corona by vaccinating majority of their adult population, most of the countries are still reeling under the pandemic. To protect people from corona, the world needs about 14 billion vaccine doses, whereas in the last about 6 months, only 200 crore doses of vaccines could be produced by all eight pharma companies," SJM National Co-Convenor Ashwani Mahajan said.

"At the current rate, it may take another two-three years for the world's eligible population to be vaccinated. It is imperative to vaccinate all the people all over the globe at a much faster pace, because 'no one will be safe until everyone is safe'," Mahajan added.

Also read: Can't give Rs 4 lakh compensation to COVID-19 victims: Centre tells SC

According to SJM, patent law and intellectual property rights under the provisions of TRIPS of WTO are an impediment to the mass production of COVID-19 vaccines as they do not allow other pharma companies to manufacture these vaccines.

"Patent laws need to be relaxed, even if it is for a limited period, to increase the production of vaccines and medicines to save the world's 7.87-billion population from the clutches of corona. We at SJM believe that this is the right of every human being on this earth to get vaccines and medicines at affordable prices," Mahajan said.

"It's to be noted that while people along with their representatives, all around the world are one on this issue and are supporting the proposal of India and South Africa for TRIPS waiver for vaccines and medicines, greedy companies and their supporter governments in some countries are creating hurdles in the smooth passage of this resolution at WTO," he said.

SJM said a signature campaign for 'Universal Access to Vaccine and Medicines' has so far got support of 14 lakh people from all over the country and the world, and a petition will be submitted to WTO, governments of different countries and also the companies coming in way for this noble cause of vaccine and medicines for all.

SJM expressed happiness over the decision of WTO in its meeting on June 9, 2021 to start text-based negotiations on TRIPS waiver, based on the proposal of India and South Africa.

Also read: FPIs pump in Rs 13,667 cr in Indian markets in June so far
The depositors of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC Bank) are planning to move to Bombay High Court for getting early refund of their money and for merging the crisis-ridden bank with a running bank.

Earlier, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had granted in-principle approval to Centrum Financial Services Limited to set up a small finance bank, thus paving way for the takeover of the beleaguered PMC Bank, 18 months after it was placed under restrictions.

The depositors of PMC Bank are planning to move the High Court with a petition against RBI and the board of PMC Bank, MoneyControl quoted Manjeet Sabharwal, PMC Bank Depositors Action Team coordinator in Mumbai, as saying.

The depositors are also likely to seek merger of PMC Bank with any of the running public or private sector bank for a quick resolution, Sabharwal said.

Also read: RBI allows Centrum to set up small finance bank; PMC Bank takeover

"We are planning to move the Bombay High Court within the next few days and are currently preparing the petition in consultation with our lawyers. We are in no position to wait for another four to six months for deposit refund. It has been 20 months since the crisis began. How long can we wait?" he was quoted as saying.

In September 2019, the RBI had superseded the board of PMC and placed it under regulatory restrictions, including cap on withdrawals by its customers, after detection of certain financial irregularities, hiding and misreporting of loans given to real estate developer HDIL. The restrictions have been extended several time since then.

As of March 31, 2020, PMC Bank's total deposits stood at Rs 10,727.12 crore and total advances at Rs 4,472.78 crore. Gross non-performance assets of the bank stood at Rs 3,518.89 crore at end-March, 2020.

Also read: COVID-19: Swadeshi Jagran Manch demands patent waiver for vaccines, medicines
With COVID-19 situation easing across various states, leading automobile companies in the country have initiated steps to ramp up production to "normal levels" to meet pent-up demand, clear backlog and reduce waiting periods on their products.

Auto firms, which were forced to down shutters temporarily due to lockdowns and curfews, expect business activity to pick up going ahead with the opening of dealerships across states.

"With the easing of the lockdown in various states, production is gradually ramping up and likely to stabilise to normal levels by the end of the month," Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle Business Unit President Shailesh Chandra told PTI.

He noted that production at the company's passenger vehicle plants operated at about 50 per cent capacity during the lockdown period in April and May, constrained by pandemic restrictions and compliance to safety protocols as also shortfall in supplies from vendor partners located in auto clusters across various states.

The country's largest automobile company, however, added that the challenges pertaining to global semiconductor shortages continue to hamper the production ramp-up.

"We foresee the semiconductor issue continuing to adversely impact our production in the next quarter also," Chandra noted.

Mahindra and Mahindra CEO (Automotive Division) Veejay Nakra said the automaker is carefully reviewing the demand and supply situation and re-calibrating its operations accordingly while protecting the interest of its customers, dealers and suppliers.

"The endeavour is to ensure optimal level of inventory at plants and dealerships in order to be prepared for a rebound in demand once the situation returns to normalcy," he added.

A spokesperson of the country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India noted that operations at its plants have resumed with due caution and revised safety protocols in place.

"We are ramping up production cautiously. Meanwhile, we continue to vaccinate all employees and families on priority. Over 36,000 employees have already received the first shot," the auto major stated.

As per SIAM data, overall vehicle production in May declined by 57 per cent to 8,06,755 units as compared with 18,75,698 units in April this year.

Similarly, passenger vehicle production witnessed a drop of 58 per cent to 1,28,225 units from 3,05,952 units in April.

Honda Cars India Senior Vice President and Director (Sales and Marketing) Rajesh Goel said that with relaxations regarding opening of dealerships in place across states, the company expects improvement in business activity going forward.

"So far, dealers contributing to 42 per cent of our sales have opened and accordingly we are operating at less than 50 per cent of the daily production output that we had before the second wave hit the country. This is planned to gradually ramp up from next month," he added.

Similarly, Kia India Executive Director and Chief Sales & Business Strategy Officer Tae-Jin Park said that the automaker is preparing to ramp up its production in order to cater to the existing and future demands and is planning to start the third shift at its Anantapur facility very soon.

He added that the company is optimistic about a faster market recovery with the ongoing vaccination drive.

"We have received consistent demand for all our products even during the most challenging economic and industry conditions and we expect the demand to further increase as markets begin to open up in phases," Park said.

Similarly, Hyundai Motor India Director (Sales and Marketing) Tarun Garg said that the company has already initiated two shifts at its Chennai plant and the third shift would commence from Jun 21.

Luxury carmaker Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said the company is ramping up its production at the Aurangabad plant for models that are currently produced there - the Audi A4 and the Audi A6.

"In parallel, we are also preparing for upcoming products that will be produced in India in the near future," he noted.

Like carmakers, two-wheeler makers also remained cautiously optimistic about the business scenario going ahead and are taking steps to boost their capacities.

"With progressive unlocking across different states, all our plants have resumed production with a single shift only. We are closely monitoring the evolving market dynamics while maintaining our cautious optimism. With many regions opening up and markets resuming business operations, we are hopeful that further relaxations in economic activity will follow in the coming times," HMSI Director (Sales and Marketing) Yadvinder Singh Guleria noted.

Moving ahead, the company shall evaluate its production plan and gradually ramp up operations with two shifts based on visible gain in sales momentum, he added.

Similarly, mid-size bike maker Royal Enfield noted that with the situation stabilising and easing of lockdowns, it resumed production activity on May 31.

"We are gradually ramping up production across our manufacturing facilities while supply chain disruptions are coming around, to meet the outstanding order book and current demand generation," it said.

Consumer demand continues to be robust and the company has strong order books across its portfolio of motorcycles, it added.

"The success of the Meteor and the recently launched Himalayan continues to fuel demand across urban and rural markets," Royal Enfield, which is part of Eicher Motors, stated.

Also Read: Auto component maker Minda Industries raises Rs 50 crore via issuance of commercial papers

Also read: Violation of COVID-19 norms in markets to hasten third wave, says Delhi HC
Nothing, a new electronics startup founded by Carl Pei, the former OnePlus co-founder who exited the company last year. Last month, it was announced that Nothing's first product, a pair of earbuds dubbed the "ear 1", will launch this month, but that will no longer be the case.

However, it seems the product is not yet ready to hit the market. While this is not a great start for Nothing, it is not very surprising since the first product launch can be a bit challenging for a new brand, especially in a pandemic-struck world.

Nothing created quite a buzz on the internet by releasing some renders of its uniquely designed true wireless earbuds. The Ear 1 will supposedly feature a transparent design and, as Carl mentioned, will be a mix of iconic form, transparency, and refined functionality.

Nothing's first pair of truly wireless earbuds have not been officially revealed yet. There is also not a lot of information available about the ear 1, except for a couple of leaked renders and Carl Pei's description of the product on the website.

The description on the website reads, "Design is still top secret but what we can tell you is that Ear 1 combines notes of transparency, iconic form, and refined functionality. It is the starting point that will define the artistry, confidence, and craftsmanship that will carry our products and services for years to come."

"It is the starting point that will define the artistry, confidence, and craftsmanship that will carry our products and services for years to come," Nothing had earlier said.

In January, Swedish entrepreneur Carl Pei officially announced his new technology venture called Nothing. The idea behind the London headquartered brand, Nothing is said to be about refreshing the technology space.

Carl Pei left OnePlus after being one of the co-founders and spent more than five years with the company before surprisingly leaving late last year. He began work on founding his new Nothing venture, receiving some backing from various investors in an effort to get the ball rolling on a new product.
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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.

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The Carteret County Board of Commissioners is set to vote Monday on whether or not to sell the publicly owned water system to Carolina Water Service of North Carolina for $9.5 million. (Metro photo)
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Photo: Karina Reid

Karina Reid watched as the little boy, fascinated by the running tap water, jumped into the bathtub.

This is the best day of my life! then four-year-old Delphin said.

Delphin and his pregnant mother Atosha Ngage had just arrived in Canada earlier that day in February 2019. They stayed at a refugee camp in Namibia after leaving their home in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The little family arrived in Canada through the Blended Visa Office Referred Refugees (BVOR) program, one of the country's three resettlement streams to sponsor refugees. Reid, along with five of her friends, sponsored Ngage, who was pregnant with her second child, and Delphin.

It was the most life-changing experience for them but also for me, Reid said in an interview. It changed my entire view of the world.

Reid is one of the many Canadians who have brought a refugee family to Canada via the BVOR program. Its the most distinctive of the three refugee resettlement programs; the others are Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) and Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR).

The BVOR program allows private citizens and non-governmental organizations to step up and sponsor individuals or families with whom they dont have prior relationships.

We also refer to this kind of sponsorship model as sponsoring the stranger, said Louisa Taylor, director of Refugee 613, a communications hub that works to build inclusion and welcome newcomers.

Taylor said people in her circle know how "powerful" and "transformational" the experience of sponsorship can be for both newcomers and sponsors. Usually, these stories are relayed through word of mouth, such as Reid's case.

However, there has been no data or resources to help promote the BVOR program properly, Taylor said.

So recruiting new sponsors has long been a struggle, she said.

In the hopes to rectify this, Refugee 613 partnered with the Environics Institute to conduct a market study on refugee sponsorship in Canada. The project was funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada but all data gathered are owned by Refugee 613 and Environics.

The study involved a representative sample of 3,000 Canadians ages 25 and over and with household incomes of $30,000 or more, which translates to roughly 24 million individuals.

Results suggest close to one-fifth of the target population, who haven't been involved in sponsoring a refugee or refugee family yet, say they could definitely or likely see themselves participating in the program at some point over the next few years.

This translates into a pool of approximately four million Canadians who are open to potential recruitment into the program, the report reads.

In contrast with BVOR, the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program has had no issues with recruiting sponsors, Taylor said.

For the most part, PSR sponsors are motivated because they are sponsoring a relative or a friend or a friend of a friend, she said. So the PSR program has largely become a way to reunite families.

Between 2015 and 2016, when Canadians became exposed to the idea of supporting Syrian refugees and the issue of refugee resettlement became an issue, Taylor said the BVOR program was oversubscribed.

However, since then, the program's annual target of around 1,000 people has never been met.

That causes a lot of pressure within government if youre not meeting your targets, Taylor said. You're seen as a failed program.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters Friday that BVOR is one of those streams that had some challenges around "finding a proper alignment between what the community needs and what is the best fit for refugees."

Taylor said the new data proves that theres still interest in sponsoring refugees and refugee families to Canada.

The next question is: how do we reach them and what messages do we share with them to show them that not only is there still a need, there's a whole spectrum of organizations ready and willing to walk people through this process? she said.

They may just find it's the most powerful experience of their lives.

Its been more than two years since Reid and her friend picked up Atosha Ngage and Delphin at the airport. Since then, there have been powerful memories shared between people who were once complete strangers.

They've made snow angels, gone to the pool and shared lots of laughs.

Reid said the program is one of the best-hidden gems in Canada. Through it, she met people she would treasure for a long time.

The BVOR program is life-changing, Reid said. It opens doors to curiosity, understanding and wanting to make your community a better place like.
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Unlike an election year, when a vacancy on the Hamilton County School Board must be filled by the Hamilton County Commission, all Hamilton County residents are entitled to have a voice in the process via their commissioners.

If Dr. Highlanders vacancy was to be filled by a scheduled election, I'd have a polished platform to present. However, it is not. Time is short. What I can say is this: I am committed to quality public education, and I would love to serve Hamilton County representing District 9 on the school board.





I am a 1993 graduate of Ooltewah High School. Prior to that I attended Ooltewah Middle, Mountain Oaks Elementary, and Apison Elementary schools. Whatever I have achieved in life is due to the strong foundation I received from public education in Hamilton County.





After high school, I received undergraduate qualifications from Guilford College and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I hold a Master of Divinity from Earlham College.





As an educator I have held positions in the Philosophy and Religion Department at Ball State University and the Adult Education Department at Chattanooga State Community College.





For the past decade, I have served as pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church and chaplain at CHI Memorial Hospital.





My wife is a Hamilton County teacher. My mother is a retired Hamilton County teacher, and in the Fall my son will enter Kindergarten in Hamilton County Schools. I am deeply invested in this system.





The Hamilton County Commission will appoint Dr. Highlanders successor. I have shared my information with my commissioner, Sabrena Smedley. If you like what you see, contact your commissioner. Tell them you want my name considered and that you know Commissioner Smedley has my details.





Jeff Crim
Enraged activists disrupted the Nashville City Council this week when a budget that included a $10.5 million increase for the police department was finalized. Arrogant members of The Nashville Peoples Budget Coalition, inspired by Black Lives Matter and other similar organizations, repeatedly shouted down the council members in what led to a 45-minute delay and accomplished exactly nothing. Oh, the circus increased angst in the city, and heightened community revulsion for the miscreants, and the public good took quite a tumble.

But  wait  it enabled the Coalition to post on Facebook, Just to tell you all know they passed an appalling budget, we shut down the City Council  here is a thread of footage just in case the media chooses to repress the Peoples will further.

My aching petunia! The Peoples will believes Nashville would be better if the police were completely defunded and the money used to enforce laws for community alternatives like violence prevention and interruption, as well as areas like affordable housing, education, social services, and the arts.

Unfortunately, the coalition types are as devoid of Americas reality as they are of common sense. Any fool knows that after last years Defund the Police debacle the same liberal cities that fell for the insane clamor are rushing to Refund the Police after a 25 percent increase in homicides. To date, New York City is said to have a 60 percent increase in street murders this year, which is why Mayor Bill De Blasio  after last summers photo-op - has already refunded $92 million. Of course, this is after 16 shootings and six homicides in NYC just last weekend.

Dont take it from me, Google murder and then insert Baltimore, Minneapolis, Oakland, Portland, or  heaven forbid  Chicago. Thats where homicides are up 33 percent in the first three months of the year compared to 2020, while shootings are up nearly 40 percent for the same period year-over-year.

All of the Democratic-controlled cities want their 9-1-1 comfort calls back, this as three-quarters of Americans are secure in their belief violent crime is rising exponentially in our country. No one can dispute the fact that in the first three months of this year, at least 63 of Americas 66 largest cities had significant increases in violent crime over the same time frame in 2020.

In Baltimore, the liberals cut $22 million from last years budget yet the new one demands a $27 million increase. Then again in crimes per capita, Baltimore is now the No. 1 ranked city, according to FBI fact finders.

CNN reports: Major American cities saw a 33 percent increase in homicides last year as a pandemic swept across the country, millions of people joined protests against racial injustice and police brutality, and the economy collapsed under the weight of the pandemic - a crime surge that has continued into the first quarter of this year.

Sixty-three of the 66 largest police jurisdictions saw increases in at least one category of violent crimes in 2020, which include homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, according to a report produced by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

The CNN report included, It's nearly impossible to attribute any year-to-year change in violent crime statistics to any single factor, and homicides and shootings are an intensely local phenomenon that can spike for dozens of reasons. But the increase in homicide rates across the country is both historic and far-reaching, as were the pandemic and social movements that touched every part of society last year.

"The people in our communities are not desensitized to violence," said Ray Kelly, the lead community liaison for the Consent Decree Monitoring Team and the director of the Citizens Policing Project and lifelong resident of West Baltimore. "Every incidence of violence potentially destroys families, and we cannot confuse people's perseverance and willingness to survive as tolerance or complacency."

Kellys words belong today more than ever before, regardless of zip code. Sabotaging a program, a monthly meeting, or resorting to personal attacks simply prolongs the inevitable and results in far less than ever intended. The huge majority instead clamor for the good, the positive, the moving ahead.

In short, the Nashville Peoples Budget Coalition did not make any inroads into Nashvilles hierarchy and accomplished only ill will on Wednesday night. And Ive got the results of 66 of our nations beleaguered cities to prove it.

royexum@aol.com
The fire chief for New Hope Volunteer Fire Department was killed along with his nine-month-old daughter in a horrific crash in Butler County, Ala., on Saturday afternoon.

Eight other people died in the fiery I-65 wreck - teens from a Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch.

Cody Fox, the 29-year-old fire chief and resident of South Pittsburg, died along with his daughter Ariana. His fiance, Hayle Anderson, was injured. Cody Fox was a native of Bryant, Ala.

There were 15 vehicles involved in the wreck, including two semis.

It apparently was caused due to one vehicle hydroplaning.

The Fox vehicle was a small SUV that overturned.

The Girls Ranch victims were in a van. Another Girls Ranch van did not wreck and the occupants of the vehicle did not see the first van that caught on fire. The driver of the van was pulled from the vehicle.

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m.

The Girls Ranch vans were returning from a trip to Gulf Shores.

Cody Fox, who was also plant operation manager at Tennessee Tub Factory, died at the scene, while his daughter died at a hospital in Greenville, Ala.
During the June 7 episode of Black Ink Crew, Tatti noticed an insensitive comment Donna left on an Instagram page and showed it to Young Bae, who got offended. Many fans also took offense and claimed they wanted Donna fired as a result. A couple of weeks later, the tattoo artist acknowledged the situation and apologized to her friend and the viewers for the offensive remark.

Alex the Vagina Slayer (L) and Donna Marie Lombardi | Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

Donna Lombardi had another falling out with Ceaser during Black Ink Crew season 9

In 2015, Taylor Donna Marie Lombardi Pinckney relocated from Ohio to New York with the hopes of becoming Black Ink owner Ceaser Emanuels apprentice. He eventually agreed, and she became a tattoo artist in the shop. She and Ceaser have had several fallouts throughout the series, and hes fired her numerous times.

Nonetheless, Donna has stayed around and seemingly become a permanent fixture of Black Ink. During the ninth season, Ceaser invited his crew to tattoo in his Atlanta-based shop as coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic protocols prevented them from working in New York.

Tensions are high with the crew and Donna #BlackInkCrew pic.twitter.com/wqi5jA96fK  Black Ink Crew (@BlackInkCrew) June 1, 2021

RELATED: Black Ink Crew: Are Donna and Alex Still Engaged?

Even though Donna stepped away from tattooing, she still attended the trip. She believed Ceaser agreed to let her promote her wig collection and CBD products in the shop.

However, it ended up as a miscommunication leading to a heated exchange. It resulted in Donna and her fiance Alex the V-Slayer, another artist, abruptly leaving the house.

When the group stayed in Atlanta, a shooter opened fire in a salon, killing eight people. Reported as a hate crime against Asians, it scared and unsettled former lead artist Young Bae.

After the couple left, road manager Tatti noticed Donna left an offensive comment under an Instagram post reporting the news, writing, I guess they j him off too good.

Donna really just here for the vibes  #BlackInkCrew pic.twitter.com/TSvDG5pDl3  Black Ink Crew (@BlackInkCrew) May 18, 2021

Tatti showed Young Bae and Puma the remark, which offended both of them. The former lead artist felt the comment crossed the line. Furthermore, Bae was hurt by Donna because the two are good friends.

During filming, Bae didnt confront the Ohio native about her comment as Donna and Alex hadnt returned by that point.

Several viewers sided with Young Bae following the episode and thought Donna should apologize for her offensive statement. Others thought the network should permanently fire her.

Two weeks after the June 7 episode, Donna acknowledged the situation with an Instagram post. She uploaded a colorful banner that read, I stand against racism, and apologized to her friend and viewers in the caption.

First Richard shows up then Donna and Alex ALL THE BAD BLOOD is being brought out!!#BlackInkCrew pic.twitter.com/WsioMIdQxS  Black Ink Crew (@BlackInkCrew) December 13, 2018

RELATED: Black Ink Crew: Many Fans Think Donna Should Leave the Show Following Anti-Asian Remarks

The Black Ink star also called her comment disrespectful and explained she wasnt in a right space when she posted it. Donna continued, Being a black and white woman, I am constantly being judged, and Im embarrassed that I could have done that to someone and someone I love being hurt by it.

She finished her apology by claiming she loves everyone and takes accountability for the hurt she caused by the remark.

Black Ink Crew airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on VH1.
Just months after the release of Onward and Soul, Disney and Pixar released the teaser trailer for their animated film, Luca. This movie features elements of Italian folklore, showcasing the beauty of the Italian Riviera.

Heres what we know about the fictional town where Luca takes place.

A clip from Disney and Pixars animated film, Luca | Walt Disney Studios

Disney and Pixar announced their sea monster-themed film, Luca

This coming-of-age story features best friends Luca and Alberto Scorfano on their endless summer filled with gelato, pasta, and scooter rides.

When these two sea monsters risk everything to travel above water, they befriend a young adventurer named Giulia Marcovaldo. Together, these characters learn lessons about friendship and acceptance.

Luca takes place in the fictional town of Portorosso, a seaside community deeply entrenched in their fear of and belief in sea monsters. Located in Italy, this animated movie is full of color to showcase the beauty of the countryside.

RELATED: From Raya and the Last Dragon to Luca  Heres What Movies to Watch on Disney+ in June 2021

Disney and Pixars Luca takes place in the Italian Riviera

For the first time ever, a Disney and Pixar story is taking place in Italy. In order to create realistic and colorful scenery, several crew members traveled to Italy, picking the Cinque Terre region as the model for Portorosso.

We went on fishing trips and took dips in the sea. I wanted to capture the colors and depths of the blues and greens of what makes the Mediterranean unique, production designer Daniela Strijleva said during an interview with Variety.

Other creators behind Luca, including director Enrico Casarosa, already had a personal history with Italy, sharing their love for the country with viewers across the globe.

The first place is my memory because I grew up there, in Genoa where pesto comes from so we had to have some pesto, its delicious, and my memories of the summers I spent there as a kid, Casarosa said during an interview with Mashable.

RELATED: The Easter Eggs in Onward Connects Pixars With Other Disney Films and Even Lord of the Rings

Disney and Pixar released several other films now available on Disney+, including Coco

Disney and Pixars animated film, Coco, took place in Mexico and featured some elements of Spanish to tell the story. The movie also incorporated elements of Mexican culture, including the holiday Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

As a Disney+ original, this animated film will be available exclusively on Disneys streaming platform, similar to the December 2020 release, Soul. This could be a direct result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which impacted the release date of Disney movies like The Jungle Cruise and Marvels Black Widow.

Luca joins Disney+ on June 16, 2021, and will remain available for streaming on the platform. Until then, Disney and Pixar original movies like Toy Story 4, A Bugs Life, and Monsters Inc. are available for binge-watching. To learn more about Disneys subscription service, visit their website.
Zara Tindall is the only daughter of Princess Anne, which makes her Queen Elizabeths granddaughter. She has a husband named Mike Tindall, and the couple has been married for 10 years.

Being able to keep a marriage strong for 10 years is no easy feat. Mike recently shared how they manage to make their relationship work.

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall have been together for a total of 17 years

According to Harpers Bazaar, Zara and Mike met in 2003 at a bar in Australia. The two of them reconnected when they got back to the United Kingdom, and they became an official couple in April 2004.

They both bonded over their sporting careersZara was an equestrian, while Mike played rugby.

Zara and Mike announced their engagement in 2010, and they got married in 2011. They now have three kids together: Mia (born 2014), Lena (born 2018), and Lucas (born 2021).

How Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall make their marriage work

RELATED: Zara Tindall Says She Felt Uncomfortable at Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Wedding  Heres Why

Not every couples can say they have been together for as long as Zara and Mike. They will soon be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, and Mike recently shared their secret for a happy marriage.

A lot can change over 10 years, Mike told The Telegraph. I think the fact that shes always been my best friend has been the key. At the end of the day we can sit down and laugh at each other and have a good time. Its been an amazing 10 years.

Zara and Mike have been through a lot together, and they continue to be each others rock. For example, Mikes father has been dealing with Parkinsons disease for the past 20 years, and he also shared how Zara is supporting him.

Shes been brilliant, Mike told the BBC. She sort of gets it. She sort of keeps me on my toes as well a little bit with it, and where we are in terms of finding out more about new drugs that are coming out and new trials and everything else. Yeah, shes good at making sure I stay on my toes about what Im trying to do as well.

Mike Tindall also has good things to say about the royal family

RELATED: Why Royal Women Used to Give Birth in Front of Crowds of People

Having supportive family members can go a long way in helping a marriage thrive. According to Mike, the royal family has been nothing but welcoming to him.

I can only say how kind theyve been to me, and how welcoming theyve been to me since joining the family, he told The Telegraph. And how theyve made my family welcome. Ive always felt part of it and I think thats down to what an amazing woman the Queen is.

He also talked about how close the royals are, saying, Theyre a fantastic family. How many families say that they will get together as a whole family six to eight times a year? It just doesnt happen for me. I would like it to happen more, and this is where I have to perhaps learn a bit more from the wife, but its very rare. Theyre very close and its great to see.
NCIS: Hawaii has officially started filming on the island of Oahu. Larry Teng is in the directors chair for the pilot episode and is also serving as the spinoffs executive producer. Going into this new series, Teng knows he has a big responsibility. He must make sure that the Hawaiian community is represented properly.

The cast of NCIS: Hawaii | Karen Neal/CBS via Getty Images

The NCIS: Hawaii director thought he was 100 percent Chinese

Teng has worked as a director and producer on a number of shows, like The Walking Dead, Nancy Drew, Hawaii Five-0, and NCIS: Los Angeles. The 43-year-old says that up until recently, he thought his ancestry was 100 percent Chinese.

So heres the funny thing, man. Ive gone through 43 years of my life thinking I was Chinese and I got a DNA test  two weeks ago, Teng told Daily Hawaii. I am actually only 49.4% Chinese, said Teng. And I am 50.5%, Korean, Japanese. I had no idea until two weeks ago. I called my mom and she was like, What are you talking about? And Im like, I dont know. You tell me? It was crazy.

The director had a life-changing experience

The Queens native has worked in Hawaii many times during his career. Teng says that he had a life-changing experience with a crew member while working on Hawaii Five-0 in Oahu. He realized that many of the locals are of mixed ethnicity and mostly raised in a multicultural environment. And, they werent used to seeing someone like Teng in the directors chair.

He said, You understand how important it is that somebody who looks like you sits in this chair that says, director, Teng told his college alma maters newspaper, The Ithacan.

It really struck me because they didnt have any role models. They were all taught to believe that maybe the best they could do are these positions  not producing, not directing, not writing. And thats when it kind of clicked. I was like, I need to do something with this.

The NCIS: Hawaii director is aware of his responsibility to the Hawaiian community

Now that hes directing the pilot of NCIS: Hawaii, Teng says his goal is to be a role model for both the Pacific Islander and Asian-American communities in Hollywood.

Now that Im back (in Hawaii), I feel like I have a responsibility to make sure that the community here, the people, the crew, that theyre all represented properly, you know?, Teng said.

RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii Showrunners on Potential Crossovers  Never Say Never

He went on to explain that Hawaii Five-0 was a cop show with two white leads that was on CBS for 10 years. And, Magnum PI is currently filming in the Hawaiian Islands with a Latino lead.

Now were coming in, weve got two Asian leads. I think its important that the crew can work on something that they kind of get behind, Teng said.

Filming began after a special Hawaiian blessing

Teng has made it clear that the local Hawaiian culture will be a big part of NCIS: Hawaii, but not just on-screen. According to a tweet from Reel News Hawaii, they didnt begin filming the new series until after production received a traditional Hawaiian blessing.

The first filming location for NCIS: Hawaii was revealed to be Mokueleia on the island of Oahu near Camp Erdman. In a second tweet, Reel News Hawaii posted pics of the location that showed the first scenes of the new spinoff started filming on June 14. They stayed in that location until June 17.

Inclusion is important on NCIS: Hawaii

NCIS: Hawaii will star Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant. CBS has also confirmed that Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon, Noah Mills, Tori Anderson, and Kian Talan will be part of the cast.

As for the extras, Hawaii casting directors stayed local in the Hawaiian Islands because representation is important. Shayne Hartigan of Alessi Hartigan Casting told Hawaii News Now that the spinoff will have all kinds of inclusion.

Im so excited. We really want to get all, all kinds of inclusion in on this project, so of course, you know, the military, the HPD presence, but also the local community and shop owners and restaurateurs and anybody possible, Hartigan said.

NCIS: Hawaii will premiere on CBS this fall.
Parks and Recreation characters Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz) and his twin sister from the same mister Mona Lisa Saperstein (Jenny Slate) bring the party wherever they go. The duo appears in multiple episodes over the course of seven seasons and each cameo is more hilarious than the last. This is exactly why Slate and Schwartzs improvised scene made the TikTok rounds more than any other Parks and Rec meme.

Ben Schwartz gave Jenny Slate solid advice for her first day on Parks and Rec

Ben Schwartz as Jean-Ralphio, Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford, Jenny Slate as Mona Lisa | Colleen Hayes/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

RELATED: Parks and Recreation: Heres Exactly How Long It Takes to Grow a Ron Swanson Mustache

Though Schwartz and Slate previously worked together on House of Cards, the two were thrilled to co-star as twins on Parks and Recreation. Schwartz  who appeared on Parks and Rec first  said it felt like family between him and Slate from the moment they stepped on set together.

It was very two goofballs, very much and felt like family very quickly between us, he told Esquire. It just feels like a good friend that you could talk to, but also just being absolute maniacs and singing Disney songs and doing bananas things.

He recalled the first day Slate appeared, saying he told her to do the stupidest version in her head. She took the advice making the Saperstein twins something to contend with in terms of comedic timing.

Slate said in the same interview she was nervous because her character was very different than her actual personality.

Joe Mande, one of the writers on the show was like, I wrote you this character. And I was like, why did you think of me for this? This person is literally called the worst person in the world. I was so, so nervous, she said. And I remember, that one of the first scenes I shot was where she tells Jerry hard pass. Shes like would hit, would hit, would hit, hard pass. And I just remember thinking, I watched this, I know that they do this to Jerry. And I know that everyones used to it, but it felt so heartbreaking.

Dont Be Suspicious became a Parks and Rec mainstay

This scene lives rent-free in our heads. pic.twitter.com/qmGGWFhL62  Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) May 14, 2021

RELATED: Is Rob Lowe Anything Like His Parks and Recreation Character or Is He Literally Acting?

Perhaps the most iconic scene with the Saperstein twins is the one that went viral. The Dont Be Suspicious jingle made the rounds of TikTok with over 1.2 Billion views as of Feb. 23, 2021. There are remixes and over-dubs, and even an Electronic Dance Music (EDM) version. But as it turns out, it was improvised.

All it says in the script is, pan over, there is the Rabbi played by Dave King, Schwartz said. He says his thing about Lil Jon. And then it says pan over to a tree behind which Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa are hiding. Then I say, Okay, they bought it. You got the insurance money? And Jenny says, No doubt, no doubt. Lets hit it. And I say, Oh yeah, time to start a casino in And then it says, sing-song to Tajikistan. Then it says they run off, and thats it.

He elaborated saying that means the song wasnt in that version of the script but remember Schur mentioning they should sing leading them to practice near a tree but he didnt recall how it started adding,it wasnt a very thought-out thing.

The two never knew what would actually make it into the show but they had a good time doing it.

Heres why the Saperstein family didnt get a spin-off

Temporary rivals, FForEEVveRR BFFsss



For more legendary BFFs, follow @peacocktv pic.twitter.com/wj8yyuU6y4  Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) January 11, 2021

RELATED: Chris Pratts Parks and Rec Band Mouse Rat Are Releasing an Album and No, This Isnt a Drill

Undoubtedly Parks and Rec fans wouldve loved a spin-off in any form. Schwartz said the idea came up for Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa but it was quickly shut down.

I remember when the show was ending, some fans said what about a Saperstein spin-off with Jenny [Slate] and Henry [Winkler] and Ben, and I was like oh, he told NME in 2020. And [creator] Mike [Schur] brought it up once and he was like, you cant have too much Jean-Ralphio, otherwise hell get too annoying.

Schur quickly added, not annoying  theres a certain amount of Jean-Ralphio thats the perfect amount of Jean-Ralphio. If you extend that, I feel that the audience will start doubting their [wishes that] we should make a whole 30 minutes of this!.

The idea died there but Scwartz said hed go for a spin-off if the opportunity arose.

If there was ever a person to do this its Mike Schur that could pull it off, he said. I loved that character and I loved that writing and cast. Jenny Slate as my sister and Henry Winkler as my dad. I would be hard-pressed to ever say no to anything like that.

That said, the star added he cant imagine a world where the public is ready 30 straight minutes of singing in somebodys ear, which is a fair point.
Ree Drummond has been the star of Food Networks The Pioneer Woman for a decade. The Oklahoma native has shared countless recipes with viewers, and most who follow Drummond know she loves to keep things easy  and hearty.

As a mother of four kids, Drummond is always looking for sneaky ways to save time and get creative. And it turns out she cant live without one small kitchen appliance that helps her accomplish both.

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond in 2017 | Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond is just as much a busy mom as she is a celebrity

Though most know Drummond as a celebrity chef, that certainly isnt how she started out. Drummond married her husband, Ladd, back in 1996, and the two welcomed four kids. Drummond started her Pioneer Woman blog to document life as a mother of four on a ranch. But people couldnt get enough of her family-friendly recipes.

From there, Drummonds Food Network show was born. But she has never forgotten whats most important to her  being a mother. Despite all the fame and success, Drummond even credited becoming a mom as her most life-changing moment. Now, Drummond still focuses on cooking for her family  its what her show is all about.

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond in 2019 | Tyler Essary/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

RELATED: The Pioneer Woman: Ree Drummond Once Revealed the Biggest Piece of Advice Her Mother Gave Her About Cooking

Ree Drummond cant live without her waffle maker

With so many kids to feed  and so little time  Drummond is always looking for new ways to please the crowd that is her large family. Plus, after so many years of doing a show, nothing is off the table when it comes to creativity. And Drummond cant live without her waffle maker  a small appliance that she has used to create so many more decadent dishes than just waffles.

Drummond has posted about her waffle maker recipes to Instagram, and the versatility of the appliance is what draws her to it.

Though designed for waffles, the waffle maker can cook anything from hash browns to panini and pizza. Plus, since you simply have to turn it on and rotate it once (or sometimes, not at all) it makes ready-to-go meals in minutes for those days when kids have sports, school, or other activities.

Drummonds best waffle maker recipes require few ingredients

Drummond has a few easy recipes up her sleeve when it comes to utilizing the waffle maker. She makes mean waffle maker hash browns, which require only basic ingredients, such as frozen hash browns, butter, cheddar, and ham.

Drummond also uses the waffle maker for pizza. Drummond cooks the dough separately in the waffle maker, then opens the lid and adds toppings such as sauce, pineapple (though this is optional), various vegetables, and finally plenty of mozzarella. She then closes then lid and lets the waffle maker melt the cheese into gooey deliciousness.

And finally, hearty bread is the base for waffle maker panini. Drummonds other ingredients include mozzarella, tomato, and pesto, and the waffle maker goes to work turning typical bread into a crispy, crunchy sandwich.
The Baeumler family is back. HGTVs hit series Renovation Island returns for a new season on June 20. The fresh episodes will follow the Canadian family as they take the next steps in their journey of transforming a run-down resort in the Bahamas into a luxury vacation destination, while also dealing with a global pandemic.

The Renovation Island resort is located on South Andros Island

Renovation Island | HGTV

RELATED: Renovation Island: The Baeumler Familys Resort Comes With Some Pretty Incredible Amenities

In Renovation Island Season 1, viewers watched as Sarah and Bryan Baeumler renovated a dilapidated motel into an eco-friendly resort. The Baeumlers were already well-known in their native country for HGTV Canada shows such as Disaster DIY and House of Bryan, but Renovation Island introduced them to U.S. audiences.

They renovation experts decided to purchase the resort during a visit to Florida.

We have a property in the Florida Keys where we keep our boat, and we have made quite a few trips over the Bahamas, Sarah said in a 2020 interview with People. Every trip Bryan is always scouring the charts for new places to explore. Andros (known as the Sleeping Giant) always caught our attention because its by far the largest, yet least developed Island in the Bahamas.

During our trip we were shown the old Emerald Palms hotel. It [was] abandoned and decrepit, she went on to say. I think it took about 5 minutes of touring the hotel until we all looked at each other and said, Lets do this!

Andros is one of the least-visited islands in The Bahamas

The Baeumlers spent $2 million to buy the property on South Andros. Then, they sunk millions more into renovations to make it ready for guests. The boutique oceanfront resort, which they dubbed Caerula Mar Club sits on a stretch of beach on the islands eastern shore. It opened in February 2020.

Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas. But it attracts few tourists compared to New Providence (home to the capital Nassau) or Grand Bahama (home of Freeport). Diving and fishing are among the islands attractions.

Andros is located to the west of New Providence and about 150 miles east of Miami. The island is actually made up of several distinct land masses separated by estuaries, the biggest of which are South Andros, North Andros, and Mangrove Cay. Much of Andros has been designated a national park by the Bahamian government.

Its a 20-minute flight from Nassau to the Congo Town Airport, which is just minutes from Caerula Mar Club. There are also flights directly to Andros from Fort Lauderdale several times per week.

Sarah and Bryan Baeumler say adjusting to island life had its challenges

RELATED: Renovation Island: What Is Bryan Baeumlers Net Worth?

The Baeumlers moved themselves and their children from Canada to the Bahamas to work on their resort project. For many people, living in an idyllic vacation destination would be a dream come true. But getting used to island life had its challenges.

Its been an adjustment, Sarah told People. Stores are small and dont always carry the variety were used to back home, but you get used to it and adapt. Our perspectives have changed a lot as well. If were out of milk, we cant always run to the store to get more, sometimes we need to wait a week until the next ship arrives, so we drink water or juice.

It actually reduces stress because you start to realize that you dont need everything instantly available at your fingertips to survive and be happy, she added. While were at the resort, we all pack into a one-bedroom villa towards the back of the property. Its cozy, but it works!

New episodes of Renovation Island air Sundays on HGTV beginning June 20.

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Thanks to Nat Geo Wilds veterinary reality show The Incredible Dr. Pol, its star Dr. Jan Pol has become something of a celebrity.

When hes out and about, Dr. Pol says, he frequently gets stopped by fans of the show that follow him in his day-to-day work as a large- and small-animal veterinarian in rural Michigan.

And there is one question, he says, that most fans have for him.

Dr. Jan Pol of The Incredible Dr. Pol chats with fans | The Walt Disney Company/Image Group LA via Getty Images

Dr. Jan Pol said The Incredible Dr. Pol was something out of his wildest dreams

As the Netherlands-born Dr. Pol wrote in his memoir, Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow, he never would have believed it if someone had told him he would be starring in his own reality show well into his 70s.

In our wildest dreams, [his wife] Diane and I could never have anticipated that we would one day have our own successful television show, write a bestselling book, have people come from all over the country to visit our little practice, and be recognized wherever we go in the world, he wrote.

Holy Moses! 2021 marks #DrPol's 50th year in veterinary medicine We are so excited to kick off this special year with all of you! Join the celebration to get all the updates and fun surprises along the way.

https://t.co/anZI5G6ANk  #DrPol50 pic.twitter.com/YwSzCjtvdQ  Dr. Pol (@DrPol) January 11, 2021

The one thing that pleases the couple to no end, he said, is something only a parent would appreciate. And its that their son Charles, who pitched the idea of the reality show to Nat Geo Wild and is an executive producer, is gainfully employed.

Our son Charles has a regular job, Dr. Pol said. Every parent knows exactly what I mean. What makes all of the wonderful things that have happened to us even more enjoyable is the fact that our success is all Charles doing. It was his vision. He was the one who believed his father was strange enough that other people would find him entertaining.

The 1st thing fans ask Dr. Pol

The Michigan veterinarian says that when fans stop him when hes out or making public appearances, the conversations usually start a certain way. Its easy for viewers of Dr. Pols reality show to make a connection with an animal that had been sick, even to the point of death, and then became well again thanks to Pol Veterinary Clinics staff.

RELATED: The Incredible Dr. Pol: Heres Why Dr. Jan Pol Wont Watch His Own Show

When we do stop to talk, our conversations almost always begin with What happened to that dog? or cat or horse or even cow. I dont think most people ever believed they would care about the health of a cow, or would be affected when an animal they see on television has to be put down.

The 2nd most popular topic Dr. Pol chats with fans about

Fans of The Incredible Dr. Pol, the vet wrote, once theyve discussed animals on the reality show, usually want to ask him about their own pets, too.

Almost inevitably, these people want to tell me about their own animals and ask me questions about them or their own vets, he said. Maybe other TV stars get shown photographs of cute babies or pretty girls; people love to show me the photographs of their pets. I dont mind that at all; Ive spent my whole life caring for animals and loving my own animals. Im no different than the people who enjoy the show.

The Incredible Dr. Pols 19th season starts July 10th on Nat Geo Wild at 9:00PM EST.
Dr. Jan Pols Nat Geo Wild hit reality show The Incredible Dr. Pol has been on the network since 2011. The veteran veterinarian obviously knows his animals, as fans have witnessed on his programs episodes.

Recently, he schooled a New York City TV station on a species well-known in the urban setting: the city pigeon. And what he had to say was fascinating.

The Incredible Dr. Pols Dr. Jan Pol and his wife Diane Pol | Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Dr. Pol is celebrating 50 years of veterinary practice

The Michigan-based veterinarian guesses that throughout his five-decade career, hes treated an astonishing number of animals.

I have spent my whole life being with animals, as a vet and as an owner, he wrote in his memoir Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow. Until they start inventing new animals, I think I can say there isnt a type of animal I havent looked in the eyes and wondered how it was feeling. My wife, Diane, and I once estimated that Ive handled more than a half-million patients, without one of them ever complaining about me!

Born in the Netherlands, Dr. Pol refers to himself as a hands-on veterinarian, an old-style vet. Which is what his fans love about him: I look at the animal; I put my hands on the animal and I listen to what the animal is telling me. Ive treated just about every type of creature you can imagine, from a white mouse to a 2600-pound horse, and Ive discovered that the longer I have been in practice, the smarter the animals have gotten!

Dr. Pol on why New York City pigeons nests arent seen and its rare to see a baby pigeon

Appearing recently on local station WPIX-TV in New York City, Dr. Pol explained in the stations segment titled I Wanna Know why New Yorkers dont normally see pigeons nests or young pigeons.

They are smart, he said. They have survived through all these ages and put nests where people cant reach them. And yes, there are many people that have homing pigeons and everything, and those are fantastic birds.

The vet added that he and his wife Diane have kept pigeons as pets and said the birds are not as tame as parrots, but you can talk to them.

Dr. Pol was also asked to clear up the mystery regarding whether or not birds urinate. No, birds dont pee, he said. Humans produce urea, while birds produce uric acid, which is that white stuff that you see on their feces. So, its solid, its not liquid. They poop and pee at the same time. It all comes out of the same hole.

RELATED: The Incredible Dr. Pol: Heres Why Dr. Jan Pol Wont Watch His Own Show

The new season of The Incredible Dr. Pol debuts in July

In a recent Facebook Live announcement, Dr. Pols son Charles, who is also an executive producer on the reality show, pulled the curtain back on the premiere date for the shows nineteenth season.

Before anything else, the younger Pol first confirmed the status of one of his fathers most popular and senior vets on staff: Dr. Brenda.

Dr. Brenda is not leaving the show, he said. The new season of The Incredible Dr. Pol premieres July 10th at 9:00PM on Nat Geo Wild. We really appreciate it, and again, Dr. Brendas not leaving. Dr. Brendas not leaving, N-O-T, take it to the bank.

The Incredible Dr. Pols 19th season debuts on Nat Geo Wild July 10th at 9:00PM EST
Season 5 of The Last Kingdom is finally back in production in Hungary, which is an exciting prospect. However, fans recently learned that season 5 would be the final season of the series. Although its a hard thing to come to terms with, there is still one season left to go before its all really over.

Emily Cox, who plays Brida, recently shared a short sequence clip that wasnt in the series that fans will want to see.

Emily Cox as Brida in The Last Kingdom | Adrienn Szabo/Netflix

Bridas journey in The Last Kingdom

Brida was a Saxon child when the Danes took her in. She grows up in their culture and adopts their beliefs. She grew up with the main character Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon), and later they became lovers. Their relationship is extremely complicated, and in season 4, Brida actually holds a grudge against Uhtred for not killing her when the Welsh find her in battle, as she thought she would then go to Valhalla.

As a result, shes taken as a slave, although she is eventually freed by Sigtryggr (Eysteinn Sigurarson). Later, Brida goes into labor with Cnuts (Magnus Bruun) child only to kill Cnut upon learning of his involvement in the death of the person she loved, Young Ragnar (Tobias Santelmann).

Emily Cox shared a never-before-seen clip from The Last Kingdom

On June 15, 2021, Cox shared a must-see video for The Last Kingdom fans on Instagram of a short sequence that didnt appear in the show. The actor is dressed as Brida in the video, taken on a computer screen from a video camera.

During the video, Brida swordfights in battle. She fights with a few people and suddenly sees someone who isnt recognizable from the angle of the shot. She stops to stare at them as a battle rages around her. Finally, Brida looks off, then looks back again at the unknown person.

Cox captioned the post: Level 2 : This short sequence never actually made it into TLK Who can guess which season (1-4), and which scene it would have been for? #thelastkingdom #brida. She also tagged a few accounts as well. Over 39,000 people viewed the post, and over 200 people commented on it.

Emily Cox shared a photo of herself and Mark Rowley (Finan)

Mark Rowley and Alexander Dreymon in The Last Kingdom | Joe Alblas/Netflix

RELATED: The Last Kingdom: Fans Weigh in on the Best Fighter in the Series

Since production began, The Last Kingdom actors have treated fans to several behind-the-scenes posts. . Cox recently shared a photo on Instagram of herself and Mark Rowley, who plays Finan. On June 9, she shared a black and white image of them wearing sunglasses and headphones. Cox wears a zip-up hoodie with her hair done up as Brida. Rowley wears what appears to be armor and a hat. Both actors have a hand making the rocker symbol. Cox tagged Rowleys account and the official account for the series in the photo.

Cox captioned the post: Finan and Brida in the house Who can guess what music were listening to? and added the hashtags #thelastkingdom #brida #finan. Over 8,000 people liked the post, and over 100 people commented on it.

Fans can surely appreciate posts like the ones Emily Cox recently shared. Hopefully, season 5 will be just as epic as fans hope.
Between 1855 and 1895  in just one generation  the federal government built six lighthouses around the approaches to the Columbia River: Cap
Sydney Stevens is pictured outside the Oysterville Church, which is opposite the historic Crellin home where she lives with husband Nyel. Her latest book highlights ghost stories connected with her home, public locations on the Long Beach Peninsula, and private houses in Ocean Park, Ilwaco and Chinook.
Before the construction of lighthouses and jetties, the jagged rocks of southwest Pacific County once claimed scores of vessels of every size and configuration. For the most part, these rocks and cliffs are now located substantially inland from the shoreline.
Growing up in Pakistan, I observed many Afghan men and young boys in my neighborhood with torn clothes, bare feet and bags on their backs. They could be found in piles of garbage, collecting glass, plastic, metal, and food, through the oppressive heat of summer to the bitter cold of winter. Some called them garbage collectors, while others referred to them as panah-guzin, a Persian/Urdu word meaning seeker of protection or refugee. As foreigners, these Afghan refugees are often mistreated, neglected, despised, and taken advantage of.

There are approximately 26 million refugees around the world living in similar circumstances and the number of refugees grows annually. The term refugee is used to describe a person who has fled their own country due to well-founded fear of persecution and serious human rights violations. The Afghans, Rohingya, Uyghur, Congolese, South Sudanese, Somalis, Syrians, and Iraqis are among the largest groups being forced to live as refugees. Many who arrive in the U.S. are Christians.

Often, we feel gratified by aiding monetarily to a refugee cause or an organization that assists the refugees. Financial contributions are valuable; however, there are other extremely valued forms of assistance. For example, engaging with a refugee at a personal level, having a welcoming and caring heart for the vulnerable in our society. Like everyone else, the refugees need friends, and they long to develop relationships. Some Christians are hesitant and choose not to go this path.

The process of acculturation and adaptation can be exceedingly traumatic and challenging. The life of a refugee produces immense pressures that can often lead to experiences of exclusion, isolation, serious psychological and emotional stress. The Christian church can step forward, demonstrating Christ-like love, to make this social and cultural inclusion more attainable for the refugee communities. As Christians, our mandate is to do good to all people, especially believers (Galatians 6:10). Throughout the Scripture, the people of God were strongly instructed to treat the gerim (strangers and foreigners) with great care, because they were once strangers and foreigners in Egypt. For this very reason, Moses named his first son Gershom (a sojourner) because he was a foreigner in a strange land (Exodus 2:22). Christians are called not only to be a light of the world, as Dr. Stetzer states, but to love the most vulnerable and the brokenhearted.

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By reminding ourselves that we are strangers on earth, passing through this life and awaiting our permanent citizenship in heaven, we can acquire meaningful perspectives concerning the refugees amongst us (Hebrews 11:13-16). The caring actions of the Good Samaritan demonstrate the power of viewing others as people made in the image of God. The greatest commandment has two partslove God and love your neighborbut many choose to view them as being detached from one another. John addresses this dangerous perspective, saying that one cannot love God whom he has not seen if does not love his brother whom he sees (1 John 4:20).

Christians must find the courage to turn to the Scriptures for an informed understanding of what it means to meet the needs of the most vulnerable effectively and compassionately. A vast majority of churches fail to address the challenges revolving around refugees. If our churches can be intentional in caring for refugees, it will not only make a difference in the daily lives of refugees among us, but refugees can greatly enrich Christians through their presence as well. The absence of motivation and commitment can lead to the deprivation from receiving this two-fold blessing.

I personally know Christian brothers and sisters who, through the working of the Spirit of God in their lives, entered the lives of refugees in America. They fed them. They clothed them. They housed them. They helped them find employment. They were there during the birth of their children. They invited them over to their family events. Quite simply, they demonstrated the love of Christ by being with refugee families during the daily and the monumental struggles of life. Through it all, these helpers of God realized what is common in ministry, they were blessed in return.

Starting the conversation can be awkward and daunting. However, just having a listening ear can be like a drop of water in the desert to a refugee, while the listener will be richer for the experience of learning about other people and cultures. On this World Refugee Day, let us express a genuine concern for the foreigners in our midst. In taking care of the refugees, let us be guided by faith and not by fear.



Yousaf Sadiq (PhD, London School of Theology) from Pakistan, is passionate to be a voice for the persecuted church. He is a visiting assistant professor at Wheaton College, and author of The Contextualized Psalms (Punjabi Zabur): A Precious Heritage of the Global Punjabi Christian Community (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020).
Image: Canva/Saddleback Church

Im continuing my series on Sunday Journeys and in some cases catching up, as a couple of these are from before the pandemic. Below is are some highlights from Saddleback Church.

Visiting Saddleback Church is always a fascinating experience. I preached there again on March 21, the Sunday before Palm Sunday, which was actually the last week they met online. So preaching, then, doesnt make a particularly exciting blog post because basically, you preach in the studio. However, you are able to preach to perhaps over 100,000 people over the weekend services.

Now saddleback has moved back in person, though outside and with masks. However, in 2019, I had the privilege of preaching at Saddleback in what I now call the before time as in, before COVID.

There are lots of things that are always astounding at Saddleback and Im thankful for the privilege to preach there a few times each year. The technology at Saddleback is amazing to me though I recognize it is out of reach for so many churches. But it is incredible how these volunteers have taken the time to learn the technology required to bring forth the kind of excellent streaming and other accessible resources the church has. Here is a picture of their technology.

Here are a couple of pictures from the back of the stage where that week they had a choir singing, you can actually see some of the members. No robes but certainly a choir and a full band that participated in the worship.

What particularly stood out was how they handled the youth service. They empowered what were clearly high schoolers to actually get up to do the announcements, welcome people, and more.

What made it particularly interesting to me was the amount of time I could tell that the adult volunteers had put in. They helped the student volunteers to both be confident but also be well prepared. They didnt just get up and stumble through the announcements; they were confident, prepared, and reflected the typical excellence that is found at Saddleback. So, it was encouraging, inspiring even to see how they did those things.

For those of you that have been there, you know that Saddleback has what is a somewhat odd-shaped building in that there is a floor and then are bleachers in the back. Whats interesting right now in mid-2021 is that the building is actually closed. They are putting in large slats for where the windows are now so that they can functionally make this open space, yes, during the pandemic but beyond that to open the space up when the weather is nice. And of course, the weather is always nice in southern California.

So, kudos to Rick Warren and the staff and team at Saddleback for actually putting teenagers upfront. For not only empowering them but I think most importantly, taking the time to make sure everything goes well, and they feel prepared for that leadership.
O Lord,

make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name,

for you never fail to help and govern

those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God,

for ever and ever.

Amen.
'Left Behind' author Jerry Jenkins talks new book, fatherhood and why he believes we're in the End Times

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New York Times bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins believes the world is close to the end as described in his popular biblical End Times fictional series, Left Behind, and has penned a new novel titled after his sons hit series The Chosen to continue spreading the hope of Christ before it is too late.

Jenkins has written nearly 200 books, with 21 of them making The New York Times' bestsellers list, and he has no intention of slowing down.

"Well, I don't see any place in the Bible that talks about retirement, and at the risk of sounding falsely modest, I really think I'm mano gifted. I don't sing, or dance, or preach  writing is all I do, so I feel obligated to keep doing it, Jenkins said in an interview with The Christian Post that can be watched below.

His latest book series has released the first volume, The Chosen: I Have Called You By Name. The book was inspired by the record-breaking crowdfunding series The Chosen, which was created by his eldest son, Dallas Jenkins. The book explores the difference Jesus Christ made in the lives of those He called to follow Him and how that encounter forever transformed their lives.

Jenkins has sold 72 million copies of his Left Behind books and says he'll continue working because he believes the world is experiencing some of the scenes fleshed out in his Left Behind series that he co-wrote with Tim LaHaye.

"We're getting pretty close to the end. I think we have more reason to believe that now than we ever have, Jenkins said. It seems like something is coming. You just wonder how long God can carry us as sinful and restless as the world is.

"On the other hand, God has a different economy of time than we do. He wrote in the Bible 2,000 years ago that the end was soon or imminent, and that we should watch and wait. We've been doing that all these years, he continued. The Bible also says that to God, 1,000 years is as a day and a day is as 1,000 years. So if He waits one more day, in His mercy, that would be 1,000 of our years. Yet I don't think there's any more prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before the end, so it could be today as well.

The 71-year-old novelist stressed that all believers have a mission to share the Good News regardless of how bad the times become.

"I think it's obvious that we need to be at the task of being sure that the fewest people possible are left behind, Jenkins said. That means sharing our faith and being bold and not holding back. Sometimes we're so afraid to offend somebody, we could offend them right into Hell. I think we need to just be overt, and it's on them what they do.

The author maintained that Christians should not force anything on anyone nor ram the Bible down their throats, but it is the believers' responsibility to help share the truth.

I've heard even atheists say that if Christians really believe that I'm going to Hell without Jesus, I want them to tell me because it would be an insult if they didn't,' which I think is a very insightful comment, he noted.

Although extremely successful, Jenkins said he could not be prouder of his son, Dallas, for the success of his series. At the top of 2019, The Chosen became the No. 1 crowdfunded media project in history. It now has $20 million in crowdfunding and has been viewed by over 90 million people in over 180 countries, and has served as an overt message of the impact Christ has on His Creation.

"It's a phenomenon that has just astounded me, and obviously, I'm proud, Jenkins gushed. Of course, I always think that everything my son does is brilliant, but I'm not always right. In this case, I have been right, and everybody seems to agree.

"Dallas said that he used to be known as Jerry Jenkins' son. I am now known as Dallas Jenkins' father. I couldn't be prouder, he continued. I'm just thrilled to see what he's doing, and I know his hearts in the right place and that he's got the right motives. It's just been a thrill.

Jenkins' new novel accompanies season one of the series and adds more detail to the storyline.

The book synopsis invites readers to Experience the life and power of the perfect Son of God as never before  through the eyes of everyday people just like you. The Scriptures contain many abbreviated stories, and in the novel, Jerry strives to flesh this out while staying true to the biblical account. Readers will welcome the deeper storytelling that honors the truth of what Jesus would say and do.

The writer said he really enjoyed writing the novel because it "seemed like the right thing to do." He described his journey as a fun experience.

"One of the things that you can do with a novel that you can't do on screen is you can have people's inner monologue. What are they thinking and feeling, and how are they reacting when these events occur? That's what I bring to the table. It's been fun, Jenkins told CP.

The proud father of three said Dallas and the show's co-writers outlined the sequence of the stories in a way that made it easy for him to expand on.

"It's really fun to flesh out the stories, and I've just had a ball, he added.

Jenkins is now working on the second book.

His inspiration, he said, comes from God, adding that, for him, writing is a joy because he gets to explore every character.

"That's the fun of being a novelist is that you really get to be each character as you're writing them. Depending on who the character is, I could be a child, I could be an old woman, I could be somebody my age and my gender, but it's just a matter of imagining, he explained.

You try to put yourself in their place and say, 'How would I feel if I heard this? If I saw this? If Jesus said this to me, how would I respond?' We see on the screen a lot of the responses from these people, but to tell what's going on in their mind, that's the fun and the creativity part of being a novelist.

"A lot of novelists talk about trying to get in touch with their muse, and it's some sort of ethereal, mysterious visitor. But for the Christian writer, it's the Holy Spirit, Jenkins clarified. I don't know quite how that works. All I know is that I need to surrender, get out of the way and listen, and try to do what God leads me to do.

The Michigan native, who assisted the late Billy Graham with his memoirs, said he sees a deficit in this generation and the generations that follow because young people don't often take time to stop and be introspective, which can affect how they are led by God.

"I was inspired by the late evangelist Billy Graham, who once told me that God doesn't keep it a secret from us what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to search the Scriptures and pray without ceasing, Jenkins advised. He [Graham] did it, and that made a big difference in his ministry.

While serving on several boards of Christian colleges, Jenkins revealed that he sees how many young people are suffering from anxiety.

"One of the things I've been struck by is that this generation has more mental illness and more anxiety and more problems that need counseling than ever, he said. That says something to me, that maybe you're not reflective enough and maybe not spending enough devotional time.

"As millennials get to the point where they come to the end of themselves, and they feel that anxiety, they really need to slow down and search the Scriptures and pray and seek the face of God. What does He want them to do? What does He want them to think about? That will make them more introspective and more reflective.

Jenkins admitted that he finds his own personal reflective time humbling."

"Sometimes we get into the rat race, and we're working to increase our brand, or our visibility, our platform, our online presence, and that type of thing. You can really get tired of yourself after a while. That's really not where life is, he insisted.

After 50 years of marriage and having three sons who are now grown, Jenkins said he's learned what is really valuable.

"When we look back on what's important to us. It has nothing to do with fame, or popularity, or success, or money or anything. It's really our relationship with God and our relationship with people  our families and the people we love, Jenkins assured.

"Somebody said that 'Nobody's going to say on their deathbed they wish they'd spent more time at the office.' Everybody's regrets have to do with not spending enough time with the people that they love and care about, he shared. So I find, when I am reflective, I think about what's really important in this life, and it has nothing to do with things; it has all to do with people.

Jenkins said he wants his new novel, The Chosen, to direct people to pursue God.

"I really would love to have the same response that I know Dallas is looking for from the TV series. That is that people do not substitute this for their Bible  that they go back to their Bible, check it out, see what it says. Go back to church, return to their relationship with God or begin a relationship with God, He said.

"The whole point of this series and the books is to show how God makes people something other than what they've been. That how they encounter Jesus. He changes them, transforms them forever. That's available for anybody today. So that's what we want the takeaway value to be.

2020 was eye-opening to everyone, Jenkins added, noting that he hopes everyone learned the true value of life and family.

"2020, obviously, was a very sobering year, and in many ways, it pushed us back into the 1950s when people stayed home a lot and didn't have things that could record their television. If they wanted to see something, they had to watch it when it was on. They played a lot of games; they talked to each other, they interacted. So there were some upsides to that. Jenkins said of the pandemic lockdowns.

Having written close to 200 books and been a writer for much in life, Jenkins concluded the interview by saying that his greatest accomplishment is his relationships with those around him.

"I think I want on my tombstone to say that I was a good husband and father and grandfather, Jenkins added. It comes down to people. There may be some accolades about how many books I have written or sold or that type of thing. But again, that's not the important thing. The important thing is: What did you do with whatever gifts God gave you? And how did you treat the people that mean the most to you?

The Chosen: I Have Called You By Nameis now available to order wherever books are sold.
Christian pastor killed over outreach to Muslims: Today Allah has judged you

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A radical Muslim has confessed to police in Uganda that he killed a 70-year-old pastor earlier this month because of Allahs word to kill all infidels who mislead Muslims by sharing the Gospel.

The accused, identified as Imam Uthman Olingha, told police he killed Bishop Francis Obo, senior pastor of Mpingire Pentecostal Revival Church Ministries International in Odapako village Mpingire Sub-County, on June 11, Morning Star News reported.

Olingha was one of the Muslim extremists dressed in Islamic attire who stopped Pastor Obo and his wife on their way home from a market at about 8:30 p.m., his wife, Christine Obo, said.

Olingha openly confessed (to police) that he cant regret that he killed the bishop because he did it in the cause of Allahs word to kill all infidels who mislead Muslims. He added that Allah will be with him in jail, but the kafiri (infidel) deserved the killing.

One of the attackers told the pastor, who oversaw 17 churches across the region and had been sharing Christ with Muslims, that he was an infidel who caused Muslims to leave Islam and blasphemes the words of Allah, and that, Today Allah has judged you.

A week before the murder, the couple had invited a former Islamic teacher to testify on how he became a Christian at their church, Christine Obo recalled. Area Muslims were also upset with the church because it offered the former Islamic teacher a pig as part of a micro-enterprise livestock project that helped raise funds for the church, she added.

Describing the incident, she said, As I moved a few meters in a hurry trying to save my life, I heard a little noise and wailing from my husband and realized that his life was in danger.

When she reached home, she was trembling and unable to speak, she said, and her children took her to a hospital. When she regained consciousness the following morning, she told her oldest son and his siblings to go to the site.

Reaching there, they were shocked and fearful as they found a big number of Christians and relatives gathered around the dead body mourning their bishop after being murdered by Muslims, Obo was quoted as saying.

According to World Watch Monitor, a homegrown Islamist rebel movement organizing in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo has emboldened Ugandan radicals to persecute Christians.

Voice of the Martyrs earlier noted that Ugandas history has made it vulnerable to the influence of Islam as Arab countries also continue to invest significant resources into furthering Muslim interests in the country.

In Uganda, persecution is mainly seen in the form of local Islamists persecuting Christians, mostly in areas where radicals have been steadily encroaching.

Radical Islams influence has grown steadily, and many Christians within the majority-Muslim border regions are facing severe persecution, especially those who convert from Islam, a Voice of the Martyrs factsheet explains. Despite the risks, evangelical churches in Uganda have responded by reaching out to their neighbors; many churches are training leaders how to share the Gospel with Muslims and care for those who are persecuted after they become Christians.

Last December, a mob of Muslim extremists in Uganda reportedly killed 41-year-old former imam Yusuf Kintu a week after he converted to Christianity.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis beats Trump in 2024 presidential straw poll

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received more votes than former President Donald Trump in a non-partisan straw poll asking voters about their preferred presidential candidate for the 2024 election at the Western Conservative Summit, one of the largest annual gatherings of conservatives.

Seventy-four percent of the attendants at this weekends gathering at the Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian Universitys public policy think tank, approved of DeSantis as a 2024 presidential candidate, while 71% said they preferred Trump over dozens of the other top contenders, both Republican and Democratic.

Neither DeSantis nor Trump spoke at the event, which was held both live in-person and online with the theme Frontier Freedom.

The other top candidates, in order of most approval to least, included Sen. Ted Cruz (43%), Mike Pompeo (39%) and Sen. Tim Scott (36%), according to a statement by the Centennial Institute.

South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem received approval from about 30% of the poll participants, followed by Sen. Tom Cotton at 29.92%, Sen. Rand Paul at 27.76%, and Donald Trump Jr. at 24.8%.

Former Vice President Pence came in 10th place.

President Joe Biden was ranked at No. 16 with 2.3%.

The poll, called the 2021 Western Conservative Summit Approval Voting Poll, also asked attendees to mark any of 25 policy issues as most important to them.

The top five most important issues were immigration/border security (82%), election integrity (79%), religious freedom (75%), federal budget/deficit (74%), and gun rights (74%).

Issues at the bottom of the list included police reform (12.43%), race and racism (10.81%), COVID-19 (9.19%), environment/climate change (8.65%), diversity, equity and inclusion (5.68%), and LGBTQ (4.86%).

In a 2024 presidential straw poll held at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Trump beat DeSantis in receiving approval for his policies and agenda but not in the question covering a field of potential candidates, as The Christian Post reported at the time.

Attendees at CPAC said if Trump decides not to run in 2024, DeSantis would win the support of a plurality (43%) of conservatives gathered at that conference.

The top five issues at CPAC were election integrity (62%), constitutional rights (48%), immigration/border wall (35%), reopening the economy (32%), and Second Amendment (26%).

In his speech at CPAC, DeSantis said to those gathered: We can sit around and have academic debates about conservative policy, we can do that. But the question is, when the Klieg lights get hot, when the left comes after you: Will you stay strong, or will you fold?
In Louisville, historic churches overlooked

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Most visitors to Louisville, Kentucky, dont come to see historic churches.

Admittedly, the big draws are the Kentucky Derby and pretty much everything bourbon. But beyond horses and distilled spirits are more than a half-dozen churches from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Think the kind of churches no longer built today.

My trip to Louisville started after flying into Muhammad Ali International Airport, a surprisingly nice and efficient airport with good connections to other parts of the country. I soon found myself at the Omni Hotel, which stands across Second Street from Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal).

The cathedral, seat of the Episcopal bishop of Kentucky, looks Romanesque. However, the appearance is deceiving.

The west front, erected around 1870, is actually just a facade. The rest of the edifice is brick and almost entirely from the 1820s. The original architecture was essentially a meeting house-style church, a design pretty typical until the revival of Gothic and Romanesque styles came to dominate ecclesiastical architecture in the second half of the 19th century.

A short walk away is Old Louisville.

Here on several blocks of Third and Fourth streets are churches representing mainline Protestant denominations and other sects that collectively dominated religious life at the turn of the last century. Mixed among the houses of worship are townhouses designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate and other architectural styles fashionable among upper-class and upper-middle-class city dwellers in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras.

One of the first churches in this neighborhood is First Unitarian Church (Unitarian Universalist), which juxtaposes new and old as it was rebuilt within the original Gothic revival walls following a fire in 1985. Next door is Calvary Church (Episcopal), founded by dissenting Methodists, with its 250-foot-tall spire. Just across the alleyway is a textbook classical revival building that today houses Greater Bethel Temple Apostolic Church (Pentecostal), but originally served as a Reform Judaism synagogue.

Further down Fourth Street on the edge of the 17-acre Central Park is the perpendicular Gothic-inspired West End Baptist Church (Southern Baptist). Built for Episcopalians, it is by the St. James-Belgravia Historic District. This is where the St. James Court Art Show is held every October.

About 2 miles away is First Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). Here, the limestone west front has tracery  the stone framework supporting glass in a window  reminiscent of the flamboyant style seen in France and elsewhere in Europe.

An honorable mention goes to Immanuel Baptist Church (Southern Baptist) for its beaux-arts exterior.

If you go

Consider a walking tour from either Louisville Historic Tours or the Historic Old Louisville Visitors Center. Another great way to see the cityscape is a sunset riverboat cruise on the Belle of Louisville, which feels like something out of a Mark Twain novel.

Dont stay at Hotel Distil, part of Marriotts upscale Autograph Collection brand. I really wanted to like the hotel, but low standards and a dirty room were too much to overlook. Instead, book the Omni, which features an incredible resort-esque rooftop pool.

Eat at Bobs Steak & Chop House; Patrick OSheas, an elevated Irish pub; or, when normalcy returns, the AAA four-diamond English Grill at The Brown Hotel.

While in Louisville it is also worth visiting the Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Derby Museum and Speed Art Museum.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
UK Christian group alarmed by push to criminalize prayer in conversion therapy ban

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A Christian group in the U.K. has said it is alarming that the government is being urged to include in its proposed "conversion therapy" ban even gentle non-coercive prayer to help individuals overcome unwanted sexual attractions or gender identity confusion.

While not opposing a ban that protects people from harmful pseudo-medical practices, the Christian Institute said, the idea that gentle non-coercive prayer should be included in a list of illegal actions is alarming.

In any event, it would violate the human rights of believers, added the charity that exists for the furtherance and promotion of the Christian religion in the United Kingdom and the advancement of education.

The charity issued the statement in response to a call from Jayne Ozanne, a prominent lesbian Anglican and former LGBT government adviser who is pushing for gentle non-coercive prayer to be included in legislation banning LGBT conversion therapy.

Supporting the ban, David Walker, the bishop of Manchester, told the Guardian earlier this month, Where activity has harmed someone, the person who has caused the harm should face prosecution. He added that activity should include prayer aimed at changing someones sexual orientation.

However, Walker clarified that he was not referring to gentle, non-coercive prayer, but where there is a level of power imbalance and a level of force.

Ozanne, who's also pushing for full acceptance of same-sex marriage and transgenderism in the Church of England, responded to Walkers clarification, saying, Im very grateful to Bishop David for his clear support for a ban, although I would strongly refute that gentle non-coercive prayer should be allowed.

She added, All prayer that seeks to change or suppress someones innate sexuality or gender identity is deeply damaging and causes immeasurable harm, as it comes from a place  no matter how well-meaning  that says who you are is unacceptable and wrong.

The Christian Institute said its view is confirmed by a legal opinion from Jason Coppel QC, one of the U.K.s leading human rights lawyers, which says a conversion therapy ban encompassing ordinary prayer would be likely to violate Convention rights.

The charity stressed that those pushing for the ban to include ordinary prayer seem to attribute the worst possible motives to those of us who hold different theological beliefs from them.

They are not willing to listen to mainstream Christian groups or to their concerns. Now they have gone a step further by stating that the legislation should cover not only practices they consider coercive but all forms of prayer, no matter how mild, it added.

Responding to Ozannes remarks, Simon Calvert, deputy director for public affairs at The Christian Institute, said, It shows the focus here is not about protecting people from genuinely abusive behavior. Its about criminalizing mainstream theology that campaigners on the fringes of the church dont agree with.

Calvert added, In Britain, we worked out centuries ago that prosecuting people for praying the wrong kind of prayer was oppressive, counter-productive and wrong. Apparently, there are some who want to drag us back to the dark days of prosecuting people for not having the same religion.

Conversion therapy is being defined as any effort to change ones sexual orientation or gender identity. A bill banning conversion therapy is expected to make its way through Parliament later this year.

Some LGBT activists are calling for a complete ban on any practice that seeks to help individuals overcome unwanted sexual attractions or gender identity confusion. And such a ban would also prohibit prayer and pastoral support.

Proponents of such a ban say the practice is cruel, ineffective and contributes to suicide among LGBT-identifying people.

Opponents of a therapy ban argue that the term conversion therapy belies what is actually occurring, particularly in Christian churches and ministries, because electroshock and other forms of aversion treatments have been against the law for many years.

What is practiced in some therapeutic environments  often though not always religious  is talk therapy, where individuals who present with conflicting feelings or distress regarding their sexual attractions or gender confusion speak with a counselor.

The Christian Institute's Deputy Director for Communications Ciaran Kelly said in an earlier statement that it's deeply worrying to see the level of ignorance of the beliefs and practices of mainstream Christianity on display from some of these MPs.

Of course we believe people should be protected from quack therapists and charlatan preachers. Most of these practices are already illegal and we would urge the government to ensure the law is applied properly, he said, adding that there must also be room for the preaching of Gods Word and for believers to receive prayer and pastoral support, whatever temptations they are facing.

Kelly continued, A pastor or church should not face prosecution if a gay man or woman attends church, comes to faith and seeks help in following Christs teaching on sexual ethics.
World Refugee Day: Pakistani Christian woman shares harrowing story of escaping persecution

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As Christians worldwide mark World Refugee Day on Sunday to honor the courage and perseverance of millions of refugees who've fled their home countries to seek safety and a better life elsewhere, one woman shared her harrowing story of persecution with The Christian Post.

Martha, a Pakistani Christian, was forced to flee her home with her family who moved from city to city to escape being found and killed. Living in constant fear, they made the difficult decision to leave their country only to be imprisoned in a foreign nation before finding refuge in the United States.

Refugees are made in Gods image, Desiree Lueckhof, executive director of Peace of Thread, an organization that helps refugee women, told CP. Theyre just like you and me, but unfortunately, theyve gone through hard things that are really unimaginable for us in America. But we have the opportunity to love them and be their friend and walk alongside them as they resettle here, Lueckhof added.

World Refugee Day, which is celebrated every year on June 20, recognizes the anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Marthas son, a Chrisitan, had fallen in love with and married a woman from a Muslim family in Pakistan. Her family and the Muslim community did not accept their marriage, especially after she became pregnant.

This put the familys lives in danger and forced them to escape.

Martha and her family fled from city to city in Pakistan, attempting to escape those trying to kill them due to the Christian-Muslim marriage they disapproved of.

Pakistan is ranked the fifth-worst country in the world for Christian persecution due to Islamic extremist oppression, according to Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List, and is the second-most dangerous country in Asia for Christians.

The U.S. State Department recognizes Pakistan as a "country of particular concern" for tolerating or engaging in egregious violations of religious freedom.

After they arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital city, they then decided to flee to Thailand.

With no money, no identification card and a language barrier, Martha, her husband and her son were arrested and jailed in Thailand, which was a very scary time for their family. Their other children did not see them for the entire year they were imprisoned.

After that ordeal, Martha, her husband and youngest daughter were granted refugee status in the U.S. in 2014, one week after her son and daughter-in-law arrived with the help of the U.N.

Despite their challenges, Martha believes God was with her family every step of the way, and said God gave her dreams to warn her to leave the city.



Martha misses her home country but gives thanks to God for the freedom she has now.

She and her family are now active in church and are integrating into their new community in the U.S.

Martha said she finds encouragement in the Bible because it never departs from her, as she meditates on it day and night, she added.

Once Martha and her family arrived in the U.S. as refugees, legal immigrants, she became involved with Peace of Thread, which has helped her to assimilate in her new country.

Peace of Thread is an organization with a mission to empower, employ, and advocate for women in vulnerable populations through providing resources and job opportunities.

A nonprofit organization based in Clarkston, Georgia, Peace of Thread enables women like Martha to work from home as artisans producing quality purses, bags and accessories using recycled materials. This provides them with the skills necessary to eventually find another job.

Martha, who made clothes while living in Pakistan, now makes handbags for Peace of Thread and is able to work from home and stay with her family.

The Peace of Thread artisans have access to counseling, free medical care, free ESL classes, job training, educational workshops and community during their often difficult transition.

President Joe Biden recently raised the refugee admissions cap to 62,500 for the fiscal year, which Peace of Thread said gives American Christians an opportunity to welcome refugees into their communities.

Biden announced he would eventually raise the refugee cap to 125,000 for the first fiscal year of his administration.
SBC messengers approve task force for sex abuse investigation after leaders rejected expanded review

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Two days after the Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee rejected a motion to create a task force to oversee a third-party investigation of allegations SBC leaders mishandled a crisis of sexual abuse in the denomination, messengers overwhelmingly approved a motion to do just that on Wednesday.

The motion presented by Grant Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, at the denomination's annual convention in Nashville, calls for new SBC President Ed Litton to appoint the task force within 30 days.

The motion calls on Litton to direct the Executive Committee to transfer oversight of the investigation to the task force, which shall comprise members of Baptist churches cooperating with the SBC and experts in sexual abuse and abuse-related dynamics."

The SBC Executive Committee announced on June 11 that Guidepost Solutions would review recent allegations made by the former leader of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Russell Moore, that SBC leaders intimidated whistleblowers and exonerated churches with credible claims of negligence of sexual abuse victims.

Guidepost Solutions was also commissioned to "review and enhance training provided to SBC Executive Committee staff and its board of trustees" as it relates to sex abuse and the organizations "communications to cooperating churches and congregants in cooperating churches."

According to Baptist Press, the soon-to-be appointed task force can choose to oversee the Guidepost Solutions review or start a separate third-party review. The review must include an investigation of any allegations of abuse, mishandling of abuse, mistreatment of victims, a pattern of intimidation of victims or advocates, and resistance to sexual abuse reform initiatives.

The investigation, funded by allocations from the Cooperative Program, will cover the period from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021, and include a review of actions and decisions of staff and members of the Executive Committee.

The investigation will also include an audit of the procedures and actions taken by the SBC Credentials Committee, a body formed at the convention meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2019.

When Texas Pastor Jared Wellman offered a motion before the Executive Committee Monday to create a task force independent of the committee to oversee the Guidepost Solutions' investigation, it was rejected by the committee. Committee Secretary Joe Knott of North Carolina argued that expanding the scope of the investigation would be horrific for the denomination.

Wellman also urged the waiving of privilege so that Guidepost Solutions has access to all data and information and advocated for a public report on all the findings and recommendations that is not vetted or edited first by the Executive Committee leadership.

Wednesdays motion allows the task force to follow the accepted best-standards and practice as recommended by the commissioned firm, including but not limited to the Executive Committee staff and members waiving attorney client privilege in order to ensure full access to information and accuracy in the investigation.

A written report on the factual findings of this investigation shall be presented to the task force 30 days prior to the SBC annual meeting in 2022, and made public in full form within one week of the Task Forces receipt of the report along with suggestions from the task force for actions to be taken by our convention, the motion notes.

SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Ronnie Floyd told messengers he supported approval of the motion while it was under consideration, Baptist Press reported.

Gaines also argued that the Executive Committee could not be tasked with holding themselves accountable.

In order for this investigation to be truly external, independent and unbiased, we cant have the Executive Committee setting the terms of the investigation themselves," he said. "They cant be the ones to hold themselves accountable. This might seem like too much trouble to some, but I assure you it is the least we can do for abuse survivors.

The motion was reportedly first referred to the Executive Committee, but messengers voted to overrule the Committee on Order of Business to consider it on the convention floor.

A statement Wednesday from the SBC Executive Committee expressed support for the motion.

The SBC Executive Committee thanks the messengers for their passionate concern. Alongside SBC president Ed Litton, and in consultation with the full SBC Executive Committee, our legal team, and other advisors, we will work to expeditiously implement todays motion," the Executive Committee statement reads. "It has always been our intention to be forthright and transparent in this process."

Todays decision, in whose outcome we are confident, will have the ultimate blessing of removing all doubt in the minds of our community of Southern Baptists allowing us to chart a more confident future, together," the statement added. "We thank those messengers who have invested so much righteous energy in this important cause."

Attorney and abuse advocate Rachael Denhollander, who has spoken freely about sexual abuse in the SBC, called the motion's approval a critical step in the right direction for America's largest Protestant denomination.

What I hope we all take from this is the following: Sound theology and SBC polity is not and never has been, in opposition to meaningful steps to reform. All that is needed are leaders willing to ask those who can help how do we get this done? and then fighting for it, Denhollander said in a series of tweets outlining an arduous journey of advocacy from multiple sexual abuse survivors in the SBC.

Change is slow. It can take decades of invested time and the work of so many before tangible fruit is seen. But that investment of love and faithfulness is not wasted. Fighting for truth, justice and reform is the work of a community. Caring well for those who have been deeply wounded requires the participation of everyone. Messengers had to listen, pay attention, care, and take a stand. And they overwhelmingly did, she continued.

This is the work we have been called to: Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly before God. I am so grateful we saw a tangible example of this in Nashville. The work is not done; but we'll do it, together.
SBC encourages churches to 'permanently disqualify' pastors who commit sex abuse

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NASHVILLE  Messengers at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting approved a resolution encouraging churches within the nation's largest Protestant denomination to "permanently" disqualify individuals who have committed sexual abuse from the pastorate.

That resolution is nonbinding and encourages all SBC affiliated churches to hold the standard that any person who engaged in sexual abuse in their life is permanently disqualified from holding the office of pastor.

Former Southern Baptist President James Merritt, who also serves as the chairman of the SBC Committee on Resolutions, told to reporters Wednesday that any pastor who commits sexual misconduct should be permanently disqualified from ever returning to church leadership. He warned that such behavior damages the credibility of the Body of Christ.

I just read yesterday about a pastor that had to resign [from a] church, Merritt, the senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Georgia, said.

He committed sexual abuse 40 years ago, and it came out. This will be hard for the outside world to understand, but the Scripture is very plain that a pastor has to be above reproach."

"Good, bad or indifferent, when someone commits sexual abuse, whether it's 20, 30 or 40 years ago, if it comes up, it's just going to be damaging," Merritt added. "It's going to put a lot of doubt and a lot of people's minds."

Merritt said hes of the firm belief that if a pastor is unfaithful to his wife, hes also permanently disqualified from ever being a pastor again.

I honestly believe that, he said. It's not an issue of forgiveness. If a Christian gets drunk and drives his car into a tree and loses his left arm, God will forgive him. But he still won't have a left arm.

Pastors who commit such offenses can return to the ministry in some fashion, he clarified, but never as a lead pastor.

We've got a big job ahead of us as pastors, I believe, to rebuild credibility and trust in the community, he continued.

Nathan Finn, the vice chair of the resolutions committee, agreed that allowing pastors who have committed sexual sin to return to the pulpit weakens the credibility of the entire office of pastor.

So I believe it's very important for Southern Baptists to speak unequivocally and in a way that everyone can understand us that we believe that sexual abuse is a disqualifying factor for anyone who would serve in church leadership where they were commended to vulnerable populations in the church, he stressed.

The issue of sexual abuse within the denomination was a hot topic at the SBCs annual meeting, which drew more than 21,000 people to Nashvilles Music City Center, including 15,726 messengers.



On Wednesday, SBC messengers overwhelmingly approved a motion to set up a task force to oversee an independent investigation into allegations that SBC Executive Committee leaders have mishandled allegations of abuse within SBC churches.

A leaked May 31 letter from former SBC ethicist Russell Moore to outgoing SBC President J.D. Greear alleged that leaders mishandled a crisis of sexual abuse in the denomination by intimidating whistleblowers into silence and exonerating churches with credible allegations of negligence toward sexual abuse victims.

The SBC Executive Committee subsequently announced that Guidepost Solutions would review such allegations.

Guidepost Solutions was also commissioned to "review and enhance training provided to SBC Executive Committee staff and its board of trustees" as it relates to sex abuse and the organizations "communications to cooperating churches and congregants in cooperating churches."

Wednesday's motion comes after the Executive Committee rejected a motion earlier in the week to expand the scope of the Guidepost Solutions' investigation by appointing an independent task force to oversee the inquiry instead of Executive Committee leaders.

Finn said the resolution served as a way to come alongside all the positive momentum that says our first instinct needs to be to care for those who have been abused more than protecting our own reputation.
Ugandan pastor ambushed, killed by suspected Muslim radicals after radio broadcast

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A Christian pastor was reportedly killed in northern Uganda at the end of October after he compared Christianity and Islam during his radio broadcast.

Pastor David Omara, the father of eight and pastor of Christian Church Center, was beaten and strangled around 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 after finishing a broadcast in the town of Aduku, according to his son, Simon Okut.

Okut spoke with Morning Star News, a nonprofit that regularly reports on global Christian persecution. He explained that after his father finished preaching, he was reached on the telephone by someone who voiced appreciation for his preaching and requested that the pastor meet him and some of his friends.

Okut said he and his father left the radio station and went to a meet-up location.

As we arrived at the said place, there came out of the bush six people dressed in Islamic attire, and they started strangling and beating my father with blunt objects, the son was quoted as saying.

Okut went on to say that one of the assailants told his father that he ought to die for using the Quran and saying Allah is not God but an evil god collaborating with satanic powers.

As they were hitting my father with blunt objects and strangling him, I fled to save my life, he added. Two attackers ran after me but could not get hold of me.

According to the outlet, the pastor is survived by his wife and eight children, who range from 10 to 30 years old.

One church leader in the area told Morning Star News that the community needs prayer and financial support for the pastors family.

The pastor was reportedly buried last Wednesday.

My mother wept and fainted and collapsed with deep groaning and is admitted in the hospital, Okut said.

The attack comes as there has been an increase in Christian persecution in Uganda in recent years, according to the World Watch Monitor, another watchdog organization that reports on the persecution of Christians across the globe.

In Uganda, Christians are the majority of the population, but the Muslim population seems to be growing. Although 2014 census data states that 13.7% of the Ugandan population is Muslim, Muslim leaders contend that Muslims comprise a larger share of the national population.

Muslims are 25 percent of the total population and not 13.7 percent, Hajj Mutumba, a spokesman of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, told local media in 2018, according to the Associated Press. We have two to four wives, and we are producing about six children in a space of two to three years.

Islamic extremists in recent years have tried to convert more people to Islam.

According to World Watch Monitor, an Islamic rebel movement in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo has emboldened Ugandan radicals to increase pressure on Christians.

In July, it was reported that suspected radical Muslims in eastern Uganda beat and drowned a 25-year-old pastor and a 22-year-old church member for preaching the Gospel to local Muslims.

According to Morning Star News, the victims were identified as Pastor Peter Kyakulaga of Church of Christ and parishioner Tuule Mumbya. They were murdered in a lake in Lugonyola village in the Kaliro District.

Over the last few years, there have been several reports of attacks on Christian converts in the East African country.

In January 2018, World Watch Monitor reported on how a Christian woman was attacked with a machete by her husband for refusing to convert to his religion.

In October 2019, four relatives of a Ugandan Christian convert were burned to death when suspected Muslim radicals reportedly set their home on fire.

In May, a Muslim father reportedly burned his daughter because she converted to Christianity.
Democrats overwhelmingly support CRT, but most other Americans says its bad for the country: poll

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While critical race theory is unpopular with most Americans, it's supported by an overwhelming majority of Democrats, according to a new poll.

The Economist, in conjunction with YouGov, released a wide-ranging poll Wednesday that asked Americans for their opinions on a variety of issues. One question asked respondents, Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of critical race theory? Only respondents who answered in the affirmative when asked if they knew what critical race theory was were asked the follow-up questions about their views on the ideology.

Christopher Rufo, a writer, filmmaker and researcher who has studied the issue extensively, defines critical race theory as an academic discipline that holds that the United States is a nation founded on white supremacy and oppression, and that these forces are still at the root of our society. According to Rufo, an outspoken opponent of critical race theory.

Critical race theorists believe that American institutions, such as the Constitution and legal system, preach freedom and equality, but are mere camoflauges for racial discrimination, According to Rufo, an outspoken opponent of the theory.

They believe that racism is a constant, universal condition: it simply becomes more subtle, sophisticated, and insidious over the course of history, he added. In simple terms, critical race theory reformulates the old Marxist dichotomy of oppressor and oppressed, replacing the class categories of bourgeoisie and proletariat with the identity categories of white and black. But the basic conclusion is the same: in order to liberate man, society must be fundamentally transformed through moral, economic, and political revolution.

The survey by The Economist, which did not provide an explicit definition of critical race theory, found that just 38% of Americans said they had a very or somewhat favorable opinion of critical race theory, with 25% saying they have a very favorable view of the ideology and 13% describing their view of critical race theory as somewhat favorable. Meanwhile, a majority of Americans (53%) have a very unfavorable view of critical race theory. The remaining 5% have a somewhat unfavorable view of critical race theory.

Additionally, the poll asked respondents if they believed teaching critical race theory was good for America or bad for America. A majority of Americans (55%) said they thought teaching critical race theory was bad for America while 37% expressed the opposite view. The remaining 8% concluded that it was neither good nor bad for America.

Democrats are the group with the most favorable view of critical race theory, with 86% expressing a somewhat or very favorable view of the ideology. A majority (58%) of Democrats have a very favorable view of critical race theory and an additional 28% hold a somewhat favorable view.

Similarly, 85% of Democrats believe that teaching critical race theory was good for America, compared to just 5% who said it was bad for America. Self-described liberals also demonstrated support for critical race theory, with 82% describing it as very or somewhat favorable and 89% believing that it is good for America.

In addition to Democrats and liberals, majorities of African Americans (68%) and those between the ages of 30 and 44 (52%) hold a favorable view of critical race theory. A larger majority of African Americans (75%) believe that teaching critical race theory is beneficial to the U.S., while 52% of Americans between the ages of 30 and 44 hold the same view.

A majority of Hispanics (53%) hold an unfavorable view of critical race theory, along with supermajorities of white men without college degrees (74%), white women without college degrees (71%), and white men with college degrees (65%). White women with college degrees were split on critical race theory, with 52% expressing an unfavorable view and 44% holding a favorable view.

Hispanics were divided on whether they believed teaching critical race theory was positive or negative for the country. Thirty-five percent of Hispanics believe that teaching critical race theory is good for America while 40% have the opposite opinion. Twenty-five percent of Hispanics told pollsters that teaching critical race theory was neither good nor bad for America.

Majorities of whites of all education levels maintained that teaching critical race theory was bad for America, with that view most predominant among whites without college degrees of both genders (70%), followed by college-educated white men (62%), and college-educated white women (51%).

Independents also hold overwhelmingly negative views of critical race theory, with 76% describing their opinion of the ideology as somewhat or very unfavorable. Meanwhile, 18% of independents think teaching critical race theory is good for America as opposed to 72% who feel otherwise.

Additionally, a majority of self-described moderates also expressed concern about critical race theory, with 54% holding an unfavorable view of the ideology and 52% believing that teaching it was bad for America. No groups were more opposed to critical race theory than Republicans and conservatives.

A whopping 91% of Republicans reported holding an unfavorable opinion of critical race theory, while 88% believed teaching it in schools was bad for America. Similarly, 91% of self-described conservatives hold an unfavorable view of critical race theory and 90% believed that teaching it in schools was bad for America.

As reflected in the results of the survey, conservatives have emerged as outspoken critics of critical race theory, with many states passing laws to ban the teaching of the ideology in their schools. States that have passed such legislation include Florida, Arkansas, Idaho and Oklahoma.

Critical race theory has been a frequent topic of discussion on American college campuses for years, but received heightened attention in politics and education following the death of George Floyd in police custody last year and the resulting unrest that ranged from peaceful protests to violent riots that led to the deaths of more than 20 people and over $2 billion in the destruction of property.

Over the past year, some have argued that there is a need for educators to address systemic racism and that led some schools to embrace controversial curriculum such as The 1619 Project. Many parents have shared their opposition to the inclusion of critical race theory in schools.

The Economist/YouGov survey questioned 1,500 adults between June 13-15 and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
IRS denies tax-exempt status to Christian org accused of being too political; appeal filed

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A Christian group is appealing a decision from the Internal Revenue Service denying nonprofit exemption status due to the government believing that its endeavors are too political.

Christians Engaged filed an appeal Wednesday to a decision by the IRS denying the organization an exemption under Section 501(c)(3), which would allow the group to be legally considered a charitable organization and receive benefits like tax-deductible contributions.

The organization filed for the status in 2019 and received a notice of denial from IRS Exempt Organizations Director Stephen A. Martin on May 18.

The appeal argues that the IRS' argument is flawed in three ways, namely that it invented a nonexistent requirement that exempt organizations be neutral on public policy issues."

The appeal contends that the agency wrongly assumed that "Christians Engaged primarily serves private, nonexempt purposes rather than public, exempt purposes because he thinks its beliefs overlap with the Republican Partys policy positions."

First Liberty Institute, a conservative legal nonprofit that often handles religious freedom litigation, filed the appeal on behalf of Christians Engaged. The appeal argues that the IRS engaged in both viewpoint discrimination and religious discrimination.

Only a politicized IRS could see Americans who pray for their nation, vote in every election, and work to engage others in the political process as a threat, said First Liberty Counsel Lea Patterson in a statement.

The IRS violated its own regulations in denying tax exempt status because Christians Engaged teaches biblical values.

Last month, the IRS argued in a letter that the group was too political in its goals.

You engage in prohibited political campaign intervention, Martin wrote.

You are also not operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3), because you operate for a substantial non-exempt private purpose and for the private interests of the [Republican] party.

Martin further argued that the Christians Engaged is precluded from tax-exempt status because the group works to instruct people on what the Bible says about issues such as the sanctity of life, marriage and justice that "generally distinguish candidates and are associated with political party platforms."

However, First Liberty Institute argues that Christians Engaged "does not produce voter guides or otherwise suggest that recipients should vote for or against any particular candidate or candidates."

Martin informed Christians Engaged that it had a right to protest if you dont agree and gave the organization 30 days from May 18 to file an appeal.

Christians Engaged is led by conservative activist Bunni Pounds, who ran for Congress in 2018 but lost in the Republican primary. The organization's vice president is Trayce Bradford, who previously led the pro-family advocacy group Texas Eagle Forum.

In 2013 during the Obama administration, the IRS garnered national outrage when the agency admitted to having targeted conservative groups' tax-exempt applications that included the terms Tea Party or Patriot during the 2012 presidential election season.

Lois Lerner, then director of the IRS Exempt Organizations Division, offered an apology for these attacks, stating at the time that it was absolutely inappropriate and not the way we should do things.

Sometimes people do things because they don't understand the rules or don't think about it, added Lerner, who insisted that the targeting was not political because it involved "mistakes" and a lack of "good judgment" by low-level employees.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over just about every aspect of communication. From Siri answering your vocalized questions to Amazon recommending products based on your browsing history, AI has permeated our lives in ways we dont even think about anymore.

AI is developing faster than ever  experts have projected the global AI market value to reach $190 billion by 2025. Its not time to panic about Skynet taking over just yet, but it is important to understand how AI is currently impacting and will continue to impact writers and other professions.

Human writers will always have a place in content creation. I teach over 500 of them in my academy, and I see a real need that grows every year. The real uncertainly lies with the question of In what capacity?

Will AI become so powerful that editing machine-generated work rather than writing unique articles will become the norm for content creators?

My prediction: not likely. At least, not anytime soon.

Artificial intelligence is making waves, but content writers arent going anywhere

Its no secret that content creation is a time-consuming process. Even with the help of AI tools, it takes a lot of time and effort to create a professional piece of content. Thats why so many companies are turning to AI. It can help them get more content created in a shorter amount of time.

AI isnt expected to replace writers entirely  not yet, at least. When it comes to writing, there are still some things that AI cant do. For example, it cant create truly original content.

Now, what would you say if I told you those three paragraphs you just read were written by AI? Because it was.

Overall, its pretty good for a machine, and AI tools have massively improved over the last few years. Despite some grim predictions about machines inevitably replacing a majority of human jobs in the near future, our trusty AI friend admitted in its third paragraph that it cant compete when it comes to writing original content.

(A machine wouldnt lie, right?)

And originality isnt the only skill where machines fall short.

Related: The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Accelerated During the Pandemic. It's Here to Stay.

Six essential human skills that give us an advantage over AI

Perhaps the day will come when were able to program machines to be smart enough and adaptive enough to compete with us on equal footing, but were a long way from that point.

In the humans vs. AI stand-off, we still have a few tricks up our sleeves.

1. Creativity

Artificial intelligence is great at processing data and reforming it into written content. The facts are there, presented in legible, grammatically correct sentences, but its just missing something.

Theres simply no way to program true creativity into a machine yet. The human brain is lightyears ahead of any other creature or artificial intelligence in that department.

2. Variation

AI is getting better about emulating the way we communicate, but it hasnt quite nailed down our natural speech yet.

Strong writing avoids repeating the same words, phrases, sentence lengths and sentence structure. We like to switch things up. AI has a tendency to sound a bit, well, robotic after a while. But it is improving.

3. Passion

When you read a book, article, poem or any other written piece, you can often feel the soul of the writer bleeding through every word. Most writers truly love what they do for a living, and it shows. Theres something to be said about human tenacity and dedication.

No matter how sophisticated we program AI processes, theres simply no way to recreate the level of sentiment, passion and commitment that allows us to connect with one another so deeply through indirect means.

4. Empathy

Robots can do many things, but they cant feel emotions or figuratively put themselves in our shoes to understand the challenges were facing. For this reason, AI isnt likely to replace humans in customer service or any other field that requires a personal and empathetic connection.

5. Experience

No amount of data can compete with the value of true experience, just like pictures of exotic places on Google cant amount to really traveling there. Similarly, without experiences to draw from, AI writing often feels somewhat hollow below the surface.

6. Judgment

Computers are programmed to make choices based on a series of parameters, but that isnt the same as developing judgment skills. Human copywriters rely on values, knowledge gained from experience, and intuition to write topics that will resonate with people.

Many writers go with the flow and allow the writing to naturally guide them, sometimes in directions they werent necessarily planning to go. We make choices as we write.

AI hasnt yet become intuitive and adaptable on that level yet. Rather than shift gears into a related topic if thats the way the piece is flowing, AI will often circle back and repeat information because its bound to a specific outline or set of topics to follow.

Related: 4 Reasons Why Workers Should Welcome Artificial Intelligence In the Workplace

AI is a tool to enhance human work, not replace it

People and businesses still need content writers, and the truth is, humans arent going anywhere. AI falls short when it comes to creating search engine optimized (SEO) content, among other categories.

Still, despite some shortcomings, theres no denying that AI has its benefits and will be playing an important role in our lives for the foreseeable future.

Rather than resist the changes, we at Express Writers have embraced AI as a supplemental resource. Although weve sampled several different AI tools, our favorite is the third iteration of Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (GPT-3) AI.

A language AI tool called Hyperwrite assists us by:

Jumpstarting ideas: Allowing AI to make recommendations helps our writers push through writers block when theyre stuck.

Allowing AI to make recommendations helps our writers push through writers block when theyre stuck. Creating first drafts: With a little guidance throughout the process, AI can produce usable material that just needs some TLC and editing to bring out a human touch in the final draft.

With a little guidance throughout the process, AI can produce usable material that just needs some TLC and editing to bring out a human touch in the final draft. Cutting production time by nearly 50%: A little help can go a long way by reducing the time we spend researching topics and powering through rough drafts.

The future lies in the capable hands of talented human writers. AI is not likely to ever fully replace content writers, but it can be a versatile resource to assist them and speed up the creation process.

The passionate writers who embrace their tools rather than fear them have nothing to worry about for the future.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
ATLANTA (AP)  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the van's only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

This is the worst tragedy Ive been a part of in my life, said Smith, who drove Sunday to the ranch to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like theyre our own children.

The crash also claimed the lives of two other people who were in a separate vehicle. Garlock identified them as 29-year-old Cody Fox and his 9-month-old daughter, Ariana, both of Marion County, Tennessee.

He was a great guy and were really gonna miss him, said Aaron Sanders, who worked with Fox at the emergency management agency in Marion County. He said Fox also ran a hot tub business with his father and doted on his daughter. He just loved her to death and that was his life.

SCOTT THRELKELD/AP

Multiple people were also injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday to investigate the crash, photos of which showed at least four burned vehicles, including two large trucks. It said the inquiry would focus on vehicle technologies such as forward collision warning systems, fuel tank integrity and occupant survivability.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were also killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. Makayla Ross, a 23-year-old Fort Payne woman, died Saturday after her car ran off the road into a swollen creek, DeKalb County Deputy Coroner Chris Thacker told WHNT-TV.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains from Tropical Depression Claudette pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for eastern Georgia, the southern two-thirds of South Carolina and the North Carolina coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

WBRC-TV reported that search efforts were also under way for a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham. Crews were using boats to search Pebble Creek.

Garlock said the location of the multi-vehicle wreck is notorious for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents, county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at the 225-student Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

A GoFundMe account was set up for Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch to help offset the costs of funeral expenses, medical costs for the injured and counseling for those impacted.

Gulley had worked with children for years, beginning when she and her husband were house parents at the ranch for seven years.

During those years, there have been 74 girls that have come through our house and called us mom and dad, she told the Opelika-Auburn News in August 2019. She said she then became a relief parent, working on fundraising and being involved in the community, before she became the ranch director.

My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

Claudette was beginning to re-strengthen late Sunday, with the National Hurricane Center reporting top winds at 35 mph (55 kph) in a nighttime advisory. The depression was expected to return to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudettes disorganized circulation was located about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Columbia, South Carolina. It was moving east-northeast at 20 mph (31 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Aside from rainy weather, it seemed to be business as usual along North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sunday.

At Ace Hardware in Avon, shift manager David Swartwood said they were preparing for whatever might come, but the overall sense was that it wouldnt be that bad in that area. He said winds from the south dont usually cause huge flooding problems, so we dont really anticipate any bad scenarios.

Everybody here has been through it many, many times, so were used to the drill, he said. Weve been prepared.

For the hardware store, he said, that means having supplies like flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, ropes and sandbags on hand. As of Sunday morning, there wasnt a huge rush.

At Stack em High in Kill Devil Hills, a restaurant that specializes in pancakes, co-owner Dawn Kiousis said Sunday morning restaurant service was busy.

Were serving just like normal, she said.

You keep your eye on the weather and you prepare as much stuff in advance as you can, she said. Just know shes gonna win. Mother Nature is going to do what shes going to do, so you just prepare.

___

Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  As daily life returns to normal during the nations COVID-19 recovery, Amtrak trains are once again rumbling through Lincoln on a daily basis.

The California Zephyr, the Amtrak train that runs from Chicago to San Francisco, has resumed its pre-pandemic schedule of one eastbound and one westbound train stopping in Lincoln in the early hours of each day.

ProRail Nebraska, a group of citizens that supports the continuation of passenger train service in the state, met the westbound train at the Lincoln Amtrak station on the first day of resumed daily service, May 24. According to ProRails District 1 director, Richard Schmeling, ProRail opposed the pause in daily service, lobbying Nebraskas federal representatives to support Amtrak through the pandemic.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said daily service was halted on many routes after the Senate declined to pass funding for the service during the pandemic. Now that legislation providing the funding has been passed and signed by the president, he said, Amtrak has resumed service at full capacity.

It enables us to be a better service in the 500 places we serve, he told the Lincoln Journal Star.

It also enabled Amtrak to recall over 2,000 workers nationally that it put on furlough while service was decreased, Magliari said, including conductors, engineers and service people.

Amtrak provides an important service, he said, because for many different reasons, some Americans need or prefer passenger trains as an alternative to long road trips and flights.

For a lot of people, roads like I-70 and I-80 are pretty arduous these days, Magliari said, citing semi trucks, speeding cars and distracted drivers as potential dangers on the interstate highway system.

He said the California Zephyr is particularly special because of the unique vantage it offers of the American West, taking riders to places that cars cannot reach, presenting beautiful mountain and canyon vistas.

And with full service returning, Magliari said, passengers can leave and return on any day, adding flexibility to their experience.

Thats important to Frank Derryberry, who frequently rides the trains from Lincoln to Denver to visit family. On Friday morning he boarded his second Amtrak train this month.

While the trains are convenient and hes glad to avoid the drive to Denver, Derryberry said its frustrating when the trains run late. On Friday, his train was delayed by well over an hour.

I dont like sitting and waiting all night, he said.

But the 69-year-old said taking the train is much better for him than the headaches of driving across the state. He finds the prices reasonable, and now that the trains are running daily once again he can come and go as he pleases.

Its like everything else, Derryberry said, its got its ups and downs.
LHASA, China (AP)  Tourism is booming in Tibet as more Chinese travel in-country because of the coronavirus pandemic, posing risks to the regions fragile environment and historic sites.

The number of visitors is limited to 5,000 per day at the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lamas. Balancing tourist demand with the need to minimize wear and tear on the massive hillside structure is a constant challenge, said Gonggar Tashi, the head administrator.

The biggest challenge for us is the contradiction between the protection and usage of the cultural relics, Tashi told journalists in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.

He spoke during a government-organized tour that gave foreign journalists rare access to Tibet, but under the watchful eye of officials who set the agenda.

The growing numbers of tourists appear unconcerned by political controversies long circling Tibet. Chinas communist forces entered the region in 1951, and the Dalai Lama, Tibets traditional spiritual and political leader, fled to India during an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

Millions of visitors come to Tibet every year, and 2020 saw a 12.6% increase from the previous year, said Ge Lei, deputy director of the China Tourism Marketing Association. He expects the amount of visitors to roughly double by 2026.

The glut of visitors, far exceeding Tibets population of 3.5 million people, means caution is necessary to protect the environment and culture, he said.

Tourists are drawn to the mystique and myth of Tibet as a remote snow-bound land, said Travis Klingberg, a cultural geographer at NYU Shanghai. But Tibet has become a place of beautiful natural landscapes meaningful to the Chinese nation.

Tibet has shifted its focus from international to domestic visitors as Chinas middle class has grown, said Emily Yeh, a professor of geography at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Tibetans have at times complained about Chinese tourists disrespecting cultural traditions, including stepping on prayer flags, she said.

The tourism sector reinforces government propaganda, Yeh said. The ruling Communist Party says it liberated hundreds of thousands of serfs when it overthrew the theocracy in 1951 and has since brought economic development to the high plateau that borders the Himalayas.

Rewriting of history is very much a part of the tourism landscape, Yeh said.

Among the most popular natural sites is Namtso Lake, ringed by snow-capped peaks and Buddhist shrines, with yak herds and migrating birds on the horizon. Further development of the site must be done carefully to avoid damaging what makes it attractive, Ge said.

It will be hard to protect the ecology and culture of Tibet ... if we dont have a long-term plan, he said. So it is very important to establish a set of values and rules of behavior for travel in Tibet while building the facilities.
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP)  Police in Muncie were investigating after a Ball State University student was killed in an off campus shooting.

The shooting happened early Saturday, police said. Deputy Police Chief Melissa Pease said dispatchers received a report of possible fight and shots fired. Pease said the victim was a Ball State student.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A member of a mens chorus group unintentionally slammed into fellow chorists at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, killing one member of the group and seriously injuring another, the group's director said Sunday, clarifying initial speculation that it was a hate crime directed at the gay community.

Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Paul Rolli and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the early investigation shows it was an accident. The 77-year-old driver was taken into custody, but police said no charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.

The elderly driver had ailments that prevented him from walking, according to a statement Sunday from Fort Lauderdale Police, who said he was cooperating with the investigation and there was no evidence drugs or alcohol was involved.

"The early investigation now indicates it looks like it was a tragic accident, but nobodys saying finally what it is, Rolli told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

The driver and the victims were a part of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Mens Chorus family, a small 25-member group of mostly older men.

Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver is also a part of the Chorus family. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community, President Justin Knight said in a statement Sunday, calling it an unfortunate accident.

Rolli was on the float in front of the chorus truck along with Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and other city officials at a staging area where the floats were being readied. Trantalis said the driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told he was next in the parade, crashing into the victims.

The driver continued across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into a fence on the other side of the street, police said.

Rolli was on the other side of the float and didnt witness the crash, but jumped off immediately and ran to the victims. In the confusion, it was unclear what happened.

People were really distraught and some people were crying, said Rolli, who explained that the crash happened in an area where the floats were lining up, so there werent as many parade-goers. I was getting phone calls from people I knew at the other end waiting for the parade saying, Is this true? Is that true, do we have anything to worry about? You dont know at that point.

Fort Lauderdale Police said no arrests have been made saying they are conducting a thorough investigation with the FBI, nothing in a statement they are considering and evaluating all possibilities.

Trantalis, who is Fort Lauderdale's first openly gay mayor, initially told reporters the act was deliberate, adding to the confusion Saturday night.

It terrorized me and all around me ... I feared it could be intentional based on what I saw from mere feet away, he said in a Twitter statement Sunday. As the facts continue to be pieced together, a picture is emerging of an accident in which a truck careened out of control.

Wilton Manors is a tight-knit community near Fort Lauderdale with a vibrant downtown filled with cute shops, where people line up for Rosies famous hamburgers or to gossip and drink at Georgies Alibi Monkey Bar.

Photos and video from the scene showed Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in tears while in a convertible at the parade.

In a statement Saturday night, Wasserman Schultz said she was safe but deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost.

I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration, she said. May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.

A spokesman for the chorus said the director did not want to give interviews, adding that many members of the small group witnessed the fatal crash and were deeply shaken.

The reason people like Wilton manors is the whole community is one big family and thats how we treat each other ... and this has really rattled a lot of people, said Rolli. Even if its an accident, just the loss of a life.

June is Pride Month, commemorating the June 1969 police raid targeting gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York that led to an uprising of LGBTQ Americans and served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.
NEW YORK (AP)  A father whose 11-year-old daughter was killed last December when a New York state police car crashed into his sport utility vehicle says the state trooper involved in the fatal crash pepper sprayed his family and rammed into the SUV twice at high speed.

What did I do? What threat did I pose? Tristin Goods asked in a Daily News interview about the Dec. 22, 2020, encounter with Trooper Christopher Baldner.

The confrontation started when Goods, a 39-year-old Brookyln resident, drove his wife two daughters to visit relatives. The trooper stopped Goods for speeding in the town of Ulster, about 95 miles north of New York City.

The state police said in a news release that Goods fled the scene shortly after the traffic stop, resulting in a police chase. Then a collision occurred between the trooper's car and Goods' SUV, causing the vehicle to overturn, authorities said. Goods' 11-year-old daughter was ejected from the SUV and pronounced dead at the scene.

Goods told the Daily News that after the initial traffic stop, Baldner demanded to know if there were guns or drugs in his vehicle. The trooper then flooded the SUV with pepper spray, Goods said.

Goods said his daughters were crying and he feared for his familys safety. Instinctively, he said, he drove off.

Goods said Baldner gave chase and rammed the back of his SUV twice. Monica was killed, and her sister, Tristina, was injured.

"It is just so hurtful. The guy was crazy, Goods said of the trooper.

State Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into the death on Dec. 28.

State police spokesperson William Duffy told the newspaper that Baldner remains assigned to desk duty. Duffy declined further comment, citing the investigation and an internal probe.
TRENTON, S.C. (AP)  A maker of emergency generators is already expanding how many people it will employ at its new South Carolina plant, even before production begins.

Wisconsin-based Generac Power Systems announced Thursday that it would hire another 300 workers, boosting employment at its new Edgefield County facility to a total of 750.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP)  The congregations of Temple Emanuel, Davenport, and the Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island, are leaving their respective buildings and moving to a new, single location on Davenports East Kimberly Road to pool resources and make each stronger.

The new space will be called Beit Shalom Jewish Community, meaning house of peace, and it is being created in an existing building originally constructed as a Ryans Family Steak House, later a Mel Foster Co. office. Leaders hope it will be ready by early September in time for the Jewish High Holy Days.

The Quad-City Times reports the reason for the historic move is that both congregations have experienced declining membership, and more than five years ago, leaders of the Tri-City Center realized that their building, constructed in 1981, had become bigger than they needed and was no longer centrally located to its members, Steve Geifman, president of the new community, explained. The center began exploring options and talking with leaders of Temple Emanuel.

Earlier this year the two reached a sharing agreement in which they each will maintain their own identity, board of trustees and prayer books and services, but will share space and a rabbi, Rabbi Linda Bertenthal, who will serve as rabbi to both, said.

Temple Emanuel was founded in 1861, is the oldest Jewish congregation in Iowa and is a Reform congregation. The Tri-City Jewish Center, founded in 1936, is a Conservative, or Traditional, congregation that, in 1950 and 1968, took into its fold two Orthodox congregations founded in Rock Island in the early 1900s.

The congregations expect that by pooling their resources that they will become stronger and more vital, creating the kind of critical mass that makes worship and celebrations more meaningful, Rabbi Bertenthal said.

Together, Beit Shalom will have about 180 member families, making the new, 11,000-square-foot location just the right size, Geifman said. By comparison, it is about the same size as Temple Emanuel, while the Tri-City center is about 30,000 square feet.

The Beit Shalom location at 2215 E. Kimberly Road, just west of the intersection with Jersey Ridge Road, was built in 1992. When the steak house closed, the building was briefly occupied by Bishops Buffet, then was purchased by Mel Foster Co. as a headquarters, but has been vacant for at least five years.

The building was purchased for $685,000 in December 2019, according to Scott County Assessor records, and it is being gutted and reconstructed by Russell Construction Co. About $1.4 million will go into rehabbing the 10,000-square-foot space, according to building permit records on the county assessor website.

We did it, Geifman said one recent morning, leading a construction tour of the building. Its working. Were really excited.

The front door will open to a foyer with a mosaic Tree of Life on the floor that will merge into Trees of Life on the walls, brought from both synagogues. The sanctuary will be straight ahead in the middle of the building, flanked by equal spaces that can be opened or closed as needed to form separate rooms or create a bigger sanctuary. The area, located on the northeast corner of the building, will be flooded with light from existing windows.

Classrooms will be built on the south, opening to a patio. There will be a kosher-style kitchen, available for events and catering; a library that can double as a small chapel; offices, and a room with video equipment so that events, meetings or services such as funerals can be live-streamed to people who cannot attend in person.

There also will be space for both congregations memorabilia, Geifman said.

Religious and historic objects will be removed from their respective homes and incorporated into the new space, including three ner tamids, or Eternal Lights, that are always lighted to symbolize Gods eternal presence. Also being brought over are the oversized doors and Ten Commandments from the Rock Island synagogue, stained glass windows from Temple Emanuel, and the arks of the law, or cabinets, that enshrine the sacred Torah scrolls used for public worship, Geifman said.

The building also will be home to the Jewish Federation of the Quad-Cities, a nonprofit organization formed in 1980 to provide social services to the Jewish community, especially senior citizens and children, and to be the voice of the Jewish community to the Quad-Cities at large. One of the smallest of 155 Jewish Federations in North America, it has been located in the Tri-City center.

The new location is not blessed with the park-like setting of the Tri-City center, with its many trees and stream, but landscaping is part of the plan and, overall, the building was right-sized for both communities, Geifman said. It also has 180 parking slots, something that would be hard to find elsewhere in the middle of town, he said.

Although the Beit Shalom site might not be 100% completed by Sept. 6-16, the time of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Geifman expects it to be far enough along for observance.

In bringing the Jewish community together, I feel great optimism and joy, Rabbi Bertenthal said. I think it will strengthen both congregations and the community in general.

Geifman agrees. While some might regard the change as downsizing, in reality, it makes us stronger, he said.

Our membership is excited. It is the best thing and at the right time.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  Disciplinary hearings for New Hampshire police officers accused of misconduct serious enough for decertification should not be automatically held behind closed doors, a judge ruled.

The judges decision came as the Legislature voted to make disciplinary proceedings public. A Sununu spokesman told New Hampshire Public Radio that the governor supports the bill.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP)  Late spring frosts have taken a bite out of the cherry harvest in parts of western Michigan, leaving some farms without any cherries at all.

Cold weather in April and May has left Moelker Orchards in Grand Rapids with no sweet or tart cherries for sale this season, and instead looking ahead to a good apple harvest in September, WOOD-TV reported.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  A shootout between government forces and Pakistani Taliban fighters overnight in a northwestern territory left two militants and a soldier dead, the military said early Sunday.

A military statement said security forces conducted an operation in the Spinwam area of North Waziristan, a tribal region that has served as a sanctuary for local and foreign militants.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP)  The Navajo Nation has reported six new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths.

Tribal health officials released the latest numbers on Saturday.

The sprawling reservation that stretches into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah has seen at 30,965 known cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began and 1,346 deaths.

The Navajo Department of Health on Friday lifted the nations stay-at-home order, easing restrictions to allow in-person meetings and ceremonies of 25 people or fewer and drive-thru gatherings of up to 100 vehicles.

Face masks are required by everyone, whether or not they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer on Friday vetoed a resolution to reopen parks on the nation, including parks that encompass Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, to 100% capacity.

Nez and Lizer said in a letter to the Navajo Nation Council that the nation needs to be careful with variants of the disease still circulating.

They said that rather than opening the parks to full capacity, opening to 50% capacity would allow officials to monitor the impacts of reopening and gradually increase capacity from there.
AP

NORTH BEND, Oregon (AP)  A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people in a small Oregon city forced a woman to drive him more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Wisconsin, where he surrendered to police, authorities said Sunday.

Oen Evan Nicholson approached Laura Johnson, 34, after she returned to her parking spot during a her lunch break on Friday in Springfield, Oregon, and forced her to drive him in her car, police said. Authorities were notified Sunday morning that Nicholson had surrendered to police peacefully in Milwaukee but did not release details about how he gave himself up.
CARLISLE, Pa. (AP)  The remains of 10 more Native American children who died more than a century ago at a boarding school in central Pennsylvania are being disinterred and will be returned to their relatives, authorities said.

A team of archaeologists began work Saturday at the cemetery on the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks, which also houses the U.S. Army War College. Nine of the children were from the Rosebud Sioux tribe in South Dakota and one is from the Alaskan Aleut tribe.

The cemetery contains more than 180 graves of students who attended the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School  a government-run boarding school for Native American children. This is the Armys fourth disinterment project at the school in as many years.

The school founded by an Army officer opened in 1879 and housed some 10,000 indigenous children before it shut down in 1918. Students were forced to cut their braids, dress in uniforms, speak English and adopt European names. Infectious disease and harsh conditions claimed the lives of many of the children buried there.

The Army is fully funding the cost of the project  about $500,000 per year, including travel to the transfer ceremony as well as transport and reburial of the deceased children, said Barbara Lewandrowski of the Office of Army Cemeteries. The Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery closed Monday and will likely remain closed until July 17.

The Armys commitment remains steadfast to these nine Native American families and one Alaskan Native family. Our objective is to reunite the families with their children in a manner of utmost dignity and respect, Karen Durham-Aguilera, Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries, said in a statement Tuesday.

Since 2016, dozens of Native American and Alaskan Native families have requested that their ancestors be returned from Carlisle, Lewandrowski said.

The children's English names, and where available their Native Americans names, were: Dennis Strikes First (Blue Tomahawk), Rose Long Face (Little Hawk), Lucy Take The Tail (Pretty Eagle), Warren Painter (Bear Paints Dirt), Ernest Knocks Off (White Thunder), Maud Little Girl (Swift Bear), Friend Hollow Horn Bear, Dora Her Pipe (Brave Bull) and Alvan  also known as Roaster, Kills Seven Horses and One That Kills Seven Horses; and Sophia Tetoff of the Alaskan Aleut tribe on Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea.

The Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center archives at Dickinson College include newspaper clippings detailing the deaths of some students or identification cards with name, tribal affiliation, date of arrival and date of departure, with the reason for the latter often listed as death, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Dennis Strikes First arrived Oct. 6, 1879 and died Jan.19, 1887 of typhoid pneumonia. A news item indicates that he was the son of Blue Tomahawk of Rosebud Agency, Dakota and calls him a bright, studious, ambitious boy, standing first in his class, and of so tractable a disposition as to be no trouble to his teachers.

Another clipping detailed the Dec. 14, 1880, deaths of Ernest Knocks Off and Maud Little Girl, describing it as a sad and mysterious coincidence. Ernest was sent to the hospital in October to receive treatment for a sore throat, but he wouldnt agree to take any medicine, leaving him weak and exhausted. Maud Little Girl was said to have died of pneumonia and was called a bright, impulsive, warm-hearted girl, much beloved by her school mates.
WOODBRIDGE, N.J. (AP)  State authorities are investigating the death of a motorcycle rider killed in a traffic accident after a New Jersey police officer tried to stop him last week.

The New Jersey attorney general's office reports that a Woodbridge Township officer tried to stop the rider shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday in the northbound lanes of Route 1. Authorities said the motorcycle rider continued north and was struck by a truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)  A tractor-trailer operator accused of driving away after sideswiping a Massachusetts state trooper has been arrested, officials said.

The driver is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts after his arrest Saturday in New Haven, Connecticut. The tractor-trailer was impounded.
AURORA, Ill. (AP)  One year ago, Elias Akwo and Chaz Nieponski dropped everything and raced to their Aurora storefront to find the windows smashed and an entire display of crystal merchandise shattered across the floor.

The Wheaton couple had been watching the civil unrest unfold on TV when they received a dreaded phone call that their downtown business, The Crystal House, was among those being vandalized the night of May 31, 2020.

Neighbors tried to stave off the destruction as best they could, Akwo recalls, fending off the looters, sweeping up broken glass and helping to board up the windows at the building where he and his wife had relocated their shop just months earlier. But thousands of dollars worth of intricate, custom-made pieces -- engraved glassware, miniature figurines, a crystal replica of the Chicago skyline -- had already been destroyed or stolen.

After a challenging year of trying to recoup the loss while also navigating the COVID-19 crisis, Akwo said, were still recovering.

The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last May sparked a wave of protests nationwide, with some resulting in civil unrest -- including in Chicago and its two largest suburbs.

In Aurora, officials say what started as a peaceful demonstration took a violent turn when agitators infiltrated the crowd and caused more than $3 million in damage to the downtown area. A similar scenario played out the next day in Naperville when instigators arrived at the tail-end of a lawful protest and began smashing storefronts and burglarizing businesses.

Other towns experienced vandalism, too, such as graffiti and broken windows in Arlington Heights and the looting of liquor and cellphone stores in Elgin.

A year later, the physical evidence of the riots has vanished. But long after the plywood was taken down and the foot traffic picked up in the downtown streets, some small business owners and residents are still feeling the emotional and financial effects.

This didnt happen in isolation. It (happened) amid a global pandemic that already caused businesses to shutter and lose money, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said. It added insult to injury.

On May 31, Naperville Running Company owner Kris Hartner stayed overnight in his downtown store, afraid the looting and vandalism occurring one town over in Aurora would cross city lines.

It never did. But the next morning, June 1, 2020, local business owners were again on high alert as rumors of future riots circulated, he said. So Hartner solicited help from friends, loaded his entire inventory -- nearly 5,000 pairs of shoes -- into a U-Haul truck, and stashed it far away from the downtown.

With the lights on and the racks empty, the Naperville Running Company remained untouched. But at least 30 other businesses werent so lucky, Police Chief Robert Marshall said.

Looters smashed windows and entered stores, leaving with as much merchandise as they could carry. Rocks and bottles were thrown at police officers, who were vastly outnumbered as they tried to gain control of the downtown while practicing tolerance, the chief said.

I cannot think of a time in my entire career where our downtown was victimized like that, Marshall said. Initially, residents and business owners were going, How could this have happened? Then, once people got over the shock and the disappointment, there was definitely anger.

Similar emotions emanated through Aurora, where police cars and businesses were set on fire, and family-owned establishments -- some new, some longtime fixtures of the community -- were cleared out within minutes.

For longtime Aurora resident Blanca Rodriguez, the destruction was devastating. Integral pieces of her life were suddenly in ruins along a stretch of Broadway Street: her local bank, the gallery where she works, her hair salon and a jewelry store that has been in business for 27 years.

It was the saddest day for a lot of people, Rodriguez said.

Hundreds of volunteers showed up in downtown Aurora the day after the civil unrest to clean up broken glass and board up windows.

Mere hours after the unruly mob filled the downtown Aurora streets, a small cleanup crew of volunteers and business owners took their place, said Irvin, who got a call just before 6 a.m. about their efforts. The city streamed the scene on Facebook Live, and soon, hundreds of people had joined in.

Companies handed out brooms and boarded up windows for free. Church parishioners passed out coffee and doughnuts. Community members launched fundraisers for businesses that were looted. Local artists painted the plywood with colorful murals and messages of hope, equity and justice, transforming the downtown into a makeshift drive-through art exhibit.

There was a special camaraderie and pride of community that morning as we swept up broken glass and painted boarded windows, said Marissa Amoni, manager of the Aurora Downtown organization. The resulting artwork and community support were incredible.

The day after the Naperville riots, downtown property owner Steve Rubin arrived early with his wife to clean up and evaluate the damage.

I was late to the party, he said. It seemed like the whole town turned out.

As frustrated and heartbroken as he was the night before, Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico says he knows the damage to life and property could have been much worse. And at the sight of the communitys response the next morning, his anger was replaced with pride.

To see everyone come out and be positive and energized and volunteering to come forward to pick up the pieces, it was just a really inspirational moment in our community, Chirico said.

The threat of more riots loomed as protests continued in the days and weeks following, prompting businesses in several suburban towns to board up their windows and shut down early for fear of being the next target.

Unease permeated through Aurora and Naperville as establishments cautiously weighed whether to reopen. Some community members avoided the downtown areas altogether.

Hartner moved his thousands of pairs of shoes back into the Naperville Running Company but boarded up his storefront out of precaution.

The Crystal House in Aurora remained closed for a month to complete repairs. Coming off a weekslong shutdown due to the pandemic, Akwo said, that period was very, very challenging.

But after a few weeks, the painted plywood was removed from windows and stored away for safekeeping. COVID-19 restrictions were loosened, and economic activity started to pick up again.

The businesses that were damaged or looted began to rebuild as best they could amid the pandemic, with many receiving financial help from government or community initiatives.

We know the losses were still tremendous and still impacted some businesses for months ahead, Irvin said. However, the resilience of Aurora was in full effect. We went from broken storefronts and fires, to boarded-up storefronts and murals, to reopened storefronts and customers.

While the cities were rebounding economically, community leaders also have been trying to address the emotional toll, not only of the unrest but also of Floyds murder and other deaths.

I dont think anyone can deny that change is needed, said Rubin, chairman of Napervilles downtown advisory commission.

Weve recovered, but we need to continue the dialogue.

Chirico and Marshall said theyve had countless meetings, particularly with young activists and minority groups, to hear their concerns and explain Naperville police policies. Theyre working to restore trust, Marshall said, and asking, What can we do better?

In Aurora, Irvin said his administration has conducted community sessions, implemented body cameras for officers, enacted a civilian review board and launched a CHANGE Reform Initiative, which stands for Community Helping Auroras Necessary Growth and Empowerment.

I am encouraged to see the systemic changes we have made at city hall and those that are happening throughout our community, the mayor said. While we have much work to do, our foundation is much more formidable now.

That message of hope, resiliency, diversity and community is the reason The Crystal House moved to Aurora in the first place, Akwo said.

And its why, even after a troubling year, its owners wouldnt consider leaving.

___

Source: (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald, https://bit.ly/3fDCozl
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  After a year of protests over police brutality, some Republican-controlled states have ignored or blocked police-reform proposals, moving instead in the other direction by granting greater powers to officers, making it harder to discipline them and expanding their authority to crack down on demonstrations.

The sponsors of the GOP measures acted in the wake of the nationwide protests that followed George Floyds death, and they cited the disturbances and destruction that spread last summer through major U.S. cities, including Portland, New York and Minneapolis, where Floyd died at the hands of officers.

We have to strengthen our laws when it comes to mob violence, to make sure individuals are unequivocally dissuaded from committing violence when theyre in large groups, Florida state Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin, a Republican, said during a hearing for an anti-riot bill that was enacted in April.

RELEVANT: DON'T HAND YOUR BEER TO A COP AT A TRAFFIC STOP

Florida is one of the few states this year to both expand police authority and pass reforms: A separate bill awaiting action by the governor would require additional use-of-force training and ensure officers intervene if another uses excessive force.

States where lawmakers pushed back against the police-reform movement included Arizona, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming, according to an Associated Press review of legislation.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Thursday to expand qualified immunity for police officers and enhance penalties for protesters, including elevating rioting to a felony.

This is about protecting law enforcement and giving them the tools they need to keep our communities safe and showing them that we have their back, said state Rep. Jarad Klein, a supporter of the bill.

The bill passed the GOP-controlled Legislature despite promises last summer by the Republican governor and GOP legislative leaders to try to end discriminatory police behavior and adopt other criminal-justice reforms.

Reynolds introduced measures at the start of the 2021 legislative session to ban racial profiling by police and establish a system for tracking racial data on police stops. Both ideas were recommended by a task force the governor appointed in November 2019.

Instead, Republican lawmakers left out those proposals and pushed through the new bill.

Reynolds acknowledged that she doesnt always get what she wants, even from her own party. She plans to reintroduce the measures next year, a spokesperson said.

Reform advocates found the quick reversal by Iowa Republicans disappointing.

Would it have been too hard to do the right thing? Democratic state Rep. Ras Smith asked during a floor debate over the bill. You decided to make this an either-or, to trample on freedom, to show support for law enforcement in ways that they didnt even ask for.

After Floyds death, Oklahoma Democrats tried to seize on the protest movement to pass bills that would ban the use of chokeholds, provide uniform guidance for body cameras and create a database of police use-of-force incidents. But none of those proposals even received a hearing. One GOP lawmaker called them unnecessary after the measures faced opposition from rank-and-file officers, prosecutors and county sheriffs.

Instead, the Republican-dominated Statehouse passed legislation to grant immunity to drivers whose vehicles strike and injure protesters on public streets and to prevent the doxxing, or releasing of personal identifying information, of law enforcement officers if the intent is to stalk, harass or threaten the officer.

MORE POLITICS: TED CRUZ HOPES MATTHEW MACCONAUGHEY DOESN'T ENTER POLITICS

I was a little disappointed because these were simply accountability measures" aimed at "making sure the public understands what happens when something goes wrong, said state Rep. Monroe Nichols, a Democrat whose father and uncle were police officers.

In Wyoming, Democratic state Rep. Karlee Provenza introduced a bill that would have prevented officers who are dismissed for misconduct from being hired by another law enforcement agency. Her bill passed the House but failed in the Senate, which are both controlled by Republicans.

If the conversation is, This is an anti-policing bill, rather than, This is an accountability bill, it has a steeper hill to climb, Provenza said.

Byron Oedekoven, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police, said the measure was not needed. Law enforcement, he said, already does a good job vetting officers, including following hiring standards in state law and voluntarily reporting officers who are decertified to a national database.

While cities across the U.S. were creating or expanding civilian police oversight boards, Republican governors in Tennessee and Arizona signed into law measures that could reduce the independence of those boards. The GOP laws require board members to complete hours of police training or mandate that a majority of board positions be filled with sworn officers. Critics say such steps defeat the purpose of civilian oversight.

The review boards were intended to address concerns, especially in Black communities, that police departments have little oversight outside their own internal review systems, which often clear officers of wrongdoing in fatal shootings.

It has all the trappings of making it look like the fox is watching the henhouse here, Arizona state Sen. Kirsten Engel, a Democrat, said of that state's measure.

Some states continue to introduce bills to protect police, including recent proposals in Ohio and Kentucky that would make taunting or filming a police officer a crime. But about half of states have embraced at least some reform measures.

Since May 2020, at least 67 police reforms have been signed into law in 25 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Those laws addressed neck restraints and chokeholds, body cameras, disciplinary and personnel records, and independent investigations, among other reforms.

At least 13 states enacted restrictions on the use of force, and at least eight have implemented laws beefing up officer reviews and investigations, according to the NCSL data.

Minnesota banned chokeholds. Colorado became the first state in the country to strip police of qualified immunity. Washington enacted a dozen police-reform laws, including restricting the use of no-knock warrants and designating an independent investigator for fatal police shootings. Even GOP-dominated Texas, where Floyds body was laid to rest, implemented more uniform disciplinary actions for officer misconduct.

Some Democrats in Republican-controlled states have become discouraged in their quest to change the justice system.

MORE NEWS: LEGENDARY HOUSTON HONKY-TONK BURNS DOWN IN BIZARRE FIRE

We just hit so many roadblocks, said South Dakota Rep. Linda Duba, a Democrat who was part of a coalition to pass reforms.

In the reckoning over Floyds death, there seemed to be momentum to reevaluate the role of policing in minority communities, Duba said, but the issue steadily calcified along political lines.

Its happening slowly because we live in a state where people are either not exposed to it, dont believe it happens or believe it's unpatriotic to criticize law enforcement, she said.

___

Associated Press writers Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas; Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa; and Colleen Slevin in Denver contributed to this report.

___

Farnoush Amiri is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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More low-skilled workers should become permanent residents, study says

More low-skilled workers should become permanent residents, study says Ryerson University study recommends a high-volume pathway to permanent residence for lower-skilled residents in Canada.

More low-skilled workers should become permanent residents, study says Ryerson University study recommends a high-volume pathway to permanent residence for lower-skilled residents in Canada.

More low-skilled workers should become permanent residents, study says Ryerson University study recommends a high-volume pathway to permanent residence for lower-skilled residents in Canada. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canada should do more to retain lower-skilled temporary residents in Canada, according to a Ryerson University policy brief.



The brief was published by the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Migration and Integration.

The CERC is a program that supports Canadian universities by awarding world-renowned researchers up to $10 million to establish research projects. The CERC in Migration and Integration at Ryerson University is the first CERC awarded to the university.

Every year, Canada welcomes over 350,000 new permanent residents, around two thirds had lived in Canada temporarily beforehand. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada is committed to welcoming large numbers of new immigrants.

There are also around 600,000 temporary residents who come to Canada annually. Most of those who become permanent residents, however, work in what are called highly skilled occupations. Temporary residents in so-called low skilled occupations have less opportunities to transition to permanent residence.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of low-skilled workers to the economy. These workers took jobs like grocery store clerks, hospital cleaners, and farm workers.

Demand for lower-skill jobs is also expected to grow as a consequence of increased demand for labour over the next decade, although this growth is projected to unfold at a lower rate than high-skilled jobs.

Sectors such as childcare, family services, commercial transportation, food services and building construction are projected to grow over the next 10 years. Also, Canadas aging population will increase demand for health care and social services, as baby boomers reach retirement age.

This increasing demand for lower-skill jobs may be due to Canadian-born workers reluctance to fill these positions. Many high-skilled permanent residents end up with lower-skilled jobs because of this high demand.

What current immigration programs target lower-skill workers?

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) regularly invites a number of low-skilled workers to apply for provincial nomination for permanent residence. This is through the Entry Level and Semi-skilled Worker category.

The In-Demand Skills Stream in Ontario provides some workers in high-need occupations a pathway to permanent residence.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is another option for lower-skilled workers who wish to immigrate to any one of Canadas Atlantic provinces  New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

In addition, the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot provides 2,750 workers in the agriculture and agri-food industries a pathway to permanent residence.

One common aspect of these programs that target low skilled workers is that they are small in scale.

For this reason, the policy brief calls for expanding the two-step immigration system to include lower-skilled residents.

The two-step immigration system refers to those who come to Canada temporarily, and then transition into permanent residents.

Canada recently announced six new immigration programs for temporary foreign workers, including workers in health care, other essential workers, international graduates and French-speaking workers and graduates.

Although these new programs are time-limited, the policy brief describes them as being a step in the right direction.

Get a free Canadian immigration assessment

Canada should offer more options for lower-skilled workers

The policy brief recommends that Canada create a pathway to permanent residence for lower-skilled temporary workers that is ongoing, and that accepts a large volume of applicants.

It is also recommended that Canada allocates between 10 and 20 per cent of economic class applicants to lower-skilled workers, and invites eligible temporary foreign workers to apply for permanent residence.

In addition, Canada is encouraged to introduce new policies that help protect foreign domestic workers from a drop in wages.

Canada should also invest in settlement services for temporary foreign workers who are eligible to transition to permanent residence.

Finally, Canada is encouraged to communicate the economic contribution of low-skilled workers to the Canadian public to address any concerns or anti-immigration sentiment that may arise as a result.

Get a free Canadian immigration assessment

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
William Russell Allton was born in Dewey, Oklahoma on April 25, 1931 to Russell Frank and Alice Mae (Steffens) Allton. He attended school in Claremore and graduated with the class of 1948. On August 26, 1949 Bill married Jimmie Louise Reed and the couple made Tulsa home for the first 25 year
In the past three months, my husband and I have married off two nephews and a niece. Mazel tov.
A Columbus man who was charged with a hate crime after making antisemitic comments and threats against his next door neighbors has pled guilty to the charge.
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Michelle Wulfson | The ItemRoxie Douglas Learning Institute director Carmen Irving and secretary and board member Letha Thompson are excited to move forward with renovating their existing building, as well as adding on to an existing structure at the back of the property in order to be able to accommodate more students in need.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 18)  More Filipino healthcare workers can now work abroad as the country's pandemic task force has increased the ceiling on those who can be deployed.

Malacanang on Friday announced the annual cap will be increased to 6,500 from 5,000. Healthcare workers under Mission Critical Skills with perfected contracts as of May 31 will be part of the adjusted ceiling.

The cap excludes government-to-government deployment.

A temporary ban on the deployment of nurses and other healthcare workers overseas was imposed two weeks ago after the 5,000 limit was reached.

Late last year, the Inter-Agency Task Force said the cap was needed given the "national demand" for healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A nurses group welcomed the development.

"Kasi meron pa namang mga exemption... kailangan din ng Pilipinas ng mga nurses so sa tingin ko sapat na 'yan," Philippine Nurses Association President Melbert Reyes told CNN Philippines' News.PH.

[Translation: Because there are still exemptions... and the Philippines also needs nurses, so I think that is enough.]

Reyes said nurses who have remained in the country still face the same issues such as lack of job security and low salary.

"Masaya tayo na nandito sila at nagsisilbi pero nakakalungkot na hindi sila binibigyan ng pagpapahalaga," he added.

[Translation: We are happy they are here and they are serving the public but it's sad that they are not given importance.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20) - Around 1,300 Filipinos remain stranded in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates due to travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the figure, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Sunday about 400 overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their children were longing to return to the country.

Actually, we have a figure of 1,300 OFs and OFWs. Of the 1,300, about 400 lang ang mga OFs with their children. All the rest are OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), said Bello in an interview with CNN Philippines Newsroom Weekend.

The Philippine government has extended the ban on travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the UAE until June 30, to prevent the Delta variant from reaching the country.

The government has also imposed a 1,500-passenger travel cap on inbound international flights to help stem the spread of the coronavirus in the country, especially its more transmissible variants.

Only Filipinos covered by the repatriation programs of the government or recruitment agencies are allowed to return.

Bello said he would talk with the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force about increasing the number of OFWs allowed to enter the country.

One of these days, I will have to talk to IATF to consider increasing the limit of the entry of our OFWs, he said.

I will submit my recommendation to the technical working group when they meet either on Tuesday or Wednesday, so they can submit for consideration of the Inter-Agency Task Force, added Bello.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  The Philippine government has signed a supply agreement for 40 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the biggest vaccine procurement for 2021.

We are very happy to report that the government and the management of Pfizer have finally concluded our negotiations. Secretary Duque and I signed yesterday the supply agreement for the biggest and most decisive deal we had for 2021, said National Task Force against COVID 19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in a statement on Sunday.

A term sheet for the procurement inked in May detailed all the conditions and offers for the supply.

Galvez said the deliveries of the vaccine would start "eight weeks starting August."

He added the Pfizer vaccines would be delivered to all provinces and regions through what he called "hubs and spokes," and urged local government units to be ready for the arrivals.

We again emphasize for LGUs to ensure third party logistics and cold chain service providers for very sensitive vaccines like Pfizer, Moderna and Sputnik V. We dont want any vaccine to be wasted because of spoilage and mishandling, "he said.

In the statement, Galvez said the procurement of the vaccines would be done through a multilateral arrangement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), saying the loan funds through multilateral partners  like the ADB -- follows a direct disbursement scheme wherein payments are paid directly by the fund manager to the vaccine manufacturer.

Through this scheme, the Filipino people can be assured that our transactions on vaccine procurement will be transparent, as the funds will not pass through the hands of any government official or agency. Wala pong dumadaan na pera sa amin [No money goes through us], he emphasized.

READ: PH administers 8M COVID vaccine doses

With the latest supply agreement, the Philippines has now secured the delivery of 113 million doses from five manufacturers namely, Sinovac with 26 million doses, Sputnik V with 10 million doses, 20 million doses from Moderna, 17 million doses from Astrazeneca, and 40 million doses from Pfizer.

The COVAX facility has also committed to deliver a total of 44 million doses to the country this year, bringing to 157 million doses the total number of doses secured by the Philippines.

Meanwhile, around 16 million doses from Novavax and Johnson & Johnson are still under negotiations.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  Over 8 million coronavirus shots have been administered across the Philippines, reflecting that Filipinos' vaccine hesitancy is fading, a government official said Sunday.

Citing data from the National Vaccination Operations Center, vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said 5.95 million were already given as the first dose, while 2.09 million were administered as the second dose.

"Were now seeing an upward trajectory in the vaccination across all priority groups. This is a very good indication that vaccine hesitancy is being addressed and more Filipinos, especially our senior citizens, are now willing to get inoculated," he was quoted as saying in a statement.

Galvez also said the government averaged more than one million shots for the past two weeks, claiming this mirrored Filipinos' growing trust in COVID-19 vaccines, China's Sinovac in particular.

Last June 15, the government posted its highest daily vaccination rate of 322,929 shots.

"We are happy that the public uptake for Sinovac has also increased significantly. The steady supply of doses particularly of this brand will enable us to fast track the inoculation of the A4 priority group, as well as provide much-needed vaccines to emerging hotspots across the country," the official said.

"We will sustain our momentum, as we expect a steady supply of vaccines in the coming weeks and months," Galvez said.

READ: PH receives 1.5M Sinovac doses, more arriving on June 24

As of June 20, 1.05 million healthcare workers have been inoculated; 1.93 million senior citizens have received their first dose, while 536,476 already got both vaccine shots.

Under the A3 category, or for persons with comorbidities, two million Filipinos received their first dose, while 498,925 are now fully vaccinated.

A total of 8,127 Filipinos under the A4 category have been fully vaccinated, while 452,600 more await their second dose.

RELATED: Roque: Workers under A4 only need job ID for vaccination

Almost 4,000 vaccination sites have been deployed by the government to ramp up its inoculation drive.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  Vice President Leni Robredo joined the list of officials calling for the deployment of more coronavirus vaccines to local government units outside Metro Manila and eight other priority areas.

Robredo on Sunday echoed the appeal, as researchers monitoring the pandemic continue to flag high numbers of infections in some parts in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Yung request natin ngayon hindi nalang dito sa Metro Manila, pero yung mga areas of concern all over the Philippines, sana masuportahan [Our request is that areas of concern which are outside Metro Manila are also given support], Robredo said during her weekly radio show.

City mayors have urged the national government to increase vaccine allocations in other regions which are seeing a spike in cases. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has also lamented the supposed unfair distribution of supplies in the country.

'Yun talaga yung problema, Robredo continued. Halimbawa, dito sa Metro Manila, nakita natin sa balita, A5 (indigent population) na yung binabakunahan, pero sa mga probinsya hindi pa nga tapos yung A2 (senior citizens).

[Translation: Thats really the problem. For example, here in NCR, theyre already vaccinating the A5 group, but in the provinces, theyre not even done with the A2.]

The government is currently prioritizing the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao in its immunization program. These are areas it has dubbed as economic centers highly vulnerable to the coronavirus.

According to the Department of Health, distributing the bulk of the limited vaccines to the so-called "NCR Plus 8" will help the country attain herd immunity faster.

The government also maintained that even with such prioritization, it has not been neglecting other parts of the country, adding that it vows to deploy additional doses to areas where cases are on the rise.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20)  The government still has a lot to improve on to ensure all students are sufficiently guided amid distance learning, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.

During her weekly radio show, Robredo pointed out theres a need to recalibrate current policies and strategies in consideration of all types of learners from different backgrounds.

Yung accessibility, ito talaga yung dapat na tinututukan, she said. Kasi halimbawa ngayon, wala parin tayong face-to-face, so papaano? Yun parin bang dati? Wala bang parang improvement sa dating ginawa natin na modules?

[Translation: Ensuring accessibility is something we really need to focus on. Because for instance, if face-to-face classes are still prohibited, what happens then? Would the situation be the same as before? Would there be no improvement from just printing modules?]

Distributing self-learning materials to students is one of the Department of Educations methods to assure learning continuity in the absence of face-to-face classes. However, while modular learning is okay in the context of a pandemic, Robredo noted other children require more hands-on assistance.

Ang dami kasing pwedeng gawin na para sakin hindi ginagawa [There are so many things that could be done which I think are not being done], Robredo said.

The vice president cited the community learning hubs that her office launched last year in various areas nationwide. These are centers where students can get assistance from tutors or gain access to gadgets and other materials needed for school requirements.

Last year, naging controversial ang aming community learning hubs kasi my pagkontra 'yung DepEd, et cetera, et cetera, pero sa amin, buti nalang tinuloy namin, Robredo said, stressing the importance of supervision from tutors.

[Translation: Last year, our community learning hubs became controversial because of opposition from the DepEd, et cetera, et cetera, but for us, were glad we went on with it.]

Last November, the Office of the Vice President said it coordinated with local DepEd divisions for the project. The department however, distanced itself from the initiative.

The dispute stemmed from concerns over health risks, but Robredo's office maintained it has been properly observing COVID-19 protocols.

RELATED: Robredo on learning hubs dispute: 'Hindi pwede ang blind obedience'

Kung pinayagan sana o ginawang programa na merong mga small tutorials na, again, ang context pandemic, hindi sana maiiwan yung napakaraming mga bata, Robredo added.

[Translation: If they allowed or launched a program where there are small tutorials, again, in the context of a pandemic, many children wouldnt have been left behind.]

The government has yet to announce the date for the start of classes this coming academic year. According to Education Secretary Leonor Briones, they are still keeping an eye on the Delta variant first identified in India to assess if its safe to allow face-to-face learning in some areas.
(CNN) -- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday proceeded with a plan that could deny communion to public figures who support abortion rights, setting up a potential public rebuke of President Joe Biden.

By a vote of 168 to 55, with six abstentions, the bishops went forward with plans for a report on the meaning of the Eucharist in the church. The vote is part of a longer process, and a rebuke of Biden and other Catholic politicians who support abortion rights is not assured. The report will be developed over the summer and presented for amendments and approval in November.

The Vatican would have to approve any action on behalf of the bishops, and would likely delay that approval if a pointed report is issued.

Biden, an abortion rights advocate who is the first Catholic US president in nearly 60 years, is the most openly religious president since Jimmy Carter. This movement is driven by the extremely conservative wing of the Catholic Church.

Some bishops want the report to be a broader teaching tool for all Catholics about the importance of the sacrament of communion and they have been reminding their fellows of the Pope's exhortation to avoid divisiveness.

Asked at the end of remarks at the White House Friday afternoon about the vote, Biden replied, "That's a private matter and I don't think it's going to happen."

Pew surveys show more than half of US Catholics favor abortion rights and most American Catholics do not believe Biden should be refused communion.

Catholics for Choice, a liberal Catholic group that advocates for abortion rights, said it was "profoundly saddened" by Friday's vote and condemned using the Eucharist "as a weapon of punishment."

"In a country and church already riven with tension and division, today the bishops chose to be partisan instead of pastoral, cruel rather than Christ-like," the group said. "They have chosen to disobey Jesus's command to 'feed one another,' but everyday U.S. Catholics -- 67 percent of whom oppose withholding Communion and other Sacraments from supporters of abortion rights -- will continue to know better and do better."

Biden has for years been asked to square his devout Catholicism with his politics.

The President has been a regular at Mass since childhood and attended Catholic schools. He married his late first wife, Neilia, in a Catholic church and peppers his political speech with quotes from Scripture, Catholic hymns and references to the nuns and priests he learned from in school.

While Biden has personally opposed abortion on religious grounds, he's also said that he doesn't want to force his opinion on others.

"I accept my church's position on abortion as a what we call de fide doctrine. Life begins at conception. That's the church's judgment. I accept it in my personal life," he said during the 2012 vice presidential debate. "But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews. I just refuse to impose that on others," he said.

He added: "I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people, women, that they can't control their bodies. That's a decision between them and their doctor, in my view, and the Supreme Court, I'm not going to interfere with that."

In 2019, Biden was denied communion at a Catholic church in South Carolina over his support for abortion rights.

"I am not going to discuss that. That is just my personal life," Biden said after the incident.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US Catholic bishops advance communion document, setting up potential rebuke of Biden"
In partnership with Central PA Showing Up for Racial Injustice and the Centre Foundation, Iyun and Sylvester Osagie  the parents of Osaze Osagie  created the Osaze Osagie College Scholarship Endowment to honor Osazes legacy.

The endowment, which will include a scholarship committee of leading community members, will formally launch in August to commemorate Osazes birthday, according to Lorraine Jones, who spoke of the scholarship during State College's Juneteenth celebration at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza Saturday.

Osaze, a 29-year-old Black man, was killed by a State College police officer on March 20, 2019 when three officers arrived at Osaze's apartment to serve a mental health warrant.

Osaze, who had autism and a history of schizophrenia, allegedly 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.

Sylvester filed a lawsuit in November 2020 against the borough of State College and Judge Matthew W. Brann of the U.S. Middle District Court of Pennsylvania set a long-term trial date in 2022.

The case may be ready for trial in approximately 729 days, according to Judge Branns case management plan. This puts the suggested date for trial in November 2022, two years after the lawsuit was filed.

The endowment will recognize young people from differing races and genders, especially those from impoverished communities, Jones said, and it will be granted to students for the 2022 school year.

To donate and learn more about the Osaze Osagie College Scholarship Endowment, visit its website.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE
The State College community celebrated the now national holiday Juneteenth on Saturday with live performances, food and guest speakers.

Events ranged from yoga in the morning hosted by Latisha Franklin of "Gratified Grad" to a celebration organized by State College's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People full of live performances and food within the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza in the afternoon.

The NAACP's Remembering our Freedom, Empowering our Future event started with a poem read by Leslie Laing and Terry Watson titled I cannot afford to be tired anymore and was followed by a live performance of the Black National Anthem by Kat Leverenz and Steve Mariner.

As the event progressed, guest speakers and performers took the stage.

This included a speech given by Charles Dumas titled Free at Last alongside a live performance of Freedom," A Change Will Come and Rise Up by Zach Dennis and Leverenz.

Free food and drinks were also provided to those who arrived. Guests were able to choose from a variety of empanadas made locally in State College.

During the event, Lorraine Jones, president of the State College NAACP, spoke about the new Osaze Osagie College Scholarship Endowment that will be awarded to a Penn State student.

Osaze, a 29-year-old Black man, was killed by a State College police officer on March 20, 2019 when three officers arrived at Osaze's apartment to serve a mental health warrant.

Osaze, who had autism and a history of schizophrenia, allegedly 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.

Like many of you today, Osaze Osagie loved his people in the community and wanted to make it a better place for all people. He was a caring student and loved to volunteer, Jones said. Iyun and Sylvester Osagie teamed up with Central PA Showing up for Racial Injustice to start an endowment in honor of his spirit.

She continued by announcing the award will be bestowed to a student in August for the 2022 school year.

Here in State College, we are not immune from the challenges with racial and social justice that have galvanized the nation, Jones said.

Tierra Williams, creator of "Black Tea," was among others who helped put "Liberation Weekend" together  a collection of events hosted by Black Tea and Gratified Grad in celebration of Juneteenth that began Friday.

"The goal for this [weekend] is to continue this and to include many more Black businesses and Black politicians, Williams said. We hope to continue the weekend next year.

Williams received a grant from the owner of 3 Dots Downtown to help fund the show "Black Tea."

The goal of this is really to celebrate Black excellence, and I think we all can agree in the words of June Jordan, We are the ones weve been waiting for, Williams said. We havent seen a platform where we see all these different groups of Black people in one setting. Bringing all these people together in a community like this that has a low percentage of African Americans is very important.

Williams invited those who attended Friday's and Saturday's events to also come back on Sunday for a community conversation at 6 p.m. at the Sidney Friedman Parklet to get to know all people of African descent or Black people within the community."

Penn State student Petras Mhando was among many who came out for the Juneteenth event and the festivities.

Im so glad that the community of State College came together to do something like this and to celebrate the holiday, Mhando (senior-buisness) said. I think it's super important for the people of State College to be aware of Juneteenth and what it means to the Black community.

He said he hopes the event will become a yearly occurrence, as he said many were not aware of the national holiday beforehand.

I truly hope this continues to be an annual event for our community because it really was a great time for everyone that showed up, Mhando said. I can't say enough how much it meant to see all of these individuals [and] organizations come together for an event that acknowledged Juneteenth.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE

New scholarship endowment honors Osaze Osagies State College legacy In partnership with Central PA Showing Up for Racial Injustice and the Centre Foundation, Iy
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Federal government announces first AI action plan

The Australian federal government has released the Artificial Intelligence Action Plan, with four focus areas to position the country as a global leader in AI. The four focus areas include:

supporting businesses to adopt AI

growing and attracting the worlds best AI talent

using AI to solve significant national challenges

making Australia a leader in responsible and inclusive AI

[ Keep up on the latest thought leadership, insights, how-to, and analysis on IT through Computerworlds newsletters. ]

The action plan is backed by $124.1 million in funding announced in the May 2021 budget, with $53.8 million to create a National Artificial Intelligence Centre to coordinate the nations AI expertise and capabilities and foster greater collaboration between industry and research institutions.

The AI graduates program will receive $24.7 million to attract and train home-grown, job-ready AI specialists. The government will also provide $33.7 million to support Australian businesses to partner with government on pilot projects for AI-based solutions to national challenges.

A further $12 million will be used to promote AI opportunities in regional areas by cofunding as many as 36 competitive grants to develop AI solutions that address local or regional challenges.

The plan comes 15 months after the AI roadmap was announced.

NSW puts $28 million towards technology to help prepare for bushfires

The New South Wales government has announced a $28 million investment in research and development of new and emerging industries and technology to prepare the state for future bushfires.

This means establishing the NSW Bushfire Response R&D Missiona priority action as per the states Accelerating R&D Action Planwhich will receive $7 million per year for the next four years as part of the 2021-22 New South Wales budget. The funding will help create a bushfire technology network to engage small business to develop and commercialise bushfire technologies and ensure that new technologies are tested by frontline NSW bushfire services.

The government expects the mission will develop the use of real-time data from space, air and ground-based assets, ensure fire ground decisions made are based on information and computer-aided tools, and enable the use of equipment including robots to aid responders.

In 2020, the NSW government released the final report of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry that included 76 recommendations. They include establishing a spatial technology acceleration program to maximise the information available from the various remote-sensing technologies currently in use and to plan for inclusion of new remote-sensing systems that can sense precisely and rapidly through heavy smoke, cloud, fog, and dust.

Also in 2020, the state government started working with local and international organisations to investigate how it can use data from multiple satellites and local sensor networks to create algorithms that will help detect fires earlier, predict fire behaviour, and help emergency services respond more effectively to protect homes, people, and nature.

Free cloud practitioner program

The McKinsey-backed not-for-profit Generation Australia has launched the cloud practitioner program, a 12-week free online course for people who are not currently employed full time but have the right to work in Australia and are not currently undertaking any other education or training programs.

The course is scheduled to start on 1 July 2021 and will take 50 students in this first cohort. This is the first cloud program Generation Australia has launched; there are plans to take another group in November 2021.

This course is a partnership with Accenture and Microsoft. Accenture has committed to employing 20 graduates from the program within 12 months, with more direct employment opportunities expected through Microsofts One Channel Partner network.

Optus rolls out batteries to keep mobile sites running during grid power failure

Optus has revealed a new battery, developed in partnership with Delta Electronics Australia, that ensures transmission hubs can provide mobile sites up to 20 extra hours of continuity when the transmission hubs main grid power fails. Optus is installing units in 40 sites.

According to Optus, 10 to 20 hours of extra power gives time to authorities to restore services and allow Optus to access a site safely if the area is affected by extreme weather or natural disaster.

The majority of Optus sites rely on a third of its towers, which are transmission hubs; they are where the first battery units are being rolled out.

Dubbed Yes CPX, the batteries monitor the existing battery backup for the critical transmission hub equipment, and when they detect the existing batteries are near depletion, the Yes CPX batteries kicks in to provide another 10 to 20 hours of backup power.
Brokerbriefcase.com scored 42 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 12 May 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the brokerbriefcase homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if brokerbriefcase has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the brokerbriefcase homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the brokerbriefcase homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the brokerbriefcase homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the brokerbriefcase homepage on Twitter + the total number of brokerbriefcase followers (if brokerbriefcase has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Log In DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS login, login page, zywave, new login page, new login, broker briefcase, broker



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of brokerbriefcase.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for brokerbriefcase.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Dulichmy.eu scored 44 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 3 Jul 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the dulichmy homepage on Twitter + the total number of dulichmy followers (if dulichmy has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the dulichmy homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the dulichmy homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the dulichmy homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if dulichmy has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the dulichmy homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Tour du lich my, Du lich my, Du lich Han Quoc, Nhat Ban -CTY TOP TEN DESCRIPTION CTY TOP TEN: Du lich nuoc my, Du lich han quoc, Du lich nhat ban, Du lich chau au, Du lich Canada, Du lich uc_LH: Mr.Toan: 0912.921.525 KEYWORDS Du lich my, Du lich han quoc, Du lich nhat ban, Du lich chau au, Du lich Canada, Du lich uc OTHER KEYWORDS du lch, tour du, hn quc, du lich, khi hnh, thng, gi tour



The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2 (PHP/5.2.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of dulichmy.eu as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for dulichmy.eu by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Congratulations, modestelements.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Modestelements.com scored 75 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 24 Aug 2017, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

Add a widget like this on your site: click here

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the modestelements homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if modestelements has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the modestelements homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the modestelements homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the modestelements homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the modestelements homepage on Twitter + the total number of modestelements followers (if modestelements has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Buy Domains - Find a Premium Domain & Open Your Doors, BuyDomains.com DESCRIPTION Buy a domain and see how a premium domain can be the best investment. Your business starts here. Buy a domain today. KEYWORDS premium domain, buy domain OTHER KEYWORDS islands, island, price, republic, you must provide, you must, must provide



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.4.6 (CentOS) PHP/5.6.8 (PHP/5.6.8) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of modestelements.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for modestelements.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
William Gary Kimbrel, 69, of Cullman passed to his heavenly home on June 25, 2021. A graveside service will be held 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at Oak Level Cemetery. He was saved at an early age and baptized into the Baptist faith. He remained a lifelong Baptist. Mr. Kimbrel was predece
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Elizabeth City, NC (27909)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High 79F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Mrs. Martha Lyndell Wilbanks, age 84, of Chatsworth passed away Thursday, July 1, 2021, at Chatsworth Health Care. She is survived by her husband, Damon Wilbanks of Chatsworth. No public memorial services have been planned at this time. Cremation services were provided by Peeples Funeral Hom
Diane Pineiro-Zucker has been a reporter at the Daily Freeman since April 2013. Pineiro-Zucker worked as a reporter in the Freemans Rhinebeck bureau in the early 1980s, left to become executive editor at Taconic Newspapers in Dutchess County.
In this Jan. 19 photo, President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, listen as Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, delivers the invocation during a COVID-19 memorial at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington. Gregory has made clear that President Biden, who sometimes worships in Washington, is welcome to receive communion at the archdiocese's churches.
Rarely has a behind-closed-doors shadowy Whitehall meeting mattered so much to the lives of so many. Tomorrow, if rumours are correct, Boris Johnson will sit down with Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock to decide whether or not to keep his manifesto promise on social care.

I wanted Boris's job in Downing Street and fought with every breath I had to beat him. But even I, his vanquished rival, had to take my hat off to the big-heartedness of the promise he made on the steps of Downing Street when he got the job.

Those words brought hope to millions: 'I am announcing now  on the steps of Downing Street  that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.'

Optimistic words from a prime minister who has made defying the 'gloomsters' his trademark. And now we need that optimism more than ever to turn Britain into a country where everyone can face the prospect of old age with confidence and security. For that they need to know there will be a decent safety net to make sure everyone gets the care they need  just like the NHS does for health.

They also need to know the loved ones they leave behind won't lose all their savings if they end up with dementia and having to pay expensive care home fees.

But is it too expensive? Understandably some of our national bean-counters are worried it may be, with our national finances shot to pieces by the pandemic.

Tomorrow, if rumours are correct, Boris Johnson (pictured) will sit down with Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock to decide whether or not to keep his manifesto promise on social care

It's time for this Conservative government to fix social care so we can all sleep soundly at night knowing that whatever fate throws at us, we live in a society where every single older person will be treated with dignity and respect [Stock image]

My select committee said last year that this broken system needs a minimum of 7billion more added to its budget every year  an eye-watering sum.

But that was not right away  rather a sum to build up to over the years ahead.

Look underneath the numbers, which the Health Foundation helped us to calculate, and in the short term they are pretty manageable. For example, if the proposals for a cap on care costs  as recommended by Andrew Dilnot  were introduced from April 2023, the additional annual cost would be less than a billion pounds a year in the last year of the parliament.

Not small change by any means  but easily manageable compared to the 23billion we already spend on adult social care annually.

The costs do then go up significantly  but crucially not in the immediate post-pandemic period when we are having to fund other pressures such as the NHS backlog.

There are of course other things we need to fix too  in particular merging the system with the NHS and making sure local authorities can fulfil their duties.

But we will have to pay many of these anyway because they are caused by increases in the number of older people and promised rises in the national living wage.

We also need to consider what will happen if we do nothing, as I know to my cost from my time as health secretary: the system will just carry on doing what it always has done and export its most vulnerable patients back into NHS hospitals.

People need to know the loved ones they leave behind won't lose all their savings if they end up with dementia and having to pay expensive care home fees. Pictured: Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is believed to be attending a meeting on social care on Tuesday

Tomorrow is a do-or-die moment for social care. Conservatives have always respected the different generations that make up the fabric of our society. Pictured: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who is believed to be attending a meeting on social care on Tuesday

Nothing could be worse as we try to bring down the waiting times for five million people  and we are guaranteed winter crisis after winter crisis when hospitals fill up. So rather than put our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away, it is time to grasp the nettle.

Come on Boris! On top of what we are going to have to pay anyway  because of demography and manifesto commitments to protect people's homes  the additional amounts necessary are much smaller than the headline figures. Japan and Germany have both grasped the nettle  surely we can too?

Tomorrow is a do-or-die moment for social care. Conservatives have always respected the different generations that make up the fabric of our society.

It's time for this Conservative government to get this done so we can all sleep soundly at night knowing that whatever fate throws at us, we live in a society where every single older person will be treated with dignity and respect.
An entrepreneur who started a business selling snack boxes to office workers in the midst of a global Covid-19 pandemic is now on track to make $1 million in sales.

Natasha Giannetti, from Melbourne, launched Snacks With Bite in January 2020 after she saw a niche in the market for a subscription service offering snack boxes for office employees around Australia.

After spending two years researching, developing and investing in her brand, the 28-year-old was left distraught when every office in the country was closed indefinitely as employees were forced to work from home amid the coronavirus lockdown.

'Like many business owners at this time, I started to panic. I had to make the tough decision on whether to place the company into hibernation or pivot,' Natasha told Daily Mail Australia.

Natasha Giannetti (pictured), from Melbourne, launched Snacks With Bite in January 2020

The 28-year-old saw a niche in the market for a subscription service offering communal snack boxes for office workers around Australia

As things took a turn for the worse, her clients had no choice but to cancel their subscriptions after the global pandemic hit the corporate industry.

'I attempted to make the most of the covid challenge and used it as fresh inspiration to pivot the business and find a new way to make it work,' she explained.

She put her effort into speaking to customers and seeing what they actually want.

'The more conversations I had with existing or cancelled customers, the more I kept hearing about demotivated employees and how they were struggling to maintain their corporate culture remotely,' Natasha said.

And so the idea to adapt the product from 'communal office snack boxes to individual-sized employee wellness boxes' quickly sprung to mind.

Ditching the communal option, she quickly came up with mini boxes, designed to be sent out to remote employees working from home.

As her city was plunged into a draconian stage-four lockdown, she was forced to work on the 'most pivotal times' in her business.

'I worked from my dining room table for most of the growth stages,' she said.

She started her booming business selling snack boxes to office workers in the midst of a global Covid-19 pandemic

After tweaking her business model, the brand went on to sell 20,000 boxes within 12 months

After tweaking her business model, the brand went on to sell 20,000 nutritionist-approved snack boxes within 12 months.

'I feel like I haven't had the chance to fully reflect on last year. While I am proud of what has been achieved, I still have tunnel vision on what needs to be achieved to grow this business,' she said.

Before her success, Natasha was working in customer service when she found herself snacking on unhealthy foods during office hours.

'Falling in a slump by the afternoon, my productivity and focus took a hit,' she said.

'I found it difficult to ensure I was fuelling my body with the right foods. When work was busy, I would reach for snacks filled with sugar and other nasties.'

Her colleagues felt the same way, which sparked the idea of her business.

'Here I saw a gap in the market to offer healthy, corporate snacks as a way for businesses to establish a convenient, cost-effective wellness program at work,' she said.

And so she was determined to help 'reshape the Aussie corporate culture'.

The brand offers one-off boxes and single-portion snacks to suit every employee's needs

Natasha (right) spent two years researching, developing and investing in her brand

She came up with Snacks With Bite, a subscription service to offer businesses easy and affordable access to quality snacks to help keep employees healthier, happier and more productive while helping cultivate positive office culture

She came up with Snacks With Bite, a subscription service to offer businesses 'easy and affordable access' to quality snacks to keep employees 'healthier, happier and more productive' while 'helping cultivate positive office culture'.

Working alongside qualified nutrition experts, Natasha spent the next two years building her business from the ground up.

Fast forward, she's now on track to make seven figures in revenue in its first year, with profits in the first year that's already paid the start-up costs.

One of her major corporate clients include Telstra after her business signed a 'huge' contract deal with the country's largest mobile network.

'I couldn't believe it. I remember pacing up and down my house in excitement and relief,' she said.

For those looking to start a business, Natasha suggested: 'Start today.'

'Once you get your foot in the door, find out what part of a company is most exciting to you,' she said, adding you should 'always be hungry to learn and not to be afraid of trying something new.'

'If you need some inspiration or lack knowledge don't be afraid to reach out to people in the industry that you look up to, you would be surprised how many are willing to help out. When all else fails - Google, Google, Google,' she added.
A newlywed 'gym bunny' diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer after a routine blood test has issued a warning about three symptoms everyone should know about.

After tying the knot in November 2020, Rachel Ferguson, 32, and her husband Glen, 40, were excited to try for their first baby.

The preschool teacher from Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island, visited her GP to switch medication for a pre-existing blood condition believed to be unsafe for pregnancy, but while she was there a test showed she was severely deficient in iron.

When her doctor asked if she had been bleeding, Ms Ferguson - a fitness fanatic who eats organic food and trains in the gym five to six times a week - recalled noticing tiny drops of bright red blood in her stool over the past two months.

She said she had also felt more bloated than usual and had started to become lightheaded whenever she stood up, but assumed both were caused by the stress of rescheduling a wedding for the second time during a pandemic.

Scroll down for video

Newlywed preschool teacher Rachel Ferguson (pictured) was excited to try for her first baby after tying the knot with her husband Glen in November 2020

The 32-year-old (right, with husband Glen) visited her GP to switch to pregnancy safe medication for a pre-existing blood condition, but a routine test showed she was severely deficient in iron

Ms Ferguson was referred for a scans and a flexible sigmoidoscopy, a less invasive form of colonoscopy that only examines the lower section of the colon, which showed tumours had grown there as well as on her liver.

Less than two months after her wedding day, the super-fit woman who had competed in bodybuilding contests as recently as 2018 was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.

'Even now I can replay it perfectly in my head. It was like an out of body experience, just totally surreal,' Ms Ferguson told Daily Mail Australia.

Because of her age and her desire to have children, doctors scheduled a surgery to remove the tumours before starting Ms Ferguson on a six-month course of chemotherapy, which would buy her enough time to freeze her eggs.

The operation on February 26 proved successful, with surgeons removing all traces of cancer.

'I know I am very, very lucky,' Ms Ferguson said.

Ms Ferguson (pictured), a fitness fanatic who eats organic food and trains in the gym five to six times a week, is not the usual face associated with cancer

Less than two months after her wedding day, the super-fit woman who had competed in bodybuilding contests as recently as 2018 was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer

Aside from the three symptoms she is desperate for others to know about, she said she felt perfectly healthy - 'a million dollars' - before her diagnosis.

Ms Ferguson said she had more energy than ever and never felt fatigued, which is often touted as one of the biggest telltale signs of bowel cancer.

'Honestly I never thought I had any reason to see a doctor or to be concerned,' she said.

Doctors are hopeful that chemo will put Ms Ferguson into remission, and despite her advanced stage diagnosis they say the aim is to cure her - not just to prolong her life.

'It's been very scary but so far thankfully things have worked out exactly as I needed them to,' she said.

Before her diagnosis, Ms Ferguson (pictured) said she had more energy than ever and never felt fatigued, which is often touted as one of the biggest telltale signs of bowel cancer

Ms Ferguson is battling a disease that claims the lives of roughly 1,200 New Zealanders each year, a mortality rate similar to that of breast and prostate cancers combined.

New Zealand's incidence of colorectal cancer is high by international standards, with an average of 37.5 female cases per 100,000 compared to just 23.5 female cases per 100,000 in the UK.

With close to 3,000 cases annually, it is the second most common cancer in New Zealand, only behind prostate cancer. It is more common in those over 50 than any other age.

Bowel Cancer NZ estimates that one in 18 New Zealanders will develop the disease in their lifetime.

Bowel cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose because early stage symptoms are vague and easily confused with those of less sinister illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which often leads to lengthy delays in treatment.

Common warnings signs include stomach cramps, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and general fatigue.

Ms Ferguson (pictured) is battling a disease that claims the lives of roughly 1,200 New Zealanders each year, a mortality rate similar to that of breast and prostate cancers combined

Patients in advanced stages of bowel cancer may experience bleeding from the rectum or blood after bowel movements, which should be reported to a doctor as soon as possible.

Early detection dramatically increases the chance of successful treatment and long-term survival, meaning early intervention can make the difference between life and death.

New Zealand offers free bowel cancer screening for men and women between 60 and 74, but Ms Ferguson doesn't believe her government is doing enough to raise awareness about how the disease can effect young people.

'Our health system needs a really big facelift,' she said.

Ms Ferguson, a proud ambassador for Bowel Cancer NZ, is urging women to take note of unexplained fatigue and weight loss as well as small changes in their bowel habits.

Ms Ferguson (pictured), a proud ambassador for Bowel Cancer NZ, is urging women to take note of unexplained fatigue and weight loss as well as small changes in their bowel habits

She said blood in the stool more than once a week, stomach cramps that aren't connected to your period and changes in bowel movements - however insignificant they may seem - are all signs that should be checked with a doctor.

Videos uploaded to her Instagram account have attracted tens of thousands of views and troubling responses from women who say their stomach and bowel complaints are not taken seriously by doctors.

One even said she was told she was 'too young' to be tested.

'I just find it hard to fathom when there's so many people, even younger than me, getting diagnosed with bowel cancer. So how can you say you're too young to have it therefore you won't have it,' Ms Ferguson said.

'If you feel like something is wrong, just go and get a checkup. You know your body better than anyone.'

For more information on bowel cancer in Australia and New Zealand, please visit the Cancer Council website here.
Two cousins who developed an award-winning skincare and beauty business selling natural products that nourish the skin have turnover $480,000.

Megan Potter and Amanda Hawtin, 34 and 47, from Adelaide, South Australia, started Megan Potter Cosmetics in April 2018.

Unlike alternative brands, the products nourish the skin by using high-quality ingredients that don't agitate or block pores.

Since winning a collective of awards for their foundation, primer, cleansing oil and brow dust, the business has seen a 500 per cent spike in sales over the past 12 months.

Megan Potter and Amanda Hawtin, 34 and 47, from Adelaide, South Australia, started Megan Potter Cosmetics in April 2018

Unlike alternative brands, the products nourish the skin by using high-quality ingredients that don't agitate or block pores

Before launching the brand, Megan was struggling to recommend cosmetics to her clients while working as a qualified personal stylist.

When using popular beauty brands herself Megan also found it aggravated her polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne and rosacea.

The business began after the pair had a conversation about wanting to use products better suited to their sensitive skin, which they couldn't find on the market.

'Unlike traditional makeup products, our makeup is so good for your skin that we encourage you to sleep in it,' Megan told FEMAIL (before and after pictured using Ocean Dance makeup pack)

'Unlike traditional makeup products, our makeup is so good for your skin that we encourage you to sleep in it,' Megan told FEMAIL.

This differentiates from alternative products whereby customers are encouraged to wash all makeup off before bed because it can clog pores, dehydrate the skin and lead to premature aging.

'Our philosophy is "Quality Purity Simplicity", we only use the highest quality natural ingredients and simplify the formulas to only include the ingredients you need and nothing you don't,' Amanda said.

The business does not sell a liquid foundation because this would require the additional use of synthetics that can irritate sensitive skin.

'Our makeup is so good for your skin that we encourage you to sleep in it,' Megan told FEMAIL

'We only use the highest quality natural ingredients and simplify the formulas to only include the ingredients you need and nothing you don't,' Amanda said

As the makeup is mineral-based, it creates a light, flawless finish rather than a full look.

This would be perfect for those wanting to achieve a dewy 'skinimalist' look - a trend that has surfaced online over the past 12 months.

Australian skincare expert and nutritionist Fiona Tuck shed light on the topic and told FEMAIL the 'less is best' concept encourages people to take care of their skin by using a minimal number of products.

The look likely arose due to more hours spent indoors last year wearing no makeup, where people had time to focus on skincare routines and promote a natural glow.

As the makeup is mineral-based, it creates a light, flawless finish rather than a full look

This would be perfect for those wanting to achieve a dewy 'skinimalist' look - a trend that has surfaced online over the past 12 months

When asked what's next, the pair said they're eager to continue growing the brand and extending the range by introducing new products

Megan says the lack of synthetic ingredients in their products, ranging from cuticle oils to moisturisers, is what brings customers back.

'Our hero makeup ingredient is zinc oxide, found in our natural mineral powder products,' Megan said.

'It has an inflammatory properties to help calm rosacea, is a natural sunblock for anti-aging and has astringent qualities to help treat acne.'

Megan Potter Cosmetics are the ultimate one-stop shop customers can go to for natural skincare, haircare and mineral makeup.

The two-time award-winning organic and mineral pure primer is a proven customer favourite for it's smooth texture to be used before applying makeup.

Last year the organic gentle cleansing oil also won the gold Editors Choice Award Spring/Summer at the Organic Beauty Awards.

When asked what's next, the pair said they're eager to continue growing the brand and extending the range by introducing new products.

'We are currently developing an all-natural perfume that we're really excited about. Many people get headaches from traditional perfumes, so this one's for them,' Amanda said.

Megan also revealed a tanning lotion is currently on the way.
A bartender has been hailed a 'hero' after he handed two girls a note disguised as a receipt to save them from being harassed.

Taking to Twitter, the user - called Trinity Allie - told how she was left feeling uncomfortable by a man's actions at a bar in St Petersburg, Florida.

She shared an image of the bartender, called Max Gutierrez, who was sporting a Hawaiian shirt, passing her a small clipboard.

A bartender named Max Gutierrez has been praised as a 'hero' after he handed two girls a note disguised as a receipt to save them from being harassed

Taking to Twitter, the user called Trinity Allie, felt uncomfortable by a man's actions at a bar in St Petersburg, Florida, and the post has went viral

The discreet note gave her a subtle instruction of what to do if she wished to have the other customer removed.

The note read: 'If this guy is bothering you, put your ponytail on your other shoulder, and I will have him removed. Hes giving ME the CREEPS.'

Since posting the snap, it has been liked more than 206,000 times, and many have praised the actions of the bartender for looking out for the women.

Trinity captioned the image: 'This man was harassing me and my friend and the bartender passed this note to me acting like it was my receipt!

'Legit the type of bartender everyone needs.'

Many were quick to praise the actions of the bartender for looking out for the two girls and keeping them safe, while removing the man from the bar

In a subsequent post, she explained how Max eventually got the customer to leave.

She wrote: 'He ended up having to literally yell at the guy he said "you need to get tf [the f***] away from these girls who clearly are not interested".

'And the dude said "that was a little aggressive" and he said "well you're aggressively hitting on them and you need to leave".'

Many were quick to praise the actions of the bartender for looking out for the two girls and keeping them safe.

In another post, Trinity shared Max's views on the situation, and he said that shouting at the customer eventually made him go, even though he doesn't like doing that to people

One wrote: 'We need more men like him protecting us', while another added: 'Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear Hawaiian shirts.'

In another post, Trinity shared Max's views on the situation, and he said that shouting at the customer eventually made him go, even though he doesn't like doing that to people.

Max wrote: 'It's something you just pick up from mentor bartenders. Eventually you become pretty good at reading people, body language etc.

'This guy was giving off very weird vibes for quite a while, kept an eye on him, try to give him a chance, try to let the girl tell him no and leave it at that.

Since posting the snap, it has been liked more than 206,000 times, and many have praised the actions of the bartender for looking out for the women

'But he didn't take no for an answer and kept pestering them so eventually I kind of yelled at him and made him leave lol.

'I honestly don't like yelling at customers or embarrassing people, but I find it's one of the best ways to handle creeps.

'Calling them out in front of people is usually enough to get them to turn tail and walk away. I just don't need my guests feeling uncomfortable.'
The Royal family have released a sweet snap of the Queen alongside King George VI, Prince Philip and a young Prince Charles as they marked the first Father's Day since the Duke's passing.

A giggling Prince of Wales, now 72, is seen perched on a statue of a deer in Balmoral in 1951 as his parents and grandfather look on affectionately.

In the black and white snap, the Queen is pictured sporting a chic tailored coat as she keeps an eye on her eldest son, while the Duke of Edinburgh grins at him proudly.

The Royal family have released a sweet snap of the Queen alongside King George VI, Prince Philip and a young Prince Charles for Father's Day

Charles also posted family photos on social media to mark the occasion, including one of him as a young boy with his late father

The Royal Family shared a touching tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh to mark their first Father's Day without him

Today marks the first Father's Day without Prince Philip after he died, aged 99, on April 9, as Prince Charles led touching tributes on the day with an emotional post

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also wished a 'Happy Father's Day' to 'fathers everywhere' alongside a collage-style video featuring sweet photographs of Prince Philip with his grandchildren, and William and Kate with their own parents and children

The monarch's father, King George looked dashing in a kilt, while Prince Philip donned a smart suit.

The snap was taken two years before the Queen's coronation following the king's death in 1952.

Today marks the first Father's Day without Prince Philip after he died, aged 99, on April 9.

The Royal Family Instagram post was captioned: 'To all dads everywhere, we wish you a very special Father's Day.

'To mark #FathersDay we are sharing this photograph of The Queen with her father, King George VI, and Prince Philip watching a young Prince Charles sitting on a statue at Balmoral in 1951.'

One photo shows him smiling with Princes William, 38, and Harry, 36, at a 2004 polo match at Cirencester Park

Charles also posted family photos on social media to mark the occasion, choosing a selection of his favourite snaps of his children and late father.

He also shared heartwarming pictures of Camilla with her father Bruce Shand, who died in 2006, on her wedding day.

One photo shows him smiling with Princes William, 38, and Harry, 36, at a 2004 polo match at Cirencester Park.

Another black and white snap shows a young Charles beaming next to the Duke of Edinburgh in a touching tribute 'to those missing their Dads'.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also took to social media to mark the day with a crafty video and shared snaps of them both with their fathers

He also shared heartwarming pictures of Camilla with her father Bruce Shand, who died in 2006, on her wedding day

In a touching tribute to his late grandfather, they shared a snap of his children sitting on a sofa with their grandparents and cousins Mia and Lena Tindall, and Savannah and Isla Phillips

The snaps were captioned: 'To all Papas everywhere, and to those who may be missing their Dads today, we are thinking of you and wishing you a special #FathersDay.'

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also took to social media to mark the day with a crafty video.

The clip shows the words Happy Father's Day being tacked on to a cork board before four family pictures are added.

One shows a young Prince William with his father and Prince Harry lounging on the grass in 1990.

In the childhood snap, Charles sported a kilt with a matching burgundy jumper while the boys embraced him.

Another snap shows Kate Middleton with her father Michael Middleton on her wedding day in 2011 as he walked her down the aisle

One shows a young Prince William with his father, who is sporting a fetching kilt, and Prince Harry lounging on the grass in 1990

Another snap shows Kate Middleton with her father Michael Middleton on her wedding day in 2011.

In a touching tribute to his late grandfather, the Duke of Cambridge also shared a snap of his children sitting on a sofa with their grandparents and cousins Mia and Lena Tindall, and Savannah and Isla Phillips.

One last picture shows William being cuddled by Prince George, seven, and Princess Charlotte, six, while wearing his military uniform.

He cradles his youngest son, Prince Louis, three, in the adorable snap to celebrate the day.

Today marks the royal family's first Father's Day without Prince Philip following his death earlier this year.

Another snap shows Camilla beaming next to her father, as they captioned the post about people who may be missing their fathers

One last picture shows William being cuddled by Prince George, seven, and Princess Charlotte, six, while holding youngest son Prince Louis, three, wearing his military uniform

Prince Philip, who the queen married in 1947, died at Windsor Castle in April, just weeks before what would have been his 100th birthday.

Last week Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 55, said Prince Philip's death has left 'giant-sized hole' in the lives of the royal family during an emotional interview.

She reflected on the loss of her father-in-law, the Duke of Edinburgh, who shared four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward, with Queen Elizabeth.

In an interview with Naga Munchetty, Sophie spoke about the difficulty of grieving in public and amid the pandemic following his death.

She said: 'Well he's left a giant-sized hole in our lives.

'Unfortunately the pandemic has slightly slewed things in as much as it's hard to spend as much time with the Queen than we would like to.'
The son of a French film producer's wife who was murdered outside her holiday home in Ireland 24 years ago has revealed he's bumped into the man convicted of killing her twice, after an Irish court refused to extradite him.

French documentary-maker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, 39, was beaten to death two days before Christmas in 1996, with her body found outside her remote cottage near the village of Schull in West Cork.

In 2019, British journalist Ian Bailey, 63, was tried and convicted in absentia of her murder in a French court. But following a three-day hearing last year, Ireland's High Court rejected an attempt by French authorities to have him extradited to serve his 25-year jail term.

It means her son Pierre-Louis Baudey, now 40 and married with children of his own, is still to see his mother's killer brought to justice.

French documentary-maker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, 39, was beaten to death two days before Christmas in 1996, with her body found outside her remote cottage near the village of Schull in West Cork (pictured with her son Pierre-Louis Baudey)

Pierre-Louis Baudey, now 40 and married with children of his own, is still to see his mother's killer brought to justice. Pictured in a new Netflix documentary about her murder and the subsequent trial of prime suspect Ian Bailey

Ian Bailey, 62, pictured in July 2010, was found guilty of killing Sophie Toscan du Plantier, 39, in 1996, in his absence at a French court last year

Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine in a rare interview ahead of a new Netflix documentary series - Sophie: A Murder in West Cork - being released later this month, he admitted he is 'still in shock now' about her death, adding: 'It was violent and it will never go away.'

He also revealed that he continues to visit his mother's Irish holiday home with his family because it's 'a connection between them and her' and 'the only way I have of explaining who she was', and has bumped into Bailey twice.

'The second time was especially hard because I was with my children,' Pierre-Louis recalled, admitting it impacts him psychologically every time is happens. 'But I'm free. I can go where I want. I will not let him have that.'

Sophie, who was married to celebrated French film producer Daniel Toscan du Plantier, a friend of Jacques Chirac, was found dead on an isolated hillside after being beaten over the head with a concrete block. Marks on her arms suggested she struggled with her attacker.

Sophie Toscan du Plantier's battered body was found on an isolated hillside in Toormore, near Schull, west Cork, two days before Christmas in 1996

Bailey, who lived around six miles from the murder scene and has remained in Co Cork, soon emerged as the prime suspect. He was found to have scratches to his arms and face, and also had a history of domestic violence.

He was arrested and questioned in February 1997 and again in 1998, but never arrested since police could find no forensic evidence linking him to the crime.

Bailey denied being the murderer, claiming he got the scratches cutting down a Christmas tree and carving a turkey. He has denied even knowing Sophie, claiming to have seen her once, but never to have met her.

Witness Marie Farrell subsequently came forward to claim that she had seen Bailey at the scene of the crime, but later retracted her evidence, saying that gardai had pressured her into making the statements.

Sophie, who was married to celebrated French film producer Daniel Toscan du Plantier, a friend of Jacques Chirac, was found dead on an isolated hillside after being beaten over the head with a concrete block. Marks on her arms suggested she struggled with her attacker (pictured, her holiday home at Mizen Head in Cork)

Several other witnesses claimed that Bailey, who had worked as an investigative journalist in London before moving to Ireland when his marriage ended, admitted to them that he was the murderer - evidence that was submitted during the French trial.

Ireland has twice refused to send him to France to stand trial, saying police had questioned him twice about the killing but failed to find any substantive evidence. It has also cited the lack of an extradition agreement with France.

Only due to a quirk of France's Napoleonic law that allows crimes against French citizens to be tried in their own courts, no matter where in the world they were committed, was Bailey tried and sentenced in Paris in 2020.

Sophie was among the social elite in Paris and 'the best mother in the world' according to Pierre-Louis, who lived with her after his parents' divorce and was 'very close' to her.

Several other witnesses claimed that Bailey, who had worked as an investigative journalist in London before moving to Ireland when his marriage ended, admitted to them that he was Sophie's killer - evidence that was submitted during the French trial

Pierre-Louis said that his grief now, more than decades on, is still like losing a limb (pictured at the Court of Appeal in Paris for the trial of Ian Bailey)

She bought the cottage when Pierre-Louis was eight, having fallen in love with the rugged Irish countryside and the sense of escapism it offered her. The pair travelled there twice a year, with Sophie keen for her son to learn English.

The year she was killed, Pierre-Louis, then 15, was spending Christmas with his father. They only realised something was wrong when news reports emerged about a woman being killed in Ireland.

Pierre-Louis told the publication that his grief now, more than decades on, is still like losing a limb, adding: 'I'm alive but it won't grow back.'

He added that he believes the police in Ireland were out of their depth when it came to handling the murder.

Pierre-Jean Baudet (right), first husband of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, arrives with the family lawyer to attend the trial at Paris' courthouse on May 29, 2019

Pierre-Louis, who is set to challenge Ireland's refused to extradite Bailey in the European courts, said he sees the upcoming Netflix documentary as a way of showing the evidence against Bailey that he and others have stacked up over the years that 'allowed the French justice system to say that he is the murderer'.

'He is not a failed poet or a violent alcoholic, he is a murderer and everyone will know that,' he said.

Speaking in the documentary, he states his intention to make it happen, regardless of how long it takes, insisting: 'Justice has no time limit.'

Sophie: A Murder in West Cork, a three-part series, is available on Netflix from June 30.
When Maxine Laceby hit 50, five years ago, she took a long, hard look at her life. For half of those five decades, shed been a stay-at-home-mum to her two daughters and two older stepchildren, and had conformed to the expectations of everyone around her.

More often than not, that meant putting her own needs last and forgetting who she was to prioritise her roles of wife, mother and housekeeper.

It wasnt that Id hankered after a career  I worked in a factory and in clothes shops and I did a bit of marketing for a hotel. Then Id very happily stayed at home from the age of 25.

But then, one day, I sort of woke up and thought my time is mine again. My eldest daughter Darcy, now 24, went off to university and the younger Margot, now 21, was doing A-Levels, and, suddenly no one needed me any more. I could be whoever I wanted to be.

Maxine Laceby, 55, from Staffordshire, started a new career mid-life, founding her own business after after raising her two daughters and two older stepchildren

Divorced in 2010, but still in the family home in a South Staffordshire village, Maxine decided on a whim to do something purely for herself and took a degree course at Wolverhampton School of Art.

Her first project was terribly modern and earnest, and also a bit of a disaster. I decided to strip myself bare of make-up and let my hair go grey and see how people reacted.

It made me question everything  which was partly the point  but not in a good way. Going grey made me feel awful. What it actually made me realise was how insecure I was.

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A misconceived art project turned instead into a top-to-toe midlife reinvention. Five years later, former stay-at-home mum Maxine is CEO of a 10 million business founded on the idea that what women need is not radical make-up-free honesty, but a major health and beauty boost to kickstart the second half of their lives.

The supplement company Absolute Collagen was born at her kitchen stove. I decided after that art project to really take myself in hand and get into shape physically and mentally, and even spiritually. I didnt want to feel old like that.

Somewhere shed read that bone broth was good for joint health and for younger-looking skin and hair, so she began to boil up pots of it and drink a daily cupful.

Quite quickly my friends started saying how well I looked. How white the whites of my eyes were. How good my skin was. Well, the only thing I was doing differently was drinking bone broth every day.

When those same friends wanted daily cupfuls, too, she started to cook up great vats of pigs trotters and chicken feet.

Maxine began to research the science behind the broth and discovered the bit that was probably making the difference was collagen  visible in the jelly that formed on top after reducing the liquid.

The former stay-at-home mum is now CEO of a 10million business, Absolute Collagen, after she started researching the science behind collagen

She enlisted the help of her daughter Darcy, then doing a food science degree, and struck upon the idea of marketing pure collagen from fish in one-a-day sachets made palatable with fruit flavours.

I spent a year talking to people about it. One scientist would lead to another. And I realised marine collagen is better than other kinds as its easier to absorb. Lots of them thought I was crazy but, the point was, collagen really did work.

Collagen fans are often evangelical, claiming supplements have the power not only to ease aching joints and hydrate skin but to reduce inflammation, calm digestive problems, strengthen teeth and nails, relieve anxiety and generally slow the ageing process.

Starting a business had never been an ambition, yet now it consumed her. If youve run a family, running a business isnt that hard. I come from a line of strong, working-class women, and they all could have done it given the chance.

What I needed was money, and because I was a 50-year-old woman with no business experience who appeared to be going off on some wild tangent, I didnt think anyone would give it to me. I borrowed from friends and sold things and then asked the children if theyd mind me putting the house on it. They all said: go for it, Mum.

The online subscription supplement company was born at her kitchen stove making bone broth and she now imports the fish collagen from France

It was a risk I was prepared to take because I believed in it. Sometimes you stand on the edge and look over it but, at some point, youve just got to step off.

Absolute Collagen was built as an online-only subscription service, though you can buy one-off products too, with a community of users who share tips via a forum on the website. Today, she imports the fish collagen from France.

Making a success of it transformed her self-image. For years, she felt like she was pulling on the Maxine everyone expected to see rather like an imaginary onesie.

Then somehow I stopped putting it on and for the first time really felt like myself.

She talks of a terrible menopause in her late-40s, during which she became extremely low. I can remember feeling absolutely crippled by it to the extent that I couldnt even put the bin out. There are so many women living like I was. Theyre hiding in plain sight. Running families, keeping it all afloat, with no one watching them or saying well done. I dont think of myself as a staunch feminist, but I want them to feel empowered, too.

Today, Maxine has embraced a glamorous salon grey and a stylish, wavy quiff  a strong look paired with big, frothy-collared blouses and tailored shirts. She wears make-up but minimally. The aim is not perhaps to look 20 years younger, but as good as you can at 55.

As a single mum, shed grown used to making decisions alone, and simply carried on doing it as an entrepreneur. Id think hard about something and scrub the house from top to bottom as I did it. The house was always very clean. It was scary in one way and liberating in another. Now I think owning those decisions was one of the keys to my success.

With a proven track record, financial backers finally emerged and, last year, Maxine took on outside investment to develop new products. Shell now take a step back as daughter Darcy takes on a bigger role. Shes doing all the things now I never got the chance to do.

In fact, the only thing she cant do is the washing. Ive never taught either of my girls to do washing because I dont want them to end up doing it for their boyfriends, too. The load has to be shared, she says, or women will continue to get buried by domestic drudgery.

Its taken me 50 years to find the real Maxine and, even then, it was a conscious thing I had to work at. I loved being a mum, despite all the pressure I put on myself to do it a certain way. But I wouldnt have missed this bit for the world.

absolutecollagen.com
Women are facing waiting lists of up to two years to start a family with donated eggs.

Egg donors, much like sperm donors, were already in short supply and Covid has only exacerbated waiting times after donation services were paused.

At Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the wait is now typically nine to 12 months, while Aberdeen Fertility Centre puts its times at 12 to 14 months, a snapshot investigation by the Daily Mail found.

The London Egg Bank has no waiting list, but in Liverpool it is believed to be about a year for donor eggs on the NHS.

And Edinburgh Fertility Centre has a delay of around 25 months.

The pandemic also meant that young women who previously would have donated their eggs were distracted by Covid-related worries or felt nervous about going to clinics, according to experts.

But demand has remained high, with almost one in five women over 40 who have IVF treatment choosing to use another woman's eggs.

Women are facing waiting lists of up to two years to start a family with donated eggs. Egg donors, much like sperm donors, were already in short supply and Covid has only exacerbated waiting times after donation services were paused [Stock image]

The pandemic also meant that young women who previously would have donated their eggs were distracted by Covid-related worries or felt nervous about going to clinics, according to experts. But demand has remained high, with almost one in five women over 40 who have IVF treatment choosing to use another woman's eggs [Stock image]

As people leave it later in life to become parents, many women end up struggling to conceive because of their age.

Using eggs from a younger woman during IVF increases their chances of having a baby.

Donors are also used by women who have had medical treatment which has damaged their fertility and by gay male couples.

Jane Holman, of donation agency Altrui, said: 'There has always been an extreme shortage of good-quality eggs, but demand for eggs is higher since the pandemic outstripping supply even more.

'Those looking for donated eggs have been unable to travel, making matters worse, and women looking for eggs are telling us they are struggling to get them.'

Women seeking an egg donor have often already faced years of unsuccessfully trying for a baby, which makes the added delays distressing for them.

Nina Barnsley, of the Donor Conception Network, said: 'Having to wait longer than six months is very stressful and people feel as if their life is on pause.'

And Gwenda Burns, of Fertility Network UK, added: 'Longer waiting times can be emotionally distressing while trying to conceive.'

Allister Short, of NHS Lothian, which oversees the Edinburgh centre, said: 'Covid has had an impact on the service  for example at the height of the pandemic, in line with other areas of Scotland, services were paused and we were unable to recruit new donors.'

He added: 'Ongoing restrictions including the requirement for increased physical distancing means that we are not able to schedule as many appointments as we previously would have.'
A squirter wearing dishdash runs from a quala in southern Kandahar province. He appears to be a fighting-age male and might be the HVT that headquarters wants.

As an SAS operator, under the ROE do you immediately engage the insurgent with a short burst from an MG, or try to take him back to TK as a puck?

Much of the language used in Ben Roberts-Smith's defamation trial against Nine newspapers would be unfamiliar to most Australians, and might not make sense outside the Afghanistan conflict.

Some of it is slang coined by soldiers, formed out of their shared knowledge and experience. Most of it is made up of bland acronyms beloved of the military forces.

Roberts-Smith, the 42-year-old Victoria Cross recipient Nine accused of war crimes, has been out of the regular army for eight years but still talks like the soldier he once was.

Already his trial has had to pause several times so that unfamiliar terms could be explained to Justice Anthony Besanko, and recorded accurately for the transcript.

What has not be spelt out is one of the phrases important to the Federal Court hearing - the 'rules of engagement' by which Australians fought the nation's longest and perhaps least understood war.

Much of the language used in Ben Roberts-Smith's defamation trial against Nine newspapers would be unfamiliar to anyone who had not fought in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smith is pictured with other soldiers who drank from the prosthetic leg of a slain insurgent

Some of the language used in Afghanistan was slang coined by soldiers formed out of their shared knowledge and experience. Most of it is made up of bland acronyms beloved of the military. Special forces soldiers are pictured watching over a valley

Already the Roberts-Smith trial has had to pause several times so that unfamiliar terms could be explained to Justice Anthony Besanko and recorded accurately for the transcript. Roberts-Smith is pictured second from left in 2010 on the operation for which he was awarded a VC

Roberts-Smith's testimony has been filled with talk of squirters, spotters, green belts and pucking, and acronyms from ANA (Afghan National Army) to VRI (very reliable intelligence).

Barrister Bruce McClintock SC, for Roberts-Smith, defined 'squirter' as 'a person who leaves the scene of a mission when soldiers approach.'

It is defined elsewhere in glossaries of the war in Afghanistan as an insurgent runner leaving a target, and as a person attempting to escape a cordoned area.

A spotter is Australian Defence Force slang for 'an enemy surveillance operative who reports coalition soldiers' movements to militants.'

Dishdash is a traditional form of men's clothing - 'it's effectively a dress, so you can pull it up and there's nothing else under it,' Roberts-Smith explained.

A quala is a walled, mud-brick series of rooms usually set around a courtyard but has just been called a compound during the hearing. A dasht is a generic term for any desert area.

A 'green belt', where compounds are normally located, is a heavily vegetated place full of cornfields, orchards, aqueducts and pockets of bush.

[An aqueduct in Afghanistan is not some complex Roman-style bridge to carry water but a simple irrigation ditch carved out of the soil].

McClintock has given Justice Besanko a glossary of terms which would likely come up during the trial. Many have been used by Roberts-Smith; others appear in battlefield reports.

McClintock told Justice Belanto a FAM was a fighting-age male and it was 'a phrase Your Honour will become used to'. He quickly has.

Barrister Bruce McClintock SC defined 'squirter' as 'a person who leaves the scene of a mission when soldiers approach.' It is defined elsewhere in glossaries of the war in Afghanistan as an insurgent runner leaving a target. Australian soldiers are pictured in Uruzgan Province in 2007

McClintock has given Justice Besanko a glossary of terms which would likely come up during the trial. Some of the words have been used by Roberts-Smith in his testimony. Others appear in battlefield reports. Roberts-Smith is pictured at the Australian War Memorial in 2013

If a squirter or spotter was a FAM and wearing webbing - the belt, pouches and harness used to carry ammunition and soldiering equipment - he was likely an armed insurgent.

McClintock said a PUC - pronounced 'puck' rather than spelt out when spoken - was a person under confinement, while older glossaries say it is a person under capture or control. If an insurgent is in custody he is pucked.

Afghanistan glossary Blooding: Initiating a soldier in killing Blue on blue: Friendly forces attacking each other Dishdash: Tradition Afghan male dress Drake shooting: Weapons fire directed in the vicinity of an enemy location and without an aimed target in order to suppress incoming fire EKIA: Enemy killed in action FAM: Fighting age male Green belt: A heavily vegetated area full of cornfields, orchards, farms, aqueducts and pockets of bush Kill board: A tally of enemy killed kept by the SAS Outside the wire: Beyond the security perimeter of a coalition base Pocket litter: Personal effects found on an EKIA or PUC PUC: Person under capture/control/confinement Quala: A walled, mud brick compound Rat lines: Enemy escape routes ROE: Rules of engagement Spotter: An enemy surveillance operative who reports coalition soldiers' movements to militants Squirter: An insurgent runner leaving the scene of a mission SSE: Sensitive site exploitation is the gathering of evidence at a scene Throwdown: Weapon or device put in place to suggest a dead Afghani was a combatant Advertisement

'All fighting-age males would be pucked until such time they could be processed post-assault,' Roberts-Smith has said in evidence.

There was no strict description of what 'fighting-age' actually meant but it was 'anyone you felt was old enough' to directly take part in a fight, he said.

Nine alleges all the Afghanis they claim Roberts-Smith killed were PUCs. He says he never shot one and never would.

Not in any official glossary is the term 'blooding' which Nine alleges refers to initiating a soldier in the practice of killing, 'or giving them the taste for killing'.

Roberts-Smith has denied and knowledge of it occurring and said he had never heard the term before reading it in media reports a few years ago.

The SAS did maintain a 'kill board' - a tally of how many insurgents had been killed on a rotation - in a military tradition dating back at least to the world wars.

Many trial observers would be familiar with 'IED' for improvised explosive device, and terms used outside the military such as SOP for standard operating procedure and 'sitrep' for situation report.

Some phrases are euphemistic. 'Engaging' the enemy is to 'use weapons against a target' - or, even more simply, to shoot at them.

The machine gun (MG) posts Roberts-Smith stormed to earn his Victoria Cross were 'silenced', rather than the occupants being subject to 'lethal force', or killed.

Indirect fire (IF) is delivered at a target which cannot by seen by the aimer. 'Drake shooting' is fire directed in the vicinity of an enemy location without an aimed target in order to suppress attack.

Once a soldier was in Afghanistan he was 'in country'. To be 'outside the wire' is to be beyond the protective cordon of an Australian or coalition base.

Inside the wire, where the 'lines' or troop accommodation are located, is not always safe.

A 'blue on blue' incident is an attack by friendly forces on other coalition soldiers. In one blue on blue attack while Roberts-Smith was in Afghanistan a coalition soldier shot dead three Australians playing cards.

When Roberts-Smith talks of an 'op', or operation, he means 'a series of tactical actions with a common unifying purpose'. An SAS soldier is an 'operator' but Roberts-Smith informally calls them lads.

An operation is defined as planned and conducted 'to achieve a strategic or campaign end state or objective within a given time and geographical area.'

A patrol is a detachment of ground, sea or air forces 'sent out for the purpose of gathering information or carrying out a destructive, mopping up or security mission.'

Roberts-Smith says the SAS maintained a 'kill board' - a tally of how many insurgents had been killed on a rotation - in a military tradition dating back at least to the world wars

When Roberts-Smith talks of an op, or operation, he means 'a series of tactical actions with a common unifying purpose'. An SAS soldier is an 'operator'. Australian long range patrol vehicles are pictured moving across an Afghan dasht, or desert region

Patrols are often inserted and extracted by chopper, or birds, which come in and out on a HLZ, or helicopter landing zone.

If the chopper lands on the target it is 'on the X' and if it puts down some kilometres away, necessitating a long walk, it is 'on the Y'. A load of troops on one aircraft is a 'chalk'.

On patrol, an HVT is a high-value target, an HVI a high-value individual and an HVD a high-value detainee. EKIA is an enemy killed in action.

EKIAs and PUCs are routinely searched upon death or apprehension and any 'pocket litter' found on their person is bagged.

They might be carrying an ICOM radio or integrated communications device.

SSE, or sensitive site exploitation, has cropped up repeatedly during the hearing and involves the gathering of physical evidence for intelligence purposes.

Tactical questioning is conducted at or near the point of capture and focused on collecting information of immediate tactical value or to help fill out the detainee's 'capture tag'.

PUCs were taken back to the Australian base at Tarin Kowt, known as TK, where interrogation was done with the help of an interpreter, or terp.

Frequently used in Roberts-Smith's descriptions of missions is the OP, or observation post, a position from which monitoring is undertaken or fire directed and adjusted.

On a reconnaissance or 'overwatch' mission, patrol members might be in the OP or lay-up position (LUP), remaining in place undetected for as long as possible to observe and provide intelligence.

If the position is compromised the patrol might have to 'bug out' or 'escape and evade' (E&E). The enemy uses 'rat lines' to flee an engagement. He is 'lying doggo' if trying not to be seen.

Ben Roberts-Smith is suing Nine newspapers for portraying him as a war criminal during his deployments to Afghanistan. He is also accused of bulling fellow soldiers. The 42-eyar-old has denied all allegations and said he always fought within honour within the rules of war

The ROE, or rules of engagement, Australian soldiers operated under in Afghanistan have been difficult to define in court. Related to the ROE is the law of armed conflict, or LOAC. Australian soldiers from 3RAR are pictured in Tarin Kowt in 2008

The ROE, or rules of engagement, Australian soldiers operated under in Afghanistan are less easy to define. Related to the ROE is the law of armed conflict, or LOAC.

McClintock initially told Justice Besanko he would not be able to tender a copy of the rules of engagement because they were sill considered matters of national security but a redacted document was eventually provided.

It is still not clear exactly what the rules of engagement contained and they will not be made public during the trial.

What McClintock could say in open court was that the rules of engagement prescribed when and how Australian soldiers could use varying degrees of force, including killing.

'Implementing the rules of engagement, to use a lawyers phrase, is a matter of impression unique to the person making the decision,' he said.

'A person putting a hand in his pocket could enliven the rules of engagement and entitle a soldier observing that action to use lethal force.'

To be 'outside the wire' is to be beyond the protective cordon of an Australian or coalition base. Inside the wire, where the 'lines' or troop accommodation are located, is not always safe. Australian soldiers are pictured at their Tarin Kowt base in 2007

Nine's amended defence filed before the hearing began stated a similar unfamiliarity with the exact rules of engagement.

'At all material times the members of the ADF serving in Afghanistan were bound by the Rules of Engagement issued by the Chief of the Defence Force to the Chief of Joint Operations relating to the conflict in Afghanistan (ROE),' the defence stated.

'The REO are classified as protected information of the Commonwealth and accordingly their precise terms are not known to the Respondents.'

Within the REO a legitimate target is described as 'directly participating in hostilities' or DPH.

Also in the glossary is throwdown - 'a weapon, communication device, or electronic evidence to deliberately place at the scene of an incident to support a narrative that the incident was justified and was within ROE and the LOAC.'
Just like thousands of beauty business owners across the country, Lauren Arthur was devastated when she had to close the door on her salon due to the pandemic.

Having only started Beautique by Lauren in Beckenham, Bromley, in September 2018, the 32-year-old was worried about the impact multiple lockdowns would have on her client base.

Lauren, who offers facials, manicures, waxing, tanning and massages, had spent years working as a beauty therapist, building up a loyal clientele before opening her own salon.

Small business owner Lauren Arthur wondered whether her business would survive lockdown

Then, when the coronavirus first hit in March 2020, Lauren, and every other entrepreneur, was left wondering whether her business would survive.

'When the first lockdown hit, we were all very scared. So like thousands of others, I locked my doors probably before I needed to, because there were so many people at risk,' she said.

'Thankfully I was able to open up again in the summer, and I'm so lucky everyone who felt comfortable enough did come back. Business was OK, but not great.

'Then when we had to close for what would have been the Christmas rush, it was so difficult. I didn't reopen until April 12, and that lockdown was super tough.

'After that, there was an initial rush of customers, but then it was quieter, people had been used to leaving things for longer, and weren't going out as much.

'There's no reason why it can't get back to how it was, but it's going to take time.'

With small companies like Lauren's in mind, MailOnline has launched a new advertising platform called Ad Manager, to help SMEs come back thriving.

The innovative service puts the control firmly with the business owner, and means people can advertise their brand to MailOnline's huge audience of 25 million, without a hefty price tag.

Lauren used MailOnline's Ad Manager to boost awareness of her business and drive trade

As well as being able to target more people in your area than local titles, you can also target customers by postcode, interests and life stage.

What's more the campaign is very easy to set up, and can be live within just 24 hours.

Lauren was one of the first businesses to try the new Ad Manager platform, increasing brand awareness, as well as visits to her Beautique By Lauren Facebook page.

She is thrilled with the results.

'I would have never thought I could advertise on such a huge platform as MailOnline, and I don't usually push myself out of my comfort zone,' she said.

THE RESULTS: Cost: 2,999.95 Ad impressions (how many times the ads were viewed): 789,460 in less than a week Clicks: 423 Huge brand awareness 'After such a rotten time, it's given me a fresh start and something to get excited about'

'But everything about Ad Manager - from the platform to the team I was working with - has been incredible. I'm not that techy, and when I needed help, it was there every step of the way.

'For me, it was about brand awareness, to get more people to know about me. It's been a very exciting thing for me to do for my business.

'I couldn't be more grateful to everyone involved. Not only has the campaign helped my business, but it's given me a confidence boost, too. I was really nervous about it at the very start, but I needn't have been, the team were so lovely.

'It's been a dream. It's taken the stress out of marketing and it was very easy to do. After such a rotten time, it's given me a fresh start and something to get excited about - I've now got a spring in my step!'

HOW AD MANAGER WORKS

MailOnline's new Ad Manager advertising platform is ideal for SMEs who want to reach a large, but targeted audience of thousands of potential customers.

The system is easy to use, taking just minutes to set up - and it could be live the following day.

Ad Manager enables small businesses to reach more adults across all UK regions than ever before, with hyper-local advertising for relevant, affluent customers.

Not only can you advertise to more people in your area than your local titles can reach, you can also target customers by postcode, interests and life stage, ensuring you reach as many of our 25 million consumers as you choose.

There are no hidden fees and you can control everything, from budget to target and audience to creative design.

Here's how:
Winning grin: Melissa Maree Goodwin secured a court victory last Wednesday when her ex-lover's statement against her was ruled inadmissible by a magistrate

A prisoner known as 'The Little Rat' scurried away from sensational sex claims he made about a female prison officer apparently out of fear of reprisal from Rebels bikies.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal how the criminal case against western Sydney warden Melissa Maree Goodwin, 26, suffered a devastating setback this past week.

Just over a year ago, police accused Goodwin of repeatedly performing oral sex on inmate Corey London, 21, at Silverwater's Metropolitan Remand Centre.

Detectives claimed the trysts occurred in a jail storeroom five times in as many months, between December 2019 and April 2020.

Goodwin has since admitted to a charge of engaging in an intimate relationship with London. The police had obtained a letter she wrote to him which said: 'Miss you heaps ... If only you were out before Valentine's Day.'

But in order to prove the most serious allegations against her - the sex claims - prosecutors had to rely on London standing by his sordid story. There was no CCTV footage of their apparent rendezvouses.

That was the weak point her barrister Robert Wood exploited to great effect in Burwood Local Court last Wednesday.

Jailed armed robber Corey London - referred to as prison circles as 'that little rat' - refused to testify against Goodwin in court after his jaw was broken in prison

London is escorted back to a prison van after he refused to say a word in court and was charged with contempt

About three weeks ago, it became clear that London was wavering on his commitment to stand by his word.

London was shaken after he was bashed on May 14 at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre in Kempsey.

It was bad enough he was taken to hospital and transferred to Parklea prison in Sydney, the Mail has learned.

Goodwin sported a fresh neck tattoo

Eleven days after the incident, London met with the prosecutor and officer in charge of Goodwin's case.

'You don't know what he's going to do to me,' London told police and prosecutors on May 25, the court heard.

'I have a broken jaw. I'm not getting up in court.

'He's going to make my life hell.'

London didn't explicitly say who 'he' was.

But the court heard Goodwin's lover after London, ex-convict Caleb Valeri, was an associate of the Rebels bikie gang.

At the legal meeting, London also tried to recant his evidence.

The criminal suddenly claimed what he had previously alleged about sex acts in the storeroom with Goodwin was 'all false'.

But later in the meeting he flipped - saying 'yep', he wasn't actually lying.

Love triangle: Goodwin pursued an entirely legal relationship with Rebels bikie associate Caleb Valeri after her arrest - infuriating London

Magistrate Daniel Reiss sarcastically described Corey London as a 'real catch' in court on Wednesday. Goodwin laughed

Goodwin will be sentenced over a charge of engaging in an intimate relationship with an inmate at a later date, and has pleaded not guilty to two charges of smuggling in contraband to prison

On Thursday morning, London was taken from his new cell at Parklea prison, loaded into a prison van and whisked to the cells underneath Burwood courthouse.

But when Magistrate Daniel Reiss formally called London as a witness, the court was told he was refusing to come out.

Asked why, London's lawyer Hannah Dempsey said: 'He just refuses to talk and doesn't want to discuss any comments that he's made so far.'

Magistrate Reiss charged London with contempt of court, but the offence doesn't carry a hefty penalty - just 28 days imprisonment. He still wouldn't budge.

Prosecutor Timothy George was left trying to explain to the court why London had recently flip-flopped about whether the alleged sex with Goodwin happened or not.

'He had his back to the wall trying to get out of giving evidence,' Mr George said.

Goodwin's lawyer, the barrister Robert Wood, seized on the prosecution's stumble.

London's no-show had essentially pulled the rug from underneath his sex claims, the court heard.

Mr Wood also slammed London's credibility, arguing he was just a 'nasty criminal' motivated by jealousy when he briefed police about his alleged trysts with Goodwin.

'The little f***en' s*** she is ... She's a f***en' little dog,' London fumed in a call to his mother about her moving on with Valeri.

London told his mother in a phone call that he was 'burning' over Goodwin dating ex-convict Caleb Valeri

Mr Wood mocked London's dossier of alleged sexual encounters with Goodwin as a 'wish list'.

Goodwin shared a post this week which said: 'Loyalty is an expensive gift, don't expect it from cheap people'

'Your Honour would think a maximum security prison is used more like a brothel house,' he said.

Prosecutors sought to use London's statement as evidence without him - but the magistrate was unconvinced and ruled it inadmissible in a major blow to police.

The prosecution is now considering its position on two outstanding contraband smuggling charges against Goodwin, which she denies.

Goodwin will be sentenced for her intimate relationship with London at a later date, once the prosecution and defence agree on the facts of the case.

As for London, he's been returned to prison until at least mid next year, keeping his secrets to himself.

Magistrate Reiss was left with a dim view of London. '(He's) a real catch,' he sarcastically remarked in court on Wednesday. Goodwin laughed.
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Anti-government protesters took to the streets in more than a score of cities across Brazil on Saturday as the nation's confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million - a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaro's attempt to minimize the disease.

Thousands gathered in downtown Rio de Janeiro waving flags with slogans such as 'Get out Bolsonaro. Government of hunger and unemployment.'

'Brazil is experiencing a great setback. The country was an exemplary country for vaccination in the world. We have widely recognized institutions, but today we are in a sad situation', said Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who joined the protest in Rio.

Other marchers hoisted posters reading: '500 thousand deaths. Its his fault,' alluding to Bolsonaro.

Only 11% of Brazilians are fully vaccinated and 29% have received a first dose, Health Ministry data shows.

A man looks at a cardboard cutout of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in prisoner garb during a demonstration against Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - JUNE 19: A demonstrator holds a sign in the shape of a cross with the phrase '500,000 deaths' during a protest against Bolsonaro's administration on June 19, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil

A demonstrator holds a sign that reads '500,000 deaths' during a protest against Bolsonaro's administration on June 19, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Demonstrators hold signs that read in Portuguese; 'Impeachment now! Bolsonaro in prison' during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of COVID-19

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attends a graduation ceremony at the Naval Academy, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday as protests raged in his country

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, pictured, is facing a probe for pandemic mismanagement as the country counts 500,022 deaths of COVID

A woman, wearing a protective face mask, holds a sign in the shape of a cross with a message that reads in Portuguese '500K deaths' during a protest against President Jair Bolsonaro

Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazil's 26 states, as well as in the Federal District, Brasilia. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaro's declining poll ratings with next year's presidential race looming.

'Get out Bolsonaro, genocidal,' yelled Rio demonstrators, some of them wearing t-shirts or masks with the image of former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - who leads Bolsonaro in some polls.

In Sao Paulo, protesters dropped red balloons as a tribute to the victims of the virus.

Bolsonaro's supporters have taken more often to the streets over the past month, in large part because many agree with his dismissal of restrictions meant to stifle the coronavirus and anger that lockdown measures have hurt businesses.

Critics say such messages, as well as Bolsonaro's promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the soaring death toll and a sluggish vaccine campaign that has fully inoculated less than 12% of the population.

The country of some 213 million people is registering nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths a day.

A man, wearing a protective face mask, holds a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese; '500,000 deaths is genocide', during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the pandemic in Cuiaba, Brazil

People march holding a banner with a message that reads in Portuguese; 'Together, we are giants' during a demonstration against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A woman wearing a protective face mask holds a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese; '500,000, government of death' during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro

A protester holds a poster depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as Adolf Hitler and the Portuguese word for genocidal, during a demonstration against Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Demonstrators march holding a banner with a message that reads in Portuguese; 'Get out genocidal Bolsonaro and all your government' during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Cuiaba, Brazil

A woman wearing a protective face mask marked with a message that reads in Portuguese: 'Get Out Bolsonaro' during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Demonstrators shouts slogans during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and economic policies they say harm the interests of the poor and working class, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A woman wearing a protective face mask holds a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese; '500 k deaths! His fault!' during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A woman wears a plastic bag decorated with stickers depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as a virus, during a demonstration against Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A demonstrator holds a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese; '500K deaths! His fault!' during a demonstration against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Demonstrators holding fake guns shaped like pencils, and a syringe, attend a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the pandemic in Cuiaba, Brazil

A woman, wearing a protective face mask, holds a sign in the shape of a cross with a message that reads in Portuguese;'500 k deaths', during a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the pandemic in Cuiaba, Brazil

A girl points at a mural featuring the face of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a protest against his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic along Paulista Avenue, in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Demonstrators protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and economic policies protesters say harm the interests of the poor and working class on Paulista Avenue, in Sao Paulo, Brazil

'For the leftists, putting their followers in the streets is a way of wearing Bolsonaro down for the election,' said Leandro Consentino, a political science professor at Insper, a university in Sao Paulo.

'But at the same, time they are contradicting themselves and losing the discourse of maintaining health care, because they are causing the same agglomerations as Bolsonaro.'

Saturday's marches came a week after Bolsonaro led a massive motorcycle parade of supporters in Sao Paulo, though his allies and foes differ dramatically on the size of that event.

'Bolsonaro needs to show that he maintains significant support to give a message of strength to those who are investigating the actions of his government in Congress', Consentino said.

A special Senate committee is probing the Bolsonaro administration's pandemic response, highlighting delayed efforts to acquire vaccines while prioritizing unproven treatments for COVID-19.

Last month, a poll showed Bolsonaro's popularity has sunk to new lows with only 24% of Brazilians saying his administration is 'good' or 'great.' The same poll showed Bolsonaro's left wing rival, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, would win in a run-off vote if the 2022 elections were held today.
Rep. Lauren Boebert accused protesters who confronted her outside the Western Conservative Summit of being paid to be there, and told them to 'get a job' after they chanted 'run and hide'.

The Republican lawmaker, 34, made her comments in an interview with Washington Examiner after a group protested outside the Colorado Christian University Centennial Institute's Western Conservative Summit in downtown Denver on Friday.

'Maybe this is their job. Maybe they're paid to do it,' said Boebert, who was one of the speakers at the summit.

'You see this from extreme leftist progressives because either this is their job, either they are paid to do it, or they have nothing better to do, they're sitting at home collecting a check, and this is their life.'

She added: 'I mean, I don't have time for that. You don't see conservatives doing things like this because we have families to take care of, we have jobs to work at, we have communities to grow. And that's our focus  not to destroy, but to build.'

Rep. Lauren Boebert appears at the "Frontier Freedom" 2021 Western Conservative Summit, held at the Hyatt Regency Denver on June 18 and 19, 2021

A man who protested at the event wore a T-shirt that reads: 'Lauren Boebert is a f**king terrorist'

Another man held a sign calling the conservatives attending the conference 'Nazi Scum'

A group of Denver Communists hold up their fists outside the conservative event on Friday

Protesters march and chant outside the Hyatt Regency Denver on June 18 as Rep. Lauren Boebert appears at the 'Frontier Freedom' 2021 Western Conservative Summit, held on June 18 and 19, 2021

A woman, pictured, chanted for Boebert to 'run and hide' through a megaphone at the event

Protesters march and chant outside the Hyatt Regency Denver on June 18 as Rep. Lauren Boebert appears at the 'Frontier Freedom' 2021 Western Conservative Summit, held on June 18 and 19, 2021

Protesters defaced the Hyatt building in Denver with symbols for 'anarchy' and communism

Lauren Boebert is pictured in two promotional photos for the conservative event

Boebert also laid out her criticisms on Twitter while responding to a video that shows a protester chanting 'run and hide' and 'Lauren Boebert stay inside.'

'I feel sorry for her cats,' Boebert quipped in her reply.

The two-day event limited in-person attendance to 500 people but was also streamed online.

VIP passes cost $500 and the summit featured speakers such as former acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and anti-abortion activist Lila Rose.

Demonstrators outside of the event were members of the Denver Communists group, according to a flyer posted by Examiner reporter Emily Brooks.

'Our general approach is to outnumber and outshine the far right,' the flyer reads. 'We want to send these worms back into their holes, demoralized and isolated'

One demonstrator even wore a shirt that read: 'Lauren Boebert is a f**king terrorist.'

Protesters at the event also defaced the Hyatt building in Denver with symbols for 'anarchy' and communism.

The protesters had a brief standoff with about 10 cops with the Denver Police Department who were in riot gear on Friday.

The protesters had a brief standoff with about 10 cops with the Denver Police Department who were in riot gear

Protesters march and chant outside the Hyatt Regency Denver on June 18 as Rep. Lauren Boebert appears at the 'Frontier Freedom' 2021 Western Conservative Summit, held on June 18 and 19, 2021

Protesters march and chant outside the Hyatt Regency Denver on June 18 as Rep. Lauren Boebert appears at the 'Frontier Freedom' 2021 Western Conservative Summit, held on June 18 and 19, 2021

Members of the Denver Communists posted a flyer outside the event about the frontier theme

Boebert also laid out her criticisms on Twitter writing: ' I feel sorry for her cats.'

Protesters called the officers 'Boebert's b***h boys,' videos from the event show, which Boebert slammed as going 'too far.'

'For them to attempt to attack me but to demoralize our police  that's disgusting,' Boebert told the Washington Examiner.

'That's not an attack on me. That's an attack on the men and women who get dressed every day to serve their communities, who sacrifice and risk their lives every day.'
The hunt is on for a wanted fugitive after a beloved police dog was killed trying to track him down.

Queensland Police are mourning the death of canine cop Rambo who was killed in action in Maryborough West on Saturday.

Rambo and his handler were tracking Alan Lace, who allegedly fled from police, on the Bruce Highway when the dog was struck by a car about 12.30am.

Queensland Police are calling for the public's help to locate Alan Lace (pictured), who allegedly fled from police at Maryborough on Saturday

Police immediately rushed Rambo to a nearby vet but he could not be revived.

Queensland Police urged anyone with information about Lace's location to come forward.

What Lace was originally on the run for is not yet clear.

Queensland Police Service said Rambo (pictured) was hit by a car while tracking Lace

'PD Rambo was tracking Alan when he tragically died,' police said.

'Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to contact police urgently. Do not approach him.'

Rambo was a Fraser Coast local and lived in the area when he was a puppy.

He graduated from the police dog academy in 2015 and worked tirelessly in the Maryborough community.

Rambo often assisted police in locating missing persons and successfully tracked two property offenders on Australia Day in 2019.

All QPS dogs are part of their handler's family and the bond between handlers and their dogs makes them inseparable.

'The QPS takes the safety and wellbeing of all police dogs very seriously and treats them as valued members of the policing family,' police said.

'When a police dog passes away as a result of an incident on duty or in training, the state dog squad capability coordinator conducts a review into the circumstances of the incident.'
Did your parents or teachers ever tell you to sit up straight or stop slouching? It seems they might have had a point.

Scientists have shown that a good posture improves your mood, increases concentration and can lower blood pressure.

The findings come from a study of 82 students in their 20s, who were asked to undertake a series of tests while sitting in different positions. They were not told that the study was observing their posture, but instead thought it was assessing their concentration.

Scientists have shown that a good posture improves your mood, increases concentration and can lower blood pressure

The researchers managed to manipulate the students into either sitting upright or slouching by changing the height of their desk and chair, picture posed by model

Researchers managed to manipulate the students into either sitting upright or slouching by changing the height of their desk and chair.

Those sitting straight rated their general mood at an average of 3.77 out of five, compared with 3.43 for those who were slouching. And the participants with good posture got through more of the test than those who slouched.

People with cash in their pocket walk two inches taller, survey shows People with cash in their pocket walk two inches taller, a behavioural expert says. Body language analyst Judi James says: Having more money in your pocket will help you stand more upright  and feeling in control of your finances will make you appear taller to other people. A poll by credit card firm Vanquis found that 67 per cent of people feel more confident when their finances are in order. Advertisement

It follows previous research which found that people who sit upright when they receive positive feedback feel more pride than those who receive the news slouched. Other studies have linked high confidence with good posture.

The new research was conducted at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Germany and published in the journal Acta Psychologica.

One of its authors, Sarah Awad, told The Mail on Sunday: Sitting upright is linked to a lower blood pressure, slower heart rate and lower temperature.

Slumped postures may signal to someone that they are in a potentially threatening situation and need to adopt a protective posture, and hence they experience negative mood. On the other hand, sitting upright communicates to the person that they are in an unthreatening situation.

She added that the idea of body feedback dates from the 19th Century, when it was suggested that our feelings are rooted in our physical actions  we do not smile because we are happy, but we are happy because we smile.

Last year, Elizabeth Broadbent, of the University of Auckland, New Zealand, came to similar conclusions. She said: When people walk with their head tilted down, looking down, and keeping the arms static, it can negatively affect how you feel.

In contrast, walking with the head level, looking straight ahead, and swinging your arms has a more positive outcome for mood.
British judges could soon be told they are no longer 'bound' by decisions made in European rulings on human rights amid Government proposals being backed by senior lawyers and Scotland Yard.

The European Convention on Human Rights is currently enshrined in British law by the Human Rights Act but has become increasingly unpopular with many Conservatives.

It is often cited by people fighting legal deportation and critics say the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights  which is entirely separate from the EU  has roamed far beyond its remit and created new rights that were never intended by its founders.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland (left) is thought to be 'sympathetic' to the idea and leading human rights QC Lord Pinnick (right) is among those in support of the new proposals

The EU went into the Brexit trade talks warning that it would end all 'law enforcement co-operation and judicial co-operation in criminal matters' if the UK were to 'denounce the ECHR'.

But new proposals being supported by MPs and senior lawyers as well as the Metropolitan Police could now see a curb on the ECHR's influence.

Leading human rights QC Lord Pinnick is among those in support of the new proposals which could be the first review of the Human Rights Act in 20 years, The Telegraph has said.

He has suggested ministers amend the Human Rights Act to state that British judges 'shall not be bound' by decisions taken in Strasbourg and should instead only take ECHR rulings 'into account'.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, who commissioned the Independent Human Rights Act Review to start its inquiry in December, is also thought to be 'sympathetic' to the idea, the publication said.

Critics say the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (pictured)  which is entirely separate from the EU  has roamed far beyond its remit and created new rights that were never intended by its founders

The findings will be issued in the coming months.

The Met Police had previously warned that recent ECHR judgments meant officers had wasted time investigating cases that would 'never reach the threshold for prosecution' due to concern victims could later make a complaint.

It is thought that the move will be backed by other senior Tories who believe European judgements in cases that have little relevance on UK matters have wrongly been influencing the decisions of British judges.

The Tories promised in their manifestos at the 2010 and 2015 elections that they would scrap the Human Rights Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.

Before the 2019 election, Mr Johnson also promised to 'update the Human Rights Act and administrative law to ensure that there is a proper balance between the rights of individuals, our vital national security and effective government'.
Sir Keir Starmer is heading for a by-election defeat that could end his leadership amid claims his tough stance on antisemitism has cost him the trust of Muslim voters.

He faces a bitter backlash from Muslim communities in Labour-held Batley and Spen, with even his wife Victoria's Jewish heritage apparently being cited as one reason not to vote Labour.

Starmer loyalists last night hit back at what they said were 'repellent and repugnant' attempts to draw Mrs Starmer into the West Yorkshire by-election battle, where polls have put the Tories on course to snatch the Red Wall seat.

But campaigners for pro-Palestinian campaigner and Workers Party candidate George Galloway, who claims that 'I'm in the lead here', insist the issue is coming up 'on the doorstep and on the street'.

Sir Keir Starmer is heading for a by-election defeat that could end his leadership amid claims his tough stance on antisemitism has cost him the trust of Muslim voters

But campaigners for pro-Palestinian campaigner and Workers Party candidate George Galloway (pictured in March), who claims that 'I'm in the lead here', insist the issue is coming up 'on the doorstep and on the street'

A spokesman for Mr Galloway said 'a few people' had mentioned Mrs Starmer's religion but stressed the party always reacted by reminding voters 'we must be tolerant of everybody's beliefs'.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Muslim voters vented their anger at what they claimed was the Labour leader's failure to speak up for Palestinians in Gaza being bombed by the Israelis.

The by-election in Batley, where Labour has a slim 3,525 majority, comes amid mounting concerns that Sir Keir will face a leadership challenge if he loses so soon after the Hartlepool by-election defeat.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner denied she was preparing a challenge. Left-wing MPs angry at Sir Keir's treatment of his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, are said to favour Brent MP Dawn Butler.

Party insiders conceded that last week's shock victory for the Liberal Democrats in Tory-held Chesham and Amersham also raised the stakes for Sir Keir.

One said: 'If the Lib Dems can take a Tory seat down South and we can't hold one of our own up North, it could be a knockout blow for Keir.'

He faces a bitter backlash from Muslim communities in Labour-held Batley and Spen, with even his wife Victoria's (pictured together in May) Jewish heritage apparently being cited as one reason not to vote Labour

Labour MPs privately conceded that Mr Galloway was eating into the Labour Muslim vote, which makes up about 20 per cent of the constituency electorate.

Sir Keir put rooting out antisemitism at the heart of his leadership  a drive that has led to Mr Corbyn being suspended as a Labour MP for querying the scale of anti-Jewish sentiment in the party.

Last night, Mr Galloway said no voter had raised the issue of Mrs Starmer's background with him in Batley and Spen, adding: 'It's hard enough to get someone to give a toss about Keir Starmer, never mind about his wife.'

Batley Labour member Ali Arshad, 44, who runs a bed manufacturing firm, claimed Labour had 'taken us for granted for too long'.

He added: 'Keir Starmer has not spoken up for the Palestinian people in the recent war. Why didn't he speak up for the Palestinian people who were bombed?'

Retired local council official Hasan Badat, 58, said: 'I've been a Labour supporter all my life, but I will not be voting for them this time, as they have not given me the slightest reason to vote for them.'

A Labour spokesman said last night Sir Keir had spoken up for an independent Palestine and the rights of Palestinians, including at Prime Minister's Questions.
Following the grisly murder of a mother and son from a prominent South Carolina legal family, cops are investigating whether other mysterious deaths in the family's past may have offered a motive in the double-slay.

Paul Murdaugh, 22, was gunned down alongside his mother Maggie, 52, in a brutal double homicide in the family's sprawling hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on June 7.

Paul had been facing felony charges in a 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach -- but now two other mysterious deaths have emerged from the past to further complicate the tragic tale.

In 2018, Paul's father Richard 'Alec' Murdaugh, the patriarch of the powerful Lowcountry family of prosecutors and attorneys, settled a wrongful death claim in the 'trip and fall' death of housekeeper Gloria Satterfield, 57.

And in 2015, gay teen Stephen Smith was found dead in the road with horrible injuries in an unsolved case the medical examiner ruled a hit-and-run -- a conclusion cops questioned after receiving tips linking Paul as a person of interest.

No Murdaugh has ever been charged or named as a suspect in the deaths of Stephen or Satterfield, but cops are probing whether their deaths or Mallory's may have driven someone to kill Paul and Maggie in an act of vengeance.

Murdered son and mother Paul and Maggie Murdaugh are seen together (center) along with father Alec and brother Buster. Cops are probing into the family's past for any clues

The mysterious deaths of gay teen Stephen Smith (left) and housekeeper Gloria Satterfield (right) are now being probed for any connection as a possible motive in the double-slay

Mallory Beach (pictured ) was killed in a 2019 boating accident allegedly caused by Paul. Questions around a possible tie between her boating death and last week's murders continue to mount as the state attorney general is refusing to close the case into the boat crash despite the death of the man accused of being culpable

The Murdaughs are one of South Carolina's most prominent legal families, and through the generations served as top prosecutors in the state's 14th Circuit for nearly a century.

The latest revelations mark a new twist in the family's tragic tale, which shot into the national spotlight after Alec called 911 at 10.07pm on June 7, reporting that he had found Paul and Maggie's bodies at the families Islandton hunting lodge.

Both had been shot multiple times: Paul in the head and torso with a shotgun, his mother with a semi-automatic rifle. The bodies were found outside the home, near a dog kennel. The time of death was estimated at 9 to 9.30pm.

Sources close to Alec said he has a 'cast iron alibi' for the night of the killings, when he was at the hospital visiting his dying father, who passed away from cancer three days later.

Now an incident from Alec's past is raising new questions. Legal documents uncovered by Mandy Matney of FITSNews show that in December 2018, he settled a wrongful death claim for $500,000.

Alec was the only defendant listed in the settlement, which stated that Gloria Satterfield died as a result of injuries sustained during a 'trip and fall accident, in Hampton County.'

The document does not state where the fatal incident took place, but Satterfield was reportedly a housekeeper for the Murdaugh family, and her obituary named them as 'those she loved as her family.'

Court documents did not specify why Alec was accused of fault in the woman's February 6, 2018 death.

Alec (second from right) in December 2018 settled a wrongful death claim for $500,000. The claim involved the fatal 'trip and fall' of family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield

Investigators are also probing whether Stephen Smith's death has any ties to the murder of Paul and Maggie.

On July 8, 2015, the 19-year-old was found dead in the middle of Sandy Run Road, three miles from his abandoned car, with horrific and disfiguring head injuries and a dislocated right shoulder.

The medical examiner concluded that the teen ran out of gas and was struck by the side mirror of a passing truck, but Stephen's mother has always believed it was a hate crime.

Investigators at the time received anonymous tips suggesting Paul and his brother Buster as persons of interest, according to documents obtained by FITSNews.

Neither brother was ever named a suspect in the case, and police also investigated other persons of interest. No charges have ever been brought.

On Thursday of this week, Stephen's mother Sandy Smith was surprised to receive a phone call from the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and hoped it meant they had a break in Stephen's death.

'They called me back and said they were looking into Stephen's case because they have to see if my family is involved in the shooting of Paul and Maggie (Murdaugh),' Sandy Smith told FITSNews. 'What a slap in the face.'

Paul Murdaugh (center) was facing three felony charges in relation to a drunken boat crash in 2019 that killed a teenage girl at the time of his death. Paul, 22, and his mother Margaret, 52, were found shot dead at their hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina on the night of June 7

Mallory Beach, 19, was thrown to her death in February 2019 when a drunken Paul allegedly plowed a boat into pilings

The other death in the family's past is by now well-known: that of Mallory Beach, who was thrown to her death in February 2019 when a drunken Paul plowed a boat into pilings.

Witnesses have said under oath that Paul, then 20, was drunk and enraged in a fight with his girlfriend, a friend of Mallory's, slapping her in the face and stripping off his clothes before crashing the boat.

Paul had been indicted and released on a $50,000 bond

Mallory's boyfriend, who was also present on the boat, told attorneys that Paul had a 'crazy' alter-ego that his friends called 'Timmy' who came out when he was drunk, and that stripping his clothes off was a regular habit of 'Timmy'.

At the time of his death, Paul awaiting trial on three felony counts  two of boating under the influence and one of causing death and bodily injury  for his role the fatal boat crash.

He had been indicted and released on a $50,000 bond.

According to legal documents seen by DailyMail.com Murdaugh was 'highly intoxicated,' 'drunk' and 'belligerent,' on the February night two years ago when he sped his boat into a piling on Archer's Creek.

All of the six youths on board that night were under 21, all were ejected from the vessel and all but Beach made it to shore.

Beach's mother, Renee, has brought a wrongful death suit which is currently proceeding against the company who sold alcohol to Paul, his father Alec, and his older brother, Richard Alexander Jr, known as 'Buster,' whose ID Paul allegedly used that day.

Witnesses told how Paul 'slapped, pushed and spat' on his girlfriend as the bitter arguing continued on a boat, which he then plowed into wooden pilings

One theory into which investigators of Colleton County Sheriff's Officer and South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division have said they are looking is that Paul was the target of the killing while his mother's death was unfortunate 'happenstance.'

'Mrs. Maggie don't deserve this,' neighbor Gabby Thomas, 62, whose hunting club is next to the Murdaugh estate where the murders occurred, told the New York Post.

'She'd give you the shirt off her back, that one. Wonderful woman. Them others? I don't know. But she sure spoiled Paul. I heard him talk back to her once so bad in the beauty parlor once that I made him apologize.'

'These are good ol' boys but they're really smart good ol' boys,' Thomas said. 'And they're not all bad, neither. They got a lot of support here.'

DailyMail.com has learned that the four other youngsters on the boat the night Mallory died have all volunteered DNA to homicide investigators: Paul's ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Mallory's boyfriend Anthony Cook, his cousin Connor Cook and Connor's girlfriend, Mallory's best friend, Miley Altman.

Members of Mallory's family have also given DNA samples investigators, as has Alec.

Alec's brothers Randy and John Marvin Murdaugh (left and right) revealed Paul had been receiving threats from strangers but insisted the family did not have enemies

On Thursday, Alec's brothers John and Randy broke the family's silence, revealing that Paul had received threats over Mallory's death.

'We hear all this talk on social media in regard to Paul but I don't really know of anybody who would truly be an enemy or would truly want to harm them.'

They grew emotional as they pleaded for information on the murders, no matter how 'big or small' the details.

Randy and John denied that the family exercised its legal power to interfere in the boating case in any way and said they believe the perception of them as a 'dynasty' is all wrong.

'You see words like 'dynasty' used, and 'power,' and I don't know exactly how people use those words, but we're just regular people and we're hurting just like they would be hurting if it happened to them,' said Randy.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact investigators at a dedicated 24-hour tip line: 803-896-2605
A grieving wife has been denied her late husband's $200,000 life insurance payout due to a loophole in his policy.

Nardia Vajda's life was turned upside down when her husband Jeremy, 49, and the father of her two children, suddenly died from a heart condition on March 25 last year.

The couple's 13-year-old son found him unconscious in the bathroom moments after Mrs Vadja left for work.

'The first thing I said to Jeremy was ''you told me you would never leave me''. But he was gone,' Mrs Vadja told A Current Affair.

Nardia Vajda (pictured) lost the love of her life Jeremy, when he died suddenly from a heart condition in March last year

Now, the heartbroken family have learned they will not receive a cent of his life insurance after BT Super cancelled his policy months before his death - which his family claim was done without his permission.

Under new superannuation laws in 2019, insurance providers were required to cancel any accounts which had been inactive for 16 months or longer.

Members who wished to keep it were required to either 'opt in' or make a contribution.

BT Super said it sent Mr Vajda two emails and a letter before cancelling his policy but he did not respond - a claim his family disputes.

The insurance provider said it had no record of a response and 'will only review the decision if additional information comes to light'.

But Mrs Vajda and her husband's brother Anthony said they found an email in Mr Vajda's sent box indicating he responded to the company.

'How could anything be in your sent mailbox if you didn't send anything? So he definitely responded to that first message,' Mrs Vajda said.

Without Mr Vajda's password, they cannot access the content of the email - but they believe it was sent to a do not reply email address and never went through.

The mother-of-two is now battling to have his $200,000 life insurance compensation paid out after a loophole saw BT Super cancel his policy months before his death

Mrs Vadja said the pain of losing the love of her life 'will never go away', and the family's grief was compounded by Covid-19 restrictions, which meant only 10 people could attend his funeral.

The hairdresser called on BT Super to pay out the much-needed funds as she raises their children on her own.

Anthony said the compensation wasn't a big sum to the company, but would make a huge difference to the struggling family.

'There's been a complete lack of compassion here in the sense of, "oh we understand". It's not a huge amount of money,' he said.

BT Super said the company offered its condolences to the Vadja family, but reiterated it followed the protocol required under the 2019 legislation.

'This is a very sad situation for the Vadja family and we have extended our condolences on the loss of their brother, father and husband,' it said.

'BT's always seeks to do what is right for our members, and if we get things wrong we will fix it.

'We have no record, after an extensive search, of an email from Mr Vadja being received and it has never been provided to BT or AFCA.

'If additional information can be provided by Mr Vadja's family we are happy to review this decision.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted BT Super for further comment.
The Mail on Sundays campaign to slash food waste has won influential backing from an array of major names, including the boss of the UKs largest supermarket Tesco and Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain.

Weve also gained significant political support from Environment Minister Rebecca Pow and Conservative Party co-chairman Ben Elliot.

Since we launched our War On Food Waste a week ago, letters have poured in from readers who described the mountain of food thrown away in Britain each year as tragic  and said they hoped our wonderful campaign would help to stamp it out.

This paper is calling on every household to cut their food waste by 30 per cent. Experts say this would have the same environmental impact as taking two million cars off the road. It would also boost family bank balances by 160 a year on average.

Britain wastes a shocking 6.4 million tons of perfectly good food every year  enough to fill 11 Wembley Stadiums. Of the total, about 4.5 million tons can be traced back to food we throw away at home.

The Mail on Sundays campaign to slash food waste has won influential backing from an array of major names, including the boss of the UKs largest supermarket Tesco and Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain (pictured)

Retailers are being urged to review the labels they put on food after an MoS investigation found most major supermarkets routinely fail to follow official guidelines, causing 900 million of extra waste.

Many, for example, put Best before labels on bags of potatoes and onions even though no date label is required. Already, Iceland has promised to take action to help shoppers throw out less yogurt, hard cheese and milk.

Meanwhile, restaurants are being urged to offer all diners doggy bags so they can take unfinished meals home. Figures show a third of all food wasted by hospitality firms is from leftovers scraped into the bin.

Our campaign also calls on companies involved in the food industry to come clean on their waste. Charities say this will encourage firms to crack down.

Today, we can reveal two early victories. First, the Government is in talks to make it mandatory for larger food companies to declare how much food they waste.

Our six key demands Families to cut their food waste by 30 per cent;

Shops to crack down on misleading food labels;

All councils to collect food waste in separate bins;

Restaurants to offer all diners a doggy bag;

Fairer prices for small packs of food and drink;

Firms to come clean on how much food they waste. Advertisement

Second, a series of major restaurant firms  from the Pizza Express and Wagamama chains to famous Quaglinos in London, where the Queen once dined  have pledged to prompt customers to take home leftovers at the end of their meals.

A growing chorus is calling for an end to the blight of food waste. Research shows it causes at least three times more greenhouse gas emissions than air travel.

Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy said: There is an unacceptable environmental and financial cost to wasted food. We all have a role to play in reducing food waste, so were pleased to be supporting The Mail on Sundays campaign to help readers tackle waste.

More than two-thirds of food waste happens in our homes. We know our customers want to waste less food, and we want to do more to help them. At Tesco, we have no time for waste. We are committed to stopping food that is fit for humans being wasted.

We are on our way to reaching our target of halving food wasted in our own operations by 2030 and we work with partners such as FareShare and Olio to ensure surplus food goes to our local communities every day to feed those who need it most.

Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain said: The Mail on Sundays campaign to cut food waste is a terrific initiative and urgently needed. If we all do our bit, we can make a huge difference to the planet and save ourselves some money along the way.

Rebecca Pow, Minister for food waste prevention, said: It is really good news that The Mail on Sunday is campaigning to help us keep good food on our plates and out of the bin.

From getting creative with leftover meal ideas, freezing ingredients to make them go the extra mile, or setting your fridge to the right temperature  we can all take small steps now which can have a massive impact for the environment and for family budgets.

A growing chorus is calling for an end to the blight of food waste. Research shows it causes at least three times more greenhouse gas emissions than air travel (file image)

The UK is a world leader in combating food waste, and this is something we can all play a part in. In our homes, we waste enough food that could have been eaten to fill 90 Royal Albert Halls every year. This vast quantity could be significantly reduced if all of us made just a few simple changes.

I encourage all of you to get involved  and I want to thank The Mail on Sunday for raising awareness of this important issue.

Writing for this paper today, Mr Elliot, who is also the Governments food waste and surplus champion, said: We are now in a situation  as this paper has so brilliantly highlighted with its War On Food Waste campaign  where a third of all the food we buy is thrown away.

Its a staggering amount. And the cost isnt just financial. The correlation between throwing away that amount of food and the huge rise in carbon emissions is real and terrifying.

The urgent need to clamp down on food waste couldnt be clearer.
A drunk driver has allegedly assaulted police while trying to evade officers after crashing his ute on a notorious stretch of road.

The Toyota Hilux crashed into a light pole and a tree on Bridge Road in Pooraka in Adelaide's north on Friday night before the vehicle flipped upside down on its roof.

The driver managed to clamber out of the wreckage and allegedly fled the scene and tried to a hitch a lift from a passing motorist.

Police stopped a vehicle at a nearby intersection a short time later, where the suspected driver was allegedly sitting in the passenger seat.

Police allege an officer was assaulted while arresting a drunk driver who allegedly fled the scene after crashing his ute in Adelaide's north

He allegedly provided false details to police before being arrested, where he allegedly assaulted an officer while being searched.

The handcuffed man was escorted into the back of a police van and taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing and assessment of his injuries.

Fed up local residents are tired of being kept awake by young hoons using the road as a race track as they recalled the late night commotion.

'I was in bed and heard this almighty bang,' Pauline Way told Nine News.

'How he got out of that car I do not know. It was a complete mess. I knew it was an accident, but I didn't know it was going to be that bad.'

'He could have got killed. he could have killed someone.'

Chris Douros added: 'It's terrible. That car could have slammed into my house.'

The driver allegedly slammed into a light pole and hit a tree, flipping his ute (pictured)

Ms Way recalled how the the man tried to get a lift from a passing motorist.

'But they said "no way, I'm not getting you out of it",' she added.

The police officer who was allegedly assaulted suffered a minor injury that didn't require medical treatment.

A Port Noarlunga man, 25, was later discharged from hospital and charged with driving without due care, giving a false name, drink driving, resisting arrest and assaulting an emergency worker, among others.

He refused bail to appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday.

The ute sustained extensive damage and was later towed away.
NatWest and British Gas are offering their staff cut-price fertility treatment, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The state-backed bank is offering its 59,000 staff access to IVF, sperm freezing, treatment with donor eggs and support for same-sex couples who want to start a family.

Discounts for staff who work at the bank, which is 59.8 per cent owned by the UK taxpayer, range from five to 20 per cent depending on the treatment. Employees receive ten per cent off IVF treatment, for example.

Big businesses in Britain such as NatWest are subsidising the cost of fertility treatment such as IVF for staff

Centrica, owner of British Gas has also began offering fertility support as a workplace benefit

Centrica, owner of British Gas, has also begun offering its 18,500 staff in the UK and Ireland fertility support as a workplace benefit, including discounted IVF and menopause consultations.

The new trend for firms to offer fertility support to staff is partially a response to rising demand for better workplace perks. Figures show one in six couples face difficulties when trying to start a family and IVF typically costs thousands of pounds. Experts say offering staff fertility support also frees up women to climb the career ladder without having to put family planning on hold.

However, critics have warned that firms could inadvertently be encouraging women to delay having children so long that they may find it more difficult to conceive.

NatWest is understood to have launched its fertility support deal after a group of staff asked the banks HR department for more support. Asma Ali, a senior NatWest banker who set up its Fertility and Loss Network, told The Mail on Sunday: Having gone through fertility issues and miscarriages, I know how this impacts people. It can be a very lonely time for individuals.

Hortense Thorpe, who founded Centricas Fertility Group, said: When I was diagnosed with infertility, it felt natural to talk about it. Nine out of ten people affected by such issues suffer depression, and I certainly felt it. I hope sharing my story helps others have a better chance at having a family.

Offering fertility treatments as a workplace benefit has rapidly gained popularity in the US but is only now starting to gather momentum among British firms

The revelation that NatWest and Centrica are offering fertility benefits comes after top law firm Clifford Chance said last week that its private medical scheme in the UK would cover fertility treatments and infertility investigations of up to 15,000 per person.

Offering fertility treatments as a workplace benefit has rapidly gained popularity in the US but is only now starting to gather momentum among British firms.

However, some fertility experts have also warned that delaying having a child could lower the chances of success, as fertility treatments are not guaranteed to work.

Professor Susan Bewley, a consultant obstetrician, said: Youre putting your eggs on ice, but your body is not on ice.

IVF is harder in your late 30s and 40s, so why plan to make it more difficult?

Whats also scary is the small print  what are they going to do if you change jobs? Always look a gift horse in the mouth.
Australian billionaire James Packer was spotted partying on his superyacht with a trio of Instagram influencers - but his girlfriend of three years was nowhere to be seen.

Maja Malnar, Nera Lesic, both aged 27, and Mom Mikki worked out on the yachts gymnasium as it sailed through Mykonos before posing for photos with wine glasses in hand as Packer and his long time friend, Ben Tilley, watched on.

The sighting aboard his $200 million superyacht IJE marked the first time the 53-year-old has been seen in public in eight months.

That was when he gave video evidence at the damning NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority inquiry into money laundering in his Melbourne and Perth casinos,

Rather than return home to locked-down Australia throughout the pandemic, Packer has spent his days sailing through Greece and travelling.

Maja Malnar, Nera Lesic and Mom Mikki worked out on the yachts gymnasium as it sailed through Mykonos before posing for selfies with wine glasses in hand as Packer and his long time friend, Ben Tilley, watched on

Meanwhile Packers long term girlfriend Kylie Lim was nowhere to be seen during the celebrations

Each of the women he spent time with are successful European lifestyle bloggers and models who regularly share snippets of their glamorous lives online.

Photos surfaced of them, each in black swimsuits, celebrating their time on the yacht last week.

Ms Malnar shared a series of five posed photos with her one million followers, including the likes of Packers former girlfriend, Miranda Kerr.

She was spotted from afar giggling with Packer and sitting cozily with Tilley on a small tender boat during the escapades, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Each of the women he spent time with are successful European lifestyle bloggers and models who regularly share snippets of their glamorous lives online

Ms Lesic was a runner up for the Ms Europe contest in 2017, boasts 35,000 followers and works as a lingerie designer while Ms Mikki describes herself as a master of international relations

Meanwhile Croatian Ms Lesic and Russian Ms Mikki jumped rope and completed gruelling core workouts as Ms Malnar socialised.

Each of the women held planks and completed sit ups and crunches before treating themselves to a glass of wine on board.

Ms Lesic was a runner up for the Ms Europe contest in 2017, boasts 35,000 followers and works as a lingerie designer while Ms Mikki describes herself as a master of international relations.

Ms Malnar shared a series of five posed photos with her one million followers, including the likes of Packers former girlfriend, Miranda Kerr

Two of the women modeled for a fashion brand while on board the yacht, posing in these candy stripe suits

acker has been determined unfit to run and operate a casino and was forced to reduce his involvement in the business.

Meanwhile, Packers long term girlfriend Kylie Lim was nowhere to be seen during the celebrations.

The last time she and Packer were photographed together was more than a year ago in May 2020 holidaying on the Isle of Capri.

Photos surfaced of them, each in black swimsuits, celebrating their time on the yacht, last week
A massive haul of cocaine has been seized at the border and $500,000 allegedly found hidden inside a home in another major AN0M bust.

The Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force intercepted a shipment from Hong Kong to Melbourne on May 31.

They allegedly uncovered 160kg of cocaine - with a street value of $40 million - hiding in a shipment of air filters.

The Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force intercepted a shipment from Hong Kong to Melbourne on May 31

Five men have been arrested since police intercepted the shipment of cocaine from Hong Kong

Police allege a syndicate operating in Hong Kong and Turkey sent the shipment and were communicating with one of the leaders based in Sydney.

Detectives learned of the shipment after accessing encrypted messages on trap messaging app AN0M.

The app was set-up using technology designed by the FBI and as part of a secretive police operation that has already led to more than 200 arrests.

Edward Lee, 42, the alleged mastermind, was arrested after police executed a search warrant in Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner west, on June 8.

He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of drugs.

Another three men were also arrested across Melbourne between June 4 and 6.

They include Taylors Hill man Jaiden Russell, 26, Keilor East man Edward Cannobbio, 31, and St Kilda East man Youseff Alateyah, 28.

They have been charged with attempting to take possession of the cocaine to distribute it and remanded in custody until September.

Investigators then arrested a fifth man over the shipment.

They allege to have found $500,000 hidden in the walls and roof of his Taylors Hill home on June 11.

Chris Veljanovski, 44, was charged with dealing in the proceeds of crime.

Investigators allegedly uncovered 160 kilograms of cocaine - with a street value of $40 million - hiding in a shipment of air filters

Police allege a syndicate operating in Hong Kong and Turkey had sent the shipment and were communicating with one of the leaders based in Sydney

The arrests were part of the wider Operation Ironside that is aimed at stomping out organised crime across the country

The arrests were part of the wider Operation Ironside aimed at organised crime across the country.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Southern Command Bruce Giles praised the arrests.

'Operation Ironside has opened the door to unprecedented collaboration across law enforcement agencies around the globe and across the nation,' he said.

'These results again highlight the AFP's commitment to keeping Australians safe, while also preventing harmful illicit drugs and weapons from reaching our streets, despite the pursuits of organised crime syndicates both here in our state and abroad.'

ABF Commander James Watson added: 'These arrests are a timely reminder that criminals continue to operate, regardless of whether there is a pandemic, or a lockdown.'
South Australia has become the latest state to close its borders to parts of Sydney as the city scrambles to contain an outbreak of a highly-contagious strain of Covid-19.

The snap closure was brought in at 7.48pm on Saturday and applies to anyone who lives in or has visited the Waverley local government area in the past 14 days.

Included in the blacklisted suburbs are Bondi, Bronte, and Dover Heights.

NSW recorded two new local Covid-19 cases and added two gyms and supermarkets to its growing list of exposure sites on Saturday.

This was followed by another two cases announced on Sunday, and an indoor mask mandate for seven Sydney local councils.

South Australia has become the latest state to close its borders to parts of Sydney as the city scrambles to contain an outbreak of a highly-contagious strain of Covid-19 (pictured, South Australia premier Steven Marshall)

It comes after New South Wales recorded two new local Covid-19 cases and added two gyms and supermarkets to its growing list of exposure sites on Saturday

Health authorities are racing to curb the spread of the Delta variant of the virus with six cases linked to a cluster in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The highly-contagious nature of the variant prompted other states in the country to take action and enforce travel restrictions.

Queensland declared Waverley area a hotspot and has barred residents from entering the state since 1am on Saturday.

Travellers who were already in the state before the border closed have been forced to go into hotel quarantine.

Victoria has classified the City of Sydney, Waverley, and Woollahra local government areas as orange zones.

Anyone who has visited those areas since June 11 is required to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

'We are, of course, continuing to monitor the situation in New South Wales with their cases and any implications for Victoria,' Acting Premier James Merlino said.

Western Australia is now requiring all NSW residents to get tested for Covid-19 when entering the state.

They must self-quarantine while they wait for their results and wear a face mask during this period.

Anyone who has visited any of the exposure sites listed in NSW was told to quarantine for 14 days and get tested for Covid-19 on the eleventh day.

Health authorities are racing to curb the spread of the Delta variant of the virus with six cases linked to a cluster in Sydney's eastern suburbs

Tasmania has barred anyone from entering if they have visited a high-risk venue on the exposure list.

Anyone who is already in the state has been told to self-isolate and contact Tasmania's Public Health Hotline.

A limousine driver aged in his 60s who was transporting international flight crew is thought to be the source of the outbreak of the highly transmissible Delta strain, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday.

The NSW Government warned testing levels are not high enough, with around 26,000 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday.

The latest venues added to the list of exposure sites include two gyms in Sydney's CBD and two supermarkets in Bondi Junction's Eastgate centre.

Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said on Sunday he was hopeful the Bondi cluster would be dealt with quickly but the situation highlighted the need to stay vigilant and get vaccinated.

'I think everyone's concerned over the last four cases that have emerged over the last few days have been very fleeting contacts, so people have really not had any known contact with each other, they just happened to be at the same shopping centre in Bondi Junction,' Mr Butler said.

The NSW government has warned testing levels are not high enough, with around 26,000 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday
A violent foreign criminal has been booted out of the country at last after The Mail on Sunday revealed that he was desperate to leave.

Michal Dolana was sentenced to 21 months in jail last September for attacking his girlfriend, but volunteered to leave Britain in October and return to the Czech Republic as part of an early removal scheme.

Flights were halted due to Covid-19, and Dolana offered to take an indirect route, but immigration officials are understood to have refused.

Michal Dolana (pictured) was sentenced to 21 months in jail last September for attacking his girlfriend, but volunteered to leave Britain in October and return to the Czech Republic as part of an early removal scheme

Flights were halted due to Covid-19, and Dolana offered to take an indirect route, but immigration officials are understood to have refused. Pictured: Home Secretary Priti Patel

He was held at an immigration detention centre near Heathrow Airport and it was claimed by his lawyers that four dates were set for deportation yet they were all missed.

Last night, three weeks after this newspaper revealed the hold-up, his lawyers said: 'This could have been done months ago.

'We have asked the Home Office for 35,000 in damages and are awaiting a response.'

A Home Office spokesman declined to comment.
Child murderer Rick Thorburn and his wife Julene wanted to foster more children with 'high and complex needs' to access monetary benefits to help them escape financial issues, an inquest has revealed.

Thornburn killed his foster daughter Tiahleigh Palmer in October 29, 2015, when he found out his 18-year-old son Trent previously had sex with the 12-year-old schoolgirl.

He was charged the following year, and later plead guilty to sexually abusing two other young girls in his care.

But a review into the Thornburns' involvement with the Department of Child Safety, has revealed the couple requested to care for a high-complex needs child - which is compensated at a higher rate from $960 to $1,400 per fortnight.

Rick Thorburn (pictured) and his wife Julene expressed an interest in fostering children with high-complex needs to bail themselves out of financial issues, an inquest has revealed

The payment is not expected to cover costs such as clothing, school uniforms, recreation and leisure expenses, transportation costs, bedding, household cleaning, and meal preparation - which are all reimbursed on top.

The report found the Thornburns - who applied to open a home day care centre for extra income at the time of Tiahleigh's death - did not elaborate on why they wanted to care for a high-complex needs child.

'Mr and Mrs Thorburn had expressed to staff that they wished to care for any child with high or complex needs,' the review read.

'However explanation for this desire was at no time provided by the Thorburns or requested by the agency.

'Mr and Mrs Thorburn both outlined to assessors that they had a "history of struggling financially" and Mrs Thorburn stated that financial concerns was one of the only areas that have been any source of major concern for the Thorburns as a couple.'

The report, written by the Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Unit of the Coroner's Court of Queensland was included in findings delivered this week during an inquest into Tialeigh's death.

Coroner Jane Bentley ruled Thorburn strangled the 12-year-old to prevent his son from going to jail for molesting the minor.

An inquest this week found Tialeigh Palmer (pictured) was murdered by her foster carer ric Thorburn in October 2015 when he discovered his adult son had molested the 12-year-old schoolgirl

The inquest previously heard of the Thorburns' financial struggles, and how the couple expressed an interest in running a home daycare service through their Chambers Flat property.

In an email, the foster care organisation told a child safety officer that Rick and Julene 'require additional employment to support their household the carer allowances they receive are spent entirely on Tia'.

The family's financial battles were further revealed in a sickening message Trent sent his cousin over Facebook just hours before Tialeigh's murder.

After confessing to molesting the teenage girl, he wrote: 'I just want the kid gone and out of my life but I know she is also a sauce (sic) of income for Mum and Dad and I can't risk us loosing (sic) money because she is gone.'

The inquest previously heard of a chilling phone call Thorburn made to his wife from a Queensland prison on June 1.

During the call, the pair complained journalists were 'out to get them' and expressed a desire to 'live their lives' without being hassled following the murder of their foster child.

Tiahleigh Palmer was killed between 7.30 and 9.30pm on the 29th of October 2015, the Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley said

Ms Bentley said Tiahleigh Palmer was most likely choked or asphyxiated by Rick Thorburn (pictured)

The court heard Thorburn deliberately avoided passing on details of the murder to police and possibly sexually abused Tiahleigh himself.

The call shows the married couple felt they were the ones being victimised.

'When we go into the courtroom, if they want anything out of me they can tell a heap of people to f**k off otherwise they'll get nothing,' Mr Thorburn told his wife on the phone from behind bars.

'I will go to my grave with what I've got. If the Coroners Court don't like that, well that's their f**king problem, not mine.'

Mrs Thorburn replied: 'We would all talk a lot happier and as ourselves without them there. But everything we say and do, they are going to twist to put in the news  and that's what makes it very restrictive. So it makes us very reserved to speak at all.'

Her husband responded by promising to say he 'could not remember' what happened on the night he murdered Tiahleigh when in court.

'That's what I'll say  just say the words, "I can't recall" and what have they got then?' he told his wife.

'F**k all. Just leave it up to me to say everything. I can say and do what I want but you, you can't, you know.'

Mrs Thorburn then said: 'That's it  we've got to live our lives without them (media) hassling us... anything we say and do they are going to twist and make us look disgusting aren't they?'

To which an unremorseful Mr Thorburn replied: 'That's right - that's what the f**kwits do.'

Convicted sex offender Thorburn told the inquest into Tiahleigh's death he 'accidentally' suffocated his foster daughter, but this was rejected by Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley.

Julene Thorburn, the foster mother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, felt she was the victim after the death of the minor

Trent Thorburn confessed to his mother Julene that he'd had sex with the schoolgirl and feared her stomach pains were a sign she was pregnant

While the exact cause of death could not be conclusively determined, Ms Bentley said Tiahleigh was most likely choked or asphyxiated.

Mr Thorburn sobbed while reading a one-page statement - he says was written about four years ago - in the Coroner's Court during earlier testimony.

He said he had 'no recollection' of being told by his wife on the day Tiahleigh died that his son had previously had sex with the 12-year-old.

Asked whether there may be a link between the circumstances of him killing Tiahleigh and finding out about the sexual relationship, he answered: 'I don't know'.

He also told the inquest he was 'coerced into pleading guilty' earlier to multiple charges of sexual assault for offences unrelated to Tiahleigh's death.

They included a series of child sex offences after he sexually assaulted two young girls at his Brisbane home in 2015 and 2016.

Despite internal reviews and criminal trials, no one knows what happened to Tiahleigh in her final moments, a pre-inquest hearing was told in May.

Rick Thorburn is believed to have strangled Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) in 2015 when he found out his son Trent had previously had sex with the minor

Trent Thorburn was sentenced to four years' jail in 2017 after admitting he had sex with Tiahleigh Palmer

'(Thorburn) has pleaded guilty to her murder but has never given an account, either on oath or otherwise, as to how he killed her,' counsel assisting the coroner Kate McMahon said during the hearing.

In the hours before Tiahleigh died, she went to a hip-hop dance class where she complained of stomach pains.

That same night, Thorburn's son Trent confessed to his mother Julene that he'd had sex with the schoolgirl and feared the stomach pains were a sign she was pregnant.

Thornburn and his wife feared a pregnancy could mean Trent would go to jail for incest charges, according to earlier proceedings.

That night, Julene, Trent and brother Joshua went out, leaving Tiahleigh home alone with Rick Thorburn for two hours.

She was never seen alive again.

Tiahleigh's body - naked except for underpants - was badly decomposed when found by three fishermen on the banks of the Pimpama River near the Gold Coast on November 5, 2015.

Members of the Thorburn family were convicted of being part of the crime - Rick Thorburn for the murder, Trent for incest, and Julene and Joshua for being part of an elaborate cover-up.

Rick Thorburn was given a life sentence for murder.
A fresh local virus case has been uncovered in Queensland as the state government announces an easing of restrictions.

The flight attendant, aged in her 30s, arrived in Brisbane on an Emirates flight on June 5 and tested positive after being released from hotel quarantine.

The state's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says she is 'very concerned' because a passenger on that flight tested positive for the highly infectious Indian Delta variant.

'I am treating this case as if she does have the Delta variant,' Dr Young told reporters on Sunday.

Dr Jeannette Young (pictured) says she is 'very concerned' by the new case and is treating the woman as though she has the highly infectious Delta Covid variant

Anyone who was at Brisbane airport DFO (pictured) between 4pm and 4.30pm Saturday is being told to isolate immediately and notify Queensland Health

Tests have not confirmed that the woman has contracted the Delta variant.

The state government has listed exposure sites including Brisbane's airport DFO and a Portuguese family centre.

Dr Young said the new case left hotel quarantine at 9am on Saturday and went by shuttle bus to the Hamilton apartments before visiting airport DFO at 4pm Saturday.

Anyone who was at airport DFO between 4pm and 4.30pm Saturday is being told to isolate immediately and notify Queensland Health.

The case was also outside in the city between 5pm and 6pm, and anyone in the CBD at that time is being told to monitor for symptoms.

She then visited a Portuguese centre at Ellen Grove between 7pm and 7.50pm.

'We do need everyone who has been to these sites to immediately isolate themselves,' Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

The same advice applies to anyone who visited the Portugese centre at Ellen Grove (pictured) between 7pm and 7.50pm on Saturday

The case comes as the state government announced virus restrictions were on track to ease by Friday. Pictured: A woman wearing a face mask walks through Brisbane's CBD

Capacity limits on restaurants, cafes, and bars, are expected to be lifted later this week. Pictured: Medical staff at a COVID-19 testing site at Bowen Hills in Brisbane, in March

At the same time, Queensland is easing virus restrictions, including density measures that will see more people allowed to go to restaurants, cafes and bars, with three people allowed per four square metres.

The measures will ease from Friday and will also mean more people are allowed on reef charter boats.

There will be no virus restrictions on visits to aged care homes and hospitals.

Ms Palaszczuk urged people to check in to any venue they visit using the app.

'It's not too much to ask for more freedom, we want life to go back to as normal as possible,' she said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged anyone who visited exposure sites to get tested immediately
A chorus of outraged Australians has signed a petition demanding a super fund return $180,000 to the mother of a court clerk who died after her relationship with a magistrate 45 years her senior was made public.

Ashleigh Petrie, 23, bequeathed the entire balance and death benefit of her super and life insurance to her struggling mother while she was in a relationship with 68-year-old Victorian magistrate Rodney Higgins.

But when Ms Petrie was fatally hit by a car in October 2019, Mr Higgins argued that because they'd been living together for about 12 weeks, he was her 'dependent' and therefore entitled to her super pay out upon her death.

Rest Super agreed and awarded him the money despite what Ms Petrie requested, but the funds have been tied up as her mother begs the court to reconsider.

Some 1,500 Australians have since signed a petition demanding the fund to give the cash to Ms Petrie's mother, as per her wishes.

Victorian magistrate Rod Higgins has claimed the $180,000 super fund of his former fiancee Ashleigh Petrie (together, above). The 23-year-old died eight days after the pair became engaged (right) after weeks of scrutiny about their controversial relationship

Ashleigh Petrie, 23, bequeathed the entire sum of her super and life insurance to her struggling mother while she was in a relationship with Victorian magistrate Rodney Higgins

'What is the point of nominating a beneficiary if an old white dude can just swan in and claim it out from under them?' Shannon McDonald, who created the petition, said.

'It's been a win-win-win for him... We're asking Rest Super to overturn this abhorrent decision.'

After Ms Petrie's death, Mr Higgins moved back to the riverside home in Shepparton he shared with his former partner, Lurline Le Neuf, to resume their 18-year relationship.

He is still employed as a magistrate and earns $324,000 each year.

'Her mum was the named beneficiary. It was her wish that her mum got the benefit. If she had wanted her partner to get it, she would have changed it. She didn't,' another signatory said.

'This money needs to go to her mother... She needs it more than he does for grief and loss for her... He's gone back to his wife.'

After Ms Petrie's death, Mr Higgins moved back to the riverside home in Shepparton he shared with his former partner, Lurline Le Neuf, to resume their 18-year relationship

Details of their controversial relationship were played out on social media with the couple posting happy pics, including a trip to Fiji where Ms Petrie got engaged to the grandfather of eight just days before her sudden death.

Stuart Gowty, 50, who dated Ms Petrie for five years, told Daily Mail Australia of his disgust and bitterness at Mr Higgins.

'Here's a guy earning a hell of a lot of money and is about to retire on a huge pension,' said Mr Gowty, who runs a picture framing business in Shepparton.

'And you've got a grieving mother with very little. I don't know what to say. I don't think it's the right thing. It's horrendous to see. It just keeps going.'

Mr Gowty said he has maintained a close relationship with Ms Petrie's mother and brother since her death and that they're both still struggling to comprehend their loss.

Her mother's lawyer, Kimble Stynes, told 7News the grieving mum is 'horrified' by the news.

Stuart Gowty, 50, (pictured with Ashleigh Petrie) who dated Ms Petrie for five years, has spoken of his disgust at Mr Higgins, who earns $324,000 a year as a magistrate in Bendigo. Ms Petrie lived with Mr Higgins for four months before her sudden death.

Mr Higgins and Ms Petrie had been a couple for seven months and lived together for around 12 weeks at the time of her tragic death in Metung, East Gippsland.

Although Ms Petrie's mother was reportedly her super and life insurance beneficiary, fund management at Rest Super ruled the couple had lived together long enough for Mr Higgins to be her de facto partner and claim the death benefit.

During a 15-month-long legal fight to lay claim to the cash, Mr Higgins was said to have been aggrieved that Ms Petrie's mother had not shared her daughter's ashes with him.

But Mr Gowty told Daily Mail Australia: 'This is a guy who moved back in with his partner... and on the day he moved back in, he allegedly threw everything of Ashleigh's out in the bin.'

Mr Gowty started his relationship with Ms Petrie after the pair worked together while she was still a teenager, and he lived next door to Mr Higgins and Ms Le Neuf.

Stuart Gowty (pictured) started the relationship with Ms Petrie after the pair worked together while she was still a teenager, and he lived next door to Mr Higgins and Ms Le Neuf

But their relationship broke down and Ms Petrie began to date his elderly neighbour, Mr Higgins.

'I knew something was wrong, but I didn't realise it was him,' Mr Gowty told Daily Mail Australia.

The pair split when she told him about the relationship and they stopped talking to each other the day before the first news story about her relationship with Mr Higgins appeared late in 2019.

On the day Ms Petrie died, Mr Gowty first found out from Mr Higgins' former partner and Mr Gowty had to break the news to her mother.

'I actually found out before the family did,' he said. 'I was the one that made the phone call to the mother.

'I can't tell you what Ashleigh was thinking. You can ask 100 people and you'll get 100 different answers. No-one knows.'

Details of the controversial relationship were played out on social media with the couple posting happy pics, including a trip to Fiji where Ms Petrie got engaged to the grandfather of eight just days before her death

On the day Ashleigh Petrie (pictured) died, Mr Gowty first found out from Mr Higgins' former partner and had to break the news to her mother. Magistrate Rodney Higgins has now resumed his 18-year relationship with his retired former partner, Lurline Le Neuf (pictured)

Mr Higgins and Ms Le Neuf still live in Shepparton despite Mr Higgins being shunned by many in the town in the wake of Ms Petrie's death.

'Initially, there was certainly a backlash against him,' Mr Gowty said. 'They weren't getting invited to all the parties around town, let's just say that.'

Mr Gowty is no longer a neighbour with the couple because of tension over the love-split but had to endure the awkward situation for 18 months because of Covid lockdowns.

'The situation was the main reason,' he said.

Ms Petrie's family are now understood to be appealing Rest Super's decision to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

A spokesman for the AFCA told Daily Mail Australia they could not comment on individual cases.

But their website says: 'Under its Rules, AFCA must do what is fair in all the circumstances.

'We first try to help the parties resolve a complaint through negotiation or conciliation. Next, AFCA can provide a preliminary assessment about the merits of a complaint.

'If there is still no resolution, the final step is for AFCA to make a binding decision.'

For confidential support in Australia call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

The Change.Org petition can be found here

Stuart Gowty (pictured here on social media with Ashleigh Petrie) has now finally moved away from living next door to the couple because of tension over the love-split but had to endure the awkward situation for 18 months because of Covid lockdowns
New South Wales has recorded two new Covid-19 cases, prompting face masks to be mandatory across parts of Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday masks would be required to be worn across seven local government areas.

They are Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.

'You must wear a mask if you are in and around those seven local government areas,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'That will include things like hospitality workers, shopping, retail shopping, any interactivity where you aren't eating or drinking, you will need to wear a mask.'

The restrictions were prompted by as Sydney's eastern suburbs cluster growing to nine cases.

New South Wales has recorded two new Covid-19 cases with face masks to be mandatory in several suburbs

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday face masks would be required to be worn across seven local government areas in Sydney

Ms Berejiklian also announced face mask rules on public transport would be extended from Sydney to Wollongong and Shellharbour.

'It is important for all of us to be on high alert, no matter where we live in particular,' she said.

Ms Berejiklian said it was not likely further restrictions would have to be brought in for the time being.

'At this stage, we don't think we will need to do further than what we have announced today,' she said.

'I know all of us are a bit fatigued after so many months of living with Covid but we can't drop for now.'

'We have to make sure we aren't complacent and have to make sure we are complying to what we are asking you to do.'

One of the new cases announced on Sunday was a 30-year-old man who was announced by health authorities yesterday, but after the 8pm cutoff.

The Sydney man visited Bondi, Surry Hills, Westfield Bondi Junction, and The Broken Drum Cafe in Fairy Meadow in the NSW Illawarra region.

The other case was a woman in her 30s who was a household contact of the man.

Three other cases were also recorded in hotel quarantine.

Ms Berejiklian also announced face mask rules on public transport would be extended from Greater Sydney to Wollongong and Shellharbour

There were 24,468 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday but Dr Chant said she would like to see more than 30,000 tests conducted on Sunday

Face masks mandate in Sydney New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday that face masks would need to be worn in seven local government areas in Sydney. Below is a list of council areas where the mandate applies: Randwick Bayside Botany Bay Inner West City of Sydney Waverley Woollahra Advertisement

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said an additional two cases in the Sutherland Shire, in southern Sydney, were also recorded after the 8pm deadline.

One was a woman in her 50s who was a close contact of a previously confirmed case while the other was a man in his 50s linked to a Salvation Army store.

The cases will be included in Monday's figures.

There were 24,468 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday but Dr Chant said she would like to see more than 30,000 tests conducted on Sunday.

'I would like to see those numbers today exceed 30-40,000 tests,' she said.

'The quicker we can diagnose cases, the quicker we can get ahead of the transmission of this virus.'

Dr Chant put out another call for residents to get tested if they visited Westfield Bondi Junction, and its car park, on June 12 or 13.

'If you have been to any of those venues or have any symptoms, you need to isolate,' she said.

Covid-19 fragments have also been detected in sewerage from the Brookland catchment- which serves parts of the Central Coast.

'We are calling for the community to come forward for testing,' Dr Chant said.

'At this stage, we have not been able to identify positive cases in the catchment. We don't have a full ability because people move around.

'But we have not had anyone residing there that has been recently discharged from our hotel quarantine.'

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said an additional two cases in the Sutherland Shire, in southern Sydney, were also recorded after the 8pm deadline

Dr Chant has called for higher testing numbers: 'The quicker we can diagnose cases, the quicker we can get ahead of the transmission of this virus'
A jealous ex who threatened to kill his former partner with his f**king penis' and rape her mum during a barrage of abusive phone calls is back behind bars.

The man, 39, from Myrtleford, in Victoria's north-east, pleaded guilty to stalking and intimidating to intend fear or physical harm and contravening a restraining order when he appeared in Albury Local Court last week.

According to court documents, the man, who cannot be named, hurled abuse when he called his ex-partner three times on the night of July 31 last year, the Albury Wodonga News reported.

'You're going down c***, I'm going to kill you with my f**king penis,' the man said during the first call.

A Victorian man is back behind bars after he pleaded guilty to stalking and intimidating to intend fear or physical harm and contravening an apprehended violence order (stock image)

'I'm going to put it right through your ear and go out through the other end and go down your f**king mouth then come out and stick it to your mum's bum.'

He called his ex-partner again 10 minutes later before she hung up.

The man claimed to know where she lived when he called her a third time to hurl more abuse two minutes later, according to court documents.

'I'm coming for you, you f**king sl*t. 'I know where you live too,' he said.

'I'm going to wait for you there and I'm going to bring a crack pipe and stab it in your neck, you c***.'

The court heard the man threatened to kill his ex partner with his penis during a barrage of phone calls to her last July (stock image)

In fear of her safety, the woman passed on the audio recordings of the calls to police, who tracked the number to her former partner.

The man's lawyer Tim Hemsley told the court his client was drunk at the time of making the calls and that the threats were 'more of a joke,' the local paper reported.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Coombs described the nature of the intimidation of the man's phone calls as 'mid-range'.

'You might have trouble accepting these phone calls were some kind of a joke given the nature of the conversation,' Sergeant Coombs said.

The man was taken into custody last August for other matters and spent four months behind bars before he was released on bail in December.

He has undergone drug and alcohol counselling in the past six months, the court heard.

The man appeared in Albury Local Court (pictured), where he was sentenced to 18 months jail

Mr Hemsley said the time spent in custody last year was a wake up call for his client, who had 'no wish to attend jail again'.

But Magistrate Richard Funston disagreed as he slammed the man's 'appalling' history of committing domestic violence offences.

'Anyone who commits DV offences while on bail for DV offences for the same complainant, especially using these kinds of words, how could I not see the threshold (for jail) crossed?' he said.

The man was sentenced to 18 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months.
Experts have warned that geographic differences in vaccination rates could divide the country into 'two Americas' if the Delta variant takes hold in areas with low vaccine coverage.

As of Friday, the Delta variant first identified in India accounted for 10 percent of new U.S. cases, but it is highly contagious, and the CDC expects it to dominate in a matter of weeks.

Strong regional variations in vaccination coverage have emerged after doses were made available to all adults, with liberal states in the Northeast vaccinated at nearly double the rate of conservative strongholds in the Deep South.

'I call it two COVID nations,' Peter Hotez, a vaccine researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told BuzzFeed News. 'Somehow we have to break this idea that allegiance to conservatism and the Republican Party has to do with not getting vaccinated.'

'I call it two COVID nations,' Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine

The Delta variant led to havoc in the UK, now accounting for nearly 100 percent of all cases and delaying the end of lockdown restrictions by four weeks.

British data indicate that the Delta variant is between 40 percent and 60 percent more transmissible than the UK Alpha variant, which is now the dominant strain in the U.S.

A troubling study of cases in Scotland published this week also suggests Delta is more deadly, finding that the risk of hospital admission with the Delta variant was roughly doubled compared to people infected with the Alpha variant.

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued a stark warning about the Delta variant as it became clear the country will fall short of his goal of 70 percent vaccination by July 4.

'The best way to protect yourself against these variants is to get vaccinated,' the president declared.

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued a stark warning about the Delta variant as it became clear the country will fall short of his goal of 70 percent vaccination by July 4

A map shows strong regional differences in attitudes toward vaccination. Darker shaded counties indicate a higher percentage of vaccine hesitancy

Daily vaccinations have ticked up in recent days, as states introduce new incentives, but remain well below their April peak as interest appears to plateau

'The truth is that deaths and hospitalizations are drastically down in places where people are getting vaccinated,' he added.

'But unfortunately, cases and hospitalizations are not going down in many places in the lower-vaccination-rate states. They're actually going up in some places.'

Nationally, about 45 percent of the nation's adult population is fully vaccinated, with liberal Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts leading the way with at least 60 percent full vaccination.

On the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia have the lowest vaccination rates, with less than 35 percent of their residents fully vaccination.

Persistent differences in attitudes towards vaccination remain between Democrats and Republicans.

The latest KFF data show that 80 percent of Democrats say that they have already gotten the vaccine or want to as soon as possible, compared to 55 percent of Republicans.

On Friday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says she expects the Delta variant to become dominant in the U.S. within eight weeks.

'Yes, I think that's going to be the case,' Dr Rochelle Walensky said on ABC's Good Morning America when asked if she thinks the mutant strain will become dominant.

'Essentially what happens is, when these viruses mutate, they do so with some advantage to the virus. In this case, it's more transmissible.'

She added that when it comes to the Alpha 'Kent' variant that originated in the UK, it only took one or two months to make up the majority of U.S. infections.

'I anticipate that's what going to happen with the Delta strain here,' Walensky said.
A one-year-old girl who was snatched from her home in south Brisbane and driven across the NSW border has been found safe and well, as police charge a man known to her family over the kidnapping.

Queensland Police thanked the public for their efforts in helping to track down the little girl, who was taken from her Beenleigh home late on Saturday night.

On Sunday afternoon, a 31-year-old man was charged after allegedly breaking into the little girl's home about 9.30pm, assaulting a woman and fleeing with the child.

The man was charged with domestic violence, including child stealing, assault causing bodily harm, common assault and contravention of a domestic violence order.

The girl (pictured) was taken late on Saturday night from her Brisbane home by a man and driven in a white Suzuki sedan across the NSW border

He was also charged with dangerous operation of a car and evading police.

He is due to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court tomorrow.

The white Suzuki sedan he allegedly used to take the little girl was abandoned about 1.15am in northern NSW.

Queensland Police on Sunday morning issued an Amber alert and urgent plea for information, but by 10.30am they updated that alert to inform the public she was safe and well.
Business owners and residents in New York City are expressing fury at the revelation that prosecutors have dropped looing and rioting charges against hundreds arrested during chaos that swept the city last summer.

After 603 were arrested in Manhattan and the Bronx during the most intense days of looting last June, 295 of the cases have been dropped completely, according to NYPD data reported by WNBC-TV on Friday.

Now Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr and Bronx DA Darcel D. Clark are facing tough questions about why hundreds walked free after the looting rampage caused an estimated tens of millions in damages.

Business owner Jessica Betancourt, whose Bronx eyeglasses shop was destroyed last summer, vented her outrage at the situation.

'Those numbers, to be honest with you, is disgusting,' she told the NBC affiliate. 'They could do it again because they know they won't get the right punishment.'

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr's office dropped 222 cases out of 485 arrests connected to last summer's riots and looting

People loot a Dolce & Gabbana store in Soho on Monday, June 1, 2020 in Manhattan

Last summer's riots saw mobs smashing stores and holding a 'looting dance party' in SoHo. Above, looters tear through a SoHo store last June

In Manhattan, the NYPD data shows there were 485 arrests connected to last summer's riots, which saw mobs smashing stores and holding a 'looting dance party' in SoHo.

Of those cases, 222 were later dropped and 73 saw convictions for lesser counts like trespassing, which carries no jail time. Another 40 cases involved juveniles and were sent to family court, and 128 cases remain open.

In the Bronx, 118 arrests were made as mobs smashed shops along the borough's commercial corridors.

Since then, the NYPD says District Attorney Clark's office and the courts have dismissed 73 of those cases, well over half the total.

Eighteen Bronx cases remain open and there have been 19 convictions for mostly lesser counts which carry no jail time.

Bronx DA Darcel D. Clark oversaw the dismissal of more than half the borough's 118 arrests

People outside a Dolce & Gabbana store in Soho on Monday, June 1, 2020 in Manhattan

Vance and Clark declined interview requests from WNBC, but a source close to the DA's office said that prosecutors were too overwhelmed to carry forth the looting cases, with a backlog of cases after the pandemic shut courts.

Vance's office has been busy preparing a criminal case against Donald Trump, said to center on allegations of tax, loan and insurance fraud at the Trump Organization.

The DA insider also said that in some cases, there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute the looters.

NYPD investigators are privately furious that prosecutors are letting the looting cases drop, after cops spent countless hours on a task force helping assemble evidence to make the cases stick.

'If they are so overworked that they can't handle the mission that they're hired for, then maybe they should find another line of work,' former NYPD Chief of Patrol Wilbur Chapman said of prosecutors.

People loot from a Paul & Shark store on Monday, June 1, 2020 in Manhattan

A looter grabs merchandise during a night of protests and vandalism over the death of George Floyd on June 1, 2020 in New York City

In an October 2020 memo obtained by WNBC, Vance said there were over 600 commercial burglary arrests in addition to over 3,500 unindicted felony cases waiting to move forward in the courts

Vance ordered his prosecutors to review defendants' criminal histories and scrutinize whether police could really prove the suspect caused 'any damage to the store' before dropping cases.

Vance wrote: 'For many of these commercial burglaries, you will be asked to reduce the initial felony charge to a misdemeanor and to dispose of the case  with an eye towards rehabilitation.'

He also stressed the 'continued goal to achieve consistency and equitable treatment in these cases.'
The U.S. has sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier donation pledge as the island battles the virus and faces increasing political and military pressure from China.

The shipment arrived in Taipei on a China Airlines cargo plane on Sunday and was welcomed by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan.

'When I saw these vaccines coming down the plane, I was really touched,' Chen said over the noise inside a building where the boxes of vaccines, some with U.S. flags on them, had been brought on wheeled dollies, Associated Press reported.

The 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Taipei on a China Airlines cargo plane on Sunday

The shipment arrived in Taipei on a China Airlines cargo plane on Sunday and was welcomed by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (left) and Brent Christensen, (right) the top U.S. official in Taiwan

Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get vaccines.

The COVID-19 death toll on the island of 24 million people has jumped to 549, from only about a dozen prior to the outbreak, AP reported.

In early June, the White House announced it would share 80 million unused COVID-19 vaccines with the world, freeing up 25 million shots in the first tranche for countries badly hit by the pandemic including Taiwan.

The U.S. initially promised 750,000 vaccine doses for Taiwan when the White House sent Sen. Tammy Duckworth and two of her Senate colleagues to the island aboard a military transport plane to make the announcement but increased the number threefold.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen said the U.S. had decided to increase the donation through efforts on both sides over the past two weeks.

President Tsai thanked the U.S. for the vaccine shipment and said the good gesture reflected the 'true friendship' between Taiwan and the U.S.

'Deeply grateful for the #U.S. and #POTUS & the Biden Administration and the #Statedept. & our friends in Congress & throughout the country. Your donation of 2.5 million vaccine doses will help save lives, & reflects the true friendship between our countries.' she tweeted on Sunday.

President Tsai thanked the U.S. for the vaccine shipment and said the good gesture reflected the 'true friendship' between Taiwan and the U.S.

The U.S. donation also signals its support for Taiwan in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory

The U.S. donation also signals its support for Taiwan in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory.

The U.S. does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan under what is known as the one-China policy, but is legally bound by its own laws to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself, AP reported.

'These vaccines are proof of America's commitment to Taiwan,' Christensen, who also serves as the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy, said. 'Taiwan is a family member to the worlds democratic countries.'

Taiwan has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.

The U.S. donation follows Japan's shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June.

The country also ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them, AP reported.

President Tsai has accused China of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, the German co-developer.

Chinese officials have repeatedly denied the charge, and say China is willing to provide vaccines to Taiwan but Taiwanese law bans the import of Chinese-made medicine, AP reported.

In a Facebook post Tsai joined the U.S. in drawing attention to their shared democratic systems.

'Whether it is for regional peace and stability or the virus that is a common human adversary, we will continue to uphold common ideas and work together,' Tsai wrote in Chinese.

China, which has been ruled single-handedly by the Communist Party since 1949, says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and reserves the right to use force if necessary, according to AP.

The outbreak, which has eased somewhat, has spurred the government to try to expand testing and vaccination. Health authorities on Sunday reported 107 new locally spread cases, the lowest in more than two months, AP reported.
The body of a woman has been pulled from the water after her husband spent the night in rough seas desperately clinging to their capsized boat.

Queensland Police launched a search a 54-year-old man and 48-year-old woman on Saturday night after their family raised the alarm.

The pair were on a fishing trip when their boat was capsized by a large wave and managed to make a brief call to a family member to alert them to the emergency.

Police found the body of a 48-year-old woman on Sunday after they earlier found her husband clinging to their capsized boat

Water Police and a police helicopters, along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard, spent much of the night searching for the Quintrex 440 Renegade in and around the Port of Brisbane, Mud Island, and Redcliffe areas.

The man was spotted clinging to the overturned tinnie in waters between between Moreton and Mud islands by a QGAir crew assisting with the aerial search when it resumed early Sunday morning.

He was airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Police located a body believed to be the missing woman from the capsized boat on Sunday afternoon.

The couple's boat capsized in waters off the Port of Brisbane (pictured) on Saturday

It's believed the woman slipped away from the boat during the night.

'The male was able to get a three second phone call away saying the boat has capsized before it was terminated,' Acting Senior Sergeant Mitch Gray told reporters.

'The husband has managed to hold onto the hull throughout the night but at some stage during the night the wife has become tired and fatigued and has become separated from her husband.'

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

It's understood the couple weren't wearing life jackets at the time.
Four-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan, whose Tamil asylum-seeker family is anxious to be allowed to return to their adopted hometown of Biloela in Queensland, has been released from hospital.

The young girl has been discharged from Perth Children's Hospital almost two weeks after being medically evacuated from Christmas Island with a blood infection caused by untreated pneumonia.

However health officials say she will require eight weeks of ongoing specialist care.

In the meantime, the Murugappan family will be held in a community detention residence in Perth.

The Murugappan family (pictured) have been reunited after Tharnicaa, four, was released from Perth Children's Hospital on Sunday

Nades and his four-year-old daughter Tharnicaa hug as they are reunited on the Australian mainland

Father Nades, mother Priya and Australian-born Tharnicaa and her sister, Kopika, have been locked up for more than three years while their fight against deportation has gone through the courts.

During this time, a national campaign for their release has grown ever louder.

Advocates for the family say Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision to transfer them to Perth from Christmas Island, where they had been for about two years, makes no improvement to their situation, as they remain in community detention.

Protests were staged across Australia on Saturday calling for them to be allowed to return to Biloela.

It is understood the family is not able to stay elsewhere other than the Perth residence. Nor can visitors spend the night, and neither parent is permitted to work.

A statement released on behalf of the family on Sunday said they were relieved to be out of immigration detention.

Tharnicaa was evacuated from Christmas Island, where her family have spent three years in detention, after she fell seriously ill with a blood infection (pictured)

However mum Priya is 'anxious to now be forced into a new form of detention and very stressed to not know what is going to happen to her family' after Tharnicaa's treatment is finished.

'Thank you to the doctors who take care of Tharnicaa in hospital,' she was quoted as saying.

'We hope soon she is much better.

'Please, we want (to) go back to Bilo. We (are) safe in Bilo. My husband (can) work. My daughters have friends. Bilo is home.'

An open letter by 26 Australian Anglican bishops on Friday has implored the government to grant the family visas, giving them the chance to rebuild their lives.
Residents of Evanston, Illinois have been left perplexed after organizers cancelled in-person Independence Day events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while Juneteenth and Pride celebrations are still going ahead.

Former resident Tom Bevan, who is the co-founder of Real Clear Politics, brought attention to the issue on Twitter Thursday, writing: 'My home town of Evanston, Illinois is having a Juneteenth Parade and a Gay Pride Parade, but is cancelling the 4th of July Parade & Fireworks'.

He subsequently shared a screenshot from the Evanston Fourth of July Association announcing they were cancelling their annual fun run, parade, band performance and lakefront fireworks show.

The Association has instead opted for a 'safe, creative, virtual celebration' instead.

Residents of Evanston, Illinois have been left perplexed after officials cancelled Independence Day celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but allowed events for Juneteeth and Pride to go ahead

on Saturday, hundreds of residents turned out and went without masks to celebrate the first federal holiday of Juneteenth

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss was spotted mingling with residents and was seen participatitng in a car parade

the Evanston Fourth of July Association announcing they were cancelling their annual fun run, parade, band performance and lakefront fireworks show

Pride celebrations will be occurring in-person next Saturday, with a drive-by parade, a community picnic and a candle lighting ceremony

Evanston celebrated Juneteenth on Saturday, with hundreds of residents turning out to celebrate

Speaking with Fox News, organizer Jamie Black said the Association 'made the decision in March based on the information that we had at that time'.

He explained: 'There are deadlines for permits and to secure the fireworks, as well as taking applications for the parade that happen early in the year'.

'We erred on the side of caution. If things weren't better, we would have been criticized for being a super spreader event'.

However, on Saturday, hundreds of residents turned out and went without masks to celebrate the first federal holiday of Juneteenth.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss was spotted mingling with residents and was seen participating in a car parade.

Meanwhile, Pride parade festivities will be occurring in-person next Saturday, with a drive-by parade, a community picnic and a candle lighting ceremony.

) People march during an annual celebration of Juneteenth in Evanston on Saturday

Members of a percussion band perform during an annual celebration of Juneteenth in Evanston

Several people responded to Bevan's tweet, with one writing: 'Glad I left Evanston! Much happier in Arizona.'

Another chimed in: 'Politically correct BS'.

However, others stated that the Evanston Fourth of July Association were well within their rights to cancel their in-person events, and there was no anti-American agenda.

'You guys realize it's not just one singular committee that plans ALL events for the city, right? You realize different events are planned by different committees made up of different people who have different ideas of how and when they'd like their events to happen... right??' one wrote.

Pride festivities are scheduled to take place in person next weekend. Revelers are seen celebrating the gay rights month during a car parade in Evanston last year
This is the incredible moment a great white shark swallowed a seabird whole, shocking a group of tourists watching on.

Around 30 adventure seekers were enjoying a shark-cage diving expedition off the coast of Port Lincoln, South Australia, earlier this month when a petrel started stalking their boat.

The bird was trying to feast on tuna tail, thrown into the water by tour company Calypso Star Charters to lure in sharks.

But footage captured by diver Ben Kessler shows a great white shark, displeased with the competition, attempting to chase the bird away.

A group of divers were left shocked after a great white shark take out a petrel (pictured) right next to their boat in South Australia earlier this month

When the feathered fish thief failed to take the hint, the apex predator launches out of the water and wraps its teeth around the petrel, killing it instantly.

The shocked divers can be heard screaming as the shark clasps the bird, dragging it under the water before swimming away.

'Everyone was really shocked and excited, like ''wow what have we just witnessed". It just happened so quickly,' Mr Kessler told Daily Mail Australia.

However, Mr Kessler said the bird was given ample warning.

'The shark nudged the bird twice, the shark gave it warnings, but the bird came back an hour later,' he said.

Mr Kessler said it is not uncommon for sharks to attack competitors that get in between them and a meal.

'Sharks are very territorial, and anyone or anything that gets in the way is a target,' he said.

'Funnily enough, the shark ate the bird then spat it out later.'
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A 29 year-old firefighter and his nine month-old daughter have been named as the first victims of Saturday's horror pile-up in Alabama that also saw eight foster children die in a fireball.

Cody Fox and his daughter Ariana Fox were in one of the 15 cars that collided on Saturday, with father and daughter killed by the impact. Cody was pronounced dead at the scene, with Ariana dying later at hospital.

His fiancee Hayle Anderson was in the car too, and was injured, but is expected to recover.

Fox was the fire chief at New Hope Volunteer Fire Department in Tennessee. A tribute posted to him on social media read: 'Cody was an integral part of the EMA staff in Marion County, always ready, always willing to serve.

'His upbeat attitude, his willingness to learn, and without a doubt the politest young man I have ever known, will be greatly missed.'

Eight children, aged 4 to 17, were killed in a van belonging to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, which is operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association and takes abused or neglected children who are in the care of the state on outings.

They were on the way home from a week's vacation in Gulf Springs when the collision happened, Al.com reported.

The victims have not been identified because they were in the care of the state, and cops have also yet to confirm if all those who died on the bus were female.

Cody Fox and his nine month-old daughter Ariana were two of ten people killed in a 15-car pile-up in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday

Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock said the driver of the Girls Ranch bus was pulled from the wreck by a bystander, and tried to go back to rescue the children, but that the vehicle had already been consumed by flames.

Four of those killed in the bus were teenagers who attended Reelstown High School. One other teenage girl who lived with them at the foster ranch, who can't be named, paid a moving tribute to her late friends.

She said: ' When people hear about the ranch, they usually assume that the girls have done something wrong or bad to get there. But thats not the case.

'These girls have been through so much, and they were such strong, wonderful, kind family members and it was my privilege and my honor to be their big sister.'

Authorities said the crash took place around 2.30pm Saturday afternoon about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 when the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads caused by the storm.

The 10 victims are among 12 people killed in Alabama as a result of the devastating storm that has swept across the southeastern US this week, causing flash flooding and spurring tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

Officials confirmed a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy died when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits Saturday.

Fox was chief of New Hope Volunteer Fire Department in Tennessee, and is survived by his fiancee Hayle

The smash saw 15 vehicles collide, with eight foster children also killed after the bus they were on was consumed by a fireball

Authorities said the crash took place around 2.30pm Saturday afternoon about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65

Eight children, aged 4 to 17, were killed in a van belonging to a Christian youth ranch operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. A man and a 9-month-old baby were killed in a separate vehicle

Ten people have been killed in a 15-car pile up in Alabama during Tropical Storm Claudette, including eight children on a bus run by a youth ranch for abused and neglected kids

Authorities said the crash took place Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 when the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads caused by the storm. Pictured the scene above

The eight girls killed in the van were returning to a youth ranch operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, from a week at the beach in Gulf Shores.

Youth ranches CEO Michael Smith told The Associated Press the director of the Tallapoosa County ranch survived the crash and was hospitalized in Montgomery.

At least one of the dead was a child of the director, Smith said.

Smith broke down in tears as he described the incident as 'the worst tragedy I've been a part of in my life.'

'Words cannot explain what I saw,' Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday.

'We love these girls like they're our own children.'

He said he was driving Sunday to Camp Hill to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Smith said the Christian-based ranch would likely have a memorial service later and asked for people to pray for the victims and their loved ones.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students.

Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch released a statement on Facebook Saturday saying the community's 'hearts are heavy.'

Debris sits along a creek and roadway in Northport, Alabama, Sunday following the storm

Debris covers a street in East Brewton, Alabama, Saturday in the wake of Tropical Storm Claudette which has claimed 12 lives in the state

Ten people have been killed in a 15-car pile up in Alabama during Tropical Storm Claudette, including eight children on a bus run by a youth ranch for abused and neglected kids

'Our hearts are heavy today. Our ranch has suffered great loss. As some of you may have heard, one of our ranch vehicles was involved a multiple car accident this afternoon,' the statement read.

'Please send prayers our way as we navigate this difficult time. We will update information as we are able, and if you have any questions feel free to contact us.

'Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and respecting the privacy of our large and extended families.'

The I-65 northbound was completely shut down at the Greenville 130 exit Saturday as emergency services responded to the scene.

The location of the wreck is 'notorious' for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The I-65 northbound was completely shut down at the Greenville 130 exit Saturday as emergency services responded to the scene

Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch released a statement on Facebook Saturday saying the community's 'hearts are heavy'

Several community groups also paid tributes to the victims of the tragic road accident

Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

County Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook: 'Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents.

'I believe is the worst ever in our county.'

Governor Kay Ivey sent her thoughts out to the families of all 12 people who have perished in the storm in Alabama.

Yesterday was a tragic day for our state. My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished during the storm in Butler & Tuscaloosa counties,' she tweeted.

'Lets keep these families, communities & first responders lifted in prayer.'

The deaths occurred as Claudette crashed into the Gulf Coast late Friday into early Saturday, destroying homes in its path and stranding people in flash floods.

Drenching rains pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday.

As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Coast has been hammered by Claudette this week which was raised to a tropical storm Saturday

The devastating storm that has swept across the southeastern US this week, causing flash flooding and spurring tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes

More than 20 people had to be rescued Saturday by boat due to flooding in Northport, Alabama, WVUA-TV reported.

The Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency tweeted that local Red Cross volunteers were on hand to help those who were affected with a local shelter set up in Northport.

Meanwhile, a suspected tornado spurred by the storm demolished or badly damaged at least 50 homes in a small town in Alabama, just north of the Florida border.

Sheriff Heath Jackson in Escambia County said a suspected tornado 'pretty much leveled' a mobile home park, toppled trees onto houses and ripped the roof off of a high school gym.

A resident walks through a partially flooded trailer park in Northport, Alabama, after it was thrashed by Claudette

Tropical Depression Claudette has claimed 12 lives in Alabama as the storm swept across the southeastern US this week

Most of the damage was done in or near the towns of Brewton and East Brewton, about 48 milesnorth of Pensacola, Florida.

'It kind of affected everybody,' Jackson said. 'But with those mobile homes being built so close together it can take a toll on them a lot more than it can on houses that are spread apart.'

Tornadoes were also reported in southwest Georgia.

Damage from the storm was also felt in north Florida, where winds - in some cases reaching 85 mph (137 kph) - caused an 18-wheeler to flip on its side.

The storm also dumped flooding rains north of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana and along the Mississippi coast, inundating streets and, in some areas, pushing water into homes.

Later, the storm was drenching the Florida Panhandle and, well inland, a broad expanse of Alabama.

Over in Louisiana, a woman in labor was left stranded on her way to the hospital as police were forced to rescue 50 to 60 cars from Louisiana floods as the storm hit land.

Flooding in Slidell, Louisiana, Saturday caused by Tropical Storm Claudette which ravaged the Gulf Coast

Cars stranded on the flooded Gause Boulevard in Slidell, Louisiana, late Friday after Tropical Storm Claudette thrashed the Gulf Coast overnight Friday

A woman in labor was left stranded on her way to hospital as police were forced to rescue 50 cars from the Louisiana floods, according to the Slidell Police Department

The pregnant woman was heading to Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, Louisiana, near New Orleans, possibly going into labor when she became trapped by flood water along the roadways, according to a Facebook post from the Slidell Police Department.

The woman was among multiple people authorities pulled from flooded cars along the city's major thoroughfare Friday night and into Saturday morning.

No major injuries were reported but authorities urged people to exercise caution when driving through neighborhoods as floodwater, debris and downed trees were scattered around.

Claudette had been declared a named storm at 4 am Saturday morning after it became both powerful and organized enough to meet the National Hurricane Center's criteria.

It was downgraded to an active tropical depression however it continued on its relentless path of destruction Sunday.

A flooded neighborhood is seen after Tropical Storm Claudette passed through Slidell

Danny Gonzales, right, stands in front of his flooded house with his neighbor Bob Neal

Drivers along the flooded Cedar Lake Road in Biloxi, Mississippi, found the road underwater and their cars almost parallel to the moored boats in the small harbor, Saturday

Flash flood watches continued to be in place Sunday for northern Georgia, most of South Carolina, the North Carolina coast and parts of southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

A tropical storm warning was also in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks while a tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet.

Top winds remained near 30 mph (45 kph) on Sunday.

National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted Claudette would strengthen back to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudette's disorganized circulation was located about 15 miles (20 kilometers) east-northeast of Atlanta on Sunday morning.

It was moving east-northeast at 17 mph (28 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Separately, Tropical Storm Dolores made landfall on Mexicos west coast with near-hurricane force. As of Sunday morning, it had dissipated over Mexico. Its remnants had maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (35 kph), and it was centered about 170 miles (275 kilometers) east of Mazatlan, Mexico.

Heavy rainfall totals up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) were expected across the southwest and western coastal areas of Mexico throughout the weekend. Forecasters were warning of the potential for flash flooding and mudslides.
Community and mobile preschools will be free for NSW families on a permanent basis, extending the assistance provided amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government in April 2020 provided a funding package to cover the cost of preschool fees for up to six months amid the pandemic and then extended the program to the end of 2020.

In November, free community preschool was again extended to the end of 2021, providing up to 15 hours of free care per child each week.

Community and mobile preschools will be free for NSW families on a permanent basis, extending the assistance provided amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet on Sunday said in a statement that community and mobile preschools would be made free until the end of 2022, with the government intending to fund the service on a permanent basis.

The measure, to be included in next week's NSW budget, will cost $150 million through to the end of 2022.

'The program supported countless jobs, and kept children learning and engaged during some of their most important years,' Mr Perrottet said.

Some 44,000 three to five-year-olds attend community preschool in NSW

'I'm delighted that we can continue funding these crucial years in a child's development while easing the cost of living pressures for families.'

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the measure could help families save up to $4,000 per year in preschool fees and would benefit up to 740 preschools.

Some 44,000 three to five-year-olds attend community preschool in NSW.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland is preparing to intervene to try to prevent the release of 'psychopath' child-killer Colin Pitchfork after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the paedophile 'has to be released'.

Mr Buckland is said to be 'minded' to question the ruling of the Parole Board after it ruled that Pitchfork, 61, should be freed after 33 years behind bars for murdering and raping two 15-year-old girls in the 1980s.

Pitchfork raped and strangled Lynda Mann in November 1983 and Dawn Ashworth in July 1986. He roamed free until 1987 when he became the first killer to be convicted in Britain on the strength of DNA evidence.

He was jailed for life in 1988 for a minimum of 30 years, reduced on appeal to 28 years. During sentencing, the lord chief justice said Pitchfork should not be released 'from the point of view of the safety of the public'.

But the notorious child-killer was moved to an open prison in 2016, and was seen walking around Bristol in November 2017 - raising suspicions that he had been granted unsupervised day release.

Now the Parole Board cleared Pitchfork for release this month, unless the Government successfully appeals against the decision.

The move has sparked fury from the families of the victims, who have also called out Sir Keir after he last week backed Pitchfork's release from prison because 'he served the sentence imposed on him by the court'.

Mr Buckland has only 'narrow' powers to challenge the decision but is said to see no downside to a challenge, senior government sources told the Sunday Times.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning, he confirmed that he is taking advice on the case and will make an announcement within the 21-day period following the parole hearing 'as soon as possible'.

A senior source told the paper: 'If he [Pitchfork] was tried and convicted now, there is every chance he would have been given a whole life term. He killed two children and there was a sexual element to his attacks.'

Mugshot of Colin Pitchfork, the first murderer convicted and jailed using DNA evidence, who was given a 30 year minimum sentence in 1988 for raping and murdering fifteen year old Leicestershire schoolgirls Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland is preparing to intervene to try to prevent the release of Colin Pitchfork after Sir Keir Starmer said the paedophile 'has to be released'

Victims: Furious relatives of the two schoolgirls murdered by a notorious paedophile have condemned a decision to let him go free. Left: Lynda Mann, right: Dawn Ashworth

The double child killer snared by DNA who terrified the community The crimes of Colin Pitchfork created terror in the local communities where he had struck. On November 22, 1983, the body of 15-year-old Lynda Mann was found raped and strangled on a deserted footpath running between a cemetery and a psychiatric hospital in the Leicestershire village of Narborough. Almost three years later, in July 1986, the body of another 15-year-old, Dawn Ashworth, from nearby Enderby, was found in almost identical circumstances in a wooded area, less than a mile from the scene of Lynda's murder. The dead girl had been taking a shortcut home from school instead of her usual route, but there can be little doubt that her assailant, believing he had 'got away with it' once, was on the look-out for other teenagers to assault, terrorise and murder in the same way. Initially, a local man confessed to the second murder and his blood was found to be the same group as blood found at the scene. There can be no doubt that had it not been for advances in science, he would have been convicted while Colin Pitchfork remained free. However, two years later, semen samples found at the crime scenes were used to match the DNA of Pitchfork, a baker and convicted flasher. He became the first criminal in the world to be convicted based on DNA fingerprinting, following the first mass screening of 5,000 men in three neighbouring villages. After his arrest he confessed to his crimes and when asked why he is said to have shrugged to detectives and said: 'Opportunity. She was there and I was there'. He was given life and a minimum sentence of 30 years, reduced to 28 years on appeal, which he has now served. Advertisement

The expected intervention is likely to create political waves, amid a raging culture war over crime and sentencing across the UK.

Dawn's mother, Barbara Ashworth, 75, said she 'absolutely' supported Mr Buckland's expected intervention in the Pitchfork case, calling the killer a 'psychopath who should be kept in prison where he belongs'.

She suffered a stroke on January 6, weeks before finding out that Pitchfork's parole hearing was coming up - adding: 'I don't know if it was the stress of it.

'My world has been shattered by this man. He can't hurt me any more than he has already by killing my daughter, but there will be other 15-year-old girls in the streets. If he was released, he could search for any victim he wanted to.'

The Justice Secretary's planned legislation will involve a 'root and branch' review of parole proceedings to widen the grounds for challenging a decision to release.

The right to challenge Parole Board rulings was introduced after campaigning by Carrie Johnson, who was targeted by a rapist when she was 20.

Sir Keir, Labour leader and a former director of public prosecutions, came under fire last week after he said Pitchfork 'has to be released' because 'he served the sentence imposed on him by the court'.

Lynda's sister Sue Gatrick, 55, told MailOnline she 'could not believe' someone would say what the Labour leader said, adding: 'Perhaps Sir Keir would like to have him move next door to him - or put him up himself.

'The police told us ''they will never let him out, he will never be released, he will die behind bars''. That was what they said after the sentencing. Now he is getting out and he is not that old. I was surprised how young he was.'

Mrs Gatrick added: 'Most people are saying hang him or shoot him. Nobody wants him out. We as a family are angry, afraid and scared. If they let him out, he will do it again. There is no way he is not going to.'

Tory MP Alberto Costa, whose constituency covers where Pitchfork's two underage victims were killed, said he and local families had battled for the law to be changed.

South Leicestershire politician Mr Costa said Sir Keir needed to listen harder to people sickened by Pitchfork's 'most appalling crimes imaginable to women'.

He told MailOnline: 'It is to be deeply regretted that Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, does not appear to understand the very serious deep concern there is across our country on the independent parole board's decision to release double child rapist and killer Colin Pitchfork.

'Sir Keir said ''There's a great tendency for politicians to leap on a particular case''. With respect, the whole of south Leicestershire through me their MP have been campaigning long and hard for many years to highlight the injustice and moral dilemma of allowing someone like Pitchfork, who has committed the most egregious sexual offences and murder against women to be released.

'My advice to Sir Keir is that he should listen long and hard to these people across our country who consider it an outrage that someone who has committed the most appalling crimes imaginable to women should be released.

'Sir Keir may not be aware that the law has changed. If Pitchfork committed these crimes today he would most likely receive a whole life tariff with little prospect of ever being released.

'I would urge Sir Keir to get behind our campaign to highlight the importance of getting the independent parole board in line with public thinking on these most heinous crimes.'

Pitchfork's victims' still-grieving families have spoken at their disgust at his impending parole so appear likely to be taken aback by would-be Prime Minister Sir Keir's remarks to LBC.

He said on the radio station: 'He has served a long sentence and he served the sentence imposed on him by the court, and under our system that means there comes a point at which he has to be released.

'That doesn't make it easier for you, it doesn't make it any easier for the families,' he told LBC.

'There's a great tendency politicians are leaping on a particular case. Actually if we think the system is wrong or sentences are wrong in general we should change the law on sentencing and look at whether it should be longer sentences in some of these cases.'

Sir Keir Starmer pictured during Call Keir, a live phone-in on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Retired officer David Baker said he was not consulted by Parole Board members before they approved Colin Pitchfork's release on licence

Earlier this month, the detective who snared the murderer slammed the decision and said he remains a danger.

Retired officer David Baker said he was not consulted by Parole Board members before they approved Pitchfork's release on licence.

He warned that even in his 60s the paedophile remained physically capable of attacking girls again.

Echoing the warnings of Dawn's mother Barbara Ashworth, Mr Baker, 85, said he fears Pitchfork could 'pull the wool over people's eyes again'.

He said: 'I understand the Parole Board claims to have spoken to the police as part of the process that led to their decision, but they certainly have not spoken to me.

'As the chief investigating officer in the case, I know what kind of person Pitchfork is and the extent to which he tried to evade arrest.

'Because of his guilty pleas, what never came out at any court hearing was the levels of violence he caused to the two girls. You wonder if the Parole Board are aware of exactly what he did to the girls.

'While he has been in jail he has been out of temptation's way, but once freed he will be back in the community where there are countless young girls to tempt him.'

Pitchfork was jailed for life for the two rapes and murders in 1988 and given a minimum tariff of 30 years, later reduced to 28.

Barbara Ashworth, whose daughter was strangled to death after a 'particularly violent rape' in 1986 as she walked home in Enderby, told of her heartache over the release.

She said: 'This news is so upsetting. There are still 15-year-old girls wandering around and this man could still have 20 years of his life to abuse them.

'He can't hurt me any more than he has done - Pitchfork ripped my family and I apart - but he can hurt other young girls. I can't understand how he has suddenly been judged fit for release when he was turned down before.'

'This is a man who has displayed psychopathic tendencies - a man who thought he was clever enough to outwit police at the time of the murders by dodging the mass blood testing exercise. He nearly succeeded.

'I wouldn't put it past him to have duped the authorities into believing he was reformed and rehabilitated now. He will always be a danger.'
Banksy has been stripped of two more trademarks for his works because he never intended to commercialise them when he applied for the legal protection, it has been revealed.

The latest rulings, which relate to Radar Rat and Girl with Umbrella, mean he has now lost four trademarks in total.

The anonymous street artist, who has previously said 'copyright is for losers', was told he was acting in 'bad faith' because he had 'departed from accepted principles of ethical behaviours or honest commercial and business practices'.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the European Union Intellectual Property Office ruled that Banksy's anonymity 'hinders him from being able to protect this ... art under copyright laws without identifying himself'.

Banksy has been stripped of two more trademarks for his works - Radar Rat (left) and Girl with Umbrella (right), now making four in total, because he refuses to reveal his identity to judges

Radar Rat is considered one of Banksy's most iconic works and appeared on a wall in London in 2004 while Girl with Umbrella was created in 2008 in New Orleans.

The newspaper reports that Full Colour Black, a greeting card company that sells recreations of Banksy's work, convinced the EU panel to cancel the trademarks.

The company specialises in 'the commercialisation of street art' and uses Banksy's creations. It boasts on its website: 'We have Banksy images that you probably have never seen before.'

Trademarks offer legal protection over a brand or product, giving the owner the rights to take legal action if someone uses the brand without permission.

They also allow the to sell or license the brand to third parties if necessary.

In two separate judgements, the EU panel ruled that Banksy had filed for the trademarks in 'bad faith' because he had no intention of commercialising his images.

Judges ruled his anonymity 'hinders him from being able to protect this ... art under copyright laws without identifying himself' (pictured: Banksy in his film Exit Through the Gift Shop)

Trademark ruling on 'Flower Thrower' (pictured) was the first of its kind against the Bristolian

In his 2006 book, Wall and Piece, the Bristolian said copyright is 'for losers' and invited readers to download his works for 'amusement and activism' rather than profit, pledging never to commercialise his works.

But Banksy opened a shop last October where he sold his works, including 'Flower Thrower' - and said the shop was created 'for the sole purpose of fulfilling trademark categories'.

The panel said that this 'departed from accepted principles of ethical behaviours or honest commercial and business practices' when ruling in favour of Full Colour Black.

These latest decisions mean Banksy has now lost four trademarks on his work.

Last year, Banksy was stripped of his first trademark for his work the Flower Thrower after a two-year legal battle with Full Colour Black.

Judges pointed to the fact that 'he cannot be identified as the unquestionable owner of such works as his identity is hidden'.

Last month, the artist lost a trademark for work Laugh Now (pictured at exhibition in Taiwan)

Last month, he lost protection for his work Laugh now in a similar battle with the London-based card company.

Banksy was named by The Mail on Sunday as former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham, although his identity has not been confirmed.

The company which represents Banksy, Pest Control Office Ltd, was contacted for comment.

In a statement on their website which appears under 'Use of Images', the company says: 'You are welcome to use Banksys images for non-commercial, personal amusement.

'Print them out in a colour that matches your curtains, make a card for your gran, submit them as your own homework, whatever.

'But neither Banksy or Pest Control licence the artists images to third parties. Please do not use Banksys images for any commercial purpose, including launching a range of merchandise or tricking people into thinking something is made or endorsed by the artist when it isnt.

'Saying Banksy wrote copyright is for losers in his book doesnt give you free rein to misrepresent the artist and commit fraud. We checked.'
Pictured: Ely Ratner, the man nominated by US President Joe Biden's be be the next assistant secretary of defence

The US is looking to set up a combat-ready standing force on Australia's doorstep, in an effort to push back against an increasingly belligerent China across the Indo-Pacific.

Ely Ratner, the man nominated by US President Joe Biden's to be the next assistant secretary of defence said establishing a permanent 'combat-credible forward posture' is essential to the US military's ability to deter aggression from authoritarian powers like China.

It is hoped that the standing force, which Australia would likely be asked to join, would protect Taiwan from being seized by force.

He told the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington last week that nations like Australia, who are at the forefront of Beijing's growing aggression, would need to play a pivotal role in the proposed 'standing force'.

'A distributed and resilient forward posture must be combined with new warfighting concepts; modernised, highly capable, and ready forces; and capable allied and partner forces to deter any adversary miscalculation, or to respond if necessary,' Mr Ratner said.

The Pentagon is becoming increasingly alarmed about China annexing the disputed island nation of Taiwan, after the totalitarian power stripped nearby Hong Kong of its independence with a litany of oppressive National Security Laws targeting pro-democracy activists.

The US is looking to set up a combat-ready standing force on Australia's doorstep, in an effort to push back against an increasingly belligerent China across the Indo-Pacific. Pictured: A US Navy ship

The Pentagon is becoming increasingly alarmed about China annexing the disputed island nation of Taiwan. Pictured: Chinese military guards in Beijing

American lawmakers and military officials believe the permanent presence of a large naval fleet made up of the US, Australian, Japanese and South Korean would make Beijing military strategists much more hesitant to try and take the democratic country by force.

Nations including the UK and France, who have recently sent their own warships to the Pacific region may also be involved.

Taiwan, backed by the US and Japan, has endured a longstanding conflict with Beijing since a separate government was established following the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Taiwan has democratically-elected leaders and fiercely opposes reunification and the totalitarian rule of Beijing.

But Communist Party rhetoric is growing more aggressive when it comes to annexing the island - as outlined by President-for-life Xi Jinping on many occasions who said China would use military action if necessary.

The island nation remains an important ally of western democratic countries for its close proximity to China and because it produces a significant supply of semiconductor microchips at a time when there is a major global shortage.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (pictured) has remained staunch in the face of Chinese aggression - with many nations now at loggerheads with the communist superpower

Is Taiwan a country or a part of China? Taiwanese soldiers hoist the flag of Taiwan in Taipei on May 10. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, but many Taiwanese people want the island to be independent China and Taiwan have a long-standing dispute over the island's sovereignty. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, more precisely a province, but many Taiwanese want the island to be independent. From 1683 to 1895, Taiwan was ruled by China's Qing dynasty. After Japan claimed its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government forced to cede Taiwan to Japan. The island was under the Republic of China's ruling after World War II, with the consent of its allies the US and UK. The leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 and established his government after losing the Civil War to the Communist Party and its leader Mao Zedong. Chiang's son continued to rule Taiwan after his father and began democratising Taiwan. In 1980, China put forward a formula called 'one country, two systems', under which Taiwan would be given significant autonomy if it accepted Chinese reunification. Taiwan rejected the offer. Taiwan today, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders, is widely accepted in the West as an independent state. But its political status remains unclear. Advertisement

Mr Ratner told the Senate hearing that Beijing is the globe's biggest security threat.

'China represents the top pacing challenge for the Department of Defence, particularly given its accelerating military modernization and aggressive activities,' he said.

He described the People's Liberation Army of China as a 'well-resourced, and rapidly developing both in terms of direct military pressure on Taiwan and through other PLA capabilities aimed at deterring, delaying or denying third-party intervention in a crisis.'

'As a result, we must remain vigilant in providing combat-credible deterrence in the region.'

Although no further details of what a permanent naval standing force might look like, in the past NATO had set up a task force during the Cold War, of about eight warships in the Atlantic Ocean with allied forces to combat the USSR.

The vessels held key strategic positions and rotated about every six-months.

Mr Ratner described the People's Liberation Army of China as 'well-resourced, and rapidly developing'. Pictured: Chinese military forces in China's Xinjiang region

Pictured: Australian Special Operations Task Groups Long Range Patrol Vehicles drive in convoy across one of Afghanistan's desert

Such an undertaking would be a massive shake up to Australia's military, meaning large-scale redeployment of personnel and hardware.

It would also be an extremely costly endeavor that could put billions of dollars worth of key military assets at risk.

But fresh off his G7 Summit last week, Scott Morrison appears very open to the idea.

The Prime Minister called for western democratic nations to join forces to oppose authoritarian regimes and 'embrace a liberal, rules-based order'.

Canberra's relationship with Beijing sensationally unraveled in April last year, when Mr Morrison's government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the Covid pandemic.

The call for transparency outraged Beijing and the authoritarian state targeted an array of Australia exports with arbitrary bans and tariffs as apparent payback.

One of those key sectors hit with a soaring 212 per cent tariff was the $6billion wine industry, which exported 39 percent of all total product to China in 2019.

Barley, cotton, seafood, beef, copper, and coal were among the other industries crippled by the fallout.

Australian Army soldier from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment in Queensland (pictured) amid warnings that Australia could 'be at war with China' within years
Twenty seven new Covid exposure sites have been added to Sydney's growing list, which has plunged thousands across the city into isolation.

Businesses from Parramatta to Bondi were added to the list on Sunday evening, as the city endures the first hours of tightened restrictions - including mandatory masks indoors.

The list includes 19 retailers in the busy Birkenhead Point Brand Outlet in Drummoyne in the city's west, Hero Suchi restaurant in the CBD, a fitness centre in Castle Hill in the north-west, and a Big W store in Merrylands.

Four new infections were announced on Sunday, with nine cases now linked to the Bondi cluster and another four mystery infections with no known source.

Pictured: Commuters getting off a tram while wearing face masks in Sydney on Friday, June 18

Pictured: Medical workers administer tests at the Bondi Beach drive-through coronavirus clinic

Anyone who visited North Face, Country Road or Seed at the Drummoyne outlet centre on Tuesday June 15 between 11.35am and 1pm is considered a close contact.

Close contacts have been told to contact NSW Health immediately, get a Covid test and isolate for 14 days regardless of the results, with experts fearing people may test negative in the early stages of the virus.

Shoppers who has visited any of the other venues on the list are considered casual contacts and must self-isolate until they test negative to coronavirus.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced masks would be required to be worn across seven local government areas from 4pm on Sunday.

They are Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.

Pictured: Birkenhead Point Brand Outlet in Drummoyne where a person infected with Covid visited 19 stores

Pictured: Coles supermarket in Wynyard, where a person infected with Covid went on June 17

'You must wear a mask if you are in and around those seven local government areas,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'That will include things like hospitality workers, shopping, retail shopping, any interactivity where you aren't eating or drinking, you will need to wear a mask.'

Ms Berejiklian also announced face mask rules on public transport would be extended from Sydney to Wollongong and Shellharbour.

'It is important for all of us to be on high alert, no matter where we live in particular,' she said.

But the premier stopped short of bringing in any lockdown rules, saying it was not likely further restrictions would have to be brought in for the time being.

Pictured: Sydneysiders wearing masks in the CBD in Sydney, Friday, June 18 amid a growing number of Covid cases

On Sunday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) announced masks would be required to be worn across seven local government areas

Face masks mandate in Sydney New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday that face masks would need to be worn in seven local government areas in Sydney. Below is a list of council areas where the mandate applies: Randwick Bayside Botany Bay Inner West City of Sydney Waverley Woollahra Advertisement

'At this stage, we don't think we will need to do further than what we have announced today,' she said.

'I know all of us are a bit fatigued after so many months of living with Covid but we can't drop for now.'

'We have to make sure we aren't complacent and have to make sure we are complying to what we are asking you to do.'

One of the new cases announced on Sunday was a 30-year-old man who visited Bondi, Surry Hills, Westfield Bondi Junction, and The Broken Drum Cafe in Fairy Meadow in the NSW Illawarra region.

The other case was a woman in her 30s who was a household contact of the man.

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said an additional two cases in the Sutherland Shire, in southern Sydney, were also recorded.

One was a woman in her 50s who was a close contact of a previously confirmed case while the other was a man in his 50s linked to a Salvation Army store.

The cases will be officially included in Monday's figures.

There were 24,468 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday but Dr Chant said she would like to see more than 30,000 tests conducted on Sunday.

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said an additional two cases in the Sutherland Shire, in southern Sydney, were also recorded after the 8pm deadline

'I would like to see those numbers today exceed 30-40,000 tests,' she said.

'The quicker we can diagnose cases, the quicker we can get ahead of the transmission of this virus.'

Dr Chant put out another call for residents to get tested if they visited Westfield Bondi Junction, and its car park, on June 12 or 13, with every customer - regardless of time or specific store - told to test and isolate if they feel even the slightest bit unwell.

There were 24,468 tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday but Dr Chant said she would like to see more than 30,000 tests conducted on Sunday

'If you have been to any of those venues or have any symptoms, you need to isolate,' she said.

Covid-19 fragments have also been detected in sewerage from the Brookland catchment- which serves parts of the Central Coast.

'We are calling for the community to come forward for testing,' Dr Chant said.

'At this stage, we have not been able to identify positive cases in the catchment. We don't have a full ability because people move around.

'But we have not had anyone residing there that has been recently discharged from our hotel quarantine.'
Dido Harding is vowing to end the NHS's reliance on foreign doctors and nurses if she becomes head of the health service in England - despite Matt Hancock previously urging a 'new Windrush generation' to help fill jobs.

The Tory peer has made ending the 'prevailing orthodoxy' that staff are better sourced from abroad part of her pitch to take over from Sir Simon Stevens next month.

However, two years ago Lady Harding penned a report admitting that the NHS must 'increase international recruitment in the short to medium term'.

And launching that report Mr Hancock said: 'The people plan spells out how we need a new Windrush Generation for the NHS.

'A recruitment drive to attract the brightest and best doctors, nurses, and clinical staff from overseas.'

It was confirmed last week that Baroness Harding, former head of the much-criticised Test and Trace programme, has applied for the key post.

The former Talk-Talk chief would become the first woman to hold the role - but she would also be a hugely controversial choice amid criticism of the contact tracing scheme.

In March, the former head of the Treasury branded the 37billion system the 'most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time'.

Lady Harding is expected to tell the NHS panel that she can be an 'insider outsider' to bring fresh ideas to the health service, according to the Sunday Times.

Around 14 per cent of the NHS workforce are non-British nationals, and it has been seen as cheaper to recruit from abroad rather than train people up in this country.

She is expected to say she will resign from the Tory party and take a leave of absence from the Lords if her application is successful.

Dido Harding (left) is said to have made ending the 'prevailing orthodoxy' that staff are better sourced from abroad part of her pitch to take over from Sir Simon Stevens (right) next month

The former Talk-Talk chief would become the first woman head of NHS England if her application is successful

Labour's Angela Rayner said the idea of ending the NHS's reliance on foreign workers was 'misguided and close to impossible'

WHO ELSE IS IN THE RUNNING FOR NHS ENGLAND JOB? Amanda Pritchard NHS England chief operating officer The current holder of the NHS's number two job is many people's favourite to succeed Sir Simon Stevens as chief executive of NHS England. The daughter of a bishop, Ms Pritchard grew up in Durham and went to Oxford University before spending her entire 25-year career in the NHS. Emily Lawson Former NHS England chief commercial officer Emily Lawson is the incoming head of the No10 delivery unit after leaving her post as NHS England chief commercial officer. She has been discussed as an interim leader for NHS England between Sir Simon's departure in July and her start at the delivery unit. Trade magazine HSJ has credited her as one of the outside bets. Advertisement

The interim NHS People Plan - drawn up by Lady Harding in her role as chair of NHS Improvement and published in June 2019 - said:

'Since the inception of the NHS, our patients have benefited from the skill, compassion and commitment of international nurses.

'In the short to medium term, given existing vacancy rates and the lead times for training new nurses, we will need to increase international recruitment significantly to secure rapid increases in supply.'

However, the report did add: 'Our ambition must be to drive towards a supply balance for nursing that meets the demands of health and care services, centred on a domestically grown workforce.'

Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth has written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case urging him to ensure 'transparency' in the appointment process and that there is no 'political influence'.

'The NHS needs a chief executive with a proven track record of delivering quality care and who will never fail to champion a public universal NHS, stand up to Rishi Sunak and secure crucial extra investment,' he said.

'This is one of the biggest health care jobs in the world, patients expect the appointment to be made transparency and on the basis of merit.'

Last year Boris Johnson faced calls to sack Lady Harding and replace her over the continued poor performance of what was meant to be a 'world-beating' system.

According to a biography on the NHS England website, Lady Harding, 53, whose husband is a Tory MP, has stepped down as chair of NHS Improvement during the recruitment process.

She has held that position since October 2017 and her career includes top roles at Talk-Talk, Thomas Cook, Woolworths and Tesco.

As well as Lady Harding, NHS England's chief operating officer Amanda Pritchard is one of the favourites to succeed Sir Simon.

The updated biography on the NHS England website states: 'Dido has applied to become the next CEO of the NHS and has therefore stood aside as Chair of NHS Improvement whilst the recruitment process takes place. Sir Andrew Morris is standing in for her during this time.'

NHS England announced in April that current NHS chief executive Sir Simon was to stand down 'as planned' at the end of July to become a crossbench peer in the House of Lords.

In a letter to colleagues, he described being in charge of the NHS through 'some of the toughest challenges in its history' as a privilege.

Sir Simon  who has been in charge for seven years  has served through three elections and the Covid pandemic.

According to the NHS England annual report for 2019/20, the chief executive's salary was between 195,000 and 200,000.

The report stated that Sir Simon had, during that year, voluntarily taken a 20,000 annual pay cut for the sixth year in a row.

Lady Harding was heavily criticised during her stint in charge of the country's contact tracing programme.

A report earlier this year said T&T had 'minimal impact on transmission' despite receiving 37billion of funding.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee said in March there was no evidence the tracing scheme had made a dent in Covid transmission, despite its 'unimaginable' budget.

Last year No10 spent 22billion on Test and Trace and the Chancellor promised to throw another 15billion at it in 2021, bringing the total cost to 37billion.

The PAC report said the Government was treating British taxpayers 'like an ATM machine'.

Sir Nicholas Macpherson, a member of the House of Lords and former permanent secretary at the Treasury, also waded into the row.

He posted a cutting tweet that added: 'The extraordinary thing is that nobody in the government seems surprised or shocked. No matter: the BoE will just print more money.'

Lady Harding's leadership of Test and Trace last year prompted senior backbencher Sir Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the Liaison Committee, to join Labour in suggesting she be replaced.

At one point in October last year, ahead of the second lockdown which came in in November, the system hit a record low with just 59.6 per cent of the contacts of people who tested positive for the disease being successfully contacted and told to self-isolate.

Sir Bernard, who chairs the Liaison Committee of senior MPs which questions the Prime Minister twice a year, said the peer should be given a 'well-earned break' so she and others could 'reflect on the lessons learned so far'.

Last September she was ridiculed when she claimed nobody was 'expecting' to see the 'really sizeable increase in demand' for Covid checks ahead of the start of the school year.

Lady Harding's comments, which come despite the return of schools and more people heading back to work, sparked outrage as she told MPs 'none of the modelling' had suggested there would be such a steep uptick in requests.

She blamed the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) for seemingly getting its predictions wrong as she said testing capacity had been built based on the panel's recommendations.

Lady Harding studied Policy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, alongside David Cameron, and is married to John Penrose, Conservative MP for Weston-super-Mare (pictured together)

There were also numerous reports of staff at deserted walk-in testing centres turning people away if they didn't have an appointment or weren't showing obvious coronavirus symptoms.

Baroness Harding was appointed CEO of TalkTalk in 2010, serving in the role for seven years, during which the company was the victim of a cyber attack that saw the personal and banking details of 157,000 customers accessed by hackers.

She was subjected to repeated blackmail attempts after the hack, with demands for Bitcoins in exchange for stolen data, which included customers' names, email addresses, mobile numbers, home addresses and dates of birth.

In the aftermath, TalkTalk was fined a record 400,000 for security failings which allowed the data to be accessed 'with ease' in one of the biggest data breaches in history.

TalkTalk is thought to have lost 60million from the fallout with an estimated 100,000 angry customers leaving, mainly to BT, while 2015 profits halved to 14million and shares lost nearly two-thirds of their value.

Baroness Harding faced repeated calls to step down over the breach, but stayed on until 2017, when she resigned to focus on her 'public service activities'.

Later that year, she was appointed chair of NHS Improvement, responsible for overseeing all NHS hospitals.
A woman is set to appeal against a court ruling which states she must subsidise the contact costs of a former partner who was found to have raped her.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and her former partner are currently in the family courts in a dispute centred on their child.

Court documents show that the judge concluded she has been a victim of domestic rape after hearing and considering her allegations about his behaviour.

Court documents show that the judge concluded she has been a victim of domestic rape after hearing and considering her allegations about his behaviour

Their child is currently living with the woman, and her former partner is having regular supervised contact while litigation continues.

The judge has concluded that the pair should share the cost of hiring a contact centre, and a staff member who supervises the man's contact with the child.

A lawyer representing her has said they are hopeful the ruling could be overturned.

The woman, who works in London, told the PA news agency: 'I've been a victim of rape - the judge has ruled that he raped me when we were together.

'But I'm having to share the cost of him having contact with our child.

'The victim is subsidising her abuser.'

As a result, she has spent hundreds of pounds funding contact, she added.

She is aiming to appeal the decision.

Claire Waxman, London's Independent Victims; Commissioner raised concerns about a 'pro-contact' culture in January.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, plans to appeal the decision

'The family courts system is letting down children and survivors of abuse,' she said in a statement.

'I am deeply worried by the severe lack of understanding of domestic abuse and trauma in the courts, and the fact that courts persist in prioritising contact between a parent and child - even when there are cases of domestic and sexual abuse.

'Survivors and children are being put at risk due to this pro-contact culture.'

She added: 'Pro-contact culture also means allegations of domestic abuse are being minimised and treated as irrelevant.'

She is not alone - last year, barrister Charlotte Proudman, who specialises in family court litigation told The Guardian newspaper: 'I'm seeing more and more that victims of domestic abuse are being ordered to pay 50 per cent of child contact costs to alleged perpetrators.'
A Royal Military Policeman who grabbed his soldier girlfriend by the throat when she accused him of having an affair with his friend's pregnant wife has been convicted of battery.

Corporal Liam Farrell said he would slit Lance Corporal Rachel Ford's throat after she threatened to tell his mate the baby might not be his, a court martial hearing heard.

LCpl Ford - who had been romantically involved with the 31 year old for about two months - confronted him after seeing messages on his phone which led her to believe he was cheating on her.

She told Bulford Military Court: 'I was saying to him that I did not want to speak to him and he kept repeating 'are you going to say anything' and I just wanted to get past him.

Corporal Liam Farrell said he would slit Lance Corporal Rachel Ford's throat, Bulford Military Court heard

'He then grabbed me by the throat and he pushed me into the corner.

'I recall him saying 'if you say anything I will slit your throat,' and 'if you say anything I will kill you and I will kill (your friend)'.

'His face was very close to mine and his grip was tight like he wanted to hurt me but not hurt me bad.

'I felt like he was doing it because he was so scared of what I would do afterwards.'

Cpl Farrell told the court that after seeing the messages LCpl Ford threatened she would message his best friend - referred to only as Dan - to tell him his wife's baby might not be his.

He said: 'She said I am going to message your best mate; I am going to message him saying get a paternity test.'

After the neck grabbing incident on the evening of 14 May 2020, LCpl Ford went to the room of her friend - Corporal James Lloyd - and said Cpl Farrell followed her.

LCpl Ford said: '(Cpl Farrell) grabbed Cpl Lloyd's face and said 'you better make sure that she does not say anything. I will punch you and I will punch her; I will kill you and I will kill her.''

Cpl Farrell denied threatening to kill Cpl Lloyd but admitted grabbing his face and telling him to make sure LCpl Ford was not going to do anything stupid.

Cpl Farrell told the court that after seeing the messages LCpl Ford threatened she would message his best friend (pictured, Aldershot Barracks)

Cpl Farrell - who said he has known his best friend Dan and wife Amy for 20 years - told the court LCpl Ford had got 'the wrong end of the stick' with regards to the messages.

He said 'Those messages [with Amy] pre-dated when [me and LCpl Ford] were together. I was away in Kenya when [Amy became pregnant] anyway.

'But it was still upsetting to me that she might say that and the way my best mate might have taken it. She would have ruined these people's lives [if she told them].'

Judge Jeff Blackett found Cpl Farrell guilty of battery for grabbing LCpl Ford's throat and pushing her up against the wall in the corridor and sentenced him to a fine of 2,500.

For battery against Cpl Lloyd, Cpl Farrell received no additional penalty.
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Wally the famous wandering Arctic walrus has been causing havoc near the Isles of Scilly where he reappeared this weekend.

The adventurous animal is thought to have drifted from the Arctic on an iceberg and first hit headlines when he was spotted around islands north of Scotland.

And after a trip to Ireland, Spain, France and Greenland, he showed his tusks again in the Isles of Scilly when he arrived on Thursday.

But while many tourists and locals have been delighted to spot the walrus, some boat owners have been left deflated after the large arctic mammal punctured dinghies he mistook for resting spots.

Photos show the walrus clambering on top of the rubber inflatables while forlorn owners look on helplessly.

Will Wagstaff, a freelance tour guide in the area, confirmed it had popped multiple dinghies which were attached to the back of yachts.

Wally the famous Arctic Walrus has been pictured causing havoc for boat owners of the Isles of Scilly after returning to the UK coast this weekend. Pictures show the walrus deflating rubber dinghies after trying to climb on top for a rest (pictured)

Witnesses said Wally's sharp tusks popped several dinghies that were attached to the back of yachts in the area (pictured)

Wally the walrus made a triumphant return to the UK last night, spotted in the Scilly Isles

He told the Telegraph: 'It has actually popped a couple of Zodiacs. People were leaving their dinghies out the back and of course that is ideal for it to think it can get on but it's way too heavy.

'And of course it used its big tusks to lever itself up. Soft rubber and hard old ivory or whatever it is is not a good combination really.'

Exports administrator Rachel Box, 42, was delighted to spot the creature who she said looked like he needed a rest.

She said: 'I couldn't believe it. He was actually massive.

'I remember turning my boyfriend when I saw something large in the water coming towards us and thinking 'is that a massive seal?'

'But as he was moving closer towards us I said 'oh that's Wally the Walrus!'

'He was just absolutely huge - just like an elephant! Even his skin seemed the same.

'He was really playful and not aggressive in the slightest.

The walrus travelled 518 miles north from Spain to appear in the Bay of Porthcressa, on the island of St Mary's on July 17. Residents raced down to the beach to catch a glimpse of the tugboat-dodging animal, who was seen trying to climb aboard yachts 35 miles off the Cornish coast (pictured)

'Others were a bit weary of him piercing the rubber dinghies as he was poking bit with his tusks.

'He was then trying to haul himself up on the boats, I think in order to get some rest.

'Some are saying he had probably 450 miles to get there so no wonder he was a little tired.

'He eventually perched himself on some rocks. I'm just amazed we managed to see him.'

Meanwhile, amusing footage shows the juvenile male trying to climb aboard a tourist boat near the Bay of Porthcressa.

Boatsman Rafe Ward, 33, recorded his close encounter with the friendly walrus.

The creature got up close with his yacht - called the Calypso - while excited tourists marvelled at the rare opportunity.

Scilly-born Rafe, who is the owner of Calypso Boating Scilly, said he had heard Wally was around and had diverted his normal two-island tour to try and get a glimpse.

Rafe said: 'I wasn't sure if we'd see him, but we spotted him straight away.

'I tried to keep a distance but he clearly took a liking to the boat - and it's a nice boat so I don't blame him!

'It was great seeing him in the flesh because he's been spotted all over recently.

'My main thing was keeping everyone on board safe, and we'd never have got anywhere near Wally if it was dangerous - he just wanted to say hello!

'Everyone on board loved it - one man said it was more exciting than a diving trip at the Great Barrier Reef!'

The walrus travelled 518 miles north from Spain to appear in the Bay of Porthcressa, on the island of St Mary's on July 17.

And no wonder the walrus needed to rest his flippers (pictured trying to climb on a yacht) , after the Arctic mammal brought delight to communities in Ireland, Pembrokeshire, Cornwall and France over the past few months in his 2,000 mile adventure from Greenland

Residents raced down to the beach to catch a glimpse of the tugboat-dodging animal, who was seen trying to climb aboard yachts 35 miles off the Cornish coast.

And no wonder the walrus needed to rest his flippers, after the Arctic mammal brought delight to communities in Ireland, Pembrokeshire, Cornwall and France over the past few months in his 2,000 mile adventure from Greenland.

A Scilly islander said the walrus was enjoying himself around moored boats on Thursday.

Local Will Lethbridge said: 'He seems pretty happy and healthy. The beach is full of people with binoculars and telescopes and it seems Wally the walrus is around the shoreline playing with some of the yachts.'

Wally was last spotted soaking up the rays off the coast of Spain less than a fortnight ago - as he continued his long-distance swim across Europe.

The Artic walrus traveled 230 miles through the Bay of Biscay to the River Nervion earlier this month.

Pictures show Wally the Walrus sunbathing on the rocks in Les Sables d'Olonne, France

Wally spotters in France, where he was seen previously, said: 'The walrus that appeared in La Rochelle last week is already in the Basque Country.

'The Bilbao superport tugboats located him swimming in the mouth of the Nervion in apparent good health.'

Wally became a local celebrity when he rocked up on the south Wales coast in Tenby this year.

He was first spotted in County Kerry, Ireland in March, before heading over to the UK after he was believed to have fallen asleep on a drifting iceberg in his Arctic homeland.

Six days after first appearing in Ireland in March, the RSPCA were called out to check on the creature - which was 'underweight' - at the bottom of a cliff near Broad Haven South beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Wally was last spotted earlier this month near Padstow, 390 miles away from France

Wally cause quite a scene in Wales when he lounged on the RNLI's slipway

Wally posed a weighty problem for worried lifeboat chiefs in Tenby when their emergency crews were blocked by the giant on their slipway.

But after becoming a known figure in the area, animal welfare groups believe he left after becoming 'obviously disturbed' by day-trippers getting too close.

Irresponsible tourists tried to approach him using jet-skis, paddleboards and drones as he rested on a RNLI slipway in the town's harbour.

It became a concern for RNLI volunteers, who had to resort to shooing Wally off the slipway, using brooms and airhorns to try to move the animal.

The RSPCA Cymru and Dyfed-Powys Police had to issue a plea to tourists to keep their distance from Wally, who is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Having spent months basking in the Welsh sunshine, he then travelled further south, popping up in Cornwall for a few days.

Wally the Walrus travelled from Wales to Cornwall, and has now migrated further south

Then he migrated further south still, to Les Sables d'Olonne in western France, making it the town's first sighting of a Walrus in 50 years.

Photographs show Wally basking in the French sun on the rocks on May 27.

People in Tenby are hopeful that Wally will return to Wales after his time in France, because he has become a local celebrity, with many shops selling Wally the Walrus merchandise.

Experts believe that Wally may have initially dozed off on a block of ice and drifted across the ocean.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Ellie West described Wally's plight as 'sad' during Radio 4's Today programme back in March.

She said at the time: 'Whilst it is a very unusual sight [...] it is quite a sad occurrence because we have to remember that this walrus is a very, very long way from where he should be.

'We're talking about a wild animal that's still very mobile. He's very big, we're talking about much bigger than our normal seals. This one, although he's of a large size he is a bit underweight.'

Wally became an icon in Tenby, Wales, where shops are selling walrus merchandise
A young mum was left with critical injuries after rushing to help the victims of a head-on crash, before being ploughed into by another car.

Rachel Fleming, 28, was the first on the scene of a fatal car crash in Glastonbury, near Queensland's Gympie region on the evening of June 3.

Police say the mother-of-three from Lagoon Pocket was struck when she jumped out of her car to help after a four wheel drive and a ute fatally collided.

Her tight-knit community is now rallying round the 'selfless' mum, who was rushed to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with injuries to her face, knee and ankle.

Mother-of-three Rachel Fleming, 28, (pictured) was hit by a passing car while stopping to assist at a fatal crash near Gympie earlier this month

A GoFundMe has been set up in Rachel's honour by friend Tahlia Eaton, who described the mother-of-three as 'the kindest, most selfless human'.

'The accident has left Rachel and her family in financial hardship. Rachel is unable to return to work indefinitely, and her husband Beau needs to stay home to care for now only her, but their young family', she wrote.

Her heartbroken friend explained the young mum had stopped to do the right thing when 'the unimaginable happened'.

Mrs Fleming, a Imbil teacher, reportedly jumped out of her vehicle to assist the 54-year-old male driver of the four wheel drive.

As she used her phone to dial emergency services, another vehicle travelling down the road and struck the pair, leaving them both in a critical condition.

Friend Tahlia Eaton has started a GoFundMe page for Mrs Fleming (right) to support her family through financial hardship caused by the accident

The selfless Imbil teacher (right) recently underwent facial reconstruction surgery after injuring her face, knee and ankle in the collision

The ute driver, a 51-year-old Widgee man, had already died at the scene.

Ms Eaton said while her friend's physical injuries will take time to heal, the memories of that fateful night would always be with her.

'A little can go a long way, so please, if you can spare anything at all, it will go towards keeping a much-loved and deserving family above water while they take the time to recover', she wrote.

The campaign has already surpassed its goal of $20,000 and has raised $22,421 for the Fleming family in just under two weeks.

Donators flooded the comments to wish the mother-of-three well, who recently underwent facial reconstruction surgery but has since been discharged.

As Mrs Fleming dialled emergency services, another vehicle travelling down the road struck her and the 54-year-old driver of a four wheel drive, leaving both in a critical condition

'She selflessly rushed to help others and she was cruelly hurt herself', one donator wrote.

'Any of us could have been in the same situation Rachel was in, and most of us would go to help. Here's to a speedy recovery, you are in my prayers', another said.

'Rachel is a selfless heroine', a third commented.

The driver of the car that struck the pair was transported to Gympie Hospital as a precaution.

Anyone with dash camera footage of the incident has been urged to contact police.
A Hungarian rabbi has joined the German army 90 years after Jewish soldiers were expelled from the military.

Zsolt Balla, 42, is the German military's new chief rabbi and will be sworn in at a synagogue in Leipzig, east Germany, on Monday.

The position has not existed since 1933 and Mr Balla will be one of 10 rabbis providing pastoral care to Jews in the Bundeswehr.

Mr Balla's appointment comes against the backdrop of a series of scandals involving antisemitism in the army.

Zsolt Balla, 42, 90 years after Jewish soldiers were expelled before the holocaust. He is is the German military's new chief rabbi and will be sworn in at a synagogue in Leipzig on Monday

Germany's top commando unit the KSK was partially dissolved following claims it was infiltrated by right-wing extremism last year but Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on Tuesday announced it will continue after reforms.

And the special task force (SEK) of the Frankfurt police was last week disbanded after officers allegedly glorified Nazis in online chats

Mr Balla told CNN: 'I think every responsible person should be worried about this issue.'

Military rabbis will not 'solve every single problem within one week', he said, but the position will go some way to addressing the issue.

Mr Balla said: 'We have to work with a vision for the future, of how we want German society and the Bundeswehr to look like in a decade.'

The German army does not record the religions of its members but there are an estimated 80 to 300 Jewish soldiers in the country.

Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (pictured on Thursday) ordered the partial dissolution of the country's Special Forces Command (KSK), she announced today

Mr Balla told Israeli broadcaster Kan: 'It is a great responsibility.

'We need to help all Jews [in the army] live a Jewish life, if they are looking for Kosher food, if they are looking for the opportunity to pray.'

Germany has reportedly invested 5million (4.3million) in the armys new chief military rabbinate.

The last time rabbis served in the German army was the first world war, when around 100,000 Jews were in the country's ranks.

Adolf Hitler banned Jews from serving in the military after assuming power in 1933 before the army was deployed to carry out the holocaust.

Mr Balla told LocalNews8: 'The Jewish community has changed. We understand that this is not the same Germany.

'[There is an] understanding that Germany really did its best among European countries to face and confront its past, and I think it should be acknowledged.'

He was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1979 and did not find out he was Jewish until he was nine.

His grandparents were holocaust survivors but his father, a lieutenant colonel in the Hungarian army, was not Jewish.

Mr Balla moved to Berlin complete his rabbi training and was one of the first orthodox rabbis to be trained in Germany since the 1930s.

There he met his wife and the couple have three children in Leipzig, where he is a rabbi at the local synagogue.
Lisa Wilkinson and a panel of Channel Ten stars have slammed Annastacia Palaszczuk and said she 'should be ashamed of herself' for denying a loving son one last chance to see his dying father in hospital.

Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli flew from Los Angeles to Sydney on Tuesday, after being granted a travel exemption by the federal government and NSW Health.

But when the Kilians tried to leave NSW on a $15,000 private charter plane, they were refused a quarantine exemption by Queensland Health officials, despite being fully vaccinated as well as vowing to wear full PPE and enter quarantine straight afterwards.

Mr Kilian's 80-year-old father Frans weighs just 44kg and is dying of pancreatic cancer at hospital on the Gold Coast.

Queensland Health has since rejected the couple's quarantine exemption application multiple times even though they are both fully vaccinated and even offered to wear hazmat suits and tracking devices during their visit.

An infuriated Wilkinson asked 'Queensland Health, what are you doing?' after speaking to the couple on the Project.

Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli flew from LA to Sydney on Tuesday and were granted a travel exemption by Border Force and NSW Health. But they were then refused entry to Queensland

Lisa Wilkinson (left) and a panel of Channel Ten stars have slammed Anastacia Palaszczuk (right) and said she 'should be ashamed of herself' for denying a loving son one last chance to see his dying father in hospital

'When you look at everything they're prepared to do, Queensland Health is completely absolved of any issues, wearing hazmat, charting flights, in and out just to say goodbye to the father,' she said.

Co-host Peter van Onselen called the matter 'disgusting' and urged the Queensland Premier to step in.

'The Queensland politicians can't hide behind the health advice on this, they have the right to make exemptions and they do it all the time,' Van Onselen said.

'The Premier gave herself an exemption to get the Pfizer vaccine to be able to go to the Olympics because of the turnaround time compared to AstraZeneca.'

He pointed out that Palaszczuk's government also grant exemptions for diplomats, CEOs and movie stars who are allowed to quarantine at home.

'This is a failure and a disgrace by the Queensland Premier. Anastacia Palaszczuk, if she is watching, she should be ashamed of herself,' Van Onselen said.

'With the stroke of a pen she could this and fix it tonight so that family get to see their father.

'It is utterly beyond disgrace.'

Wilkinson said: 'I reckon everyone watching this everyone would with you.'

Mr Kilian's 80-year-old father Frans weighs just 44kg and is dying of pancreatic cancer at hospital on the Gold Coast

Channel Ten's Peter van Onselen said: 'This is a failure and a disgrace by the Queensland Premier. Anastacia Palaszczuk, if she is watching, she should be ashamed of herself.' Pictured: Franz Kilian at a Gold Coast hospital

South African born Mark Kilian has had a successful and eclectic film scoring career since moving to Los Angeles in 1994 - even working with such names as Martin Scorsese.

Poll Should Mark Kilian be allowed into Queensland to visit his dying father? Yes No Should Mark Kilian be allowed into Queensland to visit his dying father? Yes 1348 votes

No 126 votes Now share your opinion





'My dad's condition deteriorated rapidly where we knew we needed to get on the next plane we could,' Mr Kilian said.

They were granted exemptions by federal authorities and the NSW government to fly from LA to Sydney, but once they tried to travel across the border, Queensland Health said no.

Ordinarily, the couple would have to complete two weeks of hotel quarantine, but is feared the beloved dad will not survive that long.

The couple would be escorted to his bedside in full hazmat suits, with both fully vaccinated, before being taken to complete hotel quarantine.

A charter flight is paid for and ready to take them door-to-door to see Mr Kilian.

'Every time we call him, the first words out of his mouth are 'when are you coming?' Ms Kilian said.

The couple remain in hotel quarantine in Sydney and have been rejected four times by the Sunshine State who offered 'cold-hearted responses time and time again'.

'Our sympathies are with the family however these are clinical decisions that are necessary to keep Queenslanders safe,' Queensland Health said in a statement.

With time running out they have pleaded with the Palaszczuk government for an exemption on compassionate grounds - offering to charter a private jet, wear hazmat suits and even tracking devices.

'My father is an Australian citizen. He is one of their constituents. All he is asking is that he has the opportunity to say goodbye to his children, his son and his family and that we can all be there for that last moment,' Mr Kilian said.

'We are watching him fade away. His heart is also broken because he was hoping to see us.'

The couple have now launched an online petition named: Please help me say good by to my dying father.

So far it has received about 30,000 signatures.
Fears have been sparked an entire maternity ward may have been exposed to Covid-19 after a confirmed case visited the hospital while infectious.

A gynaecologist at the Wollongong Private Hospital has been deemed a close contact of a Covid-19 case.

The doctor visited the patient before they did rounds at the hospital on Friday.

A gynaecologist at the Wollongong Private Hospital (pictured) has been deemed a close contact of an infectious patient who visited the centre on Friday

The confirmed case was unaware they were infected with the virus at the time they visited the centre, 7NEWS reported.

Other patients at the hospital have been contacted to inform them of the potential infection, and that deep cleaning of the ward and further testing was underway.

A spokesperson from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District told Daily Mail Australia a private healthcare professional who had been in contact with Covid-19 cases linked to the Bondi cluster had been quickly identified.

'The healthcare professional is in isolation and has tested negative to date', the spokesperson said.

'The healthcare professional will remain in isolation for 14 days, regardless of test results. Comprehensive contact tracing has taken place.

The doctor exposed to the infectious case remains in isolation and has tested negative to date, a spokesperson from the llawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has confirmed

'NSW Health always alerts the community as soon as possible when there is any risk to public health, including exposure venues related to confirmed cases of COVID-19.'

The scare comes after New South Wales recorded four local cases of coronavirus on Sunday, with nine cases now linked to the Bondi cluster.

Face masks mandate in Sydney Face masks mandate in Sydney New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday that face masks would need to be worn in seven local government areas in Sydney. Below is a list of council areas where the mandate applies: Randwick Bayside Botany Bay Inner West City of Sydney Waverley Woollahra Advertisement

Another four cases are mystery infections with the source still unknown.

Twenty seven new Covid exposure sites have been added to Sydney's growing list, which has plunged thousands across the city into isolation.

Businesses from Parramatta to Bondi were added to the list on Sunday evening, as the city enters the first hours of tightened restrictions.

Anyone who visited North Face, Country Road or Seed at the Drummoyne outlet centre on Tuesday June 15 between 11.35am and 1pm is considered a close contact.

Close contacts have been told to contact NSW Health immediately, get a Covid test and isolate for 14 days regardless of the results, due to fears of a false negative.

Shoppers who has visited any of the other venues on the list are considered casual contacts and must self-isolate until they test negative to coronavirus.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the recent spread in cases means masks must be worn across seven local government areas from 4pm on Sunday.

Residents are required to wear a mask in Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.

Ms Berejiklian also announced face mask rules on public transport would be extended from Sydney to Wollongong and Shellharbour.

Masks must be work in retail, theatres, aged care facilities and for front-of-house hospitality staff, with restrictions to be taken further if cases continued to emerge.

'You must wear a mask if you are in and around those seven local government areas,' Ms Berejiklian said.

The scare comes after New South Wales recorded four local cases of coronavirus on Sunday, with nine cases now linked to the Bondi cluster

'That will include things like hospitality workers, shopping, retail shopping, any interactivity where you aren't eating or drinking, you will need to wear a mask.'

The premier reiterated it was important for NSW residents to remain on high alert regardless of where they lived.

But Ms Berejiklian stopped short of bringing in any lockdown rules, saying it was not likely further restrictions would have to be brought in for the time being.

'At this stage, we don't think we will need to do further than what we have announced today,' she said.

'I know all of us are a bit fatigued after so many months of living with Covid but we can't drop for now.'

Residents are required to wear a mask in Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra

One of the new cases announced on Sunday was a 30-year-old man who visited Bondi, Surry Hills, Westfield Bondi Junction, and The Broken Drum Cafe in Fairy Meadow in the NSW Illawarra region.

The other case was a woman in her 30s who was a household contact of the man.

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said an additional two cases in the Sutherland Shire, in southern Sydney, were also recorded.

One was a woman in her 50s who was a close contact of a previously confirmed case while the other was a man in his 50s linked to a Salvation Army store.

The cases will be officially included in Monday's figures.
Using an asthma inhaler can cut the amount of time it takes to recover from Covid, MPs have been told.

Ministers say doctors have prescribed the respiratory aids in some circumstances which has shown in some cases to reduce recovery by three days.

As a result Sir Graham Brady, from the Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, suggested the Government should make more use of them, according to the Telegraph.

He said in the newspaper: 'If the average length of stay in a hospital is now eight days, and you can reduce that by three days typically by using inhalers, why the hell haven't they done that?'

Earlier this year Oxford University academics said recovery time was three days shorter, on average

Health minister Jo Churchill replied guidance has been given to clinicians to consider prescribing inhaled budesonide, a drug most commonly taken through an inhaler to treat asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, on a case-by-case basis.

She said: 'The department will continue to monitor the results as more detailed data and analysis from the trial becomes available and stand ready to adjust guidance should this be appropriate.

'Clinical guidance has been issued for on a case-by-case basis, but inhaled budesonide is not currently recommended as the standard of care in the UK.'

The news has boosted hopes of an end of lockdown for good on July 19.

Earlier this year it was reported Coronavirus-infected Britons can now be prescribed inhalers on the NHS after experts found a commonly used asthma drug can help patients recover faster.

Budesonide will be the first treatment specifically for Covid patients to take at home  all other medical breakthroughs so far have been for hospital use.

Oxford University academics said recovery time was three days shorter, on average.

Professor Richard Hobbs, one of the experts running the study, called the discovery a 'significant milestone for this pandemic'.

Professor Gail Hayward, who worked on the trial and also works as a GP, said in April: 'This is the first time a treatment has been shown to be beneficial for patients in the community  and the majority of patients with Covid are in the community...

Sir Graham Brady, from the Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, suggested the Government should make more use of inhalers

'For the first time in this pandemic I now have evidence for a treatment to offer my patients at home.

'If I was trying to think of a treatment for the community it needs to be relatively cheap, easy to use and have few side effects  budesonide has all of these.'

Professor Bafadhel told a briefing: 'What we know with inhaled budesonide is that it works at the site where SARS-CoV-2 is likely to be causing its biggest effect.

'Corticosteroids are widely known to reduce inflammation and that's known from studies of other viruses...

'In the lab they've reduced the viral replication of SARS-CoV-2 specifically and we also know inhaled corticosteroids reduce expression of the ACE-2 receptor, and that's an important receptor for SARS-CoV-2.

'The findings are something we should be excited about.'

WHAT IS BUDESONIDE? Budesonide is a drug most commonly taken through an inhaler to treat asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a corticosteroid, which means it reduces swelling inside the body and helps control immune reactions. In the lungs, swelling can make it difficult to breathe and cause coughing. Budesonide can open up the airways to relieve these symptoms. The drug is cheap and widely used. It costs around 15 for one inhaler. It was prescribed around 3.8million times in England in 2019, according to NHS data. People generally use the inhaler twice a day when they are having active treatment, with doses typically ranging from 100 to 800 micrograms. Budesonide does not generally cause side effects. The NHS says: 'With inhaled budesonide very little medicine gets into the rest of your body, so it's unlikely to give you side effects.' It may cause a sore or dry throat or oral thrush when it is inhaled, but these are not serious and easily treated. It is generally safe to use budesonide during pregnancy. People should check with a doctor or pharmacist before using budesonide if they are taking other long-term medicines, particularly other corticosteroids. Sources: NHS and NICE Advertisement




A Metropolitan Police Officer is to appear on trial after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel whilst on duty.

PC Rudvelle Walters, 47, allegedly sexually assaulted the woman at a hotel on the High Road in Wembley, London, at around 6am on February 5 2019.

The officer, who was attached to the North West Command Unit, is set to appear for trial at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 21 June.

PC Rudvelle Walters (pictured), who was attached to the North West Command Unit, is set to appear for trial at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 21 June

PC Walters has since been suspended from the role.

The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards was informed and the officer arrested on 5 February 2019.

PC Walters was formally charged on Tuesday 19 May

The Met made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) who carried out an investigation.

PC Walters was formally charged on Tuesday 19 May.

He was initially placed on restricted duties and was subsequently suspended from duty.
The Navy has fired thousands of pounds of explosives at one of its aircraft carriers, creating a blast equivalent to a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, to test its wartime abilities.

USS Gerald R. Ford, the first of a new class of carrier, was struck by the blast about 100 miles off the coast of Florida around 4pm Friday.

The explosive event was the first in a series of full-ship shock trials to prove whether the carrier can take a hit during battle at sea and marked the first shock trial in more than three decades on a Navy carrier.

The Navy celebrated the success of the trial Saturday, tweeting that 'the leadership and crew demonstrated #NavyReadiness fighting through the shock, proving our warship can 'take a hit' and continue our mission on the cutting edge of #NavalAviation!'

The Navy has fired thousands of pounds of explosives at one of its aircraft carriers, creating a blast equivalent to a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, to test its wartime abilities

USS Gerald R. Ford, the first of a new class of carrier, was struck by the blast about 100 miles off the coast of Florida around 4pm Friday

Shock trials involve detonating explosives close to the vessel to simulate how it would perform in battle conditions.

The aim is not to damage the carrier, which has a crew on board at the time, but to judge its vulnerabilities to the shock and vibrations caused by 'near miss' incidents where explosives strike close by.

The carrier is wired with sensors to measure the impact of the blast and changes can then be implemented before the carrier is used in military action.

The Navy said the Ford was designed using advanced computer modeling methods, testing, and analysis to ensure the ship is hardened to withstand battle conditions, and these shock trials provide data used in validating the shock hardness of the ship.

In Friday's trial, the US Geological Survey registered a blast equal to a 3.9 magnitude earthquake, reported USNI News.

The Navy said the trials are being carried out in compliance with environmental mitigation requirements, respecting known migration patterns of marine life in the test area.

In Friday's trial, the US Geological Survey registered a blast equal to a 3.9 magnitude earthquake

It is also following extensive protocols to ensure the safety of both military and civilian personnel participating in the testing.

The shock trials were the next stage after the carrier successfully completed 18 months of post delivery test and trials in April.

The Ford will now return to the pier at Newport News Shipbuilding for its first six month planned incremental availability phase, where it will undergo 'modernization, maintenance, and repairs prior to its operational employment,' the Navy said.

The successful trial will come as a relief to the Navy and defense officials as the Ford has been hammered by challenges from the get-go, including delays in production and cost overruns.

It is the most expensive ship in Navy history, originally supposed to cost $10.5 billion before the price tag climbed to $13.3 billion.

Shock trials involve detonating explosives close to the vessel to simulate how it would perform in battle conditions

The aim is not to damage the carrier, which has a crew on board at the time, but to judge its vulnerabilities to the shock and vibrations caused by 'near miss' incidents where explosives strike close by

The Navy said the Ford was designed using advanced computer modeling methods, testing, and analysis to ensure the ship is hardened to withstand battle conditions, and these shock trials provide data used in validating the shock hardness of the ship

It has also had problems with the system that launches jets and the elevators that move weapons.

The carrier is now expected to be ready to in action use by 2024.

The Navy currently has three other Ford-class carriers in various stages of development - USS John F. Kennedy, USS Enterprise, and USS Doris Miller.

The Navy last carried out full-ship shock trials (FSSTs) on one of its aircraft carriers back in 1987, with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

It has, however, carried out more recent shock trial tests with other vessels.

The shock trials were the next stage after the carrier successfully completed 18 months of post delivery test and trials in April

The Ford will now return to the pier at Newport News Shipbuilding for its first six month planned incremental availability phase, where it will undergo 'modernization, maintenance, and repairs prior to its operational employment,' the Navy said

The successful trial (above) will come as a relief to the Navy and defense officials as the Ford has been hammered by challenges from the get-go, including delays in production and cost overruns

Most recently, trials were carried out on the Littoral Combat Ships USS Jackson and USS Milwaukee in 2016.

Prior to this, trials were carried out on the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde in 2008, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in 1990, and the guided missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay in 1987.

Use of the trials on the Ford comes after late Senator John McCain pushed for the testing in order to prove its ability to withstand attack.
A two-year-old boy has been left fighting for his life after tumbling out of a reversing station wagon.

The toddler fell out of the slow-moving vehicle while it was reversing out of a driveway in Melbourne's Cranbourne East at 10.20am on Sunday.

The two-year-old suffered serious head lacerations, with police and ambulance called to the scene in Melbourne's south-east.

The two-year-old boy fell out of the slow-moving vehicle as it was reversing out of a driveway in Melbourne's Cranbourne East at 10.20am on Sunday and was airlifted (pictured) to hospital

The young boy was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

The driver of the station wagon assisted police at the scene.

Officers are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police watchdog has been contacted over the investigation into the death of a model who was killed in an apparent murder suicide.

Gracie Spinks, 23, was found dead in the picturesque village of Duckmanton in Derbyshire on Friday morning.

Derbyshire Police has now confirmed it has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) but has declined to confirm the reason for the referral.

In the wake of her death, it was revealed Ms Spinks had been bothered by a man who friends said was 'obsessed with her'.

One source claimed Ms Spinks had obtained a restraining order against the unknown man after he kept turning up at the stables where she went riding.

Yesterday it also emerged that a walker found a backpack filled with a cache of weapons on a farmer's track just 100 yards away from where she was killed.

The walker took the backpack to her local police station but was told nothing could be done.

It is not clear if the referral to the IOPC is because of prior contact with Ms Spinks and an alleged stalker or because of the weapons that were handed in which Derbyshire Police have not confirmed is linked to Ms Spinks' death.

Derbyshire Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over into the death of part-time model Gracie Spinks, 23, (pictured) who was killed in an apparent murder-suicide on Friday

Speaking to MailOnline, the force confirmed it had referred itself to the watchdog while an IOPC spokesman added: 'We have been notified that a referral is being made by the force. When we receive it, we will carry out an assessment to determine what further action is needed by us.'

Six weeks ago a walker found a backpack filled with a cache of weapons on a farmer's track just 100 yards away from where Ms Spinks was killed.

Anna White said she brought the bag to her local police station but was told nothing could be done.

On Friday, roads in and out of the area were cordoned off after Ms Spinks' assailant reportedly fled towards a country park.

A primary school went into lockdown and local businesses were issued with a description of a suspect in grey jogging bottoms and a black top.

But by lunchtime police said the situation had been 'resolved' after the body of a man in his 30s was discovered around half a mile away.

Six weeks ago a walker found a backpack filled with a cache of weapons on a farmer's track just 100 yards away from where Ms Spinks was killed. It also had a note reading 'don't lie'

A water bottle was among the cache of weapons found inside the orange backpack

After realising the bag she found was close to the scene of Ms Spinks' death, Ms White wrote on social media: 'I found a backpack six weeks ago on the farmers track directly opposite Tom Lane. The contents of which were extremely disturbing.

'I contacted the police and handed the bag to them. They basically said they wouldn't be investigating further despite the obvious fact that DNA would have been recoverable (water bottle and clothing).

'If this is in anyway linked to this incident then the police have some major questions to answer. The whole purpose of me handing it in was in the hope that a future tragedy could be prevented. They may not be linked but it does seem very odd !!'

Friends of the 23-year-old, who lived in Old Whittington, around five miles from where her body was found, have revealed how she had long been bothered by a man, said to have been 'obsessed' with her.

Pictured: Anna White wrote a post on social media: 'I found a backpack six weeks ago on the farmers track directly opposite Tom Lane. The contents of which were extremely disturbing'

Now friends of the 23-year-old, who lived in Old Whittington, around five miles from where her body was found, have revealed how she had long been bothered by a man, said to have been 'obsessed' with her. Pictured, the backpack found six weeks before her death

One told the Sun: 'We are aware that she had a stalker but didn't know who he was. We heard she had taken out a restraining order against him because he was becoming quite a pest.

'She's a beautiful young woman, very popular, and he was obsessed with her and kept turning up at the stables. He was infatuated with her.'

Yesterday, police, who have declined to discuss the possibility Gracie had a stalker known to them, continued to investigate at the scene.

Floral tributes have also been left in memory of the aspiring eventer and show jumper, whose family are said to be 'besides themselves with grief'.

A forensic tent in Derbyshire village where 23-year-old's body was found on Friday morning

Derbyshire Police, who declined declined to discuss possibility Gracie had a stalker known to them, continued to investigate at the scene yesterday as they refer themselves to IOPC

Scene: Floral tributes have also been left in memory of the aspiring eventer and show jumper

Friends said 23-year-old Gracie Spinks (pictured) lived for horses and riding and took part in showjumping and dressage competitions with her favourite, named Paddy

A villager, 28, who lives close to the spot where Miss Spinks was found, said: 'The word locally is that this was a very vicious attack and possibly a crime of passion.

'Gracie kept at least one horse on the land  it is grazing land where a number of people have horses and there is a temporary stable.

'As I understand it, Gracie was looking after her horse when she was attacked. It is just awful.'

Friends said she lived for horses and riding and took part in showjumping and dressage competitions with her favourite, named Paddy.

After Derbyshire Police set up roadblocks around the community close to the M1 outside Chesterfield yesterday, a local resident wrote on Facebook: 'I've been informed that, sadly, less than an hour ago a young woman was murdered on a farm less than half a mile from Poolsbrook Park.

'The perpetrator is believed to have fled towards the area of Poolsbrook Park. Anyone around that area please be careful.'

Friends of Miss Spinks, who worked for a local e-commerce company, posted tributes on Facebook on Friday night.

Charlotte Pemberton, 23, who grew up with her, wrote: 'RIP Gracie. Such a beautiful, kind young girl who's been taken far too soon. Fly high sweet girl.'

Alicia Jordan wrote: 'Oh Gracie Spinks Heartbroken doesn't even cut it... This world is so cruel.'

Friends of Miss Spinks, who worked for a local e-commerce company, posted tributes on Facebook last night with many saying she lived for horses and riding

By Saturday afternoon, a GoFundMe page set up to help Ms Spinks' family by Abbey Griffin, one of her friends, had raised more than 1,600.

Ms Griffin said: 'Gracie was a beautiful girl at just 23 years old she had already touched so many people's life and what gorgeous memories she leaves behind.

'She was a caring and loving individual and was always happy to help. She was also so so stubborn and she'd always stand up for what was right.

'If you knew Gracie you'd also know she was horsey mad and had the most gorgeous horse called Paddy whom she loved dearly.

'Although no amount of money could ever bring Gracie back, I ask that you please donate what ever you can to help her family at this moment.

'We all love you so dearly Gracie, behave up there.'

Locals leave floral tributes in memory of Gracie Spinks where her body was discovered

An aerial shot shows extent of the police cordon as detectives continue to investigate incident

Derbyshire Police, pictured at the scene yesterday, said it was not looking for anyone else

Roads in the area were cordoned off after her assailant reportedly fled towards a country park

Its understood Miss Spinks, who studied art and design at Chesterfield College, did occasional modelling work for a London agency and took commissions online to do pet portraits

Roads in Duckmanton were cordoned off after assailant reportedly fled towards a country park

Ms Griffin also said she would be organising a balloon release from the Markham Vale business park, where Ms Spinks worked, on Monday June 28 to allow her friends to say their goodbyes.

It is understood that Miss Spinks, who had studied art and design at Chesterfield College, did occasional modelling work for a London agency and took commissions online to do pet portraits.

Derbyshire Police said it was not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

The force said: 'A woman was found injured in a field near to Staveley Road at around 8.40am. Paramedics attended and the woman, who was in her early 20s, sadly died at the scene.

'At 11am, the body of a man in his mid-30s was found in a field off Tom Lane, Duckmanton.

'We have traced and informed both families and specialist officers are supporting them at this time.'
U.S. health officials are investigating a rare tuberculosis outbreak in people who had spinal surgery they believe is linked to a contaminated bone repair product.

Last spring, more than 100 spinal surgery patients may have been exposed to TB bacteria through a product called FiberCel - a malleable bone putty that includes human cells and is used in a variety of orthopedic procedures, the Washington Post reported.

FiberCel is produced by Aziyo Biologics Inc., a regenerative medicine company.

Earlier this month the biotech company recalled a single lot of the product after one hospital reported that seven out of 23 patients who received FiberCel developed post-surgical infections, and four of these tested positive for TB, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Aziyo's president and chief executive officer confirmed the voluntary recall and said the company will cooperate with investigations.

'We are committed to a thorough, timely and transparent investigation into the root cause of these infections,' he said in a statement.

FiberCel is produced by Aziyo Biologics Inc., (pictured) a regenerative medicine company

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection spread between people by coughing and sneezing

The recalled lot, all derived from a single donor, was shipped to 37 facilities in 20 states between March 3 and April 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A total of 113 patients received the recalled product, and eight patients died after their procedures, but the cause of death is still being determined, the Post reported.

Indiana and Delaware have reported the most cases, according to the Washington Post.

Indiana state health officials are investigating 30 individuals in 19 counties who received the bone repair product.

'All affected individuals have been notified, and appropriate public health actions have been taken,' Indiana Department of Health spokeswoman Megan Wade-Taxter told the Post in a statement. 'There is no risk to the public.'

In Delaware, 23 patients received the bone repair products and in late May state health officials received notification from a health-care system of a cluster of patients who developed tuberculosis after surgery 'involving a specific product,' Delaware Division of Public Health spokeswoman Mary S. Fenimore told the Post in a statement.

Richard Williams, a Delaware patient who tested positive for TB, filed a lawsuit this week seeking damages from Aziyo and Medtronic, the exclusive distributor of FiberCel.

The 74-year-old said he contracted tuberculosis during a spinal fusion operation at a ChristianaCare hospital that used the contaminated bone graft, the Post reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (pictured) who is working alongside the FDA to investigate the contaminations

WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS? Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection spread between people by coughing and sneezing. The infection usually affects the lungs but the bacteria can cause problems in any part of the body, including the abdomen, glands, bones and the nervous system. TB infection causes symptoms like fever, coughing, night sweats, weight loss, tiredness and fatigue, a loss of appetite and swellings in the neck. If the immune system fails to contain TB bacteria the infection can take weeks or months to take hold and produce symptoms, and if it is left untreated it can be fatal. The infection usually affects the lungs but the bacteria can cause problems in any part of the body, including the abdomen, glands, bones and the nervous system TB is most common in less developed countries in Sub-Saharan and west Africa, southeast Asia, Russia, China and South America. Source: NHS Advertisement

The CDC, which is working alongside the FDA to investigate the contaminations, said those 113 patients were 'likely to have been exposed to MTB,' or mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes TB.

The CDC recommended that all patients who received the product undergo treatment for TB, which typically includes six to nine months of taking antibiotics.

Tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis that usually attacks the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain, the CDC says.

There are two TB-related conditions- latent TB infection and TB disease. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal, according to the CDC.

The spread of TB through bone grafts is so rare that medicine companies like Aziyo Biologics are not required to test their bone products for TB bacteria, the Post reported.

The last time a case of TB transmission like this occurred was in 1953.

A CDC official told the Post that It's possible for the bacteria to infect bone, and for someone infected to die without being treated.

Once that bone is harvested and transplanted into someone 'the body becomes a nurturing environment' for TB to grow, the CDC added.

'At this point, the available evidence suggests that TB was transmitted through the product,' the CDC said.
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Gun-toting attorney Mark McCloskey has shown off his new rifle just two days after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges and agreeing to surrender the weapon he pointed unarmed Black Lives Matter protesters.

Checking out my new AR, reads the caption. McCloskey is seen in the photos wearing a curt smile and brandishing the weapon with a finger just above the trigger. One photo also includes his wife Patricia giving a thumbs up.

The gun-toting St. Louis couple, both personal injury attorneys in their 60s, appeared in court Thursday where they admitted to a judge that their actions had put peaceful protesters at risk of serious injury.

They agreed to give up the weapons used in the incident. On leaving court where Mark told reporters 'I'd do it again'.

Mark McCloskey pleaded guilty last Thursday to misdemeanor charges for pointing weapons at unarmed Black Lives Matter protesters. He and his wife agreed to have their weapons destroyed, but two days later, McCloskey bought a new long gun and touted the purchase in photos posted to Twitter

Mark McCloskey posed for this photo with his wife after buying a new rifle

He also shared this photo on his Twitter feed, two days after being told he had to surrender the guns used in the incident

The McCloskeys shot to notoriety last June when they were caught on camera emerging from their home brandishing firearms at protesters marching past

The McCloskeys shot to notoriety last June when they were caught on camera emerging from their home in an upscale neighborhood in Missouri brandishing firearms at protesters marching past.

Mark, who fast became the GOP's poster boy and spoke at August's Republican National Convention in support of Donald Trump, is now running for US Senate.

Following the plea deal last Thursday, McCloskey shared a series of tweets defending his and his wifes actions and bragging about the outcome of his court appearance.

A year ago, the mob came to my door to attack my family I backed them down, McCloskey shared last Thursday at 4.05pm. The mob came for me, the media attacked me & prosecutors tried to punish me for defending my family. They dropped all charges, except for a claim I instilled imminent fear in the mob. Id do it again.

Then he wrote, Let me be clear, I am not surrendering any of my other firearms! I will continue to be one of the strongest advocates for #2A in MO and around the country. The two weapons that were seized from me were evidence in a criminal case. Per the state of MO they are to be incinerated.

And, minutes later, he added, Dont worry I have more guns to protect my family where that came from!

Speaking with Newsmax following the plea deal, McCloskey called it the best of all possible solutions and said he had every intention placing third parties in imminent fear of physical injury.

That was the whole point of the guns, he said. You stand out there with the guns, you make people worry that they might get shot and they back up.

The McCloskeys will not face jail time after they agreed to the lesser charges in a plea deal.

Patricia pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment and was fined $2,000 in Thursday's hearing in downtown St. Louis.

Mark pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was fined $750.

They both also agreed to have their weapons destroyed, having initially asked that they be donated to a museum of historical artefacts.

Because the charges are misdemeanors, the McCloskeys do not face the possibility of losing their law licenses and can continue to buy and own other firearms.

In the hearing, the couple both spoke calmly when answering questions from Judge David Mason.

Speaking with Newsmax following the plea deal, McCloskey called it the best of all possible solutions

Mark and Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and agreed to turn over the weapons used in the incident. Above, they were leaving court Thursday

Mason asked Mark if he acknowledged that his actions put people at risk of personal injury to which he replied: 'I sure did your honor.'

On the courthouse steps, Mark was then unapologetic, saying: 'I'd do it again.

'Any time the mob approaches me, I'll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that's what kept them from destroying my house and my family.'

The McCloskeys' defense lawyer, Joel Schwartz, said after the hearing the couple had hoped to raise money by donating Mark's rifle to charity, but acknowledged that it was an unusual request.

Special prosecutor Richard Callahan called the outcome 'an appropriate and fair disposition for the parties involved as well as the public good.'

The McCloskeys shot to notoriety last June when they were caught on camera emerging from their home in an upscale neighborhood in Missouri brandishing firearms at protesters marching past (seen above)

They appeared in court Thursday where they admitted to a judge that their actions had put peaceful protesters at risk of serious injury

'[The protesters] were a racially mixed and peaceful group, including women and children, who simply made a wrong turn on their way to protest in front of the mayor's house,' he said.

'There was no evidence that any of them had a weapon and no one I interviewed realized they had ventured onto a private enclave.'

Last July, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon for displaying guns during the protest.

The McCloskeys were then indicted by a grand jury in October on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering.

The charges led to a backlash from several Republican leaders and then-President Trump.

In December, a judge then ruled that Gardner had created an appearance of impropriety by mentioning the McCloskey case in fundraising emails before the August Democratic primary.

Gardner, who went on to win reelection, was dismissed from the case and Callahan, a longtime judge and former US attorney, was appointed special prosecutor.

The McCloskeys spoke at the Republican National Convention in August (seen above) where they touted Trump's defense of the Second Amendment

Callahan later amended the charges to give jurors the alternative of convictions of misdemeanor harassment instead of the weapons charge.

Under that alternative, the evidence tampering count would be dropped.

Republican Missouri Governor Mike Parson previously said if the McCloskeys were convicted, he'd pardon them.

A spokeswoman for Parson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment after the hearing.

St Louis circuit attorney Kim Gardner (pictured) was dismissed from their case in December for mentioning it in fundraising emails before the August Democratic primary

The McCloskeys were filmed pointing their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who were chanting 'Let's Go' and marching past the McCloskeys' property on June 28 last year.

The couple are seen in the footage patrolling back and forth at their front door with their weapons raised.

Patricia is seen holding a semiautomatic handgun and moving closer to the protesters speaking to them as some stand and argue back.

Other demonstrators are heard shouting at everyone to 'Go' as Patricia continues waving her handgun at them from her front lawn.

Mark watches from the front door with his AR-15-style rifle.

No shots were fired during the confrontation and no one was injured.

The protesters were marching to the home of then-Mayor Lyda Krewson when they turned onto a private street on which the couple's mansion sits.

The incident came amid nationwide racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of white cop Derek Chauvin on Memorial Day 2020.

The McCloskeys defended their actions, claiming the protesters were trespassing and that they feared for their safety.

The couple tried to use the Castle Doctrine defense - allowing people in Missouri to defend their property.

Last month, Mark then formally announced his run for US Senate in the 2022 race to Fox News host Tucker Carlson

They also claimed the demonstrators had also been armed and had threatened to kill them.

Prosecutors insisted the group was peaceful and unarmed.

The incident drew the attention of Trump and other conservative figures and the couple was invited to speak at the Republican National Convention in August.

They gave a speech where they touted Trump's defense of the Second Amendment and warned Americans of the 'mob.'

Last month, Mark then formally announced his run for US Senate in the 2022 race to take the seat held by Senator Roy Blunt, who is retiring.

He told Fox News he was running to stop Joe Biden's 'socialism' and because people are 'tired of cancel culture' and 'the big lie of racism.'
A woman has died following a devastating fire in her home in north Wales, prompting a police investigation.

The woman, in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene on Moor Lane in Holywell, Flintshire following the fatal blaze in the early hours of Sunday (June 20) morning.

Police and fire services were called to the scene on Moor Lane in the early hours of Sunday

North Wales Police have confirmed that she was the only occupant at the address, and that they are now opening a joint investigation with the fire service.

A spokesman said: 'A joint investigation between North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Wales Police is now under way to establish what happened.

'Our thoughts remain with the woman's family at this difficult time.'
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blamed the city's crime wave on state Republicans lifting COVID-19 restrictions too early and lax gun laws.

In an interview with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle on Friday, the mayor attributed a 50 percent increase in homicides, in part, to lax gun laws, teenagers having too much free time on their hands and the state lifting its COVID-19 restrictions back in April.

'Remember, in Georgia, we were opened up before the rest of the country, even before the CDC said that it was safe for us to open,' Bottoms explained to Ruhle.

'So our night clubs and our bars remained open, so we had people traveling here from across the county to party in our city.'

Gov. Brian Kemp ordered the state to re-open from its COVID closure on April 20 last year, leading to an influx of visitors from Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and North Carolina, where some restrictions remained in place, according to CNN.

Researchers at the University of Maryland discovered that out-of-state trips to the state from across the nation rose by 13 percent, or 62,441 trips a day following the decision.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blamed the rising crime in the city on the state lifting its COVID restrictions too early and lax gun laws in an interview on Friday

The mayor also said the pandemic 'left a lot of people battered and bruised, not just physically, but also emotionally,' which led to an increase in personal disputes that could easily be exacerbated by guns.

'Until we deal with the systemic issues of gun violence in this country - how easily young people with mental illness can access guns in this country, I'm afraid that this will not be the last summer that we are having this conversation.'

She said her city is working with the FBI to clamp down on gun violence while starting a new summer program for teenagers to get them off the streets.

'We're looking for outside support and resources, working with all of our partners,' Bottoms sad, adding: 'We have really put a push to getting young people to work.

'We believe that getting at least 1,000 young people to work this summer will help, but there is so much to do.'

Atlanta has seen a rise in crime in every category over the past year

She noted that Atlanta is not the only American city experiencing a crime wave as the pandemic wanes, with shootings in New York City up about 68 percent over last year, according to the New York Post.

'If it were an Atlanta issue alone, then I'd know that there was something we weren't getting right,' the mayor said.

'But I'm talking to mayors and hearing from mayors in cities and large urban areas, we're all experiencing this, which means that we all have to work together to find a solution to this gun violence that is gripping our nation.'

In Atlanta, homicides were up 58 percent over last year, rapes were up 97 percent, robberies were up 2 percent, aggravated assault was up 26 percent, larcenies from vehicles was up 27 percent and auto theft was up 36 percent compared to last year, according to data from the Atlanta Police Department.

Shootings, meanwhile, were up 40 percent.

The mayor's comments come just one day after residents in the wealthy Buckhead neighborhood of the city announced that they had filed documents in the State Legislature to secede amid the growing crime wave in the area.

Bill White, the CEO of the Buckhead City Committee, which is leading the secession push, announced on FOX News Thursday that the committee has filed secession papers

Residents of Buckhead anticipate a referendum next year will allow them to secede from Atlanta. The boundaries of their proposed new city are seen above

BUCKHEAD, GEORGIA: ONE OF THE NATION'S WEALTHIEST ZIP CODES Buckhead is known as Atlanta's commercial and residential district, famed for its high-rise buildings and shopping centers, hotels and mansions. The neighborhood is a historically wealthy district and was once ranked the ninth richest zip code in the country with a median price of homes of $1,460,595, according to Forbes. American suburban luxury home in Buckhead, Atlanta Bloomberg named Buckhead the 20th richest zipcode in the nation in 2011, when the average household net worth there was $1,353,189. The average household income was $280,631. Because of this, Buckhead is often called the 'Beverly Hills of the East/South', in reference to the upscale city in California. Buckhead is also known to have a few notable residents, including Georgia Republican Kelly Loeffler. Loeffler was among the wealthiest members of Congress until she lost her seat in January. In 2009, she and her husband spent more than $10million on a European-style mansion named Descante in the Buckhead neighborhood. Advertisement

'We filed our divorce papers at the city of Atlanta and our divorce is final,' said Bill White, the CEO of the Buckhead City Committee, in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.

He said Atlanta's elected officials 'are just not paying attention to the crime.'

Aggravated assaults were up 52 percent in the wealthy neighborhood as of last week, compared to a rise of 26 percent citywide, according to an analysis of police data by WXIA-TV.

Robberies citywide were up just 2 percent, but in Buckhead they are up 39 percent, while larceny from automobiles rose 40 percent in Buckhead and 27 percent citywide.

And on June 5, father-of-three Andrew Worrell was struck twice by bullets while jogging at around 8.35am. He survived and has since been released from hospital to recover at home.

'I don't like saying anything bad about Mayor Bottoms. I'm sure she is a nice human being ... but she has completely let our officers down,' he added.

'They feel demoralized, underpaid, underrecognized and being told not to fight crime in the way they would like to,' added White.

'We love the Atlanta police department but we'll form Buckhead City with its own police department, with significantly greater presence on the streets.'

He estimated nearly 80 percent of his community will vote in favor of the separation from Atlanta in a referendum expected to reach the ballot next year.

Currently, a bill authorizing the referendum has been introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives, and the legislature will be able to vote on it in the 2022 session.

But Atlanta officials have largely opposed the idea to separate the wealthy, largely white neighborhood from the rest of Atlanta, which is predominantly black, arguing it would siphon away much of the city's tax base and, in turn, its budget.

Buckhead's population is 73.5 percent white and 23.9 percent black. This compares to the wider Atlanta population which is 50.7 percent black and 38 percent white, according to census data.

Data analysis shows that Buckhead's population accounts for 20 percent of Atlanta's population, but more than 40 per cent of the city's assessed property value.
Belgian police say the body of a fugitive far-right soldier who was the target of a huge manhunt appears to have been found Sunday.

Hundreds of security forces scoured a swath of northeast Belgium after the May 17 disappearance of Jurgen Conings, who was on an anti-terrorism watch list, had threatened a top virologist involved in the country's Covid-19 program and had hoarded heavy weaponry.

A body was found Sunday by people walking in the woods near the town of Dilsen-Stockem.

Jurgen Conings was on an anti-terrorism watch list, and had threatened a top virologist involved in the country's Covid-19 program and had hoarded heavy weaponry

A body was found Sunday by people walking in the woods near the town of Dilsen-Stockem. Pictured: Police at the scene

Initial evidence indicates it is Conings and that he killed himself, but further examination is underway, Belgian federal police said in a statement.

Conings, 46, had hidden anti-tank missile launchers and other heavy arms in an army barracks before disappearing.

He had threatened several people in recent months, including the virologist, and landed on the federal anti-terrorism watch list in February.

Conings had a three-decade career behind him as an expert marksman before he started making threats and racist remarks on Facebook.

He was handed disciplinary sanctions but still allowed to work with weapons.

Corporal Jurgen Conings was feared to have drawn up a hit-list of 10 potential targets.

Initial evidence indicates it is Conings and that he killed himself, but further examination is underway, Belgian federal police said in a statement. Pictured: Police at the scene

There were also reports that Conings had looked up Mr Van Ranst's address and had even been loitering outside of his house for a few hours on the evening of his disappearance. Pictured: Police at the scene

Senior figures in the country's military - which disciplined Conings for his political views last year - had been given extra security, as has Ludivine Dedonder, who is Belgium's defence minister. Pictured: Police at the scene

A lawyer involved in Conings' divorce and his ex-wife are also both under police protection, according to the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper. Pictured: Police at the scene

According to local media, investigators increased the security for 10 people thought to be on the man's hit-list after they read letters left by the fugitive for his partner before he disappeared last month, sparking fears that he drew up a hit-list.

One of Belgium's most well-known coronavirus experts Marc Van Ranst - who has been behind many of the country's covid decisions - was taken to a police safe house along with his family after Conings took the arsenal of heavy weapons.

There were also reports that Conings had looked up Mr Van Ranst's address and had even been loitering outside of his house for a few hours on the evening of his disappearance.

A lawyer involved in Conings' divorce and his ex-wife are also both under police protection, according to the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper.

Senior figures in the country's military - which disciplined Conings for his political views last year - had been given extra security, as has Ludivine Dedonder, who is Belgium's defence minister.

Belgian Mayor of Maaseik, Johan Tollenaere talks to the press at the Dilserbos, a forest area of Hoge Kempen National Park in Dilsen-Stokkem, after a body was found on June 20

In this Friday, May 21, 2021 file photo, Belgian military ride in a convoy at the entrance of the National Park Hoge Kempen during a manhunt for an armed soldier in Maasmechelen, Belgium. Belgian police say the body of a fugitive far-right soldier who was the target of a huge manhunt appears to have been found Sunday, June 21 in a wooded area

Security measures have also been implemented at Mosques and asylum centres in the Belgium province of Limburg, Flanders, since the soldier's disappearance.

Local media had previously reported that Conings was armed with four anti-tank rocket launchers, a machine gun and a pistol, allegedly stolen from his barracks. He was also thought to be wearing a bulletproof vest.

He also reportedly withdrew 3,000 - the full contents of his bank account - before he abandoned his car on May 18 at a national park in Limburg, which is close to Belgium's border with The Netherlands.

The rocket launchers were later recovered from the boot of the car, but there was no signs of the fugitive and former sniper who joined the army in 1992 served in Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Two Australian women who suddenly developed Irish accents while recovering from different illnesses have burst into tears after finally meeting in real life.

Angie Yen and Kate Baggs have an extremely rare condition called Foreign Accent Syndrome, which is a brain disorder triggered by psychological or neurological damage.

Brisbane dentist Angie, 28, noticed she had a new twang when she woke up after getting her tonsils removed.

Kate, 31, who was born and raised in Darwin, began speaking in the foreign accent soon after suffering a rare form of migraine in 2019.

Both women have felt alone and frustrated after getting blasted by strangers online who continually berate them for 'faking' their accents for attention.

When they finally met in Sydney last week, they broke down and cried.

Pictured: Angie Yen (right) and Kate Baggs (left) smiling together after meeting for the first time

'Im so happy to see you,' Angie said on 60 Minutes on Sunday, as she teared up on Kate's shoulder.

'There's two of us.'

Kate realised Angie was in floods of tears and replied: 'There is. There is more of us, I promise. I really do promise.'

Both women were taken to neuroscience research clinic Neura to have their brains scanned for abnormalities.

In the language section of Angie's brain, neuroscientist Dr Michael Shugrue found the neurons were firing abnormally which resulted in her otherwise unexplained Irish accent.

Pictured: Kate Baggs (left) and Angie Yen hugging when they first met in Sydney last week

Angie Yen (right) broke down when she realised Kate Baggs (left) also spoke in an Irish accent

When Mr Shugrue said 'we have objective proof that you're not faking it,' Angie broke down.

'I feel relieved that I can show objective proof to people that I am not faking it,' she cried.

The neuroscientist found similar patterns in Kate's brain, but could not say whether they would ever regain their Australian accents.

Kate recalled her accent just 'shifted' in the middle of a sentence and said it was the 'strangest feeling.'

Brisbane dentist Angie Yen (pictured) bizarrely developed a thick Irish accent following recent tonsil surgery

Kate Baggs (pictured) was raised in Darwin and has never been to Ireland, but has an Irish accent

Born in Taiwan but raised in Australia, Angie was the recent subject of ridicule online, with people on TikTok convinced the 28-year-old was 'putting on' the iconic Irish brogue for a few cheap laughs.

Turns out Angie is no budding comedian and, like her newfound friend Kate, suffers from the rare brain disorder.

'The Australian accent that I've known for a very long time was just wiped out overnight,' Angie previously told 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Abo.

'I'm sick of being taken as a joke. It's a very serious thing (condition).'

Professor Kirrie Ballard, a speech pathologist, confirmed the condition is medically genuine.

She labelled Foreign Accent Syndrome a 'legitimate disorder' which is triggered by psychological or neurological damage.

Kate Baggs (pictured) had a severe migraine and said her speech suddenly changed mid-sentence

Doctor Karl Kruszelnicki also confirmed Foreign Accent Syndrome has been recorded about 100 times in history.

'It is usually caused by a brain disorder. This can be from head injury, stroke or surgery. It can also be related to diabetes, immune disorders or other unknown causes,' he said.

'It's not a real foreign accent, but rather a damaged form of the person's native language and accent.'

Dr Karl said the disorder can be fixed through speech training, potentially through an acting school or a speech pathologist.

Angie, who documented her transformation on TikTok over two weeks, showed the Irish accent progressively getting stronger as she recovered from surgery.

The accent didn't 'kick in' until eight days after the operation in a phenomenon even her doctors couldn't explain.

Australian Angie Yen (pictured) woke up from an operation on her tonsils to find she was speaking with an Irish accent eight days later

Angie is suffering from Foreign Accent Syndrome, a condition that has only been recorded just over 100 times in history and usually occurs after a brain injury

She claims she went to the hospital and spoke to her specialist after the accent persisted but was told to 'sit tight' and 'let the body heal'.

'I woke up this morning and I was speaking with my Aussie accent, and I called one of my friends and confirmed that my Aussie accent was back but during the phone call, within five to 10 minutes, she could see the deterioration of my accent back to Irish,' she said in one of her TikTok clips.

'I don't know what to do, this is something that's very different. I'm not even trying, I'm completely freaked out. I thought it was going to go away eventually.'

Soon after, Angie said there were 'no traces of Aussie twangs anymore' and she had gone 'full Irish'.

'I still can't believe I woke up with an Irish accent. I've never been to Ireland. I grew up in Australia. My Aussie accent is gone.'
The number of motorists being stung with speeding fines has soared more than 1,500 per cent after the NSW government took away warning signs for mobile cameras.

Fines handed out to drivers travelling less than 10km over the speed limit has sky-rocketed, with 27,760 given out in March alone.

Less than 2,000 drivers a month were hit with the $123 fine before the controversial removal of warning signs that previously alerted motorists to mobile speeding cameras.

The number of Sydney motorists being stung with speeding fines has soared more than 1,500 per cent after the NSW government removed warning signs for mobile speeding cameras (pictured)

Fines handed out to drivers travelling less than 10km over the speed limit has sky-rocketed to 27,760 in March alone

Prior to their removal, the 'your speed has been checked' warning signs had been placed 250m before and 50m after each mobile speed camera.

Just 1,637 fines for the low-range offence was given out in March 2020 and in 2019 there were 1,616.

In April 2021, 17,171 drivers were slapped with fines for driving less than 10km over the speed limit, a similarly huge increase on April 2020's 1,253 fines and April 2019's 1,479 fines.

Chris Minns, the new leader for NSW Labor, has slammed the removal of warning signs and argued for a return to high visibility policing on roads.

Prior to their removal, the 'your speed has been checked' warning signs had been placed 250m before and 50m after each mobile speed camera

'The NSW government has worked out a way to slug families with hundreds of dollars for low range speeding offences by hiding the cameras,' he said in a statement,

'This policy has made families and tradies poorer, but it hasn't made our roads safer.'

Mr Minns said the return of warning signs and an increase in police highway patrols will stop drivers forking out for fines and have a positive effect on road safety.

Despite speed camera revenue climbing from $478,580 in March 2020 to $6.3million in March 2021, it has made little impact on road fatalities.

Statistics reveal 138 people have died on NSW roads so far this year, compared to 130 for the same period in 2020.

Despite speed camera revenue climbing from $478,580 in March 2020 to $6.3million in March 2021, it has made little impact on road fatalities

However the government has double-downed on the changes, pointing to figures that reveal fatalities were down by 15 deaths in the past five months, when compared to the last three year average.

Labor roads spokesman John Graham has previously slammed the installation of secret cameras as revenue raising, and warns the government isn't slowing down.

Mr Graham said the exuberant amount of fines would continue to climb after an intention was confirmed to triple the number of cameras.

Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary for Safety Tara McCarthy said there was no such thing as safe speeding and that every kilometre over the limit made a difference.

'There's a lot of focus on how many people are being fined when the real issue here is how many people are driving above the limit and putting their own life and the lives of others at risk', she said.

In April 2021, 17,171 drivers were slapped with fines for driving less than 10km over the speed limit, well above April 2020's 1253 fines and April 2019's 1479 fines

Ms McCarthy has previously said the revenue collected from speeding fines is put back into road safety measures, such as safety barriers.

Nationals MP Wes Fang, who has been vocal about his disapproval of Transport Minister Andrew Constance's move, said drivers in regional areas of the state are most impacted.

'I fear that we are having a detrimental effect on rural and regional families because people are losing their licences and then their livelihoods all to raise more money to prop up the state's balance sheet,' Mr Fang told The Daily Telegraph in April.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury is in favour of mobile speed cameras coming with warning signs.

'We believe the warning signs act as an important educational tool and help slow drivers down', he said.
* NSW has recorded four new locally acquired cases, bringing Sydney's eastern suburbs cluster to nine with four cases not linked to a known source.

* Two new local cases were reported in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday, one of which had been revealed by health authorities on Saturday. The other case is a close contact of the previously recorded case.

* Another two cases from the Sutherland Shire in southern Sydney were recorded after the 8pm deadline. They are both close contacts of previously reported cases.

* The growing Bondi cluster has prompted new restrictions, with people in seven local government areas ordered to wear masks in some indoor settings unless eating or drinking.

* NSW Health released a list of 27 new exposure sites including a North Face outlet in Drummoyne.

Pictured: Medical workers administer tests at the Bondi Beach drive-through coronavirus clinic

* There were 24,468 NSW tests conducted in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday but Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant wants to see more than 30,000.

* A flight attendant who landed in Brisbane on June 5 has become Queensland's latest local case despite undergoing 14 days of hotel quarantine.

* Test results are yet to confirm whether the Brisbane flight attendant has the Delta variant, which recently led to a statewide lockdown in Victoria.

* Victoria recorded no new local cases on Sunday but two possible 'historical' infections from released returned travellers are under investigation.

* The Victorian government also announced a locally developed mRNA vaccine will become the first in Australia to move to phase one clinical trials later this year.

On Sunday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) announced masks would be required to be worn across seven local government areas

* Seven Victorian businesses have been shut down for 'blatant' violations of COVID rules, including a retail store in St Albans and a beauty parlour in South Melbourne.

* South Australia joined Queensland and imposed an immediate ban on travellers who have been in Sydney's Waverley Council area.

* Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan announced restrictions on hospitality venues would be lifted from Wednesday, in a move that effectively returns the state to a pre-COVID existence.

AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NUMBERS:

* There have been 6,556,029 doses administered in the national COVID-19 vaccination rollout up to Saturday, including 64,553 in the previous 24 hours.

* Of the total, 3,917,932 have been administered by the Commonwealth (an increase of 26,871 in the previous 24 hours).

More than 6.5 million vaccine doses have now been given out in Australia (pictured, Scott Morrison watches a vaccination)

* 3,503,377 have been issued in primary care (+26,739) and 414,555 in aged and disability facilities (+132).

* 2,638,097 have been administered by the states and territories, including +37,682 in the previous 24 hours.

* 897,283 have been administered in Victoria (+10,776), 675,738 in NSW (+9049), 429,170 in Queensland (+8397), 239,714 in Western Australia (+2944), 178,502 in South Australia (+3506), 95,306 in Tasmania (+1629), 71,505 in the ACT (+1120) and 50,879 in the NT (+262).

AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Australia reported four new local cases on Sunday, three in NSW and one in Queensland.

* There were four new overseas acquired cases in hotel quarantine: two each in NSW and Victoria.

* The national death toll is 910: Victoria 820, NSW 56, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 7, SA 4, ACT 3 (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).

GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Cases: at least 178,201,000.

* Deaths: at least 3,860,000.

* Vaccine doses administered: at least 2,571,541,000.

Data current as at 1730 AEST on June 20, taking in federal and state/territory government updates and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
The NHS's only children's gender transition clinic is currently running 'conversion therapy for gay kids' in a bid to persuade them that they are really trans, a gay psychologist who worked there has claimed.

Dr Matt Bristow said he feared that the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust was ignoring the possibility that boys and girls who told clinicians they wanted to change their sex might simply be homosexual.

His claim has emerged in witness statements for Sonia Appleby, a psychotherapist at the clinic who is suing the trust for allegedly ostracising her after she raised concerns over the use of puberty blockers.

The Tavistock clinic in London has been at the centre of growing controversy over its treatment of young people for suspected gender dysphoria.

The number of children wanting to change sex has rocketed in recent years, with the number of referrals to doctors for gender treatment in England among girls under 18 rising from 40 in 2009 to 1,806 in 2017.

Dr Matt Bristow said he feared that the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust was ignoring the possibility that boys and girls who told clinicians they wanted to change their sex might simply be homosexual

Last year the High Court banned the use of puberty blockers without a court order giving permission on the grounds that children under 16 could not give informed consent to such treatment, which it called 'experimental'.

The case was brought by Keira Bell, a teenage girl who started taking the drugs to become a boy and later regretted the treatment. An appeal against the ruling in the Bell case will be heard this week.

Dr Bristow said he was one of several gay members of staff at the clinic who felt concerned that patients' homosexuality - and the possibility that gay children were saying they wanted to change sex because they were being bullied - was ignored.

He told staff at the clinic that they were doing 'conversion therapy for gay kids'.

The Sunday Times reports that in an exit interview when he left the trust, which forms part of Miss Appleby's legal case, Dr Bristow said he was especially concerned about gay children who were referred to the service having been bullied.

Sonia Appleby claims her bosses' actions left her unable to fulfil her role as a Named Professional for Safeguarding Children at Tavistock and Portman NHS Centre

The Tavistock clinic in London has been at the centre of growing controversy over its treatment of young people for suspected gender dysphoria. The number of children wanting to change sex has rocketed in recent years, with the number of referrals to doctors for gender treatment in England among girls under 18 rising from 40 in 2009 to 1,806 in 2017

In his exit interview, Dr Bristow told the clinic that in his view this may have motivated some to say they wanted to change sex and that the doctor 'tried hard not to let [them] get drawn into the service'.

Dr Bristow also told the clinic that gay staff felt they 'had to keep sexuality on the agenda, as otherwise it was completely ignored as a topic'.

A spokesman for the Tavistock told the Sunday Times: 'The trust strongly refutes the claims. It will vigorously defend its position in the employment tribunal. The trust does not accept that it has penalised anyone for raising concerns.'

MailOnline has contacted the trust for further comment.

The employment tribunal continues.
The southwest US is finally facing falling temperatures after a record heatwave sparked wildfires in Arizona and sent Death Valley soaring to 129F.

Dangerously high temperatures that have ravaged Western states including California, Nevada and Arizona this week are expected to continue into Sunday, before starting to decline going into the new week.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix forecast that cooler temperatures will begin Monday with lower desert highs near 110 degrees.

However, the relief will be short-lived as temperatures are expected to climb once again from the middle of the week, spelling another blow to Americans who have baked in the extreme heat.

The southwest has been hammered by one of the most extreme heatwaves in US history, caused by high-pressure ridge, or dome, over the region.

Experts described the situation as 'apocalyptic' with Californians and Texans urged to limit their use of power amid fears of blackouts, Arizona residents forced to evacuate a 70 square kilometer wildfire and five states - California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and parts of Colorado - placed under excessive heat warnings.

LAS VEGAS: People stop along the strip to get relief from a water mister as temperatures soar

PHOENIX: People distribute water to the homeless as the region grapples with a heatwave

PHOENIX: A pedestrian holds a bottle of cold water at a Salvation Army hydration station during a heatwave

Excessive heat warnings remained in effect until late Sunday in the region, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and nearby California and Utah desert areas.

Temperatures will still be around 10 to 15 degrees above average Sunday with the lower deserts reaching around 118 degrees.

Phoenix is predicted to reach 116 degrees and Las Vegas 113 degrees Sunday, the NWS said.

These temperatures are shy of records of 118 degrees in Phoenix and 117 degrees in Las Vegas.

Higher areas such as Flagstaff and Santa Fe will hit the mid-90s.

Another day of record heat brings with it more issues such as the risk of wildfires and power outages in hard-hit areas.

But forecasters reassured weary Americans Sunday that the worst is almost over with a cooling trend on the horizon.

'The extreme temperatures will continue for one more day with cooling conditions Monday into Tuesday bringing temperatures back down to around seasonal normals through mid week,' it said.

Excessive heat warnings remained in effect until late Sunday in the region, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and nearby California and Utah desert areas

But forecasters reassured weary Americans Sunday that the worst is almost over with a cooling trend on the horizon with cooling conditions Monday into Tuesday bringing temperatures back down to around seasonal normals through mid week

Though still hot, temperatures are expected to fall to highs of 108 to 111 degrees Monday.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected late Tuesday into Wednesday with much of California even up to 10 to 15 degrees below average.

However temperatures will be pushed back above 110 degrees by Friday.

By next weekend, the hard-it areas will be faced with another warmup - though it is not anticipated to reach the same scorching temperatures of the last week.

The NWS said the short-term relief will come thanks to a strengthening upper level trough west of California which will help to displace the ridge and the worst of the heat dome.

'The latter half of the week will be a battle between the ridge and the stalled out large scale upper level trough to our northwest,' forecasters said.

This will lead to a gradual increase once again with temperatures rising going into next weekend.

Several parts of the southwest have baked in record-smashing temperatures this week.

LAS VEGAS: People cool off at the Circa hotel-casino's Stadium Swim pool this week

LAS VEGAS: The southwest US is finally facing falling temperatures after a record heatwave

CALIFORNIA: People cool off at the beach in the state which was under a state of emergency due to the heat

Phoenix recorded its fifth day of 115 degree heat in a row Saturday - the first time since records began more than a century ago in 1895.

It also notched 91 degrees to eclipse its so-called high-minimum mark of 86 degrees set back in 1959.

Las Vegas hit a high of 111 degrees and tied a record Saturday for the highest low daily temperature, at 88 degrees.

Temperatures in Death Valley hit 129F - the highest this year. Death Valley has long held the record for the highest air temperature ever recorded on Earth, with a 1913 recording of 134F - although the accuracy of the reading is debated.

On Thursday, the all-time high temperature was tied in Palm Springs, California at 123 degrees, breaking the previous June record of 122 degrees.

Salt Lake City tied its all-time record high of 107 degrees.

The old record was notably set in July  when temperatures are usually at their highest for the year in that region.

Denver hit 100 degrees on Thursday, marking only the sixth time in historical record keeping that it has reached 100 degrees on three or more consecutive days.

Weather forecasters kept warnings in effect for excessive heat in Arizona, Nevada and desert areas Sunday.

CALIFORNIA: Dry land is visible, at a section that is normally under water, on the banks of Lake Oroville, which is the second largest reservoir in California

PHOENIX: The soaring temperatures have sparked wildfires in Arizona causing people to evacuate

LOS ANGELES: A man drinks a bottle of water in the heat during a Juneteenth commemoration

In Arizona, fire officials blamed extreme heat for the spread of a wildfire that started late Wednesday and grew by Saturday to nearly 27 square miles (70 square kilometers) near Strawberry and Pine, mountain towns east of Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff.

Evacuations were ordered Friday while aircraft and about 100 firefighters fought flames in rugged pinyon juniper, chaparral, brush and cactus.

Officials reported zero containment and scheduled a virtual community meeting late Saturday on Facebook to update residents on efforts to suppress the fire.

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation Friday as the state's power grids were pushed to the limit by residents cranking up the air con.

Officials warned that a hydropower plant at the drought-stricken Lake Oroville that powers up to 800,000 homes could be shut down for the first time since it opened in 1967 due to the strain on the grid.

Lake Oroville, the state's second largest reservoir, dropped to around 700 feet above sea level this week.

If it continues to fall to 640 feet, there won't enough water to operating the plant, California Energy Commission spokesperson Lindsay Buckley told CNN.

People were urged to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher and avoid using washers, dishwashers and other major appliances.

Texans faced similar advice as the energy-independent state sought to avoid a repeat of February's power outage disaster where hundreds of people died due to a loss of power in bitter winter storms.
President Joe Biden's national security adviser on Sunday pushed back at criticism of his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, insisting that Biden made important progress in engaging with his Russian counterpart.

Republicans condemned their Geneva summit for giving Putin a public relations win and a former intelligence official warned that it might embolden Xi Jinping of China.

But in a sign of a thawing diplomatic freeze, it emerged that the Russian ambassador to Washington was on his way back to take up his post after being recalled to Moscow in April.

Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, said the president gained an insight into Putin's views during their summit.

'I would say that President Biden did hear from President Putin, some important statements about how he looks at both the U.S.-Russia relationship and particular issues in it on strategic stability, on cyber and in other areas,' he told ABC 'This Week' anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Republicans have criticized the White House strategy, saying President Biden gave President Putin a PR win with their summit in Geneva. But National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the focus now moves to determining whether the Russian president lives up to his words during the summit

Sullivan said: 'But President Biden has been pretty clear from the outset that he wants to be able to have a space, to be able to engage directly, privately, candidly with President Putin, and then to determine whether the actions that Russia takes in the months ahead, match up with the discussions that took place in Geneva.'

'But President Biden has been pretty clear from the outset that he wants to be able to have a space, to be able to engage directly, privately, candidly with President Putin, and then to determine whether the actions that Russia takes in the months ahead, match up with the discussions that took place in Geneva.

'That is where we will turn our focus at this point.'

Biden arrived at the meeting with a long list of complaints for Putin.

Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsular, meddling in U.S. elections, harboring cybercriminals, poisoning of opposition politicians and general efforts to destabilize regional rivals, were all expected to be discussed.

But the difficult diplomatic balancing act was exposed when Biden lost his cool with a reporter who asked how he could be confident that Putin would change his behavior after their summit.

'I'm not confident he'll change his behavior,' he snapped back.

'What the hell, what do you do all the time? When did I say I was confident?'

Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov boarded an Aeroflot flight to New York on Sunday as he returns to Washington. He was withdrawn in April after Biden said in a TV interview that he believed Putin was a killer.

Republicans such as House minority leader Kevin McCarthy saw weakness in Biden's approach, saying, 'He gave Vladimir Putin a pass.'

He later apologized but it exposed White House frustrations that critics are missing the key point of his strategy: Verify then trust, in a reversal of the famous Ronald Reagan formulation of 'trust but verify.'

Republicans saw a win for Putin.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Biden had given 'Putin a pass.'

'President Biden should have used yesterdays summit to show that the United States will hold Russia accountable for its long list of transgressions, he said.

And Alexander Vindman, the director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council from 2018 to 2020, wrote in the New York Times that Russia claimed a 'public relations win' while the U.S. came away with 'little to show in terms of tangible improvements to national security.'

A former officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency said China would be 'elated' at how it turned out.

Rebekah Koffler, author of the forthcoming Putin's Playbook: 'Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America,' told Fox News: 'Allowing Putin to berate and discredit us in a solo press conference is quite a mistake for the Biden administration.

'To give them that ability, China comes out on top.'

Some of the first tangible results of the summit emerged on Sunday.

Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov boarded an Aeroflot flight to New York, according to the Associated Press, and was expected to fly on to Washington to resume his role.

He was withdrawn after Biden said in a TV interview that he thought Putin was a killer.

U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan left at the same time.

Both sides agreed the ambassadors should return during the summit but no date has yet been set for Sullivan to go back to Moscow.
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Native Americans from the Lummi Nation are on a quest to bring a massive 5,000-pound hand-carved totem pole across the country next month in an effort to bring awareness to tribal issues nationwide.

The Lummi, who call the Pacific Northwest their ancestral home, will be transporting the 25-foot totem pole from Washington State all the way to the nation's capital in Washington DC, where it will be put on display for two days on the Mall and outside of the National Museum of the American Indian upon its arrival July 29, according to the Washington Post.

The nearly 3,000 mile journey, dubbed the 'Red Road to DC' by organizers, will be done via tractor-trailer with about a dozen volunteers from the tribe, and is set to make a handful of stops along the way during the two-week trip.

'Its a very historic moment to bring it to D.C.,' said the totem pole's creator and Lummi Nation citizen Phreddie Lane. 'And to have it sit among these sacred national monuments, representing Native American peoples, is special.'

Members of the Lummi Nation are bringing the massive totem pole cross country to the nation's capital next month to raise awareness for tribal causes

The 25-foot hand-carved totem pole is being transported from Washington State all the way to Washington DC, where it will be put on display this summer

Lummi tribal member Phreddie Lane talks during a totem pole stop in San Leandro, California on Thursday during a test run before the two-week trek to the nation's capital

$500,000 has already been raised by sponsors, non-profits and tribal organizations, the news outlet reports.

The totem pole transport was already taken on a test run through the Southern and Western United States over the spring, and is set to make stops at Chaco Canyon National Historic Park in New Mexico, the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota and Bears Ears National Monument in Utah when the caravan leaves for DC mid-July.

Each stop is of significance for Native Americans, with pipelines and other government projects threatening their natural resources, according to the Washington Post.

The plan is to 'deliver the pole to the Biden administration in hopes that it gives a strong and important message' regarding Native American issues, the event's organizers said.

'Its going to carry the spirit of the land it visits and the power and prayers of the people along the way to the symbolic heart of the nation,' said Beka Economopoulos, director of the Natural History Museum in Washington State.

While the totem pole is currently only scheduled for a two-day showing in the nation's capital, plans are being made to find it a permanent home in Washington DC.

Lummi Nation lead carver Jewell James (pictured) works on the final details of a nearly 25-foot totem pole to be gifted to the Biden administration next month

The nearly 3,000 mile 'Red Road to DC' journey will be done via tractor-trailer and will make a handful of stops along the way before arriving in DC on July 29

'Its a very historic moment to bring it to D.C.,' Lane said of the pole's destination. 'And to have it sit among these sacred national monuments, representing Native American peoples, is special.'

According to Lane, he was 'proud of how strongly Native Americans had come out to vote in swing states in the last U.S. presidential election,' which saw Joe Biden beat then-incumbent President Donald Trump.

The Post reports that officials in the White House are already informed of the totem pole's journey, with special assistant to the president for Native affairs and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation Libby Washburn stating Biden is 'committed to ensuring tribal voices have a seat at the table.'

The pole itself was hand-carved from a 400-year-old red cedar tree, with paintings such as the moon and an eagle 'headed downward in a dive to the Earth,' symbolizing a tribal story of the eagle 'bringing the spiritual power to impregnate the Mother Earth.'

The totem pole is also adorned with the painting of seven tears, signifying the seven generations of Native Americans that have been 'traumatized by the treatment they received from non-Indians,' according to the Washington Post.

Lummi Nation elder Lucille Spencer prays over the totem pole in Washington State before it is set to leave for the nation's capital in mid-July
Israel's government has approved the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into a deadly disaster at a Jewish holy site in April that left 45 people dead.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the commission would investigate major safety shortcomings that led to a deadly stampede at Lag Baomer celebrations on Mount Meron.

It will be headed by a current or former senior judge, and its members selected by the country's chief Supreme Court justice.

Some 100,000 people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gathered for the April 29 holiday festival in northern Israel despite coronavirus restrictions limiting outdoor assemblies to 500 people, and longstanding warnings about the safety of such gatherings.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a memorial ceremony for soldiers who fell in the 2014 war with Gaza, at the Hall of Remembrance of Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem June 20

Rescue and medical personnel are seen next to covered dead bodies on Mount Meron where fatalities were reported among the thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered at the tomb of a 2nd-century sage for annual commemorations that include all-night prayer and dance, April 30

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, center, flanked by Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, left, chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of the new government in Jerusalem, Sunday, June 20

The state comptroller's office had previously issued a pair of reports in 2008 and 2011 warning that the conditions at Mount Meron were dangerous.

Hundreds of people funnelled through a narrow passageway descending the mountain's holy site during the festival.

A slippery slope caused people to stumble and fall, precipitating a human avalanche that killed 45 people and injured at least 150.

The police launched an investigation into the disaster, but to date have yet to make any arrests.

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Israeli Defense minister Benny Gantz and leader of the opposition Benjamin Netanyahu attend a memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers who fell in battle of 2014 Gaza War, 'Operation Protective Edge', at the Hall of Remembrance of Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, Israel,June 20

The government said the commission would investigate the officials "who made the decisions that led to approving the event and determining the framework that was approved and its terms".

Powerful ultra-Orthodox politicians reportedly pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government officials to lift attendance restrictions at the religious festival.

Experts had long warned the Mount Meron complex was inadequately equipped to handle the enormous crowds that flock there during the springtime holiday, and that existing infrastructure was a safety risk.

Mr Netanyahu's political allies, including ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, walked out on a Knesset committee hearing that discussed forming an investigation last month.

Families of the mostly ultra-Orthodox victims of the disaster had called on Mr Netanyahu to take action and form an independent state commission to investigate the incident.

Rescue workers carry a dead body into an ambulance after dozens were killed in crush at a religious festival in Mount Meron on April 30, in Meron, Israel

Mr Bennett said at the start of his newly formed government's first Cabinet meeting that "the responsibility is on our shoulders to learn the lessons to prevent the disaster to come".

"The commission cannot bring back those who died, but the government can do everything to prevent an unnecessary loss in the future," he said.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz, one of the ministers who advanced the motion to launch the commission, said in a statement: "We must make sure that a tragedy of this nature never repeats itself. The taskforce's purpose is, above anything else, to save human life."
Businesses in Chicago are beginning to bounce back from the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic, but the city is far from the light at the end of the tunnel as it continues to be plagued by a growing crime wave.

On Saturday, a 31-year-old woman was stabbed to death while walking through the Loop neighborhood around 4pm. Police are still searching for the suspect, who fled on foot immediately after stabbing the woman in her lower back.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown said that the suspect was most likely a homeless person because the stabbing occurred near multiple homeless camps. It has not been revealed if the woman had any connection to the man who stabbed her.

Last Tuesday, a mass shooting left four people dead and four seriously injured in Chicago's Southside. Denise Mathis, 32, Rantanya Rogers, 28, Blake Lee, 34, and Shermetria Williams, 19, were killed in the home early Tuesday morning.

Police later said that the crimes were carried out by two gunmen who shot all but one of the victims in the head execution-style. Citing a preliminary report, Chicago police spokesman Steve Rusanov said that someone broke into the home some time before 5.40am on Tuesday and started shooting.

Later that day, four people were wounded and one was left in critical condition after a gunman opened fire in West Garfield Park, Fox 32 reported. This marked the city's fourth mass shooting within a week.

A 31-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Loop Saturday afternoon, according to police

Police are still searching for the suspect, who fled on foot immediately after stabbing the woman in her lower back

Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown said that the suspect was most likely a homeless person because the stabbing occurred near multiple homeless camps

Denise Mathis, 32, Rantanya Rogers, 28, Blake Lee, 34, and Shermetria Williams, 19, were killed in last Tuesday's shooting in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. The victims are pictured above from left to right

All of the victims in last Tuesday's Englewood shooting had been shot in the head, as had three of the victims who survived, with the other surviving victim shot in the back

Friends and family are mourning the loss of the victims, who had gotten together for a birthday party in the home

There were 300 homicides in Chicago between January 1 and June 18, 2021, which is a 6 percent increase from the 283 homicides reported over same period in 2020, according to the city's Violence Reduction Dashboard.

In the same duration, there was an approximate 19 percent increase in shootings with 1,710 reported in 2021 as opposed to 1,432 reported in 2020.

The Violence Reduction Dashboard also breaks down shootings by sex, age and race, reporting that black men between 20 and 29 are the most affected.

'Even though Chicago is split almost evenly among its black, Latinx, and white populations, violence in Chicago disproportionately impacts people of color,' it reads. 'In 2020, 65 percent of victims of homicides or non-fatal shootings were black and 12 percent were Latinx.'

The city launched its Violence Reduction Dashboard last month, in conjunction with the University of Chicago Crime Lab, to support Mayor Lori Lightfoot's community-based violence reduction efforts.

The Mayor's Office Violence Reduction Dashboard shares real-time data on violence trends in Chicago

The Violence Reduction Dashboard also breaks down shootings by sex, age and race, reporting that black men between 20 and 29 are the most affected

'With the Violence Reduction Dashboard, we will be able to create a more level playing field for our community organizations and residents as we work together to both understand the levels of violence in their neighborhoods and respond quickly and holistically to changing trends,' Lightfoot said in a news release ahead of its launch.

The dashboard shows that the greatest uptick in crime is seen in the number of carjacking incidents, which increased by roughly 57 percent, from 525 cases in 2020 to 826 cases in 2021.

The data reveals that mostly teenagers are involved in the carjacking cases, which the Chicago Tribune reported is a direct result from the impact the pandemic has had on already impoverished Chicago communities and youth mental health. According to the article, teenagers have spent the pandemic in a 'pressure cooker of trauma, violence and isolation.'

Chicago is also experiencing crime in areas that had generally been considered safe like the Magnificent Mile commercial district and tony Oak Street, where last August rapper FBG Duck was shot dead in broad daylight.

'I've never felt more unsafe than I do now,' Steve Burrows, a 48-year-old attorney and lifelong Chicago resident said. 'I work downtown so I'm here every day during the day but I won't come down here at night or on the weekend.'

Violent crimes, such as homicide and aggravated assault, jumped four percent since the start of the year, according to the latest crime statistic released in beginning of May and reported by The Chicago Sun Times.

A Chicago police spokesman wrote in a statement to the Chiacgo Tribune that police are using 'data-driven prevention and enforcement' to prepare for the usually more violent summer months.

'This includes deploying resources to areas experiencing unacceptable levels of violence, working alongside other City agencies as part of our crime fighting strategy and conducting multiple tabletop exercises as part of this citywide coordination,' reads the statement.

After last Tuesday's shooting, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for more federal assistance to help curb the spike in illegal guns coming into the city. However, she remained optimistic and said, 'The reality is our city is safe. I stand by that.'

Carlson said Lightfoot (pictured) 'blames firearms and demands more money from the federal government' in response to the city's crime wave

Lightfoot has drawn the ire of a number of leaders in Chicago, who claim that she isn't doing enough to combat the surge in crime. Last month, Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police unanimously voted that they have 'no confidence' in her leadership.

Lightfoot, who concurrently made headlines for refusing to do one-on-one interviews with white journalists, said: 'Getting a vote of no confidence from that guy is a badge of honor, and I accept it.'

The Windy City's police union President John Catanzara previously said the main reason for Wednesday's no-confidence vote is officer burnout. Catanzara said the department's move from 8.5-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts in preparation for unrest and cancelled days off created poor working conditions. The long hours have created mental health problems for some officers, problems at home because the spouse is left to raise the kids on their own. They have also triggered alcoholism in some officers, as well as a lack of morale, he said.

Nevertheless, the uptick in crime isn't unique to Chicago as cities throughout the country are combatting similar surges in shootings and other illegal activity. On Friday, NYPD leaders have promised to put more boots on the ground in New York City amid a 64 percent spike in shootings.

Ahead of the announcement, former NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton warned that American cities are in for a 'very, long dangerous summer' as murder rates skyrocket nationwide. Nationwide, there have been 275 mass shootings in 2021, about 40 percent more than this time last year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
A Victoria Cross won by an Army officer for his bravery in a war during the era of the British Raj is expected to fetch up to 400,000 when it is sold at auction.

Colonel Charles Grant was a 29-year-old lieutenant with the 12th Regiment (2nd Burma Battalion) Madras Infantry when he fought in the Anglo-Manipur War in 1891.

The month-long conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Manipur - on the North East Frontier of India - saw Grant earn the nickname the 'Hero of Manipur' for his bravery.

The Scots-born soldier led his men during the Battle of Thoubal where just 80 troops fought off wave after wave of attack, facing down an estimated 2,000 enemy soldiers.

Grant retired from the Army as a colonel and spent his later years in Sidmouth, Devon, where he died in 1932, aged 71.

Colonel Charles Grant was a 29-year-old lieutenant with the 12th Regiment (2nd Burma Battalion) Madras Infantry when he fought in the Anglo-Manipur War in 1891. The Victoria Cross which he won for his bravery in the conflict is set to fetch up to 400,000 when it is sold at auction

The Victoria Cross group of medals is to be sold by London auction house Dix Noonan Webb on June 23 on behalf of a collector.

Also being sold with the medal is an archive of historical importance, including Grant's unpublished leather bound Officer's Field Note, Sketch Book and Reconnaissance Aide-Memoire.

In the latter, he meticulously records the march to Manipur and the capture and subsequent defence of Thoubal and is illustrated by several detailed sketches of both actions and positions.

There is also a file of original photos and letters - including the negotiations between Grant and the Manipuris - and a coded message from Grant in Greek characters to the relief force.

The month-long conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Manipur - on the North East Frontier of India - saw Grant earn the nickname the 'Hero of Manipur' for his bravery. Pictured: One of Colonel Grant's photos from his time in India, showing a troop of Indian soldiers posing for a photograph

The month-long conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Manipur - on the North East Frontier of India - saw Grant earn the nickname the 'Hero of Manipur' for his bravery

There is also a file of original letters, including the negotiations between Grant and the Manipuris, and a coded message from Grant in Greek characters to the relief force

Medal expert Mark Quayle, from Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'We are very excited to be offering this outstanding VC group and important archive in our June sale.

'The action fought by Lieutenant Grant and his small band of Gurkhas in 1891 on the North East Frontier of India was a great epic of Empire which brought him fame during his lifetime as the 'Hero of Manipur'.

'His storming of the defences at Thoubal was remarkable in itself, but it is no exaggeration to say that the subsequent defence of that place for eight days with just 80 men against an estimated 2,000 of the enemy is a feat that probably ranks alongside Rorke's Drift in the history of famous defences against overwhelming odds.'

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration, awarded for valour in the face of the enemy. Pictured: Another of the images from Colonel Grant's archive

Born in Bourtie, Aberdeenshire in 1861, Grant was the son of Lieutenant-General P C S St J Grant, and was educated privately and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration, awarded for valour in the face of the enemy.

Since its introduction in 1856 there have been 1,354 recipients, with Grant being the 406th.

Born in Bourtie, Aberdeenshire in 1861, Grant was the son of Lieutenant-General P C S St J Grant, and was educated privately and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

He was commissioned Lieutenant in the Suffolk Regiment on May 10, 1882, and joined the Madras Staff Corps in 1884.


Israel's new prime minister Naftali Bennett has opened his first Cabinet meeting with a condemnation of the new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.

At the meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday Bennett urged world leaders to 'wake up' before returning to a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Raisi, a hard-line judiciary chief, was elected on Saturday with 62 per cent of the vote, amid a historically low turnout.

He is sanctioned by the United States in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Raisi has not commented specifically on the event.

Bennett said at the cabinet meeting that 'of all the people that [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] could have chosen, he chose the hangman of Tehran, the man infamous among Iranians and across the world for leading the death committees that executed thousands of innocent Iranian citizens throughout the years.'

Raisi's ascendancy comes at a sensitive time for the Middle East, as Iran and world powers ramp up efforts to resurrect a tattered 2015 nuclear deal, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Israel's new prime minister Naftali Bennett (pictured) has opened his first Cabinet meeting with a condemnation of the new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi

Raisi, a hard-line judiciary chief, was elected on Saturday with 62 per cent of the vote, amid a historically low turnout [File photo]

Raisi's ascendancy comes at a sensitive time for the Middle East, as Iran and world powers ramp up efforts to resurrect a tattered 2015 nuclear deal, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Pictured: Supporters in Tehran on Saturday

For weeks, Iranian and American diplomats have been negotiating a return to the accord in Vienna through European intermediaries.

Talks between the parties to the deal resumed on Sunday, the first round since the election that put hardliners firmly in control across Iran's government.

The landmark nuclear deal, which Israel opposed, collapsed after former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018.

That decision has seen Iran, over time, abandon every limitation on enrichment and Tehran is currently enriching uranium at its highest levels ever - though still short of weapons-grade levels.

Although the White House has yet to weigh in on Iran's election, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Sunday that the outcome was unlikely to affect nuclear negotiations because Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wants the deal restored.

'The person who makes the decision about whether Iran will go back into the Iran nuclear deal, will assume its nuclear obligations under international law, is not the president of Iran, it is the supreme leader of Iran, and that person did not change from before the election,' Mr Sullivan said on CNN's State Of The Union.

From Israel, Bennett said Raisi's election as Iranian president was 'the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with.

'These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions,' he said.

Bennett (centre) flanked by Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (left) chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of the new government in Jerusalem, Sunday, June 20

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Iran's nuclear programme and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes.

Earlier this month, Israel's outgoing Mossad intelligence chief signalled that Israel was behind a string of recent attacks targeting the country's nuclear programme.

Bennett heads a broad coalition of parties ranging from Jewish ultra-nationalists to liberal factions and a small Islamist party. It was cobbled together by Bennett and foreign minister Yair Lapid in the aftermath of Israel's fourth consecutive election in two years.

His government convened its first Cabinet meeting since it was sworn in last week, ousting long-time prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office and sending him to the opposition for the first time in 12 years.

Late on Saturday, it was announced that Netanyahu, now leader of the opposition, and his family will leave Israel's official prime minister's residence no later than July 10.

Foreign minister Yair Lapid and prime minister Naftali Bennett succeeded in cobbling together a government in the aftermath of Israel's fourth consecutive election in two years.

The residence on Balfour Street was the scene of weekly protests calling on Netanyahu to resign while on trial for corruption charges in the past year. Netanyahu refused to step down from office and has denied any wrongdoing.

The country's repeated elections were largely a referendum on his fitness to serve.

In a joint statement late on Saturday, Mr Bennett and Mr Netanyahu's offices said they had agreed that the Netanyahu family would leave the residence no later than July 10.

Thereafter, the statement said, 'the residence will transfer to the use of prime minister Bennett'.

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to topple the newly formed government, which he has called a 'dangerous leftist government'.

Also on Sunday, Israel's government has approved the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into a deadly disaster at a Jewish holy site in April that left 45 people dead.

Bennett said the commission would investigate major safety shortcomings that led to a deadly stampede at Lag Baomer celebrations on Mount Meron.

It will be headed by a current or former senior judge, and its members selected by the country's chief Supreme Court justice.

Some 100,000 people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gathered for the April 29 holiday festival in northern Israel despite coronavirus restrictions limiting outdoor assemblies to 500 people, and longstanding warnings about the safety of such gatherings.

Raisi is sanctioned by the United States in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Raisi has not commented specifically on the event. Pictured: Supporters in Tehran on Saturday
There's a new family moving to Sesame Street, and they continue to break boundaries by welcoming the beloved children show's first gay family during Pride Month.

The decades-long running show's recent 'Family Day' episode, which premiered Thursday on HBO Max and YouTube, features a family with two gay dads.

'Sesame Street has always been a welcoming place of diversity and inclusion. So Im so excited to introduce Ninas Brother Dave, his husband Frank, and their daughter Mia to our sunny street,' one of the beloved show's actor Alan Muraoka, who co-directed the episode, wrote in a Facebook post.

'Love is love, and we are so happy to add this special family to our Sesame family.'

'Im so excited to introduce Ninas Brother Dave, his husband Frank, and their daughter Mia to our sunny street,' the episode's co-director Alan Muraoka wrote in a Facebook post

The long-running and beloved children's show introduced a family with two gay dads on Thursday's episode titled 'Family Day' during Pride Month

The show has a long history of diverse characters over the years, having welcomed Linda the Librarian, a deaf character, in 1972, a bilingual Mexican character named Rosita in 2001, and Tarah, a disabled character in 1993 among many others, according to the History Channel.

In the past, Sesame Street has even addressed issues as drug addiction and AIDS.

Earlier this year, Sesame Street introduced two African-American muppets who explained racial differences to its young audience, CNN reported in March, amidst growing racial tension throughout the country.

In Thursday's historic episode, the character Nina welcomes her brother, his husband and their daughter to the Sesame Street cast as they celebrate Family Day.

Alex Weisman and Chris Costa play the roles of the two fathers, Frank and Dave, while Olivia Perez plays their daughter Mia.

The show has a long history of diversity and inclusion, having welcomed a deaf character, a bilingual Mexican character and a disabled character over the years

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation applauded the episode and its message on Twitter shortly after it aired.

'The Family Day episode of Sesame Street sends the simple and important message that families come in all forms and that love and acceptance are always the most important ingredients in a family,' GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis tweeted in response to Thursday's episode.

Sesame Street first aired back in 1969 and has been a childhood staple for generations of kids.

LGBTQ Pride Month occurs every June in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred in June 1969.

The Stonewall riots were a series of protests and demonstrations from the gay community in response to a police raid of the gay bar the Stonewall Inn by the NYPD.
President Biden's national security adviser on Sunday warned China it would face international isolation if it did not cooperate with investigators probing the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week G7 nations issued a joint call for a renewed investigation into how the coronavirus emerged, triggering a global emergency that has killed almost four million people.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the president's trip to Europe had helped build consensus on China.

'It is that diplomatic spadework  rallying the nations of the world, imposing political and diplomatic pressure on China, that is a core part of the effort we are undertaking to ultimately face China with a stark choice: Either they will allow, in a responsible way, investigators in to do the real work of figuring out where this came from, or they will face isolation in the international community,' he told Fox News Sunday.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned China it would face international isolation after G7 leaders agreed to step up pressure on Beijing to cooperate with fresh probes into the origins of COVID-19

President Biden has asked the U.S. intelligence to look again at the possibility COVID-19 leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China

This file photo taken on April 17, 2020 shows an aerial view shows the P4 laboratory (L) at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. The lab is once again at the center of speculation that COVID-19 could have leaked from the scientific facility

The origins of the virus are under intense scrutiny in the U.S. where leading scientists have said they may have been too fast to conclude it emerged naturally from an animal host.

Some have started to reconsider the possibility it leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

Biden has asked the intelligence community to look again and to submit a report within 90 days.

He used the G7 summit in Cornwall, England, to discuss the issue with other leaders.

In a joint statement, they called for a 'timely, transparent, expert-led, and science-based [World Health Organization]-convened Phase 2 COVID-19 Origins study including, as recommended by the experts report, in China.'

But Republicans have criticized any WHO involvement, arguing the organization was too soft on China and had struggled in an earlier investigation to get access to the information its researchers needed.

Sullivan said Biden's diplomacy would make the difference.

G7 leaders meeting in Cornwall, England, issued a joint statement calling for a 'timely, transparent, expert-led, and science-based [World Health Organization]-convened Phase 2 COVID-19 Origins study including, as recommended by the experts report, in China'

China hit back at the diplomatic moves with a cartoon parody of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper published by the Communist Party mouthpiece, The Global Times, depicting the US, UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, India and Australia as various animals

'What Joe Biden did in Europe this week was rally the democratic world to speak with a common voice on this issue for the first time since COVID broke out,' he said.

'President Trump wasnt able to do it. President Biden was.

'He got the G-7 to endorse a statement saying in unison that China must allow an investigation to proceed within its territory.'

For now, that does not mean threats of sanctions.

'We are not, at this point, going to issue threats or ultimatums,' he told CNN.

'What we're going to do is continue to rally support in the international community.

'And if it turns out that China refuses to live up to its international obligations, we will have to consider our responses at that point, and we will do so in concert with allies and partners.'

China is taking a dim view of G7 nations lining up against it, with state media publishing a cartoon of the West's 'last supper' in response.

It is a parody of Leonardo da Vinci's painting of Jesus Christ's Last Supper before he was crucified, and depicts the US, UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, India and Australia as their national animals plotting to 'rule the world'.

In the illustration, published by artist 'Bantonglaoatang' on Weibo and later republished by the Communist Party mouthpieces including The Global Times, the animals are sitting around a table with a Chinese-map-shaped cake.
An English winemaker has started selling its wares in paper bottles that have a carbon footprint 84 per cent lower than their glass counterparts.

Specialist Essex-based online retailer The English Wine claims the bottle is the first of its kind for English wine.

The Frugal Bottle, made by British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac, is five times lighter than the regular glass option, and is made in the United Kingdom from 94 per cent recycled paperboard.

A recyclable food grade pouch sits inside the paper bottle to prevent the wine from seeping through.

'As winemakers, we have a responsibility to make positive steps towards more environmentally friendly methods of winemaking,' founder Neil Walker said in a statement on the company's website.

The retailer aims to scrap the use of glass bottles for its products by 2026.

An English winemaker has started selling its wares in paper bottles that have a carbon footprint 84 per cent lower than their glass counterparts

Specialist Essex-based online retailer The English Wine claims the bottle is the first of its kind for English wine

'Packaging is a good place to start, as apart from in certain areas of winemaking where glass bottling is required, there is no reason not to make this change other than misplaced preconceptions about packing for wine,' Walker said.

He said that consumers often associate non-glass packaged wines with a lower quality drink due to some 'more mass-produced, lower quality wines' opting for other forms of packaging.

'However, we want to lead the way to show you that your wine will be just as enjoyable and high quality in a more environmentally friendly packaging, such as our new paper bottles,' Walker said.

He cited a recent poll of 1,700 UK wine drinkers which found that 63 per cent of those asked would buy wine in a paper bottle.

'As winemakers, we have a responsibility to make positive steps towards more environmentally friendly methods of winemaking,' founder Neil Walker said

The English Vine's website states that it would challenge customers to spot any difference in the quality of its Number 1 white wine in the paper bottle over that of the standard glass bottle version.

The company sells a 68 comparison case featuring three of its Number 1 in glass bottles and three in the paper version.

'Our aim is to be 100 per cent non-glass packaging over the next five years. We now need our customers to come along with us on this journey and help break down those preconceptions about non-glass packaging for wine,' Walker said.

'We're hopeful that with an increasing number of people more aware about the carbon footprint of a glass bottle of wine, many will be supportive in this step forward. We're proud to be leading the way in sustainability for wine packaging in the UK'.

The company is also planning to introduce a bottomless bottle service for Essex customers this summer, which will see refillable bottles topped up directly from kegs fitted to an electric wine van.

'Think milk float, but with wine,' Walker said.
The CEO of Dippin' Dots is being sued by his ex-girlfriend who claims he shared nude photos of her and even sent them to her mother during a custody dispute for their dog.

In the lawsuit filed in Oklahoma County District Court, Amanda Brown says she was in a relationship with Dippin' Dots CEO Scott Fischer from 2019 to 2020, claiming the relationship was tumultuous because of his 'dangerous tendency to abuse alcohol.'

He allegedly 'drank frequently and excessively,' according to the court documents obtained by DailyMail.com and 'failed several attempts at sobriety'.

Dippin' Dots CEO Scott Fischer is being sued by an ex-girlfriend who claims he distributed her sexual photos in a custody dispute over their dog and ownership of a car they co-leased

Amanda Brown, pictured, is suing ex-boyfriend Scott Fischer for allegedly sharing her nude photos

Brown was pictured with a pet dog on her Facebook - although it is unclear if this is the same pet that triggered the custody battle

At times, the court documents said, he would be abusive, and, 'In various ways, he endeavored to make her financially dependent on him in order to use that dependence to compel her to do things she otherwise did not want to do, and most importantly, dissuade her from leaving him.'

Then, the lawsuit claims, he would solicit racy photos of her by threatening to withhold his 'continued financial support.'

After they separated in 2020, the lawsuit states, Fischer claimed he had consulted the Dippin' Dots legal counsel, which would 'make vindication of Amanda's rights difficult or impossible' as they tried to decide who would take ownership of a car they co-leased and a dog they both cared for.

On April 12, 2020, Brown claims Fischer texted her: 'Leave me the [car]. I'll take [the dog]. Then I'm going to have someone hold onto the video of your [redacted] and if we ever get into a fight, then it will be released.'

'If we don't, I'll just use it for fun.'

By January 2021, Brown claims she learned that Fischer had previously solicited private sexual images of other women and sent them around to his friends.

Then on January 14, she claims he sent her a message: 'I just sent your nudes out to everyone... watch what I do to you. I'm going to make sure any sex pics, bad pics are sent to your employer, they will soon be sent to our friends, then I'll sue you for [the dog].'

'Do you want to see what war is like?' Fischer allegedly asked her. 'I'm about to show you.'

He also allegedly threatened to send the racy photos to her father and put them on the pornography website, PornHub.

The documents also say he sent some to Brown's mother, telling her: 'I'm sending this out tomorrow. Then I'm going to file a petition for [the dog].'

Fischer reportedly told Brown he would 'go to the extreme' to reclaim the vehicle they co-leased, and on February 20, he allegedly sent her more sexual photos of herself saying: 'I promise to not send out the above pics to my contact list if you stay out of my life.'

Then on March 8, the court documents say, he texted her: 'You can use my car until April, [the dog] is mine. Anything bad comes out your [redacted] pics will be all over.'

He later allegedly texted her back 'it's done.'

Brown is now seeking damages in excess of $10,000, and a hearing on the lawsuit has been set.

According to court documents, Fischer was a heavy drinker and was abusive

He acquired Dippin' Dots from bankruptcy in 2012 and helped the company expand

Attorneys representing Fischer told TMZ: 'The inflammatory lawsuit brought forth by Ms. Brown is nothing more than an attempt to extort Mr. Fischer after he ended their relationship. It is unfortunate that she has stooped to the level of attacking my client through an outlandish lawsuit, covering up her illegal actions.

'Mr. Fischer is disappointed this has become a legal matter despite his efforts to ring about a respectful resolution,' the attorneys continued. 'He is ready to put the matter behind him and move forward.'

Fischer acquired the miniature ice cream pellet company from bankruptcy in 2012, according to the company's website, and helped the company reach $300 million in retail sales.

Under his leadership, the company has expanded into 12 countries outside of the United States, and led the company's acquisition of Doc Popcorn, the largest franchised retailer of popcorn in the world.
A husband and wife who both work as NYPD cops have celebrated their first Father's Day as a family after she gave birth to their first child while on a ventilator with COVID.

Martin Lopez says he was overjoyed to mark the special occasion with his son Elias and wife Yesenia, 34, who is now recovering from the virus.

Elias was delivered via caesarean section while his mom was in a coma with the virus in April.

Yesenia and Martin, both of who are NYPD officers, stood in their Rockland County home just a week earlier, on March 25, when Martin found out that his wife contracted the infectious disease, he told the New York Daily News.

'I was reassuring her everything's going to be fine,' he said. 'But this was our biggest fear.'

At the time, many fears regarding the coronavirus pandemic had begun to wane and more and more people were getting vaccinated. Martin had his vaccination in January, but Yesenia, 34, wanted to wait until after her pregnancy out of concerns that it would have a negative effect on her child, according to the New York Daily News article.

Yesenia already had a fever when she tested positive for the virus and, soon after, she began experiencing an aggressive couch and breathing issues. On March 29, Martin rushed her to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where she stayed for a month while she battled coronavirus.

When they got there, Obstetrician Francesco Callipari saw her condition and immediately admitted her to the surgical ICU.

Martin Lopez (left) was with his wife Yesenia (right) and their first son Elias. Yesenia gave birth to Elias via C-section while she was intubated with Covid-19

Yesenia recovered after a month at Mount Sinai Hospital and her baby was sent to the NICU for 20 days before being reunited with his parents

During that month, Yesenia gave birth to the couple's first child, with Elias sent to the NICU for 20 days before being reunited with his parents.

'There were so many times that I wished I could trade places with them when they when they were in the hospital,' Martin told the New York Daily News. 'You're constantly [wondering] are they going to be able to come home? Are they going to make it out?'

By 3.30am on March 31, hospital staff informed Callipari that Yesenia's condition had grown far worse. Callipari joined with roughly seven medical teams and treated Yesenia for nearly 10 hours. Overnight, her oxygen saturation plummeted and the baby's heart rate began to slow down with it. Yesenia needed to be intubated to keep them both alive.

Her lungs were also full of fluid and couldn't inflate on their own, so doctors needed to hook her up to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine. According to Mayor Clinic, the machine works by pumping blood out of the body and removing carbon dioxide from it before sending oxygen-rich blood back into the body. This allowed Yesenia's lungs and heart to rest and recover. However, the baby's heart rate still didn't improve.

'And during that time, we called her husband to come in right away because we had to make some important decisions on what to do next,' Callipari told the Daily News, adding that he hasn't had to treat a case like Yesenia's in 29 years.

'It was terrible,' he said. 'It was very emotional for everybody.'

After consulting with Martin, Callipari decided to perform an emergency c-section.

Doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital delivered Yesenia Lopez's baby while she was being intubated with a harsh bout of Covid-19

Elias Lopez was born without further complications and is now healthy

Another one of Yesenia's doctors, Sanam Ahmed, recalled seeing Martin cry after the baby was born. He told her, 'I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because my wife is alive and my son is alive.' And you guys have given them a chance.'

Meanwhile, Yesenia does not remember the delivery or the following days in the hospital. She said that, in hindsight, she wishes she got the Covid-19 vaccination when her husband did.

'I didn't know if it was going to have any effect on the baby,' she said. 'We don't know as much as we do now.'

Dr. Francis Collins, of the National Institute of Health, wrote in a blog post on June 1 that two recent studies revealed that the Covid-19 mRNA vaccines had successful results on pregnant women and may even offer protection to infants born to vaccinated mothers. There are still a number of clinical trials underway, however.

Throughout the first year of the pandemic, Yesenia said that she and her husband took all of the necessary precautions and safety measures. By March, she said she was confident that she wouldn't get the virus. 'And it still happened to us,' she said.

Martin said that the virus robbed the couple of experiences like hosting a baby shower or getting to hold their baby as soon as he was delivered. 'Every day I thank God Yesenia and the baby are home,' he said. '[They] are doing so much better  and that's all I need.'

'This Father's Day, all I need is my family. And I have that, and I am so grateful.'
Campers on Bournemouth beach could face being woken up and given an 1,000 fine as the council hires an overnight patrol to police the 15-mile stretch of sand.

Council staff are patrolling Bournemouth beach 24 hours a day to ensure any sun-worshippers breaching an overnight camping ban faces an 'uncomfortable night's sleep'.

Revellers are being warned they could face prosecution and a 1,000 fine if they choose to camp on the popular Dorset beach.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has employed an additional 75 staff to help managed the 15-mile stretch of beach, which became packed last summer and led to congested roads and irresponsible parking.

Council staff (pictured) are patrolling Bournemouth beach 24 hours a day to ensure any sun-worshippers breaching an overnight camping ban faces an 'uncomfortable night's sleep'.

Councillor May Haines said hourly wake up calls have already been carried out on '12 groups of campers' in nearby Southbourne this weekend, who 'left as a result of this', the BBC reported.

The huge fines and strict patrols are part of a summer readiness plan, in place from March 29 until September, to help keep beaches 'safe' as they prepare for a surge in visitors this year, according to the council's website.

There will also be extra security patrols and Covid-19 marshals in place in 'hot spot areas' to 'deal with anti-social behaviour and COVID-19 regulations', while additional policing has also been set up for 'key busy dates'.

However, a Bournemouth Borough Council spokesman stressed to MailOnline that they have always had a camping ban.

There were concerns lockdown and social distancing measures would collapse last summer as thousands of sun-worshippers ignored strict Covid rules and crowded on to Bournemouth beach.

Bournemouth beach became a sea of colourful umbrellas during last summer's scorching weather as people set up for long days in the balmy heat, pictures showed.

The seaside destination, along with other beaches including Brighton and Cornwall, became a popular holiday spot for Britons amid Covid restrictions on foreign travel.

And Bournemouth is again expecting high visitor numbers as more than 400,000 visitors flocked to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole over the hottest weekend so far of 2021, according to the council.

Revellers are being warned they could face prosecution and a 1,000 fine if they choose to camp on the popular Dorset beach. Pictured: Lifeguard on Bournemouth beach

The rules are part of a summer readiness plan, in place from March 29 until September, to keep Bournemouth beach (pictured on June 20) 'safe' as they prepare for a surge in visitors this year

Speaking about the camping ban, a council spokesman said: 'As part of our seasonal response plan, we're putting in place a 24-hour beach patrol to deal with those camping on the beach.

'Our beaches are not a place for overnight camping and people who choose to camp on them will risk prosecution and a 1,000 fine.

'Anyone thinking of camping on the beach can expect an uncomfortable night's sleep as our beach patrol team will repeatedly visit them to gather evidence before taking prosecution action.'

He added: 'Extra security patrols, Covid-19 marshals and additional CSAS officers will be deployed on the ground in hot spot areas to provide a uniformed presence and deal with anti-social behaviour and Covid-19 regulations.

'Additional policing has also been sourced for key busy dates.

There were Covid-19 fears last summer after massed crowded on to Bournemouth beach (pictured on August 8) last summer as it became a popular holiday spot

Concerns rose that lockdown measures would collapse as thousands of sun-worshippers ignored strict Covid-19 rules to head to beaches. Pictured: Bournemouth beach on August 8

Bournemouth beach (pictured on August 10) became a sea of colourful umbrellas during last summer's scorching weather as people set up for long days in the balmy heat

'Public toilets will remain open with extended opening times into the evenings at key sites, and additional cleansing operations will be in place.

'We will be clear though we welcome responsible visitors to our resort. People who will treat things with care, behave reasonably and pick up after themselves.'

The beach guidelines on the council's website instead urged visitors to stay overnight at one of the nearby campsites in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole to avoid getting fined.

Wild camping, which refers to pitching up a tent and sleeping overnight not on a campsite or caravan park, is generally illegal in England and Wales but can be permitted with permission from the landowner, according to Trespass.

Campers are allowed to sleep overnight in some locations, such as the Lake District and some areas of Dartmoor, but restrictions remain in place in many other areas.
French President Emmanuel Macron's party made a disastrous showing at the country's key regional elections on Sunday.

Macron's Republic on the Move (LREM) party failed to win more than 10 per cent of the vote in many regions, with the centrist Republicans outstripping it and Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (NR) party.

Conservatives claimed to have 'broken the jaw' of National Rally, whose leader was hoping to make huge gains across the country before challenging Macron in next year's presidential elections.

Exit polls on Sunday night following the first round of the two-round vote showed NR had taken only 19 per cent of the national vote - a nine per cent drop from the last regional elections in 2015.

A record low turnout saw less than one voter in three participate in the elections - a fact Le Pen blamed for her party's poor showing.

'Faced with the action of this government which is leading the country to chaos, our voters have a duty to react,' Le Pen said, in a bid to encourage NR supporters to take part in the second round of the vote next week.

'You must vote. If you do not vote for your ideas, your voice no longer counts. Everything is possible, as long as you decide: go to the polls, patriots!'

French President Emmanuel Macron's party made a disastrous showing at the country's key regional elections on Sunday. Pictured: Macron casts a ballot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage on Sunday

Marine Le Pen was hoping to make huge gains across the country for her National Rally party before challenging Macron in next year's presidential elections

But Socialist leader Olivier Faure said: 'The evidence shows that French voters overwhelmingly endorse neither Le Pen's party nor Macron's party.'

Xavier Bertrand, the Republicans candidate in the northern Hauts-de-France region, was on 44 per cent of the vote, ahead of the National Rally's Sebastien Chenu on 24 per cent on Sunday evening.

In a speech celebrating his move into the second round, Bertrand  who is also set to run for president  said: 'Five years ago we came second in the first round, but this time the inhabitants of Hauts-de-France have clearly placed us in the lead.

'I would like to thank those who have shown their confidence in us,' Bertrand said, adding that 'we have broken the jaw of the National Rally'.

Support for Macron's LREM was particularly low in Hauts-de-France.

Xavier Bertrand, the Republicans candidate in the northern Hauts-de-France region, said: 'We have broken the jaw of the National Rally'.

But with a record low voter turnout of less than 35 per cent, Macron may at least find solace in the fact that the NR has not made any kind of breakthrough.

Low turnout normally favours extremist parties such as Le Pen's, but it did not work in her favour this time.

Macron went head-to-head with Le Pen when he won the presidential election of 2017, and will be hoping to do the same thing in 2022.

The second round of regional elections in France takes place next Sunday.

Beyond choosing regional councils, voters are also electing representatives to run more than 100 departements  the French equivalent of counties.

The record-low turnout was 'especially worrying', Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a tweet.
Surveillance footage released by the New York Police Department on Sunday shows the moment gunfire suddenly erupts on a Bronx street, with bullets striking one home and two cars amid spiraling crime in the Big Apple.

The newly-released video shows three men walking down a street in the Bronx shortly after 10 p.m. on June 13, when they quickly scatter, apparently after others start shooting at them from across the street.

Two of the pedestrians are then seen shooting back, while a third ducks behind parked cars. One of the shooters then tries to flee back up the street where they came from, while the third continues to fire for a moment before also fleeing.

Surveillance footage shows the moment two men start shooting across the street, presumably after others started shooting at them on June 13

At one point, one of the shooters flees the scene, leaving another, seen in a white sweatshirt, to continue shooting before he ultimately flees the scene as well

Police have said there are no reported injuries from the apparent shoot-out, according to the New York Post, but bullets struck a nearby home and two of the cars parked on the side of the street.

They are now looking for the suspects, and are asking for the public's help in identifying them.

The police have released photos of four people believed to have been involved in the incident, and are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 877 - TIPS.

The New York Police Department is now asking for any information about these four individuals, believed to have been involved in the shoot-out. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1 (800) 577 - TIPS

The footage was released just two days after the NYPD released a separate, shocking clip showing a young boy and girl walking on a sidewalk before people started scattering when a gunman starts chasing a man in a red sweater.

That sweater-clad suspect, who police believe was the intended target, barrels into the kids and knocks them down before the gunman runs up and fires multiple times in their direction.

His alleged target scrambles to his feet but trips in the three-person scrum before crawling over the kids to escape the hail of bullets.

The two children are momentarily pinned under the man in the sweater while he is shot at as the older girl is seen grabbing the boy and holding him tight in an attempt to shield him.

A NYPD spokesman said the man in the red sweater was shot multiple times, but managed to survive. Amazingly, the children weren't shot or seriously injured.

The NYPD does not yet have a motive for the shootings, but they mark a continuation of a rise in crime throughout the city.

Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment two young children were trampled by a man as he tried to escape from a shooter who fired nearly a dozen bullets in the middle of a Bronx street and pointed his gun at the terrified kids

The suspect momentarily retreats with the victim on the ground

Then the gunman comes back for a closer shot and fires at the man with the two kids inches away from the victim

Felony assaults are up eight percent for the first six months of 2021, compared to the same period last year, rapes are up by 10 percent and robberies - which includes muggings - have spiked by nearly 40 percent this month.

The numbers are disturbing by themselves, with surveillance camera footage of individual crimes taking place further scaring New Yorkers fearful that the city will return to its crime-ridden past.

On Monday, an unidentified man attacked two people with a rock after an argument became physical on a Brooklyn-bound subway.

One of the victims was rushed to the hospital with bruising to the head and knee, and the other victim was treated at the scene, according to police.

And on Thursday, a 15-year-old was stabbed to death by a 48-year-old man over a parking spot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.

The victim, Tory Lovick, was pronounced dead at the hospital, and the suspect's identity will be released after he's formally charged, the NYPD said.

Statistics show shooting crimes have been up this year city-wide compared to last year

Crimes have been rising throughout New York City, according to the NYPD

In Greenwich Village, partygoers at Washington Square Park have beaten and stabbed people, and even threw a diner cook through a window last week, prompting the New York Police Department's Sixth Precinct to call an emergency meeting Wednesday night.

The meeting was met with dozens of protestors, who flocked by to park by nightfall. Although Wednesday night and Thursday were calmer than previous days, the NYPD said on Friday that they'll be on high alert this weekend.

Another major issue the residential and high-tourist area of Midtown Manhattan around around Times Square and Hell's Kitchen, where thousands of homeless people were moved to hotels during the pandemic.

Eight Avenue between Penn Station and The Port Authority Bus Terminal has become a drug corridor and a crime hot spot.

The police precinct that includes Times Square and many of the hotels where the homeless have been living saw a 183 percent spike in felony assaults and 173 percent spike in robberies so far this year compared to 2020, according to NYPD data.
Perhaps those of a woke disposition should sit down before reading any further. For this is surely anti-wokery of the most brazen kind.

At a time when the justice warriors of the Left are furiously trying to pull down statues, plaques and portraits of anyone remotely connected with Britains imperial past  from sea captains and sugar merchants to Winston Churchill and even the Queen  here is an outfit which is busily trying to keep them up.

Whats more, it even wants to restore them to their former glory and trumpet their existence to the world.

Because we cannot rewrite history. Not everything about Britains naval and military operations over three centuries was irredeemably bad. Without the sacrifices of these men, most of the world would not be speaking English  but would French be any better?

While others might want to cancel the lot of them and consign them to the dustbin of history, this plucky young charity, the Remembrance Trust, has other ideas

It wants to repair the broken effigies of colonial troops in the Caribbean. It is working to mend the cracked marble and faded inscriptions honouring imperial forces from Africa to the Indian Ocean  and here in Britain, too.

While others might want to cancel the lot of them and consign them to the dustbin of history, this plucky young charity, the Remembrance Trust, has other ideas.

Its stated goal is to preserve the memory of those who made great sacrifices  and in some cases paid the ultimate price  in the name of the deplorable British Empire.

Just last week, the trust agreed to spend money restoring the grave of Guardsman John Cole, a veteran of Waterloo. Last month, his resting place was smashed to pieces by drunken yobs joy-riding on a tractor in Benfleet, Essex.

Whatever we might call the opposite of woke  dormant? Comatose?  then the Remembrance Trust is surely it.

And, this week, I am glad to say, it is to receive royal recognition. The Princess Royal will unveil a memorial to dozens of the Duke of Wellingtons men  including a former drummer boy  discovered in a churchyard in Jersey.

Right now, the Remembrance Trust is going to need all the help it can get, for it sits in a very exposed position on the frontline of the culture wars.

If the cancel culture commissars feel entitled to destroy a new TV channel they have never watched on the grounds that it might feature the odd Brexity meat-eater; if it is acceptable to cancel our most successful living author, JK Rowling, because she has expressed the view that women are women; then is it not borderline insanity to be lionising the men (and they are almost all men) who built the Empire?

Well, not quite.

Before you press the cancel button, dear snowflakes, and invoke the Twitter pile-on, it may be worth taking a closer look.

Because we cannot rewrite history. Not everything about Britains naval and military operations over three centuries was irredeemably bad. Without the sacrifices of these men, most of the world would not be speaking English  but would French be any better?

As for the naive conceit that the world would be a happier place if Nelson, Wellington and their men had stayed at home, well, think again. That is why the Remembrance Trust and its work matter.

The charity was only registered three years ago to attempt to plug a hole in our national story. We have the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) which tends to the graves and memorials of every man and woman who has died for King or Queen and country since 1914. And a magnificent job the CWGC does, as anyone who has visited some of its beautifully maintained sites will attest.

But when it comes to those who died before the outbreak of World War I, there is nothing to preserve or protect their memory. And many of them lie in desecrated or neglected graves which are nothing short of a disgrace.

That is where the Remembrance Trust seeks to step in. Now, some will ask why anyone should give two hoots about some long-lost soldier or sailor whom no one alive knew and who died in another age. To which the volunteers behind the trust point out that all these people are part of our history and how a nation treats its fallen warriors, even those from 200 years ago, says a lot about the present.

And if you dont think these things still exert a hold on our collective identity, then just recall those extraordinary scenes six years ago when tens of thousands lined the streets of Leicester in respectful silence to watch the coffin of that 24-carat child-murdering wrong un, Richard III, being carried to his new grave.

If he deserves recognition and a resting place, then what about Charles Brownrigg?

The captain of HMS London, Brownrigg was one of more than 17,000 men of the Royal Navy who died during Britains 80-year war against the slave trade.

He was leading a patrol off Zanzibar in December 1881 when he saw a suspicious dhow. Its Arab crew, having crammed 100 African slaves in unspeakable conditions in the hold, opened fire as Brownriggs launch came alongside. With his men all dead or overboard, Brownrigg fought on, blinded by blood from a head wound.

One report states he whirled his rifle like a club around his head until thrusts of an enemy sword severed his fingers. Whereupon he was killed by a shot to the chest.

Brownrigg and five of his crew are buried on nearby Grave Island, off modern Tanzania, along with 80 fellow anti-slavers. A few yards away, however, stands a marble memorial to another 24 sailors of the Royal Navy who were killed when their ship, HMS Pegasus, was shelled in World War I.

I am indebted to British travellers Tom Hewitson and Mia Good who visited the site last month and sent me some photographs.

The graves of the dead sailors from HMS Pegasus remain in pristine condition because they fall under the auspices of the CWGC. Brownrigg and his men died just 33 years earlier. Yet they lie beneath cracked stones in a weed-strewn plot. Now the Remembrance Trust wants to refurbish it properly.

On paper, the trust appears to have an impossible task, given its remit spans every campaign from American independence and the struggle to contain Napoleon through to the Crimea and the Boer War. But the Remembrance Trusts founder, ex-Grenadier Guards officer, entrepreneur and author, Algy Cluff, is undaunted.

Theres no database, so we depend entirely on people coming to us, says Cluff, 80. They can let us know if they spot a grave or memorial and if they want to volunteer or donate, all the better.

He is driven by an old soldiers simple sense of kinship, having himself seen active service in West Africa, Cyprus and Borneo.

A lady called the Coldstream Guards recently to say how dare you leave your men like that?. Shed seen two graves in a terrible state in France but the regiment knew nothing about it, he explains. So weve spent 2,500 to help get a contractor to restore them.

The men had been killed at the Battle of Bayonne in 1814, a year before Waterloo. It might be more than 200 years ago but these graves are more than a resting place.

They are a corner of a foreign field which tell a story. By way of fostering goodwill, the trust has given the Bayonne Museum the funds to restore its most prized exhibits: two hats  one of them Wellingtons and the other Napoleons. The locals are delighted.

Mr Cluff has always relished a challenge, whether looking for North Sea oil in the 1970s (at which he was very successful) or rescuing the Spectator magazine a decade later (ditto).

But once a soldier, always a soldier. A former trustee of the National Army Museum and vice-president of the Army Benevolent Fund, he spent more than a decade as chairman of the War Memorials Trust, which supports 60,000 memorials in the UK. Now his focus is global.

A few years ago, the then rector of Jerseys St Saviours Church, the Rev Peter Dyson, was asked for information on a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo. (Pictured, Esme Deer, 14, from the 3rd Jersey Scouts tend to a grave)

He is the first to acknowledge the shortcomings of Britains imperial legacy. He points out that some of the cemeteries on the trusts radar, including one currently in hand in Antigua, contain both slaves and slave owners as well as soldiers and sailors. A current programme of works in South Africa, for example, includes the restoration of both Zulu and British graves.

Last year, I joined Mr Cluff and his wife, Blondel, as they visited a trust project in Jersey, where the Princess Royal will visit this week.

A few years ago, the then rector of Jerseys St Saviours Church, the Rev Peter Dyson, was asked for information on a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo. He checked parish records and found that as many as 100 veterans of the Napoleonic Wars were in his graveyard.

After Waterloo, the Forces were cut. So you had officers on half-pay  kept in reserve  who found life expensive in Britain, Mr Dyson explains.

Jersey was cheaper with better weather. And, being close to the old enemy, France, Jersey gave them subsidies.

Many of these old soldiers brought their staff from military days. Hence the presence of ex-drummer boy Daniel Herapath who survived many battles, including Waterloo, and died in Jersey aged 60.

The parish invited Napoleonic historian Sir William Mahon to explore further and he has written a book covering every veteran here. So the Remembrance Trust has now helped to fund a new memorial with education panels, as the Princess will see this week.

As Mr Cluff points out, he is not doing all this for sentimental reasons but to improve understanding of the past.

During our trip, we saw a visit by the 3rd Jersey Scout Group who came to learn of the old soldiers buried in their midst and to help tend their graves. Esme Deer, 14, set to work cleaning the grave of Frederick Beatty of the 7th Light Dragoons who was badly wounded at Waterloo. All the Scouts were gripped by the tale of the drummer boy.

Its a reminder of why and how all these far-flung, largely forgotten graves and slabs matter. They all tell a story.

No doubt woke revisionists will profess the usual outrage. Yet where was the outrage last month when the French President, Emmanuel Macron, laid a wreath at the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte on the bicentenary of the dictators death?

Napoleon understood he had to keep seeking both the unity and the greatness of the country, declared the President, basking in the ex-emperors reflected glory (Macron has an election coming up).

Yet, Napoleons colonial record was appalling. Indeed, at the very moment the UK was abolishing slavery, Napoleon was doing the opposite. Revolutionary France had actually banned it in 1794 only for Napoleon to issue a new edict restoring it in 1802.

Thats right  France was passing laws to create a new slave trade as Britain was preparing to abolish this barbarism. Had the likes of John Cole and his former comrades in Jersey not done their bit at Waterloo, would the world be better or worse off today? I think we know the answer.

Much as it may pain the woke, Britains colonial and imperial story is not black and white. That is why anything which seeks to tell history as it was, rather than judge it through a modern lens, deserves our support.

Cheques to The Remembrance Trust, 1-3 Waterloo Crescent, Dover, CT16 1LA or theremembrancetrust.com
A frantic three-second call to a family member saved a fisherman's life after his tinnie capsized in rough conditions in Moreton Bay.

The man, 54, spent Saturday night clinging to life on his upended Quintrex 440 Renegade tinnie before he was spotted by a helicopter in waters between Moreton and Mud islands near Brisbane the next morning.

The body of his 48-year-old wife was recovered from the water several hours later after she slipped away from the boat during the night.

Police launched a search for the couple on Saturday night after their family raised the alarm.

The couple had taken a fishing trip to the northern point of Mud Island and were heading home when their boat was overturned by a large wave.

A fisherman spent 4 hours in rough seas clinging to his capsized tinny, pictured being recovered by Coast Guard on Sunday

The man managed to make a three-second call to a family member to alert them that he and his wife were in trouble before it was cut off.

'The weather blew up as they were making their way home and took an number of waves over the stern of the boat which started taking them into the water,' Acting Senior Sergeant Mitch Gray told reporters on Sunday

'They became close to the Port of Brisbane, they could actually see the rock wall and a large wave has broken over the back and capsized the vessel and they have both gone into the water.'

He believes the brief frantic phone call likely saved the man's life.

'The husband has managed to hold onto the hull throughout the night but at some stage during the night the wife has become tired and fatigued and has become separated from her husband,' he added.

Sadly, the man's wife slipped off the capsized tinny (pictured) and drifted away on Saturday night. Her body was found the following day

Water police and a police helicopters, along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard, spent much of Saturday night searching for the tinny in and around the Port of Brisbane, Mud Island, and Redcliffe areas in treacherous conditions.

The man was spotted clinging to the overturned tinnie in waters between between Moreton and Mud islands by a QGAir crew assisting with the aerial search when it resumed early Sunday morning.

He was winched to safety and airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital suffering from hypothermia and has since spoken with police.

Police located a body believed to be the missing woman from the capsized boat on Sunday afternoon.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

It's understood the couple weren't wearing life jackets at the time.
The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a scathing anti-endorsement of progressive 2021 NYC mayoral hopeful Maya Wiley just two days before the Democratic primary.

In an interview with the New York Post, Sharpton attacked Wiley's track record while working under current Mayor Bill de Blasio as Hizzoner's counsel and director of the Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE).

Wiley left his administration in 2016, during which less than 5 percent of public spending was allocated to the the MWBE, despite that it was comprised of 30-percent of Manhattan-based companies, according to records from the city comptroller's office.

The total amount of MWBE allocated for the city even dropped from 5.3 percent to 4.9 percent during Wiley's two-year tenure.

Speaking to the New York Post, Sharpton, who runs the National Action Network civil rights group, said, 'I've not reviewed the contracts but much of our work at NAN is around economic equity and fighting to get MWBE contracts up, not down.

Wiley was back out on the campaign trail on Sunday and visited the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, where she showed off her hula hoop skills.

New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley hula hoops while campaigning on June 20, in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The primary election for New York City mayor will be held on June 22

Wiley hula hoops while campaigning on June 20, 2021 in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The primary election for New York City mayor will be held on June 22, 2021

New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley plays with a hula hoop while campaigning on June 20

The Rev. Al Sharpton recently attacked mayoral hopeful Maya Wiley's track record while working under current Mayor Bill de Blasio as Hizzoner's counsel and director of the Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise

New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley campaigns on June 20, 2021 in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York

Sharpton wasn't the only one to share criticism of Wiley, who is now second in the polls and has been endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren.

City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, who threw her support for mayor behind frontrunner Eric Adams, shared Sharpton's reaction to Wiley's inability to secure more funding for minority business owners.

'That is a disgrace,' she told the New York Post. 'Black and brown New Yorkers need economic opportunity, not empty rhetoric.'

And Robert L. Greene, head of the National Association of Investment Companies, said, 'very little has been done in NYC to more broadly engage with minority business.' Despite Wiley's campaign promises and ideas, he added, 'the facts are that minority business enterprise (MBE) utilization rates have remained flat, leaving many minority contractors out of getting full and fair consideration.'

According to a spokesperson for Wiley, the mayoral candidate 'brought together every New York City agency and took New York from $500 million in contracts to $1.6 billion in just two years  an unprecedented jump that reflects her deep commitments to creating a New York that lifts up every community.'

The Rev. Al Sharpton recently attacked mayoral hopeful Maya Wiley's track record while working under current Mayor Bill de Blasio as Hizzoner's counsel and director of the Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise

As Maya Wiley gains in the mayoral polls, critics are bringing up her alleged inability to secure more funding for minority business owners as head of the MWOBE

But Wiley's track record with the MWBE isn't the only criticism that opponents have of her. Wiley has been backed by Democrats who regularly speak out against special interests and big money in politics, but she has worked for organizations that have been bankrolled by hedge-fund billionaire George Soros for decades.

Soros has ties to Wiley that date back to the 1990s and last month he dropped $500,000 into an independent expenditure group, 1199 for Maya, that backs Wiley's City Hall campaign.

The contribution was matched dollar for dollar by 1199SEIU, an influential healthcare workers union that has endorsed Wiley.

The 57-year-old lives in a $2.75million, 4,000-sq-ft house in Brooklyn. Her husband Harlan Mandel, 58, is CEO of a multimillion dollar investment fund.

The mother-of-two calls school programs for talented kids 'racially discriminatory,' but she sent one daughter to an academy for the gifted and the other to a $51,000-a-year private school.

NYC mayoral candidate Maya Wiley leaving her $2.75million home in Brooklyn

NYC mayoral hopeful Eric Adams called Maya Wiley a hypocrite on Tuesday as he spoke at a campaign rally. Wiley wants to defund the NYPD. She can afford to spend $550 a month for private security in her Brooklyn neighborhood

A new poll puts Adams out in front for next week's primary election but with Maya Wiley surging into second place from third. The mayoral election is set for November

NYC Mayoral candidate Eric Adams, a 22-year veteran of the NYPD, slammed Wiley for hiring private security in her neighborhood while encouraging calls to defund the police.

Wiley and her husband pay $550 a month for a private security car to patrol the neighborhood of Brooklyn they live in, where they live in a $2.75million home.

He said, 'to learn that a candidate in the race has private security while they're saying to other families that are frightened over gun violence, that you don't need any more security. That's just not fair. That's not fair.'

A recent poll by PIX-11 suggested 23% of voters would choose Adams, followed by 18% for Wiley.

Wiley's 'defund the police' stance has also drawn controversy. During a final debate between the candidates last week, Wiley was one of the few candidates to not raise her hand when asked if they would put more cops on subway cars, despite a violent rise in stabbings and attacks.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a rally last week where she endorsed progressive candidates, including Maya Wiley, in upcoming election for city wide offices in City Hall Park

Wiley presents herself as a reformer, and advocates cutting one billion dollars from the NYPD's budget and reform how the department operates. She has said she wants to move $1 billion from its budget to community resources.

She also plans to appoint a civilian as the NYPD commissioner and reduce the department's 35,000 officers by roughly 2,500.

'Black and brown New Yorkers both experience higher crime rates, lower resolution in solving crime and more bad experiences with police officers,' Wiley said to the Wall Street Journal during an interview.

Elsewhere, Wiley has promised to create more affordable housing and improve education inequity in public schools.

In her five-year, $10 billion spending plan called 'New Deal New York' she claims she would be able to help the city recover from the pandemic through development, infrastructure repairs and the creation of 100,000 jobs.
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Prince Harry agreed to do his bombshell Oprah interview with Meghan Markle less than 24 hours after being told he would be stripped of his military titles, it was claimed today.

The Duke of Sussex is said to have become 'angry' at losing military appointments in the wake of 'Megxit' - a decision revealed on February 19 that was part of the final deal for him to step back from frontline royal duties.

A 'very cross' Harry, 36, agreed to an interview with Oprah Winfrey that weekend, it was claimed, before the bombshell programme with the US chat show host and his wife Meghan was broadcast on March 7.

A source told the Sun: 'Harry and Meghan were very cross before Oprah because the final Megxit separation had just been signed off which included Harry not keeping military roles. That was what made him so angry. He's very emotional and his military roles were very important to him given that he served.'

It has previously been suggested that the decision to do the interview came after the Duke and Duchess were reportedly told that their son Archie would not be made a prince when Prince Charles becomes king.

Prince Harry wears his dress uniform as Captain General of the Royal Marines as he attends the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in London with Meghan Markle on March 7, 2020, shortly before they stepped down as senior royals

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a bombshell chat which first aired on CBS on March 7

Harry's titles were taken back by the Queen (pictured at Royal Ascot on Saturday) as part of the final deal for him to step back

The topic was brought up in the couple's jaw-dropping 90-minute talk with Oprah which aired in Britain on ITV on March 8, one day after it was first shown on CBS.

Harry was stripped of his role as Captain-General of the Royal Marines - handed down to him by his grandfather Prince Philip, as part of the final deal for him to step back as a front line royal.

It was reported prior to the announcement of the final 'Megxit' deal in February that Prince Harry, who twice toured Afghanistan with the Army, had hoped to keep the titles.

What patronages did Harry lose and what does he now have left? Former soldier Harry, who served on the frontline in Afghanistan, is no longer the Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, or Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands' Small Ships and Diving following the announcement by Buckingham Palace in February. He also had to relinquish his role as president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. The duke is also no longer be patron of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League - roles which he took over from the Queen. Harry is also no longer patron of the London Marathon Charitable Trust. The role was on a three-year term, which was renewed twice, covering nine years. It came to an end in January, and it was decided it would not be renewed. However, he retained the following private patronages or presidencies: African Parks, Dolen Cymru, the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund, Invictus Games, MapAction, Rhino Conservation Botswana charity, Sentebale, and WellChild. Advertisement

And he is said to have asked the Queen about the possibility, in what was described as a half-in-half-out role.

But such a plan was vetoed and the title was taken back, along with his role as Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington in Suffolk and Commodore-in-Chief Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command.

The titles were initially returned to the Queen. The move to strip him of the titles 'devastated' Prince Harry, according to reports at the time.

Prince Harry later took part in his interview with Oprah, in which he and Meghan Markle made accusations of racism within the Royal Family.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace for comment.

The fresh reports come as The Mail on Sunday yesterday revealed how Prince Charles is to ensure that his two-year-old grandson Archie will never be a Prince.

The heir to the throne has made it clear that Harry and Meghan's son will have no place among frontline Royals as he plans a slimmed-down Monarchy after he becomes King.

The move has incensed the Sussexes and is thought to have prompted the series of bitter accusations the couple have levelled at Charles and the Royal Family from across the Atlantic.

A grandchild of the sovereign has long had the right to be a Prince, but Charles is determined to limit the number of key Royals, believing the public does not wish to pay for an ever-expanding Monarchy.

Charles has told the Sussexes that he will change key legal documents to ensure that Archie cannot get the title he would once have inherited by right, according to a source close to the couple.

The decision, which follows months of fraught discussion behind the scenes, has plunged relations between Harry and his relatives to a dangerous new low.

'Harry and Meghan were told Archie would never be a Prince, even when Charles became King,' confirmed the source.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with their son Archie in a photograph taken while Meghan was pregnant with Lilibet

Prince Charles meets NHS staff during a visit to Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London last week on June 17

Prince Harry dressed in full dress mess uniform with lapels on pins during the event at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020

The revelation comes amid a series of explosive claims by respected Royal biographer Robert Lacey.

The Duke of Sussex's military decorations Army Air Corps Wings

Knight Commander, Royal Victorian Order

Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan

Star of the Grand Cross Knight Commander, RVO Advertisement

Meanwhile, The Mail on Sunday learned that Harry demanded the right to approve at least one writer or journalist to work alongside the usual 'press pack' of Royal reporters at the unveiling of the statue to Princess Diana next month, so deep is his distrust of the British media.

The full details of Charles's plan for a slimmed-down Monarchy have never been revealed, but it has been speculated that only heirs to the throne and their immediate families will receive full titles, financial support from the public purse through the Sovereign Grant and police protection funded by the taxpayer.

Charles and his younger brother, the Duke of York, have already been at loggerheads about what security Andrew's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie should receive in future. Now Harry and Meghan have found themselves caught up, too.

Insiders suggest they hadn't seen the move coming, and were shocked to find that Charles will take the active step of changing legal instruments known as the Letters Patent in order to exclude Archie and others.

The loss will be all the more galling as the Sussexes havemade a point of refusing to use another, lesser title for their son, who is technically the Earl of Dumbarton. They took that decision safe in the knowledge that Archie would become a Prince in due course. Or so they thought.

Earlier this year, a source close to the Sussexes confirmed they did indeed expect Archie to be named a Prince when Charles, Archie's grandfather, acceded to the throne. Their spokesman at the time was even instructed to remind journalists of that 'fact'.

The move has incensed the Sussexes and is thought to have prompted the series of bitter accusations the couple have levelled at Charles and the Royal Family

Charles is determined to limit the number of key Royals, believing the public does not wish to pay for an ever-expanding Monarchy

The Sussexes finally learned that would not be the case just before sitting down with Oprah for their first bombshell interview in March.

Charles and his younger brother, the Duke of York, have already been at loggerheads about what security Andrew's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie should receive in future

Insiders suggest the issue was still raw at the time of the recording  which might help account for the devastating criticisms they unleashed on the show, including the damaging implication that an unnamed senior member of the Royal Family had referred to Archie in a racist way.

It also throws a spotlight on one section of the interview which had raised eyebrows at the time. Speaking to Oprah, Meghan recalled how, when she had been pregnant, 'They [the Royal Family] were saying they didn't want him to be a Prince or a Princess'.

She continued: 'You know, the other piece of that convention is, there's a convention  I forget if it was George V or George VI convention  that when you're the grandchild of the monarch, so when Harry's dad becomes King, automatically Archie and our next baby would become Prince or Princess, or whatever they were going to be But also it's not their right to take it away.'

This puzzled Royal watchers, who reminded the Sussexes they had very publicly declared that they didn't want a title for their son, who would be known as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Some pointed out that a son of Prince Harry's  a great-grandchild of the Queen  had no automatic right to be titled a Prince, or receive a security allowance. But that was to ignore the real drama taking place behind the scenes. Because Meghan was actually referring to the secret news that Archie would never become a Prince, not even when Charles was King.

Meghan Markle at the University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa, October 1, 2019

A source said: 'This is what nobody realised from the interview. The real thing was that Charles was going to take active steps to strip Archie of his ultimate birthright.'

Prince of Wales's plan not to include grandson among slimmed-down, lower cost frontline royals is revealed By Kate Mansey for the Mail on Sunday Prince Charles is to ensure that his two-year-old grandson Archie will never be a Prince, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The heir to the throne has made it clear that Harry and Meghan's son will have no place among frontline Royals as he plans a slimmed-down Monarchy after he becomes King. The move has incensed the Sussexes and is thought to have prompted the series of bitter accusations the couple have levelled at Charles and the Royal Family from across the Atlantic. A grandchild of the sovereign has long had the right to be a Prince, but Charles is determined to limit the number of key Royals, believing the public does not wish to pay for an ever-expanding Monarchy. Charles has told the Sussexes that he will change key legal documents to ensure that Archie cannot get the title he would once have inherited by right, according to a source close to the couple. The decision, which follows months of fraught discussion behind the scenes, has plunged relations between Harry and his relatives to a dangerous new low. 'Harry and Meghan were told Archie would never be a Prince, even when Charles became King,' confirmed the source. Advertisement

The existing rules for Royal titles were established in Letters Patent dated November 20, 1917.

In these, King George V, the Queen's grandfather, allowed the title of Prince and Princess to be given to the children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign's sons and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales  in this case, Prince George.

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, William's daughter and younger son, received their titles not by right but as gifts of the Queen, who issued new Letters Patent to that effect in 2013.

Similarly, when King, Charles will have the power to change George V's Letters Patent how he sees fit  and so streamline The Firm.

An insider said: 'Charles has never made any secret of the fact that he wants a slimmed-down Monarchy when he becomes King.

'He realises that the public don't want to pay for a huge Monarchy and, as he said, the balcony at Buckingham Palace would probably collapse.'

Even now, not all grandchildren of the Queen are titled Prince or Princess. As she is a daughter, not a son, of the sovereign, Princess Anne's children had no automatic right to the title but out of choice she also declined lesser titles for her children Peter and Zara.

The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, thought it prudent not to name his daughter and son as Princess and Prince. Instead, they are titled Lady and Viscount respectively.

A Royal source said last night: 'We are not going to speculate about the succession or comment on rumours coming out of America.'

It comes as Meghan today claimed that her two-year-old son Archie is a 'voracious' reader who 'loves' her new children's book, which she also said features a depiction of Princess Diana's favourite flower and is a 'love story' about life with Prince Harry 'in good times or bad'.

In an interview with NPR Weekend recorded before the birth of her daughter Lilibet, the Duchess of Sussex also revealed that she bought her husband a bench with an inscribed plaque for his first Father's Day and said she was 'inspired' to write the poem after watching him with Archie.

Her new 12.99 book The Bench has topped the New York Times Bestsellers List for children's picture books but sold just 3,212 copies in the UK its first week since publication on June 8.

Meghan Markle has written a children's book, The Bench, about the relationship between fathers and sons

The NPR interview is her first since she and Prince Harry accused the Royal Family of racism during their explosive sit-down chat with Oprah Winfrey in March - the first of a series of bombshell allegations made by the royal couple this year which have shaken the House of Windsor.

Prince Harry inspects a parade at RAF Honington in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on July 20, 2017

Speaking to NPR producer Samantha Balaban at 2.50pm (9.50am EST), the duchess said: 'I knew our son would notice all of those elements, and he loves the book, which is great because he has a voracious appetite for books and constantly when we read him a book he goes 'again, again, again'. But now the fact he loves The Bench and we can say 'Mommy wrote this for you' feels amazing.'

The duchess added: 'I think you can find sweet little moments that we hid in there - of my favourite flower, even my husband's mom's favorite flower, forget-me-nots. We wanted to make sure those were included in there. There are many, many special details and love that went into this book.'

She went on: 'As most of us do, you go, what am I going to get them as a gift? And I thought I just wanted something sentimental and a place for him to have as a bit of a home base with our son.

'I often find, and especially in this past year, I think so many of us realized how much happens in the quiet. It was definitely moments like that, watching them from out of the window and watching [Harry] just, you know, rock him [Archie] to sleep or carry him or, you know... those lived experiences, from my observation, are the things that I infused in this poem.'

Meghan added: 'It's a love story. It's really just about growing with someone and having this deep connection and this trust so that, be at good times or bad, you know that you had this person. I really hope that people can see this as a love story that transcends the story of my family.'

Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor - Harry and Meghan's second child, who was born on June 4 in Santa Barbara - also features in the book, which was illustrated before her birth.

Early reviews for the book were not universally positive, although one cooed that 'the book's storytelling and illustration give us snapshots of shared moments that evoke a deep sense of warmth'.
Boris Johnson last night faced mounting pressure to 'grasp the nettle' and fix social care after it emerged care home fees have soared by almost a third since the Tories came to power.

The Prime Minister is to hold crunch talks with the Chancellor and the Health Secretary tomorrow to draw up plans for reforms he first promised when he entered Downing Street two years ago.

The urgency of the situation was underlined last night as shock new figures showed that thousands of desperate families are being lumbered with crippling average bills of 35,000 a year.

The average fee for a residential home in 2019/20 stood at 672 a week  a rise of 3 per cent on the year before and 29 per cent higher than in 2011/12.

The huge costs leave dementia sufferers with far less to hand on to their children and often require the sale of the family home.

Last night former health secretary Jeremy Hunt urged Mr Johnson to put aside Treasury concerns and find the billions needed to fund a cap on care costs.

Boris Johnson (pictured) last night faced mounting pressure to 'grasp the nettle' and fix social care after it emerged care home fees have soared by almost a third since the Tories came to power. The Prime Minister is to hold crunch talks with the Chancellor and the Health Secretary tomorrow to draw up plans for reforms he first promised when he entered Downing Street two years ago [File photo]

Writing in the Mail, he said: 'Rather than put our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away, it is time to grasp the nettle. Come on Boris!'

The crucial meeting between the PM, Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock, scheduled for tomorrow, was revealed by the Daily Mail last week.

Mr Johnson is said to be in favour of a lifetime cap on the cost of care of 50,000, as proposed by economist Sir Andrew Dilnot a decade ago. The average length of stay in residential care is two years, meaning a cap set at this level would help thousands of people.

The Mail has been waging a long-running campaign to end the care crisis. And the Health Secretary is also eager for a solution to be agreed at tomorrow's meeting, believing the situation has been left to fester for too long.

But the Chancellor is concerned about the cost of up to 10billion a year. He has also said Tory governments should not do anything which could force an increase in personal taxation.

Mr Johnson is said to be in favour of a lifetime cap on the cost of care of 50,000, as proposed by economist Sir Andrew Dilnot a decade ago. The average length of stay in residential care is two years, meaning a cap set at this level would help thousands of people [Stock image]

But figures compiled by business analysts LaingBuisson and published by Which? show that in the decade since Sir Andrew brought forward his idea for a cap, care costs have soared.

Fees for nursing homes  for people who need round-the-clock medical care  are now 937 a week or 48,724 a year. This is an increase of 5 per cent in just one year and 33 per cent in eight years.

The figures, which cover the amount paid both by local councils and those who fund their own care, mask the fact that self-funders pay even more than this.

LaingBuisson said self-funders are typically charged 30 per cent more than councils  meaning the average annual cost of a residential care home place will actually be much more than 35,000. And the figures hide a desperate postcode lottery, with families in London and the South East having to pay significantly more.

The Mail has been waging a long-running campaign to end the care crisis. And the Health Secretary is also eager for a solution to be agreed at tomorrow's meeting, believing the situation has been left to fester for too long

Gavin Terry, of Alzheimer's Society, said: 'The pandemic laid bare the dire state of social care and the Government must now act. We must ensure families being bankrupted by care fees and woefully inadequate care provision are a thing of the past.'

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, added: 'Despite the efforts of the good people who work in social care, it's impossible to escape the conclusion that social care in England has become a miserable embarrassment.'

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'Ensuring we have a care system that is fit for the future remains a top priority and we will bring forward proposals for social care reform later this year.'

JEREMY HUNT: It's a do or die moment for my party over social care fees

Rarely has a behind-closed-doors shadowy Whitehall meeting mattered so much to the lives of so many. Tomorrow, if rumours are correct, Boris Johnson will sit down with Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock to decide whether or not to keep his manifesto promise on social care.

I wanted Boris's job in Downing Street and fought with every breath I had to beat him. But even I, his vanquished rival, had to take my hat off to the big-heartedness of the promise he made on the steps of Downing Street when he got the job.

Those words brought hope to millions: 'I am announcing now  on the steps of Downing Street  that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.'

Optimistic words from a prime minister who has made defying the 'gloomsters' his trademark. And now we need that optimism more than ever to turn Britain into a country where everyone can face the prospect of old age with confidence and security. For that they need to know there will be a decent safety net to make sure everyone gets the care they need  just like the NHS does for health.

They also need to know the loved ones they leave behind won't lose all their savings if they end up with dementia and having to pay expensive care home fees.

But is it too expensive? Understandably some of our national bean-counters are worried it may be, with our national finances shot to pieces by the pandemic.

Tomorrow, if rumours are correct, Boris Johnson (pictured) will sit down with Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock to decide whether or not to keep his manifesto promise on social care

It's time for this Conservative government to fix social care so we can all sleep soundly at night knowing that whatever fate throws at us, we live in a society where every single older person will be treated with dignity and respect [Stock image]

My select committee said last year that this broken system needs a minimum of 7billion more added to its budget every year  an eye-watering sum.

But that was not right away  rather a sum to build up to over the years ahead.

Look underneath the numbers, which the Health Foundation helped us to calculate, and in the short term they are pretty manageable. For example, if the proposals for a cap on care costs  as recommended by Andrew Dilnot  were introduced from April 2023, the additional annual cost would be less than a billion pounds a year in the last year of the parliament.

Not small change by any means  but easily manageable compared to the 23billion we already spend on adult social care annually. The costs do then go up significantly  but crucially not in the immediate post-pandemic period when we are having to fund other pressures such as the NHS backlog.

There are of course other things we need to fix too  in particular merging the system with the NHS and making sure local authorities can fulfil their duties.

But we will have to pay many of these anyway because they are caused by increases in the number of older people and promised rises in the national living wage.

We also need to consider what will happen if we do nothing, as I know to my cost from my time as health secretary: the system will just carry on doing what it always has done and export its most vulnerable patients back into NHS hospitals.

People need to know the loved ones they leave behind won't lose all their savings if they end up with dementia and having to pay expensive care home fees. Pictured: Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is believed to be attending a meeting on social care on Tuesday

Tomorrow is a do-or-die moment for social care. Conservatives have always respected the different generations that make up the fabric of our society. Pictured: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who is believed to be attending a meeting on social care on Tuesday

Nothing could be worse as we try to bring down the waiting times for five million people  and we are guaranteed winter crisis after winter crisis when hospitals fill up. So rather than put our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away, it is time to grasp the nettle.

Come on Boris! On top of what we are going to have to pay anyway  because of demography and manifesto commitments to protect people's homes  the additional amounts necessary are much smaller than the headline figures. Japan and Germany have both grasped the nettle  surely we can too?

Tomorrow is a do-or-die moment for social care. Conservatives have always respected the different generations that make up the fabric of our society.

It's time for this Conservative government to get this done so we can all sleep soundly at night knowing that whatever fate throws at us, we live in a society where every single older person will be treated with dignity and respect.
Caroline Crouch was smothered to death in her sleep, new smartwatch data has revealed, contradicting claims by her husband that he throttled her during a fight.

A coroner revealed the 20-year-old Briton was asleep at 4.05am on May 11 before a sudden burst of activity was recorded on the watch.

That is the moment that husband Babis Anagnostopoulos began suffocating her, according to new testimony released by police in which he speaks about laying down next to her in bed before 'pressing the front of her face... to the pillow.'

Meanwhile an elderly neighbour revealed that the family is considering changing Caroline's gravestone because it currently features a photo of her on her wedding day along with the inscription: 'Our beloved mother, wife and daughter.'

Speaking at Miss Crouch's grave on a hill overlooking the sparkling Aegean Sea, one elderly neighbour sobbed and pointed to the cruel irony of the inscription.

She said: 'He did not love his wife. This stone will have to be changed.'

The gravestone of murdered Briton Caroline Crouch shows the mother smiling on her wedding day in 2018

Further details have emerged of Anagnostopoulos's account to police of the night Miss Crouch, 20, was suffocated in front of the couple's baby daughter Lydia.

Anagnostopoulos had claimed to detectives as part of his burglary fiction that masked raiders had been after 10,000 in cash hidden in the house that was due to pay for building work on a plot of land the couple had bought.

However, police now say there was never any cash in the house - the detail had simply been invented by Anagnostopoulos to give a motive for the robbery.

Police also revealed harrowing diary entries written by Miss Crouch about the bitter fights between the pair, who lived a seemingly idyllic life in a wealthy Athens suburb.

When pregnant, in December 2019, she wrote: 'I fought with Babi again. This time it was serious. I hit him, I cursed at him and he broke down the door... I am thinking of leaving.'

Initially, Anagnostopoulos, 33, cynically staged a robbery  even strangling the family dog  before leading detectives on a merry dance and playing the tearful widower for five weeks, weeping at her funeral and hugging her grieving mother Susan.

He finally confessed last week after police nailed him with data from her fitness tracker which recorded that her pulse had stopped an hour before he claimed robbers had burst in.

Having first claimed the couple had a blazing row and that 'she pushed me and punched me... she threw the child inside the crib', Anagnostopoulos now admits she was 'sleeping... with her face resting on the pillow', according to an extract of his police interview made public yesterday.

Miss Crouch, 20, was suffocated by her husband, Greek helicopter pilot Babis Anagnostopoulos, in front of their baby daughter Lydia

Anagnostopoulos confessed: 'I laid down next to her, trying to tell her that what she did to Lydia was very bad. I pressed the front of her face, that is, her mouth, nose and eyes, to the pillow.

'I think I was pressing her head with the weight of my body. While I was pushing her I told her two or three times: 'You will not hit the little one again'.

Anger at death spreads across Greece The horror of Caroline Crouch's murder sparked poignant rallies across Greece at the weekend. Her death has aroused national anger in the same way as the Sarah Everard killing in south London prompted heartfelt public gatherings. Women, dressed in black, carried placards and lit candles in protest at rising cases of domestic violence. Some had red handprints on their necks, referring to the fact that Miss Crouch was asphyxiated. With slogans including 'wife-killers possess our home keys', they marched on parliament in Athens and held smaller rallies in the city of Patras and elsewhere. Protesters said domestic violence was often swept under the carpet and Miss Crouch had been killed by a wealthy, white, middle-class man  rather than the 'cheap foreign criminals' he had initially blamed. The Greek Network for Feminism, which organised the rallies, said: 'One of the most horrific murders in the world, that of 20-year-old Caroline, has been added to the long and... endless list of murders of women in our country. '[Her] killing fills us with rage and anger at the murderous sexism that this system reproduces. One of the main motivations of men to kill is their effort to control and "own" women.' Advertisement

'This must have lasted for about five minutes, until I realised that Caroline had stopped moving. Then I panicked.'

The coroner said former schoolteacher Miss Crouch's pulse data showed her asleep until 4.05am, on May 11, when her tracker suddenly recorded a sharp burst of heart activity.

A struggle went on for six minutes, until her heart flatlined at 4.11am.

Hours earlier, Anagnostopoulos had removed the memory cards from security cameras.

More testimony given to police by Anagnostopoulos also reveals how he praised Caroline to detectives, describing her as 'smart, very creative with humor and imagination' adding that 'everyone liked her' in an attempt to paint the pair as a happy couple.

'My wife and I had a happy family and we were happy to be in our own house in a short time, but this tragedy that happened to us destroyed us,' Greek site Protothema reports.

'She was a girl who, despite her young age, took initiatives, found solutions and was active.

'I had a dream to get married on the beach and we decided that we wanted the wedding to take place in Portugal.

'80% of it she organized over the phone. Caroline had taken care of it and did everything perfectly.'

Only 100 yards from the cemetery where Miss Crouch is buried, on the island of Alonnisos, Susan and David Crouch, living at their retirement home, mourn their daughter.

Family friends say they are so shellshocked by their son-in-law's 'evil betrayal', they have not even felt able to make the short walk to her grave since the funeral.

Family friend Kostas Mavrikis said: 'I was crying with Babis when he gave his speech at her funeral. Imagine how betrayed Susan feels  she used to trust him, he was hugging her at the funeral.

'It's like she died twice: once when her daughter died and again when she learnt who killed her.'

Meanwhile, the killer ate a hearty meal and 'slept like a baby' in his first night behind bars, according to Greek media.

He requested his brother bring him a book by geophysicist David Bercovici titled The Origins of Everything.

Another friend, Kiki Anagnostou, said: 'His behaviour at her funeral was bordering on cold-blooded. I remember he held the baby in his arms the whole time.'

Baby Lydia faces a tug of love over who will bring her up, now that her mother is dead and her father faces being jailed until she is in her 20s.

Her fate will be decided by a court in about 90 days. In the meantime, a prosecutor must decide whether the 11-month-old should stay with her father's parents in Athens, go to her mother's parents on Alonnisos, or be placed with social services.

The image of the grave comes as new data from Miss Crouch's smartwatch wristband blows apart Agnostopoulos's claims that he killed her after losing his temper during a fight

Anagnostopoulos has begged that his daughter grow up 'in the family', telling his lawyer Alexandros Papaioannidis: 'I am devastated and everything I did, I did with my child in mind.'

Tomorrow in Athens, he faces another court hearing, following an initial appearance last Friday.

His lawyer said: 'He will speak the truth to the court, without hiding anything. Unfortunately, his life was ruined.'
Transgender veterans will be offered gender confirmation surgery paid for by the US Department of Veterans' Affairs, its secretary announced Saturday.

Denis McDonough told an event in Orlando to celebrate Pride Month that the move was 'the right thing to do'.

He spoke a week after the fifth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in the Florida city, which saw 49 people killed at the gay bar.

McDonough said the new policy was part of an effort to overcome a 'dark history' of discrimination against LGBTQ service members.

Denis McDonough, the Veterans' Affairs Secretary, on Saturday announced that his department would begin to pay for gender confirmation surgery for all veterans

Gender confirmation surgery used to be known as gender reassignment surgery, and involves changing a trans person's body to align with the gender they identify as.

The cost was of the program unclear, but Terrence Hayes, VA spokesman, told The Washington Post that they expect fewer than 4,000 people to take up the offer.

VA statistics estimate that there are a total of 134,000 transgender veterans, although it is unclear whether they have already gone gender confirmation surgery, or have decided not to do so.

The cost of medical treatments can add up to more than $100,000, Insider reported in 2019. Fees for the surgery are often not covered by insurance companies, which consider the procedures cosmetic. Many trans people say having a body that matches the gender they identify as is crucial to their mental health and wellbeing.

The move is just the first step in what's likely to be a years-long federal rulemaking process to expand VA health benefits to cover the surgery, but McDonough said the VA will use the time to 'develop capacity to meet the surgical needs' of transgender veterans.

The decision, he said, will allow 'transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.' McDonough also referenced what he said were higher rates of mental illness and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ veterans, and a fear of discrimination that prevents those veterans from seeking care.

'We're making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,' he said.

McDonough spoke during Pride Month, with celebrations taking place across the country. Pictured is a June 12 rally in Washington DC

McDonough was previously Barack Obama's chief of staff. He's pictured sitting next to Hillary Clinton on May 2, 2011, when Osama bin Laden was killed. At the time McDonough was Deputy National Security Advisor

McDonough said the decision was based on the 'recommendation of our clinicians, so this is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.'

The National Center for Transgender Equality estimates that there are more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender individuals serving in the military today.

McDonough's announcement is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to expand protections and benefits to transgender individuals in the military.

In 1994, the U.S. adopted 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' as the official federal policy on military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals, meaning that LGBTQ service members had to keep their sexuality a secret.

The policy was repealed by Barack Obama on September 20, 2011, allowing openly gay people to serve in the country's armed forces.

In May 2016, a study commissioned by Ash Carter, the defense secretary, and carried out by the RAND Corporation found that allowing transgender people to serve openly would 'cost little and have no significant impact on unit readiness.'

The study estimated that 2,450 active-duty members were transgender and predicted that around 65 would seek to transition each year. It estimated that the cost to the Pentagon of those procedures would be $2.9 million to $4.2 million a year.

In July 2016 the U.S. formally opened up the military to transgender individuals.

In 2017, Trump reversed Obama's policy. He claimed it was a waste of resources and would affect combat readiness, despite multiple retired top officials blasting the ban as cruel political point-scoring.

Just days into his term, President Joe Biden signed an executive order overturning a Trump administration ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

And in February, McDonough ordered a review of the department's policies to 'ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.'

Gina Duncan, director of transgender equality for the statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization Equality Florida, told the Orlando Sentinel that her agency was 'thrilled to have allies at the highest level of government.'

She pointed out that the Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has recently banned transgender girls from taking part in women's sport.

'In a moment of fierce state and local backlash against the transgender community, this move by the Biden administration is a reminder that elections matter,' Duncan said.

'Support for transgender veterans and the lifesaving health care they need to live authentically is a critical component to fulfilling our nation's promise of caring for those who've served.'
There will be one item on the agenda when Scott Morrison chairs an emergency national cabinet meeting on Monday - the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

The prime minister will chair the meeting via video link from The Lodge, where he is in isolation following his European trip last week.

The meeting was called last week after Australia's health experts decided the AstraZenaca vaccine should now be given only to people over 60, rather than over 50s as was their previous advice.

It followed fresh concerns over extremely rare clotting events following the vaccination, which has caused two deaths among the 3.8 million doses that have been delivered.

Pfizer is now the preferred jab for anyone under the age of 60, as AstraZeneca is feared to heighten the risk of blood clots in younger age groups (pictured, a nurse receives the Pfizer jab in Adelaide)

It will put extra pressure on rolling out the Pfizer vaccine.

Chief Nursing Officer Alison McMillan told reporters in Canberra on Sunday a vaccine update would be delivered after the meeting.

Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said the Commonwealth's vaccine rollout was an 'absolute shambles'.

'We do not have the supply of second doses from the Commonwealth to match the demand for first doses,' he told reporters in Melbourne.

Western Australia Health Minister Roger Cook is equally frustrated by supply limitations.

'But we're working with what we've got and WA has been very successful. We have vaccinated a higher proportion of our population than any mainland state,' he told reporters in Perth.

The prime minister will chair the meeting via video link from The Lodge, where he is in isolation following his European trip last week (pictured with French President Emmanuel Macron)

Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said the Commonwealth's vaccine rollout was an 'absolute shambles'

Professor McMillan said despite the changes to the rollout, people in the 50-59 age group who had had their first shot of AstraZenaca vaccine were strongly recommended to get their second jab.

'That's how you'll get maximum protection and that's part of the two-dose program,' she said.

The recommendation came as the virus outbreak in Sydney's southeastern suburbs grew to nine cases, with three new locally acquired infections emerging on Sunday.

Some Sydneysiders are being ordered to don masks at indoor venues amid the city's growing outbreak.

At the same time, a flight attendant has tested positive for coronavirus in Brisbane despite undergoing the full 14 days of hotel quarantine.

Queensland authorities suspected the woman picked up the Delta strain from a passenger aboard the Emirates flight, which landed arrived in Brisbane on June 5.

But genomic sequencing results have shown she does not have the more infectious variant.

Gold Coast nurse Zoe Park receives Queensland's first Covid-19 vaccine from clinical nurse consultant Kellie Kenway at Gold Coast University Hospital

Staff at CSL are seen working in the lab producing the AstraZeneca vaccine, now only used for over-60s

Professor McMillan reported 64,500 doses of vaccines were administered on Saturday, 3700 more than the same day last week.

'We were concerned we may see a drop off in people getting vaccinated but I think these numbers are really encouraging,' she said.

Despite fresh outbreaks in NSW and Queensland, Western Australia will move to ease restrictions for hospitality venues from Wednesday.

The changes will remove the 75 per cent capacity cap and two square metre density limit on WA businesses under 'phase five' of its roadmap, which was repeatedly delayed last year.

Premier Mark McGowan said the state's border permit system and contact tracing and testing regimes had emboldened authorities to make the long-awaited move.

'We're very confident that this is the right time to make this decision,' he told reporters.

'We're aware there's some issues going on over east but, frankly, there's always issues going on over east.'
PCR tests must be made cheaper to help to protect the UK against Covid variants, MPs demanded last night.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus also called for automatic e-gates at airports to be upgraded to reduce queues and waiting times in arrival halls in the summer holidays.

They said the proposed digital Covid passport for international travel should include test results to reduce the need for paper documents in transport terminals. And they suggested the cost of PCR tests could be lowered by VAT exemptions or price caps.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP who is vice-chairman of the group, said: 'The rapid growth of the Delta variant has shown how we must be vigilant against the risks posed by international travel. Yet despite repeated warnings, ministers are still failing to address overcrowding at airports or fake test certificates that are allowing Covid cases to slip through the cracks.

'Upgrading e-gates and digitising test results would reduce the risk of transmission in airports and ensure we are no longer relying solely on border force officials to spot fraudulent documents. The Government must learn from its mistakes and ensure its border policy is watertight.'

PCR tests must be made cheaper to help to protect the UK against Covid variants, MPs demanded last night [Stock image]

Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, the group's chairman, said: 'Any digital Covid green pass for international travel should include test results in addition to vaccination status to better defend against new variants.

'The Government must not yet again allow international travel to jeopardise the hard-won progress we've made against the virus.

'Once this is in place, the Government should also consider measures to reduce the costs of tests such as a VAT exemption or a price cap, as has been done in other European countries.

'Until we vaccinate the world, testing will remain crucial to our efforts to detect new variants and keep the virus under control.'

The MPs' demands come after they heard evidence from the Airports Operators Association warning that the deadline to upgrade e-gates by autumn was 'preposterous' and that it should have taken place 'before the summer'.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus also called for automatic e-gates at airports to be upgraded to reduce queues and waiting times in arrival halls in the summer holidays [Stock image]

The report warns that 'current measures put in place at UK entry points by the UK Government are not sufficient to address the threat of importation of new variants'.

It adds that because vaccination does not fully protect against carrying and passing on new variants of Covid-19, a negative PCR test for inbound travellers should continue to be required for the time being.

It says this requirement should remain in place until a high level of vaccination is attained globally, reducing the risk of new variants emerging.

A Daily Mail campaign is calling for ministers to reduce the cost of PCR tests so they can be made cheaper for travellers.
Families desperately hoping for a summer of freedom were given a double boost last night.

The success of the vaccine rollout means ministers are looking to ease strict rules on both self-isolation and travel quarantine.

Matt Hancock wants to ditch the stay-at-home order for fully-vaccinated people who come into contact with Covid cases. And those who have had two jabs would also be able to avoid remaining indoors after holidays abroad.

A Whitehall source said there was a 'keenness to get going' with this relaxation of curbs as soon as August as long as it was safe. Ministers had been hesitant to favour vaccinated people but now believe it is no longer unfair to do so.

The success of the vaccine rollout means ministers are looking to ease strict rules on both self-isolation and travel quarantine

'Now we're at the point where all over-18s can book, the balance of fairness has shifted because of the progress we've made and where we're at with the programme,' the source said.

It is not clear whether there would be an exemption for children  or for those who are unable to be vaccinated.

Some 59.5 per cent of British adults have had two doses of a vaccine and 81.6 per cent have had at least one dose.

As the UK recorded another 9,284 coronavirus cases and six deaths:

A million jabs were booked over the weekend in a 'summer sprint' to vaccinate all over-18s by the new 'Freedom Day' date of July 19;

Vaccines expert Brendan Wren said there was 'great hope' that England would be able to relax all Covid restrictions two weeks earlier, on July 5.

But health officials warned another lockdown might be needed during a 'pretty miserable winter' even though hospitals were coping well;

Manchester's Andy Burnham accused Nicola Sturgeon's government of 'hypocrisy' over its ban on Scots travelling to north-west England;

MPs demanded cheaper PCR tests and airport upgrades to guard against Covid variants;

Social media firms including Snapchat and TikTok have signed up to a Government plan to encourage younger people to get the Covid jab;

Train passengers in England can buy flexible season tickets from today in a reflection of the shift to working from home.

Ministers have been buoyed by the effectiveness of vaccines against the Indian or Delta variant, with the latest data suggesting just one in ten patients in hospital with Covid  84 in 806  had received both doses.

Under the plans, daily lateral flow testing would replace the isolation and quarantine rules for the double jabbed, although no final decisions have been made. A pilot study with up to 40,000 participants is under way and is due to report before the end of the summer.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove took part earlier this month after he was notified that he had come into contact with someone who had tested positive. Anybody who has been notified through NHS Test and Trace as a contact of a positive case must self-isolate for ten days, regardless of their vaccination status.

But under the pilot scheme, people are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate if they take a rapid test daily for a week. They must continue to test negative and not develop symptoms.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland yesterday said ministers were 'trying to be as flexible as we can' with quarantine and self-isolation rules.

He told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show that evidence was still developing on double vaccinations but it 'looks really encouraging, we're trying to be as flexible as we can'.

Dr Susan Hopkins, strategy chief for Public Health England, said there may be 'alternatives to isolation' for holidaymakers who have been double vaccinated.

She told the BBC yesterday: 'We've talked a lot to countries like Israel who are ahead of us in the vaccination campaign, and they are now really looking at allowing people to come into their country who've had two vaccines and not needing to isolate, and they are allowing their population to travel more.

'We will need to be alert and will need to consider how we can measure the response of these vaccines to new variants that come along.

'But we are moving steps forward, and I think that in a time in the future, I'm not sure when, I can imagine a situation where we will have alternatives to isolation for people who have two doses of the vaccine.' Paul Charles of the PC Agency, a travel consultancy, said there was 'absolutely no reason why those who are double jabbed should have to quarantine from an amber country when they return to the UK'.

He said the UK was 'an outlier' and could not carry on with this 'ridiculous policy', with both the US and EU now having removed the requirement to quarantine for fully-vaccinated arrivals.

Analysis of official data showed there were no 'variants of concern' found in passengers arriving from 'amber' countries from May 20 to June 9. And there were no positive cases among arrivals from green list countries, where ten-day quarantine is not required.

Professor Wren, who is based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said England might open up 'sooner rather than later' thanks to the success of the vaccine programme.

He added: 'We'd still need to be vigilant  but vigilance and vaccination are the two words. If the numbers continue to be promising then I think there's great hope we could open up on July 5.'
Scott Morrison has hit back at accusations of hypocrisy from Australians after an image of him standing outside an English pub sparked outrage.

The Jamaica Inn hotel in Cornwall posted a social media image of the Australian Prime Minister visiting their drinking hole for a weekend lunch, during the three-day G7 summit at Carbis Bay, a one-hour drive away.

The Launceston village hotel's Facebook page was inundated with messages protesting against Australia's ban on citizens travelling overseas or foreigners visiting Australia to see family and friends.

On Monday, Mr Morrison said the pub was one of several places in the UK he visited during his trip and called the photo opportunity 'pretty innocent'.

He also responded to claims his staff planned a side trip for him while overseas so he could explore his convict heritage.

The prime minister said he visited the hometown of his fifth great-grandfather William Roberts - who stole five-and-a-half pounds of yarn and was sent to Australia as a prisoner on the First Fleet in 1786.

Scroll down for audio

An image of Scott Morrison standing outside an English pub has sparked angry accusations of hypocrisy as Australians face yet another year of overseas travel bans

'I think it was pretty innocent and I think thats massively overstating it,' he told 2GB host Ben Fordham from self-isolation following his return to Australia.

Poll Is it hypocritical for Scott Morrison to fly to the UK as Australians are banned from travelling overseas? Yes No Is it hypocritical for Scott Morrison to fly to the UK as Australians are banned from travelling overseas? Yes 1362 votes

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'After the G7 on the way back to the airport we stopped at a place that just happened to be where my fifth great-grandfather was from.'

Mr Morrison was driven to the Cornwall village of St Keverne under police escort on the last day of the conference, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

He was then given a personal tour of its graveyard by a historical society commissioned to research his family history.

His fifth great-grandfather was born in St Keverne in 1755.

Mr Morrison's 17,000km visit to England last Tuesday, Australian time, yielded a free-trade deal with the UK, following the June 11 to 13 summit.

The G7 also condemned China's human rights abuses and called for a fresh inquiry into the origins of Covid, demonstrating the US, UK and the Europe Union could be united in the face of a more aggressive Communist superpower.

Mr Morrison was accompanied by personal advisers, public servants from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with Australian High Commission staff, based in London, during his pub visit on Sunday, Australian time.

His office also confirmed an official photographer and a press secretary were part of the entourage to the UK.

Mr Morrison's entourage of 20 staff was significantly smaller than US President Joe Biden's 1,100 personnel.

St-Keverne Local History Society representative Karen Richards gave Mr Morrison a personal tour of the village's graveyard after being tasked with finding out about his Cornish family history

The Jamaica Inn hotel, in Cornwall, posted a social media image of the Australian Prime Minister visiting their drinking hole for a weekend lunch, during the three-day G7 summit at Carbis Bay, a one-hour drive away

The Jamaica Inn hotel, in the Cornwall county village of Launceston, posted a social media image of the Australian Prime Minister visiting their drinking hole following the three-day G7 summit at Carbis Bay, a one-hour drive away

'The Prime Minister is travelling with seven personal staff including his senior national security and international policy adviser, his senior defence adviser, a senior media adviser and photographer to manage travelling media and local media engagements, his executive officer and his director of programme and advancer,' a spokeswoman for the PM told Daily Mail Australia.

With the Australian government expecting to keep the travel ban in place until at least mid-2022, Melbourne engineer Kim Bernadette suggested Mr Morrison could have joined the G7 by Zoom like his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, whose country has recently battled a deadly Covid second wave.

'He could have participated as a guest via zoom, as the Indian PM did,' she tweeted.

The Launceston village hotel's Facebook page has been inundated with messages protesting against Australia's ban on citizens travelling overseas or foreigners visiting Australia to see family and friends

'Double standards when Australians can't leave the country.

'It's tone deaf for Scott Morrison to be in the UK with an entourage of 20.

'Australia isn't a member of the G7.'

Mr Morrison's spokeswoman said meeting world leaders in person was better than over Zoom.

'The G7 and meetings in Singapore, the UK and France are a unique opportunity for the Prime Minister to ensure Australia is at the table with the world's largest democracies for vitally important security, health and economic talks,' she said.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Australia, India and South Korea to the June 11 to 13 G7 summit, even though they are not permanent members of the Group of Seven nations. Mr Johnson is pictured left with Mr Morrison centre and US President Joe Biden right on June 12

With the PM and not ordinary people allowed to travel to and from Australia, an English grandmother lamented at how she was yet to meet her two-month old granddaughter in Victoria.

'We last hugged our daughter who lives outside Melbourne in August 2019,' she said.

'We now have a grand daughter born April this year. When will we get to meet her?

'How old will she be?'

A Facebook group, UK Mums in Australia, protested about the ban on permanent residents leaving Australia for social visits unrelated to work.

'I cannot begin to tell you how rage-inducing this happy snap is for our community and for everyone stuck here in Australia with family in the UK,' it said.

'The double standard of it all is astounding. Parents according to Scott Morrison (ScoMo) are not considered immediate family in Australia.

With the Australian government expecting to keep the travel ban in place until at least mid-2022, Melbourne engineer Kim Bernadette suggested Mr Morrison could have joined in by Zoom like his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, whose country has recently battled a deadly Covid second wave

'We are separated from partners, children, parents and grandparents with no road map from the government when we can see them again.'

The social media pile-on, featuring an image of that English pub, spilled over into Mr Morrison's Facebook page.

On woman defended the Prime Minister, among a sea of hostile comments.

'All the left wing whingers are here,' she said.

In limited circumstances, Australia's Department of Home Affairs is allowing overseas travel for work-related purposes or for compassionate reasons like a funeral on the proviso Australians quarantine for 14 days when they arrive home, regardless if they have been vaccinated or not for Covid-19.

Scott Morrison's visit to England yielding a free-trade deal with the UK. He is pictured with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson outside 10 Downing Street in London

An English grandmother lamented at how she was yet to meet her two-month old granddaughter in Australia

Social visits overseas, however, have been banned since the start of the Covid pandemic in March 2020.

Mr Morrison on Sunday, Australian time, defended the overseas travel ban after being asked at a press conference about his English country pub visit.

'What they can do is that they can go to sporting games,' he said during a media conference at the St Illogan Church in the UK.

'They can go to work. They can live in an economy that is bigger today than before.

French President Emmanuel Macron with Mr Morrison at the Elysee Palace in Paris last Tuesday

'That hasn't seen the terrible number of deaths that we've seen in other parts of the world.'

Asked when Australians would be able to travel overseas again, Mr Morrison said: 'When the medical advice suggests that we should.'

Unlike returned Australian travellers or his entourage to the UK, Mr Morrison won't have to quarantine for 14 days at a cramped hotel.

In December, he confined himself to The Lodge in Canberra after a visit to Japan to meet his new counterpart Yoshihide Suga and Mr Morrison will do that again when he returns to Australia from the UK.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Australia, India and South Korea to the June 11 to 13 G7 summit, even though they are not permanent members of the Group of Seven nations

Mr Johnson used Mr Morrison's UK visit to sign a UK-Australia free-trade deal, the first such bilateral arrangement since Brexit was finalised in January 2020, shortly before the Covid pandemic was declared. The deal will give Australian farmers better access to the UK market to sell their agricultural exports, with China slapping punitive tariffs and trade sanctions on Australian barley and lamb

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Australia, India and South Korea to the June 11 to 13 G7 summit, even though they are not permanent members of the Group of Seven nations.

Mr Johnson used Mr Morrison's UK visit to sign a UK-Australia free-trade deal, the first such bilateral arrangement since Brexit was finalised in January 2020, shortly before the Covid pandemic was declared.

The deal, inked at 10 Downing Street in London, will give Australian farmers better access to the UK market to sell their agricultural exports, with China slapping punitive tariffs and trade sanctions on Australian barley and lamb.

The G7 also condemned China, Australia's biggest trading partner, for its treatment of Muslim Uighurs and the curtailing of Hong Kong's liberal freedoms.

A Facebook group, UK Mums in Australia, protested about the ban on permanent residents leaving Australia for social visits unrelated to work

Launceston in the UK's Cornwall county is a world away from Australia. During the 2019 election Mr Morrison visited another Launceston, in northern Tasmania. His meet and greet with voters in the Sporties Hotel helped the Liberal Party win the crucial marginal seat of Bass from Labor

It also called for a new World Health Organisation investigation into the origins of Covid, after President Biden ordered a new intelligence inquiry into whether the virus had escaped from a laboratory at Wuhan.

Local issues rather than international factors are more likely to decide who wins the next Australian election, due to be held by May 2022.

Launceston in the UK's Cornwall county is a world away from Australia.

During the 2019 election Mr Morrison visited another Launceston, in northern Tasmania.

His meet and greet with voters in the Sporties Hotel helped the Liberal Party win the crucial marginal seat of Bass from Labor, despite numerous opinion polls having former Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as the favourite to win the election.

Just seven months after winning the May 2019 election, Mr Morrison's popularity fell after he was photographed at Hawaii just before Christmas as bushfires raged across New South Wales and Queensland

While the travel ban is unpopular with social media activists, the pub test may well decide if the Coalition wins a fourth, consecutive term next year, which would be the first since 2004 when John Howard was PM.

Just seven months after winning the May 2019 election, Mr Morrison's popularity fell after he was photographed at Hawaii just before Christmas as bushfires raged across New South Wales and Queensland.

A month later, the first case of Covid came to Australia.

Nonetheless, a travel bubble with New Zealand that began in April has seen visitor arrivals to Australia almost triple in just one month, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed. In April, 22,610 people flew into Australia for a short stay, up from 8,320 in March. Of those short-term visitors, 16,320 came from New Zealand, a big increase from 2,060 the previous month

Zali Steggall, the independent member for Warringah on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and Liberal MP Dave Sharma have voiced concerns about the overseas travel ban.

Nonetheless, a travel bubble with New Zealand that began in late April has seen visitor arrivals to Australia almost triple in just one month, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Tuesday showed.

In April, 22,610 people flew into Australia for a short stay, up from 8,320 in March.

Of those short-term visitors, 16,320 came from New Zealand, a big increase from 2,060 the previous month.
Dietmar Hamann has insisted Cristiano Ronaldo's audacious piece of showboating in Portugal's defeat by Germany at Euro 2020 made him look like a 'fool'.

Ronaldo, who netted the first goal of the clash but later found himself on the losing side, caught the eye with a jaw-dropping moment of trickery when looping the ball over the head of Antonio Rudiger.

But Hamann believes the piece of skill, which quickly sparked pandemonium on social media, simply spurred Germany on to win the heavyweight clash.

Cristiano Ronaldo was slammed by Dietmar Hamann for a piece of skill in the loss by Germany

Portugal talisman Ronaldo flicked the ball over Antonio Rudiger with his team ahead by a goal

A typically confident Ronaldo managed to hold off defender Rudiger when Portugal were leading by one goal early in the first half, before deftly chipping the ball into the air and spinning quickly to control it.

In a move which caused spectators to wince, Ronaldo then stuck out his arms, as if he was pretending to catch the ball, and rounded off the humiliation by pulling off an inch-perfect no-look back-flick.

Hamann, however, failed to see the magic and instead took aim at the mercurial superstar, telling RTE: 'I think it's nonsense. He flicks the ball over, pretends he is going to catch it and back-heels it across, and looks away.

Rudiger getting the Ronaldo treatment pic.twitter.com/MdVAe8XbCZ  TalkAtiv General (@TalkativG) June 19, 2021

Hamann believes Ronaldo's audacious motion made him look like a 'fool' due to the final result

'Of course it is [amazing] and we know he can do that. I think, in a way he's belittling the opposition.

'This is at 1-0 and I'm sitting here while you all rave about it. Yes, he is the best, with Messi. He looks a fool now. This is 1-0. He does look the fool.

'If you ask the German players, they'll tell you now what they thought of it. They would have noticed that.

'I tell you now, all of them will say it may have given us an extra bit of whatever to change things.

Ronaldo netted his third goal of the tournament after rounding off a fine Portugal breakaway

'What is he trying to achieve? Maybe this [Germany comeback] is where it all started.'

Ronaldo netted his third goal of the tournament to finish a lightning counter-attack from Portugal, but was unable to prevent his team from capitulating in Munich.

Two own goals, with Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro the unfortunate players, put Germany in front - leaving their opponents reeling as both nations scrapped for crucial points in the 'Group of Death'.

Kai Havertz tucked home Germany's third goal as they came from behind to take the victory

Robin Gosens (left) hit the fourth for the home nation after arriving at the back post to head in

Kai Havertz then tucked home after yet another flowing move shortly after the second-half restart, and Robin Gosens put the result beyond doubt after arriving at the far post to score the fourth.

A consolation arrived late on for Portugal when Diogo Jota netted, but the state of Group F is poised on a knife edge heading into the final round of fixtures.

Portugal take on France, who top the group by a point, in Budapest - and Germany welcome Hungary at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored two superb goals as Switzerland secured third place in Group A at Euro 2020 with a 3-1 win over Turkey, but they now face an anxious wait to see if they will reach the last-16.

The Swiss, who finished level on four points with Wales but behind on goal difference, will hope to secure a spot in the knockouts as one of the four best third-placed finishers from the six groups.

Turkey, who finished fourth with three defeats, were tipped pre-tournament as dark horses, but will head home after a dismal effort in the group stage.

Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring his second goal against Turkey on Sunday

Shaqiri found the top corner with a lovely strike to double the lead in the first half

The forward then finished off a fine counter attack to pout the game to bed in the second half

The game encapsulated Turkey's tournament, as they began full of fire and fury and started at a scintillating pace, only to collapse quickly as Switzerland outmanoeuvred them tactically to take an early lead.

The Swiss took the lead when Haris Seferovic received a pass from Steven Zuber on the edge of the area before rifling the ball into the bottom right corner in the sixth minute.

Exasperated, Turkey regrouped and tried again, but they went 2-0 down when Zuber found Shaqiri in a similar position, and he curled an exquisite shot beyond the despairing dive of Ugurcan Cakir 20 minutes later.

Turkey had their chances, but Swiss keeper Yann Sommer made a string of superb first-half saves as they searched for their first goal of the tournament.

Haris Seferovic opened the scoring with a fine low strike just six minutes into the game

Seferovic celebrates after breaking the deadlock in the early stages of the group game

MATCH FACTS SWITZERLAND (3-4-1-2): Sommer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez, Widmer (Mbabu 90), Freuler, Zhaka, Zuber (Benito 85), Shaqiri (Vargas 75), Seferovic (Gavranovic 75), Embolo (Mehmedi 85); Subs not used: Zakaria, Mvogo, Sow, Fassnacht, Kobel, Schar, Comert Scorers: Seferovic (6), Shaqiri (26, 68) Booked: Xhaka TURKEY (4-1-4-1): Cakir, Celik, Demiral, Soyuncu, Muldur, Ayhan (Yokuslu 63), Under (Karaman 80), Turfan (Yazici 63), Kahveci (Kokcu 80), Calhanoglu (Tokoz 86), Yilmaz; Subs not used: Gunok, Bayindir, Antalyali, Kabak, Unal, R Yilmaz, Dervisoglu Scorers: Kahveci (62) Booked: Calhanoglu, Celik, Soyuncu Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia) Advertisement

Irfan Kahveci salvaged some pride for the Turks in the 62nd minute with a spectacular strike from distance to reduce the deficit, but their shortcomings were shown up again when Shaqiri fired home to complete a surging counter-attack.

With Shaqiri withdrawn, Granit Xhaka hit a post with a free kick as Switzerland continued to chase the goals that might have enabled them to take second spot, but to no avail.

For Turkey it was a dispiriting end to the as their talent-filled squad proved toothless in attack, in stark contrast to an effective Swiss outfit that may just live to fight another day.
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It was once a Dutch village - now it's America's most densely packed urban environment and the most recognisable and exciting metropolis in the world.

So declares author Marcia Reiss in her mesmerising book New York - Then and Now (Pavilion).

Marcia, previously the public affairs director for the New York City Department of Ports and Trade, takes the reader on a fascinating journey through New York's history, using archive pictures of famous locations in the city matched precisely with specially commissioned present-day images by Evan Joseph of the same spots in the present day.

Marcia writes: '[The book] places today's cityscape within the context of history, reflecting the changing and enduring aspects of life in New York.

'The historic photos reveal the many ways New Yorkers lived, worked and moved about the city, how they entertained themselves, followed the latest fashions, celebrated great events, and endured hardship and tragedy.'

Scroll down to see some of the book's intriguing old and new pictures, presented here side by side.

 Slide me  TIP OF MANHATTAN: The picture on the left was taken in 1935 and shows how even back then Manhattan was, in the words of the author, 'a distinctly massive clump of skyscrapers'. She reveals that some at the time wondered why the weight of the buildings didn't sink the island. 'Fortunately,' she writes, 'Manhattan's physical foundation was built on bedrock... formed hundreds of millions of years ago.' The shoreline seen here 'is all man's doing', with real estate extended since the 17th-century founding of the city by the Dutch using 'dirt and rocks'. And the 'wall of piers' along the Hudson River on the left 'was a testimony to the prominence of the Port of New York'. Most of the old piers are now parks and other public facilities, we learn, with the book adding: 'At least one thing on the waterfront is still the same: the orange Staten Island ferryboat was also running in the 1930s photo. The city began the service in 1905'

 Slide me  WORLD TRADE CENTER: The image on the left was taken on July 4, 1976, and shows the newly completed World Trade Center Twin Towers, designed by Japanese architect Minoru Yamasaki in 1962, dominating the skyline. When the 110-storey towers opened in 1976 they became the world's tallest buildings. The book reveals that the flat expanse of land along the shoreline covers 92 acres - and was generated from the excavation for the skyscrapers. The boats in the picture were taking part in the bicentennial Operation Sail celebration, which featured tall ships from around the world. In the modern-day picture on the right, photographer Evan Joseph has caught sunlight bouncing mesmerisingly off the 104-storey, 1,776ft-tall (541m) One World Trade Center, which author Marcia explains was 400ft taller than the Twin Towers and the first building to rise at Ground Zero when it was completed in 2014

 Slide me  MANHATTAN FROM THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE: The image on the left was taken in 1876, when the towers of the under-construction Brooklyn Bridge were the tallest structures in Manhattan, and the year the Manhattan tower was completed. The picture was taken from the top of the tower on the Brooklyn side. Marcia writes: 'This picture was taken seven years before the span and cables were strung across the river. The Manhattan tower proved more difficult to build [than the Brooklyn tower], as workers had to dig down nearly 85ft under the river before reaching a stable foundation, almost twice the depth as for the Brooklyn tower. This difficult and dangerous work was done in huge, airtight caissons [chambers]. Changing air pressure in these underwater shafts often caused painful cases of the bends, and sometimes death.' The picture on the right, taken from a helicopter, shows how Manhattan has been completely transformed

 Slide me  BROOKLYN BRIDGE WALKWAY: A week after the bridge opened in 1883 a woman fell and died on one of the staircases, setting off a stampede that resulted in 12 people being trampled to death and rumours that the bridge wasn't safe circulating. A year later, impresario P T Barnum marched a herd of 21 elephants over it to demonstrate its strength, the book reveals. To this day, crossing the bridge by foot or bicycle remains one of the most treasured experiences in the city. Marcia writes: 'The stone arches and powerful cables spun from steel, a material still new in the mid-19th century, remain constants in the city's ever-changing skyline.' The image on the left was taken in 1920, the image on the right shows the present-day view towards Manhattan from the walkway

 Slide me  BOWERY SAVINGS BANK: The image on the left was taken in 1905, with Marcia writing: 'Rising above its surroundings, this splendid building was completed in 1895, a few blocks north of the Manhattan Bridge. Neither the elevated train tracks on the Bowery, erected in 1878, nor the surrounding working-class neighborhood were seen as obstacles to the concept. In the 1920s, the Bowery Savings Bank moved its headquarters to East 42nd Street, but kept a branch in this building until 1982.' The elevated tracks, she adds, came down in the 1950s

 Slide me  MULBERRY STREET MARKET: The image on the left was taken in 1900, with Marcia writing: 'Mulberry Street was the heart of Little Italy, the Italian American enclave that rapidly expanded on Manhattan's Lower East Side in the wake of huge waves of immigration from 1899 to 1910. Fewer than 20,000 Italians lived in the city in 1880. By 1910, there were over half a million, more than in any other American city. They lived in desperately overcrowded tenements, relieved somewhat by outdoor markets.' She continues: 'Over the years, as Italians moved to other areas and Chinese immigrants moved in, the Italian section [of Little Italy] shrank to just a few blocks on Mulberry Street alone'

 Slide me  THE HIGH LINE: The image on the left was taken in 1950, with Marcia explaining that this rail freight line ran for a mile and a half 'through Manhattan's Lower West Side, snaking around, between, and sometimes right through buildings to deliver milk, meat, vegetables, and raw and manufactured good to factories and warehouses'. She continues: 'It was built in the 1930s as part of an improvement project to get the freight trains off the streets where they were congesting traffic and causing deadly accidents. When the trains began to run on the High Line, it was hailed as a transformation of the West Side.' Today, right, the High Line is now a 'park in the sky' that has 'brought about an extraordinary transformation of the former industrial outskirts of the Lower West Side... one completely unexpected in its days as a railway'

 Slide me  EAST MIDTOWN SKYLINE: Cast your eyes to the left and you'll see the East Midtown skyline as it was in 1930. The author explains that at this time it was rivalling Wall Street 'as the skyscraper kingdom', with the just-completed and 'unmistakable' Chrysler Building 'joining a troop of towers marching up the street'. Today, she writes, 'the same view is hardly recognizable'. The shot on the right was taken from a helicopter over the FDR Drive

 Slide me  TIMES SQUARE: The photo on the left dates to 1944 and shows U. S servicemen mixed in with the Broadway crowds. Marcia explains that 'the lights went out at night when Times Square was part of the city's wartime blackout' and 'occasional air-raid drills also cleared the busy streets'. Soldiers and sailors, we learn, 'could buy a dance at the Orpheum Dance Palace [on the left]' and get a meal for less than a dollar at the automat food dispenser in the middle of the block. Today, Broadway is still buzzing, but as Marcia explains, the area had a seedy reputation for a long time. She says: 'The scene was quite different in the 1960s when prostitutes, drug trafficking and pornographic movies spread throughout the area. The neighborhood finally cast off its squalid past in the 1990s through a major investment of public and private funds that restored the theaters and brought in new office towers, hotels, megastores and family attractions'

 Slide me  COLUMBUS CIRCLE: The picture on the left was snapped in 1907, with Marcia revealing that the intersection became Columbus Circle on October 12, 1892, to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus landing in the New World. The statue was added two years later. Today, everything in this view 'is dramatically different', with 'towering buildings lining all of the streets leading to the circle'. The tower at the apex of Broadway and Central Park West is the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Marcia explains that the towers at 15 Central Park West, behind the Trump building, opened in 2007 as the city's most expensive housing development. The land alone, she reveals, sold for a record-breaking $401million
Tyra Banks shared her thoughts about Victoria's Secret's decision to rebrand itself and showcase new spokeswomen in a post shared to her Instagram account on Thursday.

The 47-year-old supermodel shared an image from her days as one of the brand's Angels and wrote a lengthy caption, making her feelings about the situation known.

The troubled lingerie company recently announced that it would not be continuing with the Angels and would focus on two initiatives that are intended to improve the lives of women worldwide.

Banks began her message by pointing out that she was one of the company's initial Angels, alongside other supermodels such as Helena Christensen and Stephanie Seymour.

'First is hard. First is lonely. But first is necessary. First is crucial so that a door can be opened for others to fit through,' she wrote.

The Emmy-winning talk show host then expressed that her partnership with the company acted as a springboard for her further career in the fashion industry.

She specifically referred to herself as the 'first Black VS model to do so many other groundbreaking things with the brand - as well as other brands.'

Making it clear: The fashion industry icon said that her role as one of Victoria's Secrets first Angels was 'crucial so that a door can be opened for others to fit through'; she is seen in 2020

Serious achievement: Banks also described herself as the 'first Black VS model to do so many other groundbreaking things with the brand'; she is seen at the 8th Annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2002

Banks also expressed that, although she does not participate in shows anymore, she was happy to have been around to see a complete overhaul of the fashion industry.

'I retired from the runway 16 years ago - and I'm proud that in my lifetime, I'm witnessing a beauty revolution,' she wrote.

The former catwalk regular concluded by encouraging prospective models and other influencers to continue with their interests and to set examples for future generations.

'To the new collective of bada** ROLE models, I may have cracked that door open, but y'all are charging through. Keep on keepin' on until we all LOSE COUNT of how many are breaking through behind you,' she noted.

Proud predecessor: The fashion industry mogul expressed that she was happy to be 'witnessing a beauty revolution'; she is pictured in 2020

Banks served as one of the company's Angels from 1997 until 2005 and eventually became one of the world's highest-earning models.

She went on to become a fashion mogul in her own right, as she co-created the hit show America's Next Top Model, which she currently judges.

The reality television personality later created her own cosmetics line, entitled Tyra Beauty, and wrote a modeling-focused young adult novel, Modelland, which was released in 2011.

Victoria's Secret recently announced that it would be rebranding itself amid an ongoing controversy regarding its inclusion of models from all backgrounds.

Branching off: After leaving Victoria's Secret, Banks went on to co-create the hit fashion-related show America's Next Top Model; she is seen in September of last year

The lingerie brand formally discontinued its renowned Annual Fashion Show as a response to the public backlash regarding its conduct.

Earlier this week, it was announced that they would be establishing The VS Collective, which boasts spokeswomen such as Priyanka Chopra and Megan Rapinoe, among several others.

The initiative will see brand ambassadors creating content and designing product collections with the intent of empowering women and raising awareness for various worthy causes.

The company also founded The Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancer and pledged to annually donate $5 million to support research into diseases that affect women worldwide.

Changing lanes: Victoria's Secret recently announced that it would be founding two initiatives as part of a rebranding strategy; spokeswoman Priyanka Chopra is seen at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards

In a statement via People, the brand's Chief Marketing Officer Martha Pease expressed that the rebranding would start a new era for the company.

'With The VS Collective, we are creating a platform that will build new, deeper relationships with all women. Through a series of collaborations...we're bringing new dimensions to our brand experience,' she remarked.

The company's CEO, Martin Waters, also commented on the change and expressed that Victoria's Secret would be changing for the better with the implementation of its initiatives.

'This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it's a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning,' he said.
Boy Erased star Lucas Hedges was seen holding hands with married 13 Reasons Why veteran Tommy Dorfman in NYC on Saturday afternoon.

The pair looked to be the best of friends as they walked hand-in-hand while kicking off summer in the city with a trot around the downtown area.

Dorfman, 29, came out as non-binary with pronouns of they/them and has been married to Peter Zurkuhlen since 2016, and Hedges, 24, has said his sexuality exists on a 'spectrum.'

Best friends! Boy Erased star Lucas Hedges, 24, holds hands with married 13 Reasons Why vet Tommy Dorfman, 29, in NYC

PDA: The dear friends clutched onto each other as they walked around

Hedges was seen in daisy duke shorts with crocodile brown heeled boots and a striped brown tank top.

He tucked his red locks underneath a bucket hat and sported tortoise shell sunglasses while carrying a tote bag in one hand, and Dorfman's hand in the other.

And the BFF of Kaia Gerber and Cara Delevingne slipped their frame into an orange linen dress which were worn with Reebok sneakers.

They slung a purse over their body and wore blue framed wired sunglasses with their hair down and flowing.

Summer Saturdays! The duo were seen holding hands as they strolled through the downtown area in their finest summer garb

Platonic: Despite showing some friendly affection things are platonic between the two

Stepping out: Dorman came out as non-binary in 2017 with pronouns of they/them and Hedges has said that his sexuality exists on a 'spectrum'

And as Dorfman has been married to Zurkuhlen since 2016 and recently shot a Hugo Boss campaign with him in honor of Pride, the affectionate display appeared to be purely platonic.

The acting duo have been friends for a while as Tommy celebrated their birthday with Hedges by their side and both have spoken candidly about sexuality and gender.

Tommy first came out as non-binary in 2017, and told Refinery29 that they hated the idea that clothing was 'gendered.'

'Growing up, I hated the idea that clothing was gendered. I identify as non-binary. I present as mostly masculine because it's just how I feel, but I've never had this idea that clothing should be one thing or the other.'

Personal style: 'I hated the idea that clothing was gendered' Dorfman said in a Refinery29 interview

Lucas' truth: 'I recognize myself as existing on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual,' said the Waves star in 2018

And Lucas had been romantically linked to actress Taylor Russell after they starred in Waves together but said in a 2018 interview with Vulture that his sexuality exists on a 'spectrum.'

'In the early stages of my life, some of the people I was most infatuated with were my closest male friends. That was the case through high school, and I think I was always aware that while for the most part I was attracted to women, I existed on a spectrum,' he shared.

He continued to say that at one point he felt 'ashamed' he could not pinpoint his sexuality but said he's 'not necessarily bisexual.'

'I felt ashamed that I wasn't 100 percent, because it was clear that one side of sexuality presents issues, and the other doesn't as much. I recognize myself as existing on that spectrum: Not totally straight, but also not gay and not necessarily bisexual.'

Married: Dorfman has been married to Zurkuhlen since 2016 and they recently shot a campaign with Hugo Boss to celebrate pride
Motsi Mabuse has reportedly pulled out of a stage tour that clashed with Strictly Come Dancing to take part in the upcoming series.

The judge, 40, had signed up for Germany's Let's Dance tour but would have missed the first four weeks of Strictly had she honoured the commitment.

An inside source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Her diary clash has been a real headache for everyone. There was no way she could have done both.'

Panic over: Motsi Mabuse has pulled out of a stage tour that clashed with Strictly Come Dancing to take part in the upcoming series

They continued: 'When push came to shove she passed on the tour and signed a new contract. The Strictly bosses are thrilled to have her back on board.

'Their main aim for this year was to get all four of the judges back on the panel, and Motsi has been the biggest question mark.'

Motsi will be joined on the panel by the show's head judge Shirley Ballas, 60, Bruno Tonioli, 65, and Craig Revel-Horwood, 56.

To add to the confusion, the Let's Dance tour in Germany are reportedly still selling tickets to the show with audience members expecting to see Motsi on stage.

'When push came to shove she passed on the tour and signed a new contract. The Strictly bosses are thrilled to have her back on board,' a source revealed on Sunday (pictured recently)

Ahead of Motsi's decision to return to Strictly, there had been panic at the BBC at the prospect of her missing the series.

As well as sitting on the panel for Strictly in the UK, Motsi - who lives in Frankfurt - is also a judge on Let's Dance, which is why she was involved in the theatre tour.

Additionally, The Sun reported that until recently Motsi didn't know if Strictly would renew her contract for this year.

Clash? To add to the confusion, the Let's Dance tour in Germany are reportedly still selling tickets to the show with audience members expecting to see Motsi on stage

A source told The Sun: 'Producers have been pulling their hair out as they struggle to get all of their judges in the right place for the live shows.

'Motsi's fans in Germany are buying show tickets expecting to see her live.

'Pre-Covid it was easy for talent to jet in and out of the UK for the night, but with travel restrictions it's much harder.'

The source added that producers want to avoid relying too much on video links, especially as they're paying big money for talent and that it's a real 'schedule clash'.

However, a BBC spokesperson said: 'Motsi will be doing the next series, we will be working out the schedule as we have done in the past.'

Motsi missed two weeks of last year's Strictly Come Dancing after she had to isolate due to an emergency trip to Germany - with Anton Du Beke stepping in to cover the role.

Busy: As well as sitting on the panel for Strictly in the UK (pictured), Motsi - who lives in Frankfurt - is also a judge on the Germany's Let's Dance

The dancer caught a flight after her dance school was 'targeted' and worked with police to 'solve the crime'.

Bruno is reportedly set to miss the upcoming series after only appearing occasionally via video link last year.

A source told The Sun: 'Bruno can't commit to both shows right now and is staying put in LA  it's a better lifestyle there, with great weather, which is good for his health.

'He earns close to 1 million a series in America, so he has to prioritise that.

Sad: It comes after fellow Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli (left) is reportedly set to miss the upcoming series due to the Covid pandemic

'Of course, he's still very much part of the Strictly family and is keen to appear on a video link several times through the series.'

MailOnline contacted representatives for Bruno Tonioli and Strictly Come Dancing for comment at the time.

This will be the second series the judge has missed out on the dance competition.

Bruno was due to resume his panel duties on the semi-final last year but he and his bosses decided it would be safer for him to remain stateside and maintain his judging commitments on Dancing With The Stars.

The decision apparently meant facing a 125,000 pay cut from his reported 250,000 salary, and he instead appeared via satellite link.
Brody Jenner's mom Linda Thompson proved she has nothing but love for her ex-daughter-in-law Kaitlynn Carter, who just announced her pregnancy on Thursday.

After having to keep Carter, 32, and her boyfriend Kristopher Brock's exciting baby news under wraps for 'so long,' the award-winning songwriter, 71, was thrilled the couple finally announced to the world they are expecting their first child.

'Yay! Now the news is out and I can tell everybody. I've been holding this in so long and I'm so excited for you! Congratulations!' she gushed in response to Carter's latest Instagram post, which showed a silhouette of her very visible baby bump.

Still friendly: Brody Jenner's mom Linda Thompson proved she has nothing but love for her ex-daughter-in-law Kaitlynn Carter, who just announced her pregnancy on Thursday; seen in 2019

Thompson continued: 'Can't wait to meet the little guy Love you!'

Kaitlynn's sister Lindsey Carter Reis also took to social media to reveal she is feeling 'so excited' for her nephew to arrive, just months after she gave birth to her five-week-old son Otto.

Thompson also commented on Reis' post to encourage her to 'enjoy these days' with her young children because 'it's pretty much the best time of your life!'

Sweet: After having to keep Carter, 32, and her boyfriend Kristopher Brock's exciting baby news under wraps for 'so long,' the award-winning songwriter, 71, was thrilled the couple finally announced to the world they are expecting their first child

'I didn't know the news about Kaitlynn being pregnant was out there yet, so I've been very quiet about itBut I'm thrilled for her,' Thompson noted.

Jenner and Carter first met at a party in 2013, began dating the next year and got engaged during a trip to Sumba in 2016.

They eventually tied the knot with a non-legally binding Indonesian wedding in 2018, but announced their split in August 2019 after five years together.

'Yay! Now the news is out and I can tell everybody. I've been holding this in so long and I'm so excited for you! Congratulations!' she gushed in response to Carter's latest Instagram post, which showed a silhouette of her very visible baby bump

Soon-to-be parents: She began dating her baby daddy for just over a year and is reportedly 'beyond excited' about becoming a mom, a source told ET

She began dating her baby daddy for just over a year ago and is reportedly 'beyond excited' about becoming a mom, a source told ET.

Brock is already a dad to his six-year-old son Charlie Wright, who he shares with his ex-wife Laura Vassar.

To celebrate, they took a babymoon to Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection in Cabo.
Uma Thurman is ready for love again amid reports that she's dating Bloomberg Media CEO Justin B. Smith.

The 51-year-old actress' relationship with the high-powered media mogul was first reported by The New York Times on Friday amid coverage of new Washington, D.C., socialites.

She was said to be dating Smith almost as an aside during a party the 51-year-old businessman threw at his home in Washington's exclusive Kalorama neighborhood.

New beau: Uma Thurman, 51, is dating Bloomberg Media Group CEO Justin B. Smith, 51, the New York Times reported on Friday; seen in 2019 in NYC

'Also, the actress Uma Thurman, who is dating Mr. Smith,' Shawn McCreesh wrote while listing the party's guests, which included influential media figures including The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg and the Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart.

'Actually, Im a news lover,' Uma shared during the party, before confessing her appreciation of CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

The actress has long lived in New York City, but it's unclear if she's planning to relocate to D.C. or if she'll continue living at least partly in the Big Apple, as Smith's work takes him between the capital and New York.

She seemed to be enjoying her time in the nation's capital so much that she didn't even mind a close encounter with an insect.

'I welcomed and was spiritually fascinated by the cicada that just crawled across my finger,' she joked.

Fits the bill: 'Actually, Im a news lover,' Uma shared during a party thrown for media figures by Smith at his Washington, D.C., home; seen in 2018 in NYC

Rising star: Smith began his career in the State Department in the 1990s, before moving on to influential positions at The Atlantic and The Economist. He began Bloomberg Media's CEO in 2013; seen in Mumbai, India, in 2014

Smith began his career at the State Department in the early 1990s, before moving into media with positions at the International Herald Tribune, The Economist, The Atlantic and The Week.

He began his tenure as CEO of Bloomberg Media Group in 2013, and by the following year The Hollywood Reporter had placed him on its list of the 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media.

Thurman's most publicized relationships were with other A-list actors, most notably Ethan Hawke.

She and the 50-year-old Boyhood star married in 1998, a year after they met on the set of their cult-classic science fiction film Gattaca.

The couple separated in 2003 and finalized their divorce two years later.

They share 22-year-old Maya Hawke, who has launched an acting career in the footsteps of her parents with a major role on Stranger Things, and their son Levon Hawke.

Famous love: Thurman's most publicized relationships were with other A-list actors, most notably Ethan Hawke, 50. The married in 1998 after meeting on the film Gattaca and separated in 2003

Acting legends: Prior to marrying Ethan, Uma tied the knot with Oscar winner Gary Oldman in 1990, before divorcing in 1992

Now her ex: Most recently, the Kill Bill star dated the architect Peter Sabbeth; seen in 2005 with Sarah Ireland

Prior to marrying Ethan, Uma tied the knot with Oscar winner Gary Oldman in 1990, before divorcing in 1992.

Most recently, the Kill Bill star dated the architect Peter Sabbeth, and she also had a shorter relationship with the Chateau Marmont hotelier Andre Balazs.

She also had a lengthier relationship with the French financier Arpad Busson.

In 2008, Uma opened up to InStyle about why marriage has always been a beneficial arrangement for her.

'I crave structure,' she said, via People. 'I've never had good habits or a formula for how to shape a day, a month, a life, I appreciate anything that makes me focus.'
After a judge recently ruled that she was allowed to travel to Mexico this month, embattled actress Lori Loughlin was said to be 'excited' to finally be taking the trip.

According to People, a source close to Lori, 56, and her husband Mossimo Giannulli said 'they were excited about the trip,' which occurred earlier this week.

The source noted that the couple 'flew to Cabo [San Lucas] with friends' and that 'it [was] their first trip in a long time.'

After a judge recently ruled that they were allowed to travel to Mexico this month: Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were said to be 'excited' to finally be taking the trip; seen here in 2009

The Full House actress, who has become infamous for her role in the college admissions scandal, was previously unable to travel due to her prison sentence and ensuing community service commitments stemming from her involvement in the 2019 case.

Earlier this month, Loughlin and her husband Mossimo, 58, were granted permission by a judge to travel to Los Cabos for a summer vacation in June.

Because Lori and Mossimo are both under supervised release after emerging from prison over their part in the scandal, they had to ask permission to travel.

Legs for days: The 56-year-old Full House actress, who has become infamous for her role in the college admissions scandal, was seen out in Los Angeles earlier this month

Late in May, a judge officially decreed that they could holiday to San Jose Del Cabo from June 16 to June 21 with their family, TMZ reported.

Part of Lori's argument for being permitted to travel was that she has done her required community service and forked over the $150,000 fine she owed.

Meanwhile, Mossimo argued that his community service was in progress and that his $250,000 fine had also been paid.

Lori succeeded this February in getting her passport returned - after having had to surrender it in 2019 amid her legal troubles.

She spent two months in federal prison at CI Dublin in California before being released in December just before New Year's.

Meanwhile Mossimo had to spend five months in prison for his role in the bribery scheme and was ultimately released in early April.

Part of Lori's argument for being permitted to travel was that she has done her required community service and forked over the $150,000 fine she owed, as well as completed her two-month prison sentence; seen here leaving the federal courthouse in Boston in April 2019

It emerged in 2019 that Lori and Mossimo bribed their daughters Olivia and Isabella's way into University Of Southern California.

Lori and her fashion designer husband paid $500,000 to falsely pass the girls off as potential college rowers on USC's rowing team.

Although they initially claimed to be innocent, Mossimo pled guilty last May to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services and mail fraud, while Lori pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
She always looks flawless whenever she steps out to socialise.

And Arabella Chi oozed glamour on Saturday night as she flaunted her taut abs in a plunging black crop top.

The Love Island star, 30, beamed as she left dinner with friends at the popular Italian restaurant Macellaiorc in Soho.

Stunning: Arabella Chi oozed glamour on Saturday night as she flaunted her taut abs in a plunging black crop top after having dinner with friends in Soho

Arabella paired the midriff-baring crop top with a pair of black trousers and kept off the chill with a matching cropped jacket.

She completed the stylish smart casual ensemble with a pair of box fresh white Prada trainers.

The bombshell looked sensational as she let her caramel tresses cascade around her shoulders in a carefree side swept style.

She accessorised with a pair of large silver hoop earrings and a selection of chain necklaces.

Stylish: Arabella paired the midriff-baring crop top with a pair of black trousers and kept off the chill with a matching cropped jacket

She accentuated her natural beauty with a bronzed makeup look and added a slick of subtle pink lip gloss.

Arabella celebrated her 30th birthday back in March and took to Instagram to share a picture of herself in a black leather bustier as she reflected on her big day.

She wrote: 'Thirty, Flirty & Thriving... I have mixed feelings going into my 30's and I hope the saying your 30's are the best years of your life is true...

'But looking back on my 20's I am so proud at what I have and over the past year.

Stunning: The bombshell looked sensational as she let her caramel tresses cascade around her shoulders in a carefree side swept style

'I can honestly say despite being in a global pandemic growth wise it has been my best year yet and I am so lucky I have the people that I do surrounding & supporting me.' (sic)

Arabella also shared snaps of what she branded 'birthday cake number 3' as she welcomed a new decade in decadent style.

The blonde beauty has returned to London after she was one of the many influencers who jetted off to Dubai for 'work trips'.

Send temperatures soaring: The model frequently shares sultry selfies and sizzling lingerie snaps to social media

The reality star made her way back to the UK before the mandatory hotel quarantine was enforced on returning travellers.

Arabella has been focusing on her modelling career after she split from her boyfriend Wes Nelson in April 2020.

She enjoyed a brief romance with DJ Josh Newsham before moving on with Morad Izemrane. It is believed Arabella is now single.
His colleagues are convinced he will be returning to Good Morning Britain after his dramatic exit from the show in March.

And Piers Morgan looked upbeat as he stepped out after enjoying some tapas at Cambio De Tercio in Chelsea on Saturday night.

The media personality, 56, strolled along the street in a black face mask with his hands in his pockets after he finished his meal.

Chipper: Piers Morgan looked upbeat as he stepped out after enjoying some tapas at Cambio De Tercio in Chelsea on Saturday night

Piers cut a casual figure in a pale blue shirt that he left untucked for the outing.

He paired the low-buttoned shirt with a pair of navy trousers and completed the laidback ensemble with a pair of charcoal lace-up shoes.

The outing comes after Lorraine Kelly, 61, insisted Piers would return to Good Morning Britain 'in some shape or form' following his dramatic exit earlier this week.

Lorraine claimed she had 'no doubt' he'll present the show again, warning: 'never count him out of anything!'

Keeping it casual: The media personality, 56, strolled along the street in a black face mask with his hands in his pockets after he finished his meal

Lorraine told The Sun: 'He will be back in some shape or form, I have no doubt. I know nothing, but never count him out of anything.

'What's that game where you bash things and they keep coming back? That's him. I wouldn't be surprised if he came back. Nothing would surprise me about Piers.'

The daytime presenter also added that Piers is, however, busy hosting Life Stories, writing columns for MailOnline and doing a lot of tweeting.

Earlier this month, Piers claimed ITV bosses had been in touch asking him to return to GMB, telling The Sun he believes he could 'take the ratings back to where he left them' after a slump in viewing figures.

Casual: He paired a low-buttoned pale blue shirt with a pair of navy trousers and completed the laidback ensemble with a pair of charcoal lace-up shoes

The outing comes after Lorraine Kelly, 61, insisted Piers would return to Good Morning Britain 'in some shape or form' following his dramatic exit earlier this week

Quit: Piers sensationally left his GMB co-hosting gig earlier this year, after a live war of words with the show's weatherman Alex Beresford over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

He said: 'They reached out  there have been approaches. Never say never. I have no doubt I could take the ratings back to where I left them  but the doubt is, would anyone be allowed to do it that way again?

'I was hired to give very strong, honestly held opinions, which I did. But in the end I was asked to apologise for a genuinely held opinion.'

Piers stormed off GMB on in March as he discussed the infamous Harry and Meghan interview, where he expressed his belief that Meghan was lying during the chat with Oprah Winfrey and that the couple damaged the royal family's reputation.

The outspoken host left the daytime series 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.

Previous presenters: Earlier this month, Piers claimed ITV bosses had been in touch asking him to return to GMB after a slump in viewing figures (Pictured with Susanna Reid)

Piers then walked off set after a fierce debate with Alex Beresford, in which the weather presenter accused Piers of unfairly 'trashing' Meghan, and branded him 'diabolical'.

When Piers walked off screen, Alex continued: 'I'm sorry but Piers just spouts off on a regular basis and we have to sit there and listen.'

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 breakfast TV rival.

And Piers shared his own reflections on the events of that fateful week in a piece for the Mail On Sunday shortly afterwards.

Piers called Alex 'GMB's occasional stand-in weatherman' and 'uptight' in the telling account, adding that the presenter hasn't messaged him since his exit unlike others on the show.

Decline: Piers' final episode was a ratings hit, beating BBC Breakfast's viewing figures for the first time ever, prompting him to thank the 'hard work and dedication' of the production team

Viewership for the ITV breakfast show has been in steady decline since Piers quit back in March, after peaking at 1.9 million viewers days before he left the show.

Following news that Piers had quit, the first show following his exit on March 10 saw ratings quickly take a hit, with an average of 1.24 million viewers watching Susanna react to her presenting partner's exit alongside stand-in Ranvir.

Numbers continued to slide as the week went on, and by the week's end ratings had slipped to just 850,000 viewers.

By Monday March 15, average viewers were down by 255,700 compared to the previous Monday.
Social media celebrity Kurt Coleman has been rushed to hospital after suffering from 'excruciating pain'.

Posting to Instagram Stories on Saturday, the Melbourne influencer, 23, shared a photo of himself while lying in a hospital bed, while revealing in the caption that he's 'never felt so alone and scared'.

'I hate corona because I hate to be here all alone all day and I can't stop crying. Most depressed I've ever felt while in the most pain I have ever had in my entire life,' he wrote.

'I can't stop crying': Instagram star Kurt Coleman, 23, told fans on Saturday that he's never felt so alone and scared' after being rushed to hospital with a mystery illness

Kurt went on to say: 'I'm drugged out and so sad I've been crying my eyes out every five minutes and asking if my boyfriend can come see me and they won't let him.'

'I can't do this alone I'm going insane. But I'm so glad I have support from my friends and family and all of you on my Instagram.'

Kurt also told fans he 'needs support right now as this has been one of the scariest, [and] most heartbreaking days of my life so far.'

Candid: The Melbourne influencer shared a photo Instagram while lying in a hospital bed and said he's 'never felt so alone and scared'

It comes after Kurt asked his Instagram fans for medical advice after discovering a worrying lump on his neck.

The 23-year-old revealed his health scare earlier this month, sharing a photo of his swollen neck and asking if anyone knew what was wrong with him.

'I'm really scared, my neck just came up with this massive lump and rash in the last few hours,' he wrote alongside the image.

Kurt said: 'I'm drugged out and so sad I've been crying my eyes out every five minutes and asking if my boyfriend can come see me and they won't let him'

After worried fans bombarded him with messages, Kurt confirmed he had seen a doctor about his ailment.

He said he believed the lump was caused by stress and shared a photo of himself cooking bone broth.

He also wrote: 'The doctor put me on antibiotics (which I hate) for all the people messaging me...'
They portrayed the most famous twins in sci-fi movie history across five films together.

And on Saturday, Mark Hamill paid homage to his late Star Wars co-star Carrie Fisher, in celebration of her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The veteran actor, 69, shared a touching gallery of photos of the pair, along with her new star to Instagram.

On Saturday: Mark Hamill paid homage to his late Star Wars costar Carrie Fisher, on the occasion of her receipt of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

The throwback images showed one of the pair in their youth leaning in for a kiss on the lips, while another was more recent, with Carrie flipping the bird to the camera.

'I congratulate & salute of 38 new #HollywoodWalkOfFame honorees- Welcome to the neighborhood!' Hamill wrote in the caption.

'Much love & a very special 1-finger salute to the incomparable, hilarious & irreverent force of nature that was my space sis Carrie Fisher. ' he added.

'Her star will blaze from here to eternity,' Mark concluded, adding a pair of star emojis.

'Much love & a very special 1-finger salute to the incomparable, hilarious & irreverent force of nature that was my space sis Carrie Fisher' Hamill wrote in the caption

He also shared the sweet missive to his Twitter account.

Mark and Carrie were both cast in the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope, as Luke and Leia, respectively.

They went on to reprise the roles in two successful sequels in 1980 and 1983, before again portraying the clandestine twins in later sequels, beginning with 2015s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Tragically, Fisher died after suffering cardiac arrest on a flight home to Los Angeles from production on Star Wars in London in December 2016, before she could complete work on the final trilogy.

Icon: Mark, along with Carrie, was cast in the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope; seen here as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Force Awakens in 2015

The writer and actress's famous mother Debbie Reynolds died just two days later.

Carrie passed away at the age of 60, and is survived by her 28-year-old daughter Billie Lourd, who has followed in her footsteps as an actress.

Earlier this week, a whole host of stars were announced as part of The Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2022 honors, including Just Mercy actor Michael B. Jordan, Macaulay Culkin, Avril Lavigne and DJ Khaled.

Late rapper Nipsey Hussle will be joining Carrie in receiving a posthumous star.
Gabi Grecko remembered her late ex-husband Geoffrey Edelsten by sharing intimate photos of the apartment they shared in St Kilda, Melbourne, on Saturday.

The American model, 32, posted pictures from inside the property to Instagram, and admitted she's struggling to comes to terms with his death.

'I cannot express my gratitude for the supportive people on here it's really helped with the death,' she wrote.

Memories: Gabi Grecko has shared intimate photos of the Melbourne apartment she shared with her 'husband' Geoffrey Edelsten as she comes to terms with his death

'I realised yesterday the bag I was using, [was] the pink shiny mcm bag I bought when I was with him last. And my clothes and DJ turntables, just stuff (not important) are all still at his home as he died in the last apartment we were in at St. Kilda.'

Gabi continued: 'It was definitely much smaller we didn't have much space, it was a luxury apartment but very modest compared to the penthouse but we still decorated it with a Paris theme.'

'Just different realisations. I can't call him ever again, no one will understand what we had in common and that's okay but I'm realising how large of the loss this is and working on it.'

Reminiscing: She posted pictures from inside the property to Instagram including the living area which features a large beige lounge

'It was definitely much smaller we didn't have much space, it was a luxury apartment but very modest compared to the penthouse but we still decorated it with a Paris theme,' Gabi wrote

Gabi shared one image of the apartment's living area, which featured a beige lounge and a large Eiffel Tower statuette.

She also posted another picture of the property's kitchen, which had tea towels with an Eiffel Tower print on the front.

Gabi has been very vocal since Geoffrey's death on June 11 - which coincidentally was their wedding anniversary.

Decorative: She also posted another picture of the property's kitchen which has tea towels with an Eiffel Tower print on the front

She claims she is now 'widowed' as they were 'still married' when he died.

In a since-deleted post on Instagram, Gabi also claimed she was in with a shot at a slice of his fortune.

She shared a bizarre post from an Instagram follower, who claimed Geoffrey had told her three years ago that he would leave Gabi 'something' in his will.

Gabi and Geoffrey married at a Melbourne registry office in June 2015 - when he was 72 and she was 26 - before announcing their separation just months later.
He's known for regularly changing up his hairstyle - having tried everything from bright blue to peroxide blond 'dos.

And Australian model Jordan Barrett showed off his latest look on Saturday as he attended the premiere of Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary in New York City.

Posing up a storm on the red carpet, the 24-year-old looked almost unrecognisable as he rocked a head of shaggy, auburn-hued tresses.

New 'do alert! Jordan Barrett, 24, showed off his shaggy new hairstyle as he attended Dave Chappelle documentary premiere in New York on Saturday

The glamazon was dressed to impress in a trendy jacket by menswear label Bode worth $1,380.00.

He matched this with a Bode zip-up top worth approximately $1,000 and matching Bode shorts worth around $500.

Topping off his look was a pair of polished black patent dress shoes and a gold crucifix necklace.

Master of disguise! Jordan is known for regularly changing up his hairstyle - having tried everything from bright blue to peroxide blond 'dos. Pictured left in 2019, right on Saturday

Colourful: Jordan previously dyed his hair bright purple

Jordan's striking looks have seen him work alongside an impressive selection of A-list models over the years, including Kate Moss and Gigi Hadid.

Jordan, who has over 1.1million followers on Instagram, recently spoke to GQ magazine about leaving his native Australia to live a life in New York.

'I'm not looking at it like I'm gone for good,' he confessed.

Expensive taste: The glamazon was dressed to impress in a trendy jacket by menswear label Bode worth $1,380.00

He also spoke about his battle with mental health, and said that returning to Australia for three months earlier in the year gave him time to reflect on himself.

'From being 17, and being extremely successful overseas in what I was doing, but not even really knowing what it was I was doing' he explained.

'When I was scouted, I didn't even understand what it meant to be a model. I didn't know what was going on in my mind. I didn't even know what a panic attack was until now.'
She's finally left her teen years behind, and is continuing to titillate with beautiful modeling shots on social media.

And Amelia Gray Hamlin looked nothing short of spectacular on Saturday, when she shared a duo of sensational shots in a powder blue lingerie set on Instagram.

The model and famous daughter, 20, lounged in bed in one shot, showcasing her curves in the delicate and lacy bra and panties.

Woah: Amelia Gray Hamlin looked nothing short of spectacular on Saturday, when she shared a duo of sensational shots in a powder blue lingerie set on Instagram

In the second image, the leggy beauty modeled her 5ft9in frame against a blank wall.

Her underthings were adorned with small and dainty bows, in between the breasts (like Rihanna's Savage X Fenty brassieres) and along the panty waistline.

She wore some bracelets on one wrist, and had her dark hair down and parted at the middle.

Statuesque: The leggy beauty modeled her 5ft9in frame against a blank wall, showcasing her curves in the delicate and lacy bra and panties

'I know what youre thinking,' the daughter of Lisa Rinna penned in the caption.

' and yes I do own clothing. I just prefer @bouxavenue,' she concluded.

And on her Instagram Story on Saturday, Amelia marked a 'Sister Day' with her sis Delilah Belle, as the beautiful siblings were seen in the car wearing dark sunglasses.

On her Instagram Story on Saturday: Amelia marked a 'Sister Day' with her sis Delilah Belle, as the beautiful siblings were seen in the car wearing dark sunglasses

Amelia celebrated her 20th trip around the sun on June 13th.

And last Saturday night, she feted her special day in Miami, Florida, alongside her older boyfriend Scott Disick.

The model, actress and influencer got a jump on her birthday celebration by stepping out for a lavish dinner in Miami Beach with her 38-year-old beau.

Amelia celebrated her 20th trip around the sun on June 13th: And last Saturday night, she feted her special day in Miami, Florida, alongside her older boyfriend Scott Disick

Wanting to make it birthday official, the couple kept the festivities going well past the midnight hour and into Sunday, by partying the late hours away at a night club with friends and fellow revelers who packed the dance floor.

To further mark the milestone, Disick splashed out $57,000 worth of EthereumPay cryptocurrency on a piece of VERY racy artwork by renown photographer Helmut Newton for Amelia.

According to TMZ, the Talentless founder got his hands on the vintage print, titled Saddle II, Paris 1976, at the ArtLife Gallery Pop-Up in Miami's Design District on Wednesday.

Pricey: To further mark the milestone, Disick splashed out $57,000 worth of EthereumPay cryptocurrency on a piece of VERY racy artwork by renown photographer Helmut Newton for Amelia; a Helmut Newton photograph pictured in 2008

Provocative: Helmut Newton, who passed away in 2004, is German photographer known for his provocative, erotically-charged images, which were heavily featured in the likes of Vogue; Helmut and his wife Jude pictured in 2000

The black-and-white photograph shows a model posing on all fours atop a bed wearing a black bra, riding pants, and boots with a saddle strapped to her back.

Sources tell TMZ that Disick's purchase of the provocative print has 'been in the works for a while.'

It was also reported that Scott had specifically reached out to ArtLife Gallery about acquiring Saddle II for his much younger girlfriend.

Wow! Disick also presented Hamlin with a 'diamond-encrusted cross necklace' that got a majorly emotional response out of the model

Emotional: In an Instagram Story video, taken during the epic gift unwrapping, Hamlin turned to Scott and pulled his face to hers for a kiss

Helmut Newton, who passed away in 2004, is German photographer known for his provocative, erotically-charged images, which were heavily featured in the likes of Vogue.

The pricey Helmut Newton image was just one of many gifts that Scott bestowed upon Amelia for her 20th birthday.

During her Miami birthday bash, Scott gifted Amelia a 'diamond-encrusted cross necklace' that got a majorly emotional response out of the model.
Bindi Irwin has sensationally spoken out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather Bob Irwin Snr in a scathing Facebook comment.

On Sunday, the 22-year-old shared a sweet post celebrating Father's Day in the USA, saying she was thankful for the 'three most incredible fathers in her life'; her late father Steve Irwin, her husband Chandler Powell and her father-in-law Chris.

When one fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather - Steve's father, Bob - Bindi gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship, claiming he's ignored her since she was a 'little girl'.

Breaking her silence: Bindi Irwin (pictured with husband Chandler Powell) has sensationally spoken out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather Bob Irwin Snr in a scathing Facebook comment

The mother-of-one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family.'

She went on to claim that Bob had 'returned gifts I've sent after he opened them', and ignored any letters sent from her.

'From the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,' she continued.

Claims: When one fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather - Steve's father, Bob (far right) - Bindi (far left) gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship. Pictured with mother Terri (second right) and brother Robert (second left) in 2007, one year after Steve's death

Speaking out: The mother-of-one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family'

Thankful: Bindi had commented on a sweet Father's Day post celebrating the 'three most incredible fathers in her life' ; her late father Steve Irwin, her husband Chandler Powell and her father-in-law Chris

'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.'

She went on to say that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but claims they have received no reply.

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he returned from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week,' she added.

'We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing.

'I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all care for your own mental health.

No response: She went on to say that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but says they have received no reply

Strained: 'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.' Bindi claims. Pictured: Bob holding a photograph of Bindi in 2008

'I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.'

Bindi, who welcomed her first daughter Grace in March, concluded by saying she has to 'choose to care for her own mental health now'.

Bob previously spoke to the media about the alleged family feud that left him estranged from his granddaughter.

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he returned from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week,' she added. Pictured, Bob Irwin and wife Judy at the RSPCA in Brisbane in 2008

Helping hand: 'We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing,' said Bindi. Pictured, Bob Irwin's farm outside Kingaroy, 2008

In September 2019, he told the Courier Mail that he had not received a response since writing a letter to Bindi in which he wished her well after she announced her engagement to her now-husband Chandler in July.

He claimed their latest dispute stemmed from a misunderstanding after a reporter walked onto his property hoping to get a comment on what he thought about the engagement.

When Mr Irwin refused to answer, it was mistakenly taken as a begrudged silence. Photos of him at his home were also splashed across the tabloids, only fuelling the false impression that he was unhappy with the upcoming marriage.

Feud: In September 2019, Bob told the Courier Mail that he had not received a response since writing a letter to Bindi in which he wished her well after she announced her engagement to her now-husband Chandler in July. Pictured in 2016

He said he wasn't invited to the wedding, and didn't expect to be.

'If they wanted to, of course I would,' he had said.

'I get messages (from friends) constantly about how Bob and Bindi are doing, what achievements theyve made, what interests they have, and I also watch television like everyone else.

'They keep me up-to-date. Both Bindi and Bob have achieved a lot in a short space of time; mind you, theyre both only young yet. But theyve done well and I would say Steve would be pretty happy with the way theyre doing.'
He's the tattooed hunk who was crowned the winner of Big Brother last year, taking home the $234,656 cash prize.

And Chad Hurst told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that despite the impressive win, he's still working seven days a week as a model and personal trainer.

'I'm doing everything, it's killing me and I can't wait to have a day off to be honest,' the 28-year-old said.

'I can't wait to have a day off': Chad Hurst (pictured), 28, revealed on Sunday that he's working seven days a week - despite winning Big Brother 2020 and taking home over $200K

While he admitted to working himself to the ground, Chad also stressed that it's worth the effort as he has such a love for the professions.

'It's not really work because I have such a passion for PT and modelling,' he added.

Chad, who is signed to modelling agency IMG, previously expressed his gratitude for the opportunities that come from modelling in an interview with Daily Mail Australia.

'Life in the fashion world for me has always been a great ride. The opportunities and adventures it has given me, I'll always be grateful,' he said earlier this month.

Putting in the hard yards: 'I'm doing everything, it's killing me and I can't wait to have a day off to be honest,' the model and personal trainer told The Sunday Telegraph

Chad took home the $234,656 cash prize after winning Big Brother last year.

Joined by his proud mother Helen on stage, Chad could not hide his shock as he exclaimed 'F**k!' on live television.

'Apologies, apologies for the language but it's a pretty intense moment,' he said.

Asked by host Sonia Kruger what was going through his mind, Chad responded: 'You know, I went on [Big Brother], I honestly think it's fate. The old boy (his late father), it's his show.

Grateful: While he admitted to working himself to the ground, Chad also stressed that it's worth the effort as he has such a love for the professions. 'It's not really work because I have such a passion for PT and modelling,' he added

'I had my Ma next to me, that's all that mattered. So thank you, everyone.'

Chad previously told Daily Mail Australia that he applied for Big Brother to honour his late father.

'I was on the show for dad, and I know I've made him proud now, but it would be good to take home the money to pay ma's bills. She bloody deserves it,' he said.

Chad revealed that he would pay his mother's bills and shout a boys' trip to The Whitsundays, given COVID-19 removed Las Vegas as an option.

Ecstatic: Chad took home the $234,656 cash prize after winning Big Brother last year. On stage, Chad could not hide his shock as he exclaimed 'F**k!' on live television. 'Apologies, apologies for the language but it's a pretty intense moment,' he told host Sonia Kruger

Chad was recently announced as this years ambassador for Paws for Sick Kids, along with best friend Buddy.

Paws for Sick Kids is raising money and bringing smiles to sick kids and their families in Ronald McDonald Houses.

Anyone can get involved with their pet by registering at pawsforsickkids.com.au
They announced their engagement in January.

And Kelly Gale, 26, and her fiance Joel Kinnaman, 41, were packing on the PDA as they shared a tender kiss on the beach in Malibu, California.

Victoria's Secret star Kelly could be seen in a thong bikini and a cropped white top as she joined the actor for a day in the sunshine.

What a pair: Kelly Gale, 26, and her fiance Joel Kinnaman, 41, appeared very much in love on Saturday as they shared a kiss on the beach in Malibu, California

The 90s-inspired swimwear left her endless pins on show and had some silver hoops to the side to keep the lower half up.

The fashionista's impressively toned midriff was on display, proving she's been looking after herself.

She could be seen enjoying a dip in the Pacific Ocean as the surf crashed onto the shore.

Model behaviour: Victoria's Secret star Kelly could be seen in a thong bikini and a cropped white top which left little to the imagination

Her For All Mankind action man Joel donned a black wet-suit in a bid to keep warm while surfing.

The movie star shared a kiss with Kelly as they enjoyed their day out at the beach close to Los Angeles.

Kelly shared a picture of herself with her Swedish-American beau in the Swedish capital of Stockholm this week.

Going for a dip: Kelly could be seen paddling in the Pacific Ocean as the surf crashed onto the shore

The couple had jetted abroad for a holiday in the city.

The pair were dressed for the cooler weather than California, with Kelly wrapping up in a blue and white denim jacket and green turtleneck jumper.

Joel embraced Kelly as the pair posed for the snap, with Kelly writing in the caption: 'Had such a great stay at @nobishotelstockholm  time to head back home to .'

Jet-set: Kelly shared a picture of herself with her Swedish-American beau in the Swedish capital of Stockholm earlier this week ahead of their return to California

Kelly got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Joel in January this year.

The Swedish-Australian beauty announced the exciting news on her Instagram page at the time.

She posted a photo of the pair embracing on a clifftop in California, and flashed her stunning new sparkling engagement ring.

'Yours forever!' Kelly posted a photo of her and Joel embracing on a clifftop in California, and flashed her stunning new sparkling engagement ring after he popped the question in January

Kelly captioned the picture: 'Yours forever'.

When Kelly was quizzed about the couple's life by fans on Instagram in December, she revealed the moment she knew Joel was 'her guy'.

'On our spontaneous trip to Bali together after only three dates, he got up at 1AM to go on a night/early hike with me,' she said.

The supermodel then added: 'I was like "Ok he's my guy".'
Rebecca Lobie has voiced her opinion after her cousin Bindi Irwin spoke out about her strained relationship with her estranged grandfather Bob Irwin Snr on Facebook.

In an Instagram Stories post on Sunday, Rebecca, 33, appeared to show support for the wildlife warrior, 22, urging everyone to keep their thoughts to themselves as there 'is a lot that happens out of the public eye' that they are simply not aware of.

On Sunday, Bindi shared a post for Father's Day in the USA, saying she was thankful for her late father Steve Irwin, husband Chandler Powell and father-in-law Chris, but failed to include her grandfather, Steve's father Bob, that caught fans' attention.

Weighing in: Rebecca Lobie (pictured) said 'a lot happens out of the public eye' - after her estranged cousin Bindi Irwin made a scathing Facebook post on Sunday about her grandfather Bob Irwin Snr

'After reading something on Facebook today about family, I'd like to remind everyone that unless you personally know someone or the circumstances of a situation, you should keep your judgements to yourself!' Rebecca began her Instagram Story post.

'There is a lot that happens out of the public eye that you don't know about! Please think about this the next time you go talk s**t about someone,' she continued.

Rebecca is the daughter of Frank Muscillo, who is married to the late Steve Irwin's sister Joy. Rebecca is estranged from Bindi and no longer works at Australia Zoo.

Speaking out: Rebecca, 33, appeared to show support for the wildlife warrior, 22, urging everyone to keep their thoughts to themselves as there 'is a lot that happens out of the public eye' that they are simply not aware of

On Sunday, Bindi shared a sweet Facebook post celebrating Father's Day in the USA, saying she was thankful for the 'three most incredible fathers in her life'; her late father Steve, husband Chandler and father-in-law Chris.

When one fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather - Steve's father, Bob - Bindi gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship, claiming he's ignored her since she was a 'little girl'.

The mother-of-one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family.'

Where it all began: On Sunday, Bindi shared a sweet Facebook post celebrating Father's Day in the USA, saying she was thankful for the 'three most incredible fathers in her life'; her late father Steve Irwin, husband Chandler Powell (pictured) and father-in-law Chris

She went on to claim that Bob had 'returned gifts I've sent after he opened them', and ignored any letters sent from her.

'From the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,' she continued.

'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.'

Claims: When one fan asked why she hadn't included her grandfather - Steve's father, Bob (far right) - Bindi (far left) gave an uncharacteristically raw account of their relationship. Pictured with mother Terri (second right) and brother Robert (second left) in 2007, one year after Steve's death

Speaking out: The mother-of-one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family'

Thankful: Bindi had commented on a sweet Father's Day post celebrating the 'three most incredible fathers in her life'

She went on to say that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but claims they have received no reply.

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he returned from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week,' she added.

'We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing.

'I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all care for your own mental health.

No response: She went on to say that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts, but says they have received no reply

Strained: 'He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart.' Bindi claims. Pictured: Bob holding a photograph of Bindi in 2008

'I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.'

Bindi, who welcomed her first daughter Grace in March, concluded by saying she has to 'choose to care for her own mental health now'.

Bob previously spoke to the media about the alleged family feud that left him estranged from his granddaughter.

In September 2019, he told the Courier Mail that he had not received a response since writing a letter to Bindi in which he wished her well after she announced her engagement to her now-husband Chandler in July.

He claimed their latest dispute stemmed from a misunderstanding after a reporter walked onto his property hoping to get a comment on what he thought about the engagement.

Feud: In September 2019, Bob told the Courier Mail that he had not received a response since writing a letter to Bindi in which he wished her well after she announced her engagement to her now-husband Chandler in July. Pictured in 2016

When Mr Irwin refused to answer, it was mistakenly taken as a begrudged silence. Photos of him at his home were also splashed across the tabloids, only fuelling the false impression that he was unhappy with the upcoming marriage.

He said he wasn't invited to the wedding, and didn't expect to be.

'If they wanted to, of course I would,' he had said.

'I get messages (from friends) constantly about how Bob and Bindi are doing, what achievements they've made, what interests they have, and I also watch television like everyone else.

'They keep me up-to-date. Both Bindi and Bob have achieved a lot in a short space of time; mind you, they're both only young yet. But they've done well and I would say Steve would be pretty happy with the way they're doing.'
They may have failed to find love on Channel 9 experiment Married At First Sight.

But brides Rebecca 'Beck' Zemek, Booka Nile and Alana Lister certainly walked away with close friendships.

On Saturday, trio were reunited in Sydney at the launch of Showtime at Archie Brothers in Sydney.

EXCLUSIVE: The stars of Married At First Sight were reunited on Saturday night as they lead the arrivals for the launch of Showtime at Archie Brothers in Sydney. Pictured L-R: Booka Nile, Rebecca Zemek, Sam Carraro and Alana Lister

Rebecca turned turned heads as she flaunted her toned physique in a long sleeve black playsuit with cut-outs.

The 27-year-old reality star-turned-influencer wore her long blonde locks curled to perfection.

She was all glammed up for the outing, wearing a face full of makeup which consisted of foundation and pink lipstick.

It's showtime! Rebecca, 27, turned turned heads as she flaunted her toned physique in a long sleeve black playsuit with cut-outs

Stylish: The 27-year-old reality star-turned-influencer wore her long blonde locks curled to perfection. Pictured with Bachelorette star Adam Todd

Meanwhile, Alana Lister proved she doesn't need a red carpet to look glam.

The 31-year-old was dressed to impress as she slipped into a racy LBD with cut-out details at the waist.

She accessorised with a gold watch and completed her look wearing black ankle boots.

Nice! Alana Lister proved she doesn't need a red carpet to look glam. The 31-year-old was dressed to impress in a racy LBD with cut-out details at the waist

That's different! Booka Nile looked unrecognisable from her time on the experiment having swapped her long blonde tresses for a new short pink bob

Turning heads: The 31-year-old rocker flaunted her ample cleavage dressed in a long sleeve cut out green mid dress, which she paired with a pair of knee-high white boots

Booka Nile looked unrecognisable from her time on the experiment having swapped her long blonde tresses for a new short pink bob.

The 31-year-old rocker flaunted her ample cleavage dressed in a long sleeve cut out green mid dress, which she paired with a pair of knee-high white boots.

The reality star brides were joined by Sam Carraro, who also failed to find love on the Channel Nine show this year.

Players: The reality star brides were joined by Sam Carraro, who also failed to find love on the Channel Nine show

All smiles: At one stage the trio were seen hamming it up for photographers

Game on: Before Alana and Beck decided to challenge each other

Shots fired: Meanwhile Sam was seen playing a game of Shooting Gallery solo

Stylish: Celebrity personal trainer Jono Castano also made a brief appearance at the event

Meanwhile, Big Brother's Tilly Whitfield was also in attendance.

The 21-year-old blonde beauty wore a blue coloured denim top which she teamed up with a black and white checkered skirt.

She completed her look wearing a black leather jacket and white coloured sneakers.

Meanwhile, Big Brother's Tilly Whitfield [centre] was also in attendance. Pictured with Love Island's Jessie Renee Wynter [left] and The Bachelor's Juliette Herrera

Who knew they were friends? At one stage, Tilly was seen playfully dancing with Juliette Herrera as they posed for a series of fun photos

Strike a pose! Tilly was also seen posing with The Bachelor's Emma Roche

Girls Night Out! Tilly was also seen hanging with Jessie, Bec and Alana

If you've got it! Former Bachelor star Nikki Ferris was seen flaunting her derriere for cameras

At one stage, Tilly was seen playfully dancing with The Bachelor's Juliette Herrera and Emma Roche.

The pair were all smiles as they hammed it up for photographers before they were joined by Love Island's Jessie Renee Wynter and Emma Roche.

Married At First Sight stars Nasser Sultan and Dean Wells were also in attendance.

Famous: Married At First Sight stars Nasser Sultan and Dean Wells were also in attendance
Gabi Grecko has lashed out at the ex-wife of Geoffrey Edelsten, Brynne Edelsten.

Both women were previously married to the flamboyant doctor, who died earlier this month at the age of 78.

The rapper, 32, shared an Instagram post in which she urged socialite Brynne, 38, to stop discussing Geoffrey following his death.

Battle of the exes: Gabi Grecko (pictured) has lashed out at the ex-wife of Geoffrey Edelsten, Brynne Edelsten. Both women were previously married to the flamboyant doctor, who died earlier this month at the age of 78

Gabi wrote: 'Hey Brynne. Stop bad mouthing my husband he has just passed away shut the f**k up if you don't have anything nice to say about him.

'Get my husbands name out of your mouth. Loser. He made you famous and you still use his name even though he's my husband so you should just stay still, you move wrong. And change your damn name!!'

She added: 'I can't even use my own husbands name out of remembrance, respect or honor. This is Mrs Edelsten, not you sweetheart and he expressed to me many times to change mine and I couldn't because of you. Clown.'

Not talk: The rapper, 32, shared an Instagram post in which she urged socialite Brynne, 38, to stop discussing Geoffrey following his death. Brynne and Geoffrey are pictured in 2012

Gabi wrote: 'Hey Brynne. Stop bad mouthing my husband he has just passed away shut the f**k up if you don't have anything nice to say about him. Get my husbands name out of your mouth. Loser. He made you famous and you still use his name even though he's my husband'

Gabi appeared to be referencing a recently resurfaced interview in which Brynne discussed warring with Geoffrey over custody of the couple's dog, Juddy.

However, Brynne made the comments in 2016, and not after Geoffrey's death. Gabi has since deleted her Instagram post.

Gabi recently asserted that she was still married to Geoffrey at the time of his passing, and defended her right to be called a 'grieving widow'.

Dog gone: Gabi appeared to be referencing a recently resurfaced interview in which Brynne discussed warring with Geoffrey over the custody of the couple's dog, Juddy (pictured). However, Brynne made the comments in 2016, and not after Geoffrey's death

Past: Gabi recently asserted that she was still married to Geoffrey at the time of his passing, and defended her right to be called a 'grieving widow'. Pictured in 2015

The doctor was 72 when he married the American beauty, who was 26 at the time, in an intimate ceremony in June 2015.

The pair were only together for a few months before splitting.

Gabi and Geoffrey reunited in January 2018 and were planning on renewing their vows before calling it quits again at the end of the year.

Up and down: The doctor was 72 when he married the American beauty, who was 26 at the time, in an intimate ceremony in June 2015. The pair were only together for a few months before splitting. Pictured in 2014

Brynne, a fitness instructor from California, met Geoffrey, 40 years her senior, in October 2008.

The then-couple wed in a lavish ceremony at The Crown in Melbourne in 2009, that reportedly cost $3million. He was 66 and she was 26.

The pair called it quits five years later, separating in 2014 and finalising their divorce in April 2015.

Geoffrey was found dead aged 78 by a cleaner at his Melbourne apartment on Friday, June 11 - the anniversary of his wedding to Gabi.
Maya Jama's estranged father has opened up about how being in and out of prison negatively impacted his relationship with the TV personality.

The star has been open in the past about her dad Hussein spending time in and out of jail from she was just two years old and her younger brother Omar was a baby.

And in a new interview with The Sun, Hussein has revealed how his stints in jail led to Maya's mother Sadie following through on her word to leave him if he didn't stay out of trouble  while he says that his famous daughter Maya, 26, has cut him off.

Family woes: Maya Jama's estranged father has opened up about how being in and out of prison negatively impacted his relationship with the TV personality. Pictured last month

Hussein told the publication: 'I remember when she was a teenager, I had just come out of prison and she was round at my mums house so I popped in and said, "Do you want to give your dad a hug?" She said, "I dont want to talk to you, Dad". I hoped it was a teenage thing and it would pass.'

Bar worker Hussein, who told The Sun that he had been imprisoned for various crimes while his daughter grew up in Bristol, did have an emotional reunion with his daughter on the 2017 Channel 5 documentary When Dads Kill.

Hussein has now said that he was upset with the title of the show, as he hadn't ever murdered anybody, but he still held out hope that it would lead to an improved relationship with his daughter, who is enjoying success as a broadcaster.

'I was good to my word and kept out of trouble, but I havent spoken to her since,' he said. 'I have tried to contact Maya and just want to be in touch because life is too short. Id love to take her out for a meal to put my side across and explain that I never meant to hurt her.'

Proud parents: Back in 2018, Maya tweeted a snapshot of her mother Sadie and father Hussein

He added: 'It hurts. Im always passing my number on to my son and saying, "Let your sister know Im thinking about her". I send Maya text messages at Christmas and when its her birthday... But I have come to accept that she has her life and I dont fit into it right now. I hope one day I will.'

MailOnline has conatcted a representative for Maya Jama for comment.

In a recently-published interview with Marie Claire, Maya revealed that growing up without her father present was not something she 'sat at home and cried about'.

Her dad spent much of her childhood in and out of prison for various sentences but Maya told how anything that seemed sad in her life, she would make a joke out of.

She said: 'Anything that seems tragic or could make people feel sorry for me, I make a joke out of. I guess it's because I'm OK with it. I've accepted it and I don't want you making me feel like you're sorry for me.

TV success: Bristol-born Maya is currently co-hosting Crouchy's Year Late Euros on BBC One

'If people said, 'Where's your dad?' I'd say, 'Oh, he's in jail' and I'd laugh about it. It wasn't something I sat at home and cried about.'

Maya added that she enjoys a good relationship with her stepfather and is grateful she got to see a 'loving relationship' play out between him and her mother Sadie.

She said: 'When I was 10, my mum met my stepfather and he is the loveliest man. So I got to see a loving relationship, which I think is what can affect young women growing up without a dad  not experiencing love first-hand and seeing how a healthy relationship should be. Dad wasn't around, but I had all the love I needed from elsewhere.'

Back in November, Maya discussed the guilt she felt after telling police officers that her father was hiding under a bed in their home when they came looking for him.

Moving on: In an April interview with Marie Claire, Maya revealed that growing up without her father present was not something she 'sat at home and cried about'. Pictured in 2020

The TV and radio presenter spoke to promoter Eddie Hearn on his BBC Sounds podcast No Passion No Point, about her upbringing and rise to success.

Discussing the incident during their chat, Maya told how she felt responsible for her father going to prison for around a year because she revealed where he was hiding.

Reflecting on how she felt about her childhood, she said: 'It's normal. If you don't know anything else when you're younger than that's just your normal.

'You're told to tell the truth to police and stuff, so when he was hiding under the bed I thought I was the reason he went to jail for the first year because I told them he was hiding under the bed like they weren't going to find him anyway.'

Eddie quizzed Maya on how it made her feel that her upbringing was different to the other kids at her school.

She said: 'I didn't really notice any difference until maybe secondary school when I started going to other people's houses, they'd have a different set up and their dads were really involved but mine I had to visit two hours down the motorway.'

'It didn't really feel like too much of a problem because I have a really nice stepdad, he and my mum have been together for like 19 years now and he filled that void and my dad's side of the family like my aunties were really supportive.

'So they overcompensated for things I would lack in not having my dad around. My mum used to babysit a lot of the boys in area so they grew up and got really protective so I had like a million dads, which made me feel like I wasn't missing out too much I think.'
Alesha Dixon has paid tribute to her husband Azuka Ononye on Father's Day, declaring him 'one of the greatest' in a heartwarming post.

The TV personality, 42, took to Instagram on Sunday to post an adorable set of pictures of Azuka, 40, with their daughters Azura, seven, and Anaya, 22 months.

Captioning the images, Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha wrote: 'We love you! Happy Fathers Day to one of the greatest!

Proud mum: Alesha Dixon took to Instagram on Father's Day to post an adorable set of pictures of husband Azuka Ononye with their children Azura, seven, and Anaya, 22 months

'When I asked Azura what her favourite thing about daddy was she simply replied everything! No more said  #girldad #fathersday @azukaononye .'

In one picture Azuka can be seen lying on the ground surrounded by his girls' toys as they climb on top of him.

He can be seen feigning a look of being overwhelmed in the sweet snap as he enjoys some quality time with his offspring.

In another snap, he can be seen tenderly kissing Anaya on the head as he holds her and Azura in his arms.

Doting dad: In one snap, Azuka Ononye can be seen lying on the ground surrounded by Azura and Anaya's toys as they climb on top of him, feigning a look of being overwhelmed in the snap

Dad of two: In another snap, he can be seen tenderly kissing Anaya on the head as he holds her and Azura in his arms

He'll be there for you: In a separate picture, the doting dad is seen sitting at a table as Azura, dressed in a blue and white dress, rests her arms on his shoulders

And in a separate picture the parent can be seen sitting at a table as Azura, dressed in a blue and white dress, rests her arms on his shoulders.

Other pictures show just how doting he is as a father as he gently holds and sits with Anaya in her early months.

Alesha was previously quiet about her 2019 pregnancy journey, choosing to keep it private between her and her professional dancer husband.

The former Mis-teeq star announced the birth of her youngest seven weeks after she was born, announcing her birth on her 41st birthday in October 2019.

She wrote alongside an Instagram snap of the newborn at the time: '7 weeks ago this little angel came into our lives! As I celebrate my birthday today I feel like the luckiest girl on the planet.'

Ultimate doting dad: Other pictures show just how doting he is as a father as he gently holds and sits with Anaya in her early months

Proud parent: The former Mis-teeq star announced the birth of her youngest seven months after she was born, announcing her birth on her 41st birthday in October 2019

Happy Father's Day! On Sunday, Alisha wrote on Instagram to Azuka, 'We love you! Happy Fathers Day to one of the greatest!'
Social media star Kurt Coleman has thanked his friends and fans for their 'overwhelming support' after being rushed to hospital.

Posting to Instagram on Sunday from his bed at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, the influencer, 23, said he has been at his 'lowest' and in the 'craziest pain'.

Kurt went on to praise the 'beautiful doctors and nurses' for helping him deal with his anxiety and depression, and hopes to be out of hospital soon.

'I've been at my lowest': Instagram star Kurt Coleman (pictured), 23, told fans on Sunday that he's 'overwhelmed' by all the support after being rushed to hospital for a mystery illness

'Little things like these pink flowers made me feel so happy today,' Kurt began his caption, referencing a bouquet of flowers gifted by a loved one.

'I've been overwhelmed by the support, I really have been at my lowest physical and mental pain the last few days.

'Just reading all the messages, being able to contact my family and friends, and being able to contact the outside world and share what I'm going through, has helped me during this time where no one is allowed to visit,' he continued.

Kurt went on to praise the 'beautiful doctors and nurses', saying how 'safe and cared for' he has felt while in hospital.

Grateful: 'I've learnt so much from this experience, and just want to thank everyone for all the love,' he captioned a photo of himself sitting up in his hospital bed at St Vincent's in Melbourne

'I've been so up and down, in [the] craziest pain I've ever felt, and helping me deal with my anxiety and depression. I've learnt so much from this experience, and just want to thank everyone for all the love. To me, love rules the world.

'So I love you all and hopefully I'll be out soon!' he concluded, alongside a photo of him smiling while sitting up in bed.

A day prior, Kurt shared a photo to Instagram Stories of himself lying in his hospital bed, revealing in the caption that he's 'never felt so alone and scared'.

Candid: A day prior, Kurt shared a photo to Instagram Stories of himself lying in his hospital bed, revealing in the caption that he's 'never felt so alone and scared'

'I hate corona because I hate to be here all alone all day and I can't stop crying. Most depressed I've ever felt while in the most pain I have ever had in my entire life,' he wrote.

Kurt went on to say: 'I'm drugged out and so sad, I've been crying my eyes out every five minutes and asking if my boyfriend can come see me and they won't let him.'

'I can't do this alone, I'm going insane. But I'm so glad I have support from my friends and family and all of you on my Instagram.'

Emotional: Kurt told his fans: 'I'm drugged out and so sad, I've been crying my eyes out every five minutes and asking if my boyfriend can come see me and they won't let him'

Health scare: It comes after Kurt asked his Instagram fans for medical advice after discovering a worrying lump on his neck. He shared a photo of his swollen neck and asked if anyone knew what was wrong with him

Kurt also told fans he 'needs support right now as this has been one of the scariest, [and] most heartbreaking days of my life so far.'

It comes after Kurt asked his Instagram fans for medical advice after discovering a worrying lump on his neck.

He revealed his health scare earlier this month, sharing a photo of his swollen neck and asking if anyone knew what was wrong with him.

Seeking advice: 'I'm really scared, my neck just came up with this massive lump and rash in the last few hours,' he wrote alongside the image. After worried fans bombarded him with messages, Kurt confirmed he had seen a doctor about his ailment

'I'm really scared, my neck just came up with this massive lump and rash in the last few hours,' he wrote alongside the image.

After worried fans bombarded him with messages, Kurt confirmed he had seen a doctor about his ailment.

He said he believed the lump was caused by stress and shared a photo of himself cooking bone broth.

Kurt also wrote: 'The doctor put me on antibiotics (which I hate) for all the people messaging me...'
They welcomed their second child into the world back in March this year.

And Christine Lampard, 42, and her husband Frank enjoyed a low-key family outing as they took their two children Patricia, two, and Freddie, three months, on a dog walk.

The couple wandered around the capital with their dog Minnie as they headed out for lunch with their brood.

Out and about: Christine and Frank Lampard looked every inch the proud parents as they enjoyed a dog walk out in London with their two children

Christine wore an olive parker coat and blue denim jeans for the dog walk, as well as beige slip on shoes on her feet.

While Frank, who was in charge of pushchair duties, opted for a green T-shirt beneath a blue jacket.

He also wore blue denim jeans and a pair of black and white trainers on his feet, with a watch visible on his left wrist.

Christine and Frank were spotted carefully looking both ways along a road before crossing with their children.

Proud parents: The couple looked casually stylish as they wandered around the capital with their dog Minnie

Casual style: Christine wore an olive parker coat and blue denim jeans for the dog walk, as well as beige slip on shoes on her feet

Father's Day: While Frank, who was in charge of pushchair duties, opted for a green T-shirt beneath a blue jacket

Keeping it casual: He also wore blue denim jeans and a pair of black and white trainers on his feet, with a watch visible on his left wrist

The couple welcomed son Freddie in March, two years after having daughter Patricia. Christine is step-mum to Frank's daughters Luna, 15, and Isla, 14.

In an Instagram post shared on the 15th of March, Christine announced she'd given birth to her son, father-of-four Frank's first baby boy.

Captioning a photo of herself cradling the couple's newborn son, she wrote: 'Let us introduce you to our newest addition. ..Frederick (Freddie) George Lampard! We are completely in love.'

It's understood that Christine gave birth the previous week after going into labour earlier than expected.

Safety first! Christine and Frank were spotted carefully looking both ways along a road before crossing with their children

While out on their walk, Frank was in charge of directing the pushchair, while Christine carried three-month-old Freddie and holding onto their dog Minnie's lead

Checking: Frank looked casual as he had one hand in his pocket while glancing up the road to make sure it was safe to cross

New addition: The couple welcomed son Freddie in March, two years after having daughter Patricia. Christine is step-mum to Frank's daughters Luna, 15, and Isla, 14

Christine revealed in January that she was pregnant with her second child and admitted it was 'strange and worrying' during the pandemic.

Christine shared a snap of her growing bump dressed in a cosy cream jumper when she announced her second pregnancy, offering her support to fans who are pregnant during such a 'crazy time.'

She wrote: 'A new year and a new baby on the way for the Lampards!

'It's been a strange and worrying time to be pregnant but we're hoping and praying that cuddles from family and friends are not too far off.

Reassuring: Frank placed a calming hand onto Patricia's head as she sat in a pushchair while they waited to cross the road

Comfortable: Christine looked every inch the doting mother as she carried her son Freddie in a harness on her front

Official: Earlier this year, in an Instagram post shared on the 15th of March, Christine announced she'd given birth to her son, father-of-four Frank's first baby boy

'Sending all my love to everyone going through pregnancy during this crazy time.'

In May, Frank discussed how he has enjoyed spending some downtime with his family following the birth of his son after being sacked as Chelsea manager.

He spoke to Daily Mail columnist Jamie Redknapp about how his axe from the club allowed him to spend more time with Christine and his children,

After being asked by Jamie how he has been feeling since leaving Chelsea, Frank said: 'My son, Freddie, was born two months ago. I've been able to enjoy that and being at home with my girls.'

Looking good: Christine took the time to sweep a few strands of her hair back behind her ear from in front of her eye

Stylish: Over her left shoulder, Christine carried a small black leather handbag, featuring a metal link chain

Pampered pooch: Their dog Minnie looked very smart on the walk, wearing a small black harness onto which the lead was attached

Frank went on to explain that when Patricia was born he was 'engrossed' in his work as manager at Derby, while his experience with Freddie has been different.

He said: 'Certainly a managerial career means much more sacrifice than as a player. For instance, Patricia was born when I was manager at Derby and I was engrossed in my work. Being there this time has been the big positive.'

Frank also discussed how he has received some words of reassurance from fellow managers including Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson.

He divulged: 'The other positive is reflection. I've spoken to some top managers over the last few months. All of them, first and foremost, said: 'You're not a manager until you've been sacked.'

'It was a hit, but then I started the reflection process. I didn't want to sit at home and throw blame elsewhere. It was more: 'What can I do better?'

'Roy Hodgson was amazing. I spoke to Roy a week after leaving Chelsea and he gave me some of the best calm, collected advice. I'm always willing to listen to these managers.'

Focused: Frank has previously explained that when Patricia was born he was 'engrossed' in his work as manager at Derby, while his experience with Freddie has been different
Brittany Hockley has lashed out at Etihad Airways over baggage costs.

The Bachelor star shared a number of Instagram Stories and videos on Sunday, revealing that she had trouble booking an extra bag online.

Upon arrival at the airport, the 32-year-old claims she was hit with a $1000 fee for the bag, and denied an upgrade to first or business class when she asked.

Anger: Brittany Hockley (pictured) has lashed out at Etihad Airways over baggage costs. The Bachelor star shared a number of Instagram Stories and videos on Sunday, revealing that she had trouble booking an extra bag online

She is travelling from Sydney on a work permit to provide administrative services for her tennis player boyfriend Jordan Thompson, who is competing in Europe.

Brittany wrote: 'So because I'm working overseas I had to take an extra bag for equipment. So a total of two bags.

'I tried to book the extra bag online but the website wouldn't let me. So I called up. They also wouldn't let me. Said it had to be done at the desk. Asked for a cost for an extra bag, she "couldn't tell me - she had no figures".'

She went on: 'I get to the airport, they charge me an extra $1000 for one bag. On an empty flight. $1000 for one bag.

Not pleased: Once arriving at the airport, the 32-year-old claims she was hit with a $1000 fee for the bag, and denied an upgrade to first or business class when she asked

'So I asked if I have to pay an extra $l000 now can I at least upgrade. They said no, they can't, because "it's a food thing." Actually Unbelievable @etihad'.

The former reality star then deflected potential concerns that she could be seen as 'entitled' for making the request.

'Asking for the upgrade is not being 'entitled' but that's what it costs to bid for the upgrade anyway.

She complained: 'I get to the airport, they charge me an extra $1000 for one bag. On an empty flight. $1000 for one bag... Like, $1000 for an extra bag under any circumstance is ridiculous'

'And the seats were empty. I've never flown anything but economy ever so would have been nice seeing as though I paid the extra anyhow. FYI First class and the other cabins had a few people in there,' she said.

'I get that they need to make money, but not being able to do it on the website OR over the phone then being stung for $1000 at the airport and no upgrade when I've paid the money anyway and it made no difference once on the plane seemed a lot.

'Like, $1000 for an extra bag under any circumstance is ridiculous'.

Brittany also shared video of the empty-looking plane, with the caption: 'I hope they serve me first'.

Not amused: 'So I asked if I have to pay an extra $1000 now can I at least upgrade. They said no, they can't, because "it's a food thing." Actually Unbelievable @etihad' Brittany added

The Etihad Airways website currently states that baggage costs depend on the route being taken.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a representative for Etihad Airways said: 'Etihad is aware of this particular case and while we are disappointed that Ms. Hockley was not fully satisfied with her travelling experience, we stand by the way this case was handled.

'Ahead of the flight, our guest services team informed the passenger of the excess baggage fee per kilogram, which is fixed according to the end destination. It was also explained that as a codeshare flight, excess baggage had to be purchased at the airport.

'Due to the limited capacity available in support of critical cargo movements globally, there is, unfortunately, a premium on cargo and baggage costs.

'While we do our best to accommodate guests, it is not always possible to provide upgrades at the time of check-in, depending on the catering provisioned for the flight.'
Hugh Jackman is currently in hotel quarantine in Australia.

The X-Men actor, 52, is on day nine of his mandatory 14-day stay at a Sydney hotel after flying in from New York City.

On Sunday, he was treated to a Father's Day surprise from his family back in the USA, where the holiday, which occurs in September in Australia, is currently being celebrated.

In town: Hugh Jackman (pictured) is currently in hotel quarantine in Australia. The X-Men actor, 52, is on day nine of his mandatory 14-day stay at a Sydney hotel after flying in from New York City

Hugh had a delivery of delicious snacks from Bills Australia - a full breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and ricotta pancakes.

Despite it being time for dinner, Hugh was delighted to have his favourite breakfast brought to his door.

He shared a photo of the meal, writing in a caption: 'Whilst it's not Father's Day in AU, it is in America and other countries.

Tasty! On Sunday, he was treated to a Father's Day surprise from his family back in the USA, where the holiday, which occurs in September in Australia, is currently being celebrated

What a treat: Hugh had a delivery of delicious snacks from Bills Australia - a full breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and ricotta pancakes. 'My amazing family surprised me with my absolute favorites from @billsaustralia! Happy Father's Day to all' he wrote

'My amazing family surprised me with my absolute favorites from @billsaustralia! Happy Father's Day to all. #ricottapancakes #breakfastfordinner'.

He may be a Hollywood star, but Hugh asked to be treated like any other Australian returning from overseas when he entered hotel quarantine last week.

According to a mummy blogger who is staying in the same building, Hugh specifically asked staff for no special treatment.

The blogger wrote on Wednesday: 'Little Hugh update: The nurse who called this morning said he is good and he has been great and insisted from the start he is treated the same as everyone else.'

Normal! He may be a Hollywood star, but Hugh asked to be treated like any other Australian returning from overseas when he entered hotel quarantine last week

Hugh surprised fans last Sunday by announcing on Instagram he had flown to Sydney from NYC.

The Logan actor hadn't indicated previously that he planned to travel to Australia.

He posted a photo of a sunrise over the Harbour City, and wrote: 'Good morning Australia. Second sunrise in quarantine.'

Hugh moved to New York with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, and their children in 2008, and they own a swanky apartment in the West Village.
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The Flash stars Sasha Calle, Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton filmed scenes for the much-anticipated DC Comics-based film in London on Sunday, which sees The Flash travel back in time to prevent the murder of his mother, triggering a string of unexpected consequences in the process, including meeting Batman in a parallel dimension.

Set for a November 2022 release, Calle, 22, was snapped being hoisted into the air while wearing her Supergirl costume as Miller, 28, stood on the cathedral's steps wearing a suit and tie alongside Keaton, 69.

Helmed by director Andy Muschietti, a sleek Mercedes MayBach - thought to be Keaton's Bruce Wayne's car - was also seen on the film's set, with prices for the luxury vehicle starting at 183,000.

First look: The Flash stars Sasha Calle, Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton filmed scenes for the much-anticipated DC Comics-based film in London on Sunday

Actors dressed smartly as police officers were also photographed in the capital over the weekend, with one actor making sure to cover his nose and mouth with a white face mask inbetween takes in keeping with pandemic protocol.

Police cars stamped with the US' emergency number, 911, were also on set on Sunday, suggesting that despite the scenes being captured in London, they will not be set there.

The film's cast and crew were also kitted out with white face masks.

Filming for The Flash began in April and took place at various locations in England, with production scheduled to move to Scotland later this year.

Wow: Set for a November 2022 release, Calle, 22, was snapped being hoisted into the air while wearing her Supergirl costume, after the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) cast Calle as their new Supergirl in February

Good first impression: The actress impressed Flash director Andy Muschietti, DC Films boss Walter Hamada and producers with her audition

Incredible: Calle is set to become the first ever Latina Supergirl, and reports claim she beat over 425 other actresses for the part which will see her make her debut in the upcoming Flash film

The Flash was originally scheduled for release in 2018, although it was later pushed back due to its troubled development process.

After Muschietti was brought on to helm the feature, it was rescheduled for a June 2022 debut and was eventually pushed back to November 4th of that year as a response to the onset of the global pandemic.

Earlier in June, Muschietti, shared a photo of Keaton's bloody Batman costume to his Instagram account.

Statement: In a statement at the time, Muschietti said: 'I saw more than four hundred auditions. The talent pool was truly amazing and it was very hard to make a decision, but we finally found an actress who was destined to play this role'

Star: Ezra Miller, who first played the speedster in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, is playing the titular character

Plot: The feature will follow the titular character as he travels back in time in order to prevent the untimely death of his mother, which causes consequences to occur in his own timeline

Pushed back: The Flash was originally scheduled for release in 2018, although it was later pushed back due to its troubled development process

The actor was announced to be taking up the helm of the Caped Crusader in the much-awaited film this past April, although he was first speculated to have been involved with the project in June of last year.

Muschietti's photo showed Batman's iconic insignia that is typically placed on the center of the character's costume.

A few drops of what appeared to be blood were notably spattered across its front.

First roles: Calle first rose to fame in the role of Lola Rosales in The Young And The Reckless, which earned her a nomination for Outstanding Young Performer at the Daytime Emmys last year

High spirits: Ezra appeared in high spirits during filming on Sunday. His upcoming film has been in development for several decades

Wheels: Helmed by director Andy Muschietti, a sleek Mercedes MayBach - thought to be Keaton's Bruce Wayne's car - was also seen on the film's set, with prices for the luxury vehicle starting at 183,000

Locations: Filming for The Flash began in April and took place at various locations in England, with production scheduled to move to Scotland later this year

The image seemed to signal that Keaton would be returning to his former role in the forthcoming superhero film.

The Birdman star's first time portraying the character was in 1989's Batman, which was directed by Tim Burton.

The feature was well-received by critics upon its release, with many reviewers pointing to the actor's performance as especially strong.

Keaton went on to portray the character in the film's sequel, Batman Returns, which was also helmed by Burton and released in 1992.

At work: Ezra looked sharp in his grey suit, styled with trainers and a white shirt, as he filmed scenes in the city on Sunday

Location shoot: Several crew members wearing face masks and carrying cameras followed the actors down the steps

Animated: The two stars seemed to be in great spirits while chatting outside surrounded by extras and crew members

Action: After speaking on the steps (left) the actors grabbed onto a pillar, suggesting some action was about to kick off

911: Police cars stamped with the US' emergency number, 911, were also on set on Sunday, suggesting that despite the scenes being captured in London, they will not be set there

After the Ed Wood director stepped down from a planned third sequel, the Beetlejuice actor also left the series, and the two were replaced by Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer, respectively.

Other actors who have taken up the helm of the Dark Knight since then include George Clooney and Christian Bale, among others.

Ben Affleck went on to portray Batman in the 2016 feature Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and played the character in several other features.

Pandemic: Actors dressed smartly as police officers were also photographed in the capital over the weekend, with one actor making sure to cover his nose and mouth with a white face mask inbetween takes in keeping with pandemic protocol

The 48-year-old actor was initially supposed to direct, write and star in the upcoming feature The Batman, although he later left the production and was replaced by Robert Pattinson.

Both Affleck and Keaton are set to portray younger and older versions of Bruce Wayne in The Flash.

A film based on the DC Comics character had been in development for several decades, with several aborted attempts to create a movie about the superhero occurring over a period of roughly thirty years.

Cast and crew: Cast and crew were hard at work on the film's set on Sunday, with many wearing white face masks

The feature went through several prospective directors, including Rick Famuyiwa and Seth Grahame-Smith, before Muschietti stepped in to helm the flick.

The Barry Allen version of The Flash will be portrayed by Ezra Miller, who first played the speedster in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

Other performers who will appear in the long-awaited movie include Kiersey Clemons, Sasha Calle and Ron Livingston.

The feature will follow the titular character as he travels back in time in order to prevent the untimely death of his mother, which causes consequences to occur in his own timeline.

An inside look: The Flash's director, Andy Muschietti, shared an image of a blood-spattered Batman logo to his Instagram account earlier in June
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She's been soaking up the sun on a relaxing break to Mykonos.

And Faye Brookes continued to make the most of her trip as she flaunted her incredible figure while enjoying a day at Branco beach on Thursday.

The former Coronation Street actress, 33, sizzled in a tan bikini which boasted a scooped top and thong bottoms and put on a cosy display with her hunky beau Joe Davies as they frolicked in the water.

Wow! Faye Brookes looked incredible as she rocked a tiny tan bikini while enjoying a beach day with boyfriend Joe Davies in Mykonos on Thursday

Faye looked incredible in her two-piece, highlighting her taut midriff and toned limbs as she strolled along the sand with a drink in hand.

The brunette beauty wore her long locks down and accessorised with a selection of jewellery, including a silver necklace and stylish dark shades.

After working on her tan from the shore, Faye took a dip in the water with her beau who wrapped his arms around her and smiled as they chatted in the refreshing sea.

Loved-up: The former Coronation Street actress, 33, put on a cosy display with her hunky beau Joe as they wrapped their arms around each other and frolicked in the water

Packing on the PDA: Joe planted a kiss on Faye's lips once they made it back to the shore following their cooling off paddle

Elsewhere during the outing, Faye appeared to be truly embracing the holiday spirit as she sipped on drinks with her pals and worked on her tan while perched on a lounger.

Faye seemed to be enjoying a cocktail, after also being seen holding onto a tumbler glass during the beach day, and put on an animated display as she looked over the top of her sunglasses while taking a sip.

Faye and Joe have been soaking up the sun in Mykonos for the past week, with the beauty sharing several sizzling updates from their trip to Instagram.

Greece and its islands are currently on the UK government's Amber list, meaning those returning to Britain must quarantine for 10 days on their return.

Toned: Faye looked sensational in her tan swimwear which highlighted her gym-honed physique and taut midriff

That's the spirit: The soap star also enjoyed a cocktail in the sunshine, happily sipping on her drink while perched on a lounger

Snack time: Joe and Faye also enjoyed some lunch while at the beach and ensured to stay hydrated with water close to their sun loungers

The government also requires that travellers take a Covid test on or before day two and on or after day eight.

It may be possible to end quarantine early if a private Covid test through the Test to Release scheme is paid for.

It comes after Faye revealed in February her and Joe's plans to get married and have children as she declared he was the 'best cheerleader' when she appeared on Dancing On Ice.

When asked if an engagement is on the cards, Faye responded to OK! magazine: 'I would love to get married and I know Joe would too, but right now we love our lives and there is no pressure.'

Her partner Joe concurred: 'There's a huge future ahead for both of us and we're on our own journey.'

Sweet: The duo held hands as they stepped out of the water and headed back to their sun loungers

Stunning: The brunette beauty showcased her peachy posterior in a pair of sexy thong bikini bottoms for the sun-soaked trip

Smitten: Faye rested her face on Joe's chest (left) before adjusting her bikini (middle) and wrapping her arms around him (right) while in the water

Gorgeous: Always one to look her best, Faye rocked her tiny swimwear and ensured to work all her angles while looking over her shoulder back towards the beach

Sun-kissed: The happy couple have been enjoying some time in Mykonos alongside their pals over the past week

Peachy: Faye showcased her enviable physique while heading towards the water with her hunky beau on Thursday

Style: She completed her beach babe look with a pair of trendy sunglasses and selection of jewellery

The actress also spoke of their elaborate wedding plans as she added: 'It's going to have to be a big wedding! As much as we'd love it to be intimate and have our parents there as witnesses, there are too many important people in our lives.'

According to Faye, she and Joe are incredibly close to their families, and they have a 'great group of friends,' who they want to attend their wedding ceremony.

She also confirmed they have 'fur babies' for now - referring to their dogs - and that they haven't made 'any plans' to have children.

However, she did reveal they have discussed the possibility of having kids as Joe subtly added: 'There will be a time and place for everything.'

Having fun: Faye and Joe larked around on the sand and danced a little while one of their pals walked back to the loungers

In good company: Several of Faye's stunning pals were seen rocking their own bikinis while at the beach

Picture time? The star held onto her phone while heading into the water with her glamorous bikini-clad friend

All in the details: She accessorised with a selection of jewellery, including a silver necklace and stylish dark shades

Making memories: Faye and Joe, who were first spotted together at the end of 2019, looked completely loved-up on the beach

The loved-up couple confirmed they met through mutual friends at Barry's Bootcamp in Manchester, they were first spotted together at the end of 2019.

Faye was introduced to her personal trainer beau through his colleague, Amy, as he covered one of her fitness classes.

They initially embarked on a friendship but apparently, their mutual friends predicted a romance. The couple reflected that they weren't 'looking for a relationship' but rather, it 'became one'.

'Not only is he my best friend, but hes the best cheerleader,' Faye gushed over Joe's support following her DOI debut in January.

Joe revealed he got a bit tearful during her first official skating performance as Faye thanked him for keeping her 'calm, grounded' and 'present'.

She also credited her dance partner Hamish Gaman for being a 'pure professional'.

Relaxing: They seemed to be having a wonderful time in the sunshine, with Faye holding back her hair while having a spot of lunch during the laid-back outing

All smiles: She couldn't help but beam a grin at her beau as he stepped away from the wooden lounger for a moment

Beach babe: Faye donned a pair of silver hoop earrings and kept on her impressive selection of rings
Catherine Zeta-Jones marked Father's Day with sweet tributes to her dad David and husband Michael Douglas

The actress, 51, posted a throwback picture of herself with David and her two children Dylan, 20, and Carys, 18, on Instagram on Sunday, noting: 'You are everything and everything is you!'

She continued: 'I love you! Thank you for always being there for me. I love this photo of us on our beloved Welsh coast with Dylan and Carys.'

'You are everything and everything is you': Catherine Zeta-Jones posted a throwback picture of herself with dad David and her two children Dylan, 20, and Carys, 18, on Father's Day

The glamorous mother-of-two also took to her Stories to share another throwback picture with her husband Michael Douglas, 76, and their children when they were younger.

Making sure to include all the family, Welsh-born Catherine also shared a heartwarming photograph of 'dog dad' Michael relaxing in an armchair with their pooch Taylor.

Sweet: The glamorous mother-of-two also took to her Stories to share another throwback picture with her husband Michael Douglas, 76, and their children

Puppy love: Making sure to include all the family, Catherine also shared a heartwarming photograph of 'dog dad' Michael relaxing in an armchair with their pooch Taylor

Catherine's post comes after Michael revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show that he was mistaken for his daughter Carys' grandfather during her recent high school graduation in May.

Michael said that it was a 'little rough' but insisted that he's not going to take it 'personally' as the other parents at the ceremony were 'just trying to be nice'.

He explained: 'It was so wonderful, I'm so proud of her. But I gotta tell you Kelly, it's a little rough when you're going out the doors and the other parents are saying, "Oh congratulations, you must be so proud of your granddaughter".'

Graduation: Michael revealed that he was mistaken for his daughter Carys' grandfather during her recent high school graduation in May (pictured at the ceremony)

Michael added: 'I said, "Well, I don't know, man. Yeah, okay." I'm not gonna take it personal, they're just trying to be nice.'

The actor also admitted that he and Catherine are worried about becoming 'empty nesters' since the graduation as their son Dylan, who is currently a college student at Brown University, has already moved out their family home.

He said: 'It's scary. It really is. You look at each other and go, "Well, it's just you and me babe".'

The actor revealed in May that Carys had graduated from high school and shared a collection of sweet photos to his Instagram to mark the milestone.

In one snap, Michael and Catherine proudly beamed with Carys, who wore a white skirt suit, and Dylan.

In a different photo, Dylan was seen affectionately picking up his little sister as she held her diploma.

'Rough': Michael said that it was a 'little rough' but insisted that he's not going to take it 'personally' as the other parents at the ceremony were 'just trying to be nice'

Michael penned: 'Congratulations to Carys and the entire class of 2021! Your Mom and I are so proud of you! We love you so much and we are so excited for your future as the best is yet to come!  Dad.'

The actor revealed in a 2019 interview with Closer Weekly that his daughter had decided to start attending boarding school.

The previous year, Carys discussed her school life with Town And Country and said she would often face 'snide remarks about her father's age', she said: 'People would be like, "Your grandpa's here to pick you up".'

Lovely: The actor revealed in May that Carys had graduated from high school and shared a collection of sweet photos to his Instagram to mark the milestone (Carys and her brother Dylan pictured at the ceremony)

In a recent Today show interview, Catherine gushed that her 'extremely bright' children both want to follow their parents into the acting business.

'Michael and I would be the first parents to say: "You know, maybe you should think of another career," but we've seen how passionate they are about the craft,' she said.

Catherine and Michael welcomed Dylan in August 2000 and married at the iconic Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue that November.

Carys, whom Catherine was heavily pregnant with when she danced at the Oscars and accepted her trophy for Chicago, arrived in April 2003.
Kim Kardashian paid tribute to her estranged husband Kanye West over Instagram with a heartwarming family snap of him with their four children on Father's Day.

As the 40-year-old reality star celebrated the holiday for the first time since filing for divorce from the rapper, 44, in February, she shared a sweet slideshow honoring him and 'all the amazing dads in' her life, including Caitlyn Jenner and her brother Rob.

'Happy Fathers Day,' she captioned the sweet snaps, including one of herself as a kid kissing her late father Robert Kardashian's cheek alongside older sister Kourtney.

Amicable ex: Kim Kardashian paid tribute to her estranged husband Kanye West with a heartwarming family snap of him with their four children on Father's Day over Instagram

While Kim didn't appear in the picture with West, he could be seen beaming as he posed with their daughters North, eight, and three-year-old Chicago as well as sons Saint, five, and Psalm, two.

The KKW Beauty founder also honored her ex-parent, Caitlyn, who was married to her mother for 23 years by uploading a throwback of her covered in silly string.

Since they wed when Kim was just 11, the Olympian, 71, paid a pivotal role raising the mom-of-four as well as her siblings Kourtney, Khloe, Rob and Caitlyn's youngest children Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

Doting dad: While Kim didn't appear in the picture with West, he could be seen beaming as he posed with their daughters North, eight, and three-year-old Chicago as well as sons Saint, five, and Psalm, two

'Happy Fathers Day,' she captioned the sweet snaps, including one as a child kissing her late father Robert Kardashian's cheek alongside older sister Kourtney

The other dads in her slideshow included her sister Khloe's on-again, off-again beau Tristan Thompson, 30, with their three-year-old daughter True.

Additionally, Kylie's boyfriend Travis Scott, 29, and Kourtney's ex Scott Disick, 39, and Rob, 34, all made cameos.

Kylie and Scott share their little girl Stormi Webster, three, while Disick is the father of Kourtney's three children Mason, 11, Penelope, eight and Reign, six.

Throwback! The KKW Beauty founder also honored her ex-parent, Caitlyn Jenner, who was married to her mother for 23 years by uploading a throwback of her covered in silly string

Inclusive: As the 40-year-old reality star celebrated the holiday for the first time since filing for divorce from the rapper, 44, in February, she shared a sweet slideshow honoring him and 'all the amazing dads in' her life, including her brother Rob (pictured)

Twinning: The other dads in her slideshow included her sister Khloe's on-again, off-again beau Tristan Thompson, 30, with their three-year-old daughter True

Her post may have been inspired by her mom Kris Jenner's Instagram tribute, which honored all the same men as well as her ex Caitlyn, who her children still refer to as 'dad' after she transitioned in 2014.

'Happy Fathers Day to all of the incredible fathers in our lives!! Thank you for the unconditional love, the guidance, the support and the lessons you give to our families,' Kris captioned a PicCollage of the dads in her life with their children.

She continued: 'To all the fathers, step fathers, fathers to be and father figures out there, we celebrate you today!! Enjoy your day!'

Sweet: Additionally, Kylie's boyfriend Travis Scott, 29, and Kourtney's ex Scott Disick, 39, and Rob, 34, all made cameos

Great father: Her post may have been inspired by her mother Kris Jenner's Instagram tribute, which honored all the same men as well as her ex Caitlyn, who her children still refer to as 'dad'

Kris is currently in a relationship with Corey Gamble, who she began dating six years ago.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Father's Day, Caitlyn's youngest child Kylie posted some sweet throwback images along with a lovely selfie with her father on Sunday afternoon.

The makeup mogul, 23, included two throwback snaps from before Caitlyn's transition, when she was still called Bruce.

For the occasion of Father's Day: Meanwhile, on the occasion of Father's Day, Caitlyn's youngest child Kylie Jenner posted some sweet throwback images along with a lovely selfie with her father on Sunday afternoon

Cute: The middle snap saw Kylie and her sister Kendall in more recent times, flanking Caitlyn as all three women wore black

Throwback: Another image showed the Olympian from her days as a track and field star, wearing shorts and a tank top in the colors of the American flag

One showed the Olympian from her days as a track and field star, wearing shorts and a tank top in the colors of the American flag.

Another nostalgic image saw Kylie with her older sister Kendall as little girls, posing underneath their father.

The middle snap saw the girls in more recent times, flanking Caitlyn as all three women wore black.

Sweet: Kendall also got in on the well wishing, adding a slew of nostalgic imagery to her own Instagram Stories on Sunday

Nostalgic: Several pictures showed Caitlyn in her prime and as a gold medal-winning athlete from back in the 70s

In one snap: Caitlyn held both the Olympic torch and one of her daughters as a baby

Several pictures showed Caitlyn in her prime and as a gold medal-winning athlete from back in the 70s.

In one snap, Caitlyn held both the Olympic torch and one of her daughters as a baby.

The posts come hours before the highly-anticipated two-part reunion special of Keeping Up With the Kardashians is set to air on E! at 8 p.m. ET.

Trailers for the episode have teased conversations about Kris speaking on whether she has forgiven Caitlyn, Khloe talking about Tristian's cheating and Kendall's very private relationship with boyfriend Devin Booker.
Joan Collins emotionally reflected on her five marriages, glittering career and tough losses in a very candid chat on Piers Morgan's Life Stories.

The Hollywood actress, 88, started to cry as she talked about the deaths of her mother Elsa and novelist sister Jackie from cancer.

And although speaking about the tougher times, Joan also reflected on the more glam moments and confirmed a rivalry with her Dynasty co-star John Forsythe as she called him a 'misogynist p***k', leaving viewers in awe of her candid interview.

What an interview: Joan Collins left viewers impressed as she emotionally reflected on her life, five marriages, and her losses in a very candid chat on Piers Morgan's Life Stories on Sunday

During the lengthy chat, Joan became emotional as she reflected on the loss of her mother, saying that it was 'very upsetting' and she wishes her mum Elsa could have met her grandchildren.

Joan explained: 'I did know [that she had cancer], I first heard about it in Hollywood, Jackie called and told me. But we were told it wasn't that serious.

'Cancer was a word in the 1960s you just didn't say. We were told it was a bad, flu-like illness.'

Tough: The Hollywood actress, 88, started to cry as she talked about the deaths of her mother and novelist sister Jackie from cancer

Reflecting further on her mother's death, Joan said: 'Daddy said she'd gone and I went in and she was laying there, and was gone.

'I called up my sister, and my brother was there - only 14 - and it was very upsetting.'

Starting to cry, Joan continued: 'I wish she'd been alive to see my children, my grandchildren. She would have taken a huge pride in my career.'

Distressing: Joan reflected on the pain of losing her mother Elsa, who died from cancer in 1962 (pictured together in 1956)

Family: Elsewhere during her interview Joan said her sister Jackie 'did the right thing' by not telling her about her initial cancer diagnosis (pictured in another interview with Piers)

Piers then asked what Joan's parents would have made of her interview, with the actress joking: 'Daddy would say "why are you doing that program with that man?"'

While she said that her mother would have been more positive, saying: 'She'd say "oh, I love Piers".'

Elsewhere during her wide-ranging interview Joan said her sister Jackie 'did the right thing' by not telling her about her initial cancer diagnosis.

Sisters: The star said her younger sibling, an international best-selling novelist, had wanted to avoid being pitied by those close to her (pictured together in an undated snap)

The star said her younger sibling, an international best-selling novelist, had wanted to avoid being pitied by those close to her.

Jackie died of breast cancer in 2015 aged 77. However, Joan also said Jackie had 'done the wrong thing' by not going for a mammogram earlier.

She said: 'I think in that respect she did the right thing because she did not want pity. It is a similar thing that daddy did with mummy when she had cancer.

Loss: Joan's younger sister Jackie died of breast cancer in 2015 aged 77 (pictured as children)

'But I think she did the wrong thing because I had been telling her for years that you have to go and have a mammogram.

'And she didn't. And she had something and she didn't do anything about it.

'Finally she was dragged there by Tiffany her daughter and that is when he said: 'You have got stage four cancer.'

Reflecting on learning the news, Joan said: 'She told me in the south of France. She called and she said, 'I just want to tell you something... I don't want you to get upset.'

'And she said: 'I've got stage four cancer,' and I said: 'How is that possible?'

'I know you can do so much these days, so I didn't really worry about it too much, because I really thought...

'My motto was: 'Always look on the bright side.' I always thought she would beat it.'

Tell all: Elsewhere, Joan also confirmed a rivalry with her Dynasty co-star John Forsythe as she called him a 'misogynist prick'

While there were many tender moments in the chat, Joan also had Piers in hysterics.

Showing off her fabulous sense of humour, Joan quickly set to work teasing her good pal Piers about his recent departure from Good Morning Britain.

When asked for her opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, she cheekily quipped to Piers, who recently left GMB after making comments about the duchess: 'My lips are sealed on that subject.

'I'm not going to go on national TV and say what I think about Meghan and Harry, because look what happened to you.'

'Joan Collins is the definition of fabulous': Viewers were left in awe of her candid interview

What a life: Joan did not hold back but she did refuse to answer what she thought about Prince Harry and Meghan and poked fun at Piers' own history speaking about the pair

Joan also seemed to make a light-hearted dig when she joked about being able to get up whenever she wants too in the morning.

Explaining her laid-back morning routine which doesn't have to stick to a tight time frame, Joan joked: 'And I suppose you can too now'.

Viewers were quick to praise the legendary star, applauding her interview and calling her 'the true definition of a national treasure'.

One person gushed: 'If you are not watching ITV, switch on now or +1 at 10 because Joan Collins - that's DAME JOAN to you - is ripping the place to shreds. F*****g boss.'

While another tweeted: 'Fabulous show . Fabulous Glorious Joan Collins.'

Someone else added: 'Dame Joan Collins. An amazing Icon who has led a full life, just telling it like it is. Such a great interview.'

'Beware of the wolves in Hollywood, honey': Joan also recalled the advice given to her by Marilyn Monroe upon her arrival in Hollywood as a young woman

And another said: 'Love #joancollins, she has always been the ultimate feminist and has succeeded. What a fabulous role model!.'

Perhaps best known for her appearance in Dynasty, Joan also confirmed that she wasn't very keen on her co-star John Forsythe.

She told Piers how she campaigned to have a higher wage herself, adding that the actor always 'had to get paid $5000 more and be front and centre in the publicity.'

No regrets: Joan also spoke about having an abortion when she was 26-years-old and engaged to Warren Beatty (pictured with her former fiance at a party in Los Angeles circa 1959)

When asked about what she was paid at her peak on the show, Joan replied: 'At my peak, it was $120,000 an episode.

'However that came with a caveat that theyd only put me in half the episodes as couldnt afford to pay me.'

Joan then added: 'In lockdown I started watching old Dynasty episodes, and I was impressed by myself quite frankly I think I should have got more [money].'

All coming out now: Perhaps best known for her appearance in Dynasty in the 80s, Joan also confirmed that she wasn't very keen on her co-star John Forsythe

And speaking about John, she said: 'I didnt like him [John Forsyth] because he was a misogynist p***k.'

Although Dynasty confirmed her place in Hollywood legend, Joan admitted that she did want to be in another hit production - Harry Potter.

Speaking about how she wants to be remembered as 'giving a lot of people a lot of pleasure, Joan added: 'I wanted to so much to be in the Harry Potter films but I wasnt, I havent had many great roles really. I reached my peak with Dynasty.'

Not pals: She told Piers how she campaigned to have a higher wage herself, adding that the actor always 'had to get paid $5000 more and be front and centre in the publicity'

Dame Joan also recalled the advice given to her by Marilyn Monroe upon her arrival in Hollywood as a young woman.

She told Piers: 'She said: 'Beware of the wolves in Hollywood honey, because if they don't get what they want they will cancel your contract.'

'The casting couch, which I never, ever, ever did. I probably would have been a lot more successful. Can you imagine how much more successful I would have been?'

Dame Joan also recalled being invited to meet a film producer in New York aged 25 only to find him undressed in a bath.

She said: 'There was an air of misogyny. That was the world, and for a lot of young girls at that time, particularly if you were good looking, it was tough.'

Joan also detailed her love life and five marriages, candidly reflecting on being raped by her first husband and having an abortion at 26 while engaged to Warren Beatty.

Speaking about the abortion, Joan explained that she felt keeping the baby would have 'ruined my life' and added that if she hadn't had the illegal abortion 'it would have been the death of my career'.

First marriage: Joan was married at 18 to her actor first husband Maxwell Reed (pictured on her wedding day in 1952)

She said: 'I had an abortion. It would have been the death of my career, and I was by then 26.

'Of course I hesitated but I realised that if I was going to have a child I was going to be able to bring the child up properly and I believed very strongly that I'm in charge of my body.

'I was a feminist before the word was heard and I shall do what I felt was right for me. It would have been wrong to have done that. It would have ruined my life it would have ruined my life.'

Take two: Her second marriage came in 1963 (pictured the same year), when she tied the knot with West End theatre sensation Anthony Newley, father of her children Tara and Alexander

Asked by Piers if she had a 'tinge of regret', the star said: 'No, not one.'

Conversation soon turned to Joan's love-life and connections to some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Piers asked: 'Have you consciously refused to sleep with ugly people?'

While Joan frankly declaring 'yes', which left them both laughing.

They then discussed her first husband Maxwell Reed.

Third times a charm? Joan married Ron Kass in 1972, with him being the father to her daughter, Katy. The marriage ended in divorce in 1983 (pictured together in LA in 1982)

Joan said: 'It was horrible, he drugged me, gave me a Mickey Finn, spiked my drink and it was shocking and horrible and I couldnt tell anyone..'

In 1963, she then married West End theatre sensation Anthony Newley, father of her children Tara and Alexander, whom she divorced in 1970. He died in 1999, aged 67.

Her 1972 marriage to U.S. businessman Ron Kass, head of The Beatles' record label Apple and father to their daughter, Katy, also ended in divorce in 1983.

Kass, who died from cancer three years later, aged 51, was reported to have blown a large chunk of his wife's fortune on a drug habit.

Exes: The star then went on to wed pop star Peter Holm, who was 14 years her junior in 1985 with their nuptials lasting less than two years (pictured in 1986)

She was also wed to 'The Swede'. A Pop Star Peter Holm was 14 years her junior, but sparks flew when they met at a pool party in 1983  the year she won a Golden Globe for Dynasty.

A dazzling couple, he became her lover, manager and then fourth husband in 1985. But it was all over in less than two years.

Joan is now happily married to Percy Gibson, 56, with the star gushing: 'I never thought men like this existed.. hes kind, funny and we have a great time together.'
She recently shocked her fans when she got married in a surprise ceremony.

And on Sunday, Ariana Grande shared a sweet throwback baby snap of herself with her father Edward Butera from back in the day, on the occasion of Father's Day.

The Seven Rings songstress, 27, included a sincere and heartfelt message in the caption for her dad.

On Sunday: Ariana Grande shared a sweet throwback baby snap of herself with her father Edward Butera from back in the day, on the occasion of Father's Day

'i love you endlessly @edbutera,' Ariana wrote.

'i cherish every moment of our time together, i cherish our facetimes, your laugh ! making you laugh ! i cherish the parts of me that remind me of you (there are very many). they make me smile. you make me smile.

'i love you and i am deeply grateful for your being in my life and proud to be your daughter everyday,' Grande continued. 'happy fathers day.'

Edward, 62, shares the Grammy winner with Joan Grande, 64, to whom he was married from 1992 until 2003.

Aww: Seen recently in an image on Instagram wearing CultNaked pants, The Seven Rings songstress, 27, included a sincere and heartfelt message in the caption for her dad

The post is another indicator of the strength of their relationship, after the two reconciled following a falling out in 2013.

Both Edward and Joan walked Ariana down the aisle during her recent wedding to Dalton Gomez, according to Vogue.

The post comes soon after Ariana joined James Corden on The Late Late Show for the musical No Lockdowns Anymore, which celebrated the end of most Covid-19 restrictions in New York and California this past Tuesday.

Lady in yellow: The post comes soon after Ariana joined James Corden on The Late Late Show for the musical No Lockdowns Anymore, which celebrated the end of most Covid-19 restrictions in New York and California this past Tuesday

The number was a parody of the Hairspray number Good Morning Baltimore and featured a cameo appearance from the Broadway musical's star Marissa Jaret Winokur.

And the video skit comes one month after Ari went public with her nuptials to Dalton, which took place on May 15.

The songstress tied the knot with the realtor in an intimate ceremony with just 20 guests at their California home.

Here comes the bride: Both Edward and Joan walked Ariana down the aisle during her recent wedding to Dalton Gomez, according to Vogue

According to sources close to the couple, Ariana and Dalton couldn't have been happier with how their special day turned out.

'She realized that she would rather have a smaller, more intimate wedding now,' a source to People. 'She's very happy they were able to pull it off quietly.'

The source added that while she and Dalton, 25, initially had a 'big wedding' in mind after their December engagement, they didn't think it was realistic to wait until the pandemic had dissipated.

The couple began dating in January of 2020 and got close through much of the pandemic, when they quarantined together at her Montecito home.
Brynne Edelsten has broken her silence following the death of her ex-husband Geoffrey Edelsten, aged 78, last week.

The US-born star married the millionaire businessman in a lavish $3.3million wedding ceremony at Melbourne's Crown Casino on 29 November 2009. He was 67 at the time, while she was 26.

In a bombshell interview with New Idea, Brynne revealed that the couple never once slept together during their five year union, and while she wanted to consummate the marriage, it 'wasn't her decision'.

Breaking her silence: Brynne Edelsten has spoken out about her marriage to late millionaire business Geoffrey after his death - and revealed they never once slept together over the course of their relationship

'It was something we never really spoke about,' she said. 'I assumed we were waiting for marriage, but then it didn't happen. I thought maybe it was all the medication he was on.

'After so long you kind of forgot about it. It was confusing to me, because in a marriage that's what you do.'

She went on to say that to this day, she 'doesn't really understand' why sex was never on the table for the couple.

Needs: Speaking to New Idea, Brynne, 38, confirmed that while she wanted to consummate the marriage, but it 'wasn't my decision' Pictured: Brynne in 2018

Brynne and Geoffrey were married for five years after tying the knot in November 2009.

They announced their split in January 2014.

He went on to marry Gabi Grecko one year after he and Brynne separated.

Wedding of the century: Brynne married Geoffrey Edelsten in a $3million wedding in 2009. She was 26 at the time and he was 67

While they split months later, Gabi recently claimed they were still married at the time of his death.

While a week before his passing Geoffrey told Daily Mail Australia that he hadn't spoken to Brynne in two years, the socialite admits she was 'really shocked' to hear of his passing.

He was found dead in his Melbourne apartment by his cleaner, with Brynne adding that she hopes he died peacefully 'in his sleep'.
Liev Schreiber marked Father's Day on Sunday by posting an adorable selfie with his two sons - Kai, 12, and Sasha, 13.

The Ray Donovan star, 53, snuggled up to his children in a photograph taken at home on the couch.

The actor said in the caption that Father's Day was 'his favourite day of the year'.

'Favourite day of the year!': Liev Schreiber marked Father's Day on Sunday by posting an adorable selfie with his two sons - Kai, 12 (right) and Sasha, 13 (left)

The photographed was liked by his ex partner and mother of his children, Australian actress Naomi Watts, 52.

The former couple are amicable exes and are often seen enjoying outings with their brood around New York, where they both reside.

After 11 years together Naomi and Liev announced their split in late 2016 when the news was eclipsed by the more acrimonious breakup of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Daddy cool: Liev poses for another selfie with Kai, 12

Naomi is currently carrying on a relationship with the dashing Watchmen actor Billy Crudup, 52, whom she was first linked to in early 2017.

Meanwhile, Liev is also in a long-term relationship, in his case with the leggy 28-year-old blonde Taylor Neisen whom he has been with since 2017.

Naomi explained her equation with Liev during a 2019 interview with the Sunday Times Style magazine saying: 'Having a good relationship has always been our endgame, and we've put a lot of energy and effort into making that so.'

Liev recently filming Across The River and Through The Trees in Italy.

In the drama, the San Francisco native plays Army Col. Richard Cantwell, an American military veteran in Venice, Italy, based off the 1950 Ernest Hemingway novel, the final full-length novel the iconic scribe penned prior to his death.
RIO DE JANEIRO  Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Brazil as the nations confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million.

Its a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaros attempt to minimize the disease.

Thousands gathered Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, waving flags reading Get out Bolsonaro. Other marchers hoisted posters reading: 500 thousand deaths. Its his fault.

Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazils 26 states. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaros declining poll ratings with next years presidential race looming.

Bolsonaros supporters have taken more often to the streets over the past month, in large part because many agree with his dismissal of restrictions meant to stifle the coronavirus and anger that lockdown measures have hurt businesses.

Critics say such messages, as well as Bolsonaros promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the soaring death toll and a sluggish vaccine campaign that has fully inoculated less than 12% of the population. The country of some 213 million people is registering nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths a day.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Afghanistan races to ramp up oxygen supplies as infections soar

 US families angered that coronavirus restrictions still keep them from loved ones in nursing homes even as elderly vaccinations are widespread

 10,000 heavy metal fans enjoy UK music festival in late st COVID-19 crowd test

 Biden promotes milestone of 300M vaccine shots in 150 days

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

RIO DE JANEIRO  Brazil said Saturday that more than 500,000 people in the country are confirmed to have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The nation of 210 million people has been reporting an average of more than 2,000 daily deaths in recent days. Brazils reported death toll is second only to that of the U.S., where the number of lives lost has topped 600,000.

Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga confirmed that the official death toll had passed 500,000.

I am working tirelessly to vaccinate all Brazilians in the shortest time possible and change this scenario that has plagued us for over a year, Queiroga tweeted.

Brazil is registering more than 70,000 confirmed coronavirus infections every day. Just 11.4% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the government.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the coronavirus while trying to keep the economy humming. He dismissed the scourge early on as a little flu and has scorned masks.

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WILMINGTON, Del.  The United States is sending 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan on Saturday, according to a senior Biden administration official, increasing its allocation to the country amid Chinese pressure on Taiwan.

The U.S. had originally planned to send 750,000 doses to Taiwan. The senior administration official, granted anonymity to discuss plans that had not been publicly announced, said the increase in doses reflects the importance of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and an awareness of unfair challenges Taiwan has faced in acquiring vaccines.

Taiwan blamed the Chinese government when an attempt by Taiwan to purchase vaccines from Germanys BioNTech SE failed. China has also stepped up its military activities around Taiwan, which the senior administration official said was destabilizing to the area.

The delivery is part of the Biden administrations vaccine diplomacy efforts, and a portion of the 80 million U.S.-made shots President Joe Biden has pledged to distribute

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan  The authoritarian president of Turkmenistan, who claims that his country has been free of coronavirus, is calling for heightened measures against infection.

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered that Turkmens returning to the country undergo a 21-day quarantine and called for strengthened controls at borders, where crossings are already tightly restricted.

His orders were reported Saturday by the government newspaper Neitralny Turkmenistan.

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MOSCOW  Russias national coronavirus taskforce on Saturday reported 17,906 new infections, more than double the daily tally from early June.

More than half of the new infections are in Moscow, where cases have tripled this month. The soaring case count has caused alarm among officials, who have increased measures to obstruct the spread.

Moscow, its outlying area and two other Russian regions this week ordered mandatory vaccinations for workers in retail, education and other service sectors. Moscow has closed food courts in shopping centers and restricted restaurants and bars in the capital to takeout orders from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Russians are widely resistant to vaccinations and only about 12% of the population has received a shot. Nearly 5.3 million cases have been reported in the country of 146 million, with 128,911 deaths, but experts consider both numbers undercounts.

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KABUL  Afghanistans is racing to ramp up supplies of oxygen as a deadly third surge of COVID-19 worsens, a senior health official told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday.

The government is installing oxygen supply plants in 10 provinces where up to 65% of those tested in some areas are positive, health ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigir Nazari said. By WHO recommendations, anything higher than 5% shows officials arent testing widely enough, allowing the virus to spread unchecked.

Afghanistan carries out barely 4,000 tests a day and often much less.

Afghanistans 24-hour infection count has also continued its upward climb from 1,500 at the end of May when the health ministry was already calling the surge a crisis, to more than 2,300 this week.

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LONDON  Thousands of heavy metal fans were camping, singing  and even moshing  on Saturday at Britains first full music festival since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The three-day Download Festival, taking place at Donington Park in central England, is one of a series of test events to see whether mass gatherings can resume without triggering outbreaks of COVID-19.

About 10,000 fans, a tenth of the festivals pre-pandemic attendance, secured tickets to watch more than 40 U.K.-based bands including Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet for My Valentine.

Attendees all took COVID-19 tests before the event, and dont have to wear masks or follow social distancing rules during the festival.

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PARIS  French police clashed with party-goers as they tried to break up an unauthorized rave in western France, authorities said Saturday. A 22-year-old man lost his hand and several others were injured amid the violence, including police.

The tensions erupted in a field near the Brittany town of Redon on Friday night, just two days before France lifts an overnight virus curfew thats been in place for more than eight months and has prompted growing frustration among young people.

Police repeatedly fired tear gas and charged clusters of violent partygoers who hurled metal balls, gasoline bombs and other projectiles at security forces, according to images shared online and comments by the top government official in the region, prefect Emmanuel Berthier. Local authorities estimated about 1,500 people took part in the event despite a local ordinance banning it.

France is lifting the overnight curfew on Sunday.

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ROCHESTER, New York  Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere  except inside many of Americas nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nations most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.

Frustration has set in as families around the country visit their moms and, this Fathers Day weekend, their dads. Hugs and kisses are still discouraged or banned in some nursing homes. Residents are dining in relative isolation and playing bingo and doing crafts at a distance. Visits are limited and must be kept short, and are cut off entirely if someone tests positive.

Family members and advocates question the need for such restrictions at this stage of the pandemic, when the risk is comparatively low. They say the measures are now just prolonging older peoples isolation and accelerating their mental and physical decline.

They have protected them to death, said Denise Gracely, whose 80-year-old mother, Marian Rauenzahn, lives in a nursing home in Topton, Pennsylvania.

Rauenzahn had COVID-19 and then lost part of a leg to gangrene, but Graceley said what she struggled with the most was enforced solitude, going from six-day-a-week visits to none at all.

Rauenzahns daughters eventually won the right to see her once a week, and the nursing home now says it plans to relax the rules on visits for all residents in late June.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  The sultanate of Oman has lurched back into a strict nightly lockdown as it struggles to curb a major surge in severe coronavirus cases that has overwhelmed hospitals.

Mere weeks after lifting most restrictions amid its vaccination campaign, the country on Saturday announced a wide-ranging movement ban and the shutdown of all public places and nonessential businesses from 8 p.m. to 4. a.m.

Daily coronavirus infections have more than tripled in the last month in the Gulf Arab state. Doctors struggling to handle the influx of new patients have reported bed and staff shortages at major hospitals.

Officials this week detected several cases of whats known as black fungus in COVID-19 patients, a potentially fatal infection that also has spread quickly among virus patients in India.

Oman has recorded more than 242,700 infections and 2,600 deaths. Its inoculation campaign has lagged compared to Gulf neighbors as the government struggles to overcome vaccine skepticism.

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ISTANBUL  Turkeys health minister says people 30 and above are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting Sunday.

Turkeys vaccination program has gained momentum, with more than 1.5 million jabs administered Friday, as more people become eligible. More than 26.4 million people have received their first vaccine dose and 14.3 million people have received both doses.

Vaccines from the Chinese company Sinovac and Pfizer-BioNTech are being administered in the country of nearly 84 million people. Turkey has also announced it will use Russias Sputnik V.

The 7-day average of daily infections is nearly 5,800, a significant drop from the record high of 63,000 infections a week in mid-April.

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistan on Saturday reported the lowest daily number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in the past three months.

Federal authorities reported 27 deaths and 974 new confirmed cases. That brings the total deaths to 21,940 and more than 947,000 cases since the virus first appeared last year.

With a steady decline in cases, the worst-affected southern Sindh province announced Saturday that it was easing restrictions in the commercial hub, Karachi, other major urban centers and in rural areas. Authorities in Sindh said junior schools would reopen on Monday and all senior schools and higher educational institutions would follow shortly. Shrines, marriage halls and parks will also be allowed to open by next week.

Pakistans top health official rejected reports about a shortage of coronavirus vaccine, saying millions of more doses of vaccines will be arriving in the country during the next 10 days.

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TOKYO  Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike says plans to hold mass public viewings of the Olympics at six sites have been canceled, as worries grow about the coronavirus pandemic amid one of the slowest vaccine rollouts in the developed world.

These are necessary measures to make the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics a success, she told reporters after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

The sites had included Inokashira and Yoyogi parks as well as a university in Tokyo to watch livestreaming of the games, which open July 23. Koike said the sites will instead be offered as vaccination sites.

Some medical experts have expressed concern about holding the games, with tens of thousands of athletes, officials and dignitaries entering the country.

Fans from abroad were banned several months ago, and organizers are expected to announce Monday whether local fans will be allowed. The recommendation Friday from advisers headed by Dr. Shigeru Omi was that having no fans would be safer.

Only about 6% of people in Japan are fully vaccinated. Companies, like automaker Toyota Motor Corp. and technology conglomerate SoftBank, start inoculating workers and their families in a massive drive starting Monday.

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KAMPALA, Uganda  Uganda is tightening its lockdown measures to try to stem a surge in coronavirus infections in the East African country that is seeing an array of variants.

The measures announced late Friday by President Yoweri Museveni include a ban on private and public transportation within and across districts, including in the capital Kampala. Only vehicles carrying cargo and those transporting the sick or essential workers are permitted to operate on the roads.

The normally crowded shops in downtown Kampala have also been ordered shut. An ongoing nighttime curfew will stay in place. The new measures will last 42 days.

Uganda is among some African countries seeing a dramatic rise in the number of infections amid a vaccine shortage. It has confirmed 68,779 infections, including 584 deaths. The actual totals are believed to be much higher.

The Africa director of the World Health Organization spoke Thursday of a sobering trajectory of surging cases in Africa that she said should rouse everyone to urgent action.

Africas 1.3 billion people account for 18% of the worlds population, but the continent has received only 2% of all vaccine doses administered globally.
DARIEN  High school seniors, with their families watching, were able to once again gather as a group Wednesday to celebrate a traditional graduation.

For the past 16 months, students have dealt with a pandemic that prevented a traditional graduation for the Class of 2020 and forced most of the present graduating class into remote learning for long stretches.

On Wednesday, on the Darien High School field, 321 seniors got to walk the aisle, get their diplomas and toss their caps in what is a true rite of passage.

So many people have been congratulating me today, class valedictorian Eleanor Chase said, and thank you for all of those congratulations  I do love attention  but I havent gotten here alone.

There were probably at least a hundred people behind the scenes, working tirelessly to get me on this stage, and nothing I can say can repay the sacrifices theyve all made on my, and the rest of the class of 2021s, behalf, Chase added.

Chase praised all who helped bring the class to this graduation day, and asked all graduates to remember those sacrifices and the people who have meant so much through the years.

As we go out into this chaotic and rapidly changing world, I challenge each of us to appreciate those whove been there and find everyone who will be, she said.

Cherish everyone weve leaned on and will lean on, Chase added. To cultivate relationships with those who lift us up, and to never leave behind those whove had our backs. I challenge us to not only be the best we can be but find those who bring out the best in us.

Salutatorian James Strong said everything this group of graduates has experienced the past 12 years is so much more than the pandemic and its impact in the past 16 months.

The culmination of all our memories, our experiences, our growth, our relationships, every time we laughed, cried, smiled cannot be summed up by describing how we overcame the challenges we faced in 2020 and 2021, Strong said. We were only able to overcome what we have based on the foundation of the years that came before.

Strong said, after all the years, from preschool to elementary to middle school, it is only in high school when they all come together.

Looking back at it all, he added, you come to realize that the path you have taken along with everyone who guided you is nothing less than an adventure. When five schools become shuffled into four teams that finally coalesce in this one building, special things are bound to happen.

Strong said the students should be grateful for the special moments made possible by all present and the people who they met along the way.

Grateful for the histories we have made together and the stories that I will carry with me for my entire life, Strong said. Heres to you all, Class of 2021. I cant wait until the day that our paths will cross again.
Transparency issues occur regularly in Connecticut municipal government  and that fundamentally can hurt the publics right to know why officials are doing what they are doing, experts say.

Keeping information from residents can exacerbate issues, make it more difficult for voters and parents to make decisions and assess the decisions of public officials, and can create public distrust, experts in open government say.

Transparency is essential to the running of a democracy, said Richard F. Hanley, associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University. Without transparency, the information gap is still by innuendo and rumor.

But examples of closed door meetings, officials refusing to comment, provide details, documents or information have occurred in recent months in New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, Danbury, Old Saybrook and other towns.

In New Haven, residents and many officials still dont know exactly why Brennan-Rogers Magnet School Principal Laura Roblee was demoted recently, or why the Board of Education voted to reassign her. Board members said publicly that Roblee allegedly used a racial slur during a workshop.

In Bridgeport, Hearst Connecticut Media has been waiting 18 months for a police internal affairs report to be released and residents have complained about lack of transparency around a building committees choice of a site for a new school. In Norwalk, parents and others are left wondering about changes in school administrators, and in Old Saybrook, public records advocates have criticized town agencies for not disclosing certain police documents.

Hearst Connecticut Media file

The value of information

In New Haven, in the matter of the Brennan-Rogers principal, she was out on administrative leave and parents, students and staff at the school werent told why.

First Amendment experts, while acknowledging that there are privacy and labor issues involved, criticized the way the case has been handled.

Hanley said its important for members of the public to have access to information thats in the publics interest to know.

Contributed photo

Nothing good comes out of withholding information in a democracy in a country that depends on accurate and timely information to govern itself, Hanley said.

The principals reassignment  as often is the case with personnel issues in government in Connecticut  was hashed out in closed-door executive sessions, which the state Freedom of Information Act entitles the school board to do.

Key people associated with the process, including Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey and Mayor Justin Elicker, who is a member of the school board, wouldnt discuss the details.

Hanley said that, to him, in a case with an allegation of a racially charged incident, it makes it more important to make sure all the information is disseminated.

In fact, oftentimes the publics right to know supersedes the right to privacy for people on the public payroll, Hanley said. When information is not disclosed, its going to make the problem worse and more removed from reality.

Tracey did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the transparency issue.

Elicker said that Dr. Tracey has assured me that the investigation report will be released to the public on Monday.

I would add that there is a reason for the laws that allow things to be done in executive session, he said. That is because there are issues that for various reasons cannot be released to the public, for HIPAA reasons, for personnel reasons, because municipalities might be exposed to litigation.

Under state law, personnel or medical files of officials and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute an invasion of personal privacy, are not subject to public release.

Schools and more

In Bridgeport, a Freedom of Information Act request for a police internal affairs report related to an Aug. 16, 2019, incident in which Officer Gianni Capozziello allegedly struck a teenager in the back of his head with his gun, submitted by a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter, has not been fulfilled more than a year-and-a-half later.

Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media file

Further, Park City residents have complained about the lack of transparency around a building committees choice of a site for the new Bassick High School, which was suddenly changed from a site on the West End to University of Bridgeport property that Bridgeport would pay $6 million for.

No public hearings were held  and its not just members of the public complaining.

It really (ticks) me off, said Bridgeport Councilman Jorge Cruz, D-131. Im on the council and I like to be transparent and upfront with my constituents.

Meanwhile, the new Bassick is on track to be one of the most expensive schools in Connecticut  and its not even built yet, Cruz said.

Linda Conner Lambeck / Hearst Connecticut Media file

Bridgeport school board Chairman John Weldon, however said last July that the site could not be revealed until an agreement was executed.

Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim has said sometimes his desire to make information publicly available is blocked by legal considerations.

Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, said the public has a right to know what is going on within its schools, whether teachers or administrators are doing whats best for its students.

While officials are allowed to withhold certain information, It is clearly within the publics right to know why theyre doing what theyre doing, Silverman said.

One important reason for that is to make sure that government employees are being treated fairly, Silverman said.

In the New Haven case, Silverman said, we dont even have the opportunity to fully assess what happened here ... unless we have that information fully in context.

Without that information, not only can we not assess for ourselves whether the right decision was being made, but we may begin to distrust all actions of the school board. ... Youre really planting the seeds of doubt, he said.

In another school issue, in Norwalk this spring, the public schools and the state have been investigating an unspecified personnel matter at Brien McMahon High School, leaving many school families to wonder what caused the absence of three administrators.

The slow trickle of information about the schools leadership frustrated some parents and led to calls for greater transparency around personnel investigations. Others expressed concern that the abrupt leadership changes could pose challenges for the end of the school year.

On the matter, Superintendent Alexandra Estrella told parents in an April 16 email, As you may know, we consider personnel matters to be confidential, and we have no further comment on this matter at this time.

I think we all need to remember that these public officials work for us ... the constituencies that they serve, Silveman said. Transparency is important to make sure that those officials are in fact acting in our best interests, not their own.

In Stamford, last October, five members of the Stamford Board of Education called for the resignation of board President Andy George, but residents were not informed of the discussion because no public notice of the meeting was released.

George said at the time that a public notice was not necessary for the meeting because it was considered a board retreat and the members were not doing the business of the board, but rather an internal self-assessment, Hearst Connecticut Media reported.

Also in Stamford, parents, teachers and students waited months last year for an update on a plan circulated the previous year to demolish five schools in the district  only to learn that a committee formed to hash-out the topic was meeting privately.

An emailed statement from Superintendent Tamu Lucero at the time said that the initial meeting of the long-term facilities committeewas held to discuss the goals and purpose of such a committee and to gauge interest of and suggestions for committee members.

The statement continued, Now that the committee has been established, the meetings will be noticed.

Erin Kayata / Hearst Connecticut Media

Meanwhile, an ad-hoc committee focused on mold issues at Westover Magnet Elementary School held its first meeting in October, also in private. Like the facilities meeting, it was not posted publicly.

Arthur Augustyn, spokesperson for the mayor, said at the time that public meeting rules do not apply to the Westover committee because it is an administrative group.

Freedom of Information

In Old Saybrook, town agencies have twice drawn criticism from public records advocates by withholding records pertaining to police personnel.

In one case, after a woman alleged police aggressively questioned her brother, who has Down syndrome, during a probe of a stolen street sign, Chief of Police Michael Spera declined to provide footage of the incident, arguing it was exempt from the Freedom of Information Act because it pertained to unsubstantiated allegations.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

It ultimately was determined that the man with Down syndrome was not connected to the street sign theft.

Then, First Selectman Carl Fortuna in February rejected a request for copy of a settlement in a civil lawsuit over a womans encounter with police, , saying it was not in the towns custody but with an attorney. The outside attorney was working for the town.

Both decisions are pending appeal with the state Freedom of Information Commission.

According to the state Freedom of Information website, the commission made about 120 decisions in 2020, even while Connecticut was in the middle of a pandemic. It has made more than 40 decisions to date in 2021.

But Quinnipiacs Hanley said its not enough that citizens outside government have the ability to file requests and complaints under the Freedom of Information Act.

The fact that we need a Freedom of Information Act is not a good thing in a democracy because you have to ask government for information about itself, Hanley said. ... We have to petition to get public information? It just shows how in some cases government conspires against its people.

Where information is critical, it makes no sense for citizens to have to petition for information that belongs to them, he said.

Its ironic that public officials ... dont understand the territory in which theyre navigating, Hanley said. ...I think a change of culture in the political class is necessary ... where transparency is the first thing.

. You rarely hear of cases where too much information hurts, he said.

In the New Haven case, one of Elickers opponents in an upcoming Democratic primary, Karen Dubois-Walton, criticized him for a lack of transparency  and specifically for not contributing to the public discussion at the Board of Education meeting at which the board voted to demote Roblee.

We expect from our public officials, a sense of what went into their decision-making, Dubois-Walton said. We as voters put our trust in people.

Speaking more broadly about the need for transparency, Dubois-Walton said, The trust that is sacrificed when we cant be clear about (what actually happened) is an issue. ... People cant get a sense of whether their voice is even being heard or considered.

How do you judge whether the decision was right or wrong when youre not give enough information about how they made the decision? she asked.

Elicker, however, said, In a perfect world, while people might want things to be done in the open, that might not always be legally appropriate.

He added that its very important to remind people that Im the mayor, not the superintendent.

That said, I value transparency and have worked very hard to ensure that I and city employees are accessible when people are trying to get information, and provide information to the public whenever he is legally able to do so, he said.

Reporters Meghan Friedmann, Brian Lockhart, Ignacio Laguarda and Richard Chumney contributed to this story.. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  Their countries at crossroads, the new leaders of the United States and Israel have inherited a relationship that is at once imperiled by increasingly partisan domestic political considerations and deeply bound in history and an engrained recognition that they need each other.

How President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett manage that relationship will shape the prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East.

They are ushering in an era no longer defined by the powerful personality of long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu, who repeatedly defied the Obama administration and then reaped the rewards of a warm relationship with President Donald Trump.

Bennetts government says it wants to repair relations with the Democrats and restore bipartisan support in the U.S. for Israel. Biden, meanwhile, is pursuing a more balanced approach on the Palestinian conflict and Iran.

The relationship is critical to both countries. Israel has long regarded the United States as its closest ally and guarantor of its security and international standing while the U.S. counts on Israels military and intelligence prowess in a turbulent Middle East.

But both Biden and Bennett are also restrained by domestic politics.

Bennett leads an uncertain coalition of eight parties from across Israels political spectrum whose main point of convergence was on removing Netanyahu from power after 12 years. Biden is struggling to bridge a divide in his party where near-uniform support for Israel has eroded and a progressive wing wants the U.S. to do more to end Israels half-century occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Shortly after taking office, the new Israeli foreign minister, Yair Lapid, recognized the challenges Israel faces in Washington.

We find ourselves with a Democratic White House, Senate and House and they are angry, Lapid said upon taking the helm at Israels foreign ministry a week ago. We need to change the way we work with them.

A key test will be on Iran. Biden has sought to return to the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama saw as a signature foreign policy achievement. Trump withdrew from the pact to cheers from pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers and Israel. Though Iran has not yet accepted Bidens offer for direct negotiations, indirect discussions on the nuclear deal are now in a sixth round in Vienna.

The new Israeli government remains staunchly opposed to Bidens efforts to resurrect the deal. But it maintains it will discuss the issue behind closed doors rather than staging public confrontations, such as Netanyahus controversial address slamming the agreement to the U.S. Congress in 2015.

In a conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Lapid said the two agreed on a no surprises policy and to keep lines of communication open.

Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israels Bar-Ilan University, says that rather than trying to scuttle any agreement with Iran, the new government will press the U.S. administration to keep some sanctions on Iran in place and seek strategic compensation for Israel as part of any return to the deal.

Resolving differences over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be another significant challenge for the two leaders.

Biden has already moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians and caused a near total rupture in official U.S.-Palestinian contacts. Almost immediately after taking office, Biden restored Trump-slashed U.S. assistance to the Palestinians, which in just four months totals more than $300 million. He announced his administrations intent to re-open the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, closed by Trump, that handled relations with the Palestinians. And, administration officials have spoken of the imperative that Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

Yet, neither Biden nor Blinken has signaled any move to alter Trumps most significant pro-Israel steps. Those include his abandonment of longstanding U.S. policy that settlements are illegitimate under international law, his recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and his recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory seized from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The administration also hopes to expand Arab-Israeli normalization agreements that the Trump administration forged in its final months in office.

In a call on Bennett's first day in office, Biden affirmed his steadfast support for the U.S.-Israel relationship" and unwavering commitment to Israels security. He pledged to work together on all security matters, including Iran.

Biden's support for Israels heavy airstrikes during last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, who fired thousands of rockets at Israel, angered progressive Democrats in Congress. With newfound strength in numbers, they are demanding that the administration do more to support the Palestinians and that conditions be placed on the massive amount of military aid the U.S. provides Israel.

While well-established Democratic lawmakers remain unstintingly supportive of Israel and its absolute right to defend itself, the growing number of progressive voices in their caucus have turned the issue into a political hot potato. The change in Israel's government is unlikely to ease their calls for action as Israeli-Palestinian violence has continued in recent days.

Yet, the Biden administration has already urged the new Israeli government to ease tensions with the Palestinians. In two phone conversations with Lapid over the last week, Blinken has spoken of the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations in practical ways and pledged to deepen Arab-Israeli ties.

It's not clear that the new government will be responsive.

Centrist members like Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz clearly want to adopt a more cooperative approach with the Biden administration, while Bennett and his right-wing partners face pressure from their base to maintain Netanyahus hardline approach, not only on Iran but on the conflict with the Palestinians.

The former prime minister, already eyeing a return to office, has branded Bennett as weak and inexperienced, and will probably pounce on any perceived capitulations.

The Israeli government already faces tough decisions, including whether to evacuate an unauthorized settlement outpost established last month and whether to intervene in the legal process through which settler organizations are trying to evict dozens of Palestinian families from their homes in east Jerusalem.

The Biden administration is pressing Israel to refrain from any unilateral steps  such as settlement expansion or evictions  that could hinder the eventual revival of the peace process, which has been moribund for more than a decade. But Washington has yet to issue public condemnations of settlement activity beyond general calls for both sides to refrain from unilateral steps that could inflame tensions or harm prospects for an eventual peace deal.

Bennett is a strong supporter of the settlements and is opposed to Palestinian statehood, but he is also seen by many as a pragmatist. He may be able to turn his weakness into a strength, arguing that any major concession  to the Palestinians or the settlers  risks bringing down the government and returning Netanyahu to power.

The forces that brought this coalition to power are strong enough in my judgment to sustain the pressure from the right and probably also American pressure to make a major change in the policies toward the Palestinians, Gilboa said.

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Krauss reported from Jerusalem.


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Hospitality industry welcomed the decision as it would imply employment to many of those who were rendered jobless. (Representational image:PTI)

HYDERABAD: Most people that Deccan Chronicle spoke to welcomed the decision of the state Cabinet to lift the lockdown restrictions completely and pressed for strict implementation of Covid-19 norms.

The teaching community expressed reservation on the decision to reopen all educational institutions. Hospitality industry welcomed the decision as it would imply employment to many of those who were rendered jobless.

What people say

Its a good decision taken by the government, but there is a strong need to continue the Covid-19 protocol. The mistakes that people made earlier pushed us into this crisis and those should not be repeated. I request those visiting temples to follow precautions.

C.S. Rangarajan, Pradhana archaka, Chilkur Balaji temple

The government has contained the pandemic very efficiently by imposing strict restrictions while conducting Covid-19 vaccination drive. Lifting the lockdown at this time is very well appreciated. This will help people to start earning their livelihood.

S.S Rao, MD, Gedov Transmission

It is not safe to open schools. The under-18 population has not been vaccinated, and this decision may lead to another crisis where children become victims. The decision will help people earn their livelihood but I think this should be reconsidered.

Leena Mary, Primary teacher, Bhegas High School, Malkajgiri

We welcome the decision as Covid-19 cases are few. Its not just about selling liquor and food. Many families depend on these sectors. We will mandate all precautions.

B. Surendhar Reddy, Shruthi Restaurant and Bar

The lockdown was imposed to flatten the curve. Lifting the lockdown totally may lead to more cases. It could have been done in a partial manner. Taking advantage of the end of restrictions, people may become casual. This can lead to another wave.

Dr G. Rajendernath, King Koti Hospital

We welcome the decision. Many people had lost their livelihood during the lockdown. There are 400 employees in our restaurants, and most of them suffered during the lockdown. This decision renews their hopes.

Mohammad Irfan, Sha Ghouse Restaurants

The paan shop business has regular customers. What we used to earn the whole day, we could earn even during the four-hour relaxation. We were not affected much. Since the lockdown has been lifted, the government should ensure strict restrictions where people gather.

Osman Ali, Paan shop owner

Life over livelihood. Its a welcome move, done when the cases are under control. Many in the hospitality sector are facing acute poverty. Now there is hope for them. There is a vaccine for Covid-19 but no vaccine against poverty.

Dheeraj Melwani, MD, Dirty Martini Pub
Big schools like Meridian, Glendale, Johnson Grammar and the like also said that they were prepared for any scenario, and would wait for detailed guidelines from the state government before reaching a decision on managerial level.  Representational image/PTI

HYDERABAD: Even as the state government on Saturday said it was ready to open schools and colleges for physical classes from July 1, the decision has not been received well by parents. Several parents in the city unanimously said they were not ready to let their children out in public yet. Some even said this decision was a sure shot invitation to a third wave of the virus spread in the state.

"There has been enough talk about this and a lot of experts are suspecting that the third wave which is imminent, will affect children the most. Allowing schools and colleges to reopen, even with as many precautionary measures as possible, cannot ensure safety," said Venkat Sainath, a parent and member of the Hyderabad Schools Parents' Association.

Other parents said until there was a vaccine ready for children under the age of 18 years, they would choose not to send kids for physical classes. "This is the most irresponsible decision the government can take despite the crisis we witnessed a little over a month ago. How and who will ensure that people don't let their guard down once normalcy begins in the state?" another parent of a Class 7 student said.

However, most private schools said they were ready with all facilities in place to conduct physical classes safely as per government guidelines. Suneer Nagi, Principal, Pallavi Model School in the city, while expressing confidence in their preparation to conduct the classes and reopening school for students, also highlighted the concerns parents might have in sending children. "We are prepared for whatever the government finally decides, but will the parents feel comfortable?" she asked.

Big schools like Meridian, Glendale, Johnson Grammar and the like also said that they were prepared for any scenario, and would wait for detailed guidelines from the state government before reaching a decision on managerial level.

The state Cabinet on Saturday directed the education department to prepare instructions and guidelines on compulsory attendance of the students, online classes and other related issues and release the same at the earliest.
A colony in the Secunderabad EME Centre is named after him, as also the Stadium inside the EME Centre where he trained. (Photo:DC)

Hyderabad: Milkha Singh made waves at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, but his baby steps as a sprinter were taken here in Secunderabad, where he was recruited in the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) of the Army back in 1952.

The Flying Sikh died of Covid complications late on Saturday night. He was 91.

He trained in and around the EME Centre area, building his strength and stamina by taking up many an uphill task  he would run up the Ammuguda hill carrying a stone-filled bag and also run alongside a train, which ran on the then metre gauge track between Bolaram and Ammuguda. The driver of a particular train used to encourage and egg me on. It was kind of a motivation and I could run for a longer distance, Milkha recalled in interviews later.

He has always credited the Army, EME and Secunderabad Cantonment for his sporting success. Had I not joined the Army I would not have worked so hard, Milkha said.

Fittingly, a colony in the EME Centre is named after him, as also the Stadium inside the EME Centre where he trained. While inaugurating the Milkha Singh Stadium in 2014, the legend had got emotional, kissed the turf and said it was like a gurudwara to him.

Secunderabad, where Milkha lived from 1952 to 1960 and prepared for the 1960 Olympics at which he missed the 400 metres bronze medal by a whisker, was always special to him. Whenever he came across athletes from Secunderabad/ Hyderabad, he would develop an instant affinity. Mai Secunderabad ka rice khaney ke baad running start kiya (I have started running after eating rice in Secunderabad) he once told me in jest. He would also talk about his many memories here, Prabhakara Rao Mulagala, veteran long-distance runner from the city, told this newspaper.

We should also remember Milkha used to run on cinder tracks, not on the present synthetic ones that give athletes the advantage of up to a second. He was the first to run the 400m under 46 seconds, at a meet in Oslo (Norway) a fortnight or so before the Rome Olympics, where he was unfortunate to finish fourth, 0.1 second behind Malcolm Spence of South Africa. Later, South Africa was banned from sport for 36 years because of apartheid... that bronze couldve belonged to Milkha, who competed against the worlds best, added Prabhakara, who has won 300-plus gold medals at national and international races, and at 69 still competes in races.
Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria addresses during the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) to mark the successful completion of pre-commissioning training of Flight Cadets of various branches of Indian Air Force at Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, Saturday, June 19, 2021. (PTI Photo)

HYDERABAD: The Indian Air Force is currently in a phase of intense and rapid infusion of niche technology and combat power, in view of the security scenario in Indias neighbourhood, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria said.

The IAF chief was speaking at the combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dindigul on the outskirts of the city on Saturday.

The transformation of IAF, he said, was primarily because of the unprecedented and rapidly evolving security challenges that we face, coupled with rising geopolitical uncertainty in our neighbourhood and beyond.

The past few decades, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said, established the critical role of airpower in achieving victory in any conflict. It is in this backdrop that IAFs ongoing capability-enhancement assumes tremendous significance, he said, adding that the IAF, over the past year, also increased vigilance amid the tussle with China in Ladakh.

The IAF chief also spoke about how the Air Force assisted in the countrys fight against Covid-19. Strict Covid discipline within the IAF helped us to undertake all Covid tasks on a war-footing, and that the IAFs transport fleet flew more than 3,800 hours within two months in a huge effort within and outside India to transport critical oxygen tankers, and other medical equipment and supplies.

To the graduating cadets, he said, It is essential for all of you to bear in mind that, as future leaders, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with your comrades in olive greens and whites and prosecute integrated operations. You will be an integral part of this important transition in the years ahead.

Bhadauria said that the IAF was on track for inducting 36 Rafale aircraft by 2022. The timeline for receiving the Rafales was on track, he said.
It was decided to construct a project at Alampur to divert 60 to 70 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) through pipelines and fulfil the needs of the Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project ayacut. A total of two lakh acres will be irrigated in Nalgonda and Suryapet districts by constructing the Pulichintala left canal.  Twitter

HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet on Saturday approved the construction of irrigation projects to lift water from the Krishna river to safeguard the interests of Telangana state and to counter the 'illegal projects' undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh government.

The Cabinet expressed severe anger over the AP government going ahead with the construction of the Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme (RLIS) to divert Srisailam water over the Krishna as well as the right canal of the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) over the Tungabhadra, terming both as 'illegal projects' being undertaken without any approvals of regulatory bodies concerned.

The Cabinet took strong exception to the Centre's inaction in ensuring a justifiable share of Krishna water to Telangana state even seven years after the formation of the state. It said that though the Telangana state government had withdrawn the case from the Supreme Court on Krishna water sharing, complying with the Centre's assurance that it would reallocate Krishna water between the Telugu states, nothing had happened so far.

It was decided to construct a project at Alampur to divert 60 to 70 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) through pipelines and fulfil the needs of the Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project ayacut. A total of two lakh acres will be irrigated in Nalgonda and Suryapet districts by constructing the Pulichintala left canal.

Another lift irrigation project will be constructed at Sunkesula reservoir to irrigate one lakh acres in Nadigadda region in Nalgonda district. It was also decided to construct a flood canal at Kusumurthi village where the Bhima river enters Telangana.

The Cabinet decided to enhance Kalwakurthy lift irrigation reservoirs capacity to 20 tmc ft. A lift irrigation project will be constructed at Nagarjunasagar tail pond to irrigate two lakh acres upstream under Nagarjunasagar project limits.

It was also decided to take up hydel generation of power in all the projects over Krishna by utilising huge inflows during monsoon and lessen the financial burden of power on account of lift irrigation projects. The Cabinet also decided to fight against AP's illegal projects on various forums besides raising the voice in Parliament.
As the Covid-19 pandemic began abating in the United States and Europe as well as India, in-person summitry -- on hold for over a year -- resumed. The G-7 meeting was held at Carbis Bay in Britains Cornwall, following which the US President flew to Geneva for his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with a halt in Brussels for talks with Nato. In Israel, long-ruling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was replaced by a coalition led by Naftali Bennett, while a tightly controlled election in Iran put hardliner Ebrahim Raisi into the presidency. India marked the one-year anniversary of the bloody clash with Chinese PLA soldiers in Ladakhs Galwan, as Beijing prepared to celebrate the centenary of the Communist Party of China. Some strands of policy flow through all these events and need examination.

The G-7 summit was trying to deal with a world ravaged by Covid-19, the strategic convergence between China and Russia and concerns about the global economy and climate change. A joint communique issued on June 13 outlined in great detail both the challenges and the policy responses. The opening paragraph stresses the determination to beat the pandemic and build a better world. In doing that, the group emphasised the need not to forget their shared values and responsibilities. So, the G-7 was not just a gaggle of major economic powers but also free open societies and democracies. Thus, the four non-members invited to the summit -- Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa -- were seen as espousing those values. Prime Minister Narendra Modi vociferously declared Indias commitment to these values, despite mounting concern within and outside India about the state of Indias democracy.

The G-7 communique captures the main themes under six headings. First, understandably, relates to the current pandemic and ways to end it and be better prepared for any future outbreak. Global health is seen as inter-connected and a One Health approach is recommended, covering pandemic prevention, preparedness and seamless links between human and animal health and of both to the environment. This holistic way is a welcome outcome. They also committed to provide two billion vaccine doses through ACTA and COVAX, the two global vaccine programmes.

The second and third themes address the urgent need to reinvigorate the economies after the damage caused by lockdowns and the disruption of supply chains. With this is an emphasis on free and, new hyphenation, fair trade. The World Trade Organisation is sought to be reformed. Behind this is a new consensus between the US and Europe on treating China as a predatory power, utilising state power to gain unfair trade advantages and to poach technology. Also highlighted is the requirement to ameliorate the inequalities caused by wealth accumulation by the top layer as the middle and working classes face tepid growth in incomes. This is the main cause of the rise of fascist forces in the developed world.

It is also recognised that future growth must factor in an increased role of the digital economy and green transformation. The China factor again colours the debate, besides need to regulate and tax big technology firms with a global footprint.

The communique devotes a lot of space to climate change and new commitments to ensure the world moves towards reducing greenhouse gases. To achieve that, power production and transport systems must be de-carbonised. Renewables are advocated, besides recommending the diminishing use of coal, labelled the single biggest culprit in global warming. On agriculture and forestry, sustainable production is seen as dependent on conservation consciousness and regeneration of eco-systems. This holds a lesson for India, with the farmers agitation still continuing as the government is unable to present a unified model for transitioning to greener and sustainable agriculture.

The G-7 will also seek new partnerships, especially with Africa. The aim is to counter Chinas monopolising infrastructure development under the Belt and Road umbrella. The G-7 will also seek a standard setting in new technologies like Artifical Intelligence and a negotiated balance in the cyber world between freedom of speech and privacy concerns on one side and its abuse on the other.

The elephant in the room is clearly China, which celebrates a century of its Communist Partys existence on July 1. There is some softening of the tone President Xi Jinping has adopted of late, but this may be a tactical move to ensure that the centenary celebrations go off smoothly. On the other hand, some analysts interpret it as a sign of brewing internal dissonance over China getting progressively more isolated as it displays aggressiveness along its continental and maritime periphery.

As India marked one year since the Galwan horror, China is still refusing to withdraw some intrusions to positions of traditional deployment of its troops. Despite the Indian governments claims to the contrary, the PLA detachments are blocking Indian patrols in Depsang Plains, Gogra and Hot Springs, etc. Recently China sought talks at the local military level. But so far there is no evidence that China will modify its use of the unsettled border to strategically keep India on the tenterhooks. Some analysts feel China wants to keep India tied down in the Himalayas so that it doesnt divert its resources to the maritime domain, where India has an edge.

President Bidens summit with President Putin was to try and loosen the growing convergence between China and Russia. It was a smart move to tackle Mr Putin before sitting down to discuss differences with President Xi Jinping. Russia may not be the global rival it was during the Cold War or have an economy that is in the top 10 but it still has a huge nuclear arsenal and sheer geographical size to intervene in European and Asian affairs. Thus, reducing Russias handholding with China is necessary for the US to raise the G-7s leverage against China. The first step towards that was to get the European powers on board as nations like Germany are always worried about their exports to the huge Chinese market.

Looking at the G-7s priorities, India will have to carefully thread its path through them. Foremost is preparing to face climate change evangelism. Next is how to play along with the Quad or other US initiatives without being locked into an intractable anti-China position. Finally, the salience of Indias domestic political discourse may degenerate even more than during the West Bengal election as the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls approach. This may sit poorly with the pious words used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his G-7 engagement.
DUBAI: Aviation giant Emirates said Sunday it will resume flights from India from next week, after Dubai lifted a ban imposed when coronavirus cases spiked.

The United Arab Emirates, which includes Dubai, suspended all flights from India -- including for transit passengers -- in April in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India... from June 23," Emirates said in a statement.

Dubai said on Saturday that only passengers from India "with a valid residence visa and who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine" would be allowed to travel to the emirate.

They would also need a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure, a rapid test four hours before departure, and another PCR test on arrival with "institutional quarantine" required until the results are received.

Dubai authorities did not specify the rules for transit passengers and Emirates did not say whether transit passengers were allowed to fly through Dubai en route to third nations.

Some 300 flights a week were operating between the UAE and India before the ban was announced in April, according to local media, making the air corridor one of the busiest in the world.

The UAE is home to some 3.3 million Indians who make up a third of the population -- most of them in Dubai.

Some Indians who had been stranded in their homeland during a coronavirus surge had hired private jets to take them back to the UAE, which had exempted private jets from the ban.
Air India has time till mid-July to challenge the lawsuit filed by Britain's Cairn Energy PLC demanding that a US federal court force the airline to pay a $1.26 billion arbitration award it had won against the Indian government in December last year, sources said.

Air India is controlled by the Indian government so much that they are "alter egos", Cairn had said in the lawsuit filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The court should hold the airline company liable for the arbitration award, the company had said.

A three-member international arbitration tribunal that consisted of one judge appointed by India had unanimously in December overturned levy of taxes on Cairn retrospectively and ordered refund of shares sold, dividend confiscated and tax refunds withheld to recover such demand.

Read more: 17 pilots of Air India, IndiGo, Vistara died in May due to Covid-19

The government of India, despite participating in the arbitration proceeding over four years, has not accepted the award and has filed a 'setting aside' petition in a court in The Netherlands - the seat of the arbitration.

With Cairn seeking to recover the award from state-owned entities such as Air India, the government has said it will contest any enforcement.

Air India has time till mid-July to file a plea contesting Cairn lawsuit, three sources aware of the matter said.

The airline, which is in the process of being privatised, is likely to argue that it is a separate entity and not the alter ego of the Indian government and cannot be forced to pay for any liability of the government, they said.

Air India spokesperson declined to comment on the story.

Cairn has identified $70 billion of Indian assets overseas for potential seizure to collect award, which now totals to $1.72 billion after including interest and penalty.

The assets identified range from Air India's planes to vessels belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India, and properties owned by state banks to oil and gas cargoes of PSUs, the sources said.

These assets are across several jurisdictions, they said without giving further details.

Read more: Air India unions seek forensic audit of provident fund trusts, alleges 'huge losses'

Cairn plans to move courts in the US to Singapore for seizure of the assets in absence of Indian government's refusal to honour an international arbitration award.

Once a court recognises Air India as the alter ego of Indian government, Cairn can seek attachment or seizure of its assets in the US such as airplanes, immovable assets and bank accounts to recover the amount it was awarded by the arbitration tribunal.

The move is similar to a court in the British Virgin Islands ordering in December last year hotels in New York and Paris owned by Pakistan International Airlines to be used to settle a claim against Pakistan's government by a Canadian-Chilean copper company.

Crystallex International Corp had brought a similar lawsuit to attach property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A (PDVSA), the state-owned oil company of Venezuela, in Delaware couple of years back after the Latin American country failed to pay the firm $1.2 billion that an arbitration tribunal had ordered to pay in lieu of the 2011 seizing gold deposits held and developed by the firm.

In 2012, Elliott Management, a buccaneering American hedge fund which held distressed Argentine bonds, seized a handsome tall ship belonging to Argentina's navy.

Recently, French courts ruled that a stifled creditor could seize a business jet belonging to the government of Congo-Brazzaville while it was being serviced at a French airport, as well as $30 million from a bank account of the country's state oil company.

The Indian government, however, plans to contest any enforcement proceeding brought by Cairn.

"The Indian government naturally will challenge such seizure but to save the assets it may have to pawn money equivalent to the value of assets in some form of financial security such as bank guarantee. The court will return such a guarantee to India if it does not find merit in Cairn's case. But the surety will be passed on to Cairn if the court finds that India had failed to honour its obligation," a source said.

Last month, the finance ministry said that the tribunal "improperly exercised jurisdiction over a national tax dispute that the Republic of India never offered and/or agreed to arbitrate".

The ministry called the 2006 reorganisation of Cairn's India business for listing on the local bourses as "abusive tax avoidance scheme that were a gross violation of Indian tax laws, thereby depriving Cairn's alleged investments of any protection under the India-UK bilateral investment treaty".

The Scottish firm invested in the oil and gas sector in India in 1994 and a decade later it made a huge oil discovery in Rajasthan. In 2006 it listed its Indian assets on the BSE. Five years after that the government passed a retroactive tax law and billed Cairn Rs 10,247 crore plus interest and penalty for the reorganisation tied to the flotation. The state then expropriated and liquidated Cairn's remaining shares in the Indian entity, seized dividends and withheld tax refunds to recover a part of the demand.

Cairn challenged the move before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, which in December awarded it USD 1.2 billion (over Rs 8,800 crore) plus costs and interest, which totals USD 1.725 million (Rs 12,600 crore) as of December 2020.

The company, which previously said the ruling was binding and enforceable under international treaty law, has been since then courting Indian government officials to get the money paid. But the government has not agreed to pay.
Cuba's Soberana 2 vaccine candidate has shown 62% efficacy with just two of its three doses, state-run biopharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma said on Saturday, citing preliminary data from late phase trials.

Cuba, whose biotech sector has exported vaccines for decades, has five vaccine candidates in clinical trials, of which two - Soberana 2 and Abdala - are in late phase trials.

"In a few weeks we should have the results for the efficacy with three doses which we expect will be superior," said Vicente Verez, director of the state-run Finlay Vaccine Institute, which developed Soberana 2.

Read more: Brazil crosses grim mark of 5 lakh Covid-19 deaths

The news comes as the Caribbean's largest island is facing its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic in the wake of the arrival of more contagious variants, setting new records of daily coronavirus cases.

The Communist-run country has opted not to import foreign vaccines but rather to rely on its own. Experts say it is a risky bet but if it pays off, Cuba could burnish its scientific reputation, generate much-needed hard currency through exports and strengthen the vaccination drive worldwide.

"We know our government has not been able to provide this project all the funding it required, and nonetheless this is a result of global standing," President Miguel Diaz-Canel said at the presentation of the results on state-run television.

Several countries from Argentina and Jamaica to Mexico and Venezuela have expressed an interest in buying Cuba's vaccines. Iran started producing Soberana 2 earlier this year as part of late-phase clinical trials.

Cuba's authorities have started administering the experimental vaccines en masse as part of "intervention studies" they hope will slow the spread of the virus.

Daily cases have halved in the capital since the start of this vaccination campaign, according to official data, although that may also be due to stricter lockdown measures.
Amid bickering within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, senior Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik has shot off a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying that the party must patch up with BJP before it is too late.

It may be mentioned, Sarnaik, a three-time MLA from Thane district, is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate on alleged charges of money laundering.

The Shiv Sena was the oldest ally of BJP  for nearly three decades  before it broke away in 2019 and joined hands with the Congress-NCP combine to form the MVA government.

In the letter dated 10 June, Sarnaik pointed out that the political alliance may have broken but the leaders of Shiv Sena and BJP enjoy good personal relations.

"It is better to join hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi again as Shiv Sainiks feel that would save leaders like myself, Anil Parab and Ravindra Waikar from problems, said Sarnaik.

Read | Federalism is the foundation of India: Uddhav Thackeray

We believe in you and your leadership but Congress and NCP are trying to weaken our party. I believe that it will be better if you get closer to Modi...if we come together once again, it will be beneficial to Shiv Sena and Sainiks, he said in the letter.

I believe in fighting a war like Arjun instead of sacrificing oneself like Abhimanyu or Karna. This is the reason that I have been fighting my legal battle for the last 7 months alone without getting any help from our leaders or our government, he said.

According to him, Congress wants to contest alone while NCP is trying to break away leaders from Shiv Sena.

The BJP, however, offered guarded comments. This is what we said 18 months ago, said state BJP President Chandrakant Patil. .Sarnaik has written a letter to Thackerayhe would decide then our parties would decide accordingly, he said.
By Jason Gale,

As some governments and pharmaceutical officials prepare for Covid booster shots targeting more-infectious virus variants, health authorities say its too early to tell if they will be required.

We do not have the information thats necessary to make the recommendation on whether or not a booster will be needed, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organizations chief scientist, said in a Zoom interview Friday. The science is still evolving.

Also read: DH Deciphers | Could Delta Plus variant cause another Covid surge?

Such a call is premature while high-risk individuals in most of the world havent yet completed a first course of vaccination, Swaminathan said. Data from countries introducing precautionary extra inoculations later this year -- particularly for vulnerable people whose immunity to SARS-CoV-2 may wane faster -- will inform WHOs guidance, she said.

Covid booster shots are likely to be rolled out in UK in the fall to avoid another winter surge. Seven different vaccines are being tested in volunteers in England in the worlds first booster study, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last month.

The UK, which has inoculated a larger proportion of people than any other major economy, has been forced to delay a planned lifting of coronavirus restrictions amid a resurgence of cases driven by the delta variant. The strain, first reported in India, is the most infectious reported to date.

Tweaking shots

More-transmissible variants, including the beta strain that emerged in South Africa, require higher antibody levels to prevent infection, prompting vaccine makers including Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. to test whether tweaked versions of their existing shots will provide broader immunity.

One dose of Novavax Inc.s variant-directed vaccine may provide sufficient protection against the beta strain in individuals previously immunized against Covid-19, according to pre-clinical research released this month by scientists at the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The modified shot also has the potential to provide broad protection against various strains if used as a primary vaccine regimen, said Gregory M. Glenn, Novavaxs president of research and development, in a June 11 statement.

Also read: Sputnik V to offer booster shot against Delta variant

So far, the existing US-approved vaccines work well enough to protect against beta, delta and two other strains that the WHO has designated as variants of concern, said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

Our future

Nobody is saying you need a booster today, Collins said in an interview with biologist Lee Hood at the Precision Medicine World Conference Thursday. But boosters might very well be in our future at some point, and they might be here sooner if other variants pop up that arent covered as well by existing vaccines.

As a minimum, vaccines will need to protect against hospitalization, ICU admission and death, according to Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. With that bar, we probably would need a vaccine maybe every three to five years, he said in a STAT biotech podcast on Thursday.

Immunization with a combination of vaccinations may offer longer immunity or fewer side effects for certain individuals, Offit said.

Early data from the UK, Spain and Germany suggest a mix-and-match regimen using two different types of vaccines generates more pain, fever and other minor side effects compared with two doses of the same inoculation, the WHOs Swaminathan said.

Also read: With Covid-19 curbs eased, India letting its guard down?

Still, the so-called heterologous prime-boost combinations appear to spur a more robust immune response, leading to both higher levels of virus-blocking antibodies and the white blood cells that kill virus-infected cells, she said.

Combinations of the AstraZeneca Plc and Pfizer-BioNTech shots are being considered in Malaysia, where the government is trying to speed up immunizations to achieve population-level immunity by year-end, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday.

It seems to be working well, this concept of heterologous prime-boost, Swaminathan said. This opens up the opportunity for countries that have vaccinated people with one vaccine and now are waiting for the second dose they have run out of, to potentially be able to use a different platform vaccine.
Highlights of this day in history: Lizzie Borden found innocent of a grisly double murder; Britain's Queen Victoria begins rule; Race-related rioting hits Detroit; Muhammad Ali convicted in Vietnam War-era draft case; 'Jaws' premieres. (June 20)
Dabangg 2 actress Sandeepa Dhar: "You have to wait for the right mix to happen, the only thing you can do is keep honing your skills"

Actor Sandeepa Dhar says even though waiting for a right project can be a tedious process, it is important for artistes to grab every opportunity that helps in honing their skills. Dhar began her career with the Rajshri Productions drama "Isi Life Mein...!" in 2010 and went on to feature in films like "Heropanti" and "Dabangg 2." Her career turnaround happened in 2019, when she featured on the ZEE5 series "Abhay".

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sandeepa Dhar (@iamsandeepadhar)

In an interview with PTI, Dhar said getting offered a good project backed by a respectable platform doesn't happen "on a regular basis".

"You sometimes get great scripts but they're not backed by great platforms and then there are also times when you have great platforms backing not such great scripts. So you have to wait for the right mix to happen. The only thing you can do is keep yourself busy, keep honing your skills. You can't get impatient with these things," she added.

While waiting for interesting projects is the biggest challenge for an actor in the industry, Dhar said one should make sure they don't lose touch with being in front of the camera.

"There will be that right opportunity that'll come your way but (till then) you can't get impatient. In order to survive in this industry, patience is what you need to really have. While you wait for the right thing to come, you keep doing workshops. An actor also needs 'riyaaz' (practise) constantly... It's important to be a working actor because if you don't work for too long you do get a little rusty."

The 32-year-old actor currently stars on the show "Chattis Aur Maina", streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Produced by CM Studios, the show features Dhar as the leader of a travel dance group whose dream is to become a top Bhojpuri star. Dhar said the show, co-starring Vikram Singh Chauhan, not only gave her the opportunity to explore a romantic-comedy on screen but also offered her the platform to play a strong woman in "a light-hearted setting".

"There are a lot of important messages that are communicated through the storytelling, whether it's women empowerment, female education, homosexuality and the amount of hurdles a woman has to face to chase her dreams in a male dominated society. The show handles these subjects sensitively and in a light-hearted manner. That for me was really engaging," she added.

The actor said digital platforms are a "boon" for artistes who are looking to feature in newer narratives. Dhar, who had gone to Australia to study dance for three years after her film debut and subsequently featured in the international Broadway musical "The West Side Story", said she returned to the Hindi film industry at the right time when the OTT platforms were gaining relevance.

"Because I was doing musicals, I wasn't really a part of the industry, I was never fully in India. I would come for a couple of weeks and then fly back again. But ever since I've come back, in 2019, I did 'Abhay'. I think I came back at the correct time because the OTT boom happened. That gave me an opportunity to explore myself as an actor. OTT has been a great boon for actors, where the opportunities are far more," she added.
Farhan Akhtar looks back at Milkha Singh's glorious journey says, 'He is more than just a man'

Actor-director Farhan Akhtar developed a familial bond with Milkha Singh while working on the biopic "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" in 2013 and believes that the legendary athlete, who rose out of "the worst possible circumstances" and found himself a new identity, will forever be a symbol of self-belief and determination for generations to come.

The 91-year-old sprint legend died at a hospital in Chandigarh on Friday after a month-long battle with COVID-19, during which he also lost his wife and former national volleyball captain Nirmal Kaur to the same ailment.

"His story speaks to everyone because it's such a universal message that you need belief in yourself first to succeed," Farhan said, paying tribute to the legendary athlete.

"I feel that he's still with us because Milkha Singh is more than just a man. His presence, his energy will always be with us, it will always live with the people whose lives he's touched. So I really don't feel that he's gone anywhere."

The actor, who played the lead role in "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", said working on the movie gave him a lifetime's worth of memories and cherished moments.

The film opens with the 1960 Olympics race where Singh narrowly missed a bronze medal finishing fourth and cuts through his childhood and early struggle, the Partition days and ends with his winning race in Pakistan, defeating their national hero Abdul Khaliq. After that famous win, he earned the moniker "The Flying Sikh" from the then Pak President General Ayub Khan.

Farhan said it was a huge relief for the film's entire team to not let him down in sharing his story with the world.

"It's difficult to summarise in one sentence (what he meant to me). He was family to me, apart from, of course, me having absolutely cherished memories of the time that we spend together. I've learned a lot from him. And I'm just so thankful that I was fortunate enough to spend this kind of time with him and just be in his presence. He was a very special person," Farhan told PTI in a Zoom interview from Mumbai.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Farhan Akhtar (@faroutakhtar)

"So just to be in that aura and to be in that energy and to be included in his family, to be welcomed with so much love, with so much warmth, and with absolutely open arms, I'm truly grateful and I feel very blessed."

Milkha Singh had many ups and downs in his life that saw his parents being killed during the Partition, him indulging in petty crimes to survive in refugee camps of Delhi, going to jail for those, and joining the Army after three failed attempts.

Farhan said it was an honour to represent someone like Milkha Singh on the big screen as he was somebody "who rose out of really the worst possible circumstances, who created an identity with his sheer will and determination, with working harder than anybody else".

"To go from somebody who had a lost childhood, who didn't have a place to stay, who had nothing to eat for a while and no shoes to wear, you know, to rise from there and be considered India's most legendary athlete... that journey in itself says so much if you just look at the two polar ends of it," the actor said.

Recalling their first meeting while he was training in Mumbai to play the sprinter in the 2013 Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra-directed blockbuster, Farhan said he was "absolutely amazed and in awe" to see him interact with other athletes, who had come from different parts of Mumbai to train there.

The actor said there was "electric energy" when athletes heard that Milkha Singh had come and they all gathered to see him and to seek his blessings.

"And he took time out for every single one of them. He took time out to speak to all of them, to find out their stories, to know their discipline of sport... He gave them tips on how to train, he spoke to them about the importance of working hard, it was as if he was in no hurry although he had things to do that I was completely aware of.

"That was what was so amazing about the man that no matter who he was with, no matter what he was doing, if somebody wanted his time, he would make time for them and make them feel special in the time he spent with them."

Milkha Singh was determined to defeat the virus when he was hospitalised but unfortunately, that did not happen.

Farhan said that's who he was: "a fighter who fought all his life to achieve what he wanted, he fought for what he felt was right and stood for things that he believed in. That's why he is this amazing legendary person that all of us respect".
Father's Day: Twinkle Khanna calls Akshay Kumar daughter Nitara's wall, actor hopes to pass his father's wisdom to his kids

On Fathers Day, Akshay Kumar extended greetings of the day to his fans by sharing a special post that featured his father and his two kids Aarav and Nitara. The actor penned a note hoping has been able to pass some of the wisdom he got from his father to his kids.

Akshay in his post wrote, My father gave me an ocean of love and wisdom. If Ive been able to pass on even a few drops to my kids, my work here is well done! Happy #FathersDay to all. The actor who is at the top of his game in Bollywood doing multiple projects a year never misses celebrating the milestones of his kids' lives or spending time with them.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)

Marking the occasion, Twinkle Khanna also shared an adorable picture of Nitara and Akshay along with a special note to celebrate their bond. The author with the monochrome picture wrote, He is her wall. She learns to stand holding onto him. Shielded, she removes bricks at eye-level and peeks at the world. He waits for the day when she will clamber over the top and becomes a wall for her own. #happyfathersday.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna)

Akshay responded to the post with a heart emoji.

With several projects in his kitty, Akshay is the busiest star of Bollywood at the moment. The actor had used 2020 judiciously to spend time with his kids at home and even taken his family to Scotland where he shot for his film Bell Bottom last year post lockdown restrictions were eased globally.

On the work front, Akshay has multiple projects lineup for release including Bell Bottom which will release in theatres in July. His long delayed action drama Sooryavanshi is yet to get a release date as theaters begin to re-open while his period drama Prithviraj is also expected to release this year. Apart from these films he has already finished work on Atrangi Re, Bachchan Pandey and has Ram Setu, Raksha Bandhan to complete.
Minissha Lamba recalls her initial days when a landlady accused her of stealing money, says 'I vacated the PG in two days'

It has been a while since we have seen Minissha Lamba on our screens, and we miss her. The actress, who gave us some good performances in films like Kidnap and Yahaan, was making headlines because of her divorce with Ryan Tham and her relationship after it. Now, she has opened up about her initial days in the industry. She also recalled an incident where the landlady of the PG she was staying in accused her of stealing money.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Minissha (@minissha_lamba)

During a conversation with radio host Siddharth Kannan, Minissha Lamba recalled, "When I came (to Mumbai), I couldn't afford anything. I was staying in a PG, at a rent of 5,000 per month. At that time, the PG lady accused me of stealing. 'You have stolen money from my cupboard,' she claimed. I said, 'I haven't stolen money' so I vacated the PG in two days because it was a question about izzat (honour). I didn't have money, I couldn't afford anything so I rented a flat for 7,000 per month which was like a big room. The whole flat was like a big room. It was so small, so small. But I couldn't afford anything more."

She also added that the landlady found the money within a few days in her cupboard and also called to apologise to her.
Sanjay Dutt's daughter Trishala asked how she deals with the constant judgement, she says "It comes with the family name"

Sanjay Dutts daughter Trishala Dutt held an Ask Me Anything session on her Instagram stories recently and answered a few questions from her followers. Trishala who has been a champion of mental and emotional wellness on social media was asked by one of the users how she deals with all the constant judgment coming from people.

Trishala incidentally had a lot to say on the subject and said that shes been judged since the day she was born. The star kid answered, Ive had people judging me since the day I took my first breath. It comes with the family name unfortunately.

Giving advice based on experience Trishala who is a therapist in New York wrote, When dealing with highly judgmental people, dont take it personally. When people are feeling down, unhappy, lost, and disconnected from themselves and the world around them, they begin to project their darkness on the people they interact with.

"They start judging the world around them. Havent you noticed? Its only when we are unhappy with ourselves, and our lives, we begin to judge, blame and criticize those around us. Nobody does this when theyre happy, the star kid added.

Leaving her followers with a lesson in compassion Trishala concluded her note writing, "Treat everyone with respect, love and compassion including those who judge and criticize you harshly, not necessarily because they deserve it, but because you do. Appreciate the contrast. Silenly thank them for the many lessons they are now teaching you and allow them to make you better, not bitter.
Minister Coveney to attend meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg

Press release

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D. will attend a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, 21 June.

Ministers will assess latest developments in Belarus, Iraq, Ethiopia, Mali and the Middle East Peace Process. The EUs strategic relationships with Russia, Turkey, ASEAN and the countries of the Latin America and Caribbean region will also be discussed. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein will also meet with Foreign Ministers to share their perspectives.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Minister Coveney said:

We will discuss the recent coercive forced landing of a Ryanair aircraft by the Belarusian authorities and the ongoing repression in Belarus. Ireland supports a strong and unified EU response that imposes consequences on the Lukashenko regime for its blatant disregard for international law and that demonstrates our steadfast commitment to the Belarusian people

ENDS

Press Office

20 June 2021

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Data source: Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS).

Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on how cases of COVID-19 are reported in WEDSS.

Every morning by 9 a.m., we extract the data from WEDSS that will be reported on the DHS website at 2 p.m. These numbers are the official DHS numbers. Counties may report their own case and death counts on their own websites. Because WEDSS is a live system that constantly accepts data, case and death counts on county websites will differ from the DHS counts if the county extracted data from WEDSS at a different time of day. Please consult the county websites to determine what time of day they pull data from WEDSS. Combining the DHS and local totals will result in inaccurate totals.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19: Unless otherwise specified, the data described here are confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported to WEDSS. Cases are classified using the national case definition established by the CDC. Confirmed cases are those that have positive results from diagnostic, confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests or nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT) that detect genetic material of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Illnesses with only positive antigen or positive antibody test results do not meet the definition of confirmed and are not included in the number of confirmed cases.

COVID-19 deaths: Unless otherwise specified, COVID-19 deaths reported on the DHS website are deaths among confirmed cases of COVID-19 that meet the vital records criteria set forth by the CDC and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) case definition. Those are deaths that have a death certificate that lists COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as an underlying cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death. Deaths associated with COVID-19 must be reported by health care providers or medical examiners/coroners, and recorded in WEDSS by local health departments in order to be counted as a COVID-19 death. Deaths among people with COVID-19 that were the result of non-COVID reasons (e.g., accident, overdose, etc.) are not included as a COVID-19 death. For more information see the FAQ page.

Probable cases of COVID-19 and deaths among probable cases. Some visualizations include the option of including information on probable cases of COVID-19 and deaths among probable cases of COVID-19. Cases are classified using the national case definition established by the CDC and the CSTE [https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nndss/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/.... A person is counted as a probable* case of COVID-19 if they are not positive by a confirmatory laboratory test method (for example, a PCR, or NAT test), but have met one of the following:

Test positive using an antigen test method. Have symptoms of COVID-19 AND known exposure to COVID-19 (for example, being a close contact of someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19). COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 is listed on the death certificate.

*This definition was updated as of August 19, 2020. Previously, probable cases also included those that had a positive antibody test which detects COVID-19 antibodies in the blood. For more details on this transition, see the CDCs statement.

Deaths among probable cases are those that meet one of the following criteria:

A probable case of COVID-19 is reported to have died from causes related to COVID-19.

A death certificate that lists COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as an underlying cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death is reported to DHS but WEDSS has no record of confirmatory laboratory evidence for SARS-CoV-2.

Data shown are subject to change. For more information see the FAQ page. As individual cases are investigated by public health, there may be corrections to the status and details of cases that result in changes to this information. Some examples of corrections or updates that may result in the case or death counts going up or down, include:

Update or correction of cases address, resulting in a change to their location of residence to another county or state

Correction to laboratory result

Correction to a cases status from confirmed to unconfirmed (for example, if they were marked as confirmed because a blood test detecting antibodies was positive instead of a test detecting the virus causing COVID-19)

De-duplication or merging and consolidation of case records

Update of cases demographic information from missing or unknown to complete information

For information on testing, see: COVID-19, testing criteria section.

We plan to update our data Monday through Friday by 2 p.m.
ADA [ndash] Jesse G. Denslow, 93, of Ahloso, passed away Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Shawnee. He was born to Leslie Earl Denslow and Poca Vanderpool Denslow in 1927 in Scullin, Oklahoma, "a wide place in the road". He claimed that his secret to long life was that he never drank, never smoked
Her are Louth Library Events:



Historian in Residence - Wednesday 16th of June at 7:30pm

Join Louth Library Service as our Historian in Residence, Dr Thomas Tormey, gives a talk on Bernard OHanlon and his part in the Battle of Brunswick Street in 1921 as well as tying the event into the national narrative.

Bernard OHanlon was from Dundalk, County Louth but died in Dublin in March 1921 during the War of Independence.

He was an IRA Volunteer and was attached to the 3rd Battalion, C Company, Dublin Brigade.

When auxiliaries attempted to raid the Battalion HQ at 144 Brunswick Street, Dublin  which is now Pearse Street  Bernard and some other volunteers engaged them in a fire-fight. He was later found dead along with his revolver, at just c. 18 years of age.

To sign up for the talk follow the link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/ bernardohanlontalk



Rhyme and Sign Storytelling With Clever Little Handies  Tuesday 22nd of June at 11am

Rhyme and Sign storytelling session via zoom funded by the Community Resilience Fund. Free for parents with babies and toddlers from newborns up. Numbers are limited so booking is essential. Email libraryhelpdesk@louthcoco.ie to book.

Work Matters Event

Volunteering a Stepping Stone to Employment  Wednesday 23rd of June at 11am

Join Volunteer Louth for this virtual workshop exploring the benefits of volunteering for the jobseeker. Places are limited so booking is essential.Email libraryhelpdesk@louthcoco.ie to book.

Introduction to Scratch Coding with Aoife - Wednesday 23rd of June at 6:30pm

Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world.

As children create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. In this virtual workshop for parents find out the basics on Scratch to support your child in their Scratch experience.

Places are limited so booking is essential. Email libraryhelpdesk@louthcoco.ie to book.
The government has unveiled supports worth over 430,000 for the live performance industry in Louth, with Dundalk venue the Spirit Store set over 157,000 worth of grant aid for summer shows

A total of 431,907 worth of grant aid for live performances for Louth was unveiled by Tourism and Culture Minister Catherine Martin earlier this week.

A total of eight companies will split the funding, with a mix between live music and performance art being aided.

Dundalk venue, the Spirit Store, will receive 157,539 to host a mixture of outdoor and indoor shows at their premises on Dundalk quay.

Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat, owner Mark Deary said that it was a great day for the venue and that it was the most money that the venue had ever seen in one go.

Its by miles the most money Ive ever seen in one go, said Deary, and that a lot of the money will be passed through the venue to both artists and technicians who work on shows.

Deary said that the venue will have to host a minimum of 15 gigs using the funding, but that he expects that they will be able to at least double that figure.

Its a huge relief to know that music will be happening again, that therell be small audience at them...That the financial burden weve been carrying for the last 18 months can now be resolved. Its great, said Deary.

The minimum 15 gigs will have to take place by 30th September.

Deary said that on the acts that will be performing, he wants to see some well-known acts in, alongside getting the local music scene going again.

Were looking to try to run shows that involve local bands as well as better known national figures.

It will reflect the vibrant local music scene in Dundalk and surrounding counties.

Deary says that the audiences will be small to start with, but he hopes that as the vaccination programme continues they will be able to get more people into the venue.

The audience at these subsidised shows will probably be very small, a couple dozen people per gig.

We have to assume that were able to get back to work and run gigs that arent going to lose money every time. That means that we effectively need to close to sell out them, said Deary, who is positive about getting the live performance industry back on its feet before the end of the year.

A pop music festival is also being proposed by Dundalk PR Ltd, operating under the name The Venue. They are set to receive 20,840 to help run the festival.

Minister Martin said that she was pleased to be announcing the funding to help support those in the arts industry.

I am very pleased to announce this funding, which will encompass and support a wide range of performances over the coming summer months, said Minister Martin.

I know this funding will assist in the employment of performers, artists, technicians, creative and performance support staff across the sector, bringing much-needed employment to many who have not had work for many, many months.

Louth Fine Gael TD Fergus ODowd welcomed the action by the government, saying that it will help provide a boost to businesses that have been closed due to the pandemic.

This is really welcome news and will give local applicants a real boost as they try to manage what has been and will continue to be an exceptionally difficult time for the live performance and arts industry, said Deputy ODowd

This will give artists the opportunity to perform and at the same time provide much-needed employment opportunities in the sector.
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In the mid-1970s, Charles E. Becknell, then in grade school, attended one of the first official Juneteenth celebrations in New Mexico.

At the time, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery was an obscure one to many people outside the Black community.

"The Black community always knew about Juneteenth," said Becknell, 53, now head of the Africana Studies program at the University of New Mexico. "It was and is a celebratory experience for native African New Mexicans."

"Ask the average New Mexican if they know it's a state holiday, they'd say no," said Joseph Powdrell, organizer of the Juneteenth celebration attended by Becknell.

Over four decades later, Juneteenth has gained national recognition. On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to make June 19 a federal holiday. On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law, making Juneteenth the first new holiday since President Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday in 1983.

Clovis has been celebrating Juneteenth since at least 1987, though no events were held last year or this week due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the recognition likely began in Clovis community churches, it's been a widely known community event for more than a generation.

It really is like a family reunion where every member knows the same games, sings the same songs that are not in songbooks and eats the same food not found in recipe books, said Christy McNeal in 1992, when she helped organize the event at Roy Walker Center.

Anthony Mahan, today's president of Clovis' NAACP, along with Joyce Pollard, Selmus Price and others helped turn the event into an outdoor community celebration in the mid-1990s. The gathering has attracted 600-plus people since then, with volunteers starting at 4 a.m. to prepare free food for anyone who wanted to celebrate freedom.

People bled for it, marched for it, guest speaker Veda Ervin told the Clovis Juneteenth crowd in 2019. We're still fighting for it today. Go vote for it. We are free.

Mahan said the pandemic has impacted funding from the national NAACP chapter, but he expects Clovis will have a large gathering to celebrate Juneteenth next year. And he said designating the event as a national holiday was the right thing to do.

It's never too late to do the right thing, he said. I'm just glad to see (slavery) is being acknowledged. Healing can never take place until we acknowledge what has happened in the past.

Cathryn McGill, founder and director of New Mexico's Black History Organizing Committee, said the recognition of the holiday is significant because it highlights the fact that Black history is American history."

Said Nikki Archuleta, founder of the first Black Lives Matter chapter in New Mexico: "Juneteenth should symbolize the survival of Black folks, our culture, our language, everything we have contributed to society. It's a celebration that (we) are still here. A celebration of joy and otherworldly resistance."

The history of Juneteenth stretches back to June 19, 1865, when a group of Union soldiers marched into Texas to announce the Civil War had ended and the Union won. Juneteenth, as it came to be known, commemorates the day a group of black Texans was finally freed, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. It has been celebrated ever since.

The Santa Fe New Mexican contributed to this report.
A plane with 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Taiwan from the U.S. in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning
YOU can spoil dad any day of the week, any time of year. But his own very special day, dedicated to fathers everywhere, falls this Sunday, June 20.

Fathers Day was first a thing in the early 1900s, after a young lady called Sonora Dodd from Washington, on hearing a Mothers Day sermon at her local church, suggested that dads should also have a day dedicated to them. The third Sunday of June became the date for Fathers Day, which remained popular for some time, then gradually fell by the wayside. It wasnt till the 1980s that Fathers Day was widely adopted in Europe as the official designated day for dads.

This Sunday is the day to say a special thank you to the man who helped you with your homework, taught you how to ride a bike, took you to matches and stood in the rain while you played dismally, but still treated you to chips on the way home - and perhaps has even walked you down the aisle. Time to let the Auld Fella put his feet up while his offspring wait on him, hand and foot! Nothing hed like better!

Breakfast in bed is always a good way to spoil someone special.

This weekend, Ive got an amazing late breakfast menu that will go down a treat for Fathers Day. Buttermilk pancakes are topped with crispy slices of Serrano Ham and crumbled Cashel Blue cheese. A drizzle of maple syrup adds its own special magic, its natural sweetness complimenting the savoury toppings. This filling main course also looks sensational and will set dad up for the day!

Most dads love a little sweet treat!

Strawberries are all the rage right now, coming into their absolute best for the height of summer. Ripe and juicy, they make great dunkers for some rich chocolate sauce enriched with coffee and a swirl of cream on top.

Serve dad a stunning platter of skewered berries with my rich choccie sauce this weekend, with a little glass of bubbly on the side if the fancy takes him! P.S. I think you better make some extra for Mum too!

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH SERRANO HAM, CASHEL BLUE AND MAPLE SYRUP

Ingredients - Serves 4 (12 small pancakes)

For the batter:

100g plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 fresh free range egg, beaten

300mls buttermilk

1 tbsp melted butter

Filling:

12 thin slices Serrano ham

225g Cashel Blue cheese

Maple syrup for drizzling

Baby salad leaves

Method:

Sift the flour into a bowl with salt and make a well in the centre.

Add the egg and a drop of buttermilk.

Begin to whisk the mix together, gradually adding the remaining buttermilk.

When all is added, whisk smooth and stir in the melted butter. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Heat a tiny bit of oil in the pancake pan.

Whisk the batter again. Using a ladle or jug, pour just enough mix into the pan to make small circle, spaced apart. The mix will spread out, so dont cook too many at a time. You dont want them sticking together.

Cook over medium heat till the pancakes set and surface starts to develop little holes.

Flip over to cook the other sides for a minute or two more.

Slide out onto a warm plate and reserve, covered with film or greaseproof,, keeping hot while you make the remainder.

For the topping, fry the serrano ham crisp in a dry pan.

Serve warm buttermilk pancakes layered with ham on warmed plates. Crumble over the cheese and drizzle with maple syrup.

Scatter with baby salad leaves to finish.





Strawberries with Chocolate Coffee Sauce.

STRAWBERRIES WITH CHOCOLATE COFFEE SAUCE

Ingredients (Serves 1)

50g best quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

1-2 tbsp cream

1 tsp honey, or to taste

1 tbsp coffee essence

100g fresh ripe strawberries, hulled

Extra cream for swirling

Method:
A six-month spell in jail will be avoided by a young man caught with a cocaine stash more than two years ago as it emerged that he has not been in trouble in the two years since and was never in difficulty before.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain agreed at Cork Circuit Appeals Court to suspend the six-month jail term that had been imposed on the accused at Cork District Court.

26-year-old Daniel McCarthy of Nutley Avenue, Mahon, Cork, also engaged with the probation service and is in full time employment.

The defendant also addressed a gambling difficulty that he had at the time.

The accused had tried to hide his stash of cocaine out on his bedroom windowsill when gardai called for a search.

Sergeant John Kelleher gave the judge a summary of the original matter. Gardai with a search warrant found 3,800 worth of cocaine and drugs paraphernalia on the defendants bedroom windowsill.

Sergeant Kelleher said that gardai obtained a warrant to search a house at Nutley Avenue, Mahon, Cork, and arrived there on April 6 2019 for that purpose.

In the course of the search they found a bag on the outside windowsill of Daniel McCarthys bedroom.

In the bag there was cocaine, an electronic weighing scales, a bowl and teaspoon, and an iPhone. All of this property was seized and the cocaine was analysed and found to have a street value of 3,800.

Daniel McCarthy pleaded guilty to charges of possessing cocaine and having the drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others.
A public meeting will be held on Thursday at 8pm in the Whitechurch/Waterloo Community Centre to discuss the current situation with regards to the proposed Cork to Limerick motorway.

The N/M20 Cork-to-Limerick Road Improvement Scheme is a key element in Project Ireland 2040, the Governments long-term strategy to make Ireland a better country. A number of road-and-rail options have been shortlisted to improve the connection between the two counties. The preferred option is due to be selected later this year.

The proposed Cork to Limerick motorway remains a contentious issue for residents living along the schemes route corridor.

Whitechurch Residents Association members have mobilised in opposition to the navy route, which they say could potentially rip communities apart. Their spokesperson, Dee Hosford said the meeting is to keep everyone up to date with current developments.

We couldnt previously hold public meetings, but the restrictions have eased now. According to the guidelines we can have 100 people at an outdoor gathering. Everyone will comply with the health guidelines.

It is important to keep residents up to date with developments as we havent had the opportunity to meet up due to the pandemic, she said.

Ms Hosford said local politicians and representatives from other community groups affected by the proposed motorway will also be present on the night.

Local politicians will be present on the night and they will speak. They want to see improvements to the road rather than a brand new motorway.

Ms Hosford said the views of the people in their community have not changed. They want the road to be upgraded. There is no need for a motorway. We are of the opinion that there is a perfectly good road there that needs to be upgraded. The money also isnt there for this project.
James Cox

A man in his late teens was rushed to hospital following a suspected stabbing near St Stephen's Green this evening.

The incident occurred at 5.30pm following a brawl involving a number of people.

The teenager is being treated at St James' Hospital and his injuries are not understood to be life-threatening.

In a statement issued to BreakingNews.ie, a Garda spokesperosn said: Gardai are investigating an alleged assault which took place near St Stephens Green in Dublin this evening, 19th June 2021 at around 5.30pm.

A man in his late teens was taken to St James Hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.

No arrests have been made. Investigations ongoing.
The following essay was written by Daniel Caracheo Teniente. Daniel is a senior at Davenport University in Grand Rapids and an Immigrant Rights organizer with Michigan United.

Since 2014, June has marked Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States. This month encourages us to reflect on our history as a nation of immigrants, appreciate the ways in which immigration enriches the state of Michigan, and acknowledge the need for justice that our undocumented families deserve.

This year, Immigrant Heritage Month includes an anniversary that serves as a sobering reminder of the ways in which our immigration system has failed our undocumented communities. June 15th marked nine years since the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which has allowed me and roughly 700,000 other Dreamers to live and work for two years at a time in the country we know as home. While I am fortunate to be protected from deportation as a DACA recipient, these protections are temporary and exclude millions of other hard-working undocumented people.

To make matters worse, DACA is also facing challenges from within the court system as anti-immigrant groups continue to look for ways to end the program. Currently, we are waiting to hear from a federal judge in Texas who is set to rule any day now on the future of the program, leaving our lives in limbo for a second time. The first ruling was on September 5, 2017, after the former president attempted to end the program.

I am American in all ways except on paper. Yet the failure to pass compassionate immigration reform puts me at risk of being ripped away from the community I call home. Until the day we have a pathway to citizenship for all, our communities will continue to live in fear of separation from their families and their communities.

I am a product of Grand Rapids, Michigan. This state has been my home since I was 5 years old when my family arrived here in 2005 from Celaya, Mexico. I am a Michigander at heart. I have been through the same experiences you have been through. I recall the first time I visited the state capitol during a school trip, my first walk through downtown Grand Rapids during Art Prize, watching movies at Ah-Nab-Awen Park with friends during the summer, and visiting the nature found across our great state. I am your neighbor, your classmate, your friend. We all know at least one person being affected by our flawed immigration system, even if they dont publicly share it because our current system forces people to live in shadows and in fear.

I personally did not share my story publicly until I was in college. Before then it was something I shared only with my closest friends. But after the Trump administration attempted to rescind DACA on September 5, 2017, I was forced to step out of the shadows to speak out, share my story, and fight to remain with the friends and loved ones who made Michigan my home.

Undocumented and unafraid, I have dedicated the past couple of years to community service and advancing immigrants rights. I have helped register citizens to vote, assisted immigrant communities that were excluded from pandemic relief in connecting them with the sparse community resources available to them, interned with the Senate through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and continue to fight to advance immigrant rights through my current role as an Immigrant Rights Organizer with Michigan United.

Until we pass compassionate immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for all undocumented people, our current system will continue to keep harm millions of hard-working, undocumented Americans.

We contribute to our communities by paying taxes, creating jobs for American workers, and even serving in the U.S. armed forces, yet we lack the security and stability that our U.S.-born peers enjoy simply because we werent born here. Roughly 60% of all Dreamers  or 400,000 of us  are essential workers fighting on the frontlines of the pandemic.

A pathway to citizenship will lift millions out of poverty by allowing them to seek better employment and educational opportunities. DACA has given us a small glimpse of the positive impact this type of policy can have, but DACA is not enough.

Immigrants are as American as anyone you will meet; the U.S. is our home through and through, but only a pathway to citizenship can provide us with the certainty and stability we deserve. If DACA were to be terminated, people like me could be deported to unfamiliar countries that we do not remember, where we know no one, and whose language we might not even speak.

Right now, the Senate is sitting on multiple citizenship bills that could provide us and our families with a long-overdue pathway to citizenship, including the bipartisan DREAM Act. A pathway to citizenship is good politics and good policy, and it is overwhelmingly popular across party lines. New polling shows that three-quarters of American voters want Dreamers to be able to continue working and/or attending school in the U.S. while they await U.S. citizenship. In Michigan alone, two-thirds of voters, including nearly half of Republicans, agree that Dreamers deserve a pathway to citizenship. In a fractured political climate, immigration is a consensus issue  not a divisive one.

Hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients  and millions more immigrant families  who have built lives and families here have waited decades for meaningful immigration reform that puts us on a path to citizenship. Until that happens, we remain vulnerable to deportation, family separation, detention and exploitation. We have the power as a nation to address this urgent need and keep families like mine safe and together.

I encourage Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow  both supporters of DACA  to fight for a fair and humane immigration system that works for our modern world and prioritizes families. I ask everyone reading this to let our senators know, through calls or email, that you support this bill and you want them to be champions of immigrant rights. We simply cannot let this opportunity pass. Senators on both sides of the aisle must come together and pass the DREAM Act, not just because its good for our economy, but because its the right thing to do  both for our country, and for Michigan.
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Roger Eddy is a retired member of the Illinois House, serving the 109th Legislative District from 2003 to 2012 and serving on the Special Investigative Committee on the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich. He recently authored a book highlighting the impeachment of Blagojevich. The book, A Front Row Seat, is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. While currently a member of the Illinois State Board of Education, all comments are as an individual and not as a member of the State Board of Education.
Enid, OK (73701)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Kevin Hart chooses to be an honest father as he admits to having already informed his kids about his previous scandals.

Based on this article, the comedian would rather have his children be already aware of his mistakes rather than learn them from the internet.

Hart advises other celebrity fathers to communicate their controversies with their kids because "it's going to come out."

"And some of them are cool about it and some of them are not, depending on the situation."

"You have to understand the different personalities and manage them correctly," says the "Fatherhood" star.

The actor claimed his kids "understand who their father is," describing the situation as a gift and a curse.

"The gift is the life that you're able to live, and the curse is the spotlight that's on you constantly," Kevin explains to his five children.

Kevin Hart List of Scandals That He Has Discussed With His Children Includes Cheating on Their Mom

The public is aware of the drama that happened between Kevin Hart and Eniko Kenzo back in 2017.

Netflix even made the documentary "Don't F-ck This Up."

This documentary revolves around Kenzo finding out about Hart's infidelity while pregnant with their child.

This was not the first cheating scandal that Hart was accused of, as his first partner Torrei Hart claimed that he cheated on her with Eniko.

Aside from relationship issues, the actor had also been labeled homophobic due to his tweets with slurs dug up in 2019.

Later on, the public figure deleted the tweets, but the controversy made Kevin lose the position of the 2019 Oscar host.

READ ALSO: #SaveManifest: NBC Cancels' Manifest' Series Despite Being Number 1 On Netflix, Fans And Cast Protest

Kevin Hart Branches Out of Usual Comedy Genre With Recent "Fatherhood," Movie on Netflix

The film is categorized under comedy-drama, "Fatherhood" is a real-life story of Matthew Login's heartbreaking experience as a father.

The cast includes Kevin Hart as the main character, Deborah Ayorinde as his wife, and Melody Hurd will be playing as his daughter, Madeline.

The plot revolves around the true-to-life happening in Matthew Login's life as a single father.

The protagonist created a blog about widowhood titled "Matt, Liz, and Madeline: Life and Death, All in a 27-Hour Period."

The film's screenplay was adapted from Logelin's book "Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love."

And, of course, his blog, which garnered so much media coverage.

Hart impressed critics with his acting as the actor is "usually known for his comedy."

According to sources, Kevin was praised for committing to "a more dramatic side" and "is surprisingly convincing" with his acting.

READ MORE: Netflix's 'Awake' Review: 'Jane The Virgin' Gina Rodriguez Movie Made Critics' Sleepy'

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
The Princess Diana statue unveiling is happening very soon.

With countless reports contradicting one another if Prince Harry is attending or not, one person who is to miss out on this special ceremony is his wife, Meghan Markle.

According to a royal expert, one person who decided the Duchess of Sussex shouldn't attend Princess Diana's statue unveiling is the late royal's eldest son, Prince William.

Charlotte Griffiths told the Daily Mail that 50% of the deciding factor was the Duke of Cambridge.

"This was not the right time to bring Meghan in because there is so much tension between William and Meghan particularly."

Another royal writer, Richard Eden, added that the ceremony would be for Princess Diana and her sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

"They are the ones making the speeches."

He further added, "Can you imagine Meghan coming over after everything that has passed?"

If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't quit their royal roles and moved to the US, Meghan Markle will likely be looking forward to the visit.

The experts noted how the new Sussex baby's middle name is "Diana" after all.

Additionally, they also claimed that adding a touch of Princess Diana to the Sussex brand is "quite good for Brand Markle."

"But how could she actually face up to it after everything that has happened?"

Royal sources close to Meghan seem to be downplaying the entire thing - saying she's not attending the ceremony because she just gave birth.

READ ALSO: NOT Meghan Markle: Prince Harry Expected to Marry This Woman Who 'Magically Fit' Him

Prince William Thinks Meghan Markle Is A Real Bully

Prince William's decision not to invite Meghan Markle came after a book revealed the future King didn't want to be associated with his sister-in-law after bullying allegations emerged.

In Robert Lacey's book "Battle of Brothers: William, Harry and the Inside Story of a Family in Tumult," the Duke of Cambridge was horrified over 2017 reports of the former "Suits" star's behavior.

Prince William and Prince Harry had a bitter row that forced them apart, which stemmed from Meghan's treatment and alleged bullying of her staff.

Many of the Sussexes' staff have reportedly been desperate to leave, despite enjoying long and comfortable tenures working for the Firm.

Some of them were claimed to have been "governed by fear" and were "humiliated in meetings" by Meghan Markle.

In Lacey's book, he wrote, "The moment the prince heard the bullying allegations, he related to this friend, he got straight on the phone to talk to Harry - and when Harry flared up in furious defense of his wife, the elder brother persisted."

The author also added how the heir to the throne knew that the Duchess of Sussex had an "agenda," while his wife, Kate Middleton, has been wary of Meghan from the beginning.

READ MORE: Prince Harry To Skip Diana's Statue Unveiling? Expert Explains Why And It's Not Because of Lilibet or Meghan

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Washington, DC - June 20, 2021 - Researchers from Yonsei University in South Korea have found that certain commensal bacteria that reside in the human intestine produce compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2. The research will be presented on June 20 at World Microbe Forum, an online meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies that will take place online June 20-24.

Previous clinical findings have shown that some patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 have gastro-intestinal symptoms, while others showed signs of infection solely in the lungs.

"We wondered whether gut resident bacteria could protect the intestine from invasion of the virus," said Mohammed Ali, a Ph.D. student in Medicine at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.

To investigate this hypothesis, the researchers screened dominant bacteria inhabiting the gut for activity against SARS-CoV-2. Their search revealed that Bifidobacteria, which have previously been shown to suppress other bacteria such as H. pylori and have proven active against irritable bowel syndrome, had such activity, said Ali.

The investigators also used machine learning to search for potential illness-fighting compounds in databases containing microbially produced molecules, discovering some that might also prove useful against SARS-CoV-2. "To train our model we leveraged previous coronavirus datasets in which several compounds were tested against targets from coronaviruses," said Mr. Ali. "This approach seems to be significant as those targets share features in common with SARS-CoV-2."

Ali emphasized the ecological nature of his approach to this work, observing that many existing antibiotics and cancer therapies are compounds that bacteria use to compete with each other within the gastrointestinal tract, and that these were initially purified from microbial secretions.

"Finding microbes that secrete anti-coronavirus molecules will be a promising method to develop natural or engineered probiotics to expand our therapeutics prevention techniques, to provide a more sustainable way to combat the viral infection," said Ali.

###

Junebeom Kim, a master's candidate, also contributed to this research. Ali and Kim were supervised by Sang Sun Yoon, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

World Microbe Forum is a collaboration between the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies, which is breaking barriers to share science and address the most pressing challenges facing humankind today.
Patients with B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 less likely to be asymptomatic, despite no increase in viral load

Washington, D.C. - June 20, 2021 - Although two SARS-CoV-2 variants are associated with higher transmission, patients with these variants show no evidence of higher viral loads in their upper respiratory tracts compared to the control group, a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine study found.

The emergence and higher transmission of the evolving variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been concerning. The researchers investigated B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in the UK, and B.1.351, the variant first identified in South Africa, to evaluate if patients showed higher viral loads, and consequently increased shedding and transmissibility.

Variants were identified using whole genome sequencing. Researchers used a large cohort of samples to show that the UK variant constituted 75% of the circulating viruses by April 2021. The researchers compared 134 variant samples to 126 control samples and with access to the patients' clinical information, were able to correlate the genomics data with the clinical disease and outcomes. All samples underwent additional testing to determine their viral load. The information was associated with the stage of the disease by looking at the days after the start of symptoms which added clarity in comparing viral shedding between groups.

"The reason why these variants show higher transmissibility is not yet clear," said Adannaya Amadi, lead author on the study. "However, our findings did show that the patients infected with these variants are less likely to be asymptomatic compared to the control group. Although those infected with the variants were not at higher risk for death or intensive care admission, they were more likely to be hospitalized."

This study was performed at Dr. Heba Mostafa's research laboratory at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, which has been performing large scale whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 for the State of Maryland and contributing data to the national publicly available surveillance figures.

###

Alex Luo, C. Paul Morris, Matthew Schwartz, Eili Y. Klein and Heba H. Mostafa also contributed to this work. The study was funded by NIH, the Johns Hopkins Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Department of Health.

This abstract will be presented at the World Microbe Forum online from June 20-24 live from Baltimore, Maryland. World Microbe Forum is a collaboration between the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), and several other societies, which is breaking barriers to share science and address the most pressing challenges facing humankind today.
COVID-19 patients suffer from cognitive and behavioural problems two months after being discharged from hospital, a new study presented at the 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) has found

(Vienna, Monday, 21 June, 2021) COVID-19 patients suffer from cognitive and behavioural problems two months after being discharged from hospital, a new study presented at the 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) has found.

Issues with memory, spatial awareness and information processing problems were identified as possible overhangs from the virus in post-COVID-19 patients who were followed up within eight weeks.

The research also found that one in 5 patients reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with 16% presenting depressive symptoms.

The study, conducted in Italy, involved testing neurocognitive abilities and taking MRI brain scans of patients two months after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. More than 50% of patients experienced cognitive disturbances; 16%% had problems with executive function (governing working memory, flexible thinking, and information processing), 6% experienced visuospatial problems (difficulties judging depth and seeing contrast), 6% had impaired memory, and 25% manifested a combination of all these symptoms.

Cognitive and psychopathological problems were much worse in younger people, with the majority of patients aged under 50 demonstrating issues with executive functions.

In the whole sample, the greater severity of COVID-19 acute respiratory symptoms during hospital admission was associated with low executive function performance.

Additionally, a longitudinal observation of the same cohort at 10 months from COVID-19, showed a reduction of cognitive disturbances from 53 to 36%, but a persisting presence of PTSD and depressive symptoms.

Lead author of the study, Prof. Massimo Filippi, from the Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy, explained, "Our study has confirmed significant cognitive and behavioural problems are associated with COVID-19 and persist several months after remission of the disease."

"A particularly alarming finding is the changes to executive function we found, which can make it difficult for people to concentrate, plan, think flexibly and remember things. These symptoms affected three in 4 younger patients who were of a working age".

No significant relationship was observed between cognitive performance and brain volume within the study.

"Larger studies and longer-term follow up are both needed, but this study suggests that COVID-19 is associated with significant cognitive and psychopathological problems", concluded Dr Canu, Researcher at the San Raffaele Hospital of Milan and first author of the study. "Appropriate follow-up and treatments are crucial to ensure these previously hospitalised patients are given adequate support to help to alleviate these symptoms."

Other COVID-19 findings at the 7th EAN Congress:

The study is one of four scientific presentations on the neurological symptoms of COVID-19, an area of research that is fast emerging, from this week's EAN Congress:

Research, led by Dr Mattia Pozzato of the Osperdale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, found 77.4% of 53 patients reported developing at least one neurological symptom and 46.3% presented with more than three neurological symptoms between 5-10 months after being hospitalised with COVID-19. The most common of these symptoms were insomnia (65.9%), daytime sleepiness (46.3 %), and walking difficulties. Other less frequent symptoms included headaches, hyposmia (a reduced ability to smell) and hypogeusia (loss of taste). The authors concluded 90% of patients had post-COVID-19 symptoms, and that neurological symptoms form a significant part of these.

A research project presented by Professor Tamara S. Mischenko, Head of the Department of Neurology and Medical psychology at Karazin University, Ukraine, followed up 42 patients aged 32 to 54 after being hospitalised with COVID-19 after 2 to 4 months, finding that 95% had neurocognitive impairment symptom. All patients suffered from asthenic symptoms, increased fatigue, and anxiety/depression symptoms. Other symptoms included vestibular (balance) disorders, (59.2%), headaches, (50%) and reduced ability to smell (19%). Five patients also suffered ischaemic strokes in the two months after hospitalisation from COVID-19.

A study which looked at brain stem damage in COVID-19 patients from post-mortems showed a high percentage of neuronal damage and a higher number of small masses (called corpora amylacea) which are abundant in neurodegenerative diseases. Immunohistochemistry tests also revealed the presence of the virus in the brain stem. Measurements were compared with non-COVID-19 ICU patients. The author, Dr Tommaso Bocci, a neurologist and neurophysiologist at the University of Milan's Department of Neurological Science, said the study provides the first neuropathological, neurophysiological, and clinical evidence of the COVID-19-related brain stem involvement, especially at the medullary level, suggesting a neurogenic component of respiratory failure.

###

Notes to Editors:

Press Enquiries:

A reference to the 7th EAN Congress must be included when communicating the information within this press release.

For further information or to speak to an expert, please contact Luke Paskins or Sean Deans at press@ean.org or call +44 (0) 20 8154 6396.

About the Expert:

Professor Massimo Filippi is from the Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

Dr Elisa Canu is from the San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.

EAN - The Home of Neurology:

The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) is Europe's home of neurology. Founded in 2014, through the merger of two European neurological societies, EAN represents the interests of more than 45,000 individual members and 47 national institutional members from across the continent.

EAN welcomes the interest of press in neurological issues and provides assistance to journalists attending the congress, or using the EAN website as a resource in their coverage, with pleasure.

As the number of lives affected by the COVID-19 pandemic has now reached the millions, the health and safety of our congress attendees, our patients and our families, remains our primary concern.

With this in mind, EAN decided to go virtual again for the 7th EAN Congress on June 19-22, 2021.

References:

1. Cognitive and behaviorial features of a cohort of patients in COVID-19 post-acute phase. Presented at the 7th EAN Congress 2021.
Sunday, June 20, 2021

In 1982, Jim Garrison sent the first five chapters of his new book on the JFK assassination, The Execution, to McGraw-Hill. He wanted to launch it in November 1983 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the assassination.

The book was rejected a few weeks later in October 1982. Garrison then rewrote the book, renamed A Farewell to Justice, and it was also met with rejection by a variety of publishers.

When Garrison told conspiracy radio host Ted Gandolfo about his book, he started getting letters from would-be purchasers. He sent back form letters, claiming that the book companies were "fearful of the consequences from the federal government of publishing the full truth" about the assassination. He complained that "CIA disinformation machinery" was at work blaming organized crime and Castro for JFK's murder and that there were "many 'authors' who serve as willing prostitutes for the Agency's disinformation operation."

You can see the outline for Garrison's book here.

Here is the letter that Garrison sent to researcher Louis Sproesser:

Paul Hoch noticed all of this and wrote about Garrison's letter in his Echoes of Conspiracy newsletter (Volume 8, #1) :

In October 1985, Garrison told Ted Gandolfo that he was working on a new

book, entitled "A Farewell to Justice." He said that "there is no question in

my mind that it is the absolute and ultimate truth down to the last detail

about the Kennedy assassination," but that he can not get a publisher "because

they are controlled by the CIA." (This is from the first issue of Gandolfo's

newsletter, "Assassination U.S.A." Write him at 1214 First Ave., NYC 10021,

or ask me for information.)

Garrison sent a long letter to Louis Sproesser, a buff who inquired about

this book. [#9, 30 Dec 85, 3 pp.] The book is "completed" and being

considered by a publisher. Garrison has been working on it for four years.

Garrison's rhetoric has not softened over the years, and I'll be very

surprised if his critical attention to the facts has improved.

Judge Garrison asserts (on Court of Appeal stationery) that "Anyone who

wishes to understand the assassination, must appreciate at the outset that the

deep involvement of the Agency in the President's assassination requires that

it give the maximum reinforcement to the two major false sponsors which it has

created: Organized Crime and Fidel Castro.... If the author [of a book] so

much as infers that Organized Crime or Castro were behind what so plainly was

an Agency project ... then one has in his hand the typical product of one of

the Agency's stable of hungry scribes."

Garrison also disputes allegations that Organized Crime is behind him.

"While I lay no pretense to being the epitome of virtue, with regard to

connections with organized crime I think that you can safely place me as

having approximately the same such connections as Mother Theresa and Pope

Paul." Obviously the CIA's disinformation machinery is at work, he says.

(Is Garrison dropping a hint about various popes? And this "Mother Theresa,"

usually known as "Teresa" -- is she related to Vinnie Teresa?)

In particular, Garrison complains that a recent book "by a dashing

Englishman (one of the Agency's more accommodating prostitutes) refers to `a

secret meeting'" between Garrison and John Rosselli. "The `author's'

complicity in this attempted discreditation is underscored by his having had

the book published without ever troubling to learn that I have never even seen

John Rosselli in my life..."

The reference is to p. 498 of "Conspiracy," by Tony Summers (who is, indeed, sort of dashing), which accurately asserts that the CIA found such a

meeting "particularly disturbing." Summers quotes (but does not cite) an HSCA

staff report by Mark Flanagan, which in turn refers to an unpublished page of

the CIA Inspector General's Report. The allegation of a Garrison-Rosselli

meeting also appears on page 118 of the IG Report, which is published. (See

10 HSCA 190-1 (note 55), 4 HSCA 146-7.)

As usual, there is a trace of validity in Garrison's complaint. The IG

Report is obviously not an unimpeachable source, even if endorsed by an HSCA

staffer. But Garrison's overall certitude doesn't seem to need much anchoring

to reality.

Hurt's book includes a rather good discussion of the Garrison affair, and

of the subtleties of the interactions between Garrison, the real New Orleans

evidence about Oswald, and the vulnerability of Clay Shaw due to his

apparently irrelevant CIA links and homosexuality.

If any of you want to spring to Garrison's defense, here is my $64

question: at the time he arrested Clay Shaw, what serious evidence did he

have that he had in fact conspired with anyone to kill JFK?

Ted Gandolfo sent a copy of the Hoch's newsletter to Jim Garrison, who then angrily replied. Note the feigned indignation, which matches the way Garrison responded to the Jerrold Footlick article .

Paul Hoch wrote about the exchange of letters in his next issue of Echoes of Conspiracy : (Volume 8, #2)

Ted Gandolfo sent Jim Garrison part of 8 EOC 1, and sent me a copy of

Garrison's reply. (Letter of 14 Apr 86 to Gandolfo, #1986.63; quoted almost

in full here.)

The Judge had "nothing to say concerning [Hoch's] comments about me.

Frankly, I found them to be incoherent."

"I cannot guess as to the origin of his emotional hang up [sic] about me.

In any case, I will not attempt to reply to him in a similar vein...." Some

of my earlier research on the assassination was "quite competent. Moreover --

in view of the solid front presented by the federal government in its cover-up

of the assassination -- it seems to me childlike for one assassination critic

to attempt to dis-credit another publicly." (I suppose calling Tony Summers

"one of the [CIA's] more accommodating prostitutes" doesn't count.)

"One statement of Hoch's, however, does concern me enough to require a

comment. He refers to the 'vulnerability of Clay Shaw due to his apparently

irrelevant C.I.A. links and homosexuality.' Mr. Hoch should go straight to

the bathroom and wash his mouth with soap."

"Throughout our trial, in everything I have ever written and in every

public statement I have ever made -- I never once have made any reference to

Clay Shaw's alleged homosexuality. What sort of human being is Mr. Hoch that

he is impelled to so gratuitously make such a reference in a newsletter which

he widely distributes to the public? For all his faults or virtues, Shaw is

dead and unable to defend himself from that kind of off the wall canard. No

matter how virtuously Hoch might couch it, a smear is still a smear."

I will let you decide if my reference (or Hurt's) was gratuitous. Out

here, referring to someone's homosexuality stopped being a canard years ago;

at least, it's not as serious as charging someone with conspiring to kill JFK.

Does Garrison now think Shaw was involved in the conspiracy which led to

JFK's death? If so, the reference to "all his faults or virtues" is

remarkably mild.

In 1969, J. Edgar Hoover himself called me "a smear artist", for

suggesting that there may have been an undisclosed relationship between Oswald

and the FBI. [#64, 2 pp.] So Garrison is in good company.

As for my question in 8 EOC 1 about Garrison's case, asking what evidence

he had when he arrested Shaw: The most enthusiastic answer came from

Gandolfo, who said, "Didn't you know that Shaw was connected with Permindex,

which just happens to be one of the most efficient assassination organizations

around?? Didn't you know that Shaw was CIA?" Also, Shaw's friend Ferrie was

CIA and there is Russo's testimony. That is, of course, exactly the sort of

evidence which I did know about but which does not relate to my question.

Gandolfo also promised to expose me as "just a CIA coverup bastard" in

his newsletter, to which I do not subscribe. Does anyone out there want to

send me a copy?

The best semi-serious answer came from Robert Ranftel and Jim Lesar, who

sent me an FBI letterhead memo dated March 2, 1967, the day after Shaw's

arrest. (#65, 2 pp.) The memo, discussed in Hurt's book (p. 281), notes that

one of Shaw's alleged homosexual contacts said on March 19, 1964, that Shaw

was into S&M. On February 24, 1967, two sources reported that they thought

Shaw had "homosexual tendencies," and two sources (possibly the same ones)

indicated that Shaw was Clay Bertrand, who allegedly contacted Dean Andrews on

Oswald's behalf. Unnamed FBI sources are not necessarily reliable, but in any

case none of this evidence even suggests that Shaw conspired with anyone to

kill JFK. Sorry, but the prize for my $64 question remains unawarded.

A previous blog post published the FBI memo that Robert Ranftel and Jim Lesar sent to Paul Hoch . The two sources that Clay Shaw was Clay Bertrand was Aaron Kohn and Joseph Oster. Both did not have any specific knowledge - Kohn and Oster were just reporting what they had heard from news sources.

And, I will extend Paul Hoch's $64 challenge:

I regret that you found most of the comments about you in my newsletter "incoherent." Among other things, I offered my $64 question about you: at the time you arrested Clay Shaw, what serious evidence did you have that he had in fact conspired with anyone to kill JFK?

None of your many supporters in the critical community have yet provided me with a good answer. Perhaps you would like to give it a try.

Let me clarify:

The question is about evidence known to you when you decided to arrest and charge Shaw, not evidence which was developed later.

I am not asking about evidence that Shaw knew Ferrie, that he had been involved with the CIA, that he used an alias, or even that he had met Oswald. Nor am I asking about evidence that there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy, or that Oswald, Ferrie, and/or the CIA were involved. I am well aware of the evidence relating to those questions. My question is not even about any anti-Kennedy opinions or fantasies expressed by Shaw, but about his participation in a criminal conspiracy.

Anybody up for the challenge? Please feel free to email me your answer - what serous evidence did Garrison have, at the time Shaw was arrested, that he had conspired with anybody to kill JFK?

Winner will receive $64, and a signed copy of On The Trail of Delusion.

Tomorrow's Blog Post

Did Lawrence Schiller Write the QUICK article?

Previous Posts on the QUICK Article

Did a Homosexual Conspiracy Kill JFK?

Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part One)

Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part Two)

Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part Three)

Garrison Disavows the QUICK article
Email: Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Golden, Colorado  June 20, 2021

The Caring Generation How to Care for Dad When Mom Isn't Around Anymore

Golden CO - Caregiver subject matter expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation podcast show for caregivers and aging adults. This coming Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the topic is caring for dad when mom isn't around anymore. Guest Dr. Monika Lopez-Anuarbe offers research about the differences in the well-being of Hispanic and non-Hispanic caregivers of the elderly, why caregivers may not seek support, and cultural aspects of caregiving.

Wilson releases a new show for The Caring Generation series every Wednesday. Featured are tips and conversations about aging, caregiving, family relationships, and health. Listeners receive information that can help plan for the future and avoid many common caregiving traps. The Caring Generation is available on Wilson's website and all major podcast and music apps

Caring for Dad When Mom Isn't Around Anymore

Unequal attention is given to male caregiver concerns whether caregiving responsibilities occur early or later in life. In Episode 91 of the program, Wilson discusses how to care for dad after a mother's death or how to support dad who is caring for mom diagnosed with a terminal illness, advancing heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, or dementia.

Additionally, Wilson shares situations where fathers in young or middle-age who experience losing a wife or partner due to sudden death or chronic illness become responsible for raising children, working, and managing the household. How do these significant changes affect children in the family who accept responsibilities and grow up faster than their peers?

Discussed are the different ways that women and men respond to grief, signs of depression, and supporting fathers through the transition of living alone without spousal support. Additionally, discussions about managing medical care and caring for dad when health issues advance and a father needs caregiver support.

Single or married sons or daughters become effective support systems for widowed fathers. After losing a spouse, fathers seeking companionship or love can also be an emotional topic for adult children who believe that mom was the only woman for dad.

A discussion of these and other issues support why talking about caregiving issues within the family result in better family relationships and an understanding of the needs of parents. Wilson shares her personal experience with the loss of her mother and how this impacted her father's life and creating a support system with her siblings.

Guest, Dr. Monika Lopez-Anuarbe from Connectcitut College

Dr. Monika Lopez-Anuarbe, Associate Professor of Economics at Connecticut College, is a health and inequality economist specializing in aging, caregiving, and healthcare disparities. She conducts national and local research studies about how family members care for each other across and within generations, including informal (unpaid) caregiving to aging relatives and friends. Her most recent publication, Differences in the Experiential Well-being of Hispanics and Non-Hispanics Engaged in Elder Care, was recently published in the Journal of Family and Economic Issues.

Wilson works with family caregivers, groups, and corporations worldwide to educate about the role strain that caregivers experience, managing, and planning for health and aging issues. More about Wilson's online courses for elderly care, individual elder care consultations, caregiver support, webinars, and speaking engagements are on her website www.pameladwilson.com. Pamela may also be contacted at +1 303-810-1816 or through the Contact Me page on her website.

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Last year, as the coronavirus killed hundreds inside Texas lockups and sickened tens of thousands more, prisoner rights advocates unsuccessfully pleaded for state officials to more quickly release the thousands of people in prison who had already been approved for parole.

Now, a new report shows delays in release have been deadly.

In the first year of the pandemic, 18 people who already had been granted parole died with COVID-19 before they could walk out of prison, according to a report released last week from the University of Texas at Austins Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. At least another two dozen parole grantees died in prison from reasons unrelated to the coronavirus in the same period, largely due to chronic health issues.

While COVID has dramatically exacerbated this problem, the data also tells us that this phenomenon is not unique to the pandemic era, the report stated.

At least 26 people died in prison in 2019 after having been granted parole, according to the report.

In April, about 10,800 people held in Texas prisons already had been approved for parole, according to data from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, accounting for 9 percent of the state prison population. More than a quarter of them had been granted parole at least six months earlier, and nearly 900 people had been waiting for more than a year.

The large number of parole grantees in prison is not unusual. At any given time, thousands of people are held in Texas prisons despite having a parole approval in their hands. Thats in part because the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles requires most prisoners to first undergo additional educational or rehabilitative programming before their parole release, which can last from three to 18 months.

Some of the programs are specific to the persons conviction, like addiction and sex offender treatment programs. But many prisoners are assigned to complete a more generic life-skills program that lasts three months. In 2019, less than a quarter of those granted parole were approved for release without delay.

During the pandemic, those classes  and the parolees releases  were often pushed back. Before March 2020, a person granted parole remained in prison an average of three to four months before being released, according to the report. That average increased to six months in the pandemic, with a typical delay ranging from five to 11 months. Eleven people who died in prison during the pandemic had been approved for parole more than a year earlier, the report found.

One explanation for the delay is that those who required programming that wasnt available at their prisons had to wait months while transfers among units were stopped to limit the viruss spread. And units confirmed to have active infections were locked down, sometimes for a month or more, restricting activity within and halting movement in and out of them. Rehabilitative programming shifted from in-person interactions in a classroom setting to filling out paper packets in the prisoners dorm or cell.

The threat of the coronavirus and the limited programming inside prompted family members and prisoner advocates to call for parolees to complete any necessary programming outside of prison walls after release. But the parole board said repeatedly it would not change its parole review process during the pandemic.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who oversees the board, has maintained a strong message against increased release from lockups, stating in March 2020 that releasing dangerous criminals in the streets is not the solution to the viruss threat inside prisons and jails.

For those who had been approved for release on parole, the UT Austin report suggested free-world programming, noting it is already often available in the community for people sentenced to probation.

The report also recommended that TDCJ provide prisoners any necessary rehabilitative programming earlier in their sentences, so as not to postpone release once parole has been granted. Michele Deitch, a senior lecturer at the LBJ School and an author of the report, said such a change would require a significant shift in practices within the parole board and TDCJ.

Theres a concept that every expert will tell you, which is that re-entry starts on the day of admission to prison, she said. To adhere to that concept, it makes sense to offer that programming at the start of someones time that theyre incarcerated.

In the Legislature, the Texas House passed a bill this year to require that any necessary prerelease programs be identified by the parole board and made available to prisoners by TDCJ before they become eligible for parole. The bill died, however, after never moving in the Senate.

A spokesperson for the parole board did not respond to questions. TDCJ spokesperson Jeremy Desel said the agency provides programming that is mandated by the parole board, and acknowledged the pandemic absolutely presented challenges to parole releases. He added that the state has a low rate of people released from prison being reincarcerated within three years.

The parole system is built to give inmates the highest possible chance to succeed in their reintegration into society, he said. And the way our parole system works and has been working in Texas is a success story.

Aside from COVID-19, most deaths of those granted parole were due to chronic health conditions, according to the UT report. It says the state pays an estimated $744,722 each day the nearly 10,800 prisoners who were approved for parole in April stay locked up. And costs are much higher for those with chronic medical conditions, as an aging prison population continues to increase prison health care costs. The report recommends immediately releasing those granted parole who are chronically ill.

Its a problem that is not only a tremendous human toll, but its got an enormous cost attached to it, Deitch said.

For Kambri Crews, any of the recommended changes in the report could have let her see her father in person before he died in prison custody in July instead of saying goodbye on a hard-fought FaceTime call. Theodore Cigo Crews, 73, died in a prison hospital after a late cancer diagnosis, 30 days after hed been granted parole. He had served 18 years of a 20-year aggravated assault sentence.

We went through a whole roller coaster of emotions, Kambri Crews said, between learning he was approved for parole and his death. From elation and fear because of the COVID concerns, and also this crushing feeling of helplessness in knowing that we were going to be caught in the apathetic bureaucracy.

Her father was first required to take a drug and alcohol program, she said, but she didnt understand why he couldnt have taken classes any other time in his nearly two decades behind bars, or take them outside with her had he been released.

Hes a prime example of someone who needed therapy and (Alcoholics Anonymous) and domestic violence training before he got released, she acknowledged. But hed been in prison for 18 years, so what was that time for?

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin 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.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
On the same day the United States celebrated its first federally-sanctioned Juneteenth, the City of Beaumont elected its first Black female mayor.

Three-term former Ward IV Councilwoman Robin Mouton will be Beaumonts next mayor and the only woman on the Beaumont City Council. She was elected with nearly 52% of the votes.

Robin, you are Black history, someone shouted from the crowd as Mouton gave a speech after the final results were in.

The race was close with fewer than 4 percentage points separating Mouton and candidate Roy West. But as results trickled in Saturday night, Mouton led the whole time  from early returns to the final tally.

Mouton couldnt be reached for comment to The Enterprise after results were in. But she addressed supporters at a victory party at the MCM Elegante Hotel shortly after results came in.

Im back my councilmen, she said. I have a new chair.

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With just more than 600 votes separating the two candidates, state law would allow West to request a recount.

But on Saturday night, he said he texted Mouton Congratulations and hadnt yet thought about the possibility of pursuing a recount.

Im disappointed, but I certainly enjoyed the process and the race, and Im glad I did it, he said. I would have liked a better result, but I respect the voters. I learned a lot and got to meet a lot of people, and I still want to better Beaumont. Ill be around.

If Mouton and the rest of the council takes anything from Wests campaign, he said hed like to see them prioritize transparency and communication between city departments and Beaumont residents.

He said hed also like to see the city better leverage technology to keep residents engaged.

I think theyre making strides at that, and Im sure theyre going to continue, he said.

Mouton will be sworn in June 29 after the canvass for the mayoral runoff is complete.

Related: Beaumonts longest-serving mayor reflects on her nearly three decades in office

She ran on a platform of unity, both for the citys residents and within the council itself.

To do that, she previously said she plans to work collaboratively with council members from all wards, which hopefully would increase residents trust in the elected body.

Together we can build a better Beaumont with proven leadership, she previously said.

Ultimately, more than 16,700 Beaumont residents cast a ballot for mayor for a turnout of nearly one-quarter of the citys registered voters.

West said after the early voting turnout, he expected to see the number of ballots cast exceed the May general election. But before voting got started, it wasnt something he would have imagined.

Everyone that was speculating before voting started, nobody was expecting to see more votes than we had in the general, he said. We got the community engaged, which was a win.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
JERUSALEM (AP)  Benjamin Netanyahu says he and his family will move out of Israel's official prime minister's residence by July 10, nearly a month after he was ousted from office following a record 12-year reign.

That's not nearly soon enough for critics who have long accused the Netanyahus of treating the office and its trappings as their own private property, and who see it as another way of undermining the legitimacy of the new government sworn in a week ago.

In a joint statement released late Saturday, Netanyahu and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said they had agreed the Netanyahus would move out by July 10 and that no more public events would be held at the residence until then. Bennett will begin using the residence the next day.

Netanyahu, who is now opposition leader, has a private home in the seaside city of Caesarea. Bennett will reportedly continue to reside at his home in a Tel Aviv suburb, using the official residence during trips to Jerusalem and for hosting foreign dignitaries.

The relatively modest official residence on Balfour Street in central Jerusalem has been the epicenter of weekly protests against Netanyahu over the past year, reflecting the bitter polarization over his rule and his ongoing trial on serious corruption charges.

On Saturday night, the protesters showed up with a moving truck with Crime Minister written on the side of it.

They are ordering food, people are coming in to visit them, nobody knows when they are going to leave, said Ishay Hadas, one of the organizers. We decided to come with our truck, and we are ready to help him anytime.

Some have compared Netanyahu to former President Donald Trump, who contested his election defeat with false claims of voter fraud and whose supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration but vacated the White House on schedule. Unlike in the U.S., Israel has no established protocol for the handover of the residence.

The political transition has already been more bitter than any in recent memory. After four elections in two years that largely turned on Netanyahu's character and legal woes, a coalition of eight parties managed to form a narrow majority to unseat him.

But he has not gone quietly.

Bennett's speech as incoming prime minister was repeatedly interrupted by loud heckling from Netanyahu's allies. In his own speech afterwards, Netanyahu lashed out at Bennett, calling him weak and inexperienced, and accusing him of defrauding his nationalist supporters by allying with left-wing parties. Netanyahu vowed to return to power, saying we'll be back soon.

On the following day, Netanyahu reportedly devoted less than a half-hour to a transitional meeting with Bennett in which a former prime minister would normally discuss the country's extensive security challenges and other major issues with his or her successor.

Then Netanyahu hosted former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, a Republican widely seen as eyeing a presidential run, at the official residence. In a tweet about the visit, she referred to him as prime minister.

Netanyahus current status in the official residence is that of a temporary guest, staying there at the mercy of Bennett, Amir Tibon wrote in Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper. His decision to use Balfour for a political photo op with Haley is an unprecedented act of chutzpah, even by Netanyahus own standards.

Netanyahu has long been accused of leading a lavish lifestyle and using the trappings of office for his own personal gain. He is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.

His family's long residence at the house on Balfour Street has also been the focus of lawsuits, with several employees having accused his wife, Sara, of abusive behavior. A housekeeper was awarded $42,000 in damages in 2016, and another filed a lawsuit last year.

Sara Netanyahu was convicted of misusing state funds after she reached a plea bargain settling allegations that she overspent some $100,000 of state money on lavish meals. Shed previously been indicted for graft, fraud and breach of trust.

The family denies any wrongdoing and have said they are the target of a smear campaign by hostile media. Netanyahu has said he is the victim of a witch hunt by his political opponents and has compared his corruption trial to a coup attempt.

The protests outside the residence appear likely to continue until they move out, which will be seen by his many of his opponents as the final confirmation that his time in power is truly over  at least for now.

He thinks that if he will keep on saying Im the prime minister, if he will stay in the home of the prime minister, people will believe that he is the prime minister, said Mordechai Avraham, one of the protesters who gathered outside the residence on Saturday.

People will believe that he is going to come back because this is what he told them.

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Associated Press reporters Shlomo Mor and Ilan Ben Zion contributed.
Joy was quickly building up Saturday morning at Comanche Park #2 as hundreds began to gather for the second day of the 2021 Juneteenth Festival, which returned this year after being one of the many events forced to take a break in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, we couldnt do it and it was disappointing, but we did something at home with our family, said Doloris Williams, known to her family and friends as Mamma D.

Williams, 87, has attended the event since it began in 1995, and said she truly missed seeing familiar faces that she sometimes gets to see only once a year. On Saturday morning, she sat and chatted with her friends Susan Glosson, 68, and Charla Hutchens, 70, as people danced, ate and visited about a dozen vendors who were starting to open their shops.

The two-day event is a celebration of Black culture, legacy, tradition and influence, said Byron Miller, Juneteenth commissioner and the event organizer. The festival started at 11 a.m. and was set to end at 11 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

This is the first time Fiesta is happening during Juneteenth  due to pandemic-related delays  prompting some concerns over attendance. But on Saturday, Miller wasnt worried. After having about 3,000 attendees on Friday, he expected at least double that amount Saturday.

But something else was different this year.

Just days before, President Joe Biden signed a bill to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. The recognition was welcomed by many who attended Saturdays festivities, but it also came with words of caution.

Do not get distracted, Miller told the crowd in his opening remarks. We asked for justice, and they gave us a holiday. We asked for reparations, and they gave us a holiday. We were asking for voting rights  they gave us a holiday.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the day that Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston Bay to read General Order 3, which proclaimed that all slaves were free. The news came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

While the event was about celebrating freedom, Miller said an important lesson on Juneteenth is that there is no freedom without information. So this event was also about reminding attendees of the importance of staying informed about what is happening now and what history has taught us.

If you dont remember your past, youll repeat it, said Hutchens, who has attended the event for more than 20 years. You dont repeat your past, you do better. And if you know where you come from, you know where youve got to go.

On Saturday, Miller kicked off the event by addressing the growing crowd at around noon, before passing the microphone to local teen pageant queens who also welcomed attendees, and elected officials  including state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio; District 2 Councilman Jalen Mckee-Rodriguez; and County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark  who also spoke of the importance of being informed.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

Pandemic-related changes remained visible as some walked around with masks, others shopped for new ones with a small vendor and, right at the events entrance, people bared their arms to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

This celebration has always been about coming together and reuniting as a community, but the Black community has always been forced to go deeper and appeal to the intelligence of America, Miller said.

Theres always some more weve got to do, Miller said. This is a very complicated holiday; its complex.

Next year, Miller hopes to add to the celebration by not only having the traditional Juneteenth Festival, but also a Texas Freedom Festival in New Braunfels that will combine Juneteenth and July 4, with a goal of using the festivities to continue spreading information.

When you understand your history and when you understand where you come from, that understanding gives you purpose, Miller said.

danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH
Islams connection to Jerusalem is a sacred one based on the Principles of Islamic Belief. Among these are the belief in the oneness of God, divine guidance through His revealed Books and chosen Prophets (peace be upon all of them), divine judgment, and life after death.

This connection dates back to Prophet Adam who constructed the first two masjids (place of prostration/worship) dedicated for the sole purpose of worshiping One God. Prophet Muhammad taught that the first House of Worship was established in Makkah called Al-Kabba and the second was established 40 years later in Jerusalem, Masjid Al-Aqsa (which means the farthest masjid).

Prophet Mohammad identified three holy sites in Islam  Do not undertake a journey to visit any Masjid, except three: my Masjid (located in Madinah), Al-Kabba, and Masjid Al-Aqsa (where Prophet Muhammad lead all the prophets in prayer and ascended to the heavens).

Of the three Abrahamic religions, Islam is unique for its inclusivity. Islam recognizes and includes all the divine Books and all the Prophets, among them are the Prophets of Judaism and Christianity. The Quran states: Say (Muhammad), "We believe in God and in what was revealed to us; and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit." The Quran mentions 25 prophets by name and absolved them of all immoral charges leveled against them by previous communities.

Jerusalem is a land where the prophets walked and worshiped. It is indelibly connected to Islam and beloved to Muslims. Its a land where prophets ruled with justice. God said to Prophet David We made you a ruler in the land, so judge between the people with justice, and do not follow desire, lest it diverts you from Gods path Quran 38:26. Prophet Solomon prayed to God for sound wisdom and judgment that is pleasing to God: My Lord, direct me to be thankful for the blessings you have bestowed upon me and my parents, and enable me to do good works that please You Quran 27:19.

Central to Islam is the concept of justice. Its a call to action to facilitate peace. Justice is a prerequisite for peace.

It is evident that the human condition abhors injustice. Injustice circumvents the unalienable rights endowed by our Creator which leads to inequalities, loss of life and loss of liberty. It is incumbent upon the party with the upper hand of power to be responsible, measured and to demonstrate just leadership where mercy, morals and humanity prevail. The Quran states: Believers! Stand firm for justice as witness for God even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, God is best to ensure their interests. Do not let your desires cause you to deviate from justice. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then know God is certainly All-Aware of what you do.

Muslims were blessed with leadership of Jerusalem during the reign of Caliphate of Umar Ibn Kitab when the Romans handed over the keys to him. Calipha Umar immediately began the revitalization of Jerusalem. Under his leadership, he demonstrated how Islam honored the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians. The Temple Mount, known as Al-Aqsa Compound or Al-Haram Al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary) to Muslims, was being used by the Romans as a garbage dump to offend the Jews, who considered this site sacred too. Calipha Umar and his army personally cleaned the area. He built Masjid Al-Qabli and eventually the Dome of the Rock was added. Religious freedom for all faiths were protected under the Treaty of Umar.

Islam teaches that God said: I have forbidden injustice for Myself and I have forbidden it among you, do not oppress one another. This corresponds to one of His ninety-nine names and attributes, Al-Adl, The Just. The Just would never approve of or give permission to one community to persecute another  this applies to everyone, everywhere. Believers! stand firmly for God as witnesses to fair dealing, let not the hatred of others swerve you to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: thats next to Piety: be conscious of God, He is well-acquainted with all you do Quran 5:8.

Jerusalem is important to the three Abrahamic religions. It is a land where peace must be established. This requires that morals, consciousness and justice prevail.

Shazeeda Khan is the director of Islamic Education at Baitul Mukarram Masjid of Greater Danbury 330 Main Street, Danbury CT.
BOSTON  Some New England hospitals are delaying or rescheduling surgeries because of a shortage of blood donations during the pandemic.

We havent seen anything like this in about 30 or 40 years at least, Dr. Vishesh Chhibber, director of transfusion medicine at UMass Memorial Health, told the Boston Globe.

Periodic, localized blood shortages are not uncommon, but this shortage is unprecedented in its scope, said Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for the American Association of Blood Banks.

Officials point toward a number of factors including the typical summer drop in blood donations at a time when surgeries are increasing because of procedures that were postponed during the pandemic.

Nationwide, the Red Cross normally has a five-day supply of all types of blood, said Kelly Isenor, spokesperson for the Red Cross of Massachusetts,

Right now, the supply of the sorely needed type O blood would last only a half-day. Its going out faster than its coming in, Isenor said.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Qatar to require fans at 2022 World Cup to be vaccinated

 US sending Taiwan 2.5 million vaccine doses, tripling pledge

 Uganda Olympic team member tests positive for coronavirus

 Afghanistan races to ramp up oxygen supplies as infections soar

 US families angered that coronavirus restrictions still keep them from loved ones in nursing homes even as elderly vaccinations are widespread

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Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

LISBON, Portugal  Portuguese authorities have confirmed suspicions that the new delta variant of the coronavirus is driving a spike in new cases in the Lisbon region.

Portugals National Health Institute said Sunday that the highly infectious variant that was first found in India has a prevalence of 60% of new cases in the nations capital.

The recent surge in infections caused authorities last week to ban all travel in and out of Lisbon on the weekends. The measure went into effect on Friday. The Lisbon metropolitan area has around 2.8 million inhabitants.

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LONDON  London soccer stadiums have been transformed into super pop-up vaccination sites as Britain tries to get younger adults to be inoculated against COVID-19.

More than four-fifths of adults in the U.K. have had at least one shot of vaccine, and the government wants everyone 18 and up to have a jab by July 19, the date earmarked for the lifting of remaining social and economic restrictions.

Hundreds of people lined up Sunday at Tottenham Hotspurs north London stadium, following similar events Saturday at venues including Chelseas Stamford Bridge stadium in west London, and east Londons Olympic Stadium, home to West Ham United.

Britain is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the more infectious delta variant first identified in India.

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SEOUL, South Korea  South Korea says it plans to allow social gatherings of up to six people and allow restaurants and cafes to operate until midnight in the densely populated Seoul area, starting from July 1.

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said Sunday the eased distancing rules are aimed at finding a balance between quarantine and (effort to) return to normal amid the prolonged COVID 19 pandemic.

After a two-week transition period, health authorities plan to allow gatherings of eight people in the Seoul area from July 15. Currently, authorities allow gatherings of up to four people and permit restaurants, cafes and other businesses to operate until 10 p.m.

Restrictions on the number of people at private gatherings in the non-Seoul area will be lifted.

Kwon says about 30% of South Koreas 52 million people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccines. He says South Korea reported an average of 444 new virus cases each day last week, a 15% decrease from the previous week.

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BEIJING  China has announced that more than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the country.

The National Health Commission did not say Sunday how many people had been vaccinated. As elsewhere, most of the vaccines in China are given in two doses.

The pace of vaccinations has accelerated in the country of 1.4 billion people after a slow start. The total number of doses given doubled from 500 million in less than a month, according to government tallies.

China has approved seven domestically developed vaccines and recently approved two of them for children as young as 3 years old. Regulators havent approved any non-Chinese vaccines so far, although they appear to be moving toward doing so for the one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

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RIO DE JANEIRO  Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Brazil as the nations confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million.

Its a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaros attempt to minimize the disease.

Thousands gathered Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, waving flags reading Get out Bolsonaro. Other marchers hoisted posters reading: 500 thousand deaths. Its his fault.

Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazils 26 states. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaros declining poll ratings with next years presidential race looming.

Bolsonaros supporters have taken more often to the streets over the past month, in large part because many agree with his dismissal of restrictions meant to stifle the coronavirus and anger that lockdown measures have hurt businesses.

Critics say such messages, as well as Bolsonaros promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the soaring death toll and a sluggish vaccine campaign that has fully inoculated less than 12% of the population. The country of some 213 million people is registering nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths a day.

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MOSCOW  Russias national coronavirus taskforce on Saturday reported 17,906 new infections, more than double the daily tally from early June.

More than half of the new infections are in Moscow, where cases have tripled this month. The soaring case count has caused alarm among officials, who have increased measures to obstruct the spread.

Moscow, its outlying area and two other Russian regions this week ordered mandatory vaccinations for workers in retail, education and other service sectors. Moscow has closed food courts in shopping centers and restricted restaurants and bars in the capital to takeout orders from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Russians are widely resistant to vaccinations and only about 12% of the population has received a shot. Nearly 5.3 million cases have been reported in the country of 146 million, with 128,911 deaths, but experts consider both numbers undercounts.

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KABUL  Afghanistans is racing to ramp up supplies of oxygen as a deadly third surge of COVID-19 worsens, a senior health official told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday.

The government is installing oxygen supply plants in 10 provinces where up to 65% of those tested in some areas are positive, health ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigir Nazari said. By WHO recommendations, anything higher than 5% shows officials arent testing widely enough, allowing the virus to spread unchecked.

Afghanistan carries out barely 4,000 tests a day and often much less.

Afghanistans 24-hour infection count has also continued its upward climb from 1,500 at the end of May when the health ministry was already calling the surge a crisis, to more than 2,300 this week.

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PARIS  French police clashed with party-goers as they tried to break up an unauthorized rave in western France, authorities said Saturday. A 22-year-old man lost his hand and several others were injured amid the violence, including police.

The tensions erupted in a field near the Brittany town of Redon on Friday night, just two days before France lifts an overnight virus curfew thats been in place for more than eight months and has prompted growing frustration among young people.

Police repeatedly fired tear gas and charged clusters of violent partygoers who hurled metal balls, gasoline bombs and other projectiles at security forces, according to images shared online and comments by the top government official in the region, prefect Emmanuel Berthier. Local authorities estimated about 1,500 people took part in the event despite a local ordinance banning it.

France is lifting the overnight curfew on Sunday.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice declared an end to the states indoor mask requirement Sunday as a $1 million winner was revealed in a drawing for residents who have received the coronavirus vaccine.

Karen Foley of Mineral Wells won the top prize announced by on a sweltering Fathers Day at the Capitol Complex in Charleston during a celebration of the states 158th birthday.

Prizes in separate drawings included custom pickup trucks, state park weekend trips, lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, and hunting rifles and shotguns. Two younger vaccinated residents won college scholarships.

Justice had projected last month that more than two-thirds of eligible residents ages 12 and over would be vaccinated by the time the mask mandate was removed. But the state fell short of that goal  61.5% had received at least one dose by Sunday.

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BANGOR, Maine  Inspired by critical shortages during the pandemic, University of Maine chemical engineers are working to make sure people never run out of sanitizer again.

William DeSisto, a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, worked with distillers around the state to get ethanol to make the sanitizer early in the pandemic when store shelves were bare.

His work is now focusing on a different kind of disinfectant, hypochlorous acid, the Bangor Daily news reported.

Hypochlorous acid is 70 to 80 times more effective than bleach and less toxic for people, but it needs to be produced locally because it has a shorter shelf life, DeSisto said. Since its made with salt water and electricity, its possible to find a way for people to produce it at home, he said.

DeSisto, who was awarded a federal grant for about $374,750, said the goal is to avoid future breakdowns in the supply chain. We dont want what happened last year to happen again, DeSisto said of sanitizer shortages.

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MESA, Ariz. -- A wig store in suburban Phoenix serves people who have lost their hair from chemotherapy and continues to require shoppers to wear masks to protect people with cancer from COVID-19.

But last month, the shop started receiving harassing phone calls after the founder of an anti-mask group tried to ruin the business by posting the stores name, phone number and address on social media.

Since then, Sunnys Hair and Wigs has received an outpouring of support from concerned citizens and even a visit from Mesa Mayor John Giles and city Councilman Francisco Heredia.
The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns have helped boost the UK organic sector more than ever, according to the Soil Association.

The Soil Associations Organic Market Report's shows that the organic sector saw overall growth of 12.6% in 2020.

This is the highest rate of growth the industry has seen in 15 years.

Several factors are thought to be behind the boom, including the rapid growth of online retail throughout 2020 and greater consumer consciousness of health and sustainability.

It follows statistics recently published by Defra showing that land in-conversion to organic increased by nearly 12% last year.

This is a tend that has increased every year since 2014, with the exception of 2019.

Soil Association trade consultant Finn Cottle said the public were now more aware of organic, as the more they saw it the more they were likely to buy it.

She added that the pandemic and resulting lockdowns seemed to have driven organic sales more than ever.

Because people have had more time during the pandemic, they are giving more thought across the board about what they buy," she said.

"The appreciation of nature has increased during the pandemic, consumers are not just looking at the impact of purchases on animals but also on the environment. Organic is at the forefront of peoples minds.

Responding to the governments organic farming statistics, the Soil Association said that consumer demand was driving an uplift in farmers seeking conversion, which signalled growing confidence.

Organic arable farming saw a 7% increase in 2020. This mirrored the performance across Europe, where the number of producers and amount of organic land continued to rise in line with the EUs ambition for 25% of all farmland to be organic by 2030.

Soil Association Certification business development manager, Sophie Kirk said: We welcome these UK stats from Defra, which demonstrate positive growth and confidence in the organic sector.

"The volume of land currently under conversion to organic with Soil Association Certification has grown even more rapidly  showing a 24% increase in the year to March 2021.

The opportunity is now for UK governments to incentivise the delivery of public goods such as clean water and air, improved biodiversity and reduced flooding through enhanced support for organic farming systems and practices.

The Soil Association said that evidence from its report, Organic Farming and Growing - Does it Stack Up? revealed that net farm income was higher on organic arable and livestock farms compared to non-organic.

Organic cropping farms generated five times the revenue per hectare from agri-environment schemes and 50 percent more revenue from diversification, it suggested.


Rajnikanths pictures from the Chennai airport recently went viral. The megastar was clicked with his wife Latha on his way to the US. Rajnikanth visits the country every year for an annual medical check-up. However last year he couldnt make it for his annual check up due to the pandemic, this year he surely makes time for it.

Rajnikanth was seen in a black sweatshirt and grey denims. The actor apparently had just finished shooting on Saturday morning for Annaatthe. Reports on an online portal tell us more about Rajnikanths trip and reveal that the actor might even visit his son-in-law Dhanush in Los Angeles. Dhanush is in LA shooting for The Gray Man  a film by Russo Brothers. Here are some posts on the internet that show the superstar at the Chennai airport making his way out of the city.

On the work front, the megastar will be seen next in Annaatthe. The makers are planning for a 2021 Diwali release. The film is said to be a rural drama and also stars Keerthy Suresh, Meena and Khushbu Sundar. Keerthy Suresh even shared that shes excited to share screen space with the legend and its a milestone moment for her.
Riverdale, New Jersey--(Newsfile Corp. - June 19, 2021) - The annual report provides in-depth information on all aspects of Camfil's business, products, and future directions to the public.





Air Filtration Leader Camfil Shows Ongoing Commitment to Protecting People, Processes, and the Environment



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Each year, Camfil publishes a Sustainability Report to showcase the actions taken and further steps in the works by the company to further their mission of providing clean air to all and protecting people, processes, and the environment. 2020 was an especially challenging year for everyone, and the report shows Camfil's involvement in fighting the coronavirus pandemic from the front lines.

For more information visit:

https://cleanair.camfil.us/2021/06/20/camfil-releases-2020-sustainability-report/

Camfil's mission statement is "to protect people, processes and the environment by defining, developing and delivering solutions that combine clean air with energy efficiency in a sustainable and profitable way."

The full Sustainability Report provides an interview with Mark Simmons, CEO of Camfil, who talks in-depth about the company's sustainability engagement and vision.

Camfil and COVID-19. Innovative Air Quality Solutions & Fast Innovation.

Camfil's clean air solutions were vital to the fight against the Coronavirus around the world, as well as commercial and industrial solutions to keep people in public buildings safe. They quickly and easily created pressurized isolation rooms in hospitals to contain virus spread.

For more information visit:

https://cleanair.camfil.us/2021/06/20/camfil-releases-2020-sustainability-report/

For more information about Camfil's 2020 achievements as well as future directions, download the full 2020 Sustainability Report here.

About Camfil Clean Air Solutions

For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. That's why every step of the way - from design to delivery and across the product life cycle - we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control, and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways - so we can all breathe easier.

The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 33 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 30 countries, and about 4,80 0 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil USA can help you to protect people, processes and the environment, visit us at www.camfil.us/.

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How one nurse anesthetist is working to fight racial disparities in healthcare
As Tropical Story Claudette made landfall Saturday morning on the Louisiana coast, its outer bands were wreaking havoc in the FOX10 News viewing area. East Brewton in Escambia County was hit by what EMA officials there are calling a tornado. It destroyed several mobile homes there and damaged others.

It was just whoof and it was gone. Just that quick, said Tyler Smith.

And it lasted for about ten seconds and it was over with, Frank Lanier recalled.

It only took seconds to turn some East Brewton residents lives upside-downliterally. No one remembered exactly what time it happened but said it was sometime shortly after 7:00 a.m. when EMA officials said a tornado touched down on Andrew Jackson Street.

Curtis Glass was in the bedroom of his mobile home when it hit. He got to the front door in just seconds and the damage was already done. He was still in shock hours later.

Devastationdevastation. All three trailerswell, there was six trailers. There was seven trailers destroyed and I knew all of them, Glass said in a shaky voice. There was one couple who lived up there in the first trailer up there. They got hurt.

The damage was so extensive, there was no way to differentiate between the trailer pieces in the rubble. Public Safety officials said three people from the trailer park were hurt and taken to area hospitals, but no deaths were reported.

The tornado hit so fast that nobody had any time to prepare for it and it was so powerful that it flipped over trucks and twisted the frames on the mobile homes, demolishing them beyond recognition. Those who lived through it said that they never want to experience anything like it again.

Ive never been in a tornado. Never want to go through another one like that. Never in my life, Glass said.

After hitting the trailer park, the twister set its sights on W. S. Neal High School, next door. It had roof damage and debris from a nearby building piled up against its walls.

Tyler Smiths mother lives across from the school. Her home suffered significant roof damage and water poured inside, ruining many of the belongings. Fortunately, she had spent the night elsewhere, but much of what the storm took belonged to Smiths late sister and cant be replaced.

My moms been putting off about two years of going through all that stuff and uh, she aint got to now, a tearful Smith said.

Multiple power lines were down in the area as well. ALEA reported Highway 29, which goes into Pensacola was shut down for several hours so that electric crews could remove power lined from the roadway.
SPARTANBURG, SC (FOX Carolina) - The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday that there were two people who died in the multi-agency, officer-involved shooting spree that happened in Spartanburg Thursday afternoon.
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Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 81F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
We welcome Juneteenth as a state and federal holiday knowing that there could be a huge cost in lost production for government workers. That cost is well worth it.

Also, the holiday comes at a great time of the year for proper and meaningful celebrations, since the weather is ideal and public schools are out of session. Were looking forward to covering these community events.

ROSES to graduation season. Commencement ceremonies were especially meaningful this year in they brought hope that weve turned the corner on the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Many high school graduations were held outdoors in relatively normal conditions. But the speeches by outgoing seniors were far more impactful than usual this year, and often reflected on the abnormal difficulties and pressure the Class of 2021 faced.

Our local college graduations, at Oregon State University and Linn-Benton Community College, were more muted than high school celebrations.
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.
Gettysburg, PA (17325)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 79F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 60F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Why getting vaccinated is more important now than ever
NEW YORK, June 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are advised by GuardPay that journalists and other readers should disregard the news release, Benchmark Strategically Invested in GuardPay Crypto Gateway, Starting a New Battlefield for Cryptocurrency Payment issued at 6:39 a.m. ET, June 18, 2021, over GlobeNewswire.
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Toto Wolff says he was "joking" when he declared that Mercedes' decision about Valtteri Bottas' future could be delayed until as late as February next year.

Wolff, Bottas and Williams driver George Russell touched down at Paul Ricard amid swirling rumours that the decision has already been made to replace Bottas with Russell for 2022.

Earlier, it was stated that a decision during the summer break was most likely - but Wolff suddenly changed his tune when asked ahead of the French GP.

"Sometime in the winter," the Mercedes team boss said when reporters asked what the deadline was.

"But I can't say whether it will be December, January or February. A late decision like that is possible because we have always been loyal to our drivers."

But as soon as those soundbites hit the headlines, Wolff insisted he was actually "joking".

"The decision will be made in the summer," the Austrian now says.

"We won't wait until December. This is too late. Silverstone? No, it's too early.

"I think it would be great to do it in Monza, so that you (reporters) get a nice story."

2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, who was replaced by Bottas for 2017 and beyond, thinks the Finn remains the ideal deputy for Lewis Hamilton.

However, he admitted: "From the fan's point of view, it would certainly be fascinating to have another driver in the second Mercedes.

"One who can put Lewis under a lot of pressure, one who represents the future and will one day replace Hamilton as number 1," the German added.

Another former driver, Ralf Schumacher, thinks Wolff's dithering over the Bottas decision deadline is only understandable.

"What should Toto say?" he told Sport1. "He has to keep Bottas motivated."

However, Schumacher also thinks it is time for 23-year-old Russell to be promoted.

"He has to give Russell a chance soon," he said. "George won all the junior classes, did a great job at Williams, performed sensationally as Hamilton's substitute at Sakhir.

"The Williams contract expires at the end of the year, so if not in 2022, then when?"

When asked what 31-year-old Bottas needs to do to protect his future in Formula 1, Wolff answered at Paul Ricard: "Drive fast on Saturday and Sunday.

"If he can do that, he'll put himself in an excellent negotiating position.

"Sure, we can think about fresh blood, but that's not the central point for us. We strive for consistently high competitiveness," Wolff insisted.

"Especially in a difficult year like this, we need two drivers who we know we can rely on."

(GMM)
Rolls-Royce is entering new aviation markets to pioneer sustainable power and as part of that mission will be developing energy storage systems (ESS) that will enable aircraft to undertake zero emissions flights of more than 100 miles on a single charge. Rolls-Royce is planning an 80-million (US$110 million) investment in ESS over the next decade.

Aerospace-certified ESS solutions from Rolls-Royce will power electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and fixed-wing aircraft, with up to 19 seats, in the commuter market.





By 2035, Rolls-Royce is planning to integrate more than 5 million battery cells per annum into modular systems. These modules will deliver market-leading energy density levels.

This multi-million-pound investment by Rolls-Royce over the next decade is another demonstration of our ambitions in electrification. We are developing a portfolio of energy storage solutions to complement our electrical propulsion systems. This will ensure that we can offer our customers a complete electric propulsion system for their platform, whether that is an eVTOL or a commuter aircraft. It will enable us to be a one-stop shop for all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems, which is incredibly exciting as these new markets develop and expand. Rob Watson, Director of Electrical, Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce has been delivering battery solutions for many years and has designed 10 different aerospace battery systems, using state-of-the-art cell technology. Of these batteries, four designs have already flown in three aircraft, accumulating more than 250 hours of flight experience and another two designs will complete their first flight in aircraft in 2021.

This includes a battery developed with Electroflight, Rolls-Royces UK manufacturing partner in the ACCEL programme, in which it has built the Spirit of Innovation aircraft that is aiming to be the worlds fastest all-electric plane.

Both ACCEL and the initial research and technology undertaken to develop industry leading ESS are being supported by the UK Government through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

The company is also working closely with WMG, University of Warwick through its High Value Manufacturing Catapult, an experienced research partner with extensive knowledge gained through supporting the automotive and other sectors, to develop energy storage technology.

Battery pack design is a mechanical, thermal and containment design challenge and there has to be a strong focus on safety and low weight. These aspects are core to all the products that Rolls-Royce has a long history of producing in aerospace.

Rolls-Royce and airframer Tecnam are currently working with Widerethe largest regional airline in Scandinaviato deliver an all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market, which is planned to be ready for revenue service in 2026. Rolls-Royce will deliver the entire electrical propulsion system including an energy storage system for the new P-VOLT aircraft.
According to a new study by researchers from Delft University of Technology, in the context of current recharging time, Dutch EV drivers in general prefer not to participate in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) contracts, while the opposite is true in the context of fast recharging.

With regard to specific V2G contract attributes, Dutch EV drivers are most concerned about discharging cycles. Also important is the guaranteed minimum battery level. The importance of that criterion drops significantly in the fast charging context. In addition, monthly remuneration and plug-in time also influence peoples preferences for adopting V2G.

An open-access paper on the study and implications for aggregators and policy makers is published in the journal Energy Policy. (The V2G contract is a contractual agreement between EV owners and an actor called the aggregator. The role of the aggregator is to coordinate V2G and participate in the market on behalf of EV owners.)

The goal of this paper is to (1) contribute to the literature on the adoption of V2G by exploring Dutch EV drivers preferences for participating in V2G contracts in terms of different contract attributes and (2) assess the impact of future battery technology (i.e. fast recharging) on the preferences for V2G contracts. For the first goal, we have conducted a stated choice experiment in which EV drivers were provided with various V2G contract schemes. To achieve the second goal, the experiment was designed as a context-dependent experiment. More specifically, the choice sets of the experiment were presented in two different contexts concerning EV recharging time: the current recharging time and fast recharging. Through this context-dependent experiment, we aim to explore the impact of EV recharging time on the general preference for V2G contracts and the interaction effect between EV recharging time and the guaranteed minimum battery level of the EV. Huang et al.

Data collection was conducted during late May to early July 2019 in the Netherlands. Respondents were approached at random at EV charging points with an invitation to fill out a paper-pencil survey or a flyer containing a link of the online version. The final sample contains 148 respondents.

Our results showed that the rates of no V2G being chosen dropped dramatically in the context of fast recharging, compared to the context of current recharging time. This implies that future technology development regarding EV recharging time is expected to facilitate the widespread adoption of V2G. Huang et al.

Resources
GREENWICH  A Greenwich resident who serves in the New York Army National Guard has taken command of 106th Regiment, which operates as a training unit.

Lt. Col. Jeff Csoka of Greenwich was promoted during a June 12 ceremony at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill, N.Y. He is a 1997 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The 106th trains new lieutenants through the Office Candidate School program, conducts infantry military occupational specialty training, medic recertification, and unmanned aircraft system operator qualification.

In 2008, members of the 106th deployed to Afghanistan to assist in training the Afghan National Army.

Csoka replaced Col. Diane Armbruster, who is now serving as the full-time communications officer for the New York Army National Guard.

Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, adjutant general of New York and commander of the New York Army National Guard, presided over the promotion.

Csoka served in the active Army for 10 years. He was commissioned as an infantry officer and deployed to Bosnia in 1999-2000 and to Iraq in 2003-2004 as a member of the 1st Infantry Division and the 101st Air Assault Division.

His assignments on active duty included rifle platoon leader, company executive officer, battalion assistant operations officer, infantry company commander, and Ranger training company commander.

Csoka left active duty in 2007 and joined the New York Army National Guard in 2009.

Since then he has served as battalion operations officer, division liaison officer, brigade operations officer, chief of operations for the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment and commander of the 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry, before serving as the assistant operations officer for the 42nd Infantry Division.

He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as part of the New York Stability and Transition Team, where he served as a senior adviser and security force assistance team leader with 1st Battalion, 23d Infantry.

He deployed to Kuwait with the 42nd Infantry Division in 2020.

He works as the director of construction and facilities sourcing for Columbia University. He and his wife Sarah, have three children, sons Alexander, 5, and Julian, 3, and a daughter, Ilona, 16.

Csokas awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the NATO Medal. He also holds the Combat Infantrymans Badge, Expert Infantrymans Badge, Air Assault Badge, Basic Parachutists Badge, and the Ranger Tab.
The airline industry is expanding services and reviving routes to favorite summer destinations as travelers seek to get away after the COVID-19 pandemic kept people at home for the past year.

Located just over the border from Greenwich, Westchester County Airport is seeing its volume pick up again. New flights to southern Maine are now available, and well-heeled summer travelers can put down $795 per one-way flight to reach the sandy beaches and scenic architecture of Nantucket.

Wheels Up is the latest aviation project from entrepreneur Kenny Dichter, who has reworked the private aviation business through the years. The airline is running weekend shuttles to Nantucket on an eight-seat aircraft that leaves Friday afternoons and returns Sunday afternoons, and travelers can book individual seats at the airport in New York.

Business has been strong, said Gail Grimmett, a company executive, calling Nantucket a desirable vacation spot for 2021.

Its one of our most popular destinations. Nantucket is just the right distance, its a quick flight. Its a lot more convenient than driving, and its one of those destination thats particularly appealing to people in the New York vicinity, Grimmett said.

The shuttle flights are popular this time of year. Theres a lot of demand out there; weve definitely seen an uptick in bookings as we move into the summertime, she said. Beach and resort destinations, the beach destinations are doing very well.

Taking a ferry to Nantucket from Cape Cod can be a six-hour trip, including drive time from the metropolitan New York City region. Flights to Nantucket also operate from LaGuardia Airport and Kennedy Airport in New York, at a round-trip cost in the $400 range, as well as from Boston.

Elite Airways is also expanding its service in the metropolitan area with new flights from Westchester Airport to new locations, as well as Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard. The carrier is now running flights to Portland, Maine, and adding new service to Florida, starting July 1.

The additional flights would meet renewed demand for leisure travel along the East Coast, Elite Airways President John Pearsall said.

Grimmett, described as the chief experience officer at Wheels Up, said the companys founder has been reshaping the private aviation business with a number of innovations.

At Wheels Up, a membership model and a software app are part of the latest advances.

The overall concept is to make private aviation more accessible. Theres a whole world of people out there we know who want to fly private, said Grimmett. And a good number of them, a majority, are flying within two-and-a-half hours. The company operates across the U.S. and is based in New York City.

Like other aviation carriers, Wheels Up is seeing its business ratcheting up as the number of COVID-19 cases decline and vaccine rates increase, she said. The shuttle service to Nantucket was suspended last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, she said. Now the flight business is getting many new bookings, she said, as travel demand increases.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  An audit of the Pupil Personnel Services Department in the Greenwich Public Schools called for a broad-based set of changes  of the departments practices, culture and even its name.

The executive summary, compiled by Boston-based educational firm Public Consulting Group, is a preview of the most detailed report completed on special education in Greenwich schools in decades. It paints a picture of a long-embattled department with some out-of-date practices  but not without hope for improvement.

GPS PPS Office has been operating under the same leadership for the past several decades, says the summary, which the district released Friday afternoon. During that time, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has been reauthorized twice by the U.S. Congress, and countless special education regulation changes have occurred in Connecticut in response to these re-authorizations.

Yet, in many respects, GPS special education program continues to operate much like one may have in 1997 - a time when inclusion was still ambiguous, co-teaching was not the norm, specialized supports for low incidence disabilities (e.g., autism) were lacking unless the student was sent out of district, and arcane words were part of the vernacular to describe a student (e.g., more comprehensive, mildly comprehensive), it says.

The full report will be presented Wednesday at a special meeting of the Board of Education.

The departments culture needs revamping, according to the summary. It provides data that show Hispanic and Black or African American students, as well economically disadvantaged students, are much more likely than their peers to be identified for special education.

Hispanic students were four times more likely to be identified with an intellectual disability and two times more likely to be identified with a speech/language impairment, according to the report.  Black or African American students were twice as likely to be identified as having an emotional disability, other health impairment, or specific learning disability.

The report also suggests a name change, and offers Specialized Instruction and Services as a possible title for the new office.

In total, the summary outlines 28 recommendations for the district in six categories: learning environment and specialized services; leadership; high expectations; human capital; systems and structure; and family and community engagements.

Full implementation of the recommendations could take three to five years, according to the summary.

PCG began its review in October, and in subsequent months it has been interviewing parents, students, educators and administrators, observing classes, hosting focus groups, and reviewing data and documents.

The audit was undertaken during a contentious time for special education in the district. A report by Tennessee-based educational consultant Key2Ed identified some of the same problem areas as the PCG summary, but it was not a wholesale review of the department.

Parents had long called for an audit and had grown increasingly vocal in the year leading up to PCGs work. In the fall, the teachers union representing Greenwich educators, too, complained to district administrators that the existing special education system was in violation of state and federal law.

PCGs work was met with cautious optimism by the school board and community. Board of Education members were careful to point out the importance of an independent study, and some questioned the appropriateness of Superintendent of Schools Toni Joness involvement on the steering committee that worked with PCG to facilitate the study.

And many parents questioned whether the recommendations would be implemented after many years of the districts perceived inability to correct glaring mistakes.

In particular, the PCG summary states that issues with the Planning and Placement Team process, communications and engagement, continuum of services and professional development have been areas of concern identified in all department evaluations dating back to 1997  the same year Mary Forde, the districts outgoing director of Pupil and Personnel Services, took the helm of the department.

The implications of this are significant and far-reaching - the departments inertia to act with urgency on these matters has further seeded mistrust among parents and staff, the summary states. And, more importantly, these shortcomings have served as impediments to supporting the needs of the districts students with disabilities.

Acting with urgency could help remedy another problem that has plagued the department  communication with parents. The summary suggests that decisive action on the part of central office and the Board of Education could signal to parents that the district is committed to bringing change, though the process of releasing the report has already raised questions among some parents.

Caroline Lerum, a co-founder of the districts Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC), during public comment at Thursdays Board of Education meeting questioned the districts transparency in releasing the document.

Lerum asked the board when parents and members of the community would be able to ask questions about the report, since there is no public comment scheduled for the Wednesday special meeting. She also questioned why just an executive summary, and not the full report, was released before the meeting.

How can PCG present a report that no one has seen? Lerum asked. How is this transparent?

Jones did not answer Friday when asked when parents would be able to ask questions about the report, though she did provide a statement on the release of the summary.

The (steering) committee thought that putting the executive summary out publicly that includes the recommendations will allow the public to review the general details, while allowing PCG the opportunity to walk everyone through their report and the recommendations, provide context to their findings, and then provide the full report for all of the public to more closely review, Jones said. After PCG presents their full report, they will send it to the Board Clerk to be posted for GPS Staff, BOE, and the community.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586
Honor is back, but is there still room for the brand that was once seen as Huawei Jr.? While it is now an independent company, its hard to deny that the dual circle design on the back of the new Honor 50 series is clearly inspired by the Huawei P50 design.

Thats not necessarily a bad thing, Huawei has created some beautiful phones over the years. And once you look past the cover, youll see that this book tells a very different story. There is no Kirin chipset here, no EMUI either  and certainly no HMS Core. Instead, you get new Snapdragons (and a Dimensity) along with Magic UI with full Google Play Services support.

The Honor 50 Pro and Honor 50 are very similar to each other. The three main differences are screen size (6.72 vs. 6.57), charging speed (100W vs. 66W) and, of course, price. Well, the Pro also has a dual selfie camera, which may or may not matter to you.

Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 778G chipset, which may prove to be one of the best upper mid-range chips this year. Theres no Snapdragon 8xx model, though its anyones guess why  is Honor sticking to its not quite top shelf roots or is this just yet another symptom of the global chip shortage? Or perhaps it's just coming at a later point with a Pro+ model.

Then theres the Honor 50 SE, which goes for the Dimensity 900, another promising chip. This one has a 6.78 LCD instead of an AMOLED display, but it does match the 120Hz refresh rate of the other two.

The Honor 50 SE gets a MediaTek chipset and an LCD

All three phones feature a 108MP main camera based on a 1/1.52 sensor with 9-in-1 binning (likely the ISOCELL HM2), alongside an 8MP ultrawide camera. Theres no OIS, 8K video recording or even 4K/60 fps recording, however.

The Honor 50 and 50 Pro have the same 108 MP camera on the back, the Pro has a dual selfie cam

Before we proceed, we should talk pricing. The trio will launch in China at first, costing CNY 3,700 for the Pro (480, 8/256 GB memory), CNY 2,700 for the vanilla (350, 8/128 GB) and CNY 2,400 for the SE (315, 8/128 GB).

Is the extra size of the Pro model a plus? Depends on the buyer. But that 100W charger promises a 100% charge in just 25 minutes. For comparison, the vanilla Honor 50 goes up to only 70% in 20 minutes with its 66W charger. To be fair, it has a slightly larger battery, 4,000 mAh for the Pro and 4,300 mAh for the vanilla.



100W charging on the Pro  66W charging for the vanilla and SE models

But is that really worth 100+ more? Perhaps, considering that the Pro has double the storage and that none of the 50-series phones have memory card slots.

Anyway, 108MP cameras are not exactly difficult to find these days and you dont have to pay over 300 to get one. A Realme 8 Pro can be yours for less than that with decently fast 50W charging. However, the Snapdragon 720G chipset is nowhere near the 778G and the AMOLED screen runs at 60Hz.

A Redmi Note 10 Pro (aka Pro Max in India) does have a 120Hz AMOLED display (with HDR10 to boot), plus a marginally faster Snapdragon 732G chip. The 33W charger is no slouch and gets the larger 5,020mAh battery to 59% in 30 minutes. All this and a 108MP camera for less than 300.



Realme 8 Pro  Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro  Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro  Motorola Moto G60

If youre in India, you might look at the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro instead, which costs Honor 50 Pro kind of money, but brings the big guns  a Snapdragon 888. Charging the 4,520 mAh battery is a tad slow (100% in 52 minutes), but hardly glacial.

If thats too pricey, a Moto G60 costs INR 18,000 at the moment (thats 200) and gets you that 108 MP camera, 6.8 120Hz LCD (HDR10) and a Snapdragon 732G. The battery is large, but slow (6,000mAh, 20W charging). As youve probably guessed, only the Mi 11X Pro has 5G connectivity, while it is standard on the Honor 50 trio.

The Honor 50 series offers compelling specs, though were not sure about the pricing. We do know were excited to see the Snapdragon 778G and Dimensity 900 in action, though. And its probably a good thing that Honor is allowed back into the Google Play Store  Huaweis AppGallery is catching up, but thats another way of saying that it is behind.

So, if an Honor 50 becomes available in a store near you (and theres a very good chance that it will), will you buy one  and which one?
The Project Gutenberg eBook of General Anthony Wayne's Expedition into the Indian Country, by Anonymous

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: General Anthony Wayne's Expedition into the Indian Country

Author: Anonymous

Release Date: June 20, 2021 [eBook #65646]

Language: English

Produced by: Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE'S EXPEDITION INTO THE INDIAN COUNTRY ***

GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNES EXPEDITION INTO THE INDIAN COUNTRY Prepared by the staff of the

Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County

1953

i

One of a historical series, this pamphlet is published under the direction of the governing Boards of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL CITY OF FORT WAYNE

B. F. Geyer, President Joseph E. Kramer, Secretary W. Page Yarnelle, Treasurer Willard Shambaugh Mrs. Sadie Fulk Roehrs

PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD FOR ALLEN COUNTY

The members of this Board include the members of the Board of Trustees of the School City of Fort Wayne (with the same officers), together with the following citizens chosen from Allen County outside the corporate city of Fort Wayne:

James E. Graham Arthur Niemeier Mrs. Glenn Henderson Mrs. Charles Reynolds

1

By the Treaty of Paris in 1783 ending the Revolutionary War Great Britain ceded to the United States the territory lying between The Alleghany mountains and the Mississippi River. The British, however, continued to maintain garrisons in strong forts within this area. Among the posts thus garrisoned were Detroit, Presque Isle near Erie, and Fort Miamis near Toledo. From these vantage points the British continued to influence the Indians and incite them to attacks upon white settlers. Hundreds of families of frontiersmen were slain and their homes plundered.

When General Washington assumed the Presidency in 1789 he dispatched General Harmar at the head of an expedition to pacify the marauding Indians. Little Turtle and his Indians bided their time. In a sneak attack they utterly defeated the American forces near the Indian village of Kekionga within the limits of the present city of Fort Wayne. In 1791 a second and more powerful American force under General Arthur St. Clair was defeated by Little Turtles braves near the present town of Fort Recovery, Ohio. This overwhelming defeat cost the little American army most of its soldiers and nearly all of its officers. The frontier was then unguarded, and the American Government for a time seemed impotent to protect its citizens against the Indians and their British and Canadian allies.

In this dire emergency, President Washington chose General Anthony Wayne to re-organize the American forces and to bring the Indians to terms.

2

LEGEND

Waynes journey from Pittsburg into the Indian Country

Pittsburg Legionville Ohio River Wheeling Marietta Gallipolis Scioto River Hobsons Choice Cincinnati Ft. Hamilton Ft. St. Clair Ft. Jefferson Ft. Greenville Ft. Recovery St. Marys River Au Glaize River Ft. Defiance Maumee River Ft. Deposit Fallen Timbers Ft. Miamis Detroit St. Joseph River Kekionga Ft. Wayne Lake Erie Sandusky

4

Anthony Wayne, born in 1745, left his business as the leading American tanner in 1775 to join the Pennsylvania line. He served through the American Revolution with the rank of Brigadier-General and was our leading hand-to-hand fighter. He was engaged in the battles of Trois Rivieres, Paoli, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and Green Springs; was commandant at Ticonderoga; led the surprise attack on Stony Point; was actively engaged in the campaign of Yorktown; and commanded the American army in the Georgia campaign against the Indians. He was wounded a number of times in battle. Likewise he suffered as did more than 5,000 other Americans at Valley Forge.

General Wayne proceeded westward toward Pittsburgh in the spring and summer of 1792. There he was commissioned to recruit and organize an American army. Some twenty-three miles from Pittsburgh at Legionville he drilled his forces and taught them the use of the sabre, pistol, bayonet, and espontoon. On April 30, 1793, his army embarked down the Ohio for Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, where they arrived on May 8, 1793. Outside that village of 1,100 persons he established headquarters at a point which he called Hobsons Choice.

General Wayne continued to recruit additional forces and to drill his men. By early fall the American forces seemed ready to meet the enemy, and on October 7, 1793 General Wayne led his army northward into the Indian country toward Kekionga. He rehabilitated the American forts previously established at Hamilton (Fort Hamilton) and at Eaton (Fort St. Clair) and advanced to Fort Jefferson six miles south of Greenville, Ohio. Thence he advanced as far northward as the present site of Greenville, on November 6, 1793. Wayne was now only a few miles from the site where St. Clair was defeated two years previously. On December 24, 1793, he began the building of a fort at that point which he called Fort Recovery. The Indians had made many attempts to surprise and ambush Waynes forces but always 5 found them well-guarded and invincible. From this circumstance the Indians referred to Wayne as the chief who never sleeps.

Wayne left a strong garrison at Fort Recovery and then returned to Fort Green. In the spring of 1794 overwhelming Indian forces under Little Turtle, Buckongehelas, Blue Jacket, and others made a surprise attack on Fort Recovery. They killed a number of Americans and stole several horses. However, the fortifications held, and Fort Recovery remained in American hands. After a great feast on horse meat the Indians retired, and many of them returned to their homes at a distance. This for them was a tactical defeat, for many warriors did not return to the conflict.

General Wayne now felt that he could safely advance into the Indian country. On July 28 his army moved forward via Fort Recovery to the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. Arriving there on August 8, 1794, he erected fortifications which he called Fort Defiance. When this redoubt was completed he was in a dominating position. One large Indian force was located at Kekionga at the confluence of the St. Marys and the St. Joseph Rivers, just forty-eight miles southwest of him. Another large force of Indians had assembled at Fort Miamis some 30 miles northeast near Toledo. He spread false rumors of his intentions and thus kept his enemy divided. Because they were uncertain of his future movements they did not dare to combine against him. There was, however, daily skirmishing. The Indians were plainly seeking a weak point in Waynes defense.

Turning eastward General Wayne swiftly moved toward Fort Miamis. He stopped eight miles from Fort Defiance and erected a redoubt which he named Fort Deposit. This fort served as storage for military equipment. 6 Thereafter the legion marched with lightened burdens, ready for instant combat. On their route they reached a point near the present town of Maumee, Ohio where a large part of the forest had been uprooted by a storm. Here on August 20, 1794, the Indians attacked but were overwhelmingly defeated. The engagement is known in history as the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The Indians fled to Fort Miamis a few miles away expecting succor from their British friends, but on their arrival the gates of the fort were closed against them. This indicated to them that they had no hope of substantial British aid at this time. For a week Wayne deployed his forces near the British fort, but when no action occurred, he returned to Fort Defiance. He spent two weeks strengthening the fortifications here, and then, on September 14 he advanced toward Kekionga. After a three-days march he arrived at the capital of the Miami Indians but the inhabitants had fled. Here he built a fort which was named for himselfFort Wayne. On October 22, 1794, to the accompaniment of the roll of drums and the discharge of fifteen cannon, the American soldiers marched into the fort and the authority of the American Government was formally established at the confluence of the Rivers. General Wayne left a strong garrison here and returned with most of his forces to Greenville for the winter. Thus he completed the conquest of the northwest Territory and at the same time destroyed the strong alliance between the Indians and the British.

Anthony Wayne is the only leader who served in any of the opposing armies of the Revolutionary War who enhanced his military reputation after that war ended.

Transcribers Notes

Silently corrected a few typos.

Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE'S EXPEDITION INTO THE INDIAN COUNTRY ***




Haiti - FLASH : 14 Haitians attacked in Honduras, 3 women and a minor raped





In recent years, Honduras has become a key passage for migrants, who seek to enter the United States illegally.



A crossing which is not without danger as observed at their expense this week, a group of 14 Haitians including six minors who were attacked by violent individuals with bad intentions, while they were staying in a house in the municipality of El Triunfo (Dept. of Choluteca, border with Nicaragua).



Alerted, Elba Reyes, Head of the Southern Regional Office of the Directorate of Children, Adolescents and the Family (DINAF) intervened after the facts on the scene, declared "It was an inhuman situation, because these individuals , in addition to inflicting cruel and inhuman treatment on them, raped 4 women including a 14-year-old minor, and the children suffered emotional and psychological trauma because of what happened [...]"



With the 911 emergency system, Reyes coordinated the transfer of Haitians to the Southern General Hospital, where they received medical assistance and underwent a PRC test to rule out Covid-19 contagion.



DINAF provided migrants with accommodation in conditions of dignity and security, with the support of the National Commissioner for Human Rights of the Norwegian Refugee Council.



DINAF informed the police authorities of the facts, so that they could conduct their investigation and find the individuals guilty of these crimes to hand them over to justice to be tried and sentenced.



Elba Reyes urged all migrants who would be tempted to cross Honduras not to take an illegal migration route strewn with dangers, for their safety and to avoid falling into the hands of unscrupulous smugglers or gangs of bandits hostile to the on the lookout for defenseless migrants...



S/ HaitiLibre


















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Community celebrates Juneteenth with folk tales and food

Ronnie Pepper dramatizes an African-Caribbean folk story during Juneteenth celebration at the Historic Depot in the Seventh Avenue District.

Around 25 people listened to Ronnie Pepper dramatize an African-Caribbean fable about Anansi and the Snake Saturday while others enjoyed pork barbecue, barbecued chicken and hot dog plates in the first Juneteenth celebration since the historic freedom from slavery remembrance became a national holiday.

Juneteenth became a national holiday Thursday when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, marking the day in 1865 when federal troops reached Galveston, Texas, with the news that slaves were free.

Sponsored by Star Lite Chapter #510 Order of the Eastern Star, the event at Saturday farmers market in the Historic Seventh Avenue District was an occasion to celebrate the newly declared holiday and commit to civil rights gains still to be achieved.

"We can't get complacent just because we got the holiday," Pepper said after he wrapped up the story of Anansi, a clever spider who is the central character in West African-originated folk tales that reached the Caribbean through the slave trade. "We've still got to work with the voting."

Organizer Melinda Lowrance spent three days cooking barbecue and Marva Brown baked the pound cake that Star Lite volunteers served.
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Starks Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, based in St. Joseph, announced its merger last week with Filbrandt Family Funeral Home in South Haven.
Last Friday, Ex-VP Pence received heckles from pro-Trump supporters during his speech at Faith and Freedom Coalition (FFC) in Orlando Florida.

Despite the heckles and jeers, Pence still continued speaking . In his speech, he told everyone that he's a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican. He repeated that as Trump's vice president it is his greatest honor to have served under Trump's administration, reported CBS News.

He proposed an agenda that is meant to win back what was lost in the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2022 midterms, calling the opponents of the republican as anti-Christianity and enemies of the US military.

Former VP Mike Pence heckled with calls of 'traitor' at conservative conference pic.twitter.com/SGMCiSmSDG  The Hill (@thehill) June 18, 2021

One statement said, as noted by Complex," Every effort to exclude Christians and conservatives would be opposed by our movement. We will uncover religious oppression allegedly claiming equality, and we will urge that critical race theory be repudiated in all forms by government entities, the military, and public schools."

Pence takes a centrist stance about the administrations' Leftist approach

The ex-VP delivered a narrative, stating that the Biden administration is influenced by the leftists of the Democratic party and that it is the most disturbing development that conservatives have to deal with. Furthermore, he also commented on how Biden and the democrats are responsible for the attacks on American culture and values, insinuating that they are anti-America.

Pence even said that the "nationalistic education" was being replaced by "ideological indoctrination" and that the critical race theory teaches children to be embarrassed about their ethnicity. Critical race theory (CRT) asserts that racism is a cultural structure embedded in the country's legal, economic, and political systems. Still, Pence was jeered and tagged as a traitor despite his support of the conservative movement.

Read also: Republicans Block Democrats' Attempt to Impeach President Trump with 25th Amendment

He stated that CRT is inappropriate, and Americans should not allow it to continue.

Oppose the Far Left's destructive and evil influence

Pence blasted away and blurted that America should shed the cancerous left-wing reflex that tries to fool everyone. He also claimed that there is racism in everything in the country. In contrary to this, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, a respected and only black Senator from North Caroline asserted that America is not racist.

Another point that he raised was how the Biden administration has bungled the U.S.- Mexico border situation and said how ineptness has made the most secure border into a national crisis which is unequaled. He even put pressure on VP Kamala Harris' shoulders, insisting her to go to the US southern borders as many criticized she had avoided to visit the borders.

Pence mentioned that the present vice-president should take time to visit the border and replace poor policies to end the border crisis caused by President Joe Biden.

Biden did not put America first

According to the ex-VP, the president failed and has weak leadership because he wanted to be in the club with G7 leaders. He added that he wanted the US president to be the only USA club, which he emulated from Trump's America First movement.

Lastly, he alleged that Biden has betrayed America's alliance with Israel and is indirectly responsible for the worst unrest in the middle east. He also caved in by rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, talking to Iran, saying the Democrat president is weak and has betrayed US allies, cited WTOP News.

Pence received jeers and was called a traitor though he stands as one of America's first vanguard during a conservative conference in Florida on January 6.

Related article: Democrats Move to Trump Impeachment, Pence Answers No Resignation nor Removal of the President

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The next-generation micro air vehicles (MAVs) will surely blow your mind. The US Air Force is developing micro drones that have wings that can flap like a bird or insect. These devices will be deployed to monitor battlefields in the future

Elusive machines that infiltrate and monitor adversaries

One of the organizations that work on this cutting-edge MAV tech is the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), collaborating with Airion Health LLC that works with a 2014 patent in creating micro-vehicles that mimic insects' wing motions, reported the Daily Mail.

This machine is highly reactive and can position its wings in different directions. The wing strokes will react to the environment and will fly depending on the input it receives from the sensors that help the wings keep a stable flight.

Another amazing feature that the machine has is its drone position and velocity. With remote input from an operator, combining autonomous and controlled input, the micro drone can do whatever it is directed to do.

This new invention also has several common-sense applications. These include surveillance and monitoring, swarming function, and battlefield situational awareness, which provides commanders information on what happens on the ground.

It has become a major application for the defense department as noted by Airion, a firm tasked for the logistics and the micro drone technology for the Military and the private sector. If the US Air Force is developing micro drones then it must be crucial for some reason, per the Military.

Read also: DARPA's Gremlin Drones Are Capable Of Reloading While in Flight and Can Ride on Designated Transport Aerial Vehicles

The patent for the device

The Airion Healths patent license agreement comes from the Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA), located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

As per the contract between the firm and the US military, it was announced on Tuesday that a MAV prototype will be ready in 15 months when they begin research.

Joshua Laravie, the Technology Transfer Specialist and a program manager for the AFRL, will be one of the lead persons for this venture. He said that Airion will set the timeline to create the prototype within the budget and later the licensing for the MAV technology, as reported in What's New Today.

MAV is controlled with a remote console, which allows the flapping wing to achieve flight naturally like a bird or insect. This is essential for the successful operation of the micro drone in the field.

Generally, the drone will be a mechanical equivalent to the real thing which could work through the help of algorithms and programs.

Will it be really small?

The firm handling the project has not remarked how little it would weigh, but Airion is not saying anything yet about the specifics of the final project.

According to Laravie, the Air Force is looking forward to licensing the technology to a small business that has links to the drone industry.

One of the goals of the project collaboration between the firm and the Military is to have the tech commercially available for everyone.

Should we be worried about the application of MAV technology?

As stated, the US Air Force is developing microdrones that can mimic insects or birds. This technology will have applications for the military and the private sector, but its reliability will heavily depend on Airion's ability to develop it.

Related article: Military Drones Attack Humans for the First Time, Can We Really Rely on AI Programming?

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Opinion Article

18 June 2021

The deeper into 2021 we set foot, the more we thankfully see hotel booking momentum strengthen, with small peaks and troughs not shaking the overall trajectory thats been building since January. Reservation volumes globally have now risen to over 65% of 2019 levels, well above the 40% seen at this same time last year, and importantly, were able to map growing international acceleration, the fifth and final stage of the hotel booking reset, taking place in each region around the world.

Europe

Across Europe, the summer period remains a key driver of current momentum. Bookings to 16 of the 17 European countries in the SiteMinder World Hotel Index increased over the last 30 days (compared to just 67% of all countries in the Index), and for French and German hotels, the results of the past month were particularly strong.

In France, booking volumes have jumped to 58% of 2019 levels, up from 44% last month, as international travel has become a growing part of the countrys recovery story. Open to vaccinated tourists from most countries as of last week, the percentage of bookings made by foreign tourists to French hotels so far in June is the highest its been in 10 months, at 30%.

In Germany, with rates of coronavirus infections dropping, and confidence growing across the country, booking momentum has also jumped, from 20% of its 2019 levels to almost 60%. There, too, international arrivals are set to grow, as the country plans for its July 1 reopening.

The Americas

In the Americas, both Mexico and Canada are displaying strong momentum.

For Canada, where the 7-day average of new Covid cases is at its lowest point since late September, booking momentum has accelerated from 22% at the start of May, to 64% today. For those seeking to move between the U.S. and Canada, theres hope that their border with the U.S. will open in time for Canadas July 1 national holiday and the July 4 weekend in the U.S.

South in Mexico, which leads the Americas in booking momentum, reservations to the Mexican Caribbean continue to skyrocket, with reports of many hotels at capacity in the region. In Playa Del Carmen, the number of bookings being made are currently at more than double 2019 volumes, and an average of 65% of stays for June and July are from international guests.

Asia Pacific

Finally, looking to the Asia Pacific, bookings to the Maldives and the Cook Islands remain well above 2019 volumes, led almost completely by foreign travellers. International bookings to New Zealand also remain strong, as many Australians take the opportunity to jump across the ditch for some time in New Zealands ski fields.

Our attention will be on Thailand in the coming weeks, with the Phuket Sandbox initiative, designed to allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinated tourists, aiming to launch on July 1.

Overall, this data should provide us all a sense of excitement for the second half of the year to come, as movement becomes more fluid both within countries and around the world. As always, as situations evolve, you can see it first on the SiteMinder World Hotel Index. Be sure to subscribe to real-time updates and monthly analyses like this at siteminder.com/world-hotel-index.
My dad loved Fathers Day. He liked being adored and fussed over  he enjoyed being a dad.

To celebrate, my brother and I would give him his favorites: fancy ties and stingy-brim fedoras, which he wore with immense pride. Wed accompanied him to church services, where the pastor would ask all fathers to stand. Dad would be first to spring to his feet  chest out so that the congregation could see his tie.

He was always freshly dressed.

This is my first Fathers Day without him. My dad, Richard Sewing, died of cancer in August, yet his absence still feels like a deep wound that may never heal.

For those who have lost their dads, Fathers Day is bittersweet. Its a chance to reflect on the joys of dad time, but a reminder of the loss.

Dominique Sachses dad, Peter Sachse, like mine, died of cancer, in 2016. And, like me, she was near his side as he declined in hospice care.

It is devastating to see your parent go through that, especially a father, because you always see them as so strong, as such a leader and so capable, said the KPRC (Channel 2) anchor. It wasnt easy for me at all. But, at the same time, youre grateful when they do pass that any pain and suffering is finally over.

When my father slipped away from this Earth, it felt like his death took away my breath. For months after, I was lost in a fog that is common to people who have lost a parent. A friend once told me, Youve never been rocked until you lose a parent.

He was right.

Now, my dad speaks to me in my dreams. I hear his voice as clearly as when I was a child. He doesnt tell me anything specific, but his strong commanding tone comforts me. He still makes me laugh.

If you see me and a bear fighting, help the bear, he said a thousand times when he was alive, boasting of his ability to handle any situation. We should never count him out, he said.

In my dreams, my dad peacefully coexists with bears.

The memories are what I carry with me; I replay them so I dont forget one detail.

Thats how Sunny Astorga, an elementary school teacher, sees it, too.

Her dad, Ysidro Sonny Astorga Jr., who died of organ failure in 2008, had been an assistant principal at Dulles High School, and he knew how to talk with kids. He was hip, and he understood fashion and music. He seemed forever young, she said.

Astorga is the youngest of five  10 years younger than her next sibling  so she basically had her father to herself growing up. She still thinks about his advice.

My father just had this great sense of humor, and he always believed whatever you do in life, dont lose your humility, Astorga said. Remember where you come from. Dont get a big head. Stay humble. He was that guy who believed that.

Summers with her dad were special. He was in charge of cutting off the locks left on lockers during the summer break, and he would entice a 7-year-old Astorga to help him, telling her that whatever she found in the lockers that was legal, she could keep.

I would walk out with a gold mine of notebooks, pencils, paper, pouches, and every once in a while, Id find a Walkman  and it was all mine. I did that every summer with my dad, she said.

Sachse holds on to great memories, too.

Her father was born in Hamburg, Germany, and was a naval architect and musician. She said he was a man of many talents.

My father always knew the answer, said Sachse, an only child. He was like a walking encyclopedia, such a brain. So it was always a joy for me to watch his mind at work. At the same time, he also had this very calm and quiet way about him. He used to love to just sit in a chair and do what he would call contemplating.

Maybe thats a dad thing because mine found contemplative time, too. He would sit in a lounge chair in complete darkness listening to old jazz records. It was his time to think and get his mind right, he would say. He also told me the darkness allowed him to hear the music better, without distractions.

Now sometimes I like to sit in the dark listening to music.

Like her father, Sachse said she finds herself needing calm, contemplative time just to think and often hears his voice while lying quietly on a mat at the end of her yoga practice.

One of her favorite childhood memories was dinner time.

We would race when we ate, she said. My dad was always a fast eater. I was maybe 4 years old, Id twirl the biggest amount of spaghetti on my fork trying to keep up with my dad and not let him beat me. I was fascinated with how fast he ate.

Having a strong unwavering father who expected the best of me, even when we didnt always agree, has made me a better woman.

Astorga, who holds a masters degree in education from Harvard University and has worked as a school principal, said her dad always expected her to be great.

His expectations were high, she said. He had high expectations about everything, but he also wanted us to be well balanced. When you are the child of the assistant principal, you better have it going on.

Astorgas father died before she married her husband, Jason Swilley, an assistant principal at KIPP Intrepid Preparatory School. They have two boys, ages 7 and 10.

I think about my dad and the things he didnt get to see, like me get married to an assistant principal like him. I think they would have gotten along so well.

joy.sewing@chron.com
When his three daughters were very young, Lucio Arreola felt a tightness in his chest.

It was 2005, and he couldnt catch his breath, scaring his wife, Elena, and daughters Maria, Paulina and Lucia.

Doctors found his heart was double the size it should be for a man his age  35, at the time. They also found a large clot around it. He was whisked to Houston in an air ambulance, where doctors inserted a defibrillator in his chest to help his weak heart pump blood.

That was the first time they told me I would eventually need a heart transplant, said Arreola, who lives in Mexico.

Fifteen years later, the time arrived. The time when doctors replaced his weak heart with a new, stronger one that will last the rest of his life.

On HoustonChronicle.com: He had both hands amputated after an industrial accident. Now he's starting over at 31.

But how do you say goodbye to a heart that has given you 50 wonderful years? The one that fluttered when he first met Elena? The one that raised his daughters with compassion and strength?

Arreola loved his native heart  his corazon  and he wondered: Would the new one feel the same?

With the heart specifically, theres a fine line in peoples minds between their physical, anatomical heart and their metaphorical heart, said Liz Laguaite, a music therapist at Houston Methodist Hospital who helped Arreola come to terms with his transplant by working with Arreola to write a song to the beat of both his hearts. They wonder: Will I love the same way when I have someone elses heart? What happens to who I am inside?

The heart is the source of a persons passion and determination; its where love grows or dims. In Spanish, el corazon is colloquially used to describe a persons sincerity. Hablo con todo mi corazon can be translated to Im speaking with my all of my heart or Im being sincere when I say 

Thats how Arreola saw his native heart.

The heart is the first organ that starts beating when a baby is conceived. It helps you all your life, as you grow and become a man, he said. I was feeling bad for my heart; he did so much for me.

Following that first congestive heart failure, Arreola was prescribed a laundry list of medications to treat his newly-diagnosed cardiomyopathy, a disease that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Medications, and a string of defibrillator surgeries, replacing worn-out devices, worked for about 14 years. He saw his daughters grow into young women, as his work in the finance industry took him all over the world. The family split most of their time between Miami and Mexico City.

But last fall, Arreolas legs and feet started swelling. He couldnt take a deep breath. Within three months, his native heart stopped functioning. He booked a flight from Mexico City to Houston and said goodbye to his daughters for what they believed would be a fast trip.

Arreola ending up staying at Houston Methodists cardiac intensive care unit for two months waiting for a new heart. Blood wasnt reaching all of his organs, said Dr. Arvind Bhimaraj, medical director for heart transplants and Arreolas cardiologist.

Though his third defibrillator was placed in his chest in 2019, Arreolas native heart was irreparably damaged by the cardiomyopathy, a condition that typically occurs in individuals between 70 and 80 years old.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'I was too young.' After a heart attack at 29, a Port Neches man is rebuilding his health

He was looking for hope rather than making it a hopeless situation, Bhimaraj said. Despite our efforts, his quality of life started struggling.

Hope found him in the form of a guitar-strumming Laguaite, the music therapist, who primarily works in the cardiac unit. One day, he overheard Laguaite singing Amazing Grace for a patient in a nearby room.

Her voice reminded him of his love for music, and the way it can bring solace to a conflicted soul.

Laguaites job, he learned, was to work with patients like him to encourage healing through music. By writing songs with patients, Laguaite says she helps them process their emotions in a constructive, creative and meaningful way.

Thats just what Arreola wanted.

She asked him what he wanted to say in the lyrics  a message to give to his family and the world. Arreola pulled out a pocket-sized prayer card with a lions image and the word courage.

Its a word that means a lot to his daughter, Lucia Arreola, now 17. She doesnt remember a time when her father wasnt taking heart medication. The daily routine was a part of who he was, but he never acted like a sick person, she said.

But when his heart failed him again earlier this year, Lucia was struck with worry and fear. At a pivotal time of her own development, the teenager had to cope with living through a pandemic, having a hospitalized parent and being in high school.

Lucia fell behind in classes, and couldnt see her parents for the months her father stayed in Houston waiting for a transplant. She could only speak to him by phone from her grandparents home in Mexico, and even then, the conversations never seemed long enough.

She is relieved to be celebrate another Fathers Day, or Dia del Padre, with her father in Houston. She wont take these days for granted again, she said.

It taught me that you have to cherish and live every moment because tomorrow you can be sick, Lucia said. You never know what could happen.

Still, her fathers heart song centers around faith even amid the unexpected.

Arreolas lyrics encapsulate how he feels about saying goodbye to his native heart, and hello to his new one. Follow your heart as far as you can go; and let it show you the way to be born again; welcome to your life.

The songwriting process, which can take weeks, lasted only a few days, Laguaite said. Arreola wanted to hear his native heartbeat on the song, so he could hold on to the organ in a way. Laguaite used a digital stethoscope to record his heartbeat, which was set as the rhythmic backdrop of the song.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Woodlands woman went to doctor for a stomachache. A few days later, she had open heart surgery.

He didnt want to sing alone, Laguaite said, so Lucia, Paulina, Maria, and his wife, Elena, each came to a Houston recording studio to sing the chorus. Though all recorded separately, the song was stitched together.

There was a missing piece, though.

Following Arreolas April 20 surgery, Laguaite used the digital stethoscope to record his new heartbeat. The final bridge contains the new heartbeat.

For him to hear the juxtaposition of his native heart and his new heart and have his family hear that, that was helpful to him, she said. The final product is him, his three daughters and his wife singing this song  pretty amazing.

Arreola looked contemplative as he and his family listened to the finished song on a portable speaker two months after his surgery. Hes living in Houston in an apartment at least until the fall.

My new heart doesnt feel foreign at all because it was always meant for me, Arreola said. This was always supposed to happen.

julie.garcia@chron.com

twitter.com/reporterjulie
Little Joy Snacks, Sweets & Gifts is now open in Sugar Land Square.

The shop presents a variety of treats and a curated selection of trinkets with Sugar Land residents.

The new small business is located in a plaza kiosk adjacent to The Great Holiday Store and across from Altard State at 16121 City Walk.

Sugar Land Town Square has long been pivotal in building a sense of community for this area - bringing neighbors together, offering a place for us to build memories with our loved ones, and enabling us to safely enjoy the outdoors, said ShamsHermani, who conceived Little Joy. With this business, we look forward to being a small but special part of Sugar Land Town Square. We hope to spread a little joy, whether through a refreshing drink for the kids to stay hydrated while playing, snacks that bring crunch to keep conversations going with friends and family or a memorable gift to say thank you.

Noor Hermani is a third-generation Sugar Land resident. According to a news release, the concept for Little Joy began to take shape as he and his family found themselves spending more and more time enjoying the outdoor amenities of the pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development during COVID. Seeking an opportunity to honor his late father, Hermani set about developing a business plan to bring Little Joy to fruition.

Little Joy is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Brookfield Residential

Brookfield Residential is entering the Houston market with the acquisition of Newland, a national developer of master-planned communities, including Elyson, Cinco Ranch and Greatwood in the Houston area.

The deal positions the Calgary-based company as one of the largest land development businesses in North America, with a presence from coast to coast. It combines 20 of Newlands active communities, including Elyson and Telfair in the Houston area, with Brookfields land portfolio of 30 communities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Brookfield Residential is a development arm of New York-based Brookfield Properties, which is best known in Houston for its downtown skyscrapers and regional malls.

The acquisition expands Brookfields footprint to nine new markets and strengthens its position in Austin, San Diego, Denver, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.

Brookfields Land and Housing is now in Houston, Dallas and Austin. The company has 19,000 entitled lots in Texas.

The largest residential Houston project is Elyson, a 3,642-acre community planned for 6,000 homes off Grand Parkway and FM 529 in the Katy area. About 1,400 homes have been completed so far.

Residents of Elyson will not be affected by the transition, according to Brookfield. The Elyson team and company that handles the management of their homeowners association will remain in place.

With the addition of Newlands 35,000 lots, Brookfield now controls 80,000 lots in the U.S. and has an additional 30,000 in Canada. The acquisition included 8,500 multifamily units and 2,200 acres of commercial land.

Openings and leases

Dynamite Investments acquired a 0.95-acre site in Grand Center at Long Meadow Farm, at the Grand Parkway and West Bellfort Street, Richmond, as the site of a 6,500-square-foot medical office building. Ashley Strickland of NewQuest Properties represented the seller, POG Kosmos LMC 2 LP.

Mainna Investments purchased 6.2 acres at Sugar Land Business Park, near South Dairy Ashford Road and U.S. 90, in Sugar Land. John Ferruzzo and Nick Peterson of Transwestern represented the buyer.

SuperNova Furniture signed a 10-year lease for the former Gordmans store in Brazos Town Center, a development of NewQuest Properties at FM 762 and U.S. 59 in Rosenberg. The 40,000-square-foot store will be the fifth location for the Houston-based chain when it opens in early fall. Bob Conwell and Austen Baldridge of NewQuest Properties represented the landlord. Joe Silver and Chris Pitts of Streetwise Retail Advisors represented the tenant.

Rocky Mountain Kolaches leased 1,400 square feet in Brazos Town Center, at U.S. 59 and FM 762, Rosenberg. Austen Baldridge and Bob Conwell of NewQuest Properties represented the landlord, NewQuest Properties.

VB Capital Ventures, doing business as Griswold Home Care of West Houston, leased 1,970 square feet in Briar Hills Plaza, at 1011 Highway 6 South. Paula Musa and Michelle Wogan of Transwestern represented the landlord, B.H. Commercial Properties. Mark Kidd Sr. and Mark Kidd Jr. of M Kidd Properties represented the tenant.

Mayi Nails Spa signed a lease in the Shoppes at Westpark at 26440 FM 1093. Jason Gibbons and John Buckley of Finial Group represented the landlord.

National Storage Affiliates Trust acquired a 857-unit Sugar Land Self Storage at 1728 Crabb River Road in Richmond as part of a portfolio transaction. Brian Somoza, Steve Mellon and Dan Reynolds of JLL represented the seller, a private equity real estate fund advised by Crow Holdings Capital.

CHCA Womans Hospital leased 3,539 square feet in Stableside at Falcon Landing, at Gaston Road and Falcon Landing Boulevard in Katy, from NewQuest Properties. Austin Alvis and Grace La of NewQuest Properties represented the landlord. Ashley Cassel of Transwestern represented the tenant.

Laynes Chicken Fingers, a restaurant based in College Station, marks its entry to Houston with a 2,400-square-foot location at 23703 Cinco Ranch Blvd. in Katy. Franchisee Masroor Fatany operates the new outpost. Fatany also owns and operates six locations of the Halal Guys in Houston.

Consolidated Electrical Distributors leased 49,350 square feet at 500 Morris Oliver Way in Cane Island Business Center in Katy. John Stavinoha and Steve Hazel with InSite Realty Partners represented the landlord, Cane Island Industrial LLC. Mike Spears and Mason Alsbrooks of Lee & Associates represented the tenant.

Edwards Interiors & Design, a full-service residential design firm, purchased a 1,320-square-foot office condominium at the Oaks at Mason Office Park, a project of Steadfast Interests in Katy. Tim Sojka of Keller Williams Premier Realty represented the seller. Lisa Rimkus of Davis Commercial represented the buyer.

Mister Car Wash has ground-leased a 1.7-acre site in Shops at Katy Reserve, at FM 1463 and Spring Green Boulevard, Katy, from NewQuest Properties. J.J. McDermott and Kevin Sims of NewQuest Properties represented the landlord. Joe Silver of Streetwise Retail Advisors represented the tenant.

Meritage Homes acquired 6 acres in the Energy Corridor for Park Row Village, a gated community of 87 homes on 28-foot wide lots in Katy ISD. The community, just north of Interstate 10 off Park Row and Parkland North Drive, is expected to open in August. The houses will contain up to 2,047 square feet and start from the high $200,000s.

Goodwin Management leased 5,835 square feet at 1400 Broadfield Blvd. in the Energy Corridor. Brett W. Carr with GW Partners represented the tenant. Ami Figg represented the landlord, Hartman Income REIT.

An undisclosed buyer purchased a 21,750-square-foot building on 1.3 acres at 20432 Westfield Commerce Drive in Katy. Steve Hazel and John Stavinoha of InSite Realty Partners represented the seller, Westfield Commerce Center. Mark Kidd Sr. and Mark Kidd Jr. of M Kidd Properties represented the buyer.

Reporter Katherine Feser contributed to this report.

rkent@hcnonline.com
ATLANTA (AP)  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the van's only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

SCOTT THRELKELD/AP

This is the worst tragedy Ive been a part of in my life, said Smith, who drove Sunday to the ranch to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like theyre our own children.

The crash also claimed the lives of two other people who were in a separate vehicle. Garlock identified them as 29-year-old Cody Fox and his 9-month-old daughter, Ariana, both of Marion County, Tennessee.

He was a great guy and were really gonna miss him, said Aaron Sanders, who worked with Fox at the emergency management agency in Marion County. He said Fox also ran a hot tub business with his father and doted on his daughter. He just loved her to death and that was his life.

Multiple people were also injured.

Now Playing: Thunderstorms and high winds on the east side of Tropical Storm Claudette battered Louisiana, the Florida panhandle and much of Alabama on Saturday, as the weather system moved toward the North Carolina coast. (June 19) Video: Associated Press

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday to investigate the crash, photos of which showed at least four burned vehicles, including two large trucks. It said the inquiry would focus on vehicle technologies such as forward collision warning systems, fuel tank integrity and occupant survivability.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were also killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. Makayla Ross, a 23-year-old Fort Payne woman, died Saturday after her car ran off the road into a swollen creek, DeKalb County Deputy Coroner Chris Thacker told WHNT-TV.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains from Tropical Depression Claudette pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for eastern Georgia, the southern two-thirds of South Carolina and the North Carolina coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

WBRC-TV reported that search efforts were also under way for a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham. Crews were using boats to search Pebble Creek.

Garlock said the location of the multi-vehicle wreck is notorious for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents, county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at the 225-student Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

A GoFundMe account was set up for Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch to help offset the costs of funeral expenses, medical costs for the injured and counseling for those impacted.

Gulley had worked with children for years, beginning when she and her husband were house parents at the ranch for seven years.

During those years, there have been 74 girls that have come through our house and called us mom and dad, she told the Opelika-Auburn News in August 2019. She said she then became a relief parent, working on fundraising and being involved in the community, before she became the ranch director.

My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

Claudette was beginning to re-strengthen late Sunday, with the National Hurricane Center reporting top winds at 35 mph (55 kph) in a nighttime advisory. The depression was expected to return to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudettes disorganized circulation was located about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Columbia, South Carolina. It was moving east-northeast at 20 mph (31 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Aside from rainy weather, it seemed to be business as usual along North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sunday.

At Ace Hardware in Avon, shift manager David Swartwood said they were preparing for whatever might come, but the overall sense was that it wouldnt be that bad in that area. He said winds from the south dont usually cause huge flooding problems, so we dont really anticipate any bad scenarios.

Everybody here has been through it many, many times, so were used to the drill, he said. Weve been prepared.

For the hardware store, he said, that means having supplies like flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, ropes and sandbags on hand. As of Sunday morning, there wasnt a huge rush.

At Stack em High in Kill Devil Hills, a restaurant that specializes in pancakes, co-owner Dawn Kiousis said Sunday morning restaurant service was busy.

Were serving just like normal, she said.

You keep your eye on the weather and you prepare as much stuff in advance as you can, she said. Just know shes gonna win. Mother Nature is going to do what shes going to do, so you just prepare.

___

Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
A man fatally shot his girlfriend and her mother before opening fire on police in northwest Houston Sunday morning, authorities said.

Officers arriving to an assault-in-progress call saw the gunman open the door of a home and shoot a woman point-blank around 9 a.m. in the 1000 block of East Tri Oaks Lane, near the Katy Freeway feeder road. She later died.

The suspect then opened fire on the officers, striking one of their vehicles. The officers returned fire and he retreated inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. He was at some point hospitalized and is expected to survive.

Police found the girlfriend dead inside the home. Family members identified her as 39-year-old Virginia Jenni Lillard, who recently worked at a veterinarian office, and her mother as 64-year-old Rita Lillard.

The girlfriends uncle, George Lillard, said she had been trying to break away from a relationship with the man.

Sunday was the suspects birthday and he had spent the night prior drinking, Lillard said. His girlfriend called her parents that morning and asked for help in getting him to leave the home.

Police were not sure when the suspect shot his girlfriend.

Virginia was a loving wonderful girl, Lillard said. That was part of the problem. She just put up with too much. And of course her mother was trying to protect her.

He shot her in cold blood, Lillard said of his sister-in-law.

During a police news conference, a distraught woman could be heard crying out, "Let him go."

Staff writer Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.
One person was fatally shot and two others wounded Saturday afternoon in downtown Houston when they were caught in crossfire between two people, authorities said.

The deceased individual was only identified as a male.
A Black youth sat too overwhelmed to join the rest of the audience in applauding the poet performing just 6 feet away.

I know my Black, said Outspoken Bean on Saturday:

Im literally fond of it

When its caressed and attached

When its adored and attacked

When its feared and rejected

When admired and protected

When desired then neglected.

The performance was a highlight of Juneteenth in the 5th on Saturday in the historic DeLuxe Theater in Fifth Ward.

The 12-year-old boy sat still, his eyes following every gesture Outspoken Bean  named earlier this year as Houston poet laureate  used to punctuate his verses.

Its so powerful.  Thats all I can say, muttered Michael Williams.

His mom, Makela Williams, nodded alongside him.

My son is so impressed (that) he can barely speak, she said.

The poet, she added, says things very unapologetically about our Black experiences  very honest saying things that everyone is afraid to actually voice until they arise and people can no longer deny because its in your face, and its in everyones faces. Like Juneteenth.

She, like others, is pleased that Juneteenth is on the national stage now.

Its time to educate others about our culture and about how much a delayed freedom means to us, she said.

The Williamses were among hundreds of people who attended the event to celebrate the historic date of June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston and announced that all slaves were free per the Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed by President Abraham Lincoln two and a half years earlier.

We are even more excited by the long-overdue federal acknowledgment, said Kathy Flanagan Payton, president & CEO of the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp., which hosted Saturdays event. Our stories, contributions and sacrifices to this great nation must be shared. Amidst the social injustices we face, sharing the stories and celebrating critical milestones are more important than ever.

The event at the DeLuxe included musical and dancing performances by Uwazi Zamani, KoumanKele African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Design 2 Dance, David Sylvester Jr. and the Bayou City Brass Band.

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Dozens of artists presented and sold pieces at an indoor fair at the theater, including photography, paintings, clothing and personal care products. Food and drink vendors occupied the theaters parking lot for a full block of amenities.

Although Fifth Ward has traditionally celebrated Juneteenth, this was the first time for an event to be held at the DeLuxe theater. It was also a first since the area was designated as a cultural arts district of Texas.

Whats really fabulous about today is it gives you an opportunity to hear art, see art, to be in community, which is very important for Black people, said Harrison Guy, director of arts and culture for the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp. Spaces like this are created specifically to honor Black people  so you feel warm here, you feel safe here, and you dont get that all the time  navigating the world and society.

While many people at the event see the date as a celebration, several participants expressed critical views about how the date is perceived to younger Americans.

Juneteenth means freedom, but I think a misconception of history is that somehow it resides in the past, said Erika Thompson, a community liaison at the African American Library at the Gregory School who was volunteering at the event. Juneteenth means today the same thing it meant in 1865  and that is that we, African American people, were forcibly brought to this country to labor and toil and to build the structures that have made (the U.S.) a first-world power. And yet, our full humanity, and all the things that weve contributed, have yet to be recognized.

So yes, Juneteenth is 100 percent a story of freedom, but were still not fully free, theres still things that plague our communities, Thompson said. She cited as examples low access to health care or affordable housing, racism and inequality of treatment in the criminal justice system.

Rico Edwards, a 28-year-old artist at the fair, said he didnt learn about Juneteenth in school but on the internet.

I feel both good and bad about Juneteenth as a federal holiday, said Edwards. First, it should be taught in schools across the country, the real meaning of it, because I think its not fair that people who dont know or dont care about Juneteenth and corporations that do not care about social justice get to have a day off.

Poet Outspoken said Juneteenth will most likely be celebrated by non-black people in a similar way in which Cinco de Mayo is.

Its kind of disrespectful how America treats Cinco de Mayo, all about guacamole and margaritas and sombreros, said Outspoken Bean. I dont want Juneteenth celebrated like that. I dont wanna see people in dashiki going to bars.

Outspoken Bean said that for most people, Juneteenth is going to be just another day off work.

I have always taken a day off for Juneteenth so the holiday means nothing for me, the poet said. I dont like this holiday very much. Give instead a holiday to vote so we can fight against laws suppressing our vote, he added. Lets fight for a holiday to vote. That will be freedom!

olivia.tallet@chron.com

twitter.com/oliviaptallet
The Lillard family prayed together for the last time Sunday morning.

Virginia Jenni Lillard, 39, was trying to break free from what family members described as an abusive relationship. Lillard and her parents prayed for the mans peace so she could be left alone, relatives said.

Later that morning, authorities said the boyfriend fatally shot Lillard and her mother before opening fire on police in northwest Houston. The women were two fatalities in a string of gun violence across the city this weekend that left at least nine injured and five dead.

Officers arriving to an assault-in-progress call around 9 a.m. in the 1000 block of East Tri Oaks saw the gunman open the door of a home and shoot a woman point-blank. She later died.

The gunman then opened fire on the officers, striking one of their vehicles. The officers returned fire, and the man retreated inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. He was hospitalized and is expected to survive.

Police found both Lillard women dead inside the home.

They were together for a long time, and the fire had gone out, said Jenni Lillards uncle, George Lillard. But she was a kind person and didnt want to hurt him.

Sunday was the mans birthday, and he had spent the previous night drinking, George Lillard said. His girlfriend called her parents that morning and asked for help in getting him to leave the home.

Police had been called on Jenni Lillards ex before for domestic disputes as recently as the past month, according to her cousin, Mary Lillard.

Police were not sure if the suspect shot his girlfriend or her mother first.

Virginia was a loving, wonderful girl, George Lillard said. That was part of the problem. She just put up with too much. And of course her mother was trying to protect her.

He shot her in cold blood, Lillard said of his sister-in-law.

During a police news conference, a distraught woman could be heard crying out, Let him go.

Violent weekend

The shooting was the deadliest of several that happened over the weekend.

A road rage shooting on the Westpark Tollway left a 29-year-old man dead at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Around 9 p.m. Saturday, one man was injured and another one dead after a fight over a stolen wallet at Wenda and Cullen.

Around midnight, two men were shot during a fight at the Slick Willies Pool Hall at 15135 North Freeway. The front door glass was broken, and someone pulled a gun and two males were shot. Both men were taken to the hospital in serious condition.

Around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, two men were shot at the North Villa Inn on the North Freeway. Deputies say someone pulled a gun after an argument in a hotel room. Both men were taken to the hospital  one in serious condition and the other in stable condition.

Later Sunday, a person was found shot to death at 3801 OMeara, but the HPD Homicide team was working to determine whether it was self-inflicted, and whether it was accidental or intentional.

Sunday night, police critically injured a man who triggered two gun battles with law enforcement in a 24-hour period, including one involving an off-duty Harris County constable deputy, according to Houston police Chief Troy Finner.

The man, who Finner declined to identity, has a history of mental illness and was "in crisis," Finner said during a new briefing. He described the man as "extremely dangerous" and said his family had been cooperating with police all of Sunday.

Around 2 a.m. Sunday in the 2200 block of West Dallas, police believe the man forced entry into the apartment of an off-duty Harris County Pct. 1 deputy constable. He opened fire with a shotgun and an assault rifle and shot the deputys wife in the leg and the step-daughter in the arm, authorities said.

The suspect fled when the deputy returned fire. It is believed the suspect was shot. There was a blood trail leaving the apartment. Investigators say the motive is unknown as of now. The two victims were in stable condition as of Sunday morning, Finner said.

In the evening, SWAT officers received information that the suspect was located near Greens Road and Interstate 45. The suspect fired upon officers who tried to pull him over in traffic, Finner said.

He said officers did not return fire until the chase concluded in the 500 block of West Greens Road. The suspect crashed into a tree and fired at officers a third time. Officers shot him multiple times, Finner said. The suspect underwent surgery at a hospital, he said.

He said police were wearing body cameras at the time. The Houston Police Department's Internal Affairs Division, as well as its Special Investigations Unit, will probe the shooting, he said.

Staff writers Julian Gill and Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.
On a sunny spring morning in 1995, a 7,000-pound bomb hidden in a Ryder rental truck blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children enrolled in a day care center on the second floor. The bomber, a young white supremacist named Timothy James McVeigh had perpetrated the worst domestic terrorism attack in American history.

The highest-ranking Justice Department official dispatched to Oklahoma City in the aftermath of the bombing was an attorney named Merrick B. Garland. The Oklahoma City case, he has said, was the most important thing I have ever done in my life.

McVeigh was executed in 2001.

That horrific act not only provided a human face  the bland, stereo-typically all-American face of McVeigh  to the then-shadowy phenomenon of domestic terrorism; it also prompted the federal government to focus attention and law-enforcement resources on the disaffected among us who were more than ready to kill to further their fanatical political, racial, economic or ideological aims. They, and their extremist grievances against minorities, gun regulation, government authority and other perceived threats, were more numerous and widespread than many Americans imagined.

But law enforcement efforts against domestic terror dissipated after 9/11, when the focus turned to the international terrorist threat. Nearly two decades later, the Trump administrations stubborn reluctance to even acknowledge the existence of domestic terrorism made the threat almost an afterthought, even as it continued to metastasize.

Twenty-six years beyond the Oklahoma City bombing  and eight months beyond the Trump administration  the FBI and other law enforcement agencies are warning that the threat from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists is as high as its ever been.

The public official charged with meeting the threat posed by latter-day Timothy McVeighs is once again Merrick B. Garland, now attorney general of the United States. In a speech last week, he announced the Biden administrations new strategy for combating domestic terrorism, a strategy much more focused and well thought out than anything his immediate predecessors devised.

The public faces of domestic terrorism these days are the wild-eyed insurrectionists who invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Some are members of organized far-right groups such as the Proud Boys, while others acted on their own at the instigation of a now-former president who continues to bellow that the election that tossed him from office was rigged.

Part of a group or not, the Capitol insurrectionists are among the growing number of our fellow Americans who believe that violence is a valid form of political protest. A poll conducted earlier this year by the American Enterprise Institute is typical. Asked whether the traditional American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it, 36 percent of Americans said yes. Among Republicans, it was 56 percent. Many, of course, are all talk; others are willing to act.

A recent survey by PRRI, Public Religion Research Institute, reported even more disturbing results. Asked whether they agreed or disagreed that the government, media and financial worlds are controlled in this country by a group of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who run a child sex-trafficking operation, 23 percent of Republicans agreed. Twenty-eight percent of Republicans agreed that because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country.

Maybe Republicans are simply trying to punk the pollsters, although its more likely that this nation is facing a deeply serious problem.

In his remarks last week, Garland said that the Biden strategy would focus on sharing information more assiduously among government agencies, disrupting recruitment, preventing planned extremist activity before its perpetrated and exploring ways of changing the environment in which extremism flourishes.

That fourth objective is crucial. We live in a raucous, full-throated democracy; thats as it should be. Hate speech  no matter how hateful, no matter how repugnant  is protected speech. Hateful words become intolerable, and unlawful, when they transmogrify into bloody deeds, as in Oklahoma City.

Garland put it this way: We are focused on violence, not on ideology.  We do not investigate individuals for their First Amendment-protected activities.

The long-overdue plan calls for concrete steps, including new law enforcement spending at Justice and the FBI to fund analysts, investigators and prosecutors, and also speaks to deeply rooted problems that feed extremism, including systemic racism.

Given Garlands experience, both as a Justice Department attorney in Oklahoma City and as a respected federal judge, we can think of no one better equipped to do the job. But the task is not merely a law enforcement responsibility. Schools, religious organizations and civic groups must do their part to turn down the temperature. In this highly polarized atmosphere, we need to look for common ground. The message must be pervasive and persistent that there are legitimate, nonviolent means to effect change: voting, organizing, educating, even demonstrating.

According to the New York Times, the new attorney general has said that he always wore a suit and tie when he investigated the wreckage that had been the Murrah building. It was a sign of respect for the victims and their families and for a community devastated by an unspeakable act of cruelty. Today, his effort and ours to prevent another Oklahoma City or another Capitol invasion must involve respect for the truth, respect for traditional American ideals, respect for fellow Americans committed to the ongoing experiment called democracy. Violence is not part of the equation.
Conservatives have a special purgatory for uppity Black women who dare question Americas founding myths.

New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones  her Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project centralized slavery in Americas origin story, a heresy that inspired laws banning her work from classrooms  now lives there. And shes about to have company.

In her new book, The Second, Emory University history professor Carol Anderson takes on an even more sacred cow: guns. She argues that the Second Amendment  which supposedly came about solely as a hedge against tyranny  had at its heart a much less noble concern: Southern states demanded the right to bear arms because they feared rebellions by enslaved Africans.

All that talk about a well-regulated militia? Anderson told me in a telephone interview that was just the cover story. State militias had not performed well either in fighting off the British or in defending against a domestic uprising: Shays Rebellion. What the militia was really good at, however, was putting down slave revolts.

So the South held America hostage. It refused to join the new nation unless it was guaranteed the right to keep its guns. Not that this was the regions only demand. Ultimately, the Constitution contained several clauses protecting slavery and slave owners.

It was to be a recurring theme. From the Founders in 1787 to todays refusal to enact needed voting-rights reform because of so-called bipartisanship, protecting Black peoples humanity has always come in second to other concerns deemed more vital. But as Anderson noted, When youre willing to sacrifice Black folks for what you consider to be the larger issue, you end up sacrificing the larger issue as well.

Meaning that America cannot credibly practice racial discrimination, then tout itself as a beacon of freedom. Thats a hypocrisy with which geopolitical foes have taunted presidents from Kennedy to Biden.

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But as Anderson observes, the Second Amendment betrays Black folk not only in its origin but also in its application. Put simply: The right to keep and bear arms does not extend to Black people. If it did, would the NRA  that vigilant defender of gun rights  have kept silent when a John Crawford III or a Tamir Rice, the one a man legally carrying a firearm, the other a boy legally playing with a toy gun, were executed by police?

By its loud silence, the group gave tacit approval of what Anderson calls the fractured citizenship of African Americans. When they were enslaved or free Blacks, when they were Jim Crow Blacks or when they were post Civil Rights Movement Black folks, that did not alter how the right to bear arms, the right to a well-regulated militia and the right to self-defense did not apply to them.

Yet the same people who keep silent when Black people are deprived of those rights  and their lives  are only too happy to tell us how we all need guns for self-defense. As Anderson noted, when Black is perceived as Americas default threat, that argument puts Black folks in the crosshairs. Indeed, all of us end up enduring daily mass shootings so that some of us can be ready when the hypothetical Black man comes through the hypothetical window.

In The Second, Anderson highlights the manifest hypocrisy of the Constitutions most troublesome amendment. She makes a compelling case that, for all the noble rhetoric, it was created mainly to oppress.

And that it is still working as designed.

Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald.
Berkshire NAACP President Dennis Powell speaks at Saturday's Juneteenth event. PreviousNext

Berkshire NAACP President Reflects on Juneteenth Origins, Plans Rally

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Juneteenth was celebrated Saturday for the first time as a local, state, and national holiday.

The city of Pittsfield added the holiday to its municipal roster in May, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill making Juneteenth a state holiday last July, and President Biden signed a bill making it a national holiday on Thursday.

Berkshire NAACP President Dennis Powell spoke to iBerkshires about the origins of the date and its implications in modern-day society.

Though he is glad to see it adopted nationally, Powell expressed mixed feelings about Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery and has been celebrated in some parts of the country as Emancipation Day.

"The paradox of all of this is if there wasn't slavery, there'd be no Juneteenth," he said. "So that's what we really have to look at, and then what are we celebrating? We're celebrating just the worst thing that could happen to a human being, was done by America. So let's not forget that."

The final execution and fulfillment of the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on June 19, 1865. On this day, Union Army Gen. Gordan Granger read General Order No. 3 to the enslaved people of Texas and ended slavery in the areas of the United States after more than 300 years.

Some say Juneteenth was not the end slavery because there was delayed enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas and that it was the 13th Amendment  which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime  that actually ended it.

"We had the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which did not end slavery, by the way, because the proclamation didn't include all the states because they did not apply to Union states where all this slavery was, so it was really the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery," Powell said.

"But then in Galveston, Texas, the 13th Amendment didn't even help the slaves there because it was six months after the 13th Amendment was ratified that the general went to Texas with 2,000 troops and announced that slavery had ended."

Powell said he is disappointed that it was not a unanimous decision to adopt Juneteenth in both the U.S. House and Senate.

"And that's the same that happened with Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms, it wasn't adopted unanimously by either house, although it did pass," he added. "So it continues to show the division."

In the future, he hopes that Juneteenth receives the same level of celebration as the Fourth of July. Though Powell said it is important to understand that the holiday is a celebration of African American people's freedom and should not be monetized by companies.

"I've got sort of mixed feelings, I'm happy, I'm grateful, but I also look back and say, 'if we were all given our rights at birth, then there would be no need for any of this,'" he said.

"Blacks were considered not human and less than, and we continue with that, with all this freedom and everything, we are still not totally free because when you look at what's going on now, with the voting suppression, when you look in our educational system it's not equal, our financial institutions, our homeownership or land ownership. So there's still obstacles and barriers and pushback."

The NAACP Berkshire Chapter hosted a Juneteenth rally at Park Square. The Women of Color Giving Circle gave out its annual scholarships and the NAACP awarded college stipends to 23 Berkshire County African American graduates.
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Imperial Valley News Center

United States Files Suit Against California Skilled Nursing Chain and its Owner for Allegedly Paying Illegal Kickbacks to Physicians

Los Angeles, California - The United States filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Monday under the False Claims Act against Paksn Inc.; Prema Thekkek, one of its owners; and seven skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) owned by Thekkek and/or operated by Paksn. Those seven SNFs are Bay Point Healthcare Center, Gateway Care & Rehabilitation Center, Hayward Convalescent Hospital, Hilltop Care & Rehabilitation Center, Martinez Convalescent Hospital, Park Central Care & Rehabilitation Hospital, and Yuba Skilled Nursing Center.

The United States alleges that defendants entered into medical directorship agreements with certain physicians that purported to provide compensation for administrative services, but in reality, were vehicles for the payment of kickbacks to induce the physicians to refer patients to the seven SNFs. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to encourage the referral of items or services covered by federal health care programs.

Specifically, the United States alleges that defendants hired certain physicians who promised in advance to refer a large number of patients to the SNFs, paid physicians in proportion to the number of expected referrals, and terminated physicians who did not refer enough patients. On one occasion, a Paksn employee told Thekkek that two physicians were being hired because they are promising at least 10 patients for $2000 per month. On another, Thekkek complained that if Paksns employees did not pay medical directors promptly every month, [t]hese doctors will not give us patients. On a third occasion, a Paksn employee told Thekkek that because lately there are no real referrals from one of the medical directors, i am planning to say goodbye to him.

Illegal financial arrangements with physicians can improperly influence the type and amount of health care that is provided to patients, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The department is committed to redressing the corrupting influence of kickbacks on the medical decisionmaking of providers participating in federal health care programs.

The payment of kickbacks to physicians for referrals turns patients into commodities that can be traded, said Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison for the Central District of California. Profits should not dictate medical decisions, which is why it is illegal to pay for referrals that can cloud physicians medical judgment.

The lawsuit was initially filed in December 2015 by Trilochan Singh, who was previously employed as Paksns Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer, under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Those provisions authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it has done here in part. Those who violate the Act are subject to treble damages and applicable penalties. The case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Trilochan Singh v. Paksn, Inc. et al., No. 15cv-09064 (C.D. Cal.).

The United States intervention in this matter illustrates the governments emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

This matter is being handled by the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Energy Broker Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading and Kickback Scheme

Houston, Texas - A former Texas energy broker pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act for his role in an insider trading and kickback scheme.

According to court documents, Mathew Webb, 51, of Tiki Island, admitted he conspired with others to misappropriate material, nonpublic information and to use that information to engage in fraudulent, pre-arranged trades in natural gas futures contracts. He shared the net profit from these fraudulent trades with others involved in the fraudulent trading scheme. Webb further admitted he and others agreed to falsely document certain proceeds as income on IRS forms in part to conceal the true nature of the funds and to make the illicit profits appear to be legitimate income paid.

According to court documents, Webb also admitted that he paid kickbacks to an energy trader and co-conspirator from commission fees paid by the co-conspirators employer to Webbs brokerage. In exchange for these commission fee kickbacks, Webbs co-conspirator agreed to direct his employers business to Webbs brokerage. The scheme generated proceeds of approximately $5.9 million, and Webb personally profited in the amount of $585,000.

Webb pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20.

In two related cases, Marcus Schultz, 41, and John Ed James, 51, pleaded guilty in July 2020 and February 2021, respectively.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery of the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turns of the FBIs Houston Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge D. Richard Goss of IRS-Criminal Investigations Houston Field Office made the announcement.

Trial Attorneys Leslie S. Garthwaite, Della Sentilles, and Drew Bradylyons of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Deputy Chief Suzanne Elmilady and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zahra Fenelon of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Criminal Divisions Fraud Section plays a pivotal role in the Department of Justices fight against white collar crime around the country and is the national leader in prosecuting fraud and manipulation in the U.S. commodity markets.
Imperial Valley News Center

Russian National Convicted of Charges Relating to Kelihos Botnet

Hartford, Connecticut - A federal jury in Connecticut convicted a Russian national on Tuesday for operating a crypting service used to conceal Kelihos malware from antivirus software, enabling hackers to systematically infect victim computers around the world with malicious software, including ransomware.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Oleg Koshkin, 41, formerly of Estonia, operated the websites Crypt4U.com, fud.bz and others. The websites promised to render malicious software fully undetectable by nearly every major provider of antivirus software. Koshkin and his co-conspirators claimed that their services could be used for malware such as botnets, remote-access trojans, keyloggers, credential stealers and cryptocurrency miners.

The defendant designed and operated a service that was an essential tool for some of the worlds most destructive cybercriminals, including ransomware attackers, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. The verdict should serve as a warning to those who provide infrastructure to cybercriminals: the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners consider you to be just as culpable as the hackers whose crimes you enable  and we will work tirelessly to bring you to justice.

In particular, Koshkin worked with Peter Levashov, the operator of the Kelihos botnet, to develop a system that would allow Levashov to crypt the Kelihos malware multiple times each day. Koshkin provided Levashov with a custom, high-volume crypting service that enabled Levashov to distribute Kelihos through multiple criminal affiliates. Levashov used the Kelihos botnet to send spam, harvest account credentials, conduct denial of service attacks, and distribute ransomware and other malicious software. At the time it was dismantled by the FBI, the Kelihos botnet was known to include at least 50,000 compromised computers around the world.

By operating a website that was intended to hide malware from antivirus programs, Koshkin provided a critical service that enabled other cyber criminals to infect thousands of computers around the world, said Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle for the District of Connecticut. We will investigate and prosecute the individuals who aid and abet cyber criminals as vigorously as we do the ones who actually hit the send button on viruses and other malicious software.

Koshkin and his associates knowingly provided crypting services designed to help malicious software bypass anti-virus software, said Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBIs New Haven Division. The criminal nature of the Crypt4U service was a clear threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer systems everywhere. We at the FBI will never stop pursuing those like Koshkin for perpetrating cyber crimes and threats to the public at large.

Koshkin was arrested in California in September 2019 and has been detained since his arrest. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20.

Koshkins co-defendant, Pavel Tsurkan, is charged with conspiring to cause damage to 10 or more protected computers, and aiding and abetting Levashov in causing damage to 10 or more protected computers.

Levashov was arrested by the Spanish National Police in April 2017 and extradited to the United States. In September 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of causing intentional damage to a protected computer, one count of conspiracy, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The FBIs New Haven Division investigated the case through its Connecticut Cyber Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang of District of Connecticut, and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board also provided significant assistance.

This case is part of the Department of Justices Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, which was created to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks. As part of the Task Force, the Criminal Division, working with the U.S. Attorneys Offices, prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The department, through the Task Force, also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.
Imperial Valley News Center

Former Doctor Sentenced for Unlawfully Distributing Controlled Substances

Indianapolis, Indiana - A former medical doctor was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for unlawfully distributing controlled substances.

According to court documents, Darrel R. Rinehart, 66, of Indianapolis, Indiana, admitted to distributing Schedule II controlled substances, primarily opioids, to four different patients without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice on 18 different occasions between December 2014 and December 2015. Rinehart also admitted to knowingly distributing hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, in January 2016 to a patient who did not have any significant underlying health issues justifying the prescription.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Departments Criminal Division made the announcement.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and District Attorney General for Tennessees 22nd Judicial District investigated the case.

Assistant Chief Kilby Macfadden and Trial Attorney Leslie Fisher of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program nearly $19 billion.

The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 85 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 65 million pills. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for approximately $19 billion. In addition, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Imperial Valley News Center

Man Convicted of Placing Firebomb at Entrance of Jewish Nursing Home

Boston, Massachusetts - A Massachusetts man was convicted by a federal jury Tuesday in connection with placing a lit firebomb at the entrance of a Longmeadow senior health care facility in April 2020.

John Rathbun, 37, of East Longmeadow, was convicted following a week-long trial of one count of attempting to transport or receive explosive devices in interstate or foreign commerce with the knowledge or intent that the device will be used to kill, injure or intimidate any individual or unlawfully to damage or destroy any building, vehicle and one count of attempting to maliciously damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle or other real or personal property used in interstate or foreign commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12.

Mr. Rathburns dangerous and cruel acts harmed not only the elderly residents of this Jewish assisted living facility, but also the entire community, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. I thank the jury, prosecutors and investigators for their efforts to ensure the defendant was held accountable for his actions.

The jury has spoken: Mr. Rathbun is guilty of lighting a firebomb right at the entrance to a Jewish assisted-living facility  a cruel and senseless crime, said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell for the District of Massachusetts. Thanks to the jurys verdict and the good work of prosecutors and investigators, the man who targeted vulnerable members of our community will not be a threat to public safety anytime soon.

The danger posed by John Rathbun in this case was very real. By trying to ignite a firebomb outside a Jewish assisted-living facility, he put the lives of innocent people at risk, said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston FBI Field Office. Through the diligent efforts of our Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the jurys hard work, the community is much safer now.

On Nov. 23, 2020, a federal jury convicted Rathbun of making false statements to a federal agent, but deadlocked on the arson counts, requiring a re-trial.

On the morning of April 2, 2020, Rathbun assembled, placed and lit a homemade incendiary device outside the entrance of Jewish Geriatric Services Lifecare, Inc., an assisted living facility in Longmeadow. The device consisted of a five-gallon Scepter fuel canister filled with gasoline and a Christian religious pamphlet as the wick. Forensic analysis identified Rathbuns DNA on the canister and pamphlet.

On April 15, 2020, Rathbun falsely stated to a federal agent that he was at home on April 2, he was not familiar with the location on Converse Street where the device was placed and he had not possessed or even seen the fuel canister.

The charge of attempting to transport or receive explosive devices in interstate or foreign commerce with the knowledge or intent that the device will be used to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual or unlawfully to damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of attempting to maliciously damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle or other real or personal property used in interstate or foreign commerce provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The false statement charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. The investigation was led by the FBIs Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force with valuable assistance also provided by the Longmeadow and East Longmeadow Police Departments and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Desroches and Steven H. Breslow of Mendells Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case. The Justice Departments Civil Rights Division also assisted with the prosecution.
Imperial Valley News Center

Two Former Correctional Officers Sentenced for Civil Rights Offenses

Memphis, Tennessee - Two former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) Correctional Officers were sentenced Thursday for assaulting an inmate in violation of a federal civil rights statute.

Nathaniel Griffin, 31, and Tanner Penwell, 24, were both sentenced to a year and a day in prison plus three years of supervised release. These are the final sentencings arising out of a staff assault of an inmate inside a cell in the Mental Health Unit at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Four other former officers previously pleaded guilty in this case and were sentenced in federal court.

When correctional officers abuse their authority, they erode the publics trust in law enforcement and that is unacceptable, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. No correctional officer is above the law and the Justice Department will not tolerate any civil rights violations. We are committed to ensuring all correctional officers keep federal prisons safe and secure and that they carry out their duties with the utmost integrity.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Tennessee will continue to prioritize the criminal prosecution of public employees who violate the civil rights of others, said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee. Our goal is to ensure that everyone  no matter who they are or their standing in the community  is treated in accordance with the requirements of the US Constitution by public officials.

When correctional officers abuse their authority and harm inmates, it not only violates our civil rights laws, it undermines the criminal justice system as a whole, said Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Korneski of the FBI Memphis Field Office. These sentences should send a clear message that the FBI makes it a priority to bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect.

In 2019, Griffin and Penwell both pleaded guilty using unlawful force while acting under color of law. In connection with their guilty pleas, Griffin and Penwell admitted that they punched the inmate, identified in the charging documents by the initials R.T., after he had already been beaten by another officer. They further admitted that they punched R.T. even though he never posed a threat to them or the other correctional officers. In total, R.T. was punched more than 30 times by officers. All three officers who assaulted R.T. ultimately pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights offense.

This case was investigated by the Memphis Field Office of the FBI with the support of the TDOC, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Imperial Valley News Center

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

Washington, DC - Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State: "The United States has long been committed to the prevention of, and accountability for, conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) as well as efforts to support and protect survivors. On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the United States proudly stands with the global community in commemorating the thirteenth anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1820, which for the first time recognized sexual violence, including rape, as a threat to international peace and security that deserves  and demands  action from the international community.

"This Administration is pioneering new efforts to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence, including CRSV. In March, President Biden called for the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence and a revitalized Global Strategy on Gender-Based Violence, which will prioritize advancing new efforts to address CRSV. Further, through the Departments Women, Peace, and Security Strategy Implementation Plan, the United States is committed to strengthening legal reforms and justice for all CRSV survivors, including as part of transitional justice processes, while also advocating for womens safe and meaningful participation in such processes.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the risks of gender-based violence facing women and girls globally and increased challenges to accessing services for survivors of CRSV. The United States recognizes that if we are to build back better, we must collectively ensure that our approaches to addressing COVID-19 and security are inclusive and gender-informed.

"Unilateral efforts to address CRSV will not be sufficient to fully address this global challenge. The United States is proud to be a longstanding and leading supporter of the United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We have resumed our support for the UN Population Fund, including for its humanitarian responses, which address sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence through an integrated approach, critical for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

"Todays commemoration provides an essential reminder that sexual violence in conflict is preventable, and the cost of inaction is too high to bear. The United States recognizes that our efforts to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, not only serve to support survivors and defend the human rights of all women, girls, and gender diverse persons, but additionally advances the safety, security, and prosperity of all people."
James McAvoy has condemned politicians for lying horrendously over the last gazillion years.

The actor, who was recently seen in the lockdown drama Together with Sharon Horgan, was discussing whether the film has a political message when he made the remark.

In the domestic drama, written by Dennis Kelly, the daily coronavirus death toll is noted by numbers on-screen and the couple are shown reacting to the news with fury.

When asked by The Sunday Times journalist Jonathan Dean whether one of the messages in the film was that not enough was done by government to stop the toll rising, McAvoy replied: I dont think its political. Its just being alive and honest. When people say political I worry they mean, Oh, youre getting all lefty! I dont think thats the case.

He added: I dont trust politicians. I dont have any great current affairs insight by saying the amount of them who have been found to have lied horrendously over the last gazillion years gives me no faith in what the system produces in terms of leaders. Still, at times Ive been proud how we handled [the pandemic]. At times horrified. But [Together] examines our lives. What happened was extreme, so if we play it safe, how can we have integrity in the eyes of the audience? Theyll call bullshit, because theyve all lived it.

Together was given four stars by The Independents critic Ed Cumming, who wrote: I expect many viewers will relate to its vision of the realities of life in lockdown. Its depiction of the gap between the irrepressible people we heard about, who spent the time taking up new hobbies, and the rest of us, who were just trying to limp across each day, is spot on.
Piers Morgan has made his thoughts on Ant and Decs Im A Celebrity offer abundantly clear.

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly recently appeared on ITVs Lorraine, with McPartlin saying Morgan should go on the reality show because hes got a lot of free time on his hands after his dramatic departure from Good Morning Britain.

In his latest Daily Mail column, Morgan retaliated, writing: Well, hes not working at the moment, so hell be looking for a job, scoffed Ant, as Dec cackled like a slathering hyena at the thought of luring me into their hellish jungle prison camp.

Let me make one thing crystal clear: theres no way Im ever exposing myself to a series of ghastly gastronomic humiliations for the delectation of the British public. When I munch kangaroo testicles, I do so in the privacy of my home.

Last year, Morgan tweeted that it would take 10m for him to join the show.

Morgan quit Good Morning Britain after attracting widespread criticism over comments he made about Meghan Markle following her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Morgan repeatedly claimed that he didnt believe a word Markle said about having suicidal thoughts during her time as a senior royal.

After days of controversy, ITV announced that Morgan had decided to quit, with an official replacement yet to be announced.

It has since been reported that Morgan is at the centre of a 10m bidding war that could see him return to the US.

According to reports, American media mogul Rupert Murdoch is attempting to lure Morgan as well as bosses at GB News, the new 24-hour channel aimed at rivalling Sky News and the BBC.

Morgan has already ruled out a possible return to Good Morning Britain.
The UKs vaccines watchdog is closely monitoring reports of women experiencing period irregularities after receiving their Covid vaccination, it has been reported.

Data obtained by The Sunday Times showed that almost 4,000 reports have been made to the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) about period problems related to the jabs up to 17 May.

The figure comprises 2,734 reports related to the AstraZeneca vaccine, 1,158 to the Pfizer vaccine and 66 to the Moderna vaccine.

It comes after women from around the world took to social media to ask if early, heavy or painful periods might be an unlisted side effect of the jab.

Dr Kate Clancy, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois, received hundreds of responses when she asked if women had noticed changes to their period post-vaccination earlier this year.

She related her own experience after she received her first dose of the Moderna jab, and said she got her period slightly early and had been bleeding heavily, which was unusual for her.

Many of the women who responded to Dr Clancys post on Twitter complained of periods that started earlier than they should after getting a jab, as well as very heavy cycles and painful cramping.

Last month, reproductive immunologist Dr Victoria Male, from Imperial College London, told the BBC that some post-menopausal women and those taking hormones to stop their periods have also reported bleeding.

According to the newspaper, the problem could affect many more women who may not have thought of it as a side effect of the vaccine and, as a result, did not report it. The majority of the reports came from women between the ages of 30 and 49.

In the latest weekly report on vaccine-adverse reactions, the MHRA published information on reports of menstrual disorders following the vaccine.

The watchdog said it received reports ranging from heavier-than-usual periods to delayed periods and unexpected vaginal bleeding.

It said the reports have been reviewed by independent experts at the commission on Human Medicines Covid-19 Vaccines Benefit Risk Expert Working Group, as well as members of the Medicines for Womens Health Expert Advisory Group.

However, the MHRA said: The current evidence does not suggest an increased risk of either menstrual disorders or unexpected vaginal bleeding following the vaccines.

It added: The number of reports of menstrual disorders and vaginal bleeding is low in relation to both the number of females who have received Covid-19 vaccines to date and how common menstrual disorders are generally.

The MHRA will continue to closely monitor reports of menstrual disorders and vaginal bleeding with Covid-19 vaccines.
Fathers Day takes place on Sunday 20 June this year and like every year, sons and daughters will be searching for the perfect gifts to mark the occasion.

But when did this tradition begin and why?

Fathers Day began in the United States in the early 20th century as a result of the success of Mothers Day.

Anna Jarvis from West Virginia created a committee to establish a Mothers Friendship Day in an attempt to reunite families that had been divided during the American Civil War.

Fathers day was set up as a complement to the first successful mothers days a few years after the celebrations began gaining traction.

The first observance of a Fathers Day was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, in the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South.

The holiday initially failed to achieve as much popularity as Mothers day, but was formally recognised In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honouring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.

Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

In the United Kingdom, Fathers Day is not a public holiday, but follows the American rule of falling on the third Sunday of June.
Piers Morgan has levelled another attack on the Duchess of Sussex on social media, branding her Princess Pinocchio in response to a commenter.

His latest insult comes ahead of Meghan Markles exclusive interview with US radio on Sunday, when she will speak about her new childrens book, The Bench.

The controversial broadcaster insisted that ITV didnt get rid of him following comments he made about the Duchess, and that he left Good Morning Britain because he refused to apologise for them.

He said: ITV didnt get rid of me. I left GMB because I declined to apologise for disbelieving Princess Pinocchio.

I still work for ITV, as youll see tomorrow when my Life Stories show with Dame Joan Collins airs at 9pm, he added.

Morgan made the controversial comments about Meghan earlier this year, following the Sussexs explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. During the interview, Meghan revealed she had contemplated suicide when she and Harry were still working members of the royal family.

The broadcaster cast doubt over the interview during a segment of GMB and said he didnt believe a word Meghan said. He then walked off on-air after a confrontation with weatherman Alex Beresford and later resigned from the show.

His comments led to television watchdog Ofcom recording 57,121 complaints, the highest number in their history, from viewers who were upset by Morgans conduct.

Meghans interview with NPR Weekend is her first since she gave birth to her daughter Lilibet Lili Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on 4 June.

Royal commentator Omid Scobie tweeted about the interview on Friday and said: Fresh off the heels of her first childrens book becoming a certified #1 New York Times bestseller, Duchess Meghan will be giving her only interview about #TheBench to Samantha Balaban at the renowned NPR Weekend show, this Sunday between 8am-10am Eastern.

Listeners in the UK will be able to tune in to the show from 1pm BST via the NPR Weekend Sunday edition website.
Rough sleepers are being evicted from public spaces in a move legal experts say is likely to be unlawful.

Human rights group Liberty has written a letter to Transport for London (TfL) and Camden Council after TfL placed several notices outside Tube stations in Camden ordering people residing there to leave the land immediately.

The notices first appeared around 22 May 2021 and have mostly targeted Roma people, according to Streets Kitchen, a homelessness support group.

One of the notices was reportedly placed above the bedding space of a pregnant 20-year-old Romanian woman outside Warren Street station, who says she had not been offered any support and was distressed by the notice as she did not know what it meant or where she was expected to go.

The notice states: Please treat this notice as a demand by TfL as the occupier and valid for the purposes of section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 that you leave the land immediately.

It goes on to state that if someone chooses to ignore the notice, they will be forcibly removed by police, bailiffs or a combination of both, and liable to civil and/or criminal prosecution (including a fine and criminal record).

The notices have been described as discriminatory by human rights group Liberty (Streets Kitchen)

The notices are also said to have been placed outside Great Portland Street station and around Euston and Tottenham Court Road, which are all located within the borough of Camden.

It is unclear whether all notices were placed on TfL-owned land.

In its letter to TfL and Camden Council, Liberty states that TfL is breaching its obligations under the Human Rights Act by attempting to evict people who have no choice but to live on the streets, saying the notices appear to be both unlawful and discriminatory.

It cites concern that the notices are in English only, when the people bedding down in the above areas are mostly Roma who do not speak English and therefore did not understand what the notices meant or what was required of them.

It also states that the council should be ensuring that TfL acts in a way that is compliant with the Human Rights Act when placing posters trying to evict people who are sleeping rough within its area.

A spokesperson for Camden Council told The Independent that the notices were not representative of its approach to managing the problem of rough sleeping.

A TfL spokesperson said the notices were served as part of work it was doing alongside Camden Council, local homelessness services and the Metropolitan Police to try and address problems related to rough sleeping in the Euston Road area.

Citing reports of camping, fires being lit and discarded items on the carriageway and in the underpass, TfL said the best help it could give, along with the police and council, was to move people off the streets and connect them with access to support services.

But Liberty lawyer Lara ten Caten said the notices were a shocking way of dealing with rough sleeping, which she said was only likely to become more severe now that the Everyone In scheme  which saw homeless people on the streets given hotel rooms during the pandemic  has closed.

If youre homeless or sleeping rough, local authorities should be there to provide help and support; they should treat you with dignity, she said.

Jon Glackin, founder of Streets Kitchen, said: Such cruel enforcement policies can never be acceptable. It can never be made a crime to have to sleep on the streets, adding: TfL need to be reminded that they do not control the streets and should get back into their stations.

The letter from Liberty demands that by 29 June the council and TfL either direct that the notices are removed, and that no further notices are placed, or confirm why they consider such notices to be legal, proportionate and necessary.

It also asks that they provide copies of any Equality Impact Assessments they have carried out prior to the notices being posted.

A Camden Council spokesperson said: Nothing is more important to us than the welfare, safety and rights of every person that we support who is experiencing homelessness.

We understand that these notices are on land which is owned by TfL. None of the notices are on council-managed land and they are not representative of our approach towards ending rough sleeping.

A TfL spokesperson said: No one should be faced with sleeping rough on our streets or on public transport. We are working with Camden Council, Routes off the Streets outreach service, the Fitzrovia Partnership and the Metropolitan Police Service to address rough sleeping along the Euston Road.

These notices have been served by TfL as part of this work, but we apologise for the tone and any upset caused. We will continue to work with the local borough and with the police as they make decisions on the next steps to be taken.
Labour has called a debate in parliament on the governments planning reforms that were a factor in the Tories surprise by-election defeat in Chesham and Amersham.

The opposition says the plans to deregulate the planning system will see developers "set loose to bulldoze and concrete over neighbourhoods and green spaces".

It comes after the Tories were defeated in a parliamentary by-election in Buckinghamshire on the back of a campaign by the Liberal Democrats that opposed the planning reforms.

Many residents of Amersham and Chesham, which had been Tory since the constituencys creation, objected to plans to build homes near the towns' two London Underground stations.

Keir Starmers party, which won around two per cent of the vote at the by-election, is now pushing at Westminster to capitalise on Tory backbench opposition to the reforms.

Many Conservative MPs, including the former prime minister, Theresa May, have already spoken out against the proposals included in the governments white paper, which are yet to be turned into legislation.

In a parliamentary debate on Monday Labour will argue that local residents should be able to object to oversized developments in quiet residential neighbourhoods and stop developers building on green spaces.

The Conservatives are selling out communities to pay back the developers who increasingly bankroll their party, said Steve Reed, Labours shadow communities secretary.

Good development can only happen when developers and communities work together, but the Developers Charter will gag local residents from having their say. Developers will be set loose to bulldoze and concrete over neighbourhoods and green spaces at will.

Voters have shown Conservative MPs what they think of the Developers Charter. Those MPs now have the chance to join Labour in voting to kill off these perverse reforms once and for all.

Under the Conservative planning reforms certain parts of the country would be designated growth areas. In these places, any planning application confirming to agreed local plans would automatically given initial permission.

Other areas would be split into protected places where development would largely be blocked, and renewal areas where local councils would have to generally look favourably on planning applications.

A new housing algorithm would also introduce binding local housebuilding quotas as a way of meeting the government's England-wide 300,000 homebuilding target.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 June 2021 A pair of marchers in a Trans Pride rally share a smile in Soho Angela Christofilou/The Independent UK news in pictures 25 June 2021 Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena PA UK news in pictures 24 June 2021 A member of staff poses with the work 'The Death of Cash' by XCopy at the 'CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art' auction at Bonhams auction house in London EPA UK news in pictures 23 June 2021 Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London Bank of England via Reuters UK news in pictures 22 June 2021 Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne's "Iron Throne" statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. 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The government says its reforms are necessary to meet Englands housing shortage. Demand for homes is estimated to be around 345,000 per year, with just 244,000 homes in 2019-20, around 1 per cent higher than the year before.

Labour says the fact over a million homes over the last decade have been given planning permission and never been built suggests the bottleneck is not due to the planning system.

Levels of private housing development have stayed relatively stable since the 1950s, when housing demand was being met. However since the early 1980s a vast fall in the construction of council homes has seen demand for homes far exceed supply.
The Justice Secretary has rejected calls to resign if he cannot reverse a fall in the number of sex offenders being brought to justice.

Labour on Sunday accused Robert Buckland of a U-turn on his promise to reverse a slide in prosecution and conviction rates for rape  after he said it would be inappropriate for him to intervene.

The minister apologised earlier this week after a government report found that in 2019-20 just 1,439 suspects were convicted of rape or lesser offences in England and Wales  the lowest level since records began.

The figure, which the Justice Secretary said he was "deeply ashamed" of, was down from 1,925 on the previous year, despite reports of adult rape to police almost doubling since 2015-16.

There were an estimated 128,000 victims of rape and attempted rape a year, but only 1.6 per cent of reported cases resulted in a charge.

Following the release of the figures, the government committed to returning the prosecution rate to 2016 levels by the end of the parliament.

Labour says the fall in prosecutions is partly due to government cuts to the courts system, a claim Mr Buckland has accepted. The government has closed half of all courts in England and Wales in the last decade under its austerity programme and backlogs are reaching record levels.

But despite his earlier commitment to raise the numbers of alleged rapists facing justice, on Sunday the Justice Secretary said it would be wrong for him to get involved in pushing for more prosecutions.

"Decisions made to investigate and prosecute are made by the independent police and their operational work and the CPS, which is independent," he told Sky's Trevor Phillips On Sunday.

"If there was any suggestion that prosecutions were being brought about because of political pressure on me frankly that would make convictions unsafe  it's a ridiculous argument."

Pushed on whether he would resign if he did not meet a target, Mr Buckland added: "The idea that somehow a resignation or political pressure should be brought to bear on independent prosecutorial decisions is not only bad politics but it's actually dangerous. I'm not going to engage in that level of debate."

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 25 June 2021 Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena PA UK news in pictures 24 June 2021 A member of staff poses with the work 'The Death of Cash' by XCopy at the 'CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art' auction at Bonhams auction house in London EPA UK news in pictures 23 June 2021 Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London Bank of England via Reuters UK news in pictures 22 June 2021 Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne's "Iron Throne" statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO's release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022 AP UK news in pictures 21 June 2021 Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 20 June 2021 Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall aBhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice PA UK news in pictures 19 June 2021 England appeal LBW during day four of their Womens International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground PA UK news in pictures 18 June 2021 Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland's Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw Getty UK news in pictures 17 June 2021 Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 16 June 2021 A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 June 2021 Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is 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Nick Lucas/SWNS UK news in pictures 4 June 2021 Balloonists take flight during the opening of the Midlands Air Festival in Alcester, Warwickshire PA UK news in pictures 3 June 2021 Members of the Household Cavalry during the Major General's annual inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London PA UK news in pictures 2 June 2021 Hannah Vitos of the Blenheim Art Foundation, poses for a photograph next to artist Ai Weiwei's Gilded Cage (2017) sculpture in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 1 June 2021 People swim in the Sky Pool, a transparent swimming pool bridge across two exclusive residential blocks standing next to the US Embassy in Nine Elms, in London, Tuesday, June 1, 2021 AP UK news in pictures 31 May 2021 People enjoy the hot weather at Brighton beach Reuters UK news in pictures 30 May 2021 People venture into the sea as they enjoy themselves during a hot day on Brighton Beach AP UK news in pictures 29 May 2021 Swimmers at the Stonehaven Open Air Pool in Aberdeenshire, which reopens after lockdown restrictions were eased PA UK news in pictures 28 May 2021 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he meets Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at Downing Street in London REUTERS UK news in pictures 27 May 2021 White Pelicans in the sunshine in St James's Park, London PA UK news in pictures 26 May 2021 Boats are seen at Southsea Moorings in Portsmouth Reuters UK news in pictures 25 May 2021 York Glaziers Trust employees Kieran Muir (left) and Emily Price (right) remove a stained glass window panel at the start of a new five year, 5m project to conserve York Minsters South East Transept and its medieval St Cuthbert Window PA UK news in pictures 24 May 2021 Dark rain clouds above an oast house at Bewl Water reservoir near Lamberhurst in Kent during one of the rainiest Mays on record, with the UK seeing 131 per cent of the usual months rainfall already PA UK news in pictures 23 May 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City will finally pick up the trophy after they won the league on 11 May Getty UK news in pictures 22 May 2021 Gary Kenny lifts the Buildbase FA Vase Trophy after Warrington Rylands won the FA Vase Final against Binfield at Wembley Stadium Getty UK news in pictures 21 May 2021 A family buffeted by the wind whilst crossing the the Millennium Bridge in London, with wind and rain forecast to ravage the UK on the first Friday that people have been allowed to meet in large groups outside in England PA UK news in pictures 20 May 2021 Devon And Cornwall Police Demonstrate Their Skills For Policing The G7 Summit Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 May 2021 An employee stands before a costume for the Queen of Hearts by Bob Crowley on display at the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2021 Passengers prepare to board an easyJet flight to Faro, Portugal, at Gatwick Airport after the ban on international leisure travel for people in England was lifted following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2021 Emergency workers at the scene of a suspected gas explosion, in which a young child was killed and two people were seriously injured, on Mallowdale Ave Heysham which caused 2 houses to collapse and badly damaged another PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2021 Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters let off smoke flares, wave flags and carry placards during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause as violence escalates in the ongoing conflict with Israel, in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 14 May 2021 Member of staffs tighten screws and paint a Marlin skeleton, before it goes on display at the Natural History Museum in London, as the museum prepares to reopen to the public on 17 May, following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 13 May 2021 A worshipper at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Mordon, south London, ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The celebration marks the end of the Muslim month of fasting, called Ramadan. 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Responding to the comments later on Sunday, shadow justice secretary David Lammy said: After a decade of Conservative incompetence and cuts has led to record-low conviction and prosecution rates for rape, the last thing victims need from the Justice Secretary is a U-turn.

The Conservatives must urgently clarify whether or not they intend to stick to the target of increasing the number of rapists who are charged and end up in court.

A government report this week recommended measures to raise prosecution and conviction rates including faster extraction of data from victims phones, putting greater emphasis in investigations on understanding a suspects behaviour rather than a victims credibility, and sparing victims the trauma of attending courtroom trials by allowing them to record their statements on video.
Two children have been beheaded in Mozambique while searching for food, according to a leading aid agency.

Save the Children said it was shocked and appalled by the reported killings in Palma, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

The two 15-year-old boys were killed along with two adults on Sunday, according to independent news-sheet Carta de Mocambique.

According to the papers sources, the children were part of a group of 15 people who had set out from the resettlement town of Quitunda, about nine miles from Palma, in search of food.

Save the Childrens country director in Mozambique, Chance Briggs, said: We are appalled and disgusted at this senseless crime. Children should never be a target in conflict.

These were two teenagers with their lives ahead of them, and yet they were killed while trying to meet their most basic of needs, seeking food.

Our hearts go out to their family and friends as they mourn this loss.

He added: Again we are reminded, in the most brutal fashion, that the conflict in Cabo Delgado is a war on children. Its having a continual, horrific, deadly impact on children.

Grave violations are being committed against them  they are being killed, they are being abducted, they are being recruited for use by armed groups.

The perpetrators of this violence must be held to account.

People gather with their belongings as they arrive at Paquitequete beach in Pemba on 22 May 2021 after fleeing Palma by boat (John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images)

At least 364,000 children have already been forced to flee their homes and are now seeking shelter in displacement camps or crowded homes in the southern part of the region, according to Mr Briggs.

The charity worker said these children lack access to healthcare and clean water, making them more exposed to killer diseases such as cholera and malaria.

The world needs to step up and help the children of Cabo Delgado, said Mr Briggs.

We call on the donor community to ensure that funding for childrens needs is prioritised.

Greater monitoring must take place of these violations, including through the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict mechanism, so that the perpetrators of violence against children can be held to account.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 23 June 2021 A football fan sits in the stands before the UEFA EURO 2020 Group E football match between Sweden and Poland at Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg POOL/AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 22 June 2021 A child holds a Chinese flag near the museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party during a media tour organised by the local government in Shanghai on June 22, 2021 AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 21 June 2021 Jun 21, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores outfielder Cooper Davis (3) leaps over pitcher Nick Maldonado (29) in between inning action against the NC State Wolfpack at TD Ameritrade Park USA TODAY Sports World news in pictures 19 June 2021 A Palestinian girl with a national flag painted on her face, plays amidst the rubble of buildings destroyed by last months Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in Beit Lahia AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 18 June 2021 A TV broadcasts Chinese astronauts in Shenzhou spacecraft, at a restaurant in Beijing AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 June 2021 A giant jersey of Denmarks midfielder Christian Eriksen is put on display on the pitch before the Euro 2020 Group B match between Denmark and Belgium at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 June 2021 Several hundred brightly coloured umbrellas decorate the Bankowa Street walkway in Pszczyna, southern Poland EPA World news in pictures 15 June 2021 Parcel delivery workers scuffle with police officers as they try to bring loudspeakers, an unauthorised protest item, during a rally calling for improvement of working conditions in Seoul AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 14 June 2021 Workers pluck tea leaves during a rainfall following a relaxation of lockdown restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, at Rohini village, some 15 km from Siliguri on June 14, 2021 AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 13 June 2021 eople celebrate after Israels parliament voted in a new coalition government, ending Benjamin Netanyahus 12-year hold on power, at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 12 June 2021 Tape is lifted by air leaving a vent from the metro system as thousands of activists take part in the anti-extreme right March of Freedoms in Paris, France Getty World news in pictures 11 June 2021 Achille the cat, one of the State Hermitage Museum mice hunters, attempts to predict the result of the first UEFA EURO 2020 football match between Turkey and Italy, during a ceremony in Saint Petersburg, on June 11, 2021 AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 10 June 2021 An annular solar eclipse rises over the skyline of Toronto The Canadian Press via AP World news in pictures 9 June 2021 People cross waterlogged railway tracks next to a parked passenger train during heavy rains in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 8 June 2021 AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 7 June 2021 Gondoliers help tourists to get on the gondolas, as the region of Veneto becomes a white zone, following a relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions with only masks and social distancing required, in Venice, Italy Reuters World news in pictures 6 June 2021 A military brass band plays during the international ceremony on the 77th anniversary of D-Day, at Omaha Beach in Vierville-sur-Mer, northwestern France AFP/Getty World news in pictures 5 June 2021 An explosives expert from Hamas lays out unexploded projectiles from the aftermath of the May 2021 conflict with Israel, at a local police precinct in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip AFP/Getty World news in pictures 4 June 2021 A couple take photos of each other on a rainbow flag-themed path during pride month at Samyan MRT station in Bangkok, Thailand Reuters World news in pictures 3 June 2021 Sebastien Ogier steers his Toyota Yaris WRC with co-driver Julien Ingrassia during the shakedown at the Rally of Sardegna and fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship AFP/Getty World news in pictures 2 June 2021 Smoke rises from a fire onboard the MV X-Press Pearl vessel as it sinks while being towed into deep sea off the Colombo Harbour, in Sri Lanka June 2, 2021 Sri Lanka Airforce via Reuters World news in pictures 1 June 2021 A girl runs through a fountain outside a shopping mall on International Children's Day in Beijing on June 1, 2021, a day after China announced it would allow couples to have three children. 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Save the Children has previously warned children as young as 11 are being beheaded by Islamist militants in Cabo Delgado, one of Mozambiques poorest provinces.

In total, more than 2,500 people have been killed since an Islamist insurgency took hold in the country in 2017.

Almost 700,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes  a figure almost seven times the number reported a year ago, the aid agency said.
A house from hell has been listed by a letting agency in Colorado for nearly $600,000 and has had multiple cash offers despite the fact that it smells of rotting animal flesh.

CNN reported that Mimi Foster, a real estate agent with Falcon Property Company, listed the five-bedroom house in Broadmoor Bluffs Estates for $590,000.

While the price estimate appears to be reasonable to the upscale neighbourhood, the letting agent explains that the house multiple horrors await any prospective buyers.

A video tour of the property by KMGH reveals that black spray is painted across almost every wall and appliance in the property, with obscene words and phrases scrawled on the walls.

On top of the eerie writing, the house also smells terrible Ms Foster explains with a freezer in the basement filled with meat that has not been switched on for over a year.

Honestly, you can feel the smell, Ms Foster told CNN.

In a Redfin listing for the property, viewed over half a million times, Ms Foster invites viewers to come feast your senses but warns DO NOT GO ON BACK DECK. DO NOT OPEN FREEZER IN BASEMENT.

The five-bedroom house in Broadmoor Bluffs Estates is listed for $590,000 (KMGH)

Nobody has any idea whats actually in there, Ms foster told KMGH.

The house reportedly ended up in such a sorry state after a long-term tenant was evicted and allegedly came back to wreak revenge on the property instead of collecting their belongings.

However, despite the sad state of the place, Ms Foster says that she had more than 200 calls within days of putting the house on the market and has had multiple cash offers.

Black spray is painted across almost every wall and appliance in the property (KMGH)

If there was ever a time that we could throw something like this at the market and see if it would stick, it is now, Ms Foster told her seller.

But the agent is only allowing prospective buyers to make an offer after visiting the property first hand, so they know what theyre in for in terms of the smell.

Im not allowing sight-unseen offers, she told CNN. Im sorry. You have to come and smell it first, she said, recalling an offer from a Denver-based investor for $625,000.

There is not a surface in this home that doesnt need fixing, Ms Foster added, but she remains optimistic that with a lot of work the home would be a brilliant fixer-upper.
Brazils death toll for Covid-19 passed a grim 500,000 on Saturday, with experts warning that this number may well get worse due to a slow vaccination programme and the governments refusal to encourage social distancing measures.

Anti-government protesters took to the streets in cities across Brazil, brandishing banners and flags while blaming President Jair Bolsonaro for the countrys worsening health and economic crisis, and calling for him to be ousted.

Thousands gathered in parts of Rio de Janeiro with posters bearing slogans such as: Get out Bolsonaro. Government of hunger and unemployment, and 500 thousand deaths. Its his fault  the his alluding to Mr Bolsonaro.

Meanwhile, in Sao Paulo, protesters dropped red balloons in memory of the victims of the virus.

Brazil is experiencing a great setback, explained Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who took part in the protests in Rio. The country was an exemplary country for vaccination in the world. We have widely recognised institutions but today we are in a sad situation.

Indeed, only 11 per cent of Brazilians have received both doses of the vaccine, with epidemiologists warning that, due to new variants circulating and winter approaching in the southern hemisphere, deaths will continue to increase.

Critics say that Mr Bolsonaros dismissal of Covid restrictions, such as social distancing measures and mask wearing, and his promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, are in part responsible for the countrys huge death toll and slow vaccination campaign.

Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro has been castigated for his mishandling of Covid-19 (AP)

Brazils outbreak is currently the worlds second-deadliest, with nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 new deaths registered each day.

Gonzalo Vecina, former head of Brazilian health regulator Anvisa, explained: I think we are going to reach 700,000 or 800,000 deaths before we get to see the effects of vaccination.

He added: We are experiencing the arrival of these new variants and the Indian variant will send us for a loop.

Raphael Guimaraes, who works at Brazilian biomedical centre Fiocruz, underlined how delays in the vaccination programme would mean that its full effects will not be felt until the autumn. He warned that this could mean Brazil once again endures a situation similar to that of its March-April peak, when the country averaged 3,000 deaths a day.

We are still in an extremely critical situation, with very high transmission rates and hospital bed occupancy that is still critical in many places, he said.

As very few Coronavirus measures are being adhered to in Brazil, experts warn that vaccinating the entire population is the only option to beat the virus.

Masked protesters in Rio de Janeiro turn their ire on their countrys president (REUTERS)

Ester Sabino, an epidemiologist at the University of Sao Paulo, explained: We really need to increase vaccination very quickly.

Mass inoculation will, however, require a consistent supply of vaccines and ingredients in Brazil, which have not been constant in recent months. Imports from China were delayed when Mr Bolsonaro offended Beijing with comments that were seen as being anti-Chinese.

Saturdays marches took place in at least 22 of Brazils 26 states, as well as in Brasilia. Many of these were promoted by left-wing political parties, hopeful that Mr Bolsonaros declining popularity will see him lose next years presidential election.

For the leftists, putting their followers in the streets is a way of wearing Mr Bolsonaro down for the election, said Leandro Consentino, a political science professor at Insper, a university in Sao Paulo.

He added: But at the same time they are contradicting themselves and losing the discourse of maintaining health care, because they are causing the same agglomerations as Bolsonaro.

Additional reporting by Reuters and AP
Video showing a Montreal police officer kneeling on the neck of a Black teenager has sparked an outcry in Canada.

The 14-year-old was not harmed in the incident, which was filmed by a passerby at a bus stop, but it has drawn comparisons to the fatal arrest of George Floyd in Minnesota last year,

The boys mother now says her son is afraid to leave their home in the Quebec city.

Is it because my son is Black? she said to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Its not because were Black that we have to experience those kind of things. Were humans. Poor child.

The 90-second video shows one police officer pinning the teen down by his neck, while another searches his bag.

The officer removes an object for the bag and holds it up for the camera and says the teenager is being arrested for having a stun gun.

The teenager does not appear to resist the officers, and is seemingly handcuffed.

Officials at the Service de police de la Ville de Montreal (SPVM) say that the officers were responding to a school fight involving more than a dozen teenagers.

Police later confirmed that two minors were arrested for carrying weapons an an investigation was underway into the incident.

If the use of force is not justified, the administration will take the required actions, said SPVM spokesperson Inspector David Shane.

He warned that the camera angle in videos such as this could be misleading, and that the teenagers had not been cooperating with officers before they were arrested.

The officer involved is continuing to work while the investigation takes place.

What we need to point out as well, during an intervention, the person who has the initiative, is always the suspect. Police have to react accordingly and with proportion, Insp Shane told CBC News.

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante has asked the SPVM to clarify what took place.

The images circulating are worrying. This investigation should shed light on the entire intervention, she said in a statement to Radio-Canada.

The images of the intervention once again reiterate the importance of implementing body cameras, which we are working on with our partners.

Kneeling on a suspects neck is reportedly not banned by the SPVM.
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Donating blood is a noble thing to do as it can save several lives. This 57-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur has donated blood as many as 83 times.

According to a New Indian Express report, Polireddy Uma Maheswara Rao is a businessman and a yoga teacher. He said, When I was in my mid-twenties, my relative got seriously ill and required surgery. Some 40 years ago, awareness of blood donation is not as much as today. It was very difficult to get blood or find donors for blood. It was the first time I donated blood and when she was saved, I realised what I had to do."

He added, I did not realise how much we can contribute to saving a persons life. So I made it a habit to donate blood regularly."

New Indian Express

When the businessman got married, his wife prohibited him from donating blood; she worried that it might affect his health. However, after witnessing how people were inspired by Rao to donate blood and save lives, she changed her decision. After a while, she also started accompanying her husband for conducting blood donation camps.

Rao also said, I thought it (donating blood) was my way of giving something back to society. It is the only way I know. But recently, when I joined the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), and I realised that people were getting inspired by my passion."



Unsplash (Representational Image)

He said, I started to conduct various awareness programmes for students, especially youth, shared my experiences and also the satisfaction it gave me to save a persons life, Uma Maheswara Rao says. In the past couple of years, I was invited to many awareness programmes on blood donation across the State. As I am soon reaching 60, my goal is to complete a century in the next three years. All I want to say is that donating blood costs nothing much, just our time. The lives of many people could be saved. So everyone should donate blood at least once in three months, if not more."



Maheswara Rao wants to complete a century of blood donations in the next three years.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 80F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
The EUs Effort Sharing Decision law set national emission targets for 2020, expressed as percentage changes from 2005 levels.

It required Ireland to reduce emissions from sectors such as agriculture, transport, buildings, and waste 20% below their value in 2005, by 2020.

The latest report published by the EPA, in January 2021, indicated these emissions could be 8% below 2005 levels, by 2020.

Thus Ireland exceeded the carbon budget by 11-12 million tonnes.

The Effort Sharing Decision allows Member States to meet their targets by means of unused emissions allowances from earlier years, or through purchasing allowances from other Member States or on international markets.

The additional costs of purchasing carbon credits for compliance with these targets are between 6 million and 13 million.

Effort Sharing Regulation

Now, the EUs Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) for sectors such as agriculture, transport, buildings, and waste sets Ireland a target of 30% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels (but this target will eventually be amended in line with the European Councils decision to increase from the EU-wide 2030 target of a 40% reduction to at least 55%).

In meeting the 30% target, flexibilities of up to 26.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent are associated with land use over the period 2021 to 2030 (the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry LULUCF Regulation).

This means EU Member States must ensure that greenhouse gas emissions from the land-use sector are offset by at least an equivalent removal of carbon dioxide from the sector for the period 2021 to 2030.

For example, if a Member State converts forests to other land uses (deforestation), it must compensate for the resulting emissions by planting new forests (afforestation) or by improving the sustainable management of existing forests, croplands, grasslands, or wetlands.

Should Ireland satisfy this no debit rule, Ireland can avail of credits through additional removals in the LULUCF sectors that may be transferred to assist in meeting the ESR target.
Every evening, Joan Allenden vents into her trusted recording device in a full-blooded attack. She fires her words like tiny missiles to channel the overwhelmingly emotional and physical turmoil built up throughout the day.

While the audio diary entries vary, her question remains the same.

"Why, oh why can't I die in peace?"

She attributes the stigma around assisted dying to stubbornly ingrained Catholic guilt still present in Irish society.

Her hope is that the haunting voice notes will one day serve as a reminder of what she and those pushing for a shift in legislation have suffered.

"They are viciously angry," she says of the recordings. "This is cruel, it is torture. Prisoners wouldn't be tortured in such a way for doing awful things, but this is my sentence."

The torture Joan is referring to is multiple sclerosis which knocked on her door like an unwanted house guest 33 years ago.

That same house guest has not only outstayed its welcome but has grown even more relentless in its bullying. The torment starts from the moment she wakes up to the time she goes to bed at night.

It robs her of television and Maeve Binchy books  she explains that the strain is too much on her eyes. She has ended up on the bathroom floor for an hour when she slipped and had to phone for urgent help.

"I plead and bargain with her every night," Joan said of her guardian angel, "but she doesn't want to let me go. I have a bunch of people up there who I talk to and beg, please let me join you."

The Dying with Dignity Bill  which if passed would grant seriously ill people the opportunity to avail of medical assistance to die in special circumstances  was voted to committee stage in the Dail last year. Submissions are currently being considered on the proposed legislation from individuals and groups.

Joan's refreshingly black sense of humour on the topic punctuates an otherwise dark conversation.

Her bold grin, nonetheless, guards a tortured interior.

"Explosives go off inside me when I'm reminded of how another human being can be given the authority to say 'you can't do this'.

"This is my body and it's my choice. I have spoken these words so many times to so many people that I can feel their bodies cringing inside.

"I know I've been a huge disappointment to so many people and I'm truly sorry for wearing my family down. My good friends Rose, Elizabeth and Teresa have been my rock. They have stuck with me through thick and thin and good and bad."

Honeyed light bathes the front room of her home in Valentia, Co Kerry. The island's unearthly beauty is some comfort during spells of Joan's excruciating and unabating pain. A robin peers inquisitively in the window  Joan's afternoon visitor.

Joan Allenden at her home Butterfly Haven on Valentia Island in County Kerry. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Every day, the world beyond her window is growing further and further away. The Dublin native has abandoned all hope of a normal life now and is examining formalities so she can travel abroad to eventually fulfil her wish. The physical pain, she explains, has become unbearable.

"If I wasn't living here I would have taken my life a long time ago," she sighs. "I love what I'm looking at every day."

Joan compares the activity in her body to that of Vesuvius.

"I might look like you in a physical sense but inside it's volcanic," she says thoughtfully.

The mother-of-four relishes every musical note of the Eric Clapton album wafting from her CD player. She passes the hours with adult colouring books and what limited housework she can undertake.

Butterflies of every species pepper the walls. They sit in glass frames, brighten fabrics and cling to every possible corner.

Their symbolic nod to resurrection is an irony not lost on Joan. Having started her hobby as a young girl, the collection quickly spread through the whole house. However, one can't help but cast a distracted glance at the unapologetic urn sitting among her dozens of trinkets.

The mere sight of it jolts you in a way that's unexpected. For Joan the choice  though excruciating  is an obvious one. It lies between death and a painful limbo.

"I have sorted everything out," she says. "I've told the funeral director down the road to stick me in the cheapest coffin. The plan is that I'll be cremated in Cork."

Currently, Switzerland is the only country welcoming foreign nationals for legal and medically assisted suicide.

It might seem like the only option for someone determined to end their own life. Regardless, Joan's imagination drifts to long coral Islands supporting infinitely more forms of life.

"I've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Hawaii Five-0 was my favourite programme and the only thing left that I'd like to do is go see the beautiful turtles there. That would be my final wish. It would be nice to have one last holiday."

It might seem like an idyllic way to spend your final days but the reality is quite different.

Hawaii boasts some of the most stringent assisted dying laws since its introduction for residents in 2019.

Legislation requires terminally ill patients to issue two oral requests for life-ending medication before waiting 20 days and signing a written request. This must be witnessed by two people  one of whom cannot be related to the patient.

For a doctor in Switzerland prescribing lethal medication, the person must be suffering intolerably from a severe illness, and have a medical diagnosis confirmed by doctors or clinicians reports.

However, it lacks any requirement for the illness to be terminal or resulting in a shortened life expectancy. In short, the country does not consider assisted suicide a crime. This is in stark contrast to Ireland where so much as helping with an online booking for Dignitas euthanasia clinic in Switzerland can potentially result in a criminal penalty.

Gail ORourke from Tallaght became the first person to be charged with assisted suicide. She had sourced lethal barbiturates for her friend Bernadette online who  just like Joan  suffered from debilitating multiple sclerosis.

The close friends had previously made arrangements to fly to Switzerland together before a travel agent alerted gardai to their plans. Bernadette subsequently made the decision to die at home in 2011 with drugs purchased and paid for online by Gail.

The case sent shockwaves through the nation as Ms O'Rourke faced a 14-year prison sentence. She was eventually acquitted of assisted suicide in 2015.

Joan is visibly angered at the criminal element of assisted dying for friends of the patient.

"This has made me feel like a criminal," she says. "I'm 61-years old and have never been involved in any kind of criminal situation. The only choice I have at the moment isn't a nice one."

Joan's emotional longing for physical contact is palpable. The pandemic and her disease have made for destructive bedfellows. They have starved her of human touch and added layer upon layer of uncertainty.

"This is a need that outweighs everything else between two human beings. It's the one thing I'll really miss if I have to go abroad. Wouldn't it be lovely to lie here and not die alone?

"When the time comes I'd like to have someone holding my hand. My friends have accepted what I want to do. I have never asked them to help me in any way. That's never part of the discussion. The friends who left after I told them my wishes were never really in my heart anyway."

She describes how everyday necessities like getting out of bed each morning have become arduous tasks.

"There was a time when I used to smile and joke, but these days all I do is cry. That little bit of rising that I can do is enough to keep me living here alone.

"In the last four years, after I was forced into a wheelchair, it was like a guillotine. I had the world's hardest fight not to take my own life. Life has been horrific since."

She's angry at the Government who she said has robbed her of any free will.

"When I first came here I had no idea of how cut-off I would be. Even though I was diagnosed with MS all those years ago, I never thought I would lose this much control.

"All I'm asking for is a peaceful death. People don't want to hear what I have to say but all I want to do is speak my truth.

"God gave us free will which, in a lot of circumstances, is a bad thing since there are such terrible people out there. In this case, though the Government has stolen it from us at a time when we really need it."

She is desperately urging people to support the Dying with Dignity Bill.

"I'm asking people to think with their hearts. I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my words. They might sound crazy but if it wasn't crazy it wouldn't be me.

"I hope I have come across as a kind and caring human being but I hate what my body is doing to me. To get any support for this bill, is going to take the whole country getting on the same page."

Tom Curran  European coordinator for Exit International  echoes Joan's sentiment. He also has fresh concerns about the repercussions for those straying outside the confines of the law to end their own life.

Mr Currans partner of 25 years, multiple sclerosis sufferer Marie Fleming, was unsuccessful in her attempts to change the legislation on assisted suicide at the Supreme Court in April 2013. She died later that year aged just 59.

While Marie's battle ended, Tom continues with Exit International  an organisation providing information and guidance on assisted suicide. The advocate insists he will never stop fighting for people suffering like Marie.

It's not just the current legislation that the activist has to contend with. Tom described how many have fallen prey to unimaginably wicked con artists promising an end to people's suffering.

Every call he gets from an unsuspecting victim hits him like a runaway train.

"I've had people ringing me complaining that they had ordered barbiturates from me in the post that never arrived," he reveals.

"I hate what my body is doing to me." Photo: Don MacMonagle

"Sometimes fraudsters use the organisation's name to try to lure them in and seem legitimate. It's only after the drug doesn't arrive that they make contact with us. They think we are part of it and that can be difficult. At first, I wasn't sure how to handle it but you develop a thick skin.

"In a way, it's some consolation that nothing is sent and it's only the money that's taken. It means that when the time comes for them to take their own life they're not going to think they have what they want and realise the only ingredient it contains is baking powder."

He voiced regret that the current legislation is leading to a number of people taking the law into their own hands. This, he warned, can have disastrous consequences.

"There are hundreds of people offering barbiturates for sale on the internet and they are all scams," he said.

"We are reviewing the online results at the moment and have found 180 scams involving a lethal drug. That number is updated every month. Many are asking themselves why someone would do this to them. We have an inherent ability to think that everyone is honest until proven otherwise, but sadly that's not the case. What we're trying to do now is warn and educate people about these scams so they don't fall victim to them."

Tom recalled the experiences that sparked his campaign for a change in legislation.

"It's so sad to witness that gradual deterioration. You are living with the helplessness of watching the person you love fade away, particularly if they are going through pain. All you want is to take the pain from them. You would suffer what they are going through if it meant taking their pain away, but there isn't anything you can do."

According to Tom, many seriously ill people explore options to end their own life as a form of insurance.

"Some just want to have that option for a time when their illness takes them beyond the ability to end their own life. Only 80% of those prescriptions are ever used. The person can put it away and get on with living, because they know they are in control."

To find out more about the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 visit https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2020/24/?tab=debates
A Cork family was forced to evacuate their family home following a large water leak that collapsed the driveway creating a large sinkhole that partly swallowed their car.

But worryingly as well as the huge hole in McGrath Park in Blackrock, father of three Gary ODonovan has also spotted cracks in their home.

Inspectors from Irish Water and the emergency services were on site early Sunday morning.

Crews are currently in attendance at a burst water main in McGrath Park, Mahon. ESB Networks, Bord Gais Energy, Irish Water Uisce Eireann and a building inspector are all at scene.



Expect water outage in the area. #CorkAlerts pic.twitter.com/GJaP3KaFIM  Cork City Fire Brigade (@CorkCityFire) June 20, 2021

Mr ODonovan said: Its horrific. We are out of the house, there are structural cracks in it. It looks like the water was flowing under the house all night.

Mr ODonovan first spotted leaking water on Saturday evening.

I saw a spring of water started coming down the drive, and I found a crack between the footpath and where my drive starts, it (water) was bubbling up, he said.

He immediately called Irish Water.

They came out and had a look, he said.

They didnt seem too concerned, they were going to get someone to come and take a look at it Monday or Tuesday to pinpoint where they might be a leak.

Irish Water staff examine a burst water pipe at the driveway to the home in Blackrock. Picture: Larry Cummins

It was the next morning when the full extent of the damage started to become clear.

Half-past six when I woke up, I looked out and saw the car in a hole. It collapsed under the car, the car is sitting on the sill of it now, he said.

When he looked at their Mahon home, he noticed changes to the exterior, and then to the interior walls.

I noticed new cracks on the inside of the house, and some pre-existing cracks have widened up significantly, on the inside and the outside of the house.

Mr ODonovan, a mechanical engineer with Boston Scientific, woke his wife and three children.

They left the house but were unable to close the front door after them as the frames and door were warped by the water.

The children  aged 10, seven and five  are now staying at their grandmothers house nearby.

He rang Irish Water again and contacted Cork Fire Brigade.

When Mr ODonovan spoke to the Irish Examiner on Sunday morning, he and his wife were standing outside their house watching Irish Water inspectors tackling the problem.

A tape cordon was placed around the house, blocking entry.

They have told us not to go back in until they get a structural engineer.

"I dont know who will organise that, but we are out at the moment, he said.

Mr ODonovan said this is not the first time he or his neighbours have faced sinkholes but this is by far the worst incident.

The road collapsed two and a half or three years ago right outside my house as well, it was about three or four feet away from where it is now. They (Irish Water) came out and repaired that, he said.

Homeowner Gary O'Donovan can only look on at the scene on Sunday morning of the sinkhole in the driveway of his home in Blackrock. Picture: Larry Cummins

A neighbour also described this older damage to the Irish Examiner.

Mr O' Donovan said: "Our neighbours have been great, really supportive and helpful to us all day."

Cork City Fire Brigade said: Crews are currently in attendance at a burst water main in McGrath Park, Mahon. ESB Networks, Bord Gais Energy, Irish Water, and a building inspector are all at the scene.

They warned people to expect water outages in the area during Sunday.

A spokesman for Irish Water confirmed their staff were at the house on Sunday.

He said: "Irish Water, working in partnership with Cork City Council is aware of a burst water main in McGrath Park in Mahon, Cork.

"Investigations are currently ongoing in relation to potential damage to property and roads in the area."

He added that engineers from Irish Water and Cork City Council are on the way to examine the site, and they will update the public when more is known.
Burma DVB Wins International Media Freedom Award

U Aye Chan Naing, the co-founder, chief editor and executive director of the Democratic Voice of Burma.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has granted its 2021 International Press Freedom award to U Aye Chan Naing, the chief editor of the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), an independent media group which has been banned by Myanmars military regime.

The award recognizes courageous reporting and acknowledges the work of journalists who have faced imprisonment, violence and censorship. He is among four international journalists honored this year with others in Belarus, Guatemala and Mozambique.

U Aye Chan Naing co-founded DVB in 1992 in exile and moved the operation to Myanmar in 2012.

DVB was banned from broadcasting by the junta when it was one of five media groups that had its license revoked on March 8. It continues to broadcast online and on other platforms, providing detailed daily accounts of the regimes crackdowns on protesters.

CPJ said: Bestowing this years award on Aye Chan Naing recognizes not only his decades-long history of unflinching and courageous journalism but also his and DVBs dogged commitment to keeping the world informed about happenings in Myanmar at a time it has perhaps never been more dangerous to be a journalist in the country.

The military imposed emergency rule and cracked down on the media, blocking TV stations, disrupting internet services and arresting numerous journalists, including three from DVB.

A total of 88 journalists had been detained by June 17 and 49 of them are still in detention, according to Reporting Asean. Eight media companies have had their licenses revoked and four media groups, including DVB, have been charged with incitement under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code.

Many journalists have gone into hiding or fled the country to avoid the security forces.

In 2014, The Irrawaddys founder and editor-in-chief U Aung Zaw won the CPJ award.

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Burma Myanmar Regime Slams UN General Assembly Resolution Calling For Arms Trade Ban

Junta troops during a crackdown against an anti-regime protest in Yangon.

Myanmars junta has rejected a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a halt in arms sales and denouncing the military takeover, saying interference in internal affairs shall not be accepted.

The junta-controlled Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Fridays resolution was based on one-sided sweeping allegations and false assumptions.

The ministry said it had sent letters of objection to the UN secretary-general and the General Assemblys president.

In its most widespread condemnation yet, the General Assembly in New York called for an end to the regimes violence against civilians, the unconditional release of political detainees, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, to end the state of emergency and allow a democratic transition.

Since the Feb. 1 coup, the regimes forces have killed at least 870 people and detained more than 6,100 people. Of them, around 5,000, including elected MPs, pro-democracy activists and striking civil servants, are still under detention.

We cannot live in a world where military coups become a norm, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who was elected to a second five-year term on Friday, told reporters ahead of the passage of the resolution. It is totally unacceptable.

The measure was approved by 119 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam. Belarus, a major arms supplier to Myanmar, was the only country to oppose it.

A total of 36 countries, including China, India, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Russia, abstained.

Myanmars ambassador to the UN, U Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents the countrys shadow civilian National Unity Government, voted for the resolution and urged the international community to take the strongest possible action to end military rule.

The junta said U Kyaw Moe Tun did not represent Myanmar and his vote was illegal.

The regime tried to dismiss him on Feb. 27 for supporting the overthrown elected government and denouncing the militarys seizure of power at an informal UN General Assembly meeting. It issued an arrest warrant for him for alleged high treason.

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On This Day The Day Myanmars First Prime Minister Met Winston Churchill

: U Nu shakes hand with Sir Winston Churchill.

Yangon  On this day in 1955, former British prime minister Winston Churchill and the first prime minister of independent Myanmar (then Burma), U Nu, met in London. U Nu was already six years into his premiership and was on a tour of England, Israel, Japan, the USA and Yugoslavia.

The meeting took place at the request of U Nu on his arrival in England. Shaking hands with the leader of the former British colony, 80-year-old Churchill, who had retired from his second period as prime minister in April 1955, said: Let us bury our old animosities.

Yes! We must, Sir Winston, was U Nus eager reply.

Churchills father, Lord Randolph Churchill, who served as the secretary of state for India, was a key figure behind Britains Burmese expansion. Churchill wanted to preserve the colony during his first tenure as prime minister from 1941 to 1945.

After Churchills Conservative Party lost the 1945 general election, the colony gained its independence.

In his autobiography, Saturdays Son, U Nu wrote about his meeting with Churchill: By that time Sir Winston had slowed down considerably. He walked with some difficulty and his gait, as he descended the stairs, was awkward and unsteady. Sir Winston was also hard of hearing, which compelled U Nu to shout his words. As they sat at a table, there was a bottle of liquor on it. A single glass reposed beside, Sir Winston asked, Wheres the glass for U Nu?.

The secretary told him U Nu did not drink. Half an hour later, the host and guest appeared outside the house to be photographed.

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Living on an island community such as Key Biscayne offers a lot of lifestyle perks, like the popularity of our beaches and natural beauty. But if you are longing for a quieter surrounding, a short 4 house drive north takes you to a small and serene beach town with an old Florida feel and tasteful attractions, and where you can still drive on the beach.

Start with The Casements, best known for being the winter residence of American oil magnate John D. Rockefeller. After his death in 1937, the building functioned as a womens college before it was left in relative ruin for most of the 70s. It was then purchased by the city, restored, and refurbished as a museum, decorated with the Victorian-esque furniture Rockefeller was so partial.

If antique mansions are not your thing, Ormond Beach offers a variety of other activities for visitors. Residents are fond of the Ormond Loop, a 30-mile scenic drive that attracts auto tourists, bikers, motorcyclists, and those looking to go for a nice, lighthearted walk in the early morning. The road runs through Tomoka State Park, which offers canoeing over the Tomoka River.

Granada Boulevard, just west of the Halifax River bridge, offers an array of interesting shopping and dining choices. The website Travel Weekly mentions the short rib sandwich homebrewed beer at the Ormond Garage, a brew pub that re-creates a famous garage of the early pioneers of auto racing.

Then there is the beach which offers that Florida charm of old, leaving visitors flocking to the nearby hotels that offer calming ocean views of it. Driving on the beach is allowed, although at times it is limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles. There is a $20 fee to drive on the sand.

Its been said that Ormond Beach invokes imagery of early Naples and Delray before both were developed, but the brilliant sand and the air of contentedness that the sapphire ocean inspires makes it well worth the drive.

For more information on Ormond Beach, click here.

For the Travel Weekly article, click here.
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms possible. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High near 75F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
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A funeral service for George Zickuhr, of Brownsboro formerly of Jacksonville, is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville. He will be laid to rest at Cathedral in the Pines in Tyler. George passed away on June 27, 2021. Arrangements by Autry 
ETSU officials urge students to make sure financial aid is ready for fall
Watch now: 'Somebody has abducted her': Father of missing Hawkins child speaks out
Eighty-nine-year-old Jim Maples beams on June 8 as his daughter Beth Ladd (left), and veteran Dina Louden (right) present a Quilt of Valor, made by Louden, to Maples for his World War II service and more. The event was put on at Oak Pointe of Carthage, where Maples lives. GLOBE | JOHN HACKER
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a public charity. It can be found at missouriindependent.com.
Joe Hadsall is the digital editor for The Joplin Globe. He has been the editor of the former Nixa News-Enterprise and has worked for the Christian County Headliner News and 417 Magazine.

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We can reveal that sex beasts who flee and fake death in order to escape justice are trying to start a new life in the United States and run vacation rentals.

Kim Avis, 57 years old Sentenced to 12 years The list of disgusting crimes, including three rapes, has been increased by 36 months due to the failure to appear in court in Scotland.

3 Kim Avis plans to rent AirBnB during running in the U.S. Credit: PA

Former market traders and street performers in Inverness prey on four victims for ten years, including a 12-year-old girl, but fled to the United States before he was tried.

Avis disappeared from a notorious attraction in California and traveled across the country before law enforcement officers captured him at a cheap motel in Colorado and extradited him to the United Kingdom.

But since he sold his house near Inverness a few weeks before his disappearance, Avis plans to start a new life in the United States and vacation with his wife.

3 Sex beast was jailed last week for preying on four women, including a 12-year-old girl Image source: Associated Press: Associated Press

A source in the United States said: He never told us what happened. He said something about witch hunts, and people were malicious.

He said he is a US citizen. But we know something is wrong.

Next I learned that he was picked up from a hotel room in Colorado Springs, and we found out who he was and the allegations.

3 Divers search for Aviss body after he faked his own death Credit: KSBW

He said he needs to go back to Scotland to handle some things, and he plans to do AirBnBs in the United States to get money and other things. We dont think he will face the court.

We have previously described how Avis sold his home for 250,000 a few weeks before he disappeared-known as the Wolfs Den.

The property was previously advertised on the rental site Airbnb, starting at 35 per night.

Avis also gave his two huskies to the Munlochy Animal Aid shelter in nearby North Kessock, and then he flew to the United States with his son Reuben. Reuben then reported that he was missing.

In March 2019, Avis failed to attend the pre-trial hearing of the Edinburgh High Court, and Lord Tell issued an arrest warrant.

The imprisonment of Avis at the Edinburgh High Court last week, Lord Judge Sandison said: You actually ran away in front of the U.S. Marshals without persuading you that you are dead and track you down.

He saidfor money and things, he plans to do AirBnB in the United States.We dont think he faces the court

The court heard that Avis was well-known in his hometown of Inverness and had won the Good Citizen Award.

But he has another side, manipulating, managing and intimidating his victims-and a background report detailed his controlling and dominant personality.

Avis was convicted of raping two women and a 12-year-old girl and assaulting another child of the same age.

Newest Foot horror A Scottish fan was arrested after falling from the 4th floor of a London hotel and was arrested by Tessele Pest invasion Shocking video showing RAT breaking into Glasgow Greggs store Observe the euro Drunk Scottish fan was knocked down by motorcycle after walking into the road break in Behind the bar The evil Scot beat his young son to death and tried to blame his mother who had been in a cage for 12 years exclusive Reign of terror Five days after her ex-monster abused her, the Scottish mother needs to reshape her face exclusive Death detection Gran was accused of raping young children in a paedo ring and found dead at home

From 2006 to 2016, he was convicted of 13 counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.

In 2019, he was found guilty of evading court after running to the United States, and later claimed that he was worried that he would not get a fair trial.

Avis is listed in the sex offender register indefinitely.

[email protected]

Harvey Weinstein put his head in his hands because the judge ruled that he can be transferred to Los Angeles to face more sexual assault charges

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SPRING VALLEY (CNS)-A 61-year-old man was pronounced dead when he was attacked outside a bar in Spring Valley on Tuesday, a sheriff official said on Saturday.

According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, Raymond Bermudez Jr. was pronounced dead on Friday night. Bemudezs close relatives were told of his death. The forensic office arranged for an autopsy on Sunday.

The suspect Ronald Francis Valdez, the nephew of Bermudez, was released on bail and released on a lesser charge. The homicide detective will amend the criminal charges as the investigation continues.

Detectives determined that Bemudez was not in Shooters Cocktails before the incident.

Allegedly, Valdez entered Shooters Cocktails at 10761 Jamacha Blvd. However, the officer of the sheriff said that he was denied services and left. The attack occurred in the parking lot.

At about 9:30 on Tuesday evening, the sheriffs deputy received a radio call about a fight in a bar. When they arrived, they found Bemudez with a head injury in the parking lot in front of the bar.

The firefighters responded and rushed Bemudez to the local hospital. The sheriffs homicide team responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation.

The officer of the sheriff said that detectives learned that Valdez had left the bar, and an argument followed. Valdez allegedly attacked Bemudez, causing him to be life-threatening.

Valdez fled the scene before the representative arrived.

The San Diego area fugitive task force found Valdez and arrested him near his residence on suspicion of assault for serious bodily harm.

Anyone with information about the incident is required to call 858-285-6330 or 858-565-5200 after get off work to contact the homicide team. Or, they are asked to call the fight crime hotline at 888-580-8477.

Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.
Paramedics said that of the five people near Rexdale in Toronto on Saturday night, children were shot dead.

The police said that four victims with varying injuries are being Was taken to the hospital through an emergency operationBut Evert Stringer, the deputy commander of the Toronto Department of Nursing Services, told CBC Toronto that five people were shot and killed.

He said that just before 8 p.m. Eastern Time, first responders received a call from Tandridge Crescent and Byng Avnue to report a shooting in the area.

Stege said five people were found to have suffered gunshot wounds, including:

A child whose life is in danger.

A child who was seriously injured.

A child with minor injuries.

A man who was seriously injured.

A man with minor injuries.

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After the Hong Kong authorities asked Taiwan officials to sign documents supporting Beijings claims against Taiwan in accordance with its one-China policy, the Taiwanese government stated that it would adjust the operation of its Hong Kong office.

The Chinese-ruled Hong Kong has become another focus of contention between Taipei and Beijing, especially after Taiwan criticized Chinas national security laws imposed on Hong Kong and began to welcome Hong Kong dissidents to the island.

The Mainland Affairs Commission of Taiwan stated in a statement on Sunday that since July 2018, the Hong Kong government has repeatedly set unreasonable political conditions for the visas of our Hong Kong office staff and demanded the signing of the One China Commitment .

It added that this prevented office staff from staying there or taking up their posts.

Starting from June 21, the Hong Kong office will adjust its business processing methods, the committee added, but did not provide details, but said the office will maintain essential operations.

It added that Taiwanese staff would not sign any such one China letters.

China regards democratically ruled Taiwan as part of One China and has never given up the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Last month, Hong Kong suspended the operation of its Taiwan representative office, accusing Taipei of crude interference in internal affairs, including offering to assist violent protesters. Taiwan denies this accusation.

The Macau government followed suit on Wednesday, saying it would suspend the operation of its representative office in Taiwan.
Wilton Abbey, Florida (AP)-On Saturday night, a driver crashed into an audience at the beginning of the Pride Parade in South Florida, killing one person and seriously injuring the other, the authorities said.

Some witnesses said that the crash appeared to be intentional, but Fort Lauderdale detective Aria Dawnson told reporters that the authorities are investigating all possibilities.

The collision occurred during the Pride Parade on the Stonewall at Wilton Manor. Wilton Manor is located north of Fort Lauderdale.

According to a statement reported by Justin Knight News Media, president of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Choir, the driver and the victim are members of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Choir family.

As far as I know, this was an accident. This is not an attack on the LGBTQ community, Knight said in a statement. We expect to follow up with more details and ask for the love and support of the community.

According to WSVN-TV, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said that the driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told that he was the next one in the parade and crashed into the victim. By. After the crash, Trantalis said he believed the crash was intentional.

The police said the driver has been detained, but it is unclear whether he has been charged.

Photos and videos at the scene showed that Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Debbie Wasserman Schultz) burst into tears while driving a convertible in a military parade.

In a statement on Saturday night, Wasserman Schultz said she was safe, but deeply shocked and shocked by the passing of a life.

I feel very sad about what happened during this celebration, she said. May the memory of the lost life be for blessings.

Audience Christina Currie told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that she was with her family when the parade began.

Curry said: Suddenly, a truck made a loud accelerating noise and slammed through the fence together. This is definitely a deliberate behavior in a traffic lane. 

Wilton Manor Police tweeted on Saturday night that the public is not in danger.

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement: Although the authorities are still collecting information, we know that two people marched to celebrate tolerance and equality and were knocked down by a vehicle. This tragedy happened. At the feet of my (Browward Sheriffs Office) team and I, we were very shocked to witness this terrible incident.

June is Pride Month, commemorating the police raid on gay customers of the Stonewall Hotel in New York in June 1969, which led to an uprising of LGBTQ Americans and became a catalyst for the gay rights movement.
This weekend, a huge Sahara dust cloud is hitting parts of Florida.

The plume is expected to suppress storm activity, but it will increase air pollution.

This can cause trouble for some people with allergies and other respiratory problems.

Some health experts even say that the symptoms may mimic those of Covid-19.

NASA is monitoring sand and dust clouds that were blown away from Africa by strong winds in the deserts of Mali and Mauritania.

Its hot outside, NBC Miami meteorologist Steve McLaughlin wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Saharan dust makes the sky overcast, or the chance of rain will increase humidity, making it feel like the entire state of South Florida is about 100 degrees.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSunsets and sunrises show more yellow and red hues, because low-angle sunlight will pass through more of the atmosphere before reaching your eyes.

The large amount of dust in the atmosphere can enhance this effect, resulting in longer-lasting, darker colors, which can lead to vivid sunsets and sunrises, the outlet added.

Please read our Sahara Dust Storm Live Blog for more updates and latest news
The positive test is the first infection detected in athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics.

A member of the Uganda Olympic team tested positive for the coronavirus and was barred from entering Japan. This is the first time the infection has been detected among athletes who have arrived at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics within five weeks.

The other eight members of the team took a chartered bus to Osaka, the host city in central Japan, early on Sunday, where COVID-19 cases are still being reported.

The minister in charge of economic policy, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said on NHK TV on Sunday that the government is investigating what happened to border control.

The Asahi Shimbun quoted an anonymous Cabinet Secretariat official as saying that these athletes arrived at Tokyos Narita Airport on Saturday night and were all vaccinated with AstraZeneca. The PCR test results were negative before boarding.

The identity of the team members who tested positive is unknown.

NHK stated that the person will live in a facility designated by the government.

Critics have seriously questioned the risks of hosting the Olympics during the pandemic. But the International Olympic Committee, Tokyo organizers and the Japanese government insist that the Olympics can be held safely.

Lets all wait, opposition lawmaker Renhuo said on her Twitter account. This time, nine people came. During the Olympics, 100,000 people will arrive. There is no time to talk about what a touching experience this will be for our children.

Japan requires a two-week quarantine for overseas immigrants, but the Olympic team is not subject to the same border controls.

The organizers are expected to decide on Monday to allow some local fans to enter the stands. The plan to open a popular viewing site in Tokyo was cancelled on Saturday.

A few months ago, fans from abroad were banned. Before the pandemic, Japan had been counting on the Olympics to bring booming tourism and consumer spending.

The Uganda team is the second team to arrive at the Olympics after the Australian womens softball team. The Olympics will begin on July 23.

The number of variants of COVID-19 in Uganda has increased dramatically, and the lockdown has just been tightened. Considering the scarcity of testing, approximately 590 deaths have been reported, which may be an underestimate.

In Japan, the state of emergency to contain the spread of the virus in Tokyo, Osaka and other urban areas ended on Sunday, although the number of daily cases is still increasing by hundreds.

There is no lockdown in Japan. The so-called emergency situation has lasted for most of this year. The focus is on closing restaurants and shops early, limiting the size of crowds in venues, and requiring people to maintain social distance, work from home and wear masks.

The vaccination rate in Japan is the slowest among developed countries, with approximately 6% of the population vaccinated. Although promotion is gradually accelerating, most people are unlikely to be fully vaccinated before the Olympics.

In Japan, more than 14,000 people have died from the coronavirus.
US President Joe Biden will meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman of the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah at the White House on Friday to discuss the surge in fighting between the Afghan army and the Taliban across the country On the occasion of the issue of withdrawal.

The White House said in a statement on Sunday that Biden will seek to reassure Ghani and Abdullah of U.S. support for the Afghan people, including diplomatic, economic and humanitarian assistance, during the first face-to-face meeting. Biden will also reiterate his commitment to ensure that the country will never become a safe haven for armed groups.

The White House stated: The visit of President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan as the military drawdown continues.

In this September 11, 2011 file photo, American soldiers sit under a newly-raised American flag to commemorate the 9/11 attack on Bostic, the forward operating base of Bostic in Kunar Province, Afghanistan The tenth anniversary [File: David Goldman/AP Photo]

Since Biden decided in April to withdraw all U.S. troops by September 11 to end the United States longest conflict in nearly 20 years, the Taliban have fought against government forces every day and claimed to have occupied 40 areas.

As the United States began to withdraw its troops and shut down some bases and handed them over to the Afghan government on May 1, the organization launched a campaign to expand its national influence.

The Taliban called the visit useless.

They (Ghani and Abdullah) will talk to US officials to protect their power and personal interests, said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. It will not benefit Afghanistan.

The Ghani office did not immediately respond, but a senior Afghan official said that the Afghan president will seek assurances from the United States to continue to support the Afghan security forces after the withdrawal.

The negotiations between the Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government in Qatar are progressing slowly, and this visit will also take place.

Officials expressed concern about the deadlock in the negotiations and stated that the Taliban had not yet submitted a written peace proposal that could be used as a starting point for substantive negotiations.

The Biden administration says it is adding staff to speed up visa procedures for Afghans [File: Drew Angerer/Getty Images via AFP]

In May, U.S. intelligence analysts issued an assessment stating that if the Taliban regained national power, the Taliban would regress a lot in progress in womens rights in Afghanistan.

The Taliban said on Sunday that it will continue to work on peace negotiations, but insisted that establishing a true Islamic system in Afghanistan is the only way to end the war and ensure rights-including womens rights.

A true Islamic system is the best way to solve all the problems of Afghans, said Taliban co-founder and deputy leader Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar.

U.S. expedited visa

Afghans working for the United States during the two-year deployment of US-led NATO forces fear that armed groups will target them and their families as retaliation for helping foreign troops.

The Biden administration said it is adding staff to speed up visa procedures for Afghans. However, refugee advocates and some members of Congress said that this effort did not meet their expectations.

Afghan security personnel inspect the bomb explosion site in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, June 12, 2021.The Ministry of the Interior said that of two minivans in a mainly Muslim Shia community in the Afghan capital, two minivans were killed in the bombing on Saturday. [File: Rahmat Gul/AP Photo]

US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan said in an interview with ABC News on Sunday that this issue is a top priority for Biden and that the government is letting people leave at a record speed, even though he did not give it. specific number.

If necessary, we are making extensive planning for potential evacuation. We will take all these steps to ensure that we do the right people and do the right things, he said.

When asked whether the increase in violence in the country forced the government to delay the U.S. withdrawal from Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistans largest U.S. military base, Sullivan stated that the plan has not changed so far, but added:

What we are doing is checking every week as the drawdown unfolds, whether this is in line with our efforts to ensure that the embassy has enough security personnel to ensure airport security.

In this December 2020 file photo, American soldiers return home after a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan [File: John Moore/Getty Images via AFP]

Last week, the United States welcomed Turkeys pledge to protect the security of Kabuls airport to resolve a critical issue.

Turkey, as a Muslim-majority country and a member of the transatlantic alliance NATO, has played a key role in Afghanistan since 2001, including sending troops to a non-combat role, and recently welcomed the Taliban and government officials to talk about the countrys future .

Kabul Airport was developed after 2001 with the support of the United States and Japan. It provides an economic lifeline and is regarded as vital to the future of Afghanistan.
Top doctors warn that if hospitals are overwhelmed by COVID cases, new lockdowns may be required during the winter

The top doctors in England said that if the hospital starts to be flooded with new coronary pneumonia cases, it may need to be locked down again in winter.

Unlike last year, the British now have vaccines that can help us coexist with the virus-but if hospitals become overcrowded later this year, there may be further lockdowns.

Dr. Susan Hopkins told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: We may have to lock down further this winter. I cant predict the future. It depends on whether the hospital starts to be overwhelmed.

The PHE senior doctor added: We must have seen some signs of a slowdown in some areas, for example Bolton has definitely reversed, Blackburn and Darwin have stabilized. But other parts of the country, especially some areas in the north-east , Some areas of London are still rising rapidly.

So I dont think this is doing the same thing all over the country. As people go out for testing, we have seen the ups and downs. I think we have seen the impact of vaccination, which is good news.

The extra time to vaccinate more people and vaccinate as many people as possible with two doses is expected to mean that what we have seen in this wave is different from the previous waves we have seen in this country.

Read more here.
British stone. Louis (KTVI)  The mask is falling off, and the winter-like respiratory virus seems to have lifted the blockade at the same time.

Many of our emergency room visits include patients with common respiratory viruses that we only see in the winter, said Dr. Kurt Sobush, a pulmonologist at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital in St. Louis.

Cardinal Glennon found that winter-like viruses increased by 20%, including RSV in children under 2 years of age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms and can become more severe, especially in infants and the elderly.

This is a virus that can escalate from the common cold to include viruses that breathe faster, Sobush said. It will increase fever, and it will at least cause some difficulty in respiratory distress. Childrens cough may get worse, but it doesnt seem to stop.

RSV bacteria are usually spread by coughing and sneezing. The doctor said that the reason for the increase in RSV cases may be related to the wearing of masks and the decrease in social distance.

I think at least in the summer, many people will blow off at least some of their noses-everywhere. It may be allergies, or it may be other reasons, Sobush said. But we have at least seen an upward trend in some of the severe respiratory viruses we have known in the past. I think this is just something we want our parents to treat with caution.

Last week, the CDC releases health consultation Notify health care professionals and caregivers about the increase in RSV activity in parts of the southern United States. The agency urges RSV testing for people who show signs of acute respiratory disease and test negative for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

RSV infections in the United States mainly occur during cold and flu seasons in the fall and winter. In April 2020, RSV activity declined rapidly, which may be due to coronavirus precautions. The CDC pointed out that from May 2020 to March 2021, RSV activity remained relatively low compared to previous years. However, since late March, the CDC has noticed an increase in reported RSV cases.

Sobush predicts that this fall, some parents will take their children to school regardless of whether the school needs them.

I think that in some cases, children will still wear masks to school. I think this situation will continue for a while, especially when they have symptoms of the virus, otherwise they will only wear masks to school. A little bit of nose, he Say.

As before the pandemic, doctors say that washing childrens hands is still important to slow or stop the spread of the virus.
Officials said that the temporary shutdown for repairs began on Saturday, which may last as long as four days and may cause power outages.

Irans national television said that Irans only nuclear power plant was temporarily closed due to technical maintenance.

Gholamali Rakhshanimehr, an official of the State Power Corporation, stated on a talk show that the closure of the Bushehr plant began on Saturday and will last three to four days.

He added that it may cause power outages. He did not elaborate further, but this is the first time Iran has reported an emergency shutdown of its factory in the southern port city of Bushehr.

It went live in 2011 with the help of Russia. As a nuclear non-proliferation measure, Iran must return the spent fuel rods in the reactor to Russia.

In March of this year, nuclear official Mahmoud Jafari said that due to bank sanctions imposed by the United States in 2018, Iran could not purchase parts and equipment from Russia, so the plant may cease operations.

Bushehr fuel is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The UN agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the closure of the report.

Abas Aslani, a senior researcher at the Middle East Strategic Research Center in Tehran, told Al Jazeera that the shutdown could hit Irans electricity supply. Nervous due to cryptocurrency mining.

This [shutdown] As far as the power outage is concerned, it is more important than the nuclear aspect of the facility, Aslani said.

Because these days we see that cryptocurrency mining is consuming the countrys electricity, which has caused some power outages in the past.

In the mid-1970s, under the rule of the Iranian King, Bushehr on the northern coast of the Persian Gulf began construction.

After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the factory became the target of the Iran-Iraq war many times. Russia later completed the construction of the facility.

The factory is located near the active fault line and is specially built to withstand strong earthquakes and is regularly affected by earthquakes. In recent days, there have been no reports of major earthquakes in the area.
The April stampede killed 45 people in a Jewish pilgrimage site that has long been considered dangerous by the authorities.

The new Israeli government has approved a formal investigation into the stampede that occurred in April, which killed 45 people and injured dozens of others. It took place in a Jewish pilgrimage site that has long been considered dangerous by the authorities.

Although this is the countrys worst civilian disaster, a comprehensive investigation of the country Mount Meilong Death It lags behind the previous government due to disputes between ultra-orthodox Jews and opposition politicians.

The responsibility for learning lessons and preventing the next disaster lies on our shoulders, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said at his first cabinet meeting on Sunday.

A committee cannot bring back those who died, but the government can do everything it can to prevent unnecessary loss of life in the future.

A cabinet statement stated that the results of the investigation will help protect other people in Israel from participating in activities. Israel has Islamic and Christian holy sites as well as Judaism.

Many years ago, the authorities believed that the Mount Mellon site was dangerous [File: Reuters]

On April 30th, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered at the tomb of the second-century saint Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on the slopes of the Galilee to participate in the annual Lag BOmer festival, which included overnight prayers and mysterious Songs and dances.

This years figure is lower than in previous years, but still exceeds the number allowed by COVID-19 restrictions.

Some Israelis questioned whether the former government and police led by Benjamin Netanyahu were unwilling to further restrict the crowd due to pressure from influential ultra-Orthodox leaders.

During the ceremony, some people poured into a narrow tunnel, 45 men and boys Suffocated or trampled.

The police are already investigating. The Israeli government regulatory agency considered the Mount Meron site dangerous many years ago and has announced its own investigation, but cannot file criminal charges.

Netanyahu promised to conduct a thorough investigation, but the cabinet, including the ultra-orthodox Jewish minister, never took any formal action. Less than two weeks later, major hostilities broke out between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza.

Bennett himself religiously adheres to religious beliefs, but his broad alliance does not include any ultra-Orthodox parties. In his cabinet speech, he said that Mellon attracted Jews from all fields, alluding to other denominations besides ultra-Orthodox.

Benny Gantz, the secretary of defense who promoted the investigation, said the results of the investigation will be important and cannot be ignored.

The government stated that the budget of the investigative committee headed by the judge was 6 million shekels ($1.8 million).
The statement was issued after the forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar stated that they had taken control of the border crossing with Algeria.

The troops of Khalifa Haftar, a military commander loyal to the mutiny, stated that after they controlled the border crossing with Algeria and declared it a military zone, the Libyan Presidential Council prohibited any military operations across the country without its approval. .

The Burkan al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operational Media Office stated that the top commander of the Libyan Army announced a total ban on the operations of military units, regardless of the nature of their work, without his prior approval. On Twitter on Saturday. In a statement, the government-led counter-offensive was launched in April last year.

The statement said it also prohibits military convoys for any purpose, or the transfer of personnel, weapons or ammunition.

It added that, if necessary, the relocation or movement of military convoys can only be carried out in accordance with  and with the approval of the highest commander.

Earlier on Saturday, a large army loyal to Haftar stated that it controlled the border crossing between southern Essen and Algeria, declaring the area a military zone and prohibiting movement.

Pictures posted online show that dozens of armored vehicles are located in and around the border crossing, which has been closed for several years due to the conflict in Libya.

The move comes after Haftar announced in a statement on Thursday that an operation will be carried out in the area to track down terrorists and expel African mercenary groups that threaten security and stability.

This is the first such military operation by Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army since the signing of the ceasefire agreement at the end of last year and the takeover of the coalition government.

Libya has been relatively peaceful since the ceasefire agreement was signed in October, so this is a very important movement, Al Jazeeras Malik Traina reported in Tripoli.

This is the first time [since then] There has been such a large-scale military mobilization, he added.

Local sources in the south told Al Jazeera that the convoy that arrived on Saturday was composed of Tuareg fighters and troops loyal to the former strongman Gaddafi.

Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled Gaddafi and eventually split the oil-rich country into a United Nations-recognized government in the capital and a hostile authority in the east of the country, Libya has been in chaos. Supported by armed groups and foreign governments.

In April 2019, Haftar and his eastern forces launched an offensive with the support of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to capture Tripoli.

After Turkey strengthened its support for the Tripoli government with advanced military equipment, troops and thousands of mercenaries, his 14-month campaign failed.

The October ceasefire led to the formation of a coalition interim government, which replaced two rival governments. Its mission is to unite the divided countries and guide them through the December 24 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Treiner said there are concerns that Haftars latest move may hinder the election and the peace process.

The International Conference on Libya is scheduled to be held in Germany on June 23. The event is co-sponsored by the United Nations and aims to gather foreign actors involved in Berlin to discuss support for the new interim government of Libya.
According to the Associated Press, a group of teenage immigrants living in a detention center run by the Libyan government accused the guards of the facility of sexually assaulting them. The facility is funded by the European Union.

A 17-year-old Somali girl, whose identity has remained anonymous, told the Associated Press that she was raped by a guard at the Shara al-Zawiya Center in the capital Tripoli in April. More girls from the center made similar allegations, some of them shared their ordeal with the Associated Press.

The girl was rescued by Libyan security forces in February after being captured by traffickers and sexually abused her for more than two years. Human traffickers are notorious for blackmailing, torturing and assaulting immigrants and refugees like her who are trying to reach Europe.

But the 17-year-old girl said that the sexual assault on her continued, only that it was now carried out by guards from a government-run center, where many immigrants or refugees were being held.

She and four other Somali teenagers who had suffered similar abuse pleaded for their release from the Shara al-Zawiya center.

It is one of the central networks operated by the Libyan Department of Combating Illegal Immigration (DCIM), which is supported by the European Union and aims to build Libya into a stronghold mainly for African immigrants crossing the Mediterranean.

Although this is not the first time I have been sexually assaulted, it is more painful than the people who should protect us, the 17-year-old told the Associated Press via a smuggled cell phone.

To go to the toilet, call family members or avoid assaults, you have to provide something in return, she said. Its like we are controlled by human traffickers.

The Associated Press did not identify the victim of the sexual assault, and the young woman also asked to remain anonymous, fearing retaliation.

Smugglers and traffickers

Libyas smugglers and traffickers  many of whom are members of the militia  have long been notorious for abusing migrants. However, human rights organizations and UN agencies stated that abuses have also occurred in official facilities operated by DCIM.

Tarik Lamloum, a Libyan activist working with Berardi Human Rights Group, said: Sexual violence and exploitation are occurring in (immigrant) detention centers across the country.

The UN Refugee Agency has also recorded hundreds of cases of women being raped in DCIM detention facilities or prisons for traffickers. Some of them were even pregnant by guards and gave birth during detention. Chetel said.

This group of teenagers are the only immigrants detained in Shara al-Zawiya, where immigrants usually stay for a short time for processing. Human rights groups say they have been working hard to ensure their release for several weeks.

After being rescued from traffickers in February, the 17-year-old girl was taken to Shara al-Zawiya along with eight other young female immigrants. The other four were later released under unknown circumstances.

One April night, at about midnight, she said she asked a guard to let her go to the toilet. She recalled that when she finished speaking, the guard attacked her and grabbed her forcefully.

I was shocked and didnt know what to do, she told the Associated Press. When she was crying, struggling, and begging him to get off her, the guards attacked her.

Im very lucky, he finished it quickly.

She recalled, and then the guard ordered her to wash her clothes, and she burst into tears.

Frightened, she went back to her cell and told another girl what had happened. She soon learned that she was not the only victim. She said that all girls between 16 and 18 have experienced similar or more severe guard abuse.

sexual harassment

A 16-year-old girl in the same cell told the Associated Press that she had been sexually harassed a few days after she arrived at the center. When she begged the guard to call her family, he gave her a call and asked her to walk out of the cell to call her mother. She said that once she hung up, he stood behind her and grabbed her.

She removed his hand and began to cry. She said the guard stopped after realizing that other employees were in the center.

They do it every day, she said. If you resist, you will be beaten or deprived of everything.

The Libyan government has not yet responded to the Associated Press request for comment.

According to the local human rights organization Libya Crime Watch and UN agencies, at least two girls tried to commit suicide at the end of May after being suspected of attempted assault and rape.

One of the 15-year-old teenagers was sent to the hospital on May 28, where he was treated by the international aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) before being returned to the detention center.

Maya Abu Atta, a spokesperson for MSF Libya, confirmed that the organizations staff treated two people in its clinic.

She said that the MSF team advocated for their release and lobbied to protect actors and different interlocutors. However, these attempts were unsuccessful.

Continuing human rights violations

UNHCR stated that it is cooperating with the Libyan authorities to release the five young women still detained in Shara al-Zawiya and subsequently evacuate them from Libya.

The youth case of Shara al-Zawiya also raises questions about the EUs role in the violent cycle of immigrants and asylum seekers in Libya.

The European Union trains, equips and supports the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept persons trying to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe.

So far this year, at least 677 people have died or disappeared on this route due to unseaworthy ships.

From the beginning of the year to June 12, the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted nearly 13,000 men, women and children (a record number) and returned to the Libyan coast. Most people were subsequently placed in centers operated by DCIM.

Among the 29 DCIM-operated centers across the country, some human rights organizations document the lack of basic sanitation, medical care, food and water, and beatings and torture. DCIM receives support, materials and training through the EUs US$5.1 billion Africa Trust Fund, including human rights training.

Libya was praised by the West for the ceasefire agreement reached last year and the interim government appointed earlier this year, prompting European leaders to visit and reopen some embassies. Despite political stability, activists and human rights organizations say their contact with immigrants in detention centers is increasingly restricted.

The guns are silent and the ceasefire is in place But human rights violations are increasing unabated, said Suki Nagra, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Libya, who is following reports of Sharas abuse by Zavia.

Even if the case is recorded and the alleged perpetrators are arrested, they are often released due to fear of retaliation and lack of witnesses willing to testify in court. For example, Abdel-Rahman Milad, who was sanctioned by the United Nations and was arrested last year for human trafficking and smuggling of fuel, walked away freely without trial in April.
The outgoing Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella (Rosalie Abella) said that during her decades in politics, Canada has made steady progress towards a fairer society, but she said she should do more Work to include groups that are still lagging behind.

We are in a much better situation now than before, Abella said in an interview with CBC Chief Political Correspondent Rosemary Barton.

But we still have a long way to go.

Abella provided this assessment a few weeks before she was about to retire-on July 1, she turned 75, which is the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court judges.

You can watch her full interview Rosemary Button live broadcast, Available on CBCs streaming service Gem.

Abella was nominated as a Supreme Court judge by Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2004. She was the first Jewish woman and the first former refugee to serve on the bench of the High Court.

Abella was born in a camp for displaced persons in Stuttgart, Germany in 1946, and then came to Canada in 1950.

Abella helped make laws on disability and equality in employment

In an interview with Barton, Abella reviewed her career, which has brought many landmark changes to Canadian law (especially for disadvantaged groups).

Before joining the Supreme Court, Abella led a study on the access to legal services for persons with disabilities in Ontario in 1983 and became the sole commissioner of the Royal Federal Employment Equality Commission in 1984.

As part of the Royal Commission, her legal theory of equality and discrimination was adopted by the Supreme Court in 1989.

Abella said these advancements reflect what she believes is a key legal principle  to protect peoples rights while considering what she calls the context of the times.

There is a difference between stability and stagnation, Abella said. We cannot make decisions rooted in a century of tradition.

Two-year-old Rosalie Abella took a photo with her parents in Germany, where they lived before moving to Canada. (Rosalie Abella)

She acknowledged that Canada does not always respond quickly to the needs of marginalized groups. Abella said the country paid little attention to the problems faced by indigenous communities in the 1970s, although the courts have since become more sensitive.

[The court] We should be aware of the world we live in and keep pace with the times. When someone brings a case to us, it feels like the right place to make a change, she said.

So we dont always do this. But we do this with indigenous rights, she said.

We have done what we have done in every field of rights, and I am proud of that.

Abella will be replaced in court by another Ontario judge, Justice Mahmoud Jamal. Earlier this week, he was nominated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Jamal will also make history as the first person of color to join the countrys Supreme Court.
San Diego-This is the first time that June Festival has been celebrated as a federal holiday. San Diego has organized events throughout the city to commemorate this day.

Singing, praise, and unity erupted in Logan Heights to commemorate the last group of enslaved African Americans learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865.

I enjoy it, just being surrounded by people who look like you, Avia Bateman said.

Although many people say that June Day is finally recognized as a federal holiday as a liberation, they say that schools need more education about African American history.

At least from my experience, I havent learned much, so I hope to see it implemented, Bateman said.

Some people use activity days as an opportunity to start educating their children.

Imhotep Mustacim said: The more he advances, the greater the power he has, the first to understand ourselves, to understand our identity as a nation, and some of the things we have experienced and dealt with as the people of this country.

Change and progress is a slow thing, which is unfortunate, but as long as you keep going, this is the main thing, he said.
46-year-old Jurgen Conings (Jurgen Conings) is included on the anti-terrorism watch list, has threatened several people, hoarding heavy weapons.

The Belgian police claimed that the body of a fugitive far-right soldier was Big manhunt It seems to have been found.

According to the preliminary results of the investigation, it is Jurgen Conings, the police said in a statement on Sunday.

According to preliminary findings, the cause of death may have been a shooting, it added, but this will be confirmed in the future.

On May 17, after the disappearance of Conings on the counter-terrorism watch list, hundreds of security forces searched a large area in northeastern Belgium. He threatened several people and stockpiled heavy weapons.

Before disappearing, Cornings concealed anti-tank missile launchers and other heavy weapons in the barracks. The 46-year-old man served as a professional shooter for 30 years before he started making threats and racist comments on Facebook. He was disciplined, but he was still allowed to use weapons.

People found the body while walking in the woods near the town of Dilson-Stockham.

During my mountain bike tour this morning, in a place where few people came, I smelled a strong smell of dead bodies, Johan Tollenaere of Maaseik, an eastern town, told VRT News. I immediately thought of Jurgen Conings and notified the police. They found the body, he said.

After the action film starring Sylvester Stallone in the 1980s, the raid dominated the headlines of newspapers in the country, and some people referred to Corning as Belgian Rambo.

The 46-year-old was a professional shooter before he started making threats and racist comments on Facebook [File: Belgian Federal Police/AP]

Among those threatened by Cornings is the famous virologist Marc Van Ranst, who became a conspiracy theorist, COVID skeptic, and the target of the Flemish far-right in Belgium during the coronavirus crisis .

Since Cornings is still at large, Van Lanster and his family have been moved to a secret location.

My thoughts are with the relatives and children of Jurgen Conings. For them, this is very sad news because they have lost their father, relative or friend, Van Lanster wrote on Twitter.

This incident embarrassed the government because it was later revealed that Cornings was placed on the watch list for his far-right views and could use weapons.

He also gained support online, and Facebook closed a support page for Conings, which attracted 45,000 members in just a few days.

The Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder condemned the online support for fugitives-especially from within the Belgian Armed Forces.
The Jungle Aircraft Monument in Thompson, Isle of Man, is intended to pay tribute to aviation in the north It also sent a painful reminder to the boarding school survivors who were airlifted from the community to the school.

They just loaded us on the plane and thats it. We have no choice at all, said Rene Job, a 76-year-old boarding school survivor from Caribou Lake in Southend, Sask.

A few years ago, Job and his daughter went to a meeting in the northern city of Manitoba.

While exploring the city, they came across a monument on which there was a Norseman seaplane from 1946, which was repaired by volunteers and placed there in 2008 by members of the Spirit Way trail to fly northward. Tribute to the pioneers.

Job realized that on his way to Guy Hill Indian Boarding School in Mann Pass, the plane was used to transport him from Southend to Flynn Furlong, Man.

He said: Many children are vying to get on the plane.

They just put them on the plane and take off from there. From there weep to Flynn Furlong.

Job was about eight years old when he was sent on a plane and sent to a boarding school for the first time.

From 1953 to 1957, he spent four years in Guy Hill. He said: What happened to us is not very good.

Rene Jobb was taken away from his family on such a plane. When he visited Thompson in 2018, it brought painful memories. (Rachel Messester)

When he saw the plane in Thompson, he said it brought many painful memories.

Im standing next to that plane, [and thought] Boy, there must be a lot of tears in the plane, Job said.

Jobs daughter, Rachel Merasty, said he has been educating her family about his experience in boarding school since they grew up to understand what happened.

Seeing the actual plane he entered, it brought it into reality, she said.

This is a big blow to me.

Remind the history of the North

The monument is located on the main entrance road into the city, which is inevitable for many aborigines from surrounding communities.

Andrina Dumass mother was taken by a jungle plane to Guy Hill boarding school, and she thinks it should be removed.

Its on it, and everyone knows its purpose, which makes me very angry, Dumas said.

I think it should be dismantled and moved to other places, such as a seaplane base that may be in the same area. This is what it should represent.

A plaque was set up at the monument in 2019 to explain the role of the jungle plane in the boarding school, and it has now become a gathering place for survivors of Thompsons boarding school. (Shiyana Lynx Leg/MKO)

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation elder Marie Ballantyne said this is a common view.

This is part of Thompsons own history. Many boarding school survivors have had a difficult time. [seeing it], she says.

I have talked to many people who really want to see the plane crash. But that is part of the history of this area.

Manitoba Keewatinook Okimakinak, representing the Northern Aboriginal Chief and Thompson City Aboriginal Strategy, placed a plaque near the plane in 2019 to commemorate the role of the plane in transporting children to boarding schools.It was used as a meeting place after it was announced at the end of last month that a ground penetrating radar survey showed that potential students were still staying on the premises of a former boarding school in Kamloops, British Columbia

On June 4th, Keewatinook Okimakinak, Manitoba, organized a memorial at the memorial for the families affected by this tragic discovery who had a tragic experience at a former boarding school in Kamloops, British Columbia Discovery. People in Thompson took turns to the scene to provide tobacco contacts. (Shiyana Lynx Leg/MKO)

Ballantine, who has lived in Thompson since the late 1970s, said she felt she should stay as a reminder of northern history.

That planeit dates back to when Thompson first established himself, Ballantyne said.

That plaque is influential because it is a place where many survivors goit brings you back to the age of boarding school far from home and unable to go home.

Job said that although it brings memories, he hopes to visit Thompsons plane again in the future.
The representative of the United Nations in Sri Lanka stated that the sunken ship released harmful substances into the ecosystem and caused major damage.

The representative of the United Nations in Sri Lanka stated that a container ship that caught fire while transporting chemicals along the coast of the capital sank, releasing dangerous substances into the ecosystem and causing major damage to the planet.

The MV X-Press Pearl flying the Singaporean flag sinks in Colombo every Thursday After fire, Triggering concerns about possible environmental disasters.

The United Nations said it is coordinating international efforts and helping Sri Lanka assess losses, restore work and prevent such disasters in the future.

The UN Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Hana Singh-Hamdi, said in a statement Saturday night: An environmental emergency of this nature will release harmful substances into the ecosystem, causing significant damage to the planet. In turn, it threatens the lives and livelihoods of people in coastal areas.

A United Nations team composed of oil spill and chemical experts provided by the European Union has been sent to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has submitted a temporary claim of US$40 million to X-Press Feeders, the ships operating company, to cover part of the firefighting costs. break out On May 20, the ship berthed about 9.5 nautical miles (18 kilometers) northwest of Colombo, waiting to enter the port.

Environmentalists sued the government and X-Press Feeders for allegedly failing to prevent Sri Lankas worst marine environmental disaster, and the Sri Lankan police have launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

Last week, experts recovered Data logger from the ship in fire.

The Sri Lankan Navy believed that the fire was caused by its chemical cargo, which included more than 22 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals, most of which were destroyed in the fire. But debris, including burning glass fibers and tons of plastic particles, has polluted nearby beaches.

Tons of microplastic particles flooded the famous beach of Negombo, a famous tourist destination in South Asia, forcing people to ban fishing and raising concerns about ecological damage.

Local media reported that since the ship caught fire on May 20, more than 50 turtles and 8 dolphins have been found dead across the island. The countrys top environmental official, Anil Jasinghe, linked the death to X-Press Pearl on Thursday, but said he was still waiting for the final autopsy report.

A list of ships seen by the Associated Press stated that the ship contained less than 1,500 containers, of which 81 were described as dangerous cargo.

The main problem is that about 300 tons of marine fuel oil are used as marine fuel. But officials have always said it might be burned in the fire.

Both the Sri Lankan authorities and the ships operator stated that so far there are no signs of oil spills.

The Sri Lankan Navy believes that the fire was caused by its chemical cargo, which included more than 22 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals [File: Sri Lanka Navy/AP]
House prices in Canada are stratosphere The two companies are providing Canadians with a way to participate in the action.

It is called partial ownership, and it allows individuals to purchase shares in an independent house, apartment building, or industrial park.

Vancouver-based startups Addy and Toronto-based BuyProperly are part of the emerging financial technology and real estate technology industries that are using technology to disrupt the financial and real estate industries.

Devine Review Associate Professor of Real Estate at the Schulich School of Business at York University said that the industry the time is ripe for disruption because we have been operating in the same way for a long time.

She believes that fractional ownership may be very attractive to Gen Z and young millennials.

Experts say that the concept of partial ownership opens up a new way to participate in real estate by reducing costs-but there are also potential problems.

How does it work?

The sales promotion of partial ownership is that even if you dont have a down payment for the house or cant fund the shopping mall, you can register and pay for your investment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) with just a few clicks, and you can become part of the property By.

Eddie with Buy correctly The essence is to attract investors online to crowdfund the purchase of real estate.

The focus of BuyProperly is to sell shares in rental housing in Ontario. Addy handles properties valued at USD 5-50 million, such as apartment buildings and industrial parks, and currently has investments in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Mike Stephenson is the CEO of Addy, a real estate investment company based in Vancouver. He said that partial ownership is for Canadians who want to own real estate but cannot buy it themselves. (Ben Nilms/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Both offer a small amount of investment property inventory on their websites and said they are looking for more.

in Australia , India with we , The company offers different partial ownership optionsfor example, a U.S. company sells farmland .

Addy and BuyProperly stated that they obtained regulatory approval to sell the investment and claimed that the transaction could be completed in less than 10 minutes.

Is it joint ownership or REIT?

The partial ownership model offered by these companies is not like co-ownership of houses or buildings because investors do not own or use the property. In addition, the number of shares sold in some investments tends to be much higher.

It is also different from a real estate investment trust (REIT) in that instead of investing in the stocks of a listed company with a large amount of income-generating properties, you invest in a single property.

How much does it cost and how much can I invest?

Every company has a different way of participating.

With Addy, the basic membership fee is $25 per year, and you can buy shares in real estate for as little as $1. The company sets the maximum amount that any single investor can invest in a single property at US$1,500.

We are not built for the rich, we are built for 99% of Canadians who want to own some real estate, said Mike Stephenson, CEO and co-founder of Addy. The company currently has 16,000 members, but not all of them have invested.

In BuyProperly, the minimum investment is US$2,500.

Khushboo Jha, CEO and founder of BuyProperly, said: This is where we realize a sweet spot. The amount of investment is not trivial, it will not affect someone, and it will not be so high that you cant do it. 

The company does not sell memberships. Investors share the one-time purchase costs (such as house inspection and legal fees) and charge recurring fees for property maintenance and management. BuyProperly also charges them an annual fee of 2.5%, plus taxes and GST/HST on the investment amount.

Khushboo Jha is the CEO and founder of BuyProperly, a company headquartered in Toronto that provides people with the opportunity to buy shares in rental housing as an investment. Jha stands in front of a $2.2 million rental house in Mississauga, Ontario, which is jointly owned by the investor and her company. (Keith Whelan/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

So far, the company has 300 investors, and no one investor can own more than 50% of the houses. Jha said that most of their investors want to spread their funds across multiple properties.

How do you make money?

For each company, there are two main ways investors make money.

First, they get a certain percentage of rental income relative to investment.

Then, when the property is sold, the appreciation will be returned to the investors and they will also get back the principal of the investment. BuyProperly also allows investors to sell their shares to another investor in advance if they want to exit the property before the company sells.

Jamie Smith, a 35-year-old renter in Vancouver, invested in Addy because she felt the prices in her city were too high.

If you want park benches here, I dont know if we can afford them, she said.

She and her partner recently invested a total of $1,500 in two Addy properties, and they plan to do more.

She found it beneficial to choose the building I want to invest in and added that for people who dont have much to invest in, partial ownership is a good choice.

It feels like a very capable process, Smith said, and he found that trying to buy a place to live was just the opposite.

Dangers and disadvantages

In fact, real estate in many parts of Canada seems to have only appreciated in value, but this does not mean that partial ownership is risk-free.

When the situation is good, it will be beneficial to you. But when the situation is bad, there will be risks involved, said Lale Samalbach , Associate Professor of Finance, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University.

Laleh Samarbakhsh of Torontos Ted Rogers School of Management pointed out that properties owned by a group of scattered investors could depreciate like any other property. (Samnar/CBC)

She pointed out that real estate owned by a group of scattered investors could depreciate like any other real estate. She also said that real estate is not always easy to liquidate, which may force owners to wait for a return or accept less money when they need to sell.

She said that one concern for the entire real estate industry is that as partial ownership brings more people, prices may become more inflated.

Samarbakhsh acknowledged that fractional ownership can be exciting and attractive, but warned that investment decisions should not be based on the fear of being left behind.

You have to be very careful, she said.
JOAN Collins is an icon in the British television industry-lighting the screen for more than 50 years.

The 88-year-old actress played the leading role in the 1980s soap opera Dynasty, which will soon return to season 5.

2 Joan Collins as Alexis Colby, the ex-wife of oil tycoon Blake Carrington Credit: Alami

The original dynasty ran from 1981 to 1989, and the show was filmed at Warners Hollywood Studios California.

It tells the life of the Carrington family, a wealthy family living in Denver, Colorado.

Who does Joan Collins play in the dynasty?

Joan Collins (Joan Collins) joined the second season of the show in 1981.

She plays Alexis Scolby, the ex-wife of oil tycoon Blake Carrington.

Who is Alexis Scolby?

Most of the content of the show follows Alexis trying to destroy her ex-husband Black and destroy his marriage to Crystal.

In the entire series, she was widowed twice, first Cecil, then her fourth husband, Sean.

She was ranked 7th in the TV Guides 2013 60 Worst TV Villains of All Time list-Rolling Stone magazine ranked her 27th in the 40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time in 2016.

2 Joan started acting in the 1960s Credit: Rex Features

What does Joan Collins have to say about this role?

Joan tells about her experience on the show in the episode of Piers Morgans Life Story of ITV.

The actress claimed that her partner John Forsyth (playing Blake Carrington) had a much higher salary because he was a man.

She told the show: He got more $25 or $30,000.

His contract also stipulates that he must pay $5,000 more per episode than any other person in the cast, and he must always be at the forefront and center of any publicity about the show.

They hate women so much that they allow this to happen.

Next Wayne Linekers 22-year-old daughter announces her pregnancy makes Molly-Mae scream I run for my life Shirley Hewson exposes the terrible sexual assault by a famous film director Special dad Fathers Day post by David Beckham, Pierce and Holly celebrate with their kids I miss you Ashley Cain cannot fix when she is sad for her daughter on Fathers Day Movie preparation Brendan Fraser reveals the transformation of the body before playing the 600-pound hermit in the movie Fed up with fiancee Gemma Atkinson told her fiance leave her alone after she had had enough

Who else played in the Tang Dynasty?

John Forsyth played the role of Blake Carrington, although he is now played by Grant Show.

At the same time, Elizabeth Gillies played Fallon Carrington in the fourth season of the show.

Rafael de la Fuente plays Sam Flores and Robert Christopher Riley plays Michael Culhane.
For a state that was the first to adopt medical marijuana and relatively early to adopt recreational marijuana (marijuana is only defined here as marijuana and not marijuana), California is the worst in the league in terms of sensible cannabis-derived CBD policies One of the states. Therefore, in legislation aimed at legalizing CBD, absolutely no one would be surprised (AB-45 with SB-235), the state is now about to launch delta-8 THC.

Before explaining what the fate of delta-8 might be, I will provide a short CliffsNotes on how bad Californias handling of CBD is:

2018: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) published a FAQ on its website in July 2018, deeming that the intake of CBD is illegal (check my analysis of these FAQs) Here). In the following years (according to the analysis of the bill attached to AB-45, CDPH issued 13 violation notices, 7 voluntary condemnation and destruction supervision letters, and 9 embargoes-all of which did not enact real regulations! Places! Departmental public health departments are also actively involved in law enforcement.

2019: California tried to pass AB-228 but failed, which would legalize CBD.

2020: California tried to pass but failed AB-2827 with AB-2028 Both of these goals are to legalize CBD.

2021: AB-45 and SB-235 both pass the California State Assembly and Senate, respectively.I have summarized these bills Here with Here.

The second link above describes in detail the provisions of these bills aimed at banning any kind of smokable cannabis products. I think these bills are out of reach. This is partly due to the huge industry backlash facing the marijuana ban and severely shrinking the cannabis market grown in the state, partly due to general political reasons and opposition from the cannabis industry and elsewhere.

However, another feature of these two bills does not seem to have been extensively analyzed before, and it involves delta-8 (and delta-10) THC.If the bill is passed in its current form, it could mean the end of delta-8 Another jurisdiction.

Many people dont understand the difference between different forms of THC, so I will make a brief summary. Delta-9 THC is the main intoxicating cannabinoid found in marijuana (here again called marijuana in California, although marijuana also technically includes marijuana). Delta-8 and delta-10 are also cannabinoids found in hemp and marijuana, but they are usually expressed naturally in very low amounts.

Delta-8 especially recently took off nationwide. Like delta-9, it is intoxicating, but to a lesser degree. Because it is usually not found in large amounts in hemp, it is usually obtained by converting hemp CBD through a chemical process. This means that California has a huge market for hemp biomass that can be used to make delta-8.

The problem is that the proposed bill will define THC to include delta-8, -9, and -10. The problem is that hemp product manufacturers need to prove that the THC content of the original extract they use does not exceed 0.3%. Although there are definitely some ambiguities here, they are likely to be resolved in the final draft or regulations.Our prediction result is very likely that hemp products will not contain more than 0.3% any A type of THC, including delta-8. This will make the market for such products very small or non-existent.

The greater challenge based on this new definition is that it modifies the standard Total THC Tests to include all forms of THC. Recall that the state and federal governments require checking THC to determine if cannabis contains 0.3% or more THC plus Converted THC acid (THCA) will be converted when heated. There are different ways to do this, but the end result is that if there is a certain amount of THCA, cannabis containing 0.29% THC may exceed the legal threshold. THC is now defined as including all forms of THC, which may be more difficult to satisfy the test in some cases (even though delta-8 and -10 are usually expressed in very, very small quantities).

Like I said above, I think these bills are out of reach. But it will be interesting to see if they are passed in their current form and state and local regulators decide how to handle this situation. For more updates, please continue to follow the Mina Law Blog.
LAFAYETTE, LA (KADN)- Juneteenth, which recognizes June 19, 1865, has been officially recognized as a state and parish holiday. Juneteenth is the day the last African Americans were freed from slavery.

Its been over 25 years in the making to get Juneteenth recognized as an official holiday in Lafayette parish. Susannah Johnson-Malbreaux, one of the first organizers of Juneteenth events in the parish, says that now the real work can begin.

Photo courtesy of MGN Photo courtesy of MGN

Juneteenth is a recognition of freedom, not our freedom and I think a lot of people here really dont understand what that means, Malbreaux said.

She said now that Juneteenth is recognized as a parish holiday, more people can learn why it is important to the African American community.

We have to free people, their mind, their body, their soul, and we do that by educating, educating people on what black history is, she said.

Abram Freeman, the vice president of the Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Juneteenth Committee, said that he has been advocating for black history to be taught in Acadiana for 14 years,

This celebration has been going on for 165 years and you mean to tell me most Americans don't know about it, Freeman said.

The vice president believes that more people would know about Juneteenth if it was taught in schools.

Telling the truth about America, feeling the hurt, feeling the pain, and going through the process of healing, he said.

Freeman said that although there is more work to be done, Juneteenth becoming an official holiday is a step in the right direction.

I think that throughout history, the greatest changes that have ever made came in incremental steps. Honestly, I believe that we do better together and we do horrible apart, he said.

The Southwest Louisiana Juneteenth Committee held their last Juneteenth event for the day at the Mouton statue in Downtown Lafayette.
Netflix's "So Not Worth It," starring Park Se Wan, Shin Hyun Seung, GOT7's Youngjae, (G)I-DLE's Minnie, and more, wowed the audience with its fresh new take in K-sitcoms.

Helmed by Kwon Ik Joon and Kim Jung Shik, who have directed iconic sitcoms alongside screenwriters Seo Eun Jung, Baek Ji Hyun, the 12-episode sitcom made its much-awaited debut last June 18.

It follows a unique story of a group of friends with multicultural backgrounds and personalities as they lived in Daehan International University Dormitory.

Meet the "So Not Worth It" Cast

"So Not Worth It" episode 1 introduces the cast of Netflix's K-sitcom, which consists of the country's young rising stars.

Se Wan (Park Se Wan)

Se Wan is the International Dormitory's resident advisor who is always looking for potential money-making opportunities. Aside from her job as the R.A, Se Wan is also a full-time senior business student. At the same time, she also works multiple part-time jobs to support her studies and her family.

Jamie Houston (Shin Hyun Seung)

He is a timid American freshman student who majors in multidisciplinary studies. Despite being shy around people, Jamie is considered as the campus crush due to his mysterious personality. In addition, he is also the son of Hollywood star Barbara Houston but wanted to keep things under the radar.

Sam (GOT7's Youngjae)

The Korean-Australian student grew up in a wealthy family and the son of tteokbokki global food chain CEO. Sam is known for being the youngest of the group and the life of the party

Minnie ((G)I-DLE's Minnie)

Minnie is a Thai sophomore student who loves K-culture, especially K-dramas. She is considered as the resident fashionista of the group and likes to go clubbing.

Hyun Min (Han Hyun Min)

He is a Korean sophomore who majors in agriculture. Out of all the students, he is the one who doesn't live in the dorm and spends five hours commuting to Seoul. This is the reason why he wanted to live in the dormitory, even though this means staying illegally.

Hans (Joakim Sorensen)

Hans is a Swedish grad student who majors in business administration. He is known as someone who strictly lived by rules and gets obsessed with social issues.

Carson (Carson Allen)

Carson is a senior architecture student, who grew up in Chicago, U.S.A, and moved to Korea to study. She is the toughest among the group and considered as the granny of the bunch due to her straightforward personality.

Terris (Terris Brown)

Hyun Min's best pal, Terris, is a Trinbagonian grad student who has a know it all attitude.

"Sot Not Worth It" Spoilers

The newest K-sitcom illustrates the chaotic yet adventurous lives of five multicultural students who all live in the same dormitory.

"Sot Not Worth It" features the unlikely friendship that turned into a budding romance between Se Wan and Jamie.

On the other hand, Minnie has a huge crush on Jamie and thinks that Se Wan is dating him; however, after being cast as a trainee, Minnie gets banned from dating, and she eventually gives up her feelings for the heartthrob.

Meanwhile, Sam is jealous that Minnie gets scouted instead of him. With this, he creates a lie and tells everyone he refuses to be a trainee.

Fans Lauded GOT7's Youngjae and (G)I-DLE's Minnie for Their First Lead Role

As "So Not Worth It" made its debut on Netflix, fans praised GOT7's Youngjae and (G)I-DLE's Minnie for their acting debut.

To recall, this is the first time that the two K-Pop stars landed a lead role in a series, and it appears that they nailed being in the sitcom.

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Geca Wills
According to Black Alliance and Social Empowerment, or BASE, today was the fist ever Southern Oregon Juneteenth celebration.

Representatives believe there was a celebration in the past, but nothing on this scale. The event featured live music, food, and opportunities to learn about the history of the day.

Black businesses traveled from all over the state to participate today, with some coming as far as Portland. One Black owner said it brought tears to her eyes thinking about Juneteenth finally being recognized as a federal holiday and that she feels honored to be an African American.

BASE hopes the Juneteenth Celebration will be a centerpiece of the organization moving forward.

To learn more about BASE, you can visit their website at www.baseoregon.org.
The last person who asked me that is still missing.

If you need me, I'll be underwater.

It's a dry heat.

You call this hot? Bring it on.

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Remodeling, rail access

As part of its repurposing of the building, Balcan plans to demolish components it doesnt need, while also creating new machine pads for modern equipment.

Four loading docks will be added to the northwest corner of the building, and two small buildings that connect the main one to the existing tower on the south end of the property will be constructed.

In addition, the mixing tower will be modified to allow for new silo tanks, and a rail spur from the Union Pacific Railway that will feed the plant with raw material will be proposed.

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Having an existing tower and access to the railway were two key components in the companys decision to come here, Lister said.

The rail access is critical, he said. Its a huge economic driver of our cost. ... This is a unique facility. ... That big, tall tower, we were going to have to build that somewhere else. It saved us, and in this environment, where building materials costs are going up so rapidly, finding someone to build a (new) building like that was really detrimental to our timeline.

A quick glance down just about any aisle in a home improvement store will show what Balcan produces, Lister said.
As part of a strategic planning exercise in 2009, KABA worked with TIP Strategies to identify cities of similar size and commuting distance to a major metropolitan area  places like Allentown, Pennsylvania, for instance. The intent was to create context and better understand how the community was performing relative to an applicable peer group. We may want to update the set and add some aspirational cities, such as Rochester, Minnesota.

The point is not that we want to be any of those cities, but instead that we make sure our community prospers as well or better than many of them. Measures to consider would include per capita income, median household income, and poverty rates, among others. If it turns out we are not prospering as well as they are, we can begin to understand if there are initiatives we should consider.

The Kenosha area is seeing substantial growth in economic activity, and our local leaders have plans for more. All that tells me that we have the wherewithal, through the city, the county, and economic development partners, to improve our economy and the lives of our residents. We can build on the strength of our location, develop our unique assets, and implement strategies that have worked in similar places, all at the same time.
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The desire for human connection is so irrevocably and putatively a tenet of the human condition. The relationships we form with one another are quintessential in adding value to our lives and in fostering loving bonds. And the way we express this connection with one another could be through a multitude of means, whether it is quality time or physical touch.

Moreover, to form human connections is what elevates the work of a physician from solely a job into a profession. The ability for physicians to laugh and cry with our patients, to share in their highs and lows, to hold out our hands to them, to listen to their life story  it is a privilege. These acts build the trust and confidence our patients have in us, supplements how we care for them, and shapes the long-lasting rapport we develop with them. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the way we interact with our patients. From telemedicine to mask-wearing, the way we engage in communication with our patients has changed.

But more than that, the way the COVID-19 pandemic has severed our patients personal support network whilst receiving treatment and medical care has been onerous. Ranging from hospital visitor restrictions and physical distancing guidelines, the pandemic has made it harder for patients to have the support they need in both the hospital and clinic setting. Many times, patients are left alone, without their loved ones by their side. They are left feeling isolated in the medical setting, at a time when it is ever so much more needed.

I have witnessed this issue countless times during the pandemic- from a granddaughter not being able to accompany her grandmother to her doctors appointment, being asked to wait outside the building; from a wife not being able to be in the ICU to kiss her husband goodbye before the medical team intubating him because his COVID-19 pneumonia was worsening, instead being made aware of the update over the phone; to the son who cant bring a home-cooked meal for his dad, who is currently hospitalized.

Additionally, the pandemic has made it especially hard for patients receiving cancer treatment. From deferring preventative cancer screenings to delayed detections of cancer diagnoses and adjustments in treatment protocols, COVID-19 restrictions have effectively altered all facets of how cancer patients are cared for. And most importantly, like many other specialties, patient support has been compromised. From what Ive seen at my hospital, patients cant have their loved ones with them during their regular outpatient chemotherapy infusions and no visitors are allowed when a patient is admitted for treatment.

I vividly remember a patient I was caring for on the cancer wards service during the peak months of the pandemic. The patient was just diagnosed with gastric cancer within the last month and was being admitted to start neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FLOT (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel). As I was talking to the patient in her room before starting chemotherapy, asking how she felt and if she had any questions, I noticed that she was quiet and terse. She kept looking down at her fingers and twiddling her thumbs. I asked her if anything was wrong.

There was a pause and then she looked up. She told me she was scared. She thought her family would be able to be here with her during her first cycle, but because of the new policy, they could not come into the hospital. She confessed that she considered postponing her admission until the restriction was lifted. To have to face such an ordeal alone was so distressing. After that, she looked down at her hands again.

Im so sorry about all this was what I told her. I told her that I couldnt imagine how hard this must be and that it was unfair her family couldnt be here. I told her that if we had it any other way, her family would be here with her right now. And thus, I promised her that I would do all I could to make this process as seamless as I can for her. I would try to find her a tablet that the hospital started loaning out during the beginning of the pandemic so that patients can video conference with their loved ones. I told her that if her family members called to the unit, I would let her know and try to connect them to her room. Even if the physical touch was impossible, I would make sure she still had the comfort and support of her family members by her side through their voices and their faces.

She breathed a sigh of relief, raised her head, and our eyes met again as she said, alright.

Aside from the medicine and science, social relationships are inextricably intertwined in patient care. The rapport we foster with our patients is as important as the personal connections our patients have with their loved ones. It impacts the way they approach their illness and their treatments. It affects the confidence they have in fighting their ailments, such is the case in cancer care. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the ability for patients to have their loved ones alongside them during their medical journey. And so, the medical community has to work with ingenuity to attenuate this issue to improve our patients lives and livelihoods.

Nghia Pham is a family medicine physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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When Elvis Presley rolled up his sleeve and received the polio vaccine backstage at The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, most Americans knew about it. At the time, the only stars hotter than rock n roll itself were Presley, the genres de facto king, and Sullivan, the host who brought its biggest headliners to the American people.

By 1957, polio incidence dropped by 85 to 90 percent because people lined up in droves to get vaccinated. We dont know how Elviss display affected vaccine acceptance, but we do know that celebrity endorsements are an advertising mainstay for a reasonAmerican businesses havent spent untold millions on them for decades without expectation of return.

Despite this, we cant expect the same old strategies to work in the modern world. No celebrity has Elviss star power today because the relative monoculture that underpinned his success has been fractured into countless niches. Our modern age is one of infinite choice, where we all have role models, YouTube channels, Netflix documentaries, or news platforms that speak directly to our interests and guide our decisionsfor better or worse.

Across American health care, its time to embrace and adapt to this niche world. That means its time to abandon one-size-fits-all care, which ignores the fact that our country is a multicultural one, leaving us ill-equipped to deal with public health crises such as the coronavirus pandemic.

There may no longer be one person, like Elvis, who most people in the U.S. admire. But everyone in the U.S. still admires someone. For many of the older male patients, we served together at the Veterans Administration in the early 2000s, that someone was any male physician on staff. So when can I talk to the doctor? theyd wonder after Dr. Nayyar finished speaking. Little did they know, Dr. Nayyar, a female resident physician, was there to train Dr. Bakhru, a male medical student.

Beneath this clear and problematic stereotyping lies a human desire to see and be seen by people we understand, and who understand us and our culture. Its difficult for mainstream celebrities to accomplish this broadly. But the health care system can make it happen.

When we address peoples desire for cultural validation, we improve trust and engagement with the health care system. When we ignore it, we leave underserved groups behind.

In Los Angeles, for example, we know that Black men can achieve substantial reductions in blood pressure when interventions are administered at their barbershops. On the other hand, weve seen that placing uniformed guards outside vaccination centers may make some folks feel safer, but it deters Latinx individuals, even if signage claims immigration status doesnt affect COVID-19 vaccine eligibility.

In some cases, what we assumed was vaccine hesitancy was actually a lack of cultural awareness. In April, many Muslim individuals were hesitant to receive vaccines while fasting for Ramadan, which requires refraining from anything entering the body cavities. Does that include COVID-19 vaccines, many wondered? Concerns were assuaged when Muslim scholarsnot clinicians, politicians, or punditsadvised that it does not.

Many also mistook poor access to vaccines in Black communities for vaccine hesitancy. That puts the blame on individuals and communities as opposed to actually planning for action and equity, Sharelle Barber, a social epidemiologist at Drexel University, told NPR. When community leaders made COVID-19 vaccines available locally in Black churches and walk-in clinics, presumed hesitancy dropped.

Despite all the evidence that culturally relevant care matters, the American health care system still hasnt sufficiently woven it into the standard of care. But we can see in the examples above that something powerful is happening in the void: Our communities are banding together to meet the underserved.

Health care leaders with intimate knowledge of their communities concerns and challengesnot mainstream influencers and celebritiesare finding simple, culturally relevant solutions to vaccine hesitancy. Some are exposing hesitancy as poor access to care. And most importantly, theyre helping people overcome those challenges with boots-on-the-ground rallying efforts, as in the case of one Texas teen who booked more than 600 vaccine appointments for members of her community with low tech literacy.

Health care can reach further into our communities when we understand their unique challenges and enlist local leaders to help solve them. Its time to double down on efforts like this. Because, in a niche, multicultural world, empowering culturally relevant leaders moves the needle better than one-size-fits-all care ever could.

Lets embrace this fact now and deliver care accordingly. Doing so could mean the difference between overcoming the greatest public health crisis in generations or backsliding into a status quo health care system that ignores the needs of millions of Americans.

Vikram Bakhru and Geeta Nayyar are physician executives.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
NORTH BEND, Ore.-- Coos County officials announced that 30-year-old Oen Nicholson has turned himself in to authorities in Wisconsin.

RELATED: TRIPLE MURDER SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS 30-YEAR-OLD OEN NICHOLSON

Nicholson is believed to have murdered three people in North Bend on Friday.

Officials said more details would be given out in a press conference at 11 a.m.

This is a developing story. Stay with KEZI for the latest.
NORTH BEND, Ore.--- Community members in North Bend are sharing their thoughts following a triple murder on Friday.

RELATED: HIGHWAY 126 REOPENS AS MANHUNT CONTINUES FOR SUSPECT IN THREE HOMICIDES

Multiple sources told KEZI 47-year-old Coos Bay resident Jennifer Davidson worked at the Herbal Choices Marijuana Dispensary in North Bend where her body was found.

Herbal Choices released a post on their Instagram page saying their lost a beautiful soul.

A GoFundMe was organized by a close family friend which states that Davidson had one son who just graduated high school. They've since exceed their $4,000 goal.

MORE: TWO MURDER VICTIMS IDENTIFIED, MANHUNT CONTINUES



"My heart goes out to them, the people at the Mill Casino and to Jennifer," said North Bend resident Brian Schaefer.

Schaefer said Davidson was a loving and caring woman.

"It breaks my heart," Schaefer said.

Police identified one of the two remaining murder victims as 74-year-old Florida Resident Anthony Oyster. His wife, Linda was critically injured. She remains at RiverBend hospital in Springfield. The were both struck during a hit-and-run incident at the Mills Casino RV park.

The third murder victim, who was also found at the RV park has not been identified yet.

Stay with KEZI for the latest.
NORTH BEND, Ore.--- Officials said 30-year-old Oen Nicholson is facing multiple charges including 6 counts of first degree murder, one count of second degree attempted murder, one count of first degree assault and two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons.

They said this does not mean there are 6 murdered victims but he is facing these charges due to the legal reasons behind how he allegedly murdered the victims.

RELATED: NORTH BEND MURDER SUSPECT TURNS HIMSELF IN TO WISCONSIN AUTHORITIES

Officials said Nicholson turned himself into authorities in Milwaukee, Wisconsin around 6 a.m. Sunday morning. There was no incident or trouble taking him into custody, according to officials.

They believe Nicholson drove from Lane County to Wisconsin.

Security on the arrest warrant was set at $7 million.

Nicholson will be making a court appearance in Wisconsin within the next couple of days, officials said.

The extradition process will then begin. Nicholson can waive extradition and return to Oregon, which officials said would be a quick process. He does have the right to contest extradition. Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier said officials anticipate Nicholson will be transported back to Oregon but don't know when that will be.

MORE: TWO MURDER VICTIMS IDENTIFIED, MANHUNT CONTINUES

Officials also said 73-year-old Linda Oyster remains in critical condition at RiverBend Hospital.

They believe one other victim, 83-year-old Charles Nicholson, is the father of the suspect.

Several agencies assisted in this case including Coos County Sheriff's Office, North Bend Police, Coos Bay Police, Coquille Tribal Police, Oregon State Police and Salem Police.

There are potential connections to the case of a Springfield woman who was located Sunday morning, officials said.

They are referring any questions about this connection to Lane County authorities.

MORE: MISSING SPRINGFIELD WOMAN FOUND SAFE, POLICE SAY

This comes after police confirmed 34-year-old Laura Johnson was found safe in Wisconsin.

Officials said she was last seen exiting her place of employment in Springfield on June 18 at around 12:30 p.m.

They said she walked to her vehicle, left for her lunch break and then never returned back.

Stay with KEZI for the latest.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Springfield Police said on Sunday that missing woman Laura Johnson, 34, was kidnapped by the North Bend murder suspect Oen Nicholson, 30, and forced to drive to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

RELATED: NORTH BEND MURDER SUSPECT TURNS HIMSELF IN TO WISCONSIN AUTHORITIES



Officials said Nicholson forced Johnson to drive him north.

Dennis Johnson is Laura Johnson's father and described what took place when his daughter was allegedly kidnapped.

"He approached her in her vehicle with a gun," Dennis Johnson said. "They said she was forced to drive 33 hours to where they're at. She was able to talk him into turning himself in."

Dennis Johnson said his daughter works at Cabela's in Springfield. She was on her lunch break -- sitting in her car and texting her boyfriend -- when Nicholson approached her at gunpoint. This is when Laura reportedly lost comunication with her family.

By 11 p.m. on Friday and no one had seen or heard from Laura.

According to Dennis Johnson, the lack of communication was out of character for Laura. He said he called Cabela's and they told him she never returned from lunch.

On Saturday, Springfield Police asked for the public's help in searching for Laura.

At 6 a.m. on Sunday, Dennis recieved a call from the Milwaukee Police Department that Laura was safe.

Dennis said her car will remain in Milwaukee for further investigation.

Dennis said it is a happy ending for their family on Father's Day and he feels blessed. "Me and my wife both feel amazing and what a Father's Day gift that was handed back to me," he said.

On Sunday night, Dennis shared a photo on his Facebook page showing Laura reunited with the family at the airport.

MORE: NORTH BEND MURDER SUSPECT IS FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES INCLUDING 6 COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER



Nicholson is facing multiple charges including six counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault and two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons.

Nicholson is being held in Wisconsin on fugitive warrants from Oregon, police said.

Officials said Nicholson will be returned to Oregon, but they don't know exactly when that will happen.
By Juliet Nalwooga

The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) has appealed to actors in the sector to supplement government efforts to treat the critically ill Covid-189 patients in hospitals.

In a statement, the foundations chairman Elly Karuhanga says the private sector players can help supply the much needed oxygen cylinders to save lives.

He notes that currently, enough oxygen is being produced in the country but there are not enough cylinders to cater for the increasing number of critically ill patients.

In his address last Friday, President Museveni noted that the number of critically ill Covid-19 patients have more than doubled, straining the available oxygen supply.

The number of Covid-19 infections, now stands at 70,176 with 626 deaths and 49,327 recoveries.

The current national daily oxygen consumption stands at 3,000 cylinders per day, with each carrying 6,800 litres.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called an emergency meeting with technocrats to discuss the governments plan to mobilize resources and distribute food to vulnerable Ugandans in urban areas.

During his address on Friday, the president directed the Prime Minister to undertake a food needs assessment for Ugandans in urban areas.
The Irish Farmers Association held a nationwide protest to highlight the importance of commercial farming to the rural economy.



The centre of Kilkenny City was one of the rallying points for Fridays protest, with 70 tractors and other vehicles travelling into the city from the Dublin Road. The cavalcade moved along John Street and turned right on to High Street and moved on to Parliament Street, from where the vehicles dispersed.



Jim Mulhall, Kilkenny IFA Chairman, said the local organisation were delighted with the huge turnout and the support from local people.



We were trying to highlight the importance of agriculture to the local economy, Mr Mulhall said. Kilkenny, in particular, is a very circular economy.

He thanked local gardai for their support to keep the whole thing moving.

Farmers also gathered in county towns across the country to warn against the damaging effects of the current CAP proposals and the Climate Action Bill.



The county towns that we visited on Friday rely heavily on our sector, said IFA President Tim Cullinan. Any reduction in activity in agriculture will hit them hard.
Over 10,000 free and subsidised higher education places have been announced under the Springboard+ 2021 and Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 1 initiatives.

The courses are available to people in Kilkenny, and will be delivered by institutions across the country.

Springboard+ provides free courses for people in Kilkenny and nationwide who are unemployed, people who have taken time out of work or education to raise their families or care for loved ones, or people who want to upskill. Now in its tenth year, over 75,000 people have benefitted from Springboard+ to date.

Courses under the HCI Pillar 1 programme are aimed at graduates and offer incentivised places for them to reskill in areas of skills shortage and emerging technologies. These are being run alongside, and complementary to, the Springboard+ offerings.

For those in employment, the Government will fund 90% of the cost of a Springboard+ or HCI Pillar 1 course. The programmes are managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, T.D. said, As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, we will need to ensure that people have the skills they need.

Springboard+ and the graduate conversion courses under the Human Capital Initiative provide a targeted response to skills needs, enabling people to upskill and reskill in areas of critical importance which have come to the fore as a result of Covid-19, including Cybersecurity, Virtual Reality, Health Innovation, and Logistics.

Programmes in Climate/Sustainability and Energy which are central to the Programme for Government are also being funded.

Dr. Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills and Engagement at the Higher Education Authority, said:

Springboard+ and HCI courses give people who are unemployed, those looking to return to work and people in employment a great opportunity to upskill or reskill  particularly in areas where there are skills shortages. We work closely with employers across the country to ensure that the courses that are on offer are in-line with industry needs and best practices.

We are delighted that this year, 90% of courses will be delivered in a flexible manner  which will allow more people to engage with the courses which may have been inaccessible to them before, because of work or family commitments, or because of where they live. This means people from Kilkenny can, effectively, participate in courses anywhere in Ireland  and vice versa.

Helpline  1800 303 523

Candidates who wish to participate in Springboard+ 2021 or HCI Pillar 1 courses will find full details on the approved courses on www.springboardcourses.ie. Applications, as well as a dedicated helpline for queries will open today, Wednesday, 16th June.

Experienced guidance counsellors will be available to advise potential Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 participants on their options on the freephone Springboard+ helpline: 1800 303 523. The helpline is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Dr. Patterson said: Were delighted to be able to offer this service to potential learners. Our team of guidance counsellors will provide comprehensive, impartial advice and guidance on Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 education options. It can feel daunting to return to education. A call to our helpline is a good first step if you are thinking of applying for a Springboard+ or HCI Pillar 1 course this summer.
Kilkenny-based software company Veri and the NoreVision project have reached the final of the National Training Awards.

The Irish Institute of Training and Development will host a live stream to announce the winners of the National Training Awards at the end of June.The purpose of the IITD National Training Awards is to promote excellence, best practice and innovation

in Training and Learning and Development.

Ann-Marie McSorley, founder and CEO of Veri, collaborated with four local development companies to deliver an ambitious biodiversity project called NoreVision and reached the final in the Best Not for Profit Collaboration category.

This recognition has been a validation for the stakeholders of Kilkenny Leader Partnership, Laois Partnership Company, North Tipperary Development Company and South Tipperary Development Company of the impact of NoreVision. The project began with a series of consultative workshops in 2017 and 2020 saw over 500 participants take part in 53 courses delivered by eight tutors all evidenced on Veris digital data capturing platform.

NoreVision saw a natural partnership occur between the hunger for climate action to take place at a local level and the need for digital solutions to complement the delivery of this education. The core focus of Invasive Species, Litter Picks, Oral

History, Farming, Education and Citizen Science were delivered with a blended approach with online and location based training.

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan has said that the broad format of NoreVision is a positive model that can be encouraged in many other catchments linking with relevant government agencies, from local authorities to national water and heritage

agencies. This, paired with the ability of the software to gather real time data of the volunteer citizen scientists and feed that back into national research, will have a positive influence on national policy and most importantly the water quality.

The winners with be announced this Wednesday, June 23 at 4pm.
As the United States continues on a path to near pre-pandemic normalcy, experts remain concerned over low vaccination rates and the spread of variants, which could potentially exacerbate a pandemic that has upended life for more than a year and inflicted a damaging toll on Americans and the world.

New York and California, which were home to some of the nation's deadliest virus hotspots last year, are fully reopening in time for the summer as Sunday marks the 500th day since the first known Covid-19 death in the US.

California officials announced in April 2020 that a 57-year-old woman who died on February 6 that year passed away from coronavirus complications, more than three weeks before what was previously believed to be the nation's first death in Washington state.

Since then, at least 601,740 Americans have died from Covid-19, according to the most recent data from Johns Hopkins University. Recent months brought overall fewer cases, hospitalizations and deaths -- progress health experts attribute to vaccines.

With more than 300 million total vaccine doses administered as of this week, the US has gone through major coronavirus milestones worthy of celebration: From reporting a current seven-day moving average of 13,997 daily new cases this week compared to the peak of 251,834 cases on January 10, to administering an average of more than 3 million vaccine doses per day in April, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But there's still a long way to go, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen warned Saturday evening.

"We certainly have to acknowledge that we have come a long way, and we're out of the worst of it. We're not going to see the massive surges that we saw over the holidays," said Wen, who is the former health commissioner for Baltimore.

"The problem, though, is that we should really be looking at the numbers for each community instead of looking at the US as a whole because while the US as a whole is doing so much better, and there are pockets of the country that have very high vaccination rates, we also have pockets of the country that are actually undergoing massive surges right now where their hospitals are getting full again," Wen said.

While health experts agree full vaccination offers protection against some variants of Covid-19, Wen added that it's unknown whether a variant resistant to vaccines will emerge.

"We just don't know. If it's anything that we've learned during Covid-19, it's how much we need to be humble in the face of this virus," she said.

She noted that it's "certain" new variants will develop, which could make vaccines slightly ineffective, but not entirely.

"This is another reason why those who are unvaccinated should be vaccinated as soon as possible," Wen said.

Vaccination lags continue in some states

As of Saturday, 44.9% of the total US population was fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while 53.2% had received at least one dose.

Fourteen states have fully vaccinated more than half of their population, CDC data shows, and 16 states have accomplished President Joe Biden's goal to vaccinate 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4.

Nationally, 65.3% of adults have received at least one dose, with the current pace of vaccinations at 1.3 million doses per day, according to CDC data Saturday.

Mississippi, one of the Southern states where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the country, has fully vaccinated 30% of its total population while 33% has received at least one dose, state health data published Friday shows.

Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told CNN on Saturday the state is so far behind in vaccinations in part because of "a dynamic of so many individuals who do not have primary health care physicians on a day-to-day basis, and this is another example of how this pandemic is highlighting the disparities in health care."

In Hinds County, where Jackson is located, 40% of the total population is at least partially vaccinated while 36% is fully inoculated, according to state data.

"If we see people who do not have primary health care physicians and we're asking them to get vaccinated, we're asking them to deviate from the norms that they have in every other fashion of their lives," Lumumba added. "People who have not been to the doctor in many years, and in some instances never, and now we're trying to encourage them to ... go get a shot in their arm."

Lumumba noted one way to encourage vaccination is "meeting people where they are," whether that's in barbershops or churches. He noted that vaccine accessibility and historical mistrust within Black and brown communities are contributing factors to the low vaccination rate in his city, whose population is about 85% Black.

Variants on the rise

Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Wyoming join Mississippi in being among the states with the lowest vaccination rates. That's a problem because experts have been warning that emerging variants could cause serious illness for the unvaccinated.

The CDC has predicted the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, could become the dominant strain in the US.

The Delta variant, along with the Gamma or P.1 variant, have been deemed variants of concern by the CDCmeaning their danger comes from their ability to transmit more easily or cause more severe disease.

The Gamma variant, first identified in Brazil, has been detected in every US state where the CDC has variant information.

Vaccination has been shown as the best way for the US to get ahead of the variants. A recent study by Public Health England found that two doses of a coronavirus vaccine are "highly effective against hospitalization" caused by the Delta variant. The study found the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalization after two doses.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy previously told CNN there isn't enough data to indicate the effectiveness of Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine in regard to the Delta variant, but it has shown it can help prevent hospitalizations and deaths when people are infected with other strains.

"The key is get vaccinated, get both doses," Murthy said.

Steve Edwards, the CEO of CoxHealth, a system of hospitals and clinics based in Missouri, told CNN on Friday that the Delta variant is unlike others.

"We can't tell why one patient is doing poorly and one is doing well. There's just something different about how this variant is affecting the immune system of our patients," Edwards said.

He added along with low vaccination rates in Missouri, the Delta variant is playing a big role in the surge of cases at his hospitals.

"I think the Delta variant is what's fueling this," he said. "Much of the South, Midwest, much of the places that have low vaccination rates -- if confronted with the Delta variant, will see a similar kind of surge of patients as we're beginning to see right now."
Minneapolis police say they have identified a man whose remains were found in separate locations in the city this week.

Remains of Adam Richard Johnson, 36, believed to be of Minneapolis, were found in two locations roughly two blocks apart in a northeastern section of the city Thursday, police said Friday.

The manner and cause of death have yet to be determined by a county medical examiner's office. Still, police investigators believe this was a homicide and are investigating it as such, Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder told CNN Saturday, without elaborating.

Body parts found near river Thursday

The first set of body parts was reported to police Thursday morning in a grassy area near the Mississippi River, Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said. A passerby had found the remains, CNN affiliate WCCO reported.

While police investigated, they learned of a second set of body parts a couple blocks away, police said.

Even on Thursday, investigators suspected both sets belonged to the same person, and it appeared the person had died recently, Elder said.

Some parts still were missing. Search dogs were brought in, but no additional remains were found, Elder said Thursday night.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- Saturday was the first Juneteenth federally recognized as a holiday after President Biden signed off on it earlier this week. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people in 1863, the last slaves in Galveston Texas were not freed until June 19th, 1865. To celebrate, people came to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park this weekend to sing, dance, and eat.

Journie, a Rochester non-profit, and The Med City's branch of NAACP, held their second annual Juneteenth Jubilee. Like many African Americans, the holiday this year is like no other for Rochester NAACP President Wale Elegbede.

"It's a lot more special because it's now a federal holiday. This is over 400 years in the making," says Elegbede.

Community members celebrated with food, music, and vendors. People like Billie Packer, who runs the Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in Rochester, will now have another day off each year. The financial institution is one of the businesses observing the holiday.

"I'm very happy that they made it a national holiday. Our credit union is closed today and I think that other financial institutions will follow."

The event wouldn't be possible without people like Nashauna Johnson-Lenior, who founded Journie, and Barbara Johnson of the Rochester NAACP. Both helped put it together.

"I don't know how to do anything else but get involved. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else today but right here celebrating Juneteenth," says Jordan.

Jordan also tells KIMT News 3 Juneteenth isn't just about celebrating freedom but coming together as a community.
ATLANTA (AP)  Tropical Depression Claudette claimed 12 lives in Alabama as the storm swept across the southeastern U.S., causing flash flooding and spurring tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

Ten people, including nine children, were killed Saturday in a 15-vehicle crash about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65, according to Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

He said the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, with eight children, ages 4 to 17, killed in a van belonging to a youth ranch operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association for abused or neglected children. A man and a 9-month-old baby died in a separate vehicle. Multiple people were also injured.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were killed when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits Saturday, Capt. Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit told The Tuscaloosa News.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for northern Georgia, most of South Carolina, the North Carolina coast and parts of southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

The eight girls killed in the van were returning to a youth ranch operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, from a week at the beach in Gulf Shores, youth ranches CEO Michael Smith told The Associated Press. He said the director of the Tallapoosa County ranch survived the crash and was hospitalized in Montgomery. At least one of the dead was a child of the director, Smith said.

This is the worst tragedy I've been a part of in my life, said Smith, who was driving Sunday to Camp Hill to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like they're our own children.

Garlock said the location of the wreck is notorious" for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents," county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook, adding: I believe is the worst ever in our county."

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

Top winds remained near 30 mph (45 kph) on Sunday. National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted Claudette would strengthen back to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

More than 20 people were rescued Saturday by boat due to flooding in Northport, Alabama, WVUA-TV reported. The Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency tweeted that local Red Cross volunteers were on hand to help those who were affected. A shelter was opened in Northport.

The center of Claudette's disorganized circulation was located about 15 miles (20 kilometers) east-northeast of Atlanta on Sunday morning. It was moving east-northeast at 17 mph (28 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Claudette was declared organized enough to qualify as a named tropical storm early Saturday morning, after the storms center of circulation had come ashore southwest of New Orleans.

Shortly after landfall, a suspected tornado spurred by the storm demolished or badly damaged at least 50 homes in a small town in Alabama, just north of the Florida border.

Sheriff Heath Jackson in Escambia County said a suspected tornado pretty much leveled a mobile home park, toppled trees onto houses and ripped the roof off of a high school gym. Most of the damage was done in or near the towns of Brewton and East Brewton, about 48 miles (77 kilometers) north of Pensacola, Florida.

It kind of affected everybody, Jackson said. But with those mobile homes being built so close together it can take a toll on them a lot more than it can on houses that are spread apart.

Tornadoes were also reported in southwest Georgia.

Damage from the storm was also felt in north Florida, where winds  in some cases reaching 85 mph (137 kph)  caused an 18-wheeler to flip on its side.

The storm also dumped flooding rains north of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana and along the Mississippi coast, inundating streets and, in some areas, pushing water into homes. Later, the storm was drenching the Florida Panhandle and, well inland, a broad expanse of Alabama.

Forecasters said the system could still dump 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of rain in the region, with isolated accumulations of 8 inches (20 centimeters) possible.

Separately, Tropical Storm Dolores made landfall on Mexicos west coast with near-hurricane force. As of Sunday morning, it had dissipated over Mexico. Its remnants had maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (35 kph), and it was centered about 170 miles (275 kilometers) east of Mazatlan, Mexico.

Heavy rainfall totals up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) were expected across the southwest and western coastal areas of Mexico throughout the weekend. Forecasters were warning of the potential for flash flooding and mudslides.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- Community members from different backgrounds came together at the History Center of Olmsted County to give The Med City a taste of their cultures. Kim Sin is the Intermin Director of the Rochester Cambodian Association. After a challenging year, he wanted his city to connect with other cultures. That's why he organized the first Flavor Fest.

"We wanted the Flavor Fest to really be a time where our community shares their culture, food, and dance," says Sin.

People from Colombia, Mexico, and Cambodia came out to show attendees food, jewelry, clothing, and dances from their cultures.

"I know there's a lot of stigma, and bias about who we are as a community and this is one way for us to really understand and get engaged, "Sin tells KIMT News 3.

He hopes to bring back Flavor Fest next year and make it bigger and better.

Rochester Cambodian Association is also a part of the newly announced night markets at the Mayo Civic Center in the summer.

It will have food, performances, and vendors.
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP)  The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down part of the city of Waterloos new ban the box ordinance that prohibits employers from making hiring decisions based on pending criminal charges without a legitimate business reason.

What remained after Fridays ruling is language that doesnt let employers ask about an applicants criminal history until after making a conditional job offer. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the ordinance only applies to businesses with 15 or more employees.

The measure is intended to ensure people with criminal convictions get a fair chance of getting jobs by encouraging employers not to discard applications only because potential workers check a box stating they have been convicted of a crime.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Legal experts say its unlikely that the four men convicted and ordered to pay for setting fire to a Minneapolis police station during protests over the death of George Floyd will meet their financial obligations.

Four defendants have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in starting the fire. They were also ordered to collectively pay $12 million in restitution to the city of Minneapolis. Experts tell the Star Tribune they are unlikely to foot the entire bill.

The U.S. Department of Justice recovers only $1 out of every $10 owed per year, making restitution sometimes symbolic or a mere formality in a criminal sentence.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Missouri... Missouri River at St. Charles. Missouri River at Washington. Missouri River at Hermann. Missouri River near Chamois. Missouri River at Jefferson City. River forecasts are based on observed precipitation and forecast precipitation for the next 24 hours. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Rainfall heavier than forecast could cause river levels to rise even higher than predicted. The National Weather Service will monitor this developing situation and issue follow up statements as conditions change. This product, along with additional weather and stream information, is available at https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lsx. && ...The Flood Warning is now in effect until Sunday evening... The Flood Warning continues for the Missouri River at Jefferson City. * Until Sunday evening. * At 9:45 AM CDT Friday the stage was 25.9 feet. * Flood stage is 23.0 feet. * Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast. * Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 9:45 AM CDT Friday was 26.1 feet. * Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage early tomorrow afternoon and continue falling to 10.3 feet Wednesday morning. * Impact...At 26.0 feet, Pumping from a ditch in Hartsburg, MO begins. At this height...numerous county roads near McBaine... Easley...and Ashland are flooded. These include Coats Lane... Grocery Branch...Burr Oak...Old Plank...Cedar Tree...Jemerson Creek...Christian School...Claysville...and Soft Pit Hill Roads. && Fld Observed Forecasts (1 pm CDT) Location Stg Stg Day/Time Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Missouri River Jefferson Cit 23.0 25.9 Fri 9 am 23.2 19.6 15.9 12.1 MSG &&




A Central American development bank has decided to open a South Korean office in Seoul as part of efforts to strengthen ties with Asia's fourth-largest economy, the finance ministry said Sunday.







The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) has notified the Korean government and the Seoul municipality that its Seoul office will be set up in the capital's financial district of Yeouido, according to government officials.







The bank has the goal of opening the office within this year.







Founded in 1960, CABEI is aimed at extending loans to private and government-led development projects on infrastructure and energy in Central America.







The finance ministry said the CABEI's Seoul office will help more South Korean firms make inroads into the Central American market, and serve as a chance for Seoul to become a financial hub in Northeast Asia.







South Korea joined the multilateral development bank in January 2020, becoming one of its seven non-regional member countries. The lender has eight regional member states, including El Salvador and Nicaragua. (Yonhap)


Protesters make the three-finger salute as they take part in a demonstration against the military coup and mark the birthday of Myanmar's detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon, June 19. AFP-Yonhap



Myanmar's Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected a U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for an arms embargo against the Southeast Asian nation and condemning the military's February seizure of power.



Myanmar described the resolution, which passed Friday and is not legally binding, as being ''based on one-sided sweeping allegations and false assumptions.'' The statement issued in the capital Naypyitaw said the Foreign Ministry had sent letters of objection to the U.N. secretary-general and the General Assembly's president.



The resolution reflected a broad international consensus condemning the takeover that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. It called on the military junta to restore the country's democratic transition, condemned its ''excessive and lethal violence'' since the takeover and called on all countries ''to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar.''



The resolution also called on Myanmar's armed forces to immediately and unconditionally release Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other officials and politicians detained after the coup, as well as ''all those who have been arbitrarily detained, charged or arrested.''?



The measure was approved with 119 countries voting ''yes,'' Belarus  a major arms supplier to Myanmar _ voting ''no'' and 36 countries abstaining, including Myanmar's neighbors China and India, along with Russia.



Myanmar's U.N. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who in February denounced the military takeover, voted ''yes'' and urged the international community ''to take the strongest possible action to immediately end the military coup.''



The Foreign Ministry statement said it considers Kyaw Moe Tun as having been dismissed from his position and noted that he has been charged with treason in Myanmar.



''Accordingly, his statement, participation and action in the meeting are illegitimate and unacceptable and Myanmar strongly rejects his participation and statements,'' it said.



''While Myanmar embraces constructive advice by the international community in addressing the challenges that Myanmar is facing, any attempt infringing on the state sovereignty and interference in the internal affairs of Myanmar will not be accepted,'' said the statement.



The more powerful U.N. Security Council, whose resolutions are legally binding, has adopted several statements on Myanmar, including condemning the use of violence against peaceful protesters, calling on the military to restore the democratic transition and ''exercise utmost restraint'' and ''on all sides to refrain from violence.''



But it has never been able to condemn the coup or authorize an arms embargo or other sanctions because of an almost-certain veto by China, and possibly Russia. (AP)


By Mark Peterson





From time to time I'm asked to make a presentation. At times the inviting group chooses a topic; sometimes they allow me to choose. Recently I was asked to give a presentation via Zoom  given the pandemic, Zoom has become more useful than ever. But this time the experience gave me pause, and gave me a surprise. The inviters asked me to speak about reunification  that gave me pause because I hear talks about unification and it always seems like a waste of time to me, because we cannot really know the future! And it surprised me because the presentation was to be made to a scattered group of overseas Koreans, we like to say "gyopo," all across North and South America.



I was pleasantly surprised to find my audience across the United States, and groups in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. I marveled at our modern age of technology where we as a group can speak to each other all across the Americas, and across the world!



And I was pleased with what I came up with regarding unification. Whereas I have felt frustration and futility when hearing people talk about unification on the Korean Peninsula, generally, as I started to prepare my presentation, I was pleased to come up with some new ideas, that were all mine, that I thought were useful in thinking about the future of Korea and the eventual and inevitable unification.



I used the YouTube presentations that I developed in the last year in thinking about what was unique about Korean history and the 12-point list that I've been writing about and "YouTubing" about in recent months. But I turned the idea on its ear  whereas I've been thinking about these unique items from Korean history, now, I applied them all to a possible scenario for unification. And it worked. I think.



I've written about the "12 pillars of Korean culture" in this column over the last year. I've looked at the past, the history of Korea, but for this exercise I've used the same "12 pillars" of Korean culture as a structure for eventual reunification. Each of these is a cultural quality either unique to Korea, or strongly pronounced in Korea. Let's look at them here, not only as historical values, but as indicators of how Korea can successfully use its cultural heritage for unification.



1. Long dynasties. Because Korea has the world's longest dynasties, 500 years, 1,000 years, this 70-year division will, eventually, be a mere blip on the radar screen.

2. Peaceful transitions between dynasties. Since this is a Korean thing, let's hope it works out that way for reunification. However, there have been exceptions  let's hope the dominant peaceful transition applies.

3. Few invasions. My argument here is the opposite way from how most Koreans view their history, and certainly the Korean War saw lots of outside forces. But if Korea can settle its reunification without outside powers, it will have a better chance of a peaceful process.

4. Never invaded another country. Here again, unification should be a Korean issue, not an international issue. China needs to stay out of the matter.

5. The longest border. That between Korea (North Korea) and China  the Amnok (Yalu) River  is the longest-held border in world history. It should remain so. Talk of China seizing land south of the Amnok is unthinkable.

6. Graves not robbed  Korea has a great tradition of honoring the graves of former kings  this raises the question of whether Kim Il-sung's grave should be honored?

7. Seonbi not samurai culture. Indeed, the seonbi culture is the culture of the scholar, not the warrior  this idea should dominate in a unified Korea.

8. Civilian control of the court. Korea has only temporarily had military leaders  in the 12th century and for a portion of the 20th century. There is no need for military control of the government in a unified Korea.

9. Slavery, a symbol of stability. The North has quite a different narrative on the slave-holding history of Korea. South Korea mostly ignores the slave tradition. The unified Korea will probably have a more balanced view of the past.

10. Few surname variations. And the dominant surname groups represent royalty of the past. North Korea has the same spread of surnames as the South  a point of unification already.

11. No religious wars  Unless you call Communism a religion, and it certainly occupies the same space, that of a "belief system," we can hope that the unification process will not be a "holy war"  Korean Buddhists and Confucians and Christians don't fight with each other (well, not much). So, can we hope for a unification without ideology-based bloodshed?

12. Korea is quick to recover from turmoil. This final concept has the best application to reunification. In the way that Korea has been an economic miracle after the Japanese predations and the ravages of the Korean War, we can see a rapid healing of the North-South divide.



Too optimistic? Maybe not. The "12 pillars of history" says it can happen!





Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


By Edward Miguel



President Joe Biden's decision to donate 500 million COVID-19 vaccines to other countries by June 2022 is an important step toward restoring the United States' global standing. Another, parallel foreign policy solution could perhaps do even more. It is simple, cost-effective and could improve the health and well-being of billions of people  especially children.



Inexpensive treatments  as little as 50 cents per child  can prevent neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), such as intestinal worms, that are among the most common illnesses affecting the world's poorest and most marginalized people.



New evidence confirms that ensuring widespread access to NTD treatments generates clear health and humanitarian gains, while yielding remarkably high  and sustained  economic returns to society. As many nations turn inward, the United States should seize the opportunity to expand its support for proven, cost-effective solutions to global health challenges.



While the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the developing world, infecting hundreds of thousands of people daily and pushing many into poverty, more than 1 billion people  nearly one-seventh of the world's population  continue to suffer from tropical diseases like elephantiasis, trachoma, river blindness and intestinal worm infections, which cause severe pain, illness and long-term disabilities.



In fact, the pandemic has exacerbated the harm caused by these diseases by complicating mass treatment efforts, including those based at schools, which have been shuttered in many countries for long stretches.



Among children, the impacts of NTDs are particularly acute: Infections cause malnutrition, impair intellectual and cognitive development, and stunt growth. These illnesses undermine productivity and growth, and stymie progress toward global health and development goals. Yet these diseases are largely preventable, and most can be treated with a few simple and inexpensive pills.



Compared to the enormous feat required to develop and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine, you would think governments would see NTD treatment as a quick, obvious win. Yet, the opposite is true right now.



Increasing demands on government budgets because of the pandemic are forcing many to cut support for NTDs, halting  and potentially even reversing  hard-won progress. The British government, a long-time global leader in foreign assistance, recently announced that it would cut 90 percent of its funding for these diseases as part of budget reductions caused by the financial double-whammy of the pandemic plus Brexit.



As a result, millions of people will go untreated and, tragically, many medicines that are already in-country will expire on the shelf, due to a lack of funds to distribute them. For the world's most vulnerable populations, the consequences will be catastrophic.



The United States is already a treatment leader on NTDs. It has allocated $988 million to this program since 2006, helping provide 2.8 billion treatments worldwide. Now, the Biden administration should encourage other wealthy countries to deepen their investment. Doing so will have significant impacts on long-term social and economic outcomes, enabling a more rapid and equitable recovery from the current global pandemic.



Take intestinal worms, which are among the most prevalent and treatable NTDs. These worm infections can have lifelong health consequences, including stunted growth, weakness, anemia and adverse immunological effects.



Starting in 1998, Nobel laureate Michael Kremer and I studied a public-health program in Kenya providing treatment for intestinal worms to tens of thousands of schoolchildren. In a randomized controlled trial, we compared schools where treatment was offered with otherwise identical schools where it wasn't. We found that treating children for worms decreased primary school absence by 25 percent  showing that a simple health intervention had enormous impacts on education.



We then tracked a representative sample of these children over 20 years to gather information about their earnings, living standards and other life outcomes. The results are startling.



Our new study, published this spring, found that the individuals who received additional deworming treatment in school (and are now in their late 20s and early 30s) reported 13 percent higher hourly wages and 14 percent higher spending than those who did not get the treatment. More of them also moved to large urban areas, which gave them better economic opportunities.



These findings suggest that the more we invest in treatment now the greater the dividends later. Generations of children who grow up without worm infections can attend more school and earn higher incomes  ultimately experiencing less poverty and driving global economic growth.



This return on investment is increasingly recognized by governments. Countries including India, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Pakistan carry out mass deworming programs that reach hundreds of millions of children each year. Even so, more than 800 million children remain at risk of parasitic worm infections.



Despite the commitment of governments to these cost-effective programs, some need external funding and support. We have the evidence to make the case for the economic benefits and have also developed a new open policy tool to help decision-makers understand the costs and benefits of treatment and inform programmatic investments.





Edward Miguel is the Oxfam professor of environmental and resource economics and faculty director of the Center for Effective Global Action at UC Berkeley. This article appeared in the Los Angeles Times and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.


We may know if the lights flicker off in Moscow
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. High 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
NORTH BEND, OR (KPTV)  A man suspected of killing three people in North Bend on Friday turned himself into authorities in Milwaukie, Wisconsin on Sunday.

Oen Nicholson, 30, is accused of running over two people near the Mill Casino RV Park, killing one of them, killing and shooting another person inside a marijuana dispensary, and killing a third person before leaving in their truck.

During a press conference on Sunday, Coos County District Attorney Paul Fraiser said authorities in Wisconsin notified North Bend Police at 6 a.m.

When asked how Nicholson arrived at Wisconsin, the DA said they believed he drove there. He later declined to comment on the drive between Oregon and Wisconsin.

'Armed and dangerous' suspect in North Bend homicides identified NORTH BEND, OR (KPTV)  Authorities have identified the suspect they are looking for in a se

One of the victims found dead at the RV Park is believed to be Nicholson's father, according to Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier. He was identified as Charles Simms Nicholson, 83.

Police believed Nicholson used his father's pickup truck when he ran over Anthony Oyster, 74, and his wife Linda Oyster, 73. Mr. Oyster died, and Mrs. Oyster was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition. Police say the couple was from Florida.

Police identified Jennifer Davison, 47, as the victim shot and killed in front of the Herbal Choices marijuana dispensary.
Cypress trees in Cross Lake near his home where James McManus spotted a small boat where he believes the high-powered rifle fire came from.
CASCADE COUNTY, Mont. - Despite facing racism and hardships for well over a century, the black community in Great Falls has always stood strong since first arriving in the 1880s.

Now, theyre coming together with anyone and everyone, as the city celebrates the end of slavery for the very first time.

People from all walks of life gathered around Gibson Park in a casual block party, celebrating pieces of history and culture that are often overlooked. With a lively atmosphere all around, they clapped along to the choir on stage, commemorating an important milestone in the Electric City.

This great event that theyre hosting today is kind of the start to showcase the diversity and inclusion within the city and get a lot of people out, said Volunteer Kymyenna Mitchell.

Having different people out here celebrating Juneteenth, I think its awesome, said Darnell Dobson, who also lent a helping hand to the festivities.

Juneteenth, which just recently became a federal holiday, started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas, with many Black communities observing it across the country.

However, Juneteenth can mean a lot of different things, depending on who you ask. [Its] celebrating freedom, freedom of African American History within the United States of America, said Dobson.

It really just shows how far my ancestors fought, how far that theyve come to get to that point in Juneteenth of being free, said Mitchell.

For fellow Volunteer Chrislande Deravil, helping out with the celebrations is her way of continuing her parents work, while adding to their legacy.

I was born to two wonderful parents who immigrated from Haiti, a Caribbean island. And they ultimately did their best to give my brothers and I everything they could give, she said. Im just super blessed to be in this predicament that I am today.

As a whole, this event marks more progress in bringing unheard stories to light. However, the volunteers tell Montana Right Now theres still plenty of room for improvement.

Were going to continue to educate, were going to continue to praise and were going to continue to push through those (racial) stereotypes, said Mitchell.

Ultimately, its about communicating and teaching through our actions, said Deravil, encouraging families to teach kids about other groups and cultures at a young age.

The event may be over, but Dobson says its never too late to broaden your horizons and learn more about your neighbors. All you have to do is ask.

Theres still work to do when it comes highlighting diversity across the Electric City, but everyone speaking with MRN says this is a good first step.
Connelly said Geneva Lake West Chamber of Commerce helps promote its member businesses and hosts events to give member business owners an opportunity to interact with one another.

All chambers of commerce like to support their members, Connelly said. We like to introduce them to other members to see if they can help each other. We like to help them grow and succeed.

Hirtz said the business has received a positive response from the community, as many residents have been anticipating the salons opening during the past several weeks.

Weve been getting a lot of traffic and a lot of phone calls, Hirtz said. People are very excited. Its been really positive.

The Hair Society also offers gluten-free and vegan beauty care products, which Hirtz said are becoming more popular in the beauty care industry.

It seems to be coming more popular just with so many people having a gluten allergy, Hirtz said.

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The salon currently has four hair stylists, a massage therapist and a nail technician.

Hirtz said she plans to hire two more hair stylists in the future. She said all the stylists have at least 10 years of experience in the beauty care industry.
Last years food giveaway in New Holland, Pennsylvania, was in response to milk being dumped during the early stage of the pandemic.

This years return of the event  revamped as a community lunch to celebrate Dairy Month  was a response to last years community spirit.

In early spring 2020, brothers Karl and Mike Sensenig, third-generation operators of Sensenigs Feed Mill, worked with the 97 Milk advocacy group, Achenbachs Bakery and Kreider Farms to hand out milk, bread and eggs to the community during a time when many grocery store shelves were empty or in short supply.

It went so well that the Sensenigs decided to organize a similar event again this year, on June 9, with a few additions.

It is the start of what we hope will be an annual event, Mike Sensenig said.

The Sensenigs teamed up with Hostetter Realty, Ephrata Church of the Brethren, Herr Foods, Yoders Country Market, the Dairy Pricing Association, Little Stream Auto Rental and 97 Milk for this years event.

The drive-thru, pickup lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, Herrs potato chips, white or chocolate milk, and a Dairy Month favorite  milkshakes  drew a steady stream of vehicles.

And you didnt need a car or truck to join the fun.

A group of landscapers working nearby walked through the line during their lunch break, and a boy on his bicycle stopped by for a free lunch.

The milkshake trailer from the Ephrata Church of the Brethren was a big hit. Sensenig said. Who doesnt like a cold vanilla milkshake on a summer day?

According to Pastor Brian Messler, the churchs milkshake trailer is a favorite at social events and fairs.

Last year, about 5,500 gallons of milk were distributed. This year, according to Sensenig, there were 2,500 containers of white and chocolate milk, 1,500 ham and cheese sandwiches and chips, and as many milkshakes as the church volunteers could make.

Leftovers were donated to New Hollands CrossNet Ministries.
Pennsylvania is close to relaxing one of the nations strictest milk labeling laws.

The House of Representatives voted 201-1 on Wednesday, June 16 to allow milk processors to seek approval from the Ag Department to exceed the current 17-day sell-by window.

Because the bill was amended in the House, it will return to the Senate, which unanimously approved the legislation in April.

Milk labeling is one of the first recommendations to see action from a sweeping report issued last summer intended to shore up Pennsylvanias dairy industry.
It was raining and Judy Adler had a broken gutter. What could have been a simple repair turned into an effort to capture rain and use it for her backyard pond. Since late 2009, Adler has collected up to 11,000 gallons of rain annually at her Walnut Creek home.

This is doable, she said. This is Tinker Toy stuff.

More people could follow in Adlers steps under a bill in the California Legislature. The proposal, which would encourage homeowners to collect rainwater, could make its way onto the 2018 statewide ballot.

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New construction, renovation, new ownership and some purchases for a home require a property tax reassessment, which typically increases a tax bill. A proposal from state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda), SCA 9, would exclude rainwater capture systems from property tax reassessments starting in 2019.

California homeowners could see savings up to a couple hundred dollars a year off their property tax bill, depending on the type of capture system they install, Glazers office said.

Glazer said its a way to offer homeowners an incentive to conserve water and prepare for the dry season.

Its not an invisible occurrence when the rain comes to see water you could utilize at your home disappearing down the gutters, he said.

Additions and improvements such as solar capture systems, certain types of seismic retrofits, fire sprinklers and modifications for disability access are already exempt from new construction classification under state law.

Glazer plans to have the Assembly take up his bill when the Legislature reconvenes. SCA 9 would appear on the June ballot if it passes before Jan. 25. If it passes later, it would be placed on the November 2018 ballot.

California voters will see several initiatives placed on the ballot by lawmakers, including bonds for housing and parks and water system improvements, rules for how to spend revenue from the states cap-and-trade program and a guarantee that funds collected from the states gas tax increase will be used only for road projects.

Adler brought the rainwater harvesting idea to Glazer. A proposal she submitted and Glazers idea for the tax exclusion became the basis of the bill.

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A 2012 law authorized California landowners to install and operate rainwater capture systems. SCA 9 and an accompanying Senate bill also authored by Glazer would allow the Legislature to exclude new rainwater capture systems from being classified as new construction.

Youre providing this clarity that you wont trigger an increased tax value, said Bob Raymer, technical director of the California Building Industry Assn., which supports the bill.

Currently, if homeowners want to install a capture system, they would apply for a building permit. Once the new construction is complete, the county assessors office examines it and comes up with a value. The assessment would factor into the propertys value and taxes.

If SCA 9 passes, the states tax agency, the Board of Equalization, will guide county assessors on how to treat rainwater capture systems as an exclusion from new construction, said Mark Nisson, a technical advisor for the board.

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Additions to a home that are not considered new construction are typically not assessed until there is a new property owner, he said.

There is little evidence that excluding water harvesting systems from assessments would cause local governments to lose much revenue from property taxes. About $1 million in rainwater capture systems could equal a $10,000 loss in local revenue, according to a BOE estimate.

Gov. Brown signs 15 housing bills to help the affordability crisis 

The proposition has had almost no opposition. One group, the California Tax Reform Assn., took issue with the property tax exclusion.

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By investing in rainwater capture systems, homeowners can help protect the environment without making major changes to their lifestyles, Glazer said.

For some, thats the only incentive they need, he said. The property tax exemption would be a cherry on top.

Rainwater collection systems can cost a couple hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the type of system and how many gallons can be stored. Adler said she paid about $6,000 for materials and plumbing expertise to install her system.

Raymer said water collection systems could help homeowners reduce the amount of money they spend on irrigation.

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Its the best way to get the biggest bang for their buck, he said.

A homeowner living in an area that receives 12 inches of rain annually can collect up to 10,000 gallons of water from a 1,500-square-foot roof, according the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Assn., a nonprofit based in Arizona.

The League of California Cities, a coalition of city officials, supports Glazers measure because it encourages water independence. Local rain capture could help save money and reduce the need to transport water from elsewhere, said Erin Evans-Fudem, a lobbyist for the association.

Glazer said the growth and expansion of solar energy in California has made him hopeful about the potential for rainwater harvesting systems.

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Its a new field, he said. It could use the advantages of small tax break to motivate people to be early adopters and hopefully make it mainstream.

Twitter: @mlcorpuz

ALSO:

Plan for billions of dollars in parks and water improvements will be on Californias 2018 ballot

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Gov. Jerry Brown was less picky in 2017, vetoing fewer bills than he did in 2016

What the California Legislature accomplished in 2017
With an eye toward destructive wildfire as Californias most immediate climate emergency, Gov. Jerry Brown took action on Friday to broadly expand state prevention efforts while allowing utility companies to shift some fire-related costs to their customers.

The far-reaching proposal signed by Brown boosts government fire-protection efforts by $1 billion over the next five years, providing funds that could help clear thousands of acres of dense, dry forests and brittle coastal brush. The bills combination of cash and regulatory relief mark a major escalation in addressing what has been called the new normal of fire danger for the state, far beyond what has been spent on immediate emergency responses.

Wildfires in California arent going away, and we have to do everything possible to prevent them, the governor said in a written statement. This bill is complex and requires investment  but its absolutely necessary.

Negotiations over the details of the 112-page law dominated the state Capitol during the final weeks of the legislative session. The proposals fine points emerged just hours before the final vote on Aug. 31. While many lawmakers found parts of the proposal unpalatable, few were willing to be seen as not having done everything they could to protect the lives and property of their constituents.

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This new law is the most comprehensive wildfire-prevention and safety package the state has passed in decades, said state Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), the bills co-author.

The common thread in Californias wildfires: heat like the state has never seen 

The new law links together two distinct challenges for changing the trajectory of Californias fire future: controlled growth of fire-prone vegetation and reduced financial exposure for utility companies. In a less combustible year, opposition to either could have doomed the effort. But the topic was hard to ignore during a summer marked by a number of deadly blazes and weeks of wildfire smoke choking the skies above Sacramento.

Lawmakers from the states most threatened regions  rural foothills with forests overgrown from decades of fire suppression, and coastal communities with kindling-like chaparral  were adamant about expanding efforts to remove fire fuels. They pushed for $1 billion in funding, paid over five years from proceeds of Californias cap-and-trade climate program, so that government and landowners alike had the money needed to carry out the work.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials will oversee those dollars, generally divvied into two categories: $165 million a year for fire-prevention grants to landowners and for community prevention efforts, and another $35 million to continue Cal Fires year-round prescribed burns, research and monitoring.

Under the law signed by Brown, landowners will have new permission and help to reduce overgrowth by cutting down more small and mid-sized trees  a historic change, given that Californias logging limits on privately owned lands date back to 1973.

Timber harvesting permits for small landowners will be made cheaper and some property owners will be allowed to build temporary roads to reach otherwise inaccessible overgrown areas. In some instances, both small and large landowners will have new permission to sell that timber to help offset the costs of the fire-prevention activity.

Property owners who apply for new conservation easements  to preserve natural landscapes in exchange for tax incentives  will have to ensure the density and health of their trees dont exacerbate fire danger. The new law also allows a streamlined state review for tree-removal efforts on federal lands.

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Californias Board of Forestry and Fire Protection will have an expanded role in setting regulations to lower fire risk while hiring more technical experts to ensure the rules actually work. Many of the new laws provisions will expire in five years unless the Legislature decides to continue or expand the programs.

The tree- and brush-removal provisions of Senate Bill 901 were subject to intense lobbying by environmental groups. But those disagreements paled in comparison to the bitter brawl over its concessions to municipal- and investor-owned utilities.

Downed power lines have sparked devastating fires across the state in previous years. Two of the states largest electricity providers  Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric  both face steep costs related to past wildfires. PG&E has yet to finish tallying the damages it must pay from fires in Napa and Sonoma counties last fall.

SB 901 makes two significant changes to determining how much utilities must pay. First, it enhances the wildfire-mitigation plans that companies must file with the California Public Utilities Commission. Utilities will have to provide new details on vegetation removal and electricity shutoff plans. Regulators will have to formally sign off on the wildfire-mitigation plans, ensuring more accountability in the aftermath of a devastating blaze.

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The bill requires independent evaluation of utility compliance with mitigation plans, and doubles the amount of fines that can be levied upon a utility for failure to comply, Dodd said during legislative debate last month.

Second, utility regulators will be given new guidelines to help determine a companys liability. For fires that begin in 2019 and beyond, utility companies will be able to shift some fire-related costs to consumers  but only to the extent that regulators determine the company wasnt negligent.

For fires that burned in 2017  a year in which state investigators have linked PG&E equipment to at least a dozen Northern California fires  the utility will be allowed to borrow billions of dollars using ratepayer fees to pay it back, even if it was found to have acted improperly. The amount charged to customers would be determined after an independent analysis of the companys finances.

Utility officials have given a general rule of thumb: $1 billion in borrowing would result in a $5 annual surcharge for most customers, assessed every year until the loan is paid off. Some lawmakers insisted it will amount to an unfair bailout of companies such as PG&E.

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Shouldnt we focus on requiring PG&E to improve the safety of their electric system that theyve been neglecting all these years? state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) said during last months floor debate in opposing SB 901. Instead, this bill rewards their bad behavior.

Brown, who originally pushed for a more generous plan to lessen the industrys fire liabilities, insisted the states energy needs would be threatened by the specter of utility bankruptcy without some kind of concessions.

The utilities have to stay in business, Brown said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times last week. They have to make enough return to be a viable corporation.

Even so, the new law will not insulate PG&E from additional financial stress. Last week, Moodys Investor Service downgraded the companys credit rating, specifically citing the Legislatures refusal to go along with Browns proposal to revise the liability standard known as inverse condemnation.

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Even if a utility prudently managed its infrastructure at the time of a fire, the utility could be held accountable for damages if its infrastructure was substantially involved in causing the fire, potentially exposing the states utilities to significant liabilities, Moodys analysts wrote.

While SB 901 was the centerpiece of the effort by lawmakers this year in responding to fire danger, Brown also signed several other bills on Friday designed to boost Californias fire preparedness.

Senate Bill 1260 gives Cal Fire a larger role in identifying risks as local communities turn undeveloped land into new housing. Assembly Bill 2911 expands a utilitys right to cross private land to reduce fire threats around power lines, and it sets in motion statewide efforts for new fire-resistant building standards.

Brown and lawmakers from both major political parties insisted the package of new laws are important, but only a first step toward preparing Californians for longer dangerous fire seasons in the years to come.

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This year alone, 1.3 million acres of California have burned, said Assembly Republican Leader Brian Dahle of Bieber. The loss of life and property has been staggering. We are taking steps to ensure that this doesnt happen again.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast.
The German government outlined proposals Tuesday to make it easier to deport foreign asylum seekers who commit crimes, in response to complaints that hundreds of women were groped, molested or robbed by a mob of men in Cologne on New Years Eve.

Reports that refugees were among the suspected assailants have fueled doubts about the countrys open-door policy to asylum seekers and emboldened the governments right-wing critics.

Many asylum seekers convicted of crimes have so far avoided deportation because of the danger they face in their home countries and other considerations. But after the violence on New Years Eve, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that foreign criminals can and should be expelled.

See the most-read stories this hour >>

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Under the proposals put forward with unusual swiftness Tuesday, even a suspended sentence would be grounds to expel asylum seekers convicted of certain crimes, including homicide, rape, sexual assault, bodily harm and serial larceny. Current legislation restricts deportation to those sentenced to at least two years in prison.

The proposed changes, which require the approval of the German Cabinet and Parliament, would also apply in the case of youth sentences.

This is a hard but correct answer by the state, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin.

The government is also attempting to push through legislative changes that would provide greater protection to victims of sex crimes who fear they could face greater harm if they resist, Justice Minister Heiko Maas said at a joint news conference with De Maiziere. Parliament has been debating the proposals since the summer.

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More than 560 criminal complaints have been filed in connection with the violence in Cologne, the citys chief prosecutor, Ulrich Bremer, said Tuesday.

About 45% of the cases involve allegations of sexual offenses, and most of the suspects identified so far are from immigrant backgrounds, according to figures released by the police the previous day, when the number of complaints stood at 553.

Similar incidents were also reported in other cities on New Years Eve, including Hamburg, Stuttgart, Duesseldorf and Frankfurt. The violence has resulted in a number of retaliatory attacks against immigrants.

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Merkel has staunchly defended Germanys welcoming stance toward the migrants who have been pouring into Europe from Syria and other troubled countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. But her government has started to impose restrictions as the number of people arriving at the countrys borders has swelled.

Nearly 1.1 million asylum seekers were admitted into Germany last year.

Special correspondent Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report.

For more international news, follow @alexzavis on Twitter.

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Army Spc. John Carrillo Jr. only got to spend a few weeks with his newborn son, Julius, before deploying to Iraq in July 2010. But he adored the boy, much as he did his older son and the three younger siblings for whom he had been like a second father, family members said.

The 20-year-old from Stockton, known to loved ones as Jr., was an outgoing man who liked to crack jokes, write music and have freestyle rap contests with friends.

He also was the family mediator, said his mother, Desiree Carrillo: If anybody was hurting or upset, he would be able to fix it.

In phone calls home from Iraq, Carrillo gave few details about his communications work there, but told his mother he was excited to come home and share his stories.

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Reylene Carrillo, the soldiers wife and mother of his two young sons, said she was nervous about his deployment. I didnt want him going to Iraq, but he had to, she said.

But his family never imagined he would be in danger in his sleeping quarters.

In Fallouja, west of Baghdad, Carrillo shared a room with three other soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

On Sept. 23 last year, supervisors chastised the men for having a messy room, and, according to military prosecutors, some of them began to argue.

One soldier, identified as Spc. Neftaly Platero, 33, of Kingwood, Texas, pulled his weapon on his roommates and started shooting, prosecutors said, killing Carrillo and Pfc. Gebrah P. Noonan, 26, of Watertown, Conn. A third soldier, who has not been publicly identified, was severely injured.

Platero was arraigned Sept. 12 on two counts of premeditated murder and one count of attempted premeditated murder, and is awaiting trial in military court. Plateros attorney has said forensic evidence will prove his clients innocence.

Carrillos mother said she has struggled since her sons death to get straightforward information from the military.

In the beginning, they would tell me my son was a hero. But if he was killed by the enemy, it would probably have been better, she said. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought something like this would have happened to my son.

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It was not until eight months after he died that military officials told his mother that he had been shot eight times in the back, she said.

All I wanted to know was how my son took his last breath, she said. I was there when he took his first and I wanted to know how he took his last. As a mother, I felt I had the right to know that.

Carrillo grew up in Stockton and from the age of 6 talked about wanting to join the military. When he was 9, his family went on a trip to Hawaii and he marveled at the military sites they visited, his mother recalled.

He was the oldest of four siblings. In his teenage years, when he was home-schooled by his mother, he became like another father to his brother Joseph, feeding him, changing his diapers and sleeping beside him.

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Carrillo went on to Edison High School and to Delta Community College, where he spoke about becoming an engineer. When he met campus military recruiters, his childhood interest in the military was rekindled and he enlisted in the Army.

Most of his family was not happy about that decision but supported him, his mother said. That was a dream of his and he really went for it, she said.

Tall with pitch-black, short-cropped hair and glasses, Carrillo was a sociable jokester who always would run into friends when he left the house, his family said.

Carrillo also was the cornerstone of his close-knit family, which is struggling to adapt to life without him, his mother said.

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In addition to his wife, sons John III, 4, and Julius, 1, his mother and brother Joseph, 10, his survivors include his father, John Carrillo; another brother, Jordan, 8; and a sister, Desiree, 6.

I feel in my heart that the military stole my sons life away from him and from his kids, his mother said. He wouldve done so much in life.

Reylene Carrillo said it remains difficult for her to speak publicly about her husbands death.

Its hard because were still going through what happened and well probably still be going through it for a while, she said.

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She said her older son, who is named after his father, talks about how much he misses him.

He says, I can feel him in my heart and tells his brother that his daddys an angel, she said.

He is our guardian angel, she said she tells the boy. Hes guiding us through life.

tony.barboza@latimes.com
Former Vice President Mike Pence was called a traitor and booed by several audiences during his speech at a conservative conference in the home state of former President Donald Trump. The incident happened on Friday, in Orlando, Florida.

Despite the heckles, CBS News reported that Pence continued with his speech and discussed the "winning agenda" in a "Faith and Freedom" general session, which will take back the Republican majority in the Congress next midterm elections.

READ NEXT: Mike Pence Signs a Book Deal Amounting to $3-4 Million

Mike Pence Labeled "Traitor" During Speech at Conservative Conference: Kevin McCarthy Defends the Ex-Vice President

During Pence's speech, the ex-vice president claimed to be a "Christian, a conservative, and a Republican." Pence also claimed that his time as vice president and serving former President Donald Trump was the "greatest" honor of his life.

However, some of the audiences may not be on the same page with the ex-vice president, as some of the people from the crowd heckled and booed Pence while speaking on the stage, USA Today reported. Some attendees called the former vice president a "traitor." Unfazed, Pence continued to deliver his speech and get his message across to those who were listening to him.

Despite the boos and interruption during his speech, Pence also received support, especially from House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. In an interview, Mail Online reported that McCarthy defended the former vice president, arguing that Pence was "not a traitor."

"He was the vice president, stood right by President Trump, helped him get through the tax reform, get those judges in," said McCarthy, pointing out the political record of the former vice president. "Mike Pence deserves a lot of credit," said the House Republican leader.

It can be remembered that the anguish of Trump supporters to Pence stemmed out when the former vice president allegedly did not do more to prevent the victory of President Joe Biden, even though the vice president does not have the power to overturn the election results.

The anguish of the Trump supporters towards Pence was evident during January 6 Capitol insurrection, making the former vice president among the officials who evacuated the building.

Despite that, Mike Pence continued to praise former President Donald Trump and his administration during his public appearances.

Ex-Vice President Mike Pence During the Conservative Conference

Despite the interruption, Pence continued to address the public during the conservative conference. The former vice president tackled several issues just like the critical race theory, claiming that the "patriotic education" was replaced by "political indoctrination."

"Critical race theory is racism, pure and simple," said Pence, adding that it should be "every American of every race."

"We will demand that government agencies, our military, and our public schools reject critical race theory in all its forms," said the former vice president.

Pence also blasted on Biden administration's handling of the U.S.-Mexico Border, arguing that the current president turned the "most secure" border into the "worst border crisis in American history." Apart from those issues, Mike Pence also slammed Biden, arguing that the president showed "weak leadership," on how he handled the G7 Summit.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Says COVID a 'Terrible Accident' That Breaks Loose From Wuhan Lab

WATCH: Conservatives Boo Pence And Cheer Trump At Religious Conference - From MSNBC
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed three, gun control bills into law, in the wake of the Boulder supermarket mass shooting that killed at least 10 people. Polis signed the bills into law on Saturday, aiming to curb gun violence in their state.

Canon City Daily Record reported that the bills were announced on March 22, after the traumatic mass shooting on King Soopers supermarket. The said laws were set to take effect in the state immediately.

READ NEXT: Colorado Shooting Suspect Allegedly Chuckled While Murdering 10 People

Colorado Governor Jared Polis Signs Gun Control Bills

The said bills that were signed by Polis, were "Expanded Background Checks" (HB21-1298), "Local Control of Gun Regulations" (SB21-256), and "The Office of Gun Violence Prevention" (HB21-1299).

"Recent tragedies around Colorado and the country demand quick and decisive action," the Colorado governor said in CBS News, citing a statement. Polis noted that the laws will make their communities safer keeping firearms out of the hands of those who would harm the Colorado residents.

Despite being signed into law in the wake of the mass shooting, Boulder representative Judy Amabile said that the laws were signed also because of the "everyday gun violence" and the number of people losing their lives in their state because of firearms.

The three laws have different scopes and jobs in curbing gun violence in the state.

HB21-1298 or "Expanded Background Checks" will prohibit anyone from purchasing a firearm without a completed background check. This law would also make the seller of the firearm accountable in case an individual with an incomplete background check got a hold of a gun. Furthermore, the people who are not allowed to own firearms for five years include those who have misdemeanors such as third-degree assault, child abuse, sexual assault, harassment, cruelty to animals, and violation of a protection order.

SB21-256 or "Local Control of Gun Regulations" permits cities in Colorado to come up with gun regulations. This law overwrites a previous state law that does not allow an LGU to impose a regulation that will "prohibit the sale, purchase, or possession of a firearm." However, the law would allow the local governments to designate areas where guns can be carried.

Lastly, HB21-1299 will establish a new office in Colorado that will oversee and coordinate efforts in curbing gun violence in the state. Jared Polis' administration will allocate about $3 million to the state's Department of Health and Environment for the first year to create the "Office of Gun Violence Prevention."

Colorado Center Helping Boulder Mass Shooting Victims Relocate

#BoulderStrong Resource Center relocated to its permanent location at 2935 Baseline Road, The Denver Channel reported. The center was established to support people experiencing trauma after the mass shooting at King Soopers grocery store.

"It's going to take years to heal from this fully," said Kevin Brainy from the Center, emphasizing the trauma from the shooting still haunts the people.

The support center in Colorado offers various services such as crisis counseling, long-term counseling, group support, therapy dogs, and even massage. After the mass shooting in Boulder, the center helped at least 450 people from the community.

READ NEXT: Birthday Celebrant Names the Victims in Colorado Springs Shooting

WATCH: Governor Polis Signs Three Gun Reform Bills Into Law - From Governor Jared Polis
Make the most of Monday and Tuesday's sun because Met Eireann is forecasting a change in the weather for the rest of the week when Ireland will enjoy its longest hours of daylight in the year.

The forecaster says that after a mainly dry start to this week, it will gradually turn more unsettled as the week goes on with spells of rain developing.

While the early days of the week will be the best, the forecaster is also expecting an unseasonal 'chilly night' on Monday which is the Summer Solstice.

The rain may be needed by some especially farmers since the forecaster has said on its website that the first half of June was the driest since the 1990s.

Met Eireann's farming forecasting sectin isn't expecting a lot of rain. It says the drier than normal conditions will continue in most areas with another 10- 15mm expected to fall over the coming week. It says there is some uncertainty around next weekend's weather and the exact predicted totals, and so there is a possibility of some areas seeing more rainfall.

Met Eireann also says sunshine amounts will likely be below average in most areas, though there will be some extended sunny periods too, most notably Monday and Tuesday. MORE DETAILS BELOW TWEET.

Tomorrow is the #SummerSolstice & much of Ireland will be dry with sunny spells, but a few showers possible on N & NW coasts.



If you're up to catch the sunrise around 0500hrs tag us in your pics & we will share our favourite! (Thanks to Annemarie Foley for the pic below) pic.twitter.com/U0S5aaEFJi June 20, 2021

NATIONAL FORECAST Issued at 10.14 PM on June 20.

MONDAY: A dry day in most areas with good sunny spells. However, a few isolated light showers may occur in northern and northwestern coastal areas. Warmest over Leinster and Munster with highest temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees. Cooler over Connacht and Ulster with highest temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees in mostly moderate north to northeast winds, fresh to strong on exposed coasts.

A chilly night for June and dry with largely clear skies. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in a light northerly breeze.

Tuesday: A dry, bright and fresh start to the day but cloud will build from the northwest through the day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing over the west and north towards evening. Highest temperatures of 13 to 18 degrees, coolest over the west and north and warmest in the south and east, in a light to moderate west to northwest breeze.

A cloudy night with outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading southwards across the country affecting most regions. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees in a light to moderate westerly breeze. MORE BELOW LINK

Wednesday: A dull and cloudy start to the day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. The rain and drizzle will gradually ease through the day, with dry and bright spells developing, particularly over the western half of the country. Continuing mostly cloudy in eastern counties with some rain and drizzle lingering there through the evening. Highest temperatures of 17 to 20 degrees, possibly touching 21 degrees, in a moderate westerly breeze.

A mild night with a mix of cloud and clear spells, largely dry at first. Cloud will increase overnight with rain returning to western and northern counties before dawn. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees in a light to moderate southwesterly breeze.

Thursday: A wet and cloudy day with outbreaks of rain. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds.

Friday and the weekend: Current indications suggest there will be further showers or spells of rain at times to end the coming week and through the weekend, but with some sunny spells also.
The families of the two teenagers killed in the Belturbet bomb almost 50 years ago have called on the Irish Attorney General to open fresh inquests into their deaths.

Solicitors from KRW Law, representing the families, have lodged an application seeking the new inquests into the deaths of 16-year-old Patrick Stanley and 15-year-old Geraldine OReilly, who were killed when a loyalist car bomb exploded on Belturbet Main Street in December 1972.

Nobody has ever been charged with the murders, the families believe no meaningful inquest was held at the time.

Solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW Law, who represents the OReilly and Stanley families, said the applications were the first in a series of pending cases where we say the State has not complied with its Article 2 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) obligation to conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding unresolved murder investigations.

We say that each of the cases point to wider systemic State failings to have proper investigations, he said.

An RTE documentary broadcast on the anniversary of their deaths in December revealed that British intelligence about a potential suspect was not passed on to the Irish authorities. The programme also claimed British Army, RUC and UDR personnel held a secret meeting to discuss border security shortly after the bombing. However, the minutes of this meeting and other intelligence documents held by the British state are to remain sealed until 2057.
Emmy-nominated and duPont-Columbia award winning, Longford journalist Shaunagh Connaire is joining the Clooney Foundation for Justice in a newly formed role as Director of Communications and Media.

The Co-Founders and Presidents of the The Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) are Amal Clooney and George Clooney. CFJ advocates for justice through accountability for human rights abuses around the world.

Shaunagh is the host of the Media Tribe podcast and has reported and produced for Channel 4, BBC and PBS.

From the Ebola zone in Sierra Leone, to the refugee crisis in the Middle East, to operating undercover in China, she has reported on some of the worlds most critical issues and her work has often led to direct impact.

Announcing the news of her new appointment, Shaunagh tweeted, "I'm joining the Clooney Foundation for Justice in a newly formed role as Director of Communications and Media.

"I'll be reporting directly to Amal and George and working with a brilliant team who pursue justice through accountability and represent some of the most vulnerable people around the world.

"During the last 10+ years as a journalist, I've loved holding power to account (mostly via my work @C4Dispatches

& @UnreportedWorld) so this job is nothing short of a privilege for me."
The Department of Health has been notified of 288 new cases of Covid-19.

There were 49 patients in hospital with the virus, including 15 in ICU, up one from yesterday.

The department said daily case numbers may change due to future data review validation and update.

Meanwhile the Tanaiste has said that people who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can travel abroad, but they will need the Digital Covid Certificate and negative PCR tests before they return to Ireland.

Asked on RTE's The Week in Politics about the advice from Dr Tony Holohan that unvaccinated people should not travel abroad, Leo Varadkar said that if he was the chief medical officer that is the advice he would give.

Mr Varadkar said the advice from CMO is "totally right" from scientific and medical perspectives, but the Government has to take wider considerations into account too.

He said the Government is putting laws in place which are different to the CMO's advice, taking fairness into account, particularly for young people, who are at the back of the queue for Covid-19 vaccines.

The Tanaiste urged anyone who is travelling abroad to be aware that they need to know two sets of rules - both for the country they are travelling to, and the rules for coming back to Ireland.
AS fishy stories go, Clive Gallagher from Askeaton tells a good one. He set out, he says, to catch a few trout but instead landed himself a whopping 10lb carp after an heroic battle between man, rod and fish.

Originally from Ballysteen where he learnt his fishing from his dad, Clive was visiting the Laois Angling Centre last week when he caught the big one.

I was up there fishing for trout, he explains. There were a couple of carp in one of the lakes and I decided to go over. I was stalking the fish for a good hour, hour and a half when eight appeared like ghosts out of nowhere. About eight of them came to the surface.

Clive was using a six weight light fly rod and a home-made fly, made from deer hair and tied by Michael Quinlivan, a fishing instructor from Limerick.

I gently presented the fly and one of them took the fly. There was a serious battle for about 40 minutes, but I landed it in the end.

There are a number of different species of carp, Clive explains but his was a common carp. After being photographed with the whopper, he released it back into the lake, to fight another day.

To add to his sense of achievement, the man managing the centre told him he had never heard of a fly-rod being used to catch a carp before. To catch one on a fly rod is very unusual.

On the day, Clive bagged a few trout as well but mostly, he says, he is in favour of catch and release and conservation.

But the carp is not his only unusual catch. Some weeks back, near Tarbert, he caught a Thornback Ray.

Clive is a member of Bleach Lough Fishing Club and also the Deel Anglers.
A LIMERICK man who has cerebral palsy has spoken of the benefits he gets from attending Enable Irelands service in Mungret.

Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, Enable Ireland has had to cease operating its adult education service for health and safety reasons.

And Mikey ODoherty, who lives in Lord Edward Street says he misses the camaraderie it brought.

The adult service centre provided vital supports to those with disabilities who go there in many cases every day.

These centres provided a chance to participate in training, personal development and socialising with friends.

Without these centres, many adults were facing weeks of isolation and loneliness.

So in order to tackle this, Enable Ireland used web technology and were able to re-open a virtual communitty centre for these adults.

Now, more than 170 adult service users access this virtual service.

Popular Mikey has really embraced the platform  and even hosts his own chat show on it.

Entitled Questions with Mikey, he interviews guests on their experiences, passions and the big questions in life.

Its been a hard year, Mikey said, Weve all had to adapt and come up with new ideas of what we can do to fill our time. Ive been lucky that I have my studies and I have been able to get into some classes at Mary Immaculate College too. Its been challenging, but I tell myself if other people can do it, then I can too. Enable Ireland has been a great help to me in the year.

For his chat show, Mikey took inspiration from the comedian Tommy Tiernan, someone hes a huge fan of.

And theres no rehearsals  its all live, raw and uncut, he added.

The guests dont know what questions I am going to ask them. Its a conversation really. The shows are 45 minutes long and at the end I open it up to the floor. Ive a great audience and its always lively, he confirmed.

One thing Mikey is particularly looking forward to is being able to meet guests in person face-to-face.

For more information on the show, please telephone 061-301830.
A NEWCASTLE West woman has put pen to paper on her first book, which she hopes can help people appreciate the world.

Writer, artist and former yoga teacher Kathryn Crowley has just brought out the Pollen Pages, which contains 20 pages of poems and short stories.

In the collection, shes drawn on experiences  both positive and negative  from recent years.

Taking up the story, she said: I wanted to write more than paint, and this feeling started coming up in me one winter when I had really bad depression. I was living in Galway at the time and journal-ing. It got me through a winter. Before I knew it, I was writing really corny poetry and terrible songs. It was great craic! Pen almost replaced paintbrush for me.

It was then, in 2015, the seeds were sewn on the Pollen Pages.

Later that year, a family tragedy stopped Kathryn in her tracks, and it wasnt until a year after, she resumed writing.

Ironically, this came about when she was taking part in an outdoor education course, high in the hills above Limerick.

On the second day, she broke her ankle, which rendered her immobile.

I was stuck in the village I was in. I guess it was the universe or God or whatever people believe in telling me something. But I started writing up there again, she explained.

Speaking of her stories, Kathryn said: One is about a travel experience I had in Ethiopia which I hope reiterates what a gift freedom is. Another story, although it's about teeth, it relates to grief and how it can linger and rise up at any moment. I hope it helps people who are grieving to realise there is no full stop finishing point, As long as you are above ground, you are winning.

As for the poems, she says some of them are just nice and uplifting.

Kathryn has returned to university as a mature student, after finding doors closed in her face in terms of securing arts funding as she did not have a degree.

People used to reiterate this every time I was job hunting or trying to get projects off the ground that I really should go back to college, she said.

It was thanks to a chance encounter with someone in Youthreach, that she met with teachers in the University of Limericks sociology department.

Kathryn hopes some of the sales of her collection will help fund her continued study  and ultimately pave the way for an end to precarious employment for her.

I love writing, I love research. I love using creativity to highlight a cause, or effect change through the arts. But I am a realist as well, she added.

The Pollen Pages is available, priced 5 plus postage-and-packing.

In certain instances, Kathryn can deliver the book by hand.

For more information, artyshe.com or telephone her at 085-2441321.
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A FUNDRAISING drive has been launched in Limerick to send schoolbooks to poor children in South Africa.

Gateway to Education Limerick is an education support charity which aims to make education more affordable for Limerick-based families.

The organisation, which is based at Wickham Street in the city centre, has a focus on reducing the cost of going to school here in Ireland.

Part of this includes getting books into the hands of students at a reduced cost to their customer base. The charity is currently appealing for donations to send schoolbooks to South Africa and have set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for the cause.

The proceeds from the fundraiser will pay the cost of a large container that will send unwanted school books to schools to the Netherlands.

GTEL has teamed up with Read To Grow in the Netherlands who will help them ship much needed school books to South African communities. They just need to get the books to the Netherlands first.

Commenting on the initiative, Paul Goodwin, Assistant Manager of GTEL said: A frequently changing syllabus and new book editions being published each year often means that many schoolbooks become obsolete. Rather than sending these books to landfill we want to reuse them by getting them to communities who need them. In 2018 we sent 500 boxes of books to Malawi in East Africa to a community where over 1000 students shared roughly 100 books between them. The project was a success and we now want to repeat the project.

Suzanne Roche, Founder of GTEL, added. The organisation relies on the help of our volunteers and your generosity. We would be so grateful if you could donate and help cover the cost of shipping these books to the Netherlands. Read To Grow will then take them the rest of the way. Our goal is to raise 2,500 euro and anything you can give will be greatly appreciated. If you cant donate money then please consider donating your old school books to us.

To donate, visit the charity's GoFundMe page.
Fuel prices have been on an upwards trajectory for nearly 50 days now, hurting the pockets of all consumers.

After remaining steady for a day, the rates were hiked for the eleventh time this month on Sunday, breaching all previous records.

In the national capital, petrol got costlier by 29 paise, while diesel rose by 27 paise, according to price notification by the oil retailers.

The latest revision took the cost of petrol in Delhi to 97.22 per litre while diesel is currently retailing at 87.97. In Mumbai, petrol is being sold at 103.36 per litre, whereas diesel has reached 95.44 per litre.

In addition to this, Patna is on the verge of joining the list of state capitals where the auto fuel has crossed the 100-mark. A litre of petrol is priced at 99.28 in the city currently, while diesel is at 93.30.

Bhopal had last month become the first state capital to breach the 100-mark in petrol prices. It was followed by Jaipur and then Mumbai. Hyderabad and Bengaluru joined the cities in the week gone by.

Following this, petrol is being sold at over 100 in eight states and union territories -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan near the India-Pakistan border was the first place in the country to see petrol hitting 100 a litre mark in mid-February. Last week, it also earned the distinction of diesel breaching 100.

Currently, a litre of petrol is being sold at 108.37 in the small city while diesel is retailing at 101.12.

The difference in prices in states occurs on account of local taxes like VAT or freight charges.

Rajasthan levies the highest VAT on petrol and diesel in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The central and state taxes make up for 60% of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54% of diesel. Centre levies 32.90 per litre of excise duty on petrol and 31.80 a litre on diesel.

Here are the latest rates in your city:

Delhi: Petrol prices  97.22 per litre; diesel prices  87.97 per litre

Mumbai: Petrol prices  103.36 per litre; diesel prices  95.44 per litre

Kolkata: Petrol prices  97.12 per litre; diesel prices  90.82 per litre

Chennai: Petrol prices  98.40 per litre; diesel prices  92.58 per litre

Bengaluru: Petrol prices  100.47 per litre; diesel prices  93.26 per litre

Hyderabad: Petrol prices  101.04 per litre; diesel prices  95.89 per litre

Thiruvananthapuram: Petrol prices  99.20 per litre; diesel prices  94.47 per litre

Jaipur: Petrol prices  103.88 per litre; diesel prices  96.99 per litre

Patna: Petrol prices  99.28 per litre; diesel prices  93.30 per litre

Chandigarh: Petrol prices  93.50 per litre; diesel prices  87.62 per litre

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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah are set to visit the United States next week to meet President Joe Biden.

"President Biden looks forward to welcoming Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, to the White House on June 25, 2021," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Sunday.

The visit by President Ghani and Dr Abdullah will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan as the military drawdown continues, the statement added.

This meet comes amid a dramatic surge in violence in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of US troops. Taliban has increased its spring offensive and attempted to siege more areas.

The United States said that it is committed to supporting the Afghan people by providing diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian assistance to support the Afghan people, including Afghan women, girls and minorities.

"The US will remain deeply engaged with the government of Afghanistan to ensure the country never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups who pose a threat to the US homeland," the statement said.

The US continues to fully support the ongoing peace process and encourages all Afghan parties to participate meaningfully in negotiations to bring an end to the conflict, it added.

Earlier, Biden announced that the US will start its final withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan on May 1 and complete its pullout ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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The Dubai government on Saturday announced updated travel protocols with certain relaxations for inbound passengers from India, South Africa and Nigeria.

Passenger flights from India have remained banned by the UAE since late April in view of the surging second wave of coronavirus here.

What are the new rules for Indian travellers?

Those who have a valid residence visa and have received two doses of any UAE-approved vaccine are allowed to travel to Dubai, as per the new protocols.

There are four vaccines currently approved by the UAE government  Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V and Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Furthermore, passengers travelling to Dubai from India are required to undergo a rapid PCR test four hours prior to departure. They must undergo another RT-PCR test on arrival in Dubai.

The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai, headed by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced that the new rules will be effective from 23 June.

In addition, following arrival, passengers from India should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours.

Do the same rules apply to Nigeria, South Africa?

From South Africa and Nigeria, non-residence passengers are also allowed to travel subject to the vaccination and PCR test conditions.

A negative test certificate from a PCR test taken 48 hours before departure is required, according to a Gulf News report.

The UAE nationals are exempted from this requirement. Only QR-coded negative PCR test certificates are accepted, it said.

India's ban on international travel

The central government has extended the ban on international flights till 30 June, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

Dedicated cargo flights, flights under the bilateral air bubble pacts with select countries will continue to operate.

Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since 23 March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Suspension of travel

The UAE will suspend travellers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Namibia from entering the country on national and foreign flights from Monday.

The GCAA said the restrictions would also include transit passengers, with the exception of transit flights travelling to the UAE and bound for those countries.

Exemptions to its decision include UAE nationals, their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions, official delegations, business jets - after getting prior approvals - and golden and silver residency permit holders, in addition to those who work essential jobs.

Those who are exempted will still have to take a PCR test at the airport and enter a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

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World powers meet Sunday in Vienna in their first attempt to revive a nuclear deal with Iran following the Islamic Republics election of a new hardline president.

While Ebrahim Raisis win is not expected to derail efforts to return the US to the accord, the change in administration in Tehran has complicated diplomacy. The Persian Gulf nations president-elect is himself subject to sanctions imposed by the US in 2019, and Iran insists they must be removed as part of an agreement to revive the accord.

Irans lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi signaled that no breakthrough was imminent in this sixth round of talks since negotiations began two months ago. Diplomats will return to their capitals for additional consultations, and clear differences remain that will require yet another round of negotiation, Araghchi said in a statement on Telegram.

Failure to clinch a deal this week means that focus shifts to June 24. Thats when a temporary monitoring pact expires with International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors. Iran said last week it was open to prolonging that side agreement as long as progress continued to reviving the broader deal.

The talks aim to bring the US back to the 2015 pact after former President Donald Trump withdrew from it three years later. A resuscitated accord would lift sanctions on Irans struggling economy and allow it to return to global oil markets, in return for limiting its contentious nuclear work.

Negotiators had originally sought to seal a deal before Fridays election but now want to ensure work is concluded before outgoing President Hassan Rouhani hands over power to Raisi in August. The feud over the agreement, which includes China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK, has pushed the region close to war and Tehran to enrich uranium near the level required for a bomb.

Ultraconservative judiciary chief Raisi, who is hostile toward the West, has said he would preserve the nuclear deal that Rouhani helped seal and has suggested he doesnt want to make it Irans central foreign policy concern. In comments on Saturday after results showed him on course to win the election, he suggested he would work for continuity with Rouhanis team.

The election of a hardliner delays the expectation of a rapid return of Iranian oil to the market," Sara Vakhshouri, president of SVB Energy International LLC, said Sunday at the daily energy forum hosted by the Dubai-based consultancy Gulf Intelligence.

Irans policy toward the agreement is ultimately decided by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi -- who was sanctioned in 2019 by the Trump administration over his role in a deadly 2009 crackdown on protesters alleging vote fraud -- is seen as a favorite to eventually succeed him.

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Partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms possible. High 88F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
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As the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant has spread to 74 countries in just six months since its discovery, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is warning Americans that the strain will become the predominant variant in the months ahead in the United States.

The Delta variant is believed to be 43 to 90 percent more transmissible than the previous Covid-19 strains and is now the dominant strain both in India and in the United Kingdom.

When asked on CNN this week why the Delta variant is responsible for 99 percent of the new cases in the U.K. and if she sees that happening in the U.S., Walensky compared the strain to one that hit the U.S. previously.

So this is exactly what happens here with the B.1.1.7 or U.K. variant, Walensky said. Turns out when these viruses mutate and these variants take hold, they generally do so because it has some advantage to the virus.

Walensky continued, When it has that advantage that is more transmissible, you see exactly what youre seeing now. So, the U.K. variant was more transmissible. That is now nearly 70 percent of the virus here. We know that the Delta variant is even more transmissible than the U.K. variant, and I anticipate that will be the predominant variant in the months ahead.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said she anticipates the Delta variant first identified in India will be the predominant variant in the months ahead in the US. https://t.co/z84AwuIaxD pic.twitter.com/hVVhQnPnNC  CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) June 18, 2021

On Friday, President Biden addressed the issue and cautioned Americans who are not fully vaccinated that they will be especially vulnerable to the Delta variant.

People getting seriously ill and being hospitalized due to Covid-19 are those who have not been fully vaccinated, Biden said. [The Delta variant] is a variant that is more easily transmissible, potentially deadlier, and particularly dangerous for young people.

Walensky said those who are fully vaccinated, having received both shots of either Pfizer or Modernas vaccine, are protected from the Delta variant. But results from studies that are underway are needed to know whether or not the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is effective against the strain.

The first thing to know is the vaccines that we have now, the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines, we do know that after two doses you are protected from the Delta variant, the director said. And studies are underway now to examine the Johnson & Johnson [vaccine]. We just dont have as much data with that vaccine.

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Tribeca Festival, the first in-person film festival in the U.S. since the pandemic, closed out its 20th edition with a tribute to a small town in the midwest.

Filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, the Oscar winners behind American Factory, took the stage at New Yorks iconic Radio City Music Hall to introduce their new documentary to a fully vaccinated and mostly mask-less crowd.

We live in a small town in Ohio, Bognar told the nearly 6,000 audience members in attendance. We have a neighbor. His name is Dave. We seem him at the grocery store.

That Dave, of course, is Dave Chappelle. As Reichert and Bognar tell it, the comedian appeared on their doorstep about a year ago to see if the directors were interested in documenting his experiment to carefully bring back live events during quarantine.

I literally just knocked on their door the same way Black people do when theyre having barbecues, Chappelle cracked to audience. Hey, Im having a barbecue. Can I borrow some hotdogs, neighbor?'

Chappelles efforts, initially intended to be a weekend-long event, resulted in more than 50 sold-out outdoor and socially distanced comedy shows over the summer in the provincial town of Yellow Springs. Set up in a friends five-acre cornfield, Chappelle hosted famous friends such as Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, Jon Stewart, Tiffany Haddish and Michelle Wolf to reintroduce stand-up in the COVID era. As the movie documents, extensive safety precautions, including swab tests, were taken. No nostril was spared in the process.

Titled This Time This Place, the film strikes a balance between laugh-out-loud and incredibly poignant moments to capture how the star-studded comedy shows, as well as the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, affected the local town.

Documentary film and comedy, you may think are different. Its all about storytelling and trying to find the truth, Reichert said. Were here to celebrate and were so proud and excited to bring you this movie from our little place. And I wanted to really thank you for having the courage to come out tonight.

It was Chappelles idea, Bognar says, to host the event at Radio City Music Hall. Hes sold this place out many times, Reichert chimed in. Hes a visionary and he knows how to make things happen. She added, The fact that its Juneteenth is very meaningful to Dave.

Tribeca Festival director Jane Rosenthal, sporting her signature blue-tinted sunglasses indoors as the clock ticked past 8 p.m., called it an exhilarating end the 12-day event. Its the first time were indoors at Radio City in 18 months, and were at full capacity, she told Variety. Weve all been through a lot. To see people and hear people in person is amazing.

A number of famous faces walked the red carpet prior to showtime, including Sharon Stone, Zoe Kravitz, Anthony Anderson and Jeremy O. Harris. For several stars, it was their first in-person gathering in many, many months.

Its a lot, actor Delroy Lindo admitted on the carpet. On one hand, Im processing being around this many other human beings. But in the final analysis, it feels really good to be part of a celebration like this.

Bob Saget, who makes a cameo in the documentary, says the film serves as a time capsule of a dark yet meaningful period. Dave is someone who is passionate, poignant and has such clear messaging, Saget told Variety. Yes, the Rockettes would have been a nice opening, but this is really incredibly special.

Inside the auditorium, it appeared the masses would agree. Audience members, who had to keep their cellphones in Yondr pouches, were electric with laughter and applause during the two-hour long screening.

After the credits rolled, Chappelle reflected on devastation of COVID-19 and praised the resilience of New York City. I drove around today, he riffed. I was shocked to see streets full again. People living their lives and peeing, like they do in the summertime.

On a more serious note, he said, Im so grateful we all survived this, and Im so sorry for any of you who lost someone or lost something due to this pandemic. But man, lets get up. Lets get up.

And with that, he kicked off a surprise, 30-minute concert, emceed by DJ Clark Kent  a salute to the tri-state area with performances from natives like Fat Joe, Q-Tip, A$AP Ferg, Ghostface Killah and De La Soul.

At the end of the night, Chappelle reemerged to offer some parting words. Commit to being kind to one another, he said. They cannot break us apart, no matter what our country says, no matter what any corporation says. We will help each other get through tough times. New York City, I love you so much.

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The ending of Thelma & Louise stands as one of Hollywoods most epic finales, but for screenwriter Callie Khouri, writing the scene was simply a no-brainer.

It literally just appeared in my head. And I knew that that was the ending, Khouri told Variety at the films screening at Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on June 18. Im so grateful to Ridley for keeping it that way, because I know that there were people who were nervous about it.

The 30th anniversary celebration of Thelma & Louise by MGM and Cinespia brought Khouri, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon together for a Q+A and drive-in charity experience that benefited the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. The two leading ladies donned matching shirts that read, Im Her Thelma & Shes My Louise.

The reaction from women was so strong and nothing Id ever seen before. It made me realize how few opportunities we have for women to come out a movie feeling empowered by the female character, Davis reflected while on the red carpet. It made me think, Well, Im really going to think about what are the women in the audience going to think about my character from now on.'

Mirroring Khouris approach to the movies final scene, Sarandon revealed that her improvisation of Louise and Thelmas farewell kiss was all intuition.

I just felt by that time that they were finishing each others sentences and that they loved each other and this was a big moment and the sun was going down. We had one take because they spent all day with the helicopters and everything else, Sarandon said. It just felt right it was just an intuition thing.

When the road movie first hit theaters in 1991, audiences were stunned  and some angered  by its violence, particularly in the killing of Harlan (Timothy Carhart), Thelmas almost rapist. Even with Thelma safely out of his grasp, Louise fires off a revolver when Harlans abhorrent insults push her too far.

I think thats like the first example on film of a woman being triggered to the point that she just lost it, Khouri laughed. You dont know whats happened to a person Thats kind of what the point of the movie was. You think you know who these women are, [but] were going to show you, were going to peel back this onion and youre going to be sorry that you thought so little of them.

If anything has changed in the 30 years since Thelma & Louise premiered, its the unanimous welcoming of their on-screen and in-person ferocity, as indicated by beeping horns of encouragement from the screenings drive-in attendees.

It was just so fun to be able to get to do something that made women get excited, that made actresses get excited, Khouri said. With everything that I do, I want an actress to pick up the script and go, Oh my god, Ive got to play this part.'

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New Yorkers have been waiting to elect Bill de Blasios successor for years. But as the city emerges from one of the most trying periods in its history, the Democratic primary to replace the beleaguered mayor has felt a little weird. At the very least, its been unconventional. Its safe to say no one envisioned the front-runner for the majority of the race would have no government experience and a platform calling for TikTok Hype Houses in New York City.

But Andrew Yang is the frontrunner no longer, and instead of pushing TikTok Hype Houses hes now complaining about how new favorite Eric Adams allegedly mislead reporters about whether he had a hot tub in the basement of his home in Brooklyn. This is to say that with Election Day finally upon us, the race is no less bizarre than it was back when campaigning consisted of logging into a series of Hollywood Squares-style Zoom forums.

Despite the iniquities exacerbated by a crisis-filled 2020, moderate Democrats like Adams, Yang, and Kathryn Garcia are dominating the race. The progressive movement has struggled to generate momentum, but endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others have lifted Maya Wiley into serious contention with early voting well underway. Plenty of voters are still seem to be undecided, though, and its difficult to tell how ranked-choice voting, which New York City is using for the first time this year, could affect the results.

The candidate who does emerge from the pack will still need to defeat the Republican nominee on November 2nd, but the general election is largely a formality in heavily Democratic New York. Heres a guide to the top eight Democrats vying to take a victory lap this summer:

ANDREW YANG

Who is he?

You already know about Andrew Yang, which might go a long way in explaining why hes out in front of a crowded field of opponents whose names are nowhere as familiar as that of the 2020 presidential candidate.

Yang has commanded the bulk of the medias attention since bursting into the race behind a sweeping, Darren Aronofsky-directed campaign trailer, and he has continued to cavort through the city trying to sell himself as a real New Yorker who has what it takes to liven up the city after one of the most depressing years in its history. Hes prone to bouts of Michael Scott-grade tone-deafness, like when he told the Stonewall Democratic Club that LGBTQ people are so human and beautiful, or when tweeted his support for Israeli airstrikes against Palestine and then acted confused as to why organizers of an event celebrating Eid no longer wanted him to appear.

Yangs understanding of how New York City government functions is questionable, to say the least, and some have worried that if elected he would serve as a puppet for special interests  like, say, the lobbyist, venture capitalist, and former Bloomberg adviser backing his campaign.

Yangs lack of experience, assorted gaffes, or dubious donors havent seemed to matter in the polls, though. His optimism is resonating.

What is he pushing?

Yang generated buzz as a presidential candidate by advocating for a universal basic income, and hes promoting something similar for New York. Yang wants to create a $1 billion cash relief program for the 500,000 poorest New Yorkers, giving them what would average to $2,000 a year. He also wants to create a Peoples Bank into which New Yorkers receiving the benefit would be automatically enrolled. Despite some bold ideas, Yang is a very much a moderate Democrat, and critics argue hed be too soft on corporate New York, real estate developers, and police reform.

Who has endorsed him?

Yang launched his campaign with the help of newly minted U.S. Rep. Richie Torres. Hes also landed endorsements from Rep. Grace Meng; state Senators John Liu and Jeremy Cooney; and City Council Members Margaret Chin, Carlos Menchaca, Vanessa Gibson, and Kalman Yeger. Amy Schumer and John Leguizamo have joined the Yang Gang, as well. So have several key Jewish leaders.

What are his chances?

Yang was the favorite for most of the race. No longer. A poll released in mid-May found Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams with a slight edge, with 19 percent to Yangs 18 percent. Hes been sliding ever since. Another poll released later that month put him in third place behind Kathryn Garcia and Adams. An NY1/Ipsos poll released in early June put him back in second place, but a Marist poll conducted two weeks out from the election has him in fourth, 11 points behind Adams. Same goes for a PIX11/Emerson poll released the week before primary day, which put Yang in fourth with 14 percent, trailing Adams (23), Wiley (18), and Garcia (17).

KATHRYN GARCIA

Who is she?

Garcia is a Brooklyn native who has spent pretty much her entire adult life working in New York City government, most recently as de Blasios sanitation commissioner and the interim head of the New York City Housing Authority and the Covid-19 food czar, a role in which she orchestrated a massive meal-delivery effort. So yeah, she knows her way around City Hall, and is arguably more qualified to pull the levers that need to be pulled to keep the city humming than anyone in the race.

What is she pushing?

Garcia has placed an emphasis on climate resiliency, and wants to begin moving the city to a fully renewable energy economy as soon as she gets into office. She also wants to expand bike lanes, public transportation, and access to public green spaces; electrify over 10,000 school buses and turn every school roof into a green energy source; create a Green New Deal for the citys housing authority; and double the number of green jobs over the course of the next decade.

Who has endorsed her?

In early May, Politico called de Blasios longtime sanitation commissioner everyones second-favorite candidate. Sure enough, two of her biggest endorsements  State Sen. Diane Savino and former City Council member Costa Constantinides  were only willing to go so far as to say shell be their second selection in ranked-choice voting. But Garcia has since scored first-choice nods from State Sen. Liz Krueger, Queens Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, and, most notably, The New York Times. It is Kathryn Garcia who best understands how to get New York back on its feet and has the temperament and the experience to do so, the papers editorial board wrote. Ms. Garcia has our endorsement in perhaps the most consequential mayoral contest in a generation.

She later landed a nod from the New York Daily News, which called her the candidate best equipped to guide us through this difficult moment.

Andrew Yang has also giving Garcia plaudits, touting her as his second choice and saying she could help him in his administration if he were elected. Garcia had objected to Yangs comments (Im not running for No. 2, she told The New Yorker in May), but with days until the election the two held a rally together in Queens. Some have criticized her for the move, but Garcia has made it clear shes just trying to take advantage of ranked-choice voting.

.@KGforNYC explains campaigning with @AndrewYang to voter on the #upperwestside  I wanted his number twos. They will campaign again together today in Chinatown pic.twitter.com/Jb32kJ2Chj  Courtney Gross (@courtneycgross) June 20, 2021

What are her chances?

Shes in the hunt.

A poll conducted in mid-April put her in eighth place with just six percent of the vote, but her chances have taken off since landing endorsements from the Times and Daily News. A poll released in mid-May put in her third place behind Yang and Adams with 11 percent of first-place votes. Another released in late May by PIX11 and Emerson College put Garcia ahead with 21 percent support. An NY1/Ipsos poll released in early June put her in third behind Adams and Yang, but she could be a huge beneficiary of ranked-choice voting if progressives rank her second or third. But in a true testament to the topsy-turvy nature of the race, the same PIX11/Emerson poll that put her in first with 21 percent in late May had her in fourth with only 12 percent in early June. The polling continued to yo-yo the following week, when a Marist poll put her back up in second with 17 percent. A PIX11/Emerson poll released the week before the election put her at 17 percent, good for third behind Adams (23) and Wiley (18).

Its anyones guess how shell finish come June 22nd, but as of now shes a legit contender.

Who is he?

Stringer knows his way around city government better than just about anyone in the race. He was a six-term state assemblyman representing the Upper West side before being elected Manhattan borough president in 2005, and then in 2013, comptroller. Moving up to the big office in City Hall seems a logical next step for the progressive. He was in pretty good position to make it happen when in late April one of his former campaign workers, Jean Kim, accused him of sexual assault. Kim says Stringer groped her in 2001, when she was helping him campaign for public advocate. Stringer says the two were in a months-long casual relationship. Several of Stringers marquee backers have rescinded their endorsements, although one of the biggest, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) has since said hes second-guessed the decision. Quite frankly, I sometimes regret it because I wasnt more patient, didnt ask more questions, didnt call for other things because I do like Scott, he told a local progressive group in May.

What is he pushing?

Stringer may the progressive movements best shot at City Hall. He hasnt put forth any single, marquee policy proposal, instead opting to lay out an array of initiatives relating to affordable housing (including strengthening tenant rights and investing billions to rebuild the New York City Housing Authority); affordable childhood education (including investing $500 million over five years to address child care deserts); the economy (including creating a $1 billion recovery program that provides grants to small businesses); and more.

Who has endorsed him?

Stringer landed an impressive slate of progressive endorsements, including Rep. Jamaal Bowman; state Sens. Alessandra Biaggi, Jessica Ramos, and Julia Salazar; and Mark Levine, the chairman of the City Councils health committee. He also got nods from the Working Families Party and the Sunrise Movement. Unfortunately for Stringer, theyve all rescinded their endorsements since Kims allegation.

Several of Stringers backers have stuck with him, though, including Rep. Jerry Nadler, climate activist Bill McKibben, and several prominent labor unions, most notably the teachers union, which released a statement saying it has always found him both supportive of educators and an advocate for women, while noting the allegations need to be carefully weighed.

His remaining endorsers arent likely to be enough, though, especially as the progressive movement has coalesced around Maya Wiley in the races closing weeks.

What are his chances?

Well, the sexual assault thing wasnt good. Stringer had been within closing distance of Andrew Yang in the polls, but his support is now in question following the allegation from Kim. A poll conducted around the time Kim went public put him at 15 percent, trailing Yang (18 pecent) and Eric Adams (21 percent). A poll released in mid May put him in fifth place with only 8 percent. Another released in early June put him in fourth with 10 percent. In other words, its not looking good.

Who is she?

Morales was the CEO of a Bronx-based social services nonprofit before leaving her post to focus on her mayoral run, which she announced back in 2019. She is widely considered to be the most progressive candidate in the race, although her bona fides have been questioned since her campaign imploded in late May following allegations of a toxic work environment. The turmoil forced Morales to miss an event hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton on the anniversary of George Floyds death (Morales claimed she was absent due to a family emergency), and spurred a unionization drive among her staff. Morales responded by firing several workers involved in the organizing effort while arguing publicly that her ability to handle the scandal showed that shed be a good multi-tasker if elected mayor. Multiple people affiliated with her campaign have since called for her to suspend her bid for City Hall, although few details have been offered about the allegations of harm perpetrated on staffers of color.

What is she pushing?

Morales has built her campaign around lifting up marginalized communities by rebuilding the New York City Housing Authority, providing guaranteed income to the poor, desegregating schools, and other progressive initiatives. Shes also proposed cutting the NYPDs massive $6 billion budget in half, funneling the leftover funds to social services, including the creation of a Community First Responders Department.

Who has endorsed her?

Morales has the support of the Sunrise Movement, which co-endorsed her and Stringer before ditching him, and the Working Families Party, which ordered Stringer and Morales 1-2 before rescinding their endorsement for Stringer. Morales is also the first choice of state Sen. Jabari Brisport, as well as former gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout. Shes got that something extra  that hope, that joy, that absolute love of the city and the people in it, Teachout said in announcing her endorsement. That love and that integrity can bring us to the most joyful, community-based, ground-up New York city we have ever seen.

What are her chances?

Morales has cultivated a lot of grassroots support, but it hasnt translated into much upward momentum in the polls. A survey released in mid-May put her at only 6 percent, tied for sixth place with Ray Maguire. The controversy within her campaign seems to have hurt her already-slim chances. A Marist poll conducted in early June put her at 3 percent, same as Ray Maguire and Shaun Donovan.

ERIC ADAMS

Who is he?

Brownsville, Brooklyn, native Eric Adams was a police captain, state senator, and, from 1995-2002, registered Republican, before becoming Brooklyn borough president in 2014. He made clear almost immediately after taking office that he planned to use the position as a springboard to City Hall. Seven years later, here we are.

Adams can tend to be  outspoken. Hes been criticized for ranting about his inability to celebrate a building to house LGBTQ seniors during a ribbon-cutting for that very building; telling people moving to New York they should go back to Iowa, go back to Ohio; and claiming after the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh that he would carry a gun whenever he enters a place of worship. He also said last year that if elected mayor hed forgo a security detail and instead just carry a gun himself, comments he later walked back.

Adams has also come under fire for some potential campaign finance issues. In May, The New York Times reported his questionable fundraising history, including how he endorsed a controversial land zoning change that benefitted a developer who threw him a fundraiser.

Regardless, Adams has curried plenty of favor during his tenure as president of the citys most populous borough (he won election in 2013 with more than 80 percent of the vote and re-election in 2017 with more than 80 percent), giving him a solid base of support for his mayoral run.

What is he pushing?

Adams is a moderate Democrat and was even registered as a Republican until 2001. Hes advocated for small businesses and real-estate development, and stressed the overarching importance of public safety, calling it a prerequisite to prosperity. He often touts his ability to take on crime, citing his two decades of experience in law enforcement. He supports police reform, although hes stopped short of endorsing anything resembling the defunding of the NYPD.

Adams has proposed what he calls a Peoples Plan. The plan includes a tax credit of $3,000 per year for the poor, universal child care for every family that cannot afford it, housing assistance for those on the verge of homelessness, and the creation of a new MyCity online portal that would allow New Yorkers to figure out which benefits they qualify for.

Who has endorsed him?

Adams has received an array of endorsements from current and former U.S. representatives, New York state politicians, New York City politicians, and New York Mets great Doc Gooden.

What are his chances?

Adams is the favorite. A poll released in mid-May put Adams out in front with 19 percent of first-place votes, but just barely with Yang at 18 percent. The lead appears to have grown. An NY1/Ipsos poll released in early June put Adams in first place with 22 percent of the vote. Another released later in the month put him at 24 percent, good for a 7 point lead over Kathryn Garcia. A PIX11/Emerson poll released the week before the election has that lead down to 5, with Adams at 23 percent and Maya Wiley at 18.

MAYA WILEY

Who is she?

Wiley is an attorney, professor, and activist who served as a counsel to de Blasio before becoming an MSNBC commentator in 2018. She jumped into the mayoral race in the wake of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that swept the city last summer, and she has centered her campaign around racial justice and police reform.

What is she pushing?

Wileys signature proposal is a $10 billion plan she dubs the New York New Deal. The plan aims to create 100,000 new jobs to rebuild the citys infrastructure while lifting up the communities of color hit hardest by the pandemic.

Wiley has also proposed a plan for universal community care that would allow 100,000 families to receive $5,000 in annual assistance to care for children and the elderly. The plan would cost $500 million and would be partially paid by freezing the hiring of police and corrections officers for two years, according to The New York Times.

Who has endorsed her?

Several city, state, and national politicians have lined up behind Wiley, including Reps. Yvette Clarke, Nydia Velazquez, and Hakeem Jeffries, as well as Katie Porter out in California. Not only does she have a vision for change, she has plans to get things done, to deliver real change for people, Porter said in an ad for Wiley.

The biggest endorsement, however, came in early June when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) threw her considerable political weight behind Wiley. If we dont come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires, and we need a city for and by working people, Ocasio-Cortez said in endorsing Wiley. So we will vote for Maya number one.

Its isnt just AOC. The entire progressive movement has rallied around Wiley in the run-up to primary day. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and other powerful progressive influencers in the city are throwing their weight behind the lefts best chance to have a presence in City Hall.

What are her chances?

Shes trending in the right direction. An NY1/Spectrum poll conducted in early April put her in fourth place at seven percent. She did a little better in another poll conducted in the middle of the month, coming in at 10 percent. A poll released in mid-May put in her fourth place with 10 percent. Her chances skyrocketed following the AOC endorsement, though. A PIX11/Emerson poll conducted from June 7th-8th put her in second place at 17 percent, 6 points behind Eric Adams. A few weeks later, the same poll put her only 5 points behind Adams.

SHAUN DONOVAN

Who is he?

Donovan is a Manhattan native with experience in both city and federal government. He was the commissioner of housing preservation and development under Mayor Michael Bloomberg before jumping to the Obama administration to serve as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He then moved to the Office of Management and Budget, which he directed from 2014 until President Trump took office.

What is he pushing?

Donovan wants to close the racial wealth gap by establishing Equity Bonds for all New York City children. The city would deposit up to $2,000 annually in those of low-income families, money he believes could be worth $50,000 by the time the child is 18. Donovan believes such long-term investment will be more effective at tackling inequality than simply handing out a few checks. Proposing 200 bucks a month to a few New Yorkers is not going to change peoples lives, he tells Rolling Stone. But if you really look at what drives inequality in this city, what drives gentrification, it is wealth, and white families have 10 times the wealth of black families, and eight times the wealth of Latino families.

Donovan has also been promoting the idea of 15-minute neighborhoods, in which every New York City community would have easy access to essential food, health care, public transportation, and other services. [These things] need to be part of how we plan and build our city if were going to get rid of the persistent, persistent inequality we have across racial and other lines, he says.

Who has endorsed him?

Donovan has touted his experience working with city mayors, and a few of them have given him the nod to lead the nations largest city. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and the former mayor of Fresno, California, Ashley Swearengin have all lent their support. Other notables include Sen. John Hickenlooper, former Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and Brooklyn pastor Rev. Johnny Ray Youngblood, with whom Donovan worked to create 5,000 low-income homes in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Also: Ed Norton.

What are his chances?

Its not looking great right now. A poll conducted in mid-April put him in seventh place, garnering only eight percent of the vote. Hes been moving in the wrong direction since receiving negative press for guessing that the median price of a home in Brooklyn is only $100,000 (its actually $900,000) in an interview with The New York Times, as well as for his fathers role in financing his campaign. A poll released in mid-May found him at only 4 percent, good for dead last of the eight notable candidates. He hasnt fared any better in recent polling.

RAY MAGUIRE

Who is he?

Maguire is trying to enter New York City politics fresh from the financial sector. Prior to running for mayor he served as the vice chairman of Citigroup for 15 years, and he was recruited to run for mayor by city business leaders who want to make sure their interests are taken care of coming off of the pandemic.

What is he pushing?

Maguires campaign is built around revitalizing the citys economy following the pandemic. He plans to bring back 500,000 jobs by implementing a variety of measures, including offering salary subsidies to employees of small businesses that were hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

Who has endorsed him?

Hoo boy. Maguire might not be lighting the polls on fire, but hes leading the field in celebrity support: Spike Lee. Samuel L. Jackson. Jay-Z. Nas. Diddy. LL Cool J. Patrick Ewing. Tiki Barber. Steve Martin. Run from Run D.M.C. Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner. Naomi Campbell. U.S. Rep Gregory Meeks. The list goes on.

What are his chances?

Maguire may have a lot of star power backing him, but hes not yet a serious contender. A poll conducted in mid-April found at nine percent, good for fifth place. Another conducted toward the end of the month put him at six percent, which is also where he stood in a poll released in mid-May. Things arent looking great as the election draws near, either. A Marist poll conducted in early June puts Maguire at just 3 percent.

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In a major sweeping decision made this week, Customs and Border Protection made the decision to not allow Mexican citizens to come into the country any more to sell their plasma.

The CBP cited that the decision was made because Mexican citizens were crossing the border to get compensated for their donations, which they deemed as working. It said this constitutes as a type of labor being paid for by the U.S., thus the practice was ended.

Effective immediately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection advises that donation of plasma for compensation in the U.S. by B1/B2 non-immigrant visa holders is a violation of the terms of their visa, and crossing the border for that express purpose will no longer be permitted under any circumstances, an official of the CBP said.

Selling plasma constitutes labor for hire in violation of B-1 nonimmigrant status, as both the labor (the taking of the plasma) and accrual of profits would occur in the U.S. with no principal place of business in the foreign country.

Although the decision does not affect people if they just want to donate without compensation, some local plasma centers are upset that the move may impact their operations. Plasma is vital for these local centers, who are concerned it could also impact the manufacturing of medication and vaccines.

This will affect us majorly, its almost 80% of my donors, BPL Plasma Task Force Manager Daniella Dusci said. About 80% and sometimes up to 90% of our donors are from Mexico that are crossing, so right now this will take a huge hit within our center, our donors and with our production.

Dusci also said that she did not agree with the decision due to it hurting the company in the long run. She said that they could see their current inventory of plasma donations be greatly impacted.

We dont agree with this decision at all. This is definitely essential, as we save lives, Dusci said. I dont say that it will happen anytime soon that we will see a great shortage, because we do have a bunch of donations that we have collected throughout the year and that we continue to collect right at this moment. ... In the near future, who knows? It depends on how long this lasts.

A spokesman for Biomat USA, another major plasma donation center, stated that they did not have any comment yet as they are currently assessing the situation. However, she did argue that more information will be provided later when they are notified with more details about the change in policy.

According to the BPL task manager, the plasma they collect is not used by them for manufacturing as they then provide it to another company that does that to create vaccines and medications, helps find treatment for autoimmune diseases, helps burn victims and other essential medical treatments for those in need. Dusci also stated that nearly all of the plasma collected stays in the U.S.

In fact, Dusci says that at the height of the pandemic, their company had a COVID-19 program in which people who donated their plasma after having COVID-19 would be compensated greater. This is due to their antibodies against the virus helping scientists and research teams find a better way to combat the virus.

Dusci is also surprised at the fact that these donations were never halted during the height of the pandemic and finds this decision to be alarming and not good for the needs of many medical organizations that continue to need these type of donations to survive and manufacture medicine.

As these plasma centers now may face a shortage of Mexican citizens coming into the country for those donations, several major incentives for potential new donors have already emerged.

Right now we are offering a new incentive ... for our new donors, as right now we are offering them $100 for their first five donations, Dusci said.

Dusci states that she is very upset by the decision to halt Mexican donors from coming into the country to donate plasma, and that she hopes that the decision is reconsidered soon as it helps save lives.

We are just over here trying to save lives, Dusci said. This could save somebodys life. ... Anyone from anywhere is welcomed.

Despite the decision, CBP stated that the decision will not affect people who seek medical treatment in the U.S. or who want to donate plasma without compensation in the country after entering for family visits, shopping or other tourism activities within the country once the pedestrian bridges reopen.

This does not affect the ability of non-immigrant visa holders to receive medical treatment in the U.S. or to make a true donation of blood, tissue or an organ without receiving compensation, a CBP official said.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
The name of Laredo might soon be taken to much larger heights or even out of this world as one former NASA employee is being recognized posthumously as a finalist in a naming contest.

Although considered the savior of the Apollo 13 landing, the name of Arturo B. Campos is not recognized by many out of the inner circles of NASA, nor was he provided a lead character in the film about the potential shuttle disaster, which makes him an unsung hero as NASA Spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton said. Even though the contest is underway to decide if Campos will be the name of the mannequin or moonikin as NASA is calling it, the family is thrilled by the opportunity and news of potentially seeing the mannequin being named after the family patriarch.

We couldnt be more beyond happy for this good news as he is finally getting the recognition that he deserves for what he did and how he helped save Apollo 13, his daughter Leticia Campos Maddix said.

Maddix said the rest of the family is also excited about the possibility of her father having a mannequin named after him as it would be sent to the moon for extraordinary research purposes.

The rest of the family is ecstatic. I reached out to my dads side of the family and they are very excited about this, Campos she said. I was the only one up, besides my mom, as my dad was working at the time, when we were watching the first man land on the moon on a black and white TV, and my dad was really proud of what he did.

One of Campos first cousins, Oscar A. Campos, who is a bit younger, said he is thrilled his cousin is being recognized.

I think that it is a great honor for him, he said. He has been an unsung hero for the longest time as no one is really aware of which his contributions were in the rescue of the Apollo 13 astronauts. I am hoping that he will be given the honor of NASA naming one of their moonokins in the Arthemis 1 program after him.

Even though his family and his work and other activities he participated during his life can be considered part of his legacy, Maddix said Apollo 13 is the real legacy he left to the world as his power mechanism helped the shuttle fly to the moon.

The Houston Chronicle even attributed him in a 2001 article as being one of the sole reasons for the rescue of NASAs ill-fated Apollo 13 moon mission in 1970.

According to NASA, Campos was asleep on April 13, 1970 when the Apollo 13 was heading to Earth in a crash trajectory rather than a normal landing. The native Laredoan learned after waking up at his home that a service module oxygen tank aboard the Apollo spacecraft had ruptured. The command modules normal supply of electricity, light and water were lost as he found out, which left Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise stuck in a crippled spacecraft about 200,000 miles from Earth, which meant their lives were in danger.

According to Maddix, all of her family is thrilled and excited about the news of the former NASA worker being celebrated for his work. She said she could not sleep because of how excited she was about the news.

It is just great to see how he can be honored all this time later, Maddix said.

Campos passed away in 2001 from a heart attack and after a battle with dementia. He had prestigious awards provided to him such as the Congressional Medal of Freedom for his efforts as an electrical engineer. His father inspired his career choice as he was a mechanic in Laredo.

During his time living in Houston after graduating from Martin High School in the 1950s, he and other individuals from the area set up a local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 660 where he served as president of the organization in the area of Galveston, Harris, Brazoria and Matagordo counties. The LULAC chapter was then established with several Hispanics working in NASA at the time in one of the first major outreaches by a Hispanic organization within the organization.

During his time in NASA, Campos also made sure he helped the organization find talented Hispanics to hire just like NASA had done with him when he first found out about the opportunities they offered.

He helped found the first ever LULAC chapter in Houston for NASA and was very involved in bringing Hispanic engineers and other Latinos into NASA as a home, Campos said.

Campos Maddix describes her father as a very strong man with a calm attitude that said little but always focused on educating his children, providing for his family and making sure his community, the Hispanic community, thrived in new areas.

He was a serious person, he worked, he was talented mechanically and he took his academics very seriously, Maddix said.

Whoever it ends up being named after, the mannequin will be able to collect and store of data and will be able to travel to the moon. The United States mannequin will be joined by others already selected from other countries.

On June 16, the first bracket was posted and people were able to vote on one of two names. Each bracket will be posted every other day until the final bracket on Monday, June 28. The final winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 29.

The bracket with Campos is expected to be announced on Sunday, June 20 for voting.

According to the contest rules, the voting will be done via social media as people will be able to share their opinions on who they want the mannequin to honor.

The winner will be announced on June 29, which will be my mothers birthday, which is great even though she passed away two years ago, Maddix said. It would be awesome if my dad won on my moms birthday. She never remarried after he passed away as she did set high standards with him.

There are already two other mannequins slated to participate in the program, one from Germany and from Israel, under the names Helga and Belhar, respectively. Maddix hopes that her father becomes the third mannequin to be sent to the stars as the it will be a resemblance of him while potentially even wearing his name.

All of the family is hoping Campos advances to the next round of voting in the semifinals. He is up against the name of Shakleton in his bracket, which NASA has termed as Secretive, abundant. A crater on the Moons south pole and a reference to a famous Antarctic explorer. The official meaning behind the Campos last name is that of being Resourceful, problem-solver. A dedication to Arturo Campos, key player in bringing Apollo 13 home.

The only last name that has entered into the final four round is that of ACE, which stands for Artemis Crew Explorer.

We want to enlist the help of all Laredoans and anyone who has ever known or had anything to do with Arturo Campos to vote for him when his name comes up for voting, Maddix said.

She said he must win because it is time to finally provide a Hispanic the recognition to not just serve in NASAs headquarters but be sent to the moon even if it is posthumously.

I really want my dad to win because of his accomplishment, but I would appreciate it if he does win because of him being a minority, Maddix said. They already got a Jew, a German, and now we need the Mexican up there. It is an honor he was also chosen because he is a minority and a Hispanic because it shows how much a minority contributed to Apollo 13.

To partcipate in the contest, people can follow the @NASAArtemis account on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

More information about Campos legacy and his work with NASA can be found by visiting nasa.gov/moonikin/arturo-campos.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
With international travel on hold for the foreseeable future, staycations are the new trend for taking a break without having to travel far. Fortunately, Mahurangi and Kaipara have some of the best attractions that New Zealand has to offer. Heres a list of places to stay and activities to try 

Puhoi Valley Cheese

Visit Puhoi for an award-winning cheese tasting board. Once again Puhoi Valley Cheese has scooped a number of accolades from the 2021 NZ Cheese Awards. Its Pakiri Beach Blue won champion of cheeses. Meanwhile, its Matakana Wax Blue took gold, its Te Muri Triple Cream Brie took silver and its Kaipara Washed Rind took bronze. Puhoi Valley also produces award-winning ice cream sold only at its cafe. The affogato made with Matakana Coffee Roasters coffee is a favourite.

Pakiri Beach Holiday Park

Camping has been re-imagined at Pakiri with a well-appointed glamping tent, complete with a four-poster bed, lounge set and open-air bathroom. The partially outdoor kitchen comes with a Weber BBQ and views of the beach and river. Theres a separate bunk room with beds for three children, and outside there are nine kilometres of white sand beach to stroll, including the Pakiri Regional Park. Pakiri Beach Holiday Park currently has a three nights for the price of two deal for its glamping tent, but if glamorous tents arent your thing, the park also has cabins.

Matakana Estate

Perhaps the most beautiful bolthole in the district, Matakana Estate has a four-bedroom lodge that can sleep up to eight guests. It features an outdoor barbecue, an indoor heated swimming pool, media room and large lounger areas. Tall windows reveal 180-degree views of the surrounding vineyard. The price of accommodation includes a welcome platter, breakfast provisions and a bottle of Matakana Estate wine. There is a 20 per cent discount for bookings of at least two nights until August 31.

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail

Brick Bay Winery is both a visual and culinary feast. There are more than 60 large-scale sculptures in the Brick Bay sculpture walk. Tickets are $12, and free for children during school holidays. Proceeds go towards supporting artists with new commissions, meaning the sculptures frequently change. There are umbrellas on hand in case of rain. Brick Bay has a two-course lunch and wine tasting paddle special for $39 until July 9. Signature dishes are the farm-raised lamb, butternut pumpkin soup and crispy sesame squid. Follow it up with a pear and rhubarb panna cotta or persimmon ginger sticky pudding.

Albertland Heritage Museum

If youre stopping off in Wellsford, be sure to take the opportunity to visit the Albertland museum. The Way We Wore exhibition, featuring curated clothing from 1900 to 1970, is open until August 31. While there, watch a film detailing the history of the founding of Port Albert by non-conformist settlers hoping to rival the success of Auckland. The museum also has extensive collections of photographs depicting everyday life in early settler times. For multi-generational locals, the museum can look up a last name and uncover a familys history.

Cafe Eutopia

If you havent had the chance to visit Cafe Eutopia in Kaiwaka since it reopened, then it is time you made a visit. The iconic cafe was painstakingly restored and completed by artist couple Marijke Valkenburg and Robert ter Veer. It is filled with mosaics, sculpture and carvings. No two dining spots in the cafe are the same, with various dream-like scenes hidden in alcoves throughout. The menu includes organic, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options. The vegan breakfast consists of Turkish beans, wilted greens, roasted tofu and vegetables on sourdough toast.

Mangawhai Markets

Mercantile Mangawhai is home to two bumper markets every Saturday, from 8.30am to 1pm, all year round. The Mangawhai Community Market raises money for Mangawhai Beach School where it is now held. Items on offer include fresh produce, artisan foods, clothing, books, plants, organic beauty products, hand-crafted toys and much more. Meanwhile, the Mangawhai Tavern also hosts a market with 74 stalls. Goodies include fresh bread and baked goods, street food, antiques, organic cleaning products, jewellery, handmade clothing, a world-renowned sunscreen, Mexican hot sauce and more.

Cove Cafe and coastal walk

The Cove Cafe, nestled in picturesque Waipu Cove, is a great place to stop for lunch. The chicken breast served with Kawakawa roasted pumpkin, portobello mushrooms and hazelnut pangrattato and jus is a new addition to the menu. The Seafood Chowder in a creamy tomato bisque soup is a local favourite and has been on the menu for seven years. The Cove Cafe updates its cocktail menu weekly, with creations such as the Winter Berry Cosmo comprising citron Stolichnaya, Cointreau, boozy berry puree, cranberry and lime. Afterwards, walk it off with a stroll along the Waipu coastal walk, which features dramatic cliff-clinging pohutukawas and multi-million dollar houses.

Maungaturoto Second Hand

This treasure trove is a step above a regular secondhand store, with stock sourced from deceased estates, house-lots and downsizers. There is a huge range from top-end furniture to cheap items to stock a flat with, and even boxes of free stuff. Some of the more interesting recent sales include a three-wheel land yacht and a $4500 Waterford crystal chandelier. The store believes in selling anything that comes its way from $1 mugs to 1950s newspapers. Theres an in-store cafe and even a kids play area. It might be New Zealands best secondhand store.

Maungaturoto Historic Inn

For a slice of old New Zealand life, make a visit to the 150-year-old Maungaturoto Historic Inn. Those that stop in for a beer and a game of pool are guaranteed to meet some friendly characters  including the owner, Robin Dickinson. Theyre more than happy to share a few stories, but not all of them are true. A new dinner menu is available after 5.30pm, which includes pork ribs and steamed mussels. Beers on tap include Lion Red, Lion Brown and Speights, in addition there are a variety of ciders and spirits behind the bar. The hotel may or may not be haunted, according to recent reports in Mahurangi Matters.

Kauri Museum

Youd be mad as a gum diggers dog not to make a visit the Kauri Museum in Matakohe. The permanent collection includes exquisite objects made from thousand-year-old gum, and exhibits chronicling a nation built on a foundation of kauri timber. The Portraits of our People temporary exhibit is open until September. It includes historical portraits, as well as a collection of pictures of contemporary characters from the district produced by local artists. Book a gum-polishing workshop to get a hands-on experience of turning a rough nugget of gum into a glowing gem, which you can then take away with you. The schoolhouse has also reopened following renovation. Children can experience 19th century education, including writing on slates.

Matakohe Holiday Park

Just a 400-metre walk from the Kauri Museum, the Matakohe Holiday Park has a relaxed atmosphere and quaint cottage accommodation. Settle in for a drink on the deck, play a game of petanque and make dinner on the BBQ. The kitchens are stocked with fruit and vegetables grown in the parks garden. Go for a walk along the brand-new walking and cycling trail beside the Arapaoa River at the end of Matakohe East Road. State Highway 12 has been upgraded with a new route and the old road has been pedestrianised and converted into the walkway. The Paparoa markets and the Thirsty Tui pub are a short drive away.
A man walks past a theatre that has been repurposed as a taxi service in Ellenville. One hundred households making less than $46,900 a year in May began receiving a $500 payment each month for a year. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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Today

Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.

Tomorrow

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Some months ago, I found a note about language classes in Cantonese from a lady with a Scandinavian name. I thought that was curious and decided this was something I should look into, so I sent her a message. There is a very special energy vibe in the messages from Cecilie Gamst Berg. Born in Norway, she has spent 30 years of her life in China and Hong Kong. I am a Cantonese Fundamentalist, that means I want full world domination for Cantonese, while allowing the other languages to live, too.

In 2018 she moved to Mallorca together with her dog Koldbrann. She was tired of the ugliness of Hong Kong and wanted to be closer to nature. Cecile loves islands and hates snow, so the choice was an easy one. Her dog Koldbrann is now happy walking the streets of Palma instead of China. They found a little place to call home in the Terreno part of Palma, close to the nature of Bellver forest and close to the sea.

There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Mallorca. Both are situated on the edge of a large entity with a bloody history. Both are obsessed with property buying. And on the buses of both islands, people always sit on the aisle seat, so you must climb over them! However, windows in Hong Kong open outward so you can have a windowsill with plants inside the house.

In Hong Kong she taught Cantonese, Mandarin, Norwegian and English as well as working as a columnist and feature writer/photographer for South China Morning Post. She also hosted a radio program on RTHK, called Naked Cantonese. Apart from that, she made teaching videos and documentaries on YouTube.

In 2002 she went to Sichuan province as a volunteer English teacher, and there discovered Sichuan food, and according to Cecilie it is the most delicious food on earth. Back in Hong Kong I started cooking it and was soon cooking for up to 22 people on my roof terrace. I still cook Sichuan food for guests. All the ingredients are available here in Mallorca! If they had not been, I could not live here, Cecilie says.

I have also written a Spanish textbook in cartoons this last year. The book is called Learn Spanish without really trying. https://bit.ly/3zwyO1F is the link for the book and we are looking into starting classes in Majorca. I am quite proud of that book, because I can hardly string a sentence together in Spanish. It is in a way a continuation of the 600 page Cantonese course I wrote in Hong Kong, breaking with the tradition that textbooks should be boring.

My advertising slogan for Cantonese was Learn Cantonese the Natural Way - from a Norwegian. In ordinary textbooks, the foreigners learning the language always seem to speak it perfectly from the first page. But in my book, which really should be called Plonkers Abroad, the foreigners make lots of mistakes at first, slowly learning to speak simple and then increasingly sophisticated Spanish.

It is a fun book to use and the characters in it make up their own memory aids, like calling zanahorias zany whores and imagining coffee with lechers. Anything to make it easier to remember. I want to write another book, but where will I find the time?

A friend, an English chef/caterer, asked me to be co-editor of an online magazine, MallorCAN Relish. https://www.mallorcan-relish.com/ Free of course. Our company motto is search the quirk! We now showcase restaurants and small companies fighting to stay alive during this manmade disaster. Things are looking up now of course, but people, including me, are still struggling. But at least Im not in Hong Kong anymore.

BlushPalmas new nail tech - Im a creative soul

We are happy to announce that Ottilia Sitkey has started as a nail tech at BlushPalma  hair and beauty lounge in Santa Catalina.Ottilia is from Stockholm where she worked with nails and beauty and in the hospitality bussiness. Ottilia is available to take bookings, and you can book online on blushpalma.com or on her instagram GalleryEdge. She is an amazing nail technician with almost 20 years of experience and she specialises in acrylic nails but does all kinds of materials. All from the Swedish brand REQ. The variety is large and whether you have natural nails, acrylics/gel or gel polish Ottilia will take good care of you and your hands.

Im a creative soul and I love to make people pretty, Ottilia says.

She aims for natural nails and long lasting results as well as the personal encounters.

If you want high quality products/treatmenrs in a very pleasant beauty lounge you can find her at Calle Fabrica 20 at Blush Palma.
Although there is a fair amount of new home building in Palma at present, the president of the Proinba association of property developers, Luis Martin, says that this doesn't represent a "boom". There are some 400 new homes under construction, but the annual demand in Palma is for 2,000.

Martin stresses that these new properties are at the medium-high to high level. In other words, prices are from being generally affordable. The lowest prices, he says, are between 275,000 and 300,000 euros at a development in Son Ferragut. Otherwise, there aren't major developments, they are small-scale, while there is also a good deal of renovation. In areas such as Cala Major and Genova, the prices are high. At 8,000 euros per square metre, properties are more aimed at foreign buyers.

Possible developments, he explains, are being put on hold while the town hall continues to revise its general urban plan. "In addition to the most expensive construction in Spain - twenty per cent more - a perfect storm has been created. We cannot develop affordable housing. The high price of land continues to go up". He is in favour of increasing housing density in order to lower prices.

Sandra Verger of the Builders Association echoes Martin's views. "We cannot build affordable housing. A large segment of the population is in a no-man's land; they cannot access Ibavi* homes and nor can they afford newly built private homes."

One solution, says Joan Cerda of the College of Architects, would be the rehabilitation of existing housing stock. To this end, the college is negotiating agreements with town halls, not just Palma, for licences. For the town hall, meanwhile, it is necessary to "get more public land", councillor Neus Truyol pointing out the option for more public housing. This could entail private developers ensuring that between 30 and 45 per cent of developments is protected housing at a set price.

Meanwhile, the difficulties with building affordable housing in the city are pushing up prices elsewhere in Mallorca. Proinba notes that prices have risen by up to 50% over the past three years in municipalities such as Inca.

* Ibavi is the Balearic government's housing agency.
There have been many occasions over the years where many of us long-time residents have likened Manistee to a veteran boxer who has spent many years in the ring.

We have witnessed the community we love take a hard punch that sent it to the canvas, but through sheer tenacity it always manages to pull itself to a knee at the nine count and get back in the fight. Well get ready people, it's happening one more time starting in 10 days on July 1.

That is the date the Manistee National Forest Festival will be returning after a one year layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Granted, it will be an abbreviated Forest Festival compared to what we have come to know and love over the years, but then again the punch COVID hit us with was a solid right hook that sent not just us, but the whole world to the canvas.

Many countries are still down on the canvas hearing that referee counting to 10 as they look upward hoping and praying for doses of the vaccine to let them reach the point we are at now. And it isnt gone by any stretch of the imagination from Manistee, America or the world for that matter.

What we are experiencing now can be likened to someone in the recovery stage from a serious injury. In those cases you sometimes need to learn to crawl first and then walk again before you start to consider running.

More importantly we are beginning to walk into the light at the end of that long tunnel we have called life for the past 16 months.

Until a few weeks ago, it looked like we were going to have a repeat performance of last years cancellation of the festival. However, the success of the vaccines began to kick in and the COVID daily positive numbers began to drop dramatically in this area and around the state.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently moved up the state's reopening date from July 1 to this week  June 22. That left the Manistee National Forest Festival organizers in a little bit of a quandary with little time to prepare for the big event.

It probably would have been an easy decision for the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce to just to throw in the towel on the Forest Festival and say We are going to wait until 2022 to hold the next one. But one of the trademarks of people from this area is when the going gets tough, they get up off the canvas and go back to work like the chamber did with the festival this year.

No, it obviously will not be as large as the festivals of the past due to lack of time to prepare. Traditional events like the grand parade and Manistee World of Arts and Crafts will be missing this year.

However, there will be other things like a carnival, petting zoo, marketplace, talent show, Scottville Clown Band Concert, Beach Jam and so much more. What is also great to see on the July 4 birthday of American democracy, the Manistee United Veterans Council representatives will be running Old Glory up the flag pole like they do every year in a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.

God bless our veterans, arent they great?

There still is a lot of disagreement and division in this country over politics, but one thing everyone agrees about is the fact that the past year has been a difficult one for all Americans.

That is why it is especially great to see there will be fireworks over Lake Michigan at dusk on the Fourth of July thanks to the Little River Casino Resort. It was another in yet in a long line of outstanding generosity for the entire community over the years.

If there ever was a time Americans needed a smile and the thrill of seeing the sky light up with fireworks it is now. So thank you Little River Casino Resort.

We have COVID on the run right now in this country, and people are seeing glimmers of what was lost as a result of it. However, what needs to be kept in perspective first and foremost is this was a worldwide pandemic and its not totally over here and most definitely not around the world.

So what the fireworks can so aptly represent is how far we have come, but also remind us that we still must keep our guard up for the future.

What will also hopefully happen even with a smaller Forest Festival is it should bring tourists and family members back to Manistee who could not come last year. It is good news to those who have patiently waited for them to return home and to our community.

Even if the crowds arent as big as the past they still will bring welcome relief to the many members of our community who base their business on the money they bring to our community.

So thank you to Stacie, Kristina and the gang at the chamber for giving us yet another much needed shot in the arm to help in overcoming this pandemic. It is a shot that will allow both young and old alike the opportunity to spend five days in July remembering and having a small taste what normal life was like and what we have to look forward to down the road.

It probably was a lot of work for the people at the chamber to put things together in such a short time, but it is something many of us will appreciate long after I see you again on Thursday.

Ken Grabowski is the retired associate editor at the Manistee News Advocate who spent more than 36 years in the newspaper business.

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LUDINGTON  The Rhythm & Dunes concert series is back and it is kicking off with The Landsharks Band.

West Shore Bank is hosting the concerts in downtown Ludington. The free concert series is planned, organized and underwritten by West Shore Bank and its employees.

The annual summer concert series was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the State of Michigans capacity limit for outdoor events lifted, the bank decided to move forward with hosting the two planned summer concerts on July 24 and July 31 at Waterfront Park.

The Landsharks Band plans to bring a beach party vibe with popular songs from Jimmy Buffett and the Beach Boys on July 24.

Food vendors will be available starting at 5 p.m. and music begins at 6 p.m.

West Shore Banks Rhythm & Dunes free summer concert series has been going for nearly a decade and aims to bring a fun-filled evening for families that supports local businesses and raised funds for local high school music programs.

On July 31, prepare to be transformed to a 1980s Retro Night featuring the Mega 80s Band. A popular group from the Detroit area, its a mix of accurately replicated favorites of the 1980s era and retro styling has made them a dominating force throughout Michigan.

In 2019, the concerts raised more than $14,000. Donations are also accepted online at RhythmAndDunes.com.

Any state and local COVID guidelines in place at the time of the concerts will be followed to assure the safety of our local community.
Munson Healthcare is offering an infusion treatment called monoclonal antibody therapy for treating patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

In a news release from Munson, it stated that the one-time outpatient infusion therapy may help patients recover quicker and avoid hospitalization.

The treatment is especially useful for patients with conditions that put them at higher risk of developing a more severe form of the disease. Patients can now self-refer for the treatment by contacting Munson Healthcares Ask-A-Nurse line at 231-935-0951. The treatment previously required a physicians order.

Monoclonal antibody therapy is offered at Munson Healthcare locations in Traverse City, Kalkaska, Grayling and Cadillac. Limited in-home treatment may also be available.

Monoclonal antibodies are lab-produced molecules that can mimic the immune systems ability to fight viruses and other harmful pathogens. This outpatient infusion therapy targets different parts of the COVID-19 virus and prevents it from bonding with cells in the body. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19 under an emergency use authorization.

Patients who test positive for COVID-19 may qualify for the treatment. Therapy must be administered within 10 days of the onset of symptoms. Patients must be at least 12 years old and weigh at least 88 pounds.

Monoclonal antibody therapy is covered by most health insurance policies. COVID-19 positive patients should call their primary care provider or Munson Healthcare Ask-A-Nurse at 231-935-0951 to discuss this treatment option. The Ask-A-Nurse service is available daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at no charge. For additional details visit munsonhealthcare.org/antibodytherapy.
Barcelona's welcome video for Memphis Depay: Heart of a lion

Barcelona's welcome video for Memphis Depay: Heart of a lion

Barcelona announced the signing of Memphis Depay on Saturday.

The Dutchman will join on a free transfer after his contract with Lyon expires at the end of the month.

The Catalans welcomed Depay with a short video demonstrating the player's tattoo across his back.

"Welcome Memphis," the video signs off.
Atlanta, GA (30303)

Today

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
With two of Fulton Countys three fixed COVID-19 vaccination sites closing this month, it is ramping up its strategy to send mobile units to t
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George Edward Logan, age 82 of Conneautville, PA passed away on June 27, 2021, at Hamot Hospital with family. He was born November 14, 1938, in Meadville, PA to the late Catherine (Ohl) Logan and Thomas P. Logan. He graduated in 1957 from Conneautville High School where he was a star athlete
Although most of us have started to take cognizance of the fact that mental health issues are quite common, and just like any health issues, there shouldnt be any taboo in seeking help, the sad reality is that professional and quality healthcare, for even the most basic of issues, is expensive.



 iStock

Most experienced psychiatrists and counsellors charge around Rs 1500-2000 for a session. While this may be affordable for some, for a large segment of society, especially the younger generation, it is impossible to spend that amount twice every week, for a prolonged period of time.



For Darasing Khurana, though, this shouldnt be a hindrance for people who really need help.

The filmmaker and former Mr India has been actively working with mental healthcare professionals in making counselling more affordable and approachable for people.

 Instagram/darasingkhurana

This is why, through his foundation, Pause Breathe Talk, hes helping people reach out to counsellors who charge as little as Rs 250.



We had a chat with Dara about his pet project, and how he is going about his pet project, Pause Breathe Talk Foundation, and how hes helping connect patients with doctors they can afford.

Edited Excerpts:

 Instagram/darasingkhurana

How did you start out with Pause Breathe Talk Foundation?



2020 was a very difficult year for a lot of us, for a number of reasons.

I was really shaken up when I came to know of Sushant Singh Rajputs suicide. We were good friends and during our struggling days, we were flatmates for some time. I would often look up to him.

After I sorted myself out, I just put up a story on Instagram, like many other actors and models, saying that I, along with a lot of people, was always available to lend an ear, to hear you out.

A lot of my friends and I were inundated with messages and responses, wherein, people just wanted to talk, to find someone who would just listen to them.

Some of the issues that we came to know of during these calls made me realise just how difficult things can be. There are certain things that your friends, no matter how well-meaning they are, cant help you with and you need professional help.

So, thats where the idea for the foundation came up with.

 iStock

Tell us about the process, how do you go about connecting people with counsellors? And how do you get counsellors to join you?



We have a very simple and basic model. People just reach out to the foundation, using Instagram DMs. They talk to us for a little bit, and then we just share their details and their case with a group of counsellors, who take up the cases, as per their expertise.

We approached quite a few people, who had their own practices and have been in the field for over 10-15 years. I spoke to them and tried to make a case, asking them to lower their charges for the patients we referred.

The lowered charges were still high. I, therefore, approached the younger counsellors, who just have about 2-3 years of experience, and who really want to help people out.

Lets talk about the economics of the foundation. The main idea was to make counselling and access to mental healthcare more affordable for people. How do you achieve that?

If you need to go for a therapy session 8-10 times a month, which is about twice a week, you are looking at spending about Rs 20,000 per month, which isnt affordable for a lot of people.

People of the younger generation, those whore still in college or have just started earning, will find it more difficult to allocate that much money monthly.

So, our counsellors charge about Rs 250 for each session. Sometimes, when a person is not able to afford that as well, I will pay for that person out of my own pocket.

 iStock

Does the lack of experience of the counsellors ever become an issue?



I wouldnt say that the counsellors we have lack experience. They deal with the cases to the best of their abilities. Moreover, we have a mentor, who has been very integral to the foundation. This person has over 14 years of experience and is a faculty member at Christ University in Bengaluru.

All of us have a weekly recalibration meeting of sorts, where the counsellors, get counselled and are guided whenever they are dealing with a little tricky case.

We also have a psychiatrist on board, in case one of our patients needs a little extra care. All of these people, including the counsellors have their own practices and their own commitments.

I cannot thank them enough for being a part of this and making time for these people.

What kind of cases does the foundation mostly get?

We get messages from people with all sorts of issues. One of the first cases that we got was of a girl who was having some suicidal thoughts because her relationship with her parents wasnt that great and they were hindering her from getting married to the guy she wanted to.

Because we started our operations during the lockdown, there were several people who needed grief counselling to help them deal with the loss of a loved one.

We have had quite a few people get in touch with us, who lost both their parents within months. We have counsellors who specialise in different areas and each of them volunteer to pick cases that they think they will be best suited for.

 iStock

Have you had regular doctors reach out to the organisation during the pandemic?



I am glad that you asked this because most of us have this impression that doctors cant fall sick, or they cant have mental health issues, that they are somehow immune to all this. That is not the case.

We have had several doctors reach to us, especially the ones who just started practising or just started their training as healthcare workers.

 iStock

There was this one young doctor who had just started her internship. She became clinically depressed only a month or two after the surge in cases, because she was all alone, and was seeing people die around her every day. Gladly, she is much better now.



Thinking that doctors are immune to mental health issues is ignorant. They are human beings just like us, and they can have issues.
The concept of marriage is not the same for everyone. In the last couple of months, we have seen some bizarre weddings.



From a man dressed as a woman to crash his girlfriend's wedding to the groom showing up drunk, there have been so many instances where traditions have turned into a hilarious affair.

 iStock

 Twitter_ANI

Very recently, we witnessed something similar in Ghanpur Village in Utnoor Mandal of Adilabad district, Telangana.



A tribal man decided to marry two women, at the same time. Both the girls are the daughters of his aunts.

The boy received blessings for marrying both of them from families and relatives, who said it's not an unusual practice as marrying two women is allowed in the Adivasi community.

Arjun, who hails from Ghanpur, married two girls on the same mandap, that was attended by their community.

 Twitter_ANI

As per reports, Arjun has completed his BEd degree and is yet to get a job. He is preparing for competitive exams.



The story started when Arjun first fell in love with Usha Rani and while it continued, he was also attracted to another girl.

Both the affairs lasted for four years and no one got to know about it.

When Arjun's parents wanted him to get married, the secret came out. Usharani is from the same village whereas Suryakala, the other girl, is from Shambhugdam.

 iStock

Arjun confessed that he is in love with both the women and wants to marry them



The marriage took place after taking the consent of both the women and turns out, they were okay with it, according to Pandra Jaivantharao of the Mandal Praja Parishad, of Utnoor Mandal.

He said, "It is common in tribal communities. It is a tribal tradition to get married to two women at the same time."

 iStock

He further added, "However, this kind of marriage is a crime in the Hindu Marriage Act."



Another community member said, "Since it was acceptable to both the girls and there was no objection from his parents and families of the girls, we went ahead with the marriage."

The two brides and the groom wore traditional garb and got married with rituals followed in their community.

(6) iStock

Here's how the people on Twitter reacted.

We can agree on this.

Yaha logo se ek biwi nahi sambhalti  Shining Star  (@ShineHamesha) June 19, 2021

Wow!.

Different rules for different people in the same country!

Nonsense    (@156followers) June 19, 2021

Haha

Time to join this tribe @Shivam_h9  Sailor (@sailorsmoon) June 19, 2021

Niggah who even didn't get one bride . pic.twitter.com/uSAsKTijHN  Desi Caffeine (@DesiCaffeine) June 19, 2021

Double trouble



Double Dhamaka  Indian (@Indian05088794) June 19, 2021

If the girls are ok and if such process is organic then it's okay but we shouldn't promote this behaviour.  Vivek Sharma (@SweezyPoet) June 19, 2021

Well now he'll get twice the fun as well twice the torture. Everything comes with a price.  ADITYA (@reticentaditya) June 19, 2021

Yaha ek ka milna mushkil padd raha hai  Rogue || (@SaffronScout) June 19, 2021

Even this makes sense.

Pls dont stifle their culture pls.  Chandni singh (@chandnisingh108) June 19, 2021

We should admire their culture.  V.Shankar (@vshankar446031) June 19, 2021

Le popatlal : pic.twitter.com/JcN75oHjNl  Climate activist memejeevi (@Meemjeevi) June 19, 2021

A similar incident was seen in Chattisgarh. This kind of marriage is stated as unusual in society but for Chandu Maurya, the groom, it was consensual.

He was in love with Hasina and Sundari and he married them on the same mandap.

He had said, "I used to like both of them and they also liked me. We married consensually in front of all the villagers. However, family members of one of my wives did not come into our wedding function."
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Put down the alcohol and put on your life jacket

It could be the difference between life and death while on the lake
His Excellency Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and His Excellency Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran held a Trilateral Meeting in Antalya, on 20 June 2021 at the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

On the occasion of the Trilateral Meeting, the three Foreign Ministers,

Reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance solidarity and cooperation among the peoples of the three countries based on deep-rooted historical, religious and cultural commonalities and shared values that will serve to strengthen peace, stability, prosperity and cooperation in the region,

Underlined their commitment to further expand cooperation particularly in the areas that would contribute to economic progress and sustainable development,

Expressed their willingness to enhance their cooperation on regional connectivity in the fields of transport, trade, energy and infrastructure, in this regard agreed to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding,

Underlined the importance of further strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations, transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and their precursors, and arms, human trafficking, crimes against cultural and historical heritage, cybercrimes and illegal migration,

Further expressed their determination to increase cooperation in people-to-people contacts, education, social and cultural exchange and tourism,

Recognized the importance of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) as a substantial platform that contributes to regional stability in fields ranging from political and security cooperation to economic integration,

Acknowledged the role of the regional and neighboring countries, in particular the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan, in hosting Afghan refugees and called for creating conducive conditions in Afghanistan for their voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation,

Agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of migration and urged international community to increase technical and financial assistance to host countries in taking care of the essential needs of Afghan refugees and to provide support to the repatriation and reintegration efforts of the Government of Afghanistan,

Emphasized their commitment to support a sovereign, independent, democratic and unified Afghanistan,

Deplored the continuing high level of violence in Afghanistan and particularly condemned attacks targeting civilians,

Reiterated that a sustainable peace can be achieved only through an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process that aims a permanent and nationwide ceasefire as well as an inclusive political settlement,

Declared their ongoing support to the Afghan Peace Negotiations for the achievement of a just and durable political settlement,

Recognized the efforts of Turkey together with Qatar and the UN to hold a high-level meeting in Istanbul aimed at giving momentum to the ongoing Afghan Peace Negotiations and called on the Taliban to fulfill their commitment for ending violence, establishing immediate and permanent ceasefire and achieving an inclusive negotiated settlement leading to lasting peace in Afghanistan desired by the Afghan people, the region and the international community,

Called upon countries to refrain from applying unilateral economic sanctions as tools of political or economic pressure,



Reiterated the importance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its full implementation by all sides for the security and economic welfare of the region and beyond,

Recognized the important role of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) as a platform for promoting economic cooperation between Afghanistan and other counties in the region and beyond,

Reiterated their commitment to cooperation and solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and working with the spirit of cooperation, unity and solidarity to protect the health of all our citizens, and make efforts to ensure equitable access to the vaccine,

Welcomed any effort that could build confidence in our region, and in this framework encouraged constructive and result oriented dialogue among all countries in the region,

Agreed to hold the next meeting in Tehran on a date to be determined in due course.

His Excellency Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and His Excellency Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran conveyed their thanks to His Excellency Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and to the Government and brotherly people of Turkey for hosting the Trilateral Meeting.

H.E. Mr. Mevlut Cavusoglu

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey

H.E. Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

H.E. Mr. Mohammad Haneef Atmar

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year Award

Donna LaCourt 517-614-5518 Agriculture and Rural Development

Each year, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) recognizes Michigan's leading exporters in the category of Food and Agriculture products. MDARD does this by awarding a Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year award to a deserving Michigan company. This special honor can bring further success, signaling to international buyers a company's quality and commitment to exporting.

Companies of all sizes are encouraged to apply. The winner of the Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year Award is selected on the basis of export growth, innovation, and the pursuit of new export markets.

Eligibility

Michigan food and agriculture producers, manufacturers or shippers of good reputation and good standing in the business community, who are aggressively pursuing international markets and increasing export sales, are encouraged to apply.

Products must be over 50 percent grown, processed or manufactured in Michigan. Companies with headquarters in other states but production facilities in Michigan are invited to apply on the basis of their Michigan-made exports. Past recipients of the "Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year" award are eligible to apply five years after their initial award if they have increased their exports or expanded into new markets.

Kamps Hardwoods Receives '2020 Ag Exporter of the Year Award'

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has awarded Kamps Hardwoods with the "2020 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year Award."

"We're so thankful to all of our customers and to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for their help and support as we have sought to grow our export business, said Rob Kukowski, general manager of Kamps Hardwoods. "The team here at Kamps has worked hard to increase our quality and service as we have expanded our market and are so appreciative for the honor of this award."

Founded in 2010 by Paul Kamps, Kamps Hardwoods in Dutton, Michigan, specializes in manufacturing kiln-dried lumber from standing timber harvested throughout Michigan. Working closely with a tight base of Michigan sawmills and vendors, including Kamps Hardwood's own Buskirk Lumber in Freeport, Michigan, they produce a diverse lumber mix of species, grades, and thicknesses and are Forest Stewardship Council certified, which demonstrates their commitment to sustainable forestry.

The 2020 Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year Award Winner, Kamps Hardwoods





Pictured (left to right): Paul Kamps, President, Kamps Hardwoods; Tyler Kamps, Vice President of Operations and Export Sales, Kamps Hardwoods



Read the full press release about Kamps Hardwoods' award here

Past Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year Award Recipients

"We are honored to be the recipient of the 2019 Ag Exporter of the Year award. As a boy growing up around our operation, I never dreamed SSF would have a worldwide impact on the potato industry. Today I greatly value the customer relationships we have formed and the team we have at SSF, which helps grow some of the best seed potatoes in the world." - Ben Sklarczyk, CEO of Sklarczyk Seed Farm

"We are honored to be the recipient of the 2018 Ag Exporter of the Year award. We never dreamed a dentist and a dental hygienist looking for a better alternative for our patients could grow a cottage business into an internationally sought-after brand of candy that provides nutritional benefits and fights tooth decay." - Debra Bruinsma, Co-Founder of Dr. John's Candies

"Receiving this award is a reminder of how much Bayside Best Beans has grown - and continues to grow. We are proud of all the member owners who had the dream to make Bayside what it is today and the hard work our employees have put forth to help us achieve this growth. We are honored and excited to be selected as the 2016 Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year." - Bayside Best Beans General Manager Brad Witek

"Star of the West is pleased to be recognized with the 2015 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year award. This award is a reflection of the Star's commitment to partner with food producers and processors to provide quality flour, edible soybeans and dry edible bean products to help feed the world." - Star of the West president Arthur Loeffler
Michiganders are going back to one of their favorite past times ... shopping. And more of them are heading for brick-and-mortar stores.

With vaccinations rolling out and looser masks restrictions, people are beginning to feel a sense of normalcy.

Retailers said they are seeing an eager return to stores after more than a year of customers shopping largely online during the pandemic.

Jennifer Rook is the vice president of communications and marketing at the Michigan Retailers Association.

So, people are returning to the stores. Theres definitely an increased traffic to stores in Michigan, but online ordering is staying steady as well. So, what you could probably attribute that to people have their routine habits now established of what theyre ordering.

Rook said the demand for online shopping is expected to stay the same with an increase in mobile orders, curbside, and home deliveries.

With the rise of face-to-face shopping, Rook said people have even begun Christmas shopping.

Overall, retailers in Michigan are very optimistic about holiday sales. Theres been pent-up spending or as Ive heard revenge spending that consumer are going to go probably spend just as much or more than last year. 

Looking ahead at the fall, she said back-to-school shopping is likely to top pre-pandemic levels as parents and kids seek a fresh start.

Rook said this sales season is typically a major driver for retailers as families buy school supplies, clothes, and college dorm decor.

She said although back-to-school sales are expected to return to normal, retailers are struggling to find employees.

Retailers dont have the labor force, theyre really struggling in that regard. You probably see help wanted signs everywhere. This is another thing because as more consumers come into the store, you need more workers, so you have to balance it out.

Rook said retailers are also struggling with supply chain issues ... like not having enough inventory. She said the problem should work itself out by the end of the year.
JACKSON, Mich. (AP)  A former Catholic school teacher has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing children during his tenure at a southern Michigan school in the 1970s.

Joseph Comperchio, 66, pleaded guilty Friday in Jackson County Circuit Court to three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Attorney General Dana Nessels office announced.
Sebewaing residents had their return to normalcy as the Michigan Sugar Festival returned this weekend. The shortened festival featured a parade, vendors in the village park, and the introduction of this year's Michigan Sugar Queen and her court.
TUPELO, Miss. (AP)  As the youngest daughter of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, Jacqueline Hamer Flakes grew up intimately aware of prejudice and how much her mother struggled against it.

Now, as Hamers last living daughter, Flakes greatest desire is to honor her mothers work.

I just want people to take this at heart and understand what my mother fought for, Flakes said. It wasnt her plan to go out and be a civil rights activist or a human rights activist, but it was Gods plan, so Im just glad that she followed through with it.

EARLY LIFE

While Fannie Lou Hamer is remembered as one of Mississippis most prolific civil rights and voting rights activists, Flakes, 54, remembers her first and foremost as her mother.

Hamer and her husband, Perry Pap Hamer, raised four adopted daughters, including Flakes biological mother, Dorothy Jean, who died while Flakes was only six months old, and Flakes herself.

Although biologically Flakes great aunt, Hamer raised her adopted children as her own. While Flakes has often wondered what life would have been like to live in her biological fathers house, she cherished her time with her adoptive parents.

My life in Fannie Lou Hamer and Paps house, it was awesome because there was always food around, there were always people around, there was always laughter, Hamer said.

HAMERS ACTIVISM START

By the time Flakes was born in 1966, Fannie Lou Hamer was already four years into her work with the Civil Rights Movement. Hamer and her husband, Pap, were sharecroppers on the W.D. Marlow Plantation outside Ruleville. In 1962, Hamer attended an event hosted by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) at William Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, where she learned information she never knew about Black rights, particularly the right to vote.

After that meeting, Hamer decided she wanted to be part of the movement. She came home to share the information with her family, Flakes said.

Hamer became one of the front-runners for voter registration drives in the Mississippi Delta, but was mistreated for her efforts. For attempting to register herself and 17 others to vote, she was met with slurs at the courthouse in Indianola and kicked off her plantation while her husband stayed until the end of harvest. She was forced to move around several times in her lifetime, just to avoid violence. Once, her house was shot more than 16 times by racists. When she and other SNCC workers held a voter registration conference in South Carolina in 1963, they were arrested and taken to Winona jail, where she was beaten.

Even after she was sent out of state to heal, it took three months for her to return, Flakes said of her mother. But when she came back, she was stronger than ever, and she never stopped moving, and never stopped with the civil rights activism. She kept going, and I just want people to know that we can all do the same thing because thats what we need right now.

Hamer continued travelling across the state to speak about voting, and in 1964, she helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge the states all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention that year.

Through it all, Hamer lived by faith.

She loved the word of God, and she knew the Bible, and no matter what was going on, she never showed fear, never showed fear, and I loved that about her, Flakes said. She would stand up strong, have her hands on her hips and say she was going to tell it like it is, and thats what she did.

HER MOTHERS LEGACY

Much of Hamers activism focused on economic power for African Americans. She started the Freedom Farm, as part of the Freedom Farm Collective, where she purchased land in Sunflower County in an attempt to give poor people a chance to own land on which they worked. While it ended in 1975, its impact continues, Flakes said.

Its like three blocks of families that she helped to either get the house built or to get the loans or the grants or the cash that they needed to get the lots or to pay down on the homes to get them built, Flakes said. Im just so proud of just hearing today how the people in Ruleville or in the Delta just talk about my mom and how she helped them.

In March 1977, Fannie Lou Hamer died while battling complications with hypertension and breast cancer. She was 59 years old.

Flakes was 10 when her mother died, and she felt the loss in her soul.

I was her baby, Flakes said. As the cancer spread in her body, she would call me in the room. They called me Cookie. Shed say, Cookie, come on in here and lay down with Mama, Im cold, and she would just want me near her all the time.

After her mothers death, Flakes realized that though Hamer left a legacy that inspired many to start scholarship foundations in her name, she and her sister still struggled to make ends meet.

It was hurtful knowing that people have started the foundations, but Fannie Lous children, the two daughters that she adopted and was raising as her own, struggled to get through school because we didnt have anybody helping us with books or anything, anything. No one offered anything, Flakes said.

As she struggles to recover from her own battle with cancer, Flakes plans to follow in her mothers footsteps to make Ruleville and the Delta a better place.

One area she wants to see change is seeing political power shift in Ruleville. She still believes that disparities exist between how money is invested in African American buildings. With much of the older generation now deceased, Flakes worries that her mothers legacy, and all that she fought for, might be forgotten.

If we get together and try to form organizations in our towns, we can try to make things better for our children, for our future generations, Flakes said. Weve got to get our villages back together. We have to get our villages back together.

For Flakes, continuing down the same trails blazed by her mother is the most fitting way to honor the work that did and all she accomplished.

Im the last daughter of Fannie Lou Hamer that is living at this time, Flakes said. I vowed that Im going to continue my mothers legacy.
CAIRO (AP)  When Libyan security forces rescued her earlier this year, the young Somali woman thought it would be the end of her suffering. For more than two years, she had been imprisoned and sexually abused by human traffickers notorious for extorting, torturing and assaulting migrants like her trying to reach Europe.

Instead, the 17-year-old said, the sexual assaults against her have continued, only now by guards at the government-run center in the Libyan capital Tripoli where they are being kept.

She and four other Somali teenagers undergoing similar abuses are pleading to be released from the Shara al-Zawiya detention center. It is one of a network of centers run by Libyas Department for Combating Illegal Immigration, or DCIM, which is supported by the European Union in its campaign to build Libya into a bulwark against mainly African migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

While it is not the first time I suffer from sexual attacks, this is more painful as it was by the people who should protect us, the 17-year-old said, speaking to The Associated Press by a smuggled mobile phone.

You have to offer something in return to go to the bathroom, to call family or to avoid beating, she said. Its like we are being held by traffickers. The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assault, and the young woman also asked not to be named, fearing reprisals.

Smugglers and traffickers in Libya  many of them members of militias  have long been notorious for brutalizing migrants. But rights groups and U.N. agencies say abuse also takes place in the official DCIM-run facilities.

Sexual violence and exploitation are rife in several detention centers (for migrants) across the country, said Tarik Lamloum, a Libyan activist working with the Belaady Organization for Human Rights.

The U.N. refugee agency has documented hundreds of cases of women raped while in either DCIM detention or traffickers prisons, with some even being impregnated by guards and giving birth during detention, said Vincent Cochetel, the agencys special envoy for the Central Mediterranean.

The group of teens are the only migrants being kept at Shara al-Zawiya, a facility where usually migrants stay only short periods for processing. Human rights organizations say they have been trying to secure their release for weeks.

After their rescue from traffickers in February, the 17-year-old was brought along with eight other young female migrants to Shara al-Zawiya. Four of the others were later released under unclear circumstances.

One night in April, around midnight, she asked a guard to let her go the bathroom. When she finished, the guard attacked her and grabbed her breasts forcefully, she recalled.

I was petrified and didnt know what to do, she told AP. The guard touched the rest of her body including her intimate parts, then unzipped his pants and tried to strip her clothes in an attempt to rape her, she said. He continued his assault while she cried, struggled and pleaded for him to get off her.

He only stopped when he was done on my clothes, she said. I was lucky that he was done quickly.

The guard then ordered her to clean her clothes that had been covered in his semen, she recalled, breaking down in tears.

Terrified, she returned to her cell and told one of the other girls what had happened. She soon learned she wasnt the only victim. All the girls, aged 16 to 18, had experienced similar or worse abuse by guards, she said.

A 16-year-old in the same cell told the AP she started coming under sexual harassment a few days after arriving at the center. When she pleaded with a guard to call her family, he gave her a phone and let her out of her cell to call her mother. Once she hung up, he stood behind her and grabbed her breasts, she said.

She removed his hands and started to cry. The guard only stopped after realizing other employees were at the center, she said.

Every day they do this, she said. If you resist, you will be beaten or deprived of everything.

The Libyan government has not responded to requests for comment by the AP.

At least two of the girls attempted to kill themselves in late May following alleged beatings and attempted rapes, according to local rights group Libyan Crimes Watch and U.N. agencies.

One of them, a 15-year-old, was taken to the hospital on May 28 and treated by the international aid group Doctors Without Borders only to be returned to the detention center.

Maya Abu Ata, a spokeswoman for MSF Libya, confirmed that the groups staff treated the two at its clinic. MSF is the abbreviation for the French name of the group, Medecins Sans Frontieres.

The MSF teams advocated for their release from detention and lobbied protection actors and different interlocutors, however, these attempts were unsuccessful, she said.

The UNHCR said it was working with Libyan authorities for the release of the five young women still held at Shara al-Zawiya and their subsequent evacuation from Libya.

The case of the teens in Shara al-Zawiya also renews questions about the EUs role in the cycle of violence trapping migrants and asylum seekers in Libya. The EU trains, equips and supports the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept people trying to cross the Central Mediterranean to Europe. At least 677 people are known to have either died or gone missing taking this route on unseaworthy boats so far this year.

Nearly 13,000 men, women and children have been intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to Libyan shores from the start of the year up to June 12, a record number. Most are then placed in DCIM-run centers.

At some of the 29 DCIM-run centers around the country, rights groups have documented a lack of basic hygiene, health care, food and water as well as beatings and torture. DCIM receives support, supplies and training, including on human rights, through the EUs 4.9 billion-euro Trust Fund for Africa.

Libya has been applauded by the West for a cease-fire reached last year and the appointment of an interim government earlier this year, prompting visits by European leaders and the reopening of some embassies. Despite seemingly growing political stability, activists and human rights organizations say their access to migrants in detention centers is becoming more restricted.

The guns are silent, a cease-fire is in place ... but human rights violations are continuing unabated, said Suki Nagra, representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Libya, who is following the reports of abuse at Shara al-Zawiya.

Even when cases are documented and alleged perpetrators arrested, they are often released due to the lack of witnesses willing to testify for fear of reprisals. For example, Abdel-Rahman Milad, who was under U.N. sanctions and was arrested last year on charges of human trafficking and fuel smuggling, walked free in April without trial.

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Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
Passengers across the country are furious after hundreds of delays and cancellations hit Southwest Airlines flights due to internal technical difficulties.

The popular airline was hit with two separate issues this week that left thousands of passengers stranded and disgruntled.

On Monday, Southwest faced connectivity issues with a third-party weather supplier used on flights, delaying over 40% of the company's total flights for the day.

Related: JetBlue Founder Launches Airline With $39 Flights

The issue appeared to be resolved when a second system glitch on Tuesday caused connectivity issues that led to the cancellation of about 15% of total flights for the day, trickling over into Wednesday where another 260 flights were cancelled and several hundred were delayed.

"We are still experiencing a small number of cancelations and delays across our network as we continue working to resume normal operations, the company said in a statement, citing that the issues had been "resolved."

Unsurprisingly, this wasn't sufficient enough of an explanation for customers.

Many took to social media to air their grievances and share their experiences with the airline's outages, with many angry over limited-to-no new flight options, extremely long lines at the ticket counters and being stuck on the tarmac for hours at a time.

Thanks #SouthwestAirlines for cancelling my flight and stranding me in an unfamiliar city for the night due to your own computer glitch, without any compensation or even a hotel, and putting me on a terrible flight tomorrow with an awful boarding group. Awesome customer service.  ScorchRaserik (@ScorchRaserik) June 15, 2021

Hey @SouthwestAir will you be compensating your passengers from todays nationwide technical issues which has grounded your ENTIRE fleet? My parents are trying to get back home after attending a family funeral. #southwest #southwestairlines  Jillian Mireles (@godJilla) June 15, 2021

Caught in the #SouthwestAirlines mess day 2. Woke at 5 to see a text my flight home to PHX was cancelled. Scrambled and now going on American because I'd really like to be back in time for a 2 pm job interview. Not the frame of mind I expected to be in for this interview.  Dawn Maria (@DawnMariaAZ) June 16, 2021

Hey #SouthwestAirlines wish you could go back to caring about your passengers! You knew you had a failing system, but yet continued to book flights! Now Im stuck and missing a very important event. Thanks! #donotflysouthwest  Shiloh Benjamin (@benjamin735790) June 16, 2021

@SouthwestAir Many of us remember what life was like before the internet. Since you are having multi-day outages, apparently you need a contingency plan. Forcing passengers to sit on the tarmac for indeterminate amounts of time is unacceptable.#SouthwestAirlines  Nicole H (@TexasNicole) June 15, 2021

Southwest Airlines nationwide outages. Ive NEVER seen airport lines this long. Only in line to check bags. Havent even been to security yet. This is insane! Glad we have 3.5 hours until our flight! #SouthwestAirlines #southwest #orlando  Kelly (@ArendelleKel) June 15, 2021

Literally the longest domestic flight experience of my life!!! #SouthwestAirlines  ATL MASSAGE THERAPIST (@greatly_valued) June 15, 2021

"You knew you had a failing system, but yet continued to book flights," Twitter user Shiloh Benjamin wrote. "Now Im stuck and missing a very important event."

@SouthwestAir flight canceled yesterday and had to pay for a hotel. Re-booked to today, delayed 4+ hours and now a fleet wide outage. I just want to go home. #SWA #SouthwestAirlines  Stephanie Harper (@monkeysmom4) June 15, 2021

"Since you are having multi-day outages, apparently you need a contingency plan," another posted. "Forcing passengers to sit on the tarmac for indeterminate amounts of time is unacceptable."

Related: American Airlines Desperately Asks Employees to Volunteer for Shifts

Other customers cited the situation as the "longest domestic flight experience" of their lives, with some calling the handling of the cancellations "insane" and describing their mental state was "scrambled."

The company provided an update late Wednesday with a statement on social media, telling customers to expect longer-than-normal wait times with customer service.

"We are in the process of resuming normal operations after a system issue this afternoon that created flight disruptions throughout our network," Southwest said. "We know many Customers still require assistance and are working to address those concerns as quickly as possible."

Southwest, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is in the midst of a promotion where customers can buy flights for 50% off on 50 selected dates in the fall.

The airline saw a loss of 7% of its workforce (about 4,300 employees) from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020 due to pandemic-related layoffs and exits.

The company is currently up nearly 50% year over year after the pandemic devastated the travel and aviation industry in the first half of 2020.

Related: These Are the Ten Biggest Airlines Companies

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MANCHESTER  A state expert determined Zaniya Wrights death was a homicide Saturday, as counselors were made available at Illing Middle School after news spread of the seventh graders passing.

Chief Medical Examiner James Gill said Saturday an autopsy determined Wright was strangled, dying of compression of her neck. Her death was ruled a homicide, Gill said.

The 13-year-old girl, who was reported missing to police by her mother around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, was found dead in the basement of the South Adams Apartments on Olcott Street around 8:30 a.m. Friday, Lt. Ryan Shea said during a press conference Friday.

Shea described the basement as a common area for the building that is not tied to any specific unit. He did not say what led investigators to the building. It was unclear how long her body had been in the basement.

On Saturday, the lieutenant said there were no updates to report on the case, but on Friday said investigators are doing everything we can to understand the circumstances that led up to the girls death.

In a letter to the public schools community Friday, Manchester Superintendent of Schools Matthew Geary confirmed Wright was in seventh grade at Illing.

I want to offer our most sincere condolences and prayers to Zaniyas family, her many friends, and people throughout our community traumatized by this terrible news, Geary said. For all those who knew Zaniya both at school and in the community, this is a heartbreaking and incredibly sad day.

Geary said counselors were made available at the school Friday and Saturday to support students who want an adult to speak with or even just a safe space to grieve.

School officials on Saturday declined to address rumors Wright had suffered bullying at the school, which was mentioned by a family friend to WFSB on Friday.

Shea said investigators are looking to talk to anyone who might have seen or spoken to Wright between when she was reported missing and when her body was found.

Anyone with information is urged to call police at 860-645-5500.
VIENNA (AP)  Top diplomats said Sunday that further progress had been made at talks between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration. They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

It was the first official meeting since Irans hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the countrys presidential election last week.

Some diplomats expressed concern that Iran's election of Ebrahim Raisi as president could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement.

Enrique Mora, the European Union official who chaired the final meeting of the sixth round of talks between Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran, told reporters that "we are closer to a deal, but we are not still there.

We have made progress on a number of technical issues," Mora added. We have now more clarity on technical documents  all of them quite complex  and that clarity allows us to have also a great idea of what the political problems are."

He did not elaborate.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov said the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, "took stock of the significant progress made at the Vienna talks, including at the sixth round, and decided to make a break to allow participants to consult with their capitals in preparation for what is supposed to be the final round of negotiations.

There are a few controversial points which require political decisions. Apparently diplomatic efforts to find common language have been almost fully exhausted. So the time has come for political decisions, Ulyanov added.

The nations involved in the negotiations have been trying to resolve the major outstanding issues on how to return the U.S. into the landmark agreement, which then-U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of unilaterally in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

Ulyanov said after heading back to report on the talks' results to their respective governments, he expected the diplomats to return for the final round of talks in Vienna in about 10 days and said they could finalize negotiations by mid-July.

I believe we have all chances to arrive at the final point of our negotiations, maybe even by mid-July, unless something extraordinary and negative happens, he said.

In a written statement after the talks Sunday, the E3 European senior diplomats urged speedy decision-making in the capitals involved in the talks.

Delegations will now travel to capitals in order to consult with their leadership, the diplomats wrote without giving their names, as is customary. We urge all sides to return to Vienna and be ready to conclude a deal. The time for decision is fast approaching.

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday before the meeting that "we think almost all the agreement documents are ready, according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

"Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said.

The U.S. did not have a representative at the table in Vienna. However, President Joe Biden's administration has signaled willingness to rejoin the Iran deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Tensions remain high with Iran and both the U.S. and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Irans internationally criticized judiciary  one of the worlds top executioners.

In Jerusalem, new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisis election as Iranian president was the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who theyre doing business with."

These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions, he said.

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Irans nuclear program and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

The European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Sunday he hoped the election of the new Iranian president would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

We are very close. We have been working for two months," Borrell told reporters during a visit in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. So I hope that the results of the elections is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process.

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Grieshaber reported from Berlin. Amir Vahdat contributed reporting from Tehran, Iran; Ilan Ben Zion from Jerusalem; and Sarah El Deeb from Beirut.
VIENNA (AP)  Further talks between Iran and global powers were planned Sunday to try to negotiate and restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was later abandoned by the Trump administration.

Senior diplomats from China, Germany, France, Russia, and Britain were due to meet at a hotel in the Austrian capital.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov wrote in a tweet Saturday that the members of the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, will decide on the way ahead at the Vienna talks. An agreement on restoration of the nuclear deal is within reach but is not finalized yet.

The U.S. does not have a representative at the table when the diplomats met in Vienna because former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the country out of the deal in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

However, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled willingness to rejoin the deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting is the first since Irans hardline judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the countrys presidential election earlier this week.

The election of Ebrahim Raisi puts hard-liners firmly in control across the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Tensions remain high with both the U.S. and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

Raisi also has become the first serving Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Irans internationally criticized judiciary  one of the worlds top executioners.
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JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel's new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett opened his first Cabinet meeting on Sunday by slamming Iran's newly-elected president and calling on world powers to wake up to the perils of returning to a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Later in the day, Bennett warned Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that Israel would not tolerate even minor attacks from the territory in the wake of last month's 11-day war, saying our patience is running out. But Israel also said it would allow limited agricultural exports from Gaza for the first time since the war was halted by an informal cease-fire.

Irans hard-line judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, was elected Saturday with 62% of the vote amid historically low turnout. He is sanctioned by the U.S. in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Raisi has not commented specifically on the event.

At the Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Bennett said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had chosen the hangman of Tehran to be the country's next president, a man "infamous among Iranians and across the world for leading the death committees that executed thousands of innocent Iranian citizens throughout the years.

Raisi's ascendancy comes at a sensitive time for the region, as Iran and world powers ramp up efforts to resurrect Tehrans tattered 2015 nuclear deal, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

For weeks, Iranian and American diplomats have been negotiating a return to the accord in Vienna through European intermediaries. Talks resumed Sunday, the first round since the election that put hard-liners firmly in control across Irans government.

Israel was staunchly opposed to the landmark nuclear deal and welcomed then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from it. Since then, the agreement has unraveled, with Iran abandoning all its limitations on enrichment after the Trump administration restored crippling economic sanctions. Tehran is currently enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels.

Although the White House has yet to weigh in on Iran's election, President Joe Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Sunday that the outcome was unlikely to affect nuclear negotiations because Iran's supreme leader wants the deal restored.

The person who makes the decision about whether Iran will go back into the Iran nuclear deal, will assume its nuclear obligations under international law, is not the president of Iran, it is the supreme leader of Iran, and that person did not change from before the election, Sullivan said on CNNs State of the Union.

Bennett said Raisi's election was the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who theyre doing business with. These guys are murderers, mass murderers."

Israel, which is believed to have its own undeclared nuclear arsenal, has long opposed arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and has vowed to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

Earlier this month, Israel's outgoing Mossad intelligence chief signaled that Israel was behind a string of recent attacks targeting the countrys nuclear program.

Bennett heads a broad coalition of parties ranging from hard-line Jewish nationalists to liberal factions and a small Islamist party. His government was sworn in last week, sending Benjamin Netanyahu to the opposition after a record 12 years as prime minister.

Later on Sunday, at a memorial ceremony for Israelis killed in the 2014 Gaza war, Bennett warned Hamas that Israel will not tolerate violence, we will not tolerate a drizzle.

He appeared to be referring to incendiary balloons launched from Gaza in recent days that have set fields ablaze inside Israel. Last week, Israel launched airstrikes on two occasions in response to the balloons sent by activists mobilized by Hamas.

Last month's Gaza war was halted by an informal cease-fire. Egyptian mediators have met with Israeli and Hamas officials in recent weeks to try and shore it up. Hamas is demanding the lifting of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the territory when it seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep Hamas from importing military resources, while the Palestinians and human rights groups view it as collective punishment of the territory's more than 2 million Palestinian residents.

COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees civilian affairs in Gaza, said that starting Monday it would allow the limited export of agricultural produce from Gaza for the first time since the war ended.

___

Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe in Washington, Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
BHOPAL, India - The nights are the hardest.

Five-year-old twins Ruhi and Mahi go to sleep late. In the dark, they often wake up crying or seized with fear.

In the morning, their great-uncle dresses them and combs their hair. They ask him the same question over and over: Where are our parents?

Your mom and dad are with the doctors, he tells the girls. They're at the hospital.

The truth is too difficult for him to speak. Ruhi and Mahi's parents are both dead, swept away in a matter of days during the calamity of India's second wave of coronavirus cases.

The girls' father, Mohan, known for his helpful nature and devotion to his daughters, died on April 30, his lungs straining on a ventilator at a government-run hospital in this central Indian city.

Three days later their mother, Rita, died at home in a rooftop room with pale yellow walls, crushed by sickness and grief. Her daughters were asleep nearby.

The full severity of India's recent wave of infections - now receding at last - is hard to grasp. In April and May, the virus overwhelmed hospitals and killed nearly 170,000 Indians, according to official statistics. Experts believe the true figure is far higher.

Perhaps no phenomenon encapsulates the nation's losses like the number of children orphaned in the surge. What happened to Mohan and Rita's daughters is not unique: Nearly 600 children in India have lost both parents to covid-19, said Smriti Irani, the government minister for women and child development, in a tweet last month.

Even that figure may understate the tragedy. Across India, more than 3,600 children have been orphaned as a result of covid and other causes since the start of the pandemic, according to an affidavit filed this month by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Although India's situation is extreme, the country is far from alone. The pandemic has killed parents of young children around the world. Researchers in the United States used Census Bureau data to estimate that about 43,000 American children had lost a parent to covid since March of last year. There were also families in the United States where both parents died.

In India, the ferocity of the second wave left hospitals too full to treat the sick. Many died because they could not get enough oxygen or other treatment, leaving their families with the unanswerable question of whether their relatives might have been saved with proper care.

Most of the children orphaned in the surge are staying with relatives. A small minority have been placed in institutional care, say child protection authorities. The perils are myriad: Children who lose their parents are at higher risk of depression, dropping out of school and being exploited, experts say.

In April, messages began to circulate on social media allegedly seeking adoptive parents for children whose parents had died of covid. The appeals became so widespread that the authorities issued a warning that such direct adoptions are illegal and could be used for child trafficking.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced that the national government would cover educational expenses and provide health insurance to children orphaned by covid, as well as set aside funds they could access upon turning 18. In such trying times, Modi said, according to an official statement, "it is our duty as a society to care for our children."

- - -

Identical twins with tiny wrists and large brown eyes, Mahi and Ruhi are living with their mother's uncle and their extended family in the narrow lanes of Bhopal's old city. When Ruhi, older by minutes, is asked who is her best friend, she doesn't hesitate. "Mahi!" she exclaims while hunched over a coloring book.

That morning, Ruhi woke up and told her great-uncle, Subhash Raikwar, that she had seen her parents during the night. She knew it was them, she said, because she could see their faces above the door to the bedroom. (The Washington Post is withholding the girls' family name to protect their privacy.)

"When they tell us things like this, it makes our hair stand on end," Subhash said. "How could this have happened? Will they ever be able to forget this?"

A day earlier, the girls had returned to their home on the outskirts of town for the first time since their parents became sick. They were excited to see the neighbor's dog and the rickety swing across the street where they used to go with their father, who had worked as an electrician in a nearby factory earning about $250 a month.

Mohan and Rita both belonged to a tribal community whose traditional occupation is fishing, and they were married in 2009. For years, they tried to have children. The girls were born in 2016.

Home was a tiny rented room. A calendar distributed by a Hindu religious group hangs on one wall. The page is turned to April, the month that changed everything. That's when Mohan, who was in his early 40s, began to cough. Days later, he had trouble breathing. By then the virus was racing across India, infecting hundreds of thousands of people a day.

Mohan's health worsened on April 25, and that night, the oxygen saturation in his blood dropped to a dangerous level. Rita's brother managed to get Mohan admitted to Hamidia Hospital, a collection of mustard-and-white buildings near Bhopal's historic mosque. Rita, 40, also was showing symptoms of covid. She and both girls tested positive for the coronavirus two days later. Ruhi developed a cough, but her sister remained unscathed.

Before Mohan was placed on a ventilator, he told Subhash that he was worried for his children. He asked whether he could be moved to a private hospital to get better treatment, but no beds were available. Mohan died late on April 30. He was cremated the following morning, one of 82 coronavirus victims that day at the city's main Bhadbhada crematorium.

Rita, who had a persistent cough and labored breathing, came with the girls to her childhood home, three narrow interconnected houses near one of Bhopal's several lakes where her mother, an elderly widow, still lives. Rita isolated herself in a room on the roof with only one small window, too high to see outside. She didn't want to eat or talk to anyone, her relatives said.

The night before Rita died, she insisted that the girls come upstairs and sleep in the room with her. Alka Raikwar, 45, one of Rita's aunts, said she spoke to her niece after midnight. Alka asked whether she was eating and urged her to be strong for her children. If Rita was having trouble, Alka said, they would take her to the doctor.

The next morning, Rita was unresponsive. The girls tried to wake her. Subhash checked her pulse: nothing. He called an ambulance. Emergency personnel arrived and pronounced her dead.

For the second time in three days, members of the family returned to the crematorium. There were crowds and they had to wait. Mamtesh Sharma, an official with the crematorium trust, said the facility had never witnessed such scenes in its 70-year history. "It was house full," he said, pointing to charred spots on the concrete where bodies had been burned for a lack of proper wooden pyres.

- - -

Bhopal is a city of tranquil lakes and crumbling palaces. In 1984 it was the scene of one of the world's worst industrial disasters, when toxic gas leaked from a pesticide plant owned at the time by Union Carbide, an American firm.

At the height of the second coronavirus wave, people were so afraid to step outside that it was as if something poisonous was in the air, Subhash said. "There was that kind of fear in people's hearts," he said. No matter the sorrow, neighbors were unwilling to help neighbors.

Ruhi and Mahi's parents were not the only losses suffered by the family. Subhash, 45, is the youngest of seven brothers. (Ruhi and Mahi's grandfather was the second eldest.) His eldest sister and one of her sons also died of covid this year.

Subhash makes a living selling fish and owns a printing press. He also is active in local politics. Now he is the girls' main caregiver during the day. He helps them bathe and gives them breakfast. His wife Rekha is a laboratory technician and returns from work in the afternoon. The couple have two sons, 18 and 8.

All Subhash wants to do is fulfill the aspirations of the girls' parents - a good school, a high-quality education, a chance to move up in the world. Mahi says she wants to be a doctor. Ruhi would like to be a police officer.

On a recent morning, Mahi had a smudge of baby powder visible on her neck after taking a bath. Her hair had been gathered carefully into a ponytail with a fuzzy purple elastic band. Ruhi had a matching yellow elastic band in her hair.

If she were at home with her parents, Ruhi said, there would be "masti" - lots of fun. She would go to the park with her father and fly on the swing, she said, or walk to a nearby temple.

Subhash doesn't know how long he will keep telling Ruhi and Mahi that their parents are at the hospital. He hopes the twins will gradually understand that they aren't coming back. The girls already hear from their cousins that their mom and dad are with God. But Subhash cannot bring himself to say it.

- - -

The Washington Post's Ravi Mishra contributed to this report.
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Karen Gliddens loneliness became unbearable during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 72-year-old widow, who suffers from vision loss and diabetes and lives far from any relatives, barely left her house this past year for fear of contracting the virus. Finally vaccinated, she was looking forward to venturing out when her beloved service dog died last month.

It doesnt help that her circle of trusted friends has dwindled to one neighbor she counts on to help her shop, get to the doctor and hang out.

I feel like Im in a prison most of the time and once in a while, I get to go out, said Glidden, whose adult children live in California and Hawaii, where she was born and raised.

She is not alone in her sense of social isolation.

Millions of Americans are struggling through life with few people they can trust for personal and professional help, a disconnect that raises a key barrier to recovery from the social, emotional and economic fallout of the pandemic, according to a new a poll from The Impact Genome Project and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll finds 18% of U.S. adults, or about 46 million people, say they have just one person or nobody they can trust for help in their personal lives, such as emergency child care needs, a ride to the airport or support when they fall sick. And 28% say they have just one person or nobody they can trust to help draft a resume, connect to an employer or navigate workplace challenges.

The isolation is more acute among Black and Hispanic Americans. Thirty-eight percent of Black adults and 35% of Hispanic adults said they had only one or no trusted person to help navigate their work lives, compared with 26% of white adults. In their personal lives, 30% of Hispanic adults and 25% of Black adults said they have one or no trusted people, while 14% of white adults said the same.

Researchers have long debated the idea that the U.S. has suffered from a decline in social capital, or the value derived from personal relationships and civic engagement.

The General Social Survey, a national representative survey conducted by NORC since 1972, suggests that the number of people Americans feel they can trust had declined by the early 2000s, compared with two decades earlier, although there is little consensus about the extent of this isolation or its causes. The rise of social media has added another layer of debate, as experts explore whether it broadens networks or lures people in isolating echo chambers.

The Impact Genome/AP-NORC poll sought to measure how much social capital Americans can count as they try to pick up the pieces of lives fractured by the pandemic. The findings suggest that for many Americans, the pandemic has chipped away at whatever social capital they had going into it.

Americans were more likely to report a decline than an increase in the number of people they could trust over the past year. Just 6% of Americans said their network of trusted people grew, compared with 16% who reported that it shrank. While the majority of Americans said the number of people they could trust stayed the same, nearly 3 in 10 said they asked for less support from family and friends because of COVID-19.

Community bonds have proved to be critical to recovery from calamities such as Superstorm Sandy in 2012, said Jennifer Benz, deputy director of The AP-NORC Center.

But the nature of the pandemic made those bonds difficult or even impossible to maintain. Schools, community centers, churches, synagogues and mosques closed. People couldnt ask neighbors or grandparents for help with child care or other needs for fear of spreading the virus.

About half of Americans are engaged in civic groups such as religious institutions, schools or community service groups, according to the new poll. And 42% of all adults said they have become less involved with civic groups during the pandemic, compared with just 21% who said they became more engaged.

Compared to the way social capital can be leveraged in other disasters, the key difference has been that this is a disaster where your civic duty was to be on your own, Benz said.

Surveys from the Pew Research Center suggested that relocation increased during the pandemic. While some people moved to be closer to family, more relocated because of job loss or other financial stresses.

Warlin Rosso, 29, has moved often in pursuit of financial stability, often at the cost of his social ties.

He left behind his entire family, including 14 siblings, when he immigrated to the U.S. five years ago from the Dominican Republic. He worked at a warehouse in Chicago for three years, sharing an apartment with a girlfriend. But when that relationship fell apart, he couldnt afford to move out on his own. In December 2019, he relocated to Jackson, Mississippi, where a childhood friend let him move in.

That friend, Rosso said, remains the only person in Jackson he can trust for help. As the pandemic closed in, Rosso struggled in a city where the Hispanic community is tiny.

Through social media, he found work with a Nicaraguan man who owned a construction business. Later, he found a training program that landed him a job as hospital aide.

His co-workers are friendly, but he feels isolated. Sometimes, he said, patients bluntly ask to be helped by a non-Latino worker. He hopes eventually to get a similar job back in Chicago, where he has friends.

Its not always welcoming for Hispanics here, Rosso said. Here, Im alone.
Activists protest EU migration policies at Croatian border View Photo

MALJEVAC, Croatia (AP)  Dozens of human rights advocates briefly blocked Croatias border with Bosnia on Saturday to protest the European Unions migration policies.

The protesters demanded that EUs border agency, Frontex, be dismantled and countries end their pushbacks of migrants trying to reach Western Europe. Waving banners reading Stop deportation, or No human is illegal, they parked cars at the border and shouted slogans against EU policies.

No incidents were reported as Croatian police stood nearby.

Croatian officers have faced allegations of using violence to turn back migrants trying to come in from Bosnia, which authorities have denied.

Thousands of people remain stranded in Bosnia while waiting for a chance to cross into the EU member state Croatia and move on toward other, wealthier EU nations.

Francesco Cibati, from a rights group based in Trieste, Italy, said protesters came to demand that everyone be granted the right to seek asylum. He said organizations from Spain, Germany, France, Austria and Slovenia supported the protest.

European Union is violently pushing back people and Croatian police is doing that on behalf of European Union, paid by European Union, he said. So we are here to protest this situation, which is intolerable.

Migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Mideast, Africa or Asia come to the Balkans by first arriving in Turkey, then slipping into Greece or Bulgaria before moving on toward North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia.

___

Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
LOS ANGELES (AP)  COVID-19 vaccination rates for police and firefighting personnel in Los Angeles and prison employees across California are significantly lower than the states average for other adults, raising concerns among medical ethicists and public safety leaders about whether unvaccinated first responders could become a threat to public health.

While about 72% of adult Californians and 64% of Los Angeles residents 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose, only about 51% of LA firefighters and 52% of the citys police officers are at least partially vaccinated, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Fewer than 30% of Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department staff have received vaccine doses through employee clinics, and about 54% of state corrections employees are at least partially vaccinated.

The extent of the low vaccination rate is unclear because not all agencies keep track of who got their doses, whether through their workplace or elsewhere.

Law enforcement analysts and ethicists said public safety workers should be allowed to make independent decisions about their health. However, they said the reluctance to get vaccinated is a matter of public concern because they work in close spaces, such as jails and courthouses, and interact with some of the most vulnerable populations.

As first responders, thats a significant public health issue. It isnt only a matter of their health, but others they come into contact with daily, said Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo, who heads the influential Major Cities Chiefs Association. This is becoming a big discussion among the chiefs and health leaders.

Some agencies surveyed by the Times say theyre legally prohibited from asking employees whether they were vaccinated, citing medical privacy laws. Others say theyre trying to increase vaccination rates through outreach and incentives such as cash and prizes.

The effectiveness of those efforts is uncertain.

The Los Angeles Fire Department offered cash prizes to fire stations whose entire staff got vaccinated. As of last week, the Times reported, none of the citys 106 fire stations had qualified.

City Councilman Paul Koretz, who leads a committee focused on personnel issues, said that if the rates dont go up in the coming weeks, he may consider mandating vaccinations for police and fire employees.

Its possible we could not allow people to do overtime shifts if theyre not vaccinated, he said.

Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist at New York University, said mandates may become necessary but that the agencies are right to keep encouraging voluntary compliance.

These folks make a living trying to help other people, he said. If we point out that they can maybe help other people by getting vaccinated, that will maybe get more pickup.
1 killed and 5 wounded in shooting in Oakland; motive sought

1 killed and 5 wounded in shooting in Oakland; motive sought View Photo

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  A 22-year-old man was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting in Oakland near the citys Juneteenth celebration, though it wasnt known whether the violence was connected with the event, police said.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at a hospital after gunfire erupted Saturday evening near Lake Merritt, said Oakland Police Department Officer Johnna Watson.

The other five victims, males ages 16 to 27, and a woman in her 20s, were hospitalized in stable condition, she said Saturday night.

Investigators said they were trying to determine a motive for the shooting and identify suspects. Police said two men running from the scene with guns were arrested, but it was unclear if they were responsible for the shooting, the Bay Area News Group reported.

The shooting occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. about a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, where hundreds of people had gathered throughout the day to commemorate June 19, 1865.

Thats when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered.

Andrew Simpson was jogging near the lake when he heard gunshots.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a guy with a gun pointing at a car. Everyone started sprinting and screaming, Simpson told the Bay Area News Group.

Witnesses said some people ran into the water when shots rang out.

Tonight a joyous occasion at our Lake Merritt was marred by a senseless act of gun violence, said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf in a statement.

It wasnt immediately known whether there was any connection between the shooting and the Juneteenth events.
NORTH BEND, Oregon (AP)  A man sought in the killings of his father and two other people in a small Oregon city forced a woman to drive him more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Wisconsin, where he surrendered to police, authorities said Sunday.

Oen Evan Nicholson approached Laura Johnson, 34, after she returned to her parking spot during a her lunch break on Friday in Springfield, Oregon, and forced her to drive him in her car, police said. Authorities were notified Sunday morning that Nicholson had surrendered to police peacefully in Milwaukee but did not release details about how he gave himself up.
(Bloomberg) -- Texas Student Housing Authority filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, listing between $10 million and $50 million of liabilities.

The non-profit, state chartered corporation had assets of $1 million to $10 million, and as many as 199 creditors, according to a June 18 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.

The Southlake, Texas-based organization was established in 1995 to purchase and manage student housing facilities located near the campuses of major colleges and universities, according to its website. It owns housing properties near the University of North Texas in Denton and Texas A&M University in College Station. Both projects offer premium facilities, equipped with resort-style swimming pools and fitness centers.

Both schools have had troubled muni-financed private student housing projects for years, said Matt Fabian, a partner at Municipal Market Analytics. So while the pandemic has made student housing financial conditions more challenging generally, thats not the whole story when it comes to these schools.

Across the U.S., bondholders are betting on the resurrection of American campus life after a year of declining enrollment, online classes and vacant quads. Student housing bonds, which came under pressure during the pandemic, are now traded with substantially more optimism, Fabian said. The sector has lingering issues, but we shouldnt overstate the risks via this new bankruptcy.

In April, the board of the Texas Student Housing Authority met to consider Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceedings for The Cambridge, its property in College Station. The organization didnt respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

The purpose of Chapter 9 is to provide protections for financially-distressed municipalities from their creditors so they can develop and negotiate a plan for adjusting debt, according to the U.S. Courts website.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
On Tuesday, Catherine Serou was in a hurry.

The 34-year-old former U.S. Marine and UC Davis graduate, who was studying law at a university in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, had just learned her payment at a hair salon bounced, and she needed to get back and pay.

"She rushed back but Uber did not come forever, the salon was about to close, so she stopped a random car  I am just imagining what had happened. Catherine is extremely careful; and that stranger must have seen her on the corner of her house before, the mother Beccy Serou told The Daily Beast.

Sometime during that car ride, Catherine Serou got a bad feeling.

"In a car with a stranger," she texted her mom. "I hope Im not being abducted.

On Saturday, her body was found in a wooded area near the city of Bor, 250 miles east of Moscow. Russias Investigative Committee said in a statement that a suspect with a record of serious crimes had been arrested, but did not give names. The Daily Beast reports the man was previously suspected in the rape of a woman and was traced using CCTV, which captured his car on the day of Serou's disappearance.

A court in central Russia on Sunday arraigned a suspect on murder charges. State news agency RIA-Novosti cited the local court as saying the suspect gave Catherine Serou a ride in his car, then took her to the wooded area and beat her and stabbed her. Russian news reports have identified the suspect as Alexander Popov.

Serou moved from Northern California to Russia in 2019 to study law at Lobachevsky State University. She already had a master's degree in art history from UC Davis.

She was just a lovely person inside and out," Professor Jenny Kaminer, who knew Serou at Davis, told CBS Sacramento. "She was inquisitive, she was articulate."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Their "Love in the Time of Covid" cards in each save-the-date envelope spelled it out clearly: This October wedding would be a vaccinated-only event. After all, the groom's father, who is vaccinated against covid-19 but immunocompromised, needed to be sure he could safely attend.

Still, Michelle and her fiance knew what would probably happen once invitees began tearing open their mail. Some, like their bridesmaids and groomsmen - all 22 of whom got vaccinated against covid-19 as early as they possibly could - would RSVP without a second thought. Others, though, "were not going to get the vaccine, were going to be mad at us for requiring that and would make sure that we knew they were upset and then angrily not come," says Michelle, a 34-year-old in Phoenix.

NEED TO SCREAM? NEW YOGA CLASS WITH CUSSING, SCREAMING AND DRINKING

The couple didn't expect a third scenario - like, say, someone who hadn't been vaccinated showing up anyway. But then a family member disclosed some shocking intel: Michelle's father and stepmom were planning to lie about having gotten the vaccine.

"That obviously threw everything completely for a loop," she says. Not only are Michelle and her father very close, but he's also helping pay for the event. She couldn't imagine her father simply not coming at all.

Still, she has no plans to relax the rules on his behalf - especially when his presence would pose a risk to the groom's family." My future mother-in-law saw the covid inserts and texted me to thank me," she says. She's still trying to figure out the best way forward. (Michelle and others in this story spoke on the condition that The Washington Post use their first names only, to avoid bringing their guests unwanted publicity.)

If planning a wedding in a normal year is stressful, planning a wedding in 2021 is especially so. Refrigerator magnets are struggling against the weight of two years' worth of save-the-dates, change-the-dates and invitations. Couples are competing for not just guests but for reception halls and oversized photo-booth mustaches. And those with safety on their minds are encountering an even bigger problem: the heartache and awkward negotiations that ensue when guests refuse a coronavirus vaccine and still want to attend.

Elayna, a bride in Minnesota who's planning her wedding for this fall, has known for a long time that a close college-aged relative of hers wasn't planning to get a vaccine. She assumed the relative would come around in time, but "now it's getting closer and neither one of us are backing down," Elayna says.

Like Michelle, Elayna feels an obligation to prioritize the safety of guests who are immunocompromised or whose doctors have advised them not to get the shot because they are allergic to its ingredients. "It would break my heart," Elayna says, for her relative to not attend. "But I'm just realizing, like, no, if I believe this strongly that I need this requirement at my wedding, then that means there's going to be really tough repercussions."

Some couples have opted for pleading one-on-one. Macy Steadman, 28, is getting married in October in Canmore, Alberta, near her hometown of Calgary. (Yes, it happens to be all brides in this story - they're still often the ones doing the wedding planning.) Some of her family will have to cross the border from the United States to attend - which may act as a convenient filter. Canada is expected to start allowing visitors from the States again shortly, but could still require the unvaccinated ones to quarantine for two weeks. In that case, Steadman says, many of her relatives likely wouldn't come, "and I won't have to be the bad guy."

Steadman was briefly worried, however, that her sister, her maid of honor, wasn't planning to get the vaccine. But when Steadman emphasized that the wedding would require vaccination, her sister pledged to make an appointment soon. Steadman's brother is next on her list.

Other couples are softening their policies. Jessica, a bride in California ("Devin Nunes's district"), initially wanted everyone coming to celebrate after her July courthouse wedding to be vaccinated. But after her parents informed her that they would not be getting vaccinated but would be attending, she felt powerless to stop them. Especially since only a handful of other guests are invited.

"I'm still not sure exactly how that's gonna look. I know that they're really gonna want, like, maybe a bunch of pictures or hugs," Jessica says. "I'm just not sure how I feel about that."

Sonja Urmston, 31, would have liked to require guests to be vaccinated for her September wedding in New Jersey - but in March, it was clear that a portion of her husband-to-be's family was declining the shot. So the pair compromised: Those who weren't vaccinated would need to bring a negative coronavirus test from within 72 hours before the wedding.

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"This is the happy medium that I think would be fair," she says. She does anticipate some pushback, but guests who won't comply with the test requirement "have bigger problems," she says.

"I'm not being a bridezilla," she says. "It's a safety risk."

Elisabeth Kramer is a wedding planner in Portland, Ore., who writes a newsletter about weddings. Her post about communicating vaccine requirements to guests and vendors has been attracting heavy late-night readership lately, she says, likely from the frantic Google searches of stressed-out couples. "I hear from people who are dealing with this in so many different ways."

Kramer's advice for such couples is to ask themselves two questions: Do anti-vaccine guests need to be in person at our wedding for it to feel like our wedding? And who is at risk if they attend? Sometimes, the risks to a immunocompromised family member, or a vendor - or a guest under 12, who can't yet be vaccinated - are just too great. But if the vulnerable aren't coming, some couples might relent.

Michelle, in Arizona, is optimistic that her dad will receive a vaccine before her wedding this fall. She's even volunteered to help him find an appointment - although she may try to witness his vaccination with her own two eyes. "I could imagine maybe trying to orchestrate a situation that's like, 'Let's go out to lunch. Oh, hey, while we're out . . .'" she says with a laugh. " 'I'm driving and we're going.' "

Michelle hopes her other relatives will feel the pressure of potential exclusion and get their vaccinations, too. But she's already thinking ahead to the bright side, just in case they don't. "We have a food and beverage minimum to meet," Michelle says. "Those of us that are there and vaccinated will just have a lot fancier drinks."
A Laredo woman and her two children went missing after visiting family in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, a town located about 78 miles south of Nuevo Laredo, Mexican authorities said.

Gladys Cristina Perez Sanchez, 39, along with Juan Carlos Gonzalez, 16, and Michelle Cristina Duran, 9, were last seen June 13 after departing from Sabinas Hidalgo, authorities said.

They were believed to have disappear along the Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo Highway. The family was in a yellow 2014 Chevrolet Sonic bearing Texas license plates NBX-4740.

Perez Sanchez is a custodian with the United Independent School District, a spokesperson said. She had been working for the district for three years.

People with knowledge of the whereabouts of the family are asked to call in Mexico 82 42 42 57 72 or 81 20 20 57 00.

Federal Bureau of Investigation officials said that pursuant to FBI policy, they could not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.

The San Antonio FBI continues to encourage members of the public to contact the FBI if a U.S. citizen friend or relative goes missing in Mexico. Moreover, any threatening communications received in the United States, demanding ransom in exchange for the release of a kidnapped victim should also be reported. Concerns about missing U.S. citizens should also be reported to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, the FBI said.

If you are concerned about a U.S. citizen relative or friend who is traveling or living abroad, you may contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or call our Overseas Citizens Services office in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (from outside the United States and Canada, call 202-501-4444).
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un solemnly swore to navigate his country out of deepening economic troubles as he concluded a major ruling party meeting, acknowledging food shortages and urging officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation with the U.S.

North Koreas state media released Kims comments shortly before President Joe Bidens special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, arrived in South Korea on Saturday for talks over stalled nuclear diplomacy with the North.

Kim Jong Un had presided over a four-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers Partys Central Committee, which he summoned to discuss efforts to salvage a dismal economy, hurt by years of mismanagement and U.S.-led sanctions that were made worse by pandemic border closures.

As he closed the meetings on Friday, Kim solemnly swore on behalf of the Central Committee that the party will surely break through head-on the difficulties lying in the way of the revolution, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

Kim earlier ordered his government to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, which has been urging the North to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions and return to talks.

Kim has threatened to bolster his nuclear deterrent and says the fate of diplomacy and bilateral relations depends on whether Washington abandons what he calls hostile policies.

Kim opened the Central Committee plenary on Tuesday by warning of potential food shortages, urging officials to find ways to boost agricultural production because the situation is now getting tense. He said the country should brace for extended COVID-19 restrictions, suggesting it would extend border closures and other steps despite the stress on its economy.

The economic setbacks have left Kim with nothing to show for his ambitious summitry with former President Donald Trump, which derailed over disagreements in exchanging the lifting of sanctions with the Norths denuclearization steps.

U.S. officials have suggested President Joe Biden would adopt a middle ground policy between his predecessors  Trumps direct dealings with Kim and Barack Obamas strategic patience. But some experts say Washington wont likely provide the North with meaningful sanctions relief unless it takes concrete denuclearization steps first.

During his stay in South Korea, Sung Kim will meet with South Korean senior diplomats and participate in a trilateral meeting that includes Japanese nuclear envoy Takehiro Funakoshi on Monday. His travel emphasizes the importance of three-way cooperation in working toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. State Department said.
There are things to do during a traffic stop, and things not to do. Handing your open beer to a cop is one of them.

That's what happened to a man in McLennan County earlier this month when approached by game wardens. The game wardens were patrolling near Lake Waco when they were cut off by the driver of a pickup.

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The man then drove on the wrong side of the road before the wardens pulled him over, police said.

When wardens approached the truck, the man was having trouble turning down his music, they said. As he fumbled with the radio, he apparently handed one of the wardens an open beer so he could concentrate.

Wardens had other suspicions that the man was intoxicated after he stumbled out of the car and failed a field sobriety test. But passing the drink probably didn't help his case.

The man was eventually arrested.

Texas game wardens publish blotters of their activity, however unusual, every month or so. Here are their other reports:

Hes a Rescue

Texas Game Wardens and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agents inspected some antique resale stores. These locations had alligator skulls, black bear mounts, waterfowl mounts, raptor mounts and migratory bird mounts for sale. During the inspection of one store, an individual entered with a pet possum. In order to possess, sell, or purchase a fur-bearer, a person must have a valid Fur-bearing Propagation Permit. The possum was confiscated and relocated to a licensed rehabber. Citations were issued and cases are pending.

Dude, Wheres My Car?

A Bexar County game warden was patrolling Calaveras Creek by boat because the banks are closed to the public when they saw a person trespassing then hide in the mesquite brush. The warden called for backup and two additional wardens and a K-9 officer arrived to assist. After an exhaustive search, they were still trying to locate the subject. One of the wardens continued navigating their vessel father north into the creek when they spotted someone walking on the other side. The subject was stopped and told he was trespassing. He said he didnt have any fish or fishing gear and was walking back to the roadway where his van was parked.

The subject said his friend brought him to the property but had already left and was waiting at the van. The warden exited the vessel and walked along the subjects path where they found an ice chest with six tilapia, one black bass and a cast net. The man said he left the ice chest on the trail because he got scared. The K-9 handler radioed the warden to let them know the other suspect and van were gone. The man said, How am I supposed to get home? He told the warden his phone, wallet and money were in the van and his friend was supposed to wait for him and take him home. The warden arrested the man for criminal trespass, had him board the vessel and transported him to the Bexar County Jail. Case pending with the District Attorneys office.

Gig Em

A Uvalde County game warden found an unaccompanied vehicle at a Nueces River crossing. Believing the occupants got into another vehicle and drove down the river, the warden drove to a hill overlooking the river a couple of miles away. There they saw four individuals walking down the river, three with gigs and spears and one with a fishing pole. The warden saw two of the individuals with snorkeling gear dive into the river with the gigs.

Another person in the group waved to the divers, who proceeded to dive and emerged with a catfish at the end of a gig. The warden drove down to the group and discovered a fishing pole but no other fishing, gigging or snorkeling equipment. After searching the area, the warden found the gigs and spears, which had been thrown in the water and concealed. The gigged catfish were nowhere to be seen. The warden interviewed the four individually and found none of them had a fishing license. After talking with each subject, one finally admitted to gigging a catfish and leaving it at their last fishing spot some distance away. The catfish was retrieved and seized along with three gigs and spears. Multiple citations were issued with civil restitution.

And Thats the Boat-tom Line

Three Bell County game wardens were patrolling Lake Belton checking crappie, white bass and tournament fishermen when they came across a vessel hull identification number that did not conform to the U.S. Coast Guard standards. The wardens ran the TX number and the vessel was flagged for a mandatory boat inspection. The man operating the vessel had purchased the boat several days ago from another person who didnt put the vessel in their name and failed to provide a title to the boat. The wardens contacted the current registered owner who said the boat had been stolen from Belton in 2009. A police report was never made. The vessel was seized and citations were issued to the subject who sold the vessel.

His Name is Mudd (Bugs)

A Jefferson County game warden followed up on information from a social media post where a subject was selling live crawfish. When the warden contacted the seller, he claimed to own a catering company that sold live crawfish to local restaurants and individuals. The sale of live crawfish for commercial and personal use would require a Texas Wholesale Fish Dealer License. The man claimed over the phone that he was properly licensed in Texas and Louisiana. After requesting an in-person meeting with the subject, the warden discovered that the subject did not possess any type of commercial license and his vehicle was not properly marked to transport aquatic products.

Dont be Shellfish

Two Jefferson County game wardens were patrolling the ship channel near Port Arthur when they saw a commercial truck about to be loaded with a pallet of shrimp at one of the local wholesale shrimp processing facilities. They stopped to inspect the vehicle and discovered it already had a cargo of 15 crates of fresh blue crab on board. The driver was acting very suspicious and claimed to have bought the crabs legally in Louisiana and transported them into Texas, which requires a Texas Wholesale Fish Dealer License. The driver could not produce a wholesale license or an aquatic product transportation invoice, or other documentation for where the crabs had originated. Wardens for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were contacted to assist with the investigation. They interviewed the dealer in Louisiana where the driver claimed the crabs had originated and discovered that the driver was being deceptive. Texas game wardens seized all 15 crates of crabs and sold them to the highest bidder as required by law. The driver was issued citations and given warnings.

Oh-Fish-ially in Trouble

Galveston County game wardens received a call about two individuals who were catching sheepshead fish with a net and keeping over their bag limit. The wardens saw two over-flowing coolers with fish. When the wardens asked how they caught all the fish, they said, "with the net." When inspecting the coolers, the wardens found two hidden bags also containing fish. The two individuals were in possession of 47 sheepshead (27 undersized), three speckled sea trout and one 28 red drum. Multiple citations were issued to each individual. Cases are pending.
Recently released Navy videos of what the U.S. government now classifies as "unidentified aerial phenomena" have set off another round of speculative musings on the possibility of aliens visiting our planet. Like other astrophysicists who have weighed in on these sightings, I'm skeptical of their extraterrestrial origins. I am confident, however, that intelligent life-forms inhabit planets elsewhere in the universe. Math and physics point to this likely conclusion. But I think we're unlikely to be able to communicate or interact with them - at least in our lifetimes.

Wanting to understand what's "out there" is a timeless human drive, one that I understand well. Growing up in poorer and rougher neighborhoods of Watts, Houston's Third Ward and the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, I was always intrigued by the night sky even if I couldn't see it very easily given big-city lights and smog. And for the sake of my survival, I didn't want to be caught staring off into space. Celestial navigation wasn't going to help me find my way home without getting beaten up or shaken down.

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From early childhood, I compulsively and continuously counted the objects in my environment - partly to soothe my anxieties and partly to unlock the mysteries inside things by enumerating them. This habit earned me nothing but taunts and bullying in my hood where, as a bookish kid, I was already a soft target. But whenever I looked up at a moonless night sky, I wondered how I might one day count the stars.

By age 10, I'd become fascinated, even obsessed, with Einstein's theory of relativity and the quantum possibilities for the multiple dimensions of the universe it opened up in my mind. By high school, I was winning statewide science fairs by plotting the effects of special relativity on a first-generation desktop computer.

So perhaps it's not surprising that I have gone on to spend much of my career working with other astrophysicists to develop telescopes and detectors that peer into the remote reaches of space and measure the structure and evolution of our universe. The international Dark Energy Survey collaboration has been mapping hundreds of millions of galaxies, detecting thousands of supernovae, and finding patterns of cosmic structure that reveal the nature of dark energy that is accelerating the expansion of our universe. Meanwhile, the Legacy Survey of Space and Time will make trillions of observations of 20 billion stars in the Milky Way.

What we're discovering is that the cosmos is much vaster than we ever imagined. According to our best estimate, the universe is home to a hundred billion trillion stars - most of which have planets revolving around them. This newly revealed trove of orbiting exoplanets greatly improves the odds of our discovering advanced extraterrestrial life.

Scientific evidence from astrobiology suggests that simple life - composed of individual cells, or small multicellular organisms - is ubiquitous in the universe. It has probably occurred multiple times in our own solar system. But the presence of humanlike, technologically advanced life-forms is a much tougher proposition to prove. It's all a matter of solar energy. The first simple life on Earth probably began underwater and in the absence of oxygen and light - conditions that are not that difficult to achieve. But what enabled the evolution of advanced, complex life on Earth was its adaptation to the energy of the sun's light for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis created the abundant oxygen on which high life-forms rely.

It helps that Earth's atmosphere is transparent to visible light. On most planets, atmospheres are thick, absorbing light before it reaches the surface - like on Venus. Or, like Mercury, they have no atmosphere at all. Earth maintains its thin atmosphere because it spins quickly and has a liquid iron core, conditions that lead to our strong and protective magnetic field. This magnetosphere, in the region above the ionosphere, shields all life on Earth, and its atmosphere, from damaging solar winds and the corrosive effects of solar radiation. That combination of planetary conditions is difficult to replicate.

Still, I'm optimistic that there have been Cambrian explosions of life on other planets similar to what occurred on Earth some 541 million years ago, spawning a cornucopia of biodiversity that is preserved in the fossil record. The more expert we become in observing and calculating the outer reaches of the cosmos, and the more we understand about how many galaxies, stars and exoplanets exist, the greater the possibility of there being intelligent life on one of those planets.

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For millennia, humans have gazed in wonder at the stars, trying to understand their nature and import. We developed telescopes only a few hundred years ago, and since then the dimensions of our observable universe have expanded exponentially with technological advances and the insights of quantum physics and relativity. Beginning in the early 1960s, scientists have tried to calculate the odds of advanced extraterrestrial life. In 1961, researchers at the NASA-funded search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) developed the "Drake Equation" to estimate how many civilizations in the Milky Way might evolve to develop the technology to emit detectable radio waves.

Those estimates have been updated over the decades, most recently by Sara Seager's group at MIT, based on observations of exoplanets outside our solar system by successive generations of advanced space-based telescopes - such as the Kepler Space Telescope, launched in 2009, and NASA's MIT-led Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, launched in 2018. Detecting the presence of life on exoplanets requires large telescopes outfitted with advanced spectroscopy instruments, which is what the James Webb Space Telescope will deliver when it launches in November.

In 1995 the first exoplanet was discovered orbiting Pegasus 51, 50 light-years distant from Earth. Since then, there have been more than 4,000 confirmed discoveries of exoplanets in our galaxy. More important, astronomers agree that almost all stars have planets, which radically improves the odds of our discovering intelligent life in the universe.

At the low end of consensus estimates among astrophysicists, there may be only one or two planets hospitable to the evolution of technologically advanced civilizations in a typical galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars. But with 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe, that adds up to a lot of possible intelligent, although distant, neighbors.

If only one in a hundred billion stars can support advanced life, that means that our own Milky Way galaxy - home to 400 billion stars - would have four likely candidates. Of course, the likelihood of intelligent life in the universe is much greater if you multiply by the 2 trillion galaxies beyond the Milky Way.

Unfortunately, we're unlikely to ever make contact with life in other galaxies. Travel by spaceship to our closest intergalactic neighbor, the Canis Major Dwarf, would take almost 750,000,000 years with current technology. Even a radio signal, which moves at close to the speed of light, would take 25,000 years.

The enormity of the cosmos confronts us with an existential dilemma: There's a high statistical likelihood of intelligent life-forms having evolved elsewhere in the universe, but a very low probability that we'll be able to communicate or interact with them.

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Regardless of the odds, the existence of intelligent life in the universe matters deeply to me, and to most other humans on this planet. Why? I believe it's because we humans are fundamentally social creatures who thrive on connection and wither in isolation. In the past year, many of us felt the hardship of isolation as deeply as the threat of a potentially fatal infectious disease. Enforced seclusion during the pandemic tested the limits of our tolerance for separation and made us acutely aware of our interdependence with all life on Earth. So, it's no wonder that the idea of a trackless universe devoid of intelligent life fills us with the dread of cosmic solitary confinement.

For a hundred years, we've been emitting radio signals into space. For the past 60 years, we've been listening - and so far, in vain - for the beginning of a celestial conversation. The prospect of life on other planets remains a profound one, regardless of our ability to contact and interact with them. As we await evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, I draw comfort from the knowledge that there are many powerful forces in the universe more abstract than the idea of alien intelligence. Love, friendship and faith, for example, are impossible to measure or calculate, yet they remain central to our fulfillment and sense of purpose.

As I head into my mid-50s, I look forward with an infinity of hope to the moment when humans will finally make contact with extraterrestrial intelligence - in whatever far-flung star system they may live, and in whatever century or millennium moment that momentous meeting may occur. Until that day, I have no doubt that generations of young humans around the globe will continue to stand watch, looking skyward with the same sense of amazement and wonder that intoxicated me as a young boy.

- - -

Hakeem Oluseyi, president-elect of the National Society of Black Physicists, has taught and conducted research at MIT, University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Cape Town. His memoir, "A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars," co-written with Joshua Horwitz, was published last week.
ByNick Cunningham, an independent journalist covering the oil and gas industry, climate change and international politics. He has been featured in Oilprice.com, The Fuse, YaleE360 and NACLA. Originally published at DeSmogBlog.

Indigenous peoples in Canada and a coalition of environmental groups launched a Global Week of Action for June 14-21, aimed at pressuring an array of insurance companies to cut ties with a long-distance tar sands pipeline under construction in Canada.

On Wednesday, the Braided Warriors, an Indigenous youth group in British Columbia, held a rally in front of Chubb Insurance Canada in Vancouver, B.C. On Friday, activists in London are set to protest outside Lloyds of London  one of the worlds largest insurers of fossil fuels. Other acts of solidarity are planned as far away as the Pacific Islands and Sierra Leone.

The Indigenous and environmental groups are targeting the handful of global insurance companies that provide coverage for the Trans Mountain pipeline system, a long-distance pipeline running from Albertas tar sands to the Pacific Coast near Vancouver.

@IIYCfamily Indigenous youth from LA are demanding insurance companies stop insuring Trans Mountain at the Port of Long Beach as that is where nearly 50% of the oil from the Trans Mountain pipeline goes to by supertanker on the West Coast#StopTMX IIYC LA  pic.twitter.com/TaNt45JQlh  Insure Our Future U.S. (@Insure_Future) June 15, 2021

Youth in Kenema City Sierra Leone took to the streets to demand insurers drop trans mountain because of climate impacts on their community including recent flooding. pic.twitter.com/dVTmR3x8CI  Insure Our Future U.S. (@Insure_Future) June 16, 2021

The original pipeline has been operating for decades, but Canada is building what has been termed a twin pipeline that would nearly triple the capacity of the existing system to 890,000 barrels of oil per day. For years the Trans Mountain Expansion struggled to get off the ground. It met intense resistance from multiple First Nations in British Columbia, and as it became ensnared in legal limbo, it grew into a financial boondoggle.

The former owner Kinder Morgan sought to bail on the project, and instead of letting it die, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bought the system in 2018 for C$4.5 billion, effectively nationalizing it to keep it alive and push it forward.

Since then, the Trans Mountain Expansion has broken ground, felling trees and digging trenches along part of its 700-mile route. At the start of 2021, the project was roughly 22 percent completed, and despite the ballooning cost, is scheduled to come online at the end of 2022.

The Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project is an existential threat to Tsleil-Waututh Nation. It also fuels the climate crisis, which is a threat to us all. This is why Tsleil-Waututh Nation does not grant our Free, Prior, Informed Consent, and why we are calling on all insurance companies to drop Trans Mountain and recognize the violation of Indigenous rights as a material risk, Charlene Aleck of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust Initiative, said in a statement.

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation has lived on the Burrard Inlet in what is now Vancouver for millennia. The expanded pipeline system is estimated to result in a sevenfold increase in oil tanker traffic in the inlet. That would boost the number of tankers navigating the island-studded waters leading to the pipelines terminal from 60 per year currently to over 400 per year. A technical assessment conducted by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation found that there is a 79 to 87 percent likelihood of an oil spill in the inlet over a 50-year period.

Turning up the Pressure

But completion is not inevitable, and First Nations and environmental groups opposed to the project see the insurance industry as a key point of leverage. Without insurance, the pipeline cannot proceed.

DeSmog previously reported on the effort by First Nations and environmental groups to pressure global insurance companies to sever their ties with Trans Mountain, among other acts of resistance.

The campaign has proven to be partially successful thus far. In early June, Argo Group said it would stop insuring the pipeline when its policy expires at the end of August. This type of project is not currently within Argos risk appetite, Argo said in a statement to Insurance Journal.

Last year, other insurance giants  Zurich Insurance, Talanx, and Munich Re  also backed out. At least 14 major insurance companies have ruled out insuring the pipeline, according to Stand.earth, an environmental group pressuring the industry.

The shrinking pool of insurance is also part of a larger story. Greater scrutiny over the oil industry in general, and Canadas tar sands in particular  some of the dirtiest forms of oil production  has led to a growing number of insurance companies restricting coverage to the sector.

Theyre standing on the wrong side of history. They should know and understand that the fossil fuel industry is in a state of demise. They shouldnt be investing their funding into a dying industry that has proven itself to be incredibly destructive to the environment, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, told DeSmog, referring to the insurance companies backing the project.

Hey @AIG  are you ready to face the collective wrath of climate fighters everywhere? Better #StopTMX or expect our beautiful movement to hound you until you do! #StopTheMoneyPipeline https://t.co/cRhfNRSq8I  Coast Protectors (@CoastProtectors) June 15, 2021

Joe Seeger, an expert in insurance for oil projects, told the CBC that the number of large insurance companies providing coverage to Canadian tar sands has fallen roughly in half over the past decade. It really is a supply and demand situation where we always go to our clients and have the bad news of [explaining there] are fewer insurers and we have to try to figure out new ways to do the business, Seeger told the CBC in May.

The insurers that remain have tightened up their offerings. The major insurers in London have restricted the amount of coverage for tar sands operations to just $200 million, according to Willis Towers Watson, an international insurance broker. As recently as 18 months ago, those companies would offer $500 million in coverage.

The pressure from activists and First Nations apparently had enough of an impact on the project that Trans Mountain appealed to the Canada Energy Regulator in February to allow them to keep the names of its insurers secret.

In its application, Trans Mountain said that insurance companies have faced negative pressure for insuring the Trans Mountain Pipeline and that Trans Mountain experienced a significant reduction in available insurance capacity in 2020. If the growing pressure from activists continues, the pipeline operator said, it would likely result in material loss to Trans Mountain.

The federal regulator agreed and allowed the insurers to remain confidential. Its a troubling example of Trans Mountains culture of secrecy and attempts to evade transparency and accountability to its owners, which are the Canadian taxpayers, Elana Sulakshana, an energy finance campaigner with Rainforest Action Network, told DeSmog.

DeSmog reached out to eight insurers that are thought to be the remaining companies backing the Trans Mountain system  AIG, Chubb, Energy Insurance Limited, Liberty Mutual, Lloyds, Starr, Stewart Specialty Risk Underwriting, and W.R. Berkley. AIG declined to comment and the rest did not respond.

Trans Mountain did not respond to a request for comment.

The key companies that were insuring the project last year have yet to cut ties and for the most part have not commented publicly on their support for the project. And thats why were having this week of action, to ramp up the pressure and keep the public scrutiny on them so that they are forced to respond, Sulakshana said.

A Paradigm Shift

Even as the Trans Mountain Expansion is proceeding without the consent of some First Nations, there is something of a reckoning unfolding at the moment in Canada surrounding its relationship with Indigenous communities.

Both British Columbia and the Canadian parliament are moving legislation forward that would align provincial and federal law with the principles laid out in the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), an attempt at some form of reconciliation. On June 16, the Canadian Senate passed the bill.

The practical impact is unclear as of yet, but the legislation is a paradigm shift, according to Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, potentially shifting more power to First Nations when it comes to resource extraction on Indigenous lands.

We have a federal bill and a provincial bill that seeks to send a strong message to governments at all levels, to industry, business  that its a new day, he said.

But he doesnt expect the legislation to defuse simmering tension in British Columbia. Were expecting to hear the usual racist backlash from industry, Phillip said. He pointed to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), concerns about racialized violence, and also the recent revelation that the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, one of many schools that forcibly sought to assimilate Indigenous children and which operated until the late 1970s. The discovery made national, and indeed, international headlines.

Its a very, very volatile situation here in British Columbia, Phillip said. And the construction of the Trans Mountain Expansion could be a flashpoint, no doubt about it.

But opposition to the pipeline continues. This resistance has been consistent and unrelenting, Phillip said. We intend to continue to vigorously oppose TMX [Trans Mountain Expansion] until its dead.
Puffins return to Calf of Man for first time in 34 years Bird Guides

Global shipping summit all at sea over carbon emissions and UN climate talks hit a wall over tensions about finance FT

The Green Revolution Is Being Built on a Very Dirty Industry Bloomberg

Behind Airbus-Boeing truce lies a common rival: China Agence France Presse

Thirty Tesla crashes linked to assisted driving system under investigation in US Guardian (Furzy Mouse).

#COVID19

China?

Trade War Costs Global Value Chains 3-5 Years of Growth, UN Says Bloomberg

Farmers in Australia are burning their own crops, desperate to escape a mouse plague WaPo (Re Silc).

Myanmar

The Revolt Against Myanmars Junta Can Succeed The Irrawaddy. But: This is the reality in Myanmar, and no doubt what the military is counting on to wear down the opposition. Revolution is usually grueling, prolonged and at times mercilessly destructive. Heartbreaking for those justifiably outraged by what the military has done. https://t.co/14ISkVxs5g  Jonathan Head (@pakhead) June 20, 2021 Taking solidarity action on Myanmar Solidarity Action

A chat on the beach Couchfish

UK/EU

Capitol Seizure

Biden Administration

The World Relies on One Chip Maker in Taiwan, Leaving Everyone Vulnerable WSJ

How America quietly lost 2,700 ships Business Insider

Democrats en Deshabille

Arkansas at the forefront of the Republican attack on local control and democracy Arkansas Times

Our Famously Free Press

Sports Desk

Buffalo Bills WR Cole Beasley vows to live life like I want amid backlash to anti-vaccine remarks ESPN. Beasely to live my one life like I want to regardless. Not a Buddhist, then.

Why the Pandemic Turned Miami Into the New Monaco Town & Country

Class Warfare

Does Evolution Want Us to Drink? WSJ. Make mine a double. And see what the bears in the back room will have!

Antidote du Jour (via):

Bonus antidote:

WATCH: The wandering elephants in Chinas southwest that has captured the imagination of millions took a break to nap  pic.twitter.com/v1iwYFOVrK  Reuters (@Reuters) June 19, 2021

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jur here.
(Natural News) The website of Americas Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) had been censored by Big Tech over alleged misinformation about vaccines. Amazon last month issued a notice to AFLDS, giving the organization until May 31 to remove its website from the Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Many top websites and services, including Netflix, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, are hosted by AWS.

We wanted to reach out to you about your project, americasfrontlinedoctors.org. This project is hosting misinformation about vaccines and was reported as objectionable content to AWS, the notice stated. AWS is the service we use at Webflow to host our websites so we can no longer host americasfrontlinedoctors.org.

Big Tech censorship not going to stop AFLDS

The team behind the AFLDS frantically worked around the clock to rebuild its website from scratch while utilizing servers around the world at great expense. (Related: Big Tech COVID-19 censorship is endangering the population.)

We were forced to take immediate action because we will never allow Jeff Bezos and Amazon to censor us from speaking freely about medical treatments, medical studies and individual liberty, or from challenging the government narrative surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, the AFLDS said in a statement.

AFLDS is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization focused on providing Americans with science-based facts about coronavirus (COVID-19) and fighting the politicization of medicine and media censorship. The organizations founder, Dr. Simone Gold, is a board-certified emergency physician and author of the best-selling book I Do Not Consent: My Fight Against Medical Cancel Culture.

Jeff Bezos and Amazon cannot argue with our scientific data and facts, so they would rather delete us entirely, the AFLDS said. We have already been blacklisted on social media, and cannot host videos on YouTube. We must build our own internet servers that cannot be silenced by Big Tech, Big Pharma or Big Government.

AFLDS seeks TRO against use of COVID-19 vaccine in children

AFLDS may have caught the attention of Amazon when it filed a motion in federal court last month seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) against use of the COVID-19 vaccine in children. The organization received Amazons notice a few days later.

The motion submitted to the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama specifically requested a TRO against the emergency use authorization (EUA) permitting the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children under the age of 16, and also requested that no further expansion of the EUAs to children under the age of 16 be granted prior to the resolution of these issues at trial.

The motion challenged the EUAs for the injections on several counts  based on the law and scientific evidence that the EUAs should never have been granted.

According to AFLDS, the EUAs should be revoked immediately because the injections are dangerous biological agents that have the potential to cause substantially greater harm than the COVID-19 disease itself. The organization also noted that numerous laws have been broken in the process of granting these EUAs and imposing these injections on the American people.

We doctors are pro-vaccine, but this is not a vaccine. This is an experimental biological agent whose harms are well-documented, although suppressed and censored, and growing rapidly. And we will not support using Americas children as guinea pigs, said Gold.

EUA should not be given before vaccine trials are complete

According to Gold, EUAs should not be given prematurely  not before trials for the vaccines are complete. (Related: Federal law prohibits mandates of emergency use COVID vaccines, tests, masks  3 resources you can use to inform your school or employer.)

We are shocked at the mere discussion of this, and will not be silent while Americans are used as guinea pigs for a virus with survivability of 99.8 percent globally and 99.97 percent under age 70. Under age 20 it is 99.997 percent  statistical zero,' Gold said.

There are 104 children age 0-17 who died from COVID-19 and 287 from COVID + influenza  out of approximately 72 million. This equals zero risk. And we doctors wont stand for children being offered something they do not need and of whom some unknown percentage will suffer.

AFLDS Pediatric Director Dr. Angie Farella explained: My greatest concerns with the vaccination of children under the age of 18 is the fact that there is no prior study of these individuals before December of 2020. Children were not included in the trials, and the adult trials do not have any long-term safety data currently available.

Follow Obey.news for more news and information related to Big Tech censorships.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

AmericasFrontlineDoctors.org

JournalNews.com.ph
(Natural News) One of Chinas highest-ranking counterintelligence officers has reportedly defected to the United States. This person may have also handed over secrets regarding Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) that influenced the White Houses recent turn to supporting the lab leak origin theory.

The spy chief in question is Dong Jingwei. Reports claim that he and his daughter boarded a plane in Hong Kong in mid-February bound for the U.S.

Upon landing in America, Dong immediately contacted the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to inform government officials of his intention to defect.

For about two weeks after he contacted government officials, he hid in plain sight. He disappeared into DIA custody afterward and has not been heard from since.

Before his defection, Dong was working for Chinas Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu). This is the government ministry that handles the states secret police, as well as its spying and counterintelligence operations. The Department of Justice has described it as an institution that combines the powers and responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Dong was in charge of most spy-catching operations in China. In 2018 he was promoted to become the Guoanbus director of the political department as well as vice minister of state security.

The former spy chief also reportedly had a very close relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was developed before he became vice-minister, while he was still head of the Guoanbu office in the Hebei Province. This province has produced many securocrats  military and intelligence officials with political power  loyal to Xi.

The reports of Dongs defection are still largely unverified. But if they are true, that would make Dong the highest-level defector in recent Chinese history.

Chinese defector allegedly gave up secrets about Wuhan coronavirus lab

As part of his defection, Dong also allegedly supplied the U.S. with information about the Wuhan Institute of Virology that could influence the policies of President Joe Bidens administration regarding the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Red State, one of the first media outlets to break the story, Dong provided intelligence officials with information regarding the WIVs early pathogenic studies on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Dong also provided intelligence agents with models that predicted how COVID-19 would spread and how much damage it would do to the U.S. and the rest of the world. (Related: High-ranking CCP defector claims to have direct knowledge of Chinese special weapons programs, including biological weapons like SARS-CoV-2.)

The former spy chief also reportedly handed over financial records that named the governments and organizations that provided the WIV with funding for research into SARS-CoV-2. These records also allegedly prove that foreign funding supported Chinese biological warfare research.

Apart from information regarding the coronavirus, Dong also provided the DIA with:

Financial records naming American businessmen and government officials who have received money from the Chinese government.

Names of American citizens who provided Beijing with crucial intelligence.

Names of Chinese spies working in the U.S. or attending American universities.

Details of meetings between government officials and Chinese and Russian spies.

Dongs status is currently unknown. But reports indicate that Beijing dispatched envoys to meet with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sometime in March to discuss repatriating Dong back to China.

The Chinese envoys met with Blinken during Chinas first meeting with Biden administration officials in Alaska. The envoys demanded Dong be returned and Blinken reportedly refused.

Learn more about Chinese espionage programs in the U.S. as well as the threat they pose to the country by reading the latest articles at NationalSecurity.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

TheBlaze.com

RedState.com
(Natural News) Germanys CureVac coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine has been found to be only 47 percent effective against the SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the pandemic, dropping the companys shares in Frankfurt and New York by more than 50 percent and erasing more than 5 billion ($6.9 billion) from its market value.

The interim results from the late-stage testing are below the minimum threshold of 50 percent efficacy set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

This development is another blow to the European Unions (EU) vaccination rollout, which had encountered a number of hurdles across the bloc. The German government had invested 250 million ($345.3 million) in CureVac and the EU secured up to 405 million doses of the vaccine in November, of which 180 million are optional, in the only major supply deal for the product.

European countries have suffered from the AstraZeneca row as leaders debated its proven efficacy, and have also endured a slow rollout while the UK has raced ahead in its vaccination program. For example, the total number of fully vaccinated adults in the UK has risen to nearly 30.7million, 58.2 percent of the population, while in Germany only 49 percent have received at least one dose.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, expressed hopes in March last year that CureVac might have a vaccine ready as early as autumn 2020.

Underwhelming results may be due to many variants circulating in trial locations

Franz-Werner Haas, CureVacs chief executive, said that the figures from the trials were sobering. But the German company still aims to finish a final analysis within weeks that will determine whether it will still seek regulatory approval.

CureVac said the underwhelming results may have been due to more than two dozen variants of the virus circulating in 10 countries across Latin America and Europe, where its trials were carried out.

In its study of 40,000 people, CureVac said 13 variants were found in volunteers and more than half of the coronavirus cases caused by variants of concern.

While we were hoping for a stronger interim outcome, we recognize that demonstrating high efficacy in this unprecedented broad diversity of variants is challenging, said Haas, adding that the plethora of variants underlines the importance of developing next-generation vaccines.

CureVacs COVID-19 vaccine is based on mRNA technology like Pfizers and Modernas. Late-stage trials of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines had efficacy rates of over 90 percent, but they took place when the original version of the virus was dominant. (Related: mRNA vaccines, a primer: How they work, why theyre cleaner than traditional vaccines, and why they might prove catastrophic in a rushed coronavirus response.)

Low dosage of mRNA may be another reason behind low efficacy rate

Peter Kremsner of the University Hospital in Tubingen, the scientist leading the CureVac study, said a low dosage was likely the reason behind the disappointing efficacy as tolerability concerns posed limits to increasing the dose.

With just 12 micrograms of mRNA per dose, the company has been seeking to position itself as a low-dose alternative to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that require 30 and 100 micrograms per shot, respectively.

The German government said the disappointing results wont affect its initial vaccine campaign. Helge Braun, chief of staff of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that the government remains committed to offering every citizen a vaccine by the end of September.

After the interim results, the European Commission announced that it would need to wait for final results and the assessment of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) before taking any steps. Haas told Reuters that the company is still planning to apply for approval from the EMA, provided the vaccine clears the formal hurdle of 50 percent efficacy.

Bayer and Novartis, two of several production partners that CureVac had lined up to mass-manufacture its product, said they were following developments closely and were awaiting further analysis. CureVac is aiming to produce 300 million doses of its vaccine this year and 1 billion in 2022.

Follow Immunization.news for more news and information related to coronavirus vaccines.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

FT.com
(Natural News) A past link to an activity described as eco-terrorism should disqualify President Joe Bidens nominee to head the Bureau of Land Management, according to a Republican senator.

(Article by Jack Davis republished from WesternJournal.com)

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming responded critically to nominee Tracy Stone-Mannings role in sending a threatening letter on behalf of an environmentalist group that committed tree spiking crimes in 1989.

Tracy Stone-Manning collaborated with eco-terrorists, Barrasso said, according to the Daily Caller. She worked with extreme environmental activists who spiked trees, threatening the lives and livelihoods of loggers.

While she was given immunity from prosecution to testify against her companions in court, her actions were disgraceful, he said.

The Washington Post described tree spiking as an eco-terrorist tactic, noting a specific case in 1987 when a mill workers electric saw came in contact with a tree spike, causing the saw to break and half of the blade to be launched into his face  tearing through his safety helmet, creating a gash from his eye to his chin and splitting his jaw in half.

The Post listed tree spiking as among the most vicious of the strategies used by activists opposed to logging.

While the tree is still in the forest, the spike is driven in at an angle so the head is hidden in the bark. It can shatter a chain saw on impact, sending pieces of razor-sharp steel flying, The Post reported.

Scores of serious injuries have been reported from logging industry workers whose saws came in contact with unknown spikes placed in trees.

Stone-Manning was given legal immunity in 1993 to testify against fellow environmental activist John Blount, according to the Daily Caller, which based its report on court records.

Stone-Manning told the court that in 1989 she sent the Forest Service an anonymous letter claiming that tree spikes awaited loggers in an Idaho forest.

Part of the letter that warned of sabotage read, P.S. You b******s go in there anyway and a lot of people could get hurt.

The letter said a total of five hundred pounds of spikes measuring 8 to 10 inches in length were placed in the forest to block an upcoming sale of the land for logging.

The sales were marked so that no workers would be injured and so that you a**holes know they are spiked, the letter stated. I would be more than willing to pay you a dollar for the sale, but you would have to find me first and that would be your WORST nightmare.

Stone-Manning testified in court that she did not come forward in 1989 because of fear for her life. At the time of her 1993 trial, she told news outlets that she always denounced tree spiking.

In a statement, however, Barrasso said that there are other reasons to reject Stone-Manning.

Based on her record, I am concerned that Ms. Stone-Manning does not fit the bill. Her career has been defined by her support for policies that restrict multiple-use activities on public lands,` he said.

On Twitter and in other public forums, she has expressed views that threaten the livelihoods of energy producers, ranchers, farmers, loggers, and others with a stake in the responsible use of our natural resources, he said, adding that she has also deeply indulged in unvarnished political partisanship.

Read more at: WesternJournal.com
(Natural News) On June 9, The Epoch Times reported how Florida was the number one state in the nation for people to move to, while New York and California took first and second place respectively for states that have the most people leaving. To those moving to Florida from blue states, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says: Do me a favor, and dont vote the way the majority of the people voted from where you came or youll have here what you had there. Guaranteed.

(Article by Sundance republished from TheEpochTimes.com)

One of the reasons cited by those fleeing their blue state hometowns was the rising crime rates. According to Judd, the escalation in crime rates are a direct result of the defund the police movements in many Democrat-run states.

Florida has had a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Republican governor for a very long time, Judd told The Epoch Times in a phone interview. So all you have to do is compare-and-contrast. You go to these areas where crime is through the roof, look at your representatives.

In April 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Anti-Riot HB1 bill into law. This new measure makes it a felony to tear down statues or monuments in the Sunshine State and provides the governor and Florida Cabinet the authority to override the efforts of any other state official to cut law enforcement spending.

Conversely, in June 2020, the Portland City Council voted 3-1 to cut at least $15 million from the police bureau. The cut effectively eliminated 84 positions in the department.

So far this year, 37 homicides have been reported in the city, an increase of more than six times compared to the same period last year.

In November 2020, the Seattle City Council cut 18 percent of the budget from their police department. By January, Seattle saw a 48 percent increase in murders, the highest number in almost 30 years. In May, 260 police officers chose to leave the Seattle police force.

Trust in Law Enforcement

The good things that are happening in Florida dont just happen, Judd insisted. If they did, those good things would be happening in Seattle and Portland. But when you create an environment where criminal conduct is acceptable thats exactly what you get.

Judd also attributes the better safety conditions in Florida to the publics connection with law enforcement and effective leadership in government.

When people lose trust and they lose faith in the government or the police they quit interacting with you, Judd explained. So you dont know how bad the crime rate is if people arent calling to tell you and people quit calling to tell you when you quit caring.

Its the same sentiment shared by Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis.

Florida Sheriffs, who report directly to their citizens, are very good at holding chronic criminals accountable, while simultaneously maintaining the trust of the law-abiding citizens, Nienhuis told The Epoch Times. This has all resulted in a consistent decrease in crime during the last 4 decades. This is foundational to Floridas growth, due to the fact that, regardless of age or family status, everyone wants to live in a safe community.

Floridas great weather and beaches have always been a draw for tourists, Nienhuis added. However, low taxes, common sense leadership in state government, and the communitys support of law and order, have made those tourists realize that Florida is also a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Changing Voting Habits

Judd agreed, saying when he asks blue state migrants if they chose to move to Florida because of the warm weather, low taxes, and low crime rates, they always answer yes.

Then do me a favor, he tells them. Welcome to Polk County. Welcome to Florida. But please dont vote like you did up north. Youll still have warm weather in the winter but you wont have low taxes or a safe community.

We are definitely seeing the trend of people fleeing blue lockdown states for the free state of Florida, state House Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, a Republican, told The Epoch Times. They are coming here because of sunshine and opportunities. I can only hope that they leave any liberal ideology at the border.

You are coming for a reason, Ingoglia reminded the blue state migrants. Please dont New York our Florida. Dont turn this great state into the state you fled from.

Asked about the fears held by some Floridians that the blue state migrants will dim the freedoms of the Sunshine State, Judd admitted their fear is well-founded because individuals casting ballots in blue states dont seem to understand that the officials they elect are the ones enacting the destructive policies that made them leave.

None of the policies and practices in place up north just happened. It happened because they voted for elected officials that created those policies or laws.

To assuage their fears, Judd advised worried Floridians to educate their new blue state neighbors and to explain that all of the good things we have in Florida didnt just happen.

It was the people we elected to the city commissions, to the county commissions and into the state legislature that made good things happen, Judd said. If you live in a high crime community, vote those officials out.

Nothing else really matters if you arent safe and you dont feel safe, Judd concluded. A community cant thrive if its eaten alive by crime.

Welcoming New Residents

The Epoch Times asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis what hed like to share with the migrants coming from blue states.

For the almost 1,000 people a day who are moving to Florida, DeSantis wrote in an email. Welcome to Florida, I hope we can all work together to keep our state the special place it is, an oasis of freedom in our country.

All Americans can learn from the mistakes made in lockdown states and not repeat those mistakes, he added. It wont happen in Florida.

People who come to Florida from lockdown states can see for themselves how well we are doing here. If you look at voter registration trends overall, its positive; there isnt any indication that the people of Floridanewcomers and longtime Floridiansare shifting away from the principles that helped our state succeed.

Judd also expressed goodwill to Floridas new migrants: vWelcome to Florida. Youre in a safe state, youre in a healthy state, and we love people coming to our state. But dont vote the way the majority of the people voted from where you came or youll have here what you had there. Guaranteed.

Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com
(Natural News) A media operation notorious for promoting fake news caved under pressure when the Babylon Bee threatened it with a defamation lawsuit.

(Article by Ben Sellers republished from HeadlineUSA.com)

The New York Times had claimed that the conservative, pro-Christian humor site frequently trafficked in misinformation under the guise of satire.

The Bee relies upon a similar format to that of leftist humor sites like The Onion, and it follows a long literary tradition of using satire and parody to lampoon the absurdity of political and cultural conventions.

Yet, the Times further alleged, without evidence, that the it was one of many far-right misinformation sites that used satire claims to protect their presence on social media such as Facebook.

The meta-ironic attack proved richer than anything the Bees writers might have imaginedalthough that didnt stop them from making hay of the situation.

New York Times Attacks Babylon Bee For Being More Accurate Than They Are https://t.co/DL74QXH1Hj via @TheBabylonBee  Fredric U. Dicker (@fud31) March 24, 2021

Despite poking fun at the Grey Lady, which has been front and center on several major stories that have been debunked during and after the Trump administration, the Bee took seriously the papers smear campaign.

The unvetted and unsubstantiated claims from the Timess San Francisco-based tech correspondent Mike Isaaca Berkeley graduate with a degree in English Literature who began his career as a music journalist, writing for Paste Magazinewere, in fact, no laughing matter.

They subjected the Bee to serious leftist harassment and the threat of deplatforming from major social-media sites.

On Monday, Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon announced that, after repeated cease-and-desist letters, the Times had finally relented.

Big update here. The @nytimes has responded to our demand letter by removing defamatory statements about us from their article. Here's their email to our counsel notifying us of the correction. https://t.co/lv0eYo6NzK pic.twitter.com/OLi5KzMzej  Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) June 14, 2021

Dillon said that the article had arbitrarily and unfairly targeted the site in what appeared to be an effort to subject it to needless scrutiny, including that of left-wing fact-checkers on sites like Snopes.com.

It pointed to usand only usas an example of a site that misuses the satire label to protect our presence on social media sites that would otherwise ban us for spreading fake stories, Dillon said.

After the site pushed back, Dana Green, the Timess senior counsel, said that the article had removed the reference to the Bee as a source of misinformation, and that the newspaper had appended the piece with a correction:

An earlier version of this article referred imprecisely to the Babylon Bee, a right-leaning satirical website, and a controversy regarding the handling of its content by Facebook and the fact-checking site Snopes, the correction said.

While both Facebook and Snopes previously have classified some Babylon Bee articles as misinformation, rather than satire, they have dropped those claims, and the Babylon Bee denies that it has trafficked in misinformation, it continued.

Read more at: HeadlineUSA.com
(Natural News) With all of the hacking Russia and China are doing of American systems, we can only hope that American hackers are doing as much or more infiltration and damage to their systems.

With that in mind, a report published this week found that a penetration into critical U.S. systems by state-sponsored hackers in China was a lot worse than previously believed.

A cyberespionage campaign blamed on China was more sweeping than previously known, with suspected state-backed hackers exploiting a device meant to boost internet security to penetrate the computers of critical U.S. entities, The Associated Press reports.

The hack of Pulse Connect Secure networking devices came to light in April, but its scope is only now starting to become clear. The Associated Press has learned that the hackers targeted telecommunications giant Verizon and the countrys largest water agency. News broke earlier this month that the New York City subway system, the countrys largest, was also breached, the AP added.

There are dozens of other high-value targets that have yet to be identified publicly as part of the Pulse Secure breach, which is utilized by scores of countries and companies to obtain remote secure access (or not so secure) to their online networks.

Its also not yet clear what sensitive information may have been compromised by the hacks, but its safe to bet that if Chinese espionage got into these systems, they didnt leave empty-handed (because the point of a hack is to find and take data). Complicating the problem is the fact that very often, it will take months to figure out just how extensive a hack was, if cyber security experts are ever able to find out. And even if nothing of value was stolen, the fact that the hackers managed to breach critical organizations and systems that would be useful to China is bad enough.

The threat actors were able to get access to some really high-profile organizations, some really well-protected ones, Charles Carmakal, the chief technology officer of Mandiant, whose firm was the first to make the hacking campaign public in April, the AP reported. The newswire service adds: The Pulse Secure hack has largely gone unnoticed while a series of headline-grabbing ransomware attacks have highlighted the cyber vulnerabilities to U.S. critical infrastructure, including one on a major fuels pipeline that prompted widespread shortages at gas stations. The U.S. government is also still investigating the fallout of the SolarWinds hacking campaign launched by Russian cyber spies, which infiltrated dozens of private sector companies and think tanks as well as at least nine U.S. government agencies and went on for most of 2020.

While Chinas hacking capabilities are reportedly not on par with those of the United States, they are certainly very good, as evidenced by the Pulse Secure Breach. Plus, China has been hacking away at American commercial and defense systems literally for years. In fact, much of the technology Beijing has was taken from someone else, not developed domestically  and much of that data came from American computer systems.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has also noted that China has long used the internet to spy on the U.S., presenting a prolific and effective cyber-espionage threat, to say the least.

The capability is very strong and difficult to defend against, and the profile of victims is very significant, Adrian Nish, the head of cyber at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, told the AP. This is a very targeted attack against a few dozen networks that all have national significance in one way or another.

We know that bad actors try to compromise our systems, added Verizon spokesman Rich Young. That is why internet operators, private companies and all individuals need to be vigilant in this space.

Yes, well, until China is made to pay a price for this activity, Beijing wont be changing its habits.

Sources include:

APNews.com

NationalSecurity.news
(Natural News) The United Kingdom is experiencing another surge in Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases despite the fact most adults in the country have been vaccinated.

On Thursday, June 17, the British governments Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) reported 11,007 new COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths. At the same time last week, the country had 7,393 new COVID-19 cases and seven fatalities.

The new infections on Thursday represent the highest reported number of cases since Feb. 19, when 12,027 new COVID-19 cases were recorded.

Public Health England (PHE), an agency in the DHSC, reported that infections are increasing across all age groups but are most prevalent among people aged 20 to 29.

The government announced the 11,000 new cases at the same time it said that eight out of every 10 adults in the country have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. (Related: The MOST VACCINATED NATION in the world reintroduces restrictions as coronavirus cases surge.)

British epidemiologist and COVID-19 researcher Tim Spector believes the current surge will peak at around 15,000 new cases a day. This will occur by the last week of June or the first week of July.

After this, Spector believes the cases in the U.K. will start to fall. By four weeks [after the surge] we are much below the level we are now, and at something much more manageable, he said.

Thats if all goes well, he added.

Chief Medical Officer for England Dr. Chris Whitty said the current surge in new COVID-19 cases will definitely lead to more hospital admissions and deaths in the coming days and weeks.

The height of that surge is still uncertain and well have to see how this goes over the next several weeks, said Whitty. He added that the National Health Service, the U.K.s publicly funded healthcare system, needs to prepare for another wave of new COVID-19 cases in the coming winter.

Rise in cases blamed on new coronavirus variant and unvaccinated individuals

The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson is blaming the rise of new COVID-19 cases on two factors: the delta variant of the coronavirus and unvaccinated individuals.

The emergence of the delta variant, first identified in India, has supposedly upended all of the governments plans concerning the pandemic.

Johnson was set to lift Englands remaining pandemic restrictions this month, but ultimately decided against it. He instead extended lockdown for another four weeks. He wants to give adults in the country more time to get the second dose of the vaccine. Data supposedly shows that getting fully vaccinated significantly increases protection against the delta variant.

It is important to take up the offer of the vaccine to protect yourself and others, claimed PHE Medical Director and Director of Health Protection Dr. Yvonne Doyle. Case rates have increased across all age groups and regions around England, and we are seeing further increases in hospitalizations.

Government and public health officials have also blamed the rise of COVID-19 cases on vaccine hesitancy, particularly among the younger population.

Research from Imperial College London supposedly found that the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 in England is being driven by younger age groups who have so far refused to get vaccinated.

One report from the Office for National Statistics found that around 13 percent of British people aged between 16 and 29 are still hesitant about getting vaccinated.

Experts are blaming the vaccine hesitancy on public messaging during the height of the pandemic that emphasized the threat COVID-19 posed to older people. Others are blaming dependence on social media on the rise of vaccine skepticism.

Learn more about the coronavirus vaccines and the surge in cases in heavily vaccinated populations by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

LiveMint.com

News.Sky.com

Independent.co.uk
(Natural News) An Australian university professor faces 20 criminal charges for basically being a psychopathic maniac after she was allegedly caught sending herself hate-filled letters calling for violence, all in a desperate attempt to shut down her schools Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) program.

Dianne Jolley, the former dean of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), sent a total of 19 threatening letters to herself and several colleagues, a jury found. In them, Jolley included everything from her underwear to notes apologizing for your loss, as well as other cryptic statements and items.

In one of the letters, Jolley put a photograph of herself with a giant red line slashed through it, which the Crown says was part of a scam seeking emotional and physical support for closing down the schools TCM department, which was deemed to be the least financially viable in the science faculty.

Jolley has pleaded not guilty to 20 charges, including three for sending letters with the intention of inducing a false belief that the department would endanger her own safety and that of her fellow staff.

Bizarrely, Jolly claimed in several of the notes that they had been dipped in a nasty vibrio bacteria grown in the schools labs. For this, she faces 16 counts of conveying information likely to make another person fear for his or her own safety, as well as knowingly spreading false or misleading information.

Jolley also faces an additional charge for causing financial disadvantage by deceiving UTS into spending more than $127,000 in security measures to protect her. It is now known that security teams were essentially paid to protect Jolley from herself.

Some people really hate natural medicine

Part of these expenses included installing closed-caption security cameras throughout her home and office, along with monitoring alarms, private security chaperones while on campus, and even drivers to take her to and from work.

Jolley had attempted to shut down the TCM program back in May 2019, initially recommending that students finish out their courses. However, she failed to gain support from the board.

This apparently prompted her to go haywire as she conjured up fake letters and stories about being threatened. At one point, Jolley falsely told police that she had been abused on her way home from work by someone in the Asian community.

Forensic experts were able to match Jolleys fingerprints to some of the letters, as well as trace her back to some of the phone calls that she made to others pretending to be someone else.

Two letters were sent by me  I should have seen a psychologist, Jolley is recorded as having stated after her first arrest back in November 2019. Now they are accusing me of everything, vandalism, all these sorts of things.

Before her arrest, Jolley picked up a letter from the post office that stated, I watch you, I see what you do, youre not safe and you know it. In another instance, she found a piece of her clothing chopped up in the backyard along with a letter on her car that read, I know where you live.

It appears as though Jolley was behind all of these threats to herself, and her legal team is presumably now claiming that she has mental health problems.

What took place after her first arrest  she continued to send letters to herself and staff at UTS to put forward the proposition that she was not a suspect, indicated crown prosecutor Roger Kimball, noting a continued pattern of mentally ill behavior from Jolley. And to persist with some sort of mental health defense.

More stories like this one can be found at Twisted.news.

Sources for this article include:

7news.com.au

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) An East Tennessee jury on Wednesday, June 16, failed to reach a verdict in the case of Anming Hu, formerly an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK).

Hu was accused by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of intentionally trying to defraud the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by hiding his part-time work at the Beijing University of Technology (BJUT). He was arrested on February 27 last year and charged with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements.

The court did not make public how many of the jurors  four women and eight men, all white  refused to convict. Defense attorney Phil Lomonaco called it a victory for Hu and his family.

Trial testimony has shown federal agents falsely accused Hu of spying for China-based solely on a Google search. After he refused to work as a spy for the U.S. government, agents stalked and harassed him for nearly two years. (Related: The FBI is amazingly good at halting terror plots dreamed up by the FBI.)

Born and educated in China, Hu left to pursue a doctorate degree in Europe and a second in Canada. Hu and his family had settled in Canada before UTK offered him a job in 2013 to teach and conduct research on nanotechnology. He is a recognized expert in the field of brazing, a sophisticated type of welding, and pioneered a method that has proven cheaper and safer than traditional means.

Hu, a Canadian citizen, has lectured across the globe in countries including China, Germany and Japan. Court records show hes been in China 84 days since 2013.

Hu becomes first target of China Initiative to stand trial

In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) publicly announced the China Initiative  a directive to all federal agents to flush out economic Chinese spies operating in the U.S. Led by the DOJs National Security Division (NSD), China Initiative reflects the strategic priority of countering national security threats posed by China.

Hu became the first target of the China Initiative to stand trial in a case that hinges on the 2011 NASA restriction that bars the space agency from giving its research dollars to China or corporations owned by China. That law has been used as a basis to target professors and researchers working at American universities as part of the China Initiative on combating economic espionage.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Hu intentionally tried to keep NASA and UTK from knowing he worked a part-time job teaching graduate students and researchers at BJUT because of that restriction.

Hu told jurors that he had just a one-hour training session on the stacks of disclosure forms faculty and staff members are required to file. That training included a PowerPoint about the NASA restriction.

Six UTK administrators testified the PowerPoint was the only guidance the universitys employees are given about how to comply with the restriction. The PowerPoint stated that the university would provide NASA with a China Assurance letter for any proposal for a grant submitted by faculty.

Hu disclosed his ties to BJUT in at least two required forms at UTK, and disclosed them again in email exchanges with UTK officials and a NASA contractor. No one told Hu that he was barred from NASA work.

FBI agent investigates Hu based on information gathered through Google search

FBI Agent Kujtim Sadiku testified that he did not know about the China Initiative when he did a Google search of Hus name in March 2018 after getting a tip that the latter might be a spy. Sadiku said he cant remember from whom he got the tip.

His Google search turned up a couple of press releases in Chinese, including one with a photograph of Hu. Sadiku said he decided to use Googles translation app to dig a bit further.

The translation of the two documents showed Hus success in academia and research netted him a 2012 short-term award to teach students and researchers at BJUT for 20 hours annually through Chinas Long-Term Thousand Talents Program. The documents also revealed Hu had been invited to speak at a symposium in China in the spring of 2018.

I investigated him based on his association with the talent program that the U.S. government believes benefits the Chinese military, Sadiku said. I opened it up as an economic espionage case because the U.S. government believes the program is attempting to acquire technology and information from the United States.

But when Sadiku confronted Hu at his UTK office in April 2018, Hu disavowed any involvement in espionage and called cheaters those who agreed to spy for China as part of the Long-Term Thousand Talents Program. Hu also told Sadiku that his research and inventions had helped the U.S. government, the agent said in his testimony.

FBI agent offers Hu to spy on China

Sadiku offered Hu another way to help America  spy on China using his part-time work at BJUT as cover. Hu declined and Sadiku ordered a surveillance team that would go on to spend 21 months watching the activities of Hu and his son, then a freshman at UTK. (Related: Your FBI will entrap you.)

Agents also told UTK officials that Hu was suspected of being an operative of the Chinese military using the university as cover to steal secrets from U.S. government agencies. Hu was fired from UTK.

The spy probe eventually went bust, but Sadiku didnt give up his bid to put Hu in handcuffs. Using UTK as part of an undercover scheme, he and fellow federal agents then began building the fraud case that went on trial in Knoxville.

Follow FBICorruption.news for more news and information related to the corrupt practices of federal agents.

Sources include:

KnoxNews.com 1

KnoxNews.com 2

AcademeBlog.org
(Natural News) A heartbreaking photo is circulating online. The photo shows four British Airway pilots memorialized in framed pictures that are propped up beside four books of condolence. A Reuters fact check just authenticated the picture and confirmed that the four British Airways pilots DIED in the same week, just days after getting a second covid shot. The Reuters fact checker attempts to debunk the link between the deaths and the vaccines after a spokesperson from British Airways tweeted that the four deaths are not linked.

Reuters reached out to British Airways and confirms that the pilot fatalities are not connected to the vaccine. Sadly four members of our pilot community passed away recently, said Julie from British Airways. Our thoughts are with their family and friends. However, there is no truth whatsoever in the claims on social media speculating that the four deaths are linked.

Reuters used this tweet to confirm that the vaccines did not play a role in the pilots deaths. Apparently, Reuters, the know-all fact checker, has received exclusive access to the four pilots medical records. Apparently, Reuters also has absolute medical authority to analyze each pilots unique situation and make an official declaration on their death, just a week after their passing.

Why are so many young people dying of unexplained causes?

With all the safety protocols and contact tracing in place, how come the public health authorities were unable to prevent these premature deaths? The four airline pilots were young and in good health, so what could have caused them all to die in the same week? Why are vaccinated people dying so young if they are protected?

In March 2021, British Airways chief executive officer, Sean Doyle, said, I think people whove been vaccinated should be able to travel without restriction. How can vaccinated people travel without restriction if the vaccine causes real life physical restrictions such as hospitalization, disability and death? From blood clots to facial paralysis to inflammation of the heart: The vaccinated group in this live experiment are facing real-life health restrictions. But out of fear of losing their job, many people are succumbing to this mental and physical abuse just to comply with coercive, rights-stripping company policies.

British Airways wants to give vaccinated preferential treatment but cant even keep their own vaccinated pilots alive

How can people travel at all or trust the process if pilots are dying left and right? British Airways internal policy already requires pilots and other crew members to take part in the experimental, spike protein inoculation process. Up to 80 percent of the pilots and crew have received these spike protein-producing injections.

Mr. Doyle has called on Britain to work with other governments to mandate a digital vaccine and covid testing passport system. British Airways began using a Verifly Mobile Health Passport for flights traveling between London and the US. This discriminatory app gives preferential treatment to the vaccinated and fast-tracks them to designated check-in desks, while forcing unvaccinated subjects to surrender their medical privacy, give up their due process rights, and produce a negative covid-19 test as a precondition to their liberty. In their effort to discriminate against non-compliant anti-vaxxers, British Airways wants to give vaccinated passengers preferential treatment, but cant even keep their own vaccinated pilots alive.

Why are vaccinated people receiving preferential treatment at all if they continue to test positive for covid and are at greater risk of sudden blood clots, neurological dysfunction, seizures, brain bleed and aneurysm? How can the general population depend on these weakened, susceptible leaders, especially if these leaders are in charge of flying a commercial plane?

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

Twitter.com

Reuters.com

SCMP.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

TravelandLeisure.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Fox 26 in Houstons Ivory Hecker has come forward to Project Veritas with claims that her stations director, Susan Schiller, told her to cease and desist talking about hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on social media.

Hecker says she has continually been pressed by the station to push its corporate narrative rather than real journalism. Hecker was also bullied over an interview she conducted with Dr. Joseph Varon, MD, about the benefits he is seeing with HCQ in some of his patients.

Whats happening within Fox Corp is an operation of prioritizing corporate interests above the viewers interest and, therefore, operating in a deceptive way, Hecker says.

The viewers are being deceived by a carefully crafted narrative in some stories.

Cryptocurrency is another sore spot for Fox 26, which told Hecker that her poor African-American audience does not care about Bitcoin, for instance. Hecker had wanted to do a story on Bitcoin during a bull run but was denied the story.

None of Fox 26s decisions concerning the news seem to be centered around what is good for the public interest, Hecker suggested. Instead, what gets reported is tailored to benefit the leadership of Fox Corp and Foxs advertisers, which include pharmaceutical companies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Theres a narrative, Hecker says. Yes, it is unspoken. But if you accidentally step outside the narrative, if you dont sense what that narrative is and go with it, there will be grave consequences for you.

When Hecker tried to stand up against the networks censorship of her stories, she says they came at my throat. Just prior to her conversation with Project Veritas, Hecker says the station asked her to return all of her reporting equipment.

The media is nothing more than a mouthpiece for Big Government, Big Pharma

Hecker works as a dayside reporter mostly for the five and six oclock news. In speaking to Project Veritas, she brought forth recordings of her colleagues and superiors behaving in ways that call into question the networks journalistic integrity.

Viewers are being deceived about some of the things that are going on, Hecker says.

Since advertising dollars rule the airwaves, Fox 26 has a bias against HCQ and other remedies that threaten the stranglehold on medicine held by the federal government and Big Pharma.

The medias job, Fox 26 included, is to steer people away from things like HCQ that are inexpensive and easily obtained. There is no money to be made in generic drugs, after all, so the goal is to push the latest vaccine or anti-viral as the next blockbuster medication.

Blockbusters, by the way, are where the money is. Greedy crooks like Tony Fauci and Rochelle Walensky have a lot at stake in these therapeutics, which is why they do not want you using HCQ, which costs a few pennies and has a solid track record of use.

Undercover footage reveals that Heckers network has been pushing reporters to plug Chinese Virus injections as much as possibly because advertising revenue depends on it. To talk about HCQ instead would deflect viewers and readers away from the jabs, which is a big no-no.

Yeah, they [CDC] are spending money, a sales coordinator at Fox 26 by the name of Jennifer Bourgeois, also told another undercover Project Veritas reporter.

They are spending money because they can. Yeah, they can. They [CDC] are in the pocket. You know? Theyre there.

Hecker, meanwhile, believes that a news networks loyalty should first be to the citizen.

It affects the viewers. Thats why Im doing this, she says.

More of the latest news about mainstream media deception can be found at Propaganda.news.

Sources for this article include:

ProjectVeritas.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) International groups advocating freedom of the press on Thursday, June 17, denounced Hong Kong authorities after local police raided the headquarters of a prominent pro-democracy newspaper.

The raid resulted in the arrest of five directors of Apple Daily, including Editor-in-Chief Ryan Law, Associate Publisher Chan Pui-man and Digital Platform Director Cheung Chi-wai. Also arrested were Cheung Kim-hung and Royston Chow, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of the papers publishing firm Next Digital.

Apple Daily executives may face life imprisonment

They were accused of violating Article 29 of the law, which bans collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The collusion charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The arrests of five executives at the pro-democracy Apple Daily today under Hong Kongs Orwellian National Security Law destroy any remaining fiction that Hong Kong supports freedom of the press, Steven Butler, Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), said in a statement.

China, which controls Hong Kong, may be able to eliminate the paper, which it sees as an annoying critic, but only at a steep price to be paid by the people of Hong Kong, who had enjoyed decades of free access to information. (Related: Massive protests rock Hong Kong as citizens reject fake democracy controlled by communist China.)

China and Hong Kong are in it together

Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), a nonprofit based in Washington, issued a statement criticizing both the Chinese government and the pro-China Hong Kong government.

Hong Kong has been left with little free speech under the NSL (national security law), which aims to silence all dissent. Todays arrests mark yet another step toward remaking Hong Kong in Beijings liking, said Victoria Hui, an HKDC board member.

Samuel Chu, HKDCs managing director, said that Hong Kong journalists were being targeted for defending the freedom of the press. No regime can totally suppress the truth and truth-tellers, Chu said.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association said in a statement that the security law had been weaponized against the press while international human rights groups also condemned the police action.

New low in bottomless assault on press freedom

This raid and the arrests are a new low in what seems to be a bottomless assault on press freedom, Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, told NBC News. It has nothing to do with enforcing the law and everything to do with political retribution.

Amnesty International also called the arrests deeply disturbing and warned they could have profound implications for other media outlets in Hong Kong.

With this latest brazen attack on one of its fiercest media critics, the Hong Kong authorities are ramping up their crackdown on press freedom and using the pretext of national security to justify it, Yamini Mishra, Amnestys Asia-Pacific regional director, said in a statement.

Second raid at Apple Daily headquarters in less than a year

It marked the second raid at the papers headquarters in less than a year. Hong Kong police officers also stormed the newsroom in August 2020, shortly after the national security law went into effect.

The raid is the latest setback for free speech in the territory and represents another blow for Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who is a staunch critic of China. Lai is currently serving a sentence for taking part in illegal assemblies, including mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The newspaper vowed to do its best to publish as usual in articles posted on its website detailing the incident, which they said happened around 7:30 a.m. local time (7:30 p.m. ET) and involved 500 police officers and the confiscation of 38 computers. (Related: Hong Kong Epoch Times host threatened by Chinese police after exposing organ harvesting.)

Todays Hong Kong feels unfamiliar and leaves us speechless. Nevertheless, the staff of Apple Daily is standing firm, the paper said in an open letter to its readers.

The early morning raid was captured by staff and journalists. They posted footage and photos online showing police sitting at computers in the newsroom, sifting through papers and taking away boxes in a van.

Police froze assets of companies linked to Apple Daily

Hong Kongs Secretary for Security John Lee described the Apple Daily newsroom as a crime scene. The operation was aimed at those who use reporting as a tool to endanger national security and not at the media industry as a whole, he told reporters.

Normal journalists are different from these people. Dont collude with them, Lee said, adding that police had also frozen HK$18 million ($2.3 million) of assets owned by three companies linked to Apple Daily.

The National Security Law was passed in June last year, signed by Chinas President Xi Jinping and formally adopted by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. The security law punishes anything deemed as subversion, secessionism, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Lam has previously said it was necessary for Hong Kongs security and would not affect legitimate rights and freedoms or erode the territorys autonomy. But many countries, including the U.S., viewed the law as a tool to suppress dissent and a means for China to assert its authority over Hong Kong further.

Tsui Lokman, an assistant professor of journalism at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told NBC News that Apple Daily was being made an example and that the charges were deliberately vague. This will further instill a culture of self-censorship in Hong Kong, he said. Every news organization will now know that if you do not self-censor, the authorities can come after you.

Follow FreePress.news for more news and information related to press freedom.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NBCNews.com

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) A 42-year-old father of six from Iowa will spend the next 10 years in prison after being convicted of a Class C forcible felony for defending himself against a mask Nazi who assaulted him in an eyewear store.

Shane Michael says he was shoulder-checked and poked in the stomach by Mark Dinning, a Branch Covidian who confronted Michael on Nov. 11 inside a Vision 4 Less store in Des Moines.

Even though there was no mask mandate in place, Dinning felt the need to try to force his mask fetish on Michael through assault, to which Michael responded in kind by spitting on Dinning.

Michael was reportedly wearing a mask at the time and pulled it down to spit on Dinning, who accused Michael of wearing his mask incorrectly. This is how the altercation started with Dinning as the aggressor.

If I have it, you have it! Michael reportedly shouted at Dinning, who refused to mind his own business in the store and instead decided to be a mask Nazi.

The situation devolved from there with more physical altercations that resulted in injuries. Dinning pressed charges against Michael and ultimately won in court, illustrating how the Branch Covidian cult has successfully embedded itself within the judicial system.

Even though Dinning reportedly bit Michael on the arm during the altercation, the jury sided with him over Michael, presumably because it felt as though Dinning was just trying to stay safe by harassing Michael over his correct wearing of a mask.

Michael has asthma and is thus medically exempt from having to wear a mask

Michael was initially offered a Class D felony charge plea deal that would have only resulted in a deferred judgment and two years of probation. Michael rejected this on principle and was ultimately punished with a 10-year prison sentence for an upgraded Class C felony.

Prosecutors were out for blood, in other words, presumably mask Nazis themselves, and did everything they could to destroy Michaels life. They were apparently successful.

Michaels attorney, meanwhile, has filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that the state failed to turn over video footage from the store, as well as body camera footage from the officer who responded to the scene. Said footage was not allowed into evidence for some unknown reason.

According to Michaels father Dennis, his son rejected the plea deal offered by prosecutors because he had acted in self-defense against Dinning, who should have kept his mouth shut and minded his own business rather than behave like a mask Nazi.

Michael also has asthma and thus cannot wear a mask otherwise he might suffocate. His father says if he had been forced by Dinning or a store employee to cover his mouth and nose as demanded, he would have been unable to breathe, which might have killed him.

And there was no mask mandate in place, the father added. It was just a request by Vision 4 Less that people wear a mask, and he was.

The 10-year prison sentence Michael received is way beyond any crime he may have committed, which shows that this is all just vindictive Branch Covidian tyranny once again rearing its ugly head. Michaels wife, meanwhile, is trying to figure out how she is going to survive and get by without her husband by her side.

Hes my rock. Hes my protector, she is quoted as saying. I dont know what Im going to do without him. Im lost without him.

Wearing a face mask, by the way, defies all credible science concerning the Chinese Virus. It has repeatedly been proven to be both dangerous and ineffective.

More related news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) tyranny can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

IowaCapitalDispatch.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Just when you thought that Americas class of left-wing propagandists posing as journalists couldnt demonstrate their hatred for our country any more strongly, they prove again that the depth of their disdain is bottomless.

New York Times Editorial Board hack Mara Gay appeared on the least-newsworthy cable news network in the country, MSNBC, last week to whine about the alleged threat posed to her by the sight of patriotism on steroids: Americans who proudly display the flag of our country.

This is another area where Democrats really need to get serious about talking about what this threat is, Gay told her hack propagandist friends, making sure to throw race into the discussion for good measure.

They need to stop being surprised by all of this and start taking it seriously, she droned on. You know, its really concerning to me that the Democrats havent just gone ahead, at this point, and said were doing this on our own, in terms of getting a commission together to explain to the American people how we allowed the insurrection to take place in the Capitol.

I think that really needs to move forward swiftly. You know, the reality is here that we have a large percentage of the American population, Gay continued, citing these overt displays of patriotism as a net negative, somehow, for our country.

I dont know how big it is, but we have tens of millions of Trump voters continuing to believe that their rights as citizens are under threat by simple virtue of having to share the democracy with others.

So what she actually said  and didnt even realize it because her hatred for the very same country that is providing her with an amazing way of life  is that Republicans and, specifically, white, Donald Trump-supporting Republicans, are the only ones who care about our country. Democrat losers like her, she seems to be saying, dont care for America.

She just said the quiet part out loud and is too blinded by hate to realize it.

Continuing, Gay, the racist, talked about how she found basic American values to be synonymous with whiteness, adding that the sight of flags flying in Long Island was just disturbing.

I think that as long as they see Americanness as the same, as one, with whiteness, this is going to continue. We have to figure out how to get every American a place at the table in this democracy, but how to separate Americanness, America, with whiteness. Until we can confront that, and talk about that, this is really going to continue, she said.

I was on Long Island this weekend visiting a really dear friend, and I was really disturbed, I saw dozens and dozens of pick-up trucks with, you know, expletives against Joe Biden, Trump flags, and in some cases just dozens of American flags, which is also just disturbing, because essentially the message was clear, it was this is my country, this is not your country, I own this,' she went on.

Its hard to tell whats worse, the fact that she was allowed to speak this drivel unchallenged by any of the cowards at MSNBC, or that she didnt realize her own racism and the fact that everything she is complaining about  oppression generally  is a demonstrable lie simply by the fact that she is freely speaking her mind (in a country that allegedly hates her and people like her  especially those flag-waving Trump bigots).

Not everyone has to like or support Donald Trump, obviously. One of the beauties of living in America that this hater doesnt seem to realize is that its okay to make up your own mind about issues.

But every American should support displays of patriotism; otherwise, why do they stay here?

Sources include:

Newsfakes.com

Liberty.news
(Natural News) The Supreme Court on Thursday, June 17, ruled in favor of two corporations accused of involvement in child slavery on Ivory Coast cocoa farms. The decision was the latest in a series of rulings imposing strict limits on lawsuits brought in federal court based on human rights abuses abroad.

Six citizens of Mali sued Nestle USA and Cargill more than a decade ago, saying the two companies were complicit in child trafficking and profited when they were enslaved on the cocoa farms as children.

The plaintiffs filed their lawsuit under the Alien Tort Statute, a law enacted by the very first Congress in 1789 that allows federal courts to hear civil actions filed by foreigners regarding offenses committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States.

The high court in recent years has limited the use of that law. In 2018, the court ruled that foreign businesses cannot be sued under the law. Under that premise, the court rejected an attempt by Israeli victims of attacks in the West Bank and Gaza to use U.S. courts to sue Jordan-based Arab Bank, which they said helped finance the attacks.

Plaintiffs fail to tie companies activities in U.S. to child trafficking

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against the plaintiffs, saying they had not proven the companies activities in the U.S. were sufficiently tied to the alleged child trafficking.

Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, said that the companies did not own or operate farms in Ivory Coast. But they did buy cocoa from farms located there. They also provided those farms with technical and financial resources  such as training, fertilizer, tools and cash  in exchange for the exclusive right to purchase cocoa.

Thomas wrote that the flaw in the plaintiffs case was its failure to tie the companies asserted conduct to their activities in the U.S. According to Thomas, that failure meant that they could not sue under the Alien Tort Statute.

In Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum in 2013, the high court rejected a suit against a foreign corporation accused of aiding and abetting atrocities by Nigerian military and police forces against Ogoni villagers.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., writing for the majority in that case, said that minimal contact with the U.S. would not be sufficient to overcome the presumption. Even where the claims touch and concern the territory of the United States, they must do so with sufficient force to displace the presumption against extraterritorial application, Roberts wrote.

Thomas wrote that the same kind of reasoning banned the suit against Nestle and Cargill. Nearly all the conduct that they say aided and abetted forced labor  providing training, fertilizer, tools and cash to overseas farms  occurred in Ivory Coast, Thomas wrote.

Nestle, Cargill have total control of cocoa production in Ivory Coast

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that Nestle and Cargill have total control over the production of cocoa in Ivory Coast, where child labor is widespread and where the men said they were forced to work long hours and to sleep in locked shacks at night. (Related: SHOCK: Amnesty International Blasts Kelloggs for Using Child Labor-Produced Ingredients.)

The Department of Labor recently reported that the use of child labor on family farms in cocoa-growing areas of Ivory Coast and Ghana increased from 31 percent to 45 percent between 2008 and 2019.

The corporations should be held accountable for abetting a system of child slavery, said Paul Hoffman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general under the Obama administration, represented the two companies. He argued that the companies could not be sued for complicity in child trafficking because they are corporations, not individuals. He also argued that the companies could not be sued in the U.S. for activities that took place in West Africa.

Human rights advocates denounce Supreme Court decision

EarthRights International, which filed an amicus brief with the court on behalf of the plaintiffs, called the ruling a giant step backward for U.S. leadership on international law and protecting human rights.

The ruling implies that U.S. corporations whose executives decide, from comfortable American boardrooms, to profit from murder, torture, and slavery abroad cannot be sued in U.S. federal courts for violating international law, said Marco Simons, general counsel for the organization.

This ruling has disturbing implications for future victims of human rights abuses seeking justice against businesses in U.S. courts. This ruling also sets a dangerous precedent, giving corporations impunity for profiting from human rights abuses. (Related: Human rights alert: Coca-Cola suppliers buy materials from El Salvador companies that practice child labor.)

Celebrity activist Bree Newsome noted the irony of the ruling on the day the Congress passed legislation recognizing Juneteenth  the day Union soldiers arrived in Texas and informed Black people who had been enslaved that slavery had ended with the Civil War.

Were celebrating the end of slavery but American companies are still profiting off of slave labor, Newsome tweeted.

Follow RealInvestigations.news to know more about the crimes perpetrated by big corporations around the world.

Sources include:

CommonDreams.org

Politico.com

NYTimes.com
According to information released by the Portuguese Navy, the NRP Tridente diesel/electric powered submarine of the Portuguese Navy has joined the NATO mission Sea Guardian and will support the European Union's Operation IRINI.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

NRP Tridente diesel/electric powered submarine of the Portuguese Navy. (Picture source Portuguese Navy)

Operation Sea Guardian is a flexible operation that can potentially cover the full range of NATOs maritime security operation (MSO) tasks. At present, it is operating in the Mediterranean and is conducting three MSO tasks: maritime security capacity building, and support to maritime situational awareness and to maritime counter-terrorism.

Through Operation Sea Guardian, NATO is contributing to the maintenance of a secure and safe maritime environment, while collaborating with other actors, such as the European Union (EU) by providing  until its termination  support for instance to Operation Sophia.

The European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI) was launched on March 31, 2020, with the aim to enforce the United Nations arms embargo to Libya due to the Second Libyan Civil War. Operation IRINI is a European Union military operation under the umbrella of the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). The operation is expected to use aerial, maritime, and satellite assets.

The NRP Tridente (S160) is a Tridente-class diesel-electric powered submarine in service with the Portuguese Navy. The submarine is based on the Type 214 submarine developed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) for the Portuguese Navy. Currently, two Tridente-class submarines are deployed with the Portuguese navy.

The NRP Tridente has a length of 67.7 m, a beam of 6.35, a draught of 6.6 m, and a displacement of 2,020 tons maximum. It can reach a top surface speed of 10 knots (19 km/h) and 20 knots (37 km/h) in submerged conditions with a maximum cruising range of 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km). She has a crew of 33 people.

The NRP Tridente is fitted with 533mm torpedo tubes able to launch Black Shark, a heavyweight torpedo developed by the Italian company WASS. The Black Shark torpedo offers fiber optic wire for increased bandwidth and signals processing ability compared to copper wire-guided torpedo types. The sonar capability includes non-doppler shifted target discrimination and multi-frequency capability that features advanced spatial and angular analysis abilities. The brushless motor design coupled with the aluminum-silver oxide (Al-AgO) battery gives the torpedo to reach a top speed of 50+ knots (93+ km/h) and an effective firing range of 50 km.
ATLANTA (AP)  A judge who last month ordered absentee ballots in Georgia's most populous county to be unsealed as part of a lawsuit alleging fraud during the November election is now set to hear arguments over whether the case should be dismissed.

Originally filed in December, the lawsuit says there is evidence of fraudulent ballots and improper ballot counting in Fulton County. As part of the suit, the nine Georgia voters who filed it are seeking to inspect some 147,000 absentee ballots to determine whether there are illegitimate ballots among them.

The ballots and scanned ballot images are kept under seal in the custody of the clerk of Fulton County Superior and Magistrate courts. Henry County Superior Court Chief Judge Brian Amero, who is presiding over the case, in April ordered the court clerk to release the scanned absentee ballot images. At a hearing last month, Amero ordered that the paper ballots themselves be unsealed so that the petitioners who filed the lawsuit can inspect and scan them.

Amero had scheduled a meeting for May 28 with the parties to sort out the logistics of how that review and scanning of paper ballots would proceed. But in the days before that meeting was to be held, Fulton County, the county board of elections and the county courts clerk all filed motions asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit. The judge canceled the logistics meeting, saying those motions needed to be dealt with first and scheduling a hearing that is to happen Monday.

The ballot review effort in Georgia is one of several around the country pushed by supporters of former President Donald Trump and others who allege fraud during the 2020 election. State and federal authorities have repeatedly said there was no evidence of widespread fraud in the election.

There is no chance of this lawsuit changing Georgia's election results, which were certified months ago. After the initial tally and before certification, the state did a full hand recount of the presidential race to satisfy a new audit requirement in state law. Another recount, in which the ballots were run through scanners to be tallied again, was done at the request of Trumps campaign after he lost the state by a narrow margin to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump was furious about his loss by about 12,000 votes in Georgia, long a reliably red state. He and his allies harshly criticized top Republican elected officials in the state for not acting to overturn his loss. They also focused their attention on overwhelmingly Democratic Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta, making repeated claims of widespread election fraud.

Fulton County officials have repeatedly defended their handling of the election and have criticized the ballot review effort.

An independent monitor hired to observe the countys election operations from October through January as part of a consent agreement has said he witnessed sloppy processes and systemic poor management but that there was no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing that should cast doubt on the countys election results.

Garland Favorito, a longtime critic of Georgia's election systems who has promoted conspiracy theories about the 9/11 terror attacks and about former President Bill Clinton, is spearheading the Georgia lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that election workers and observers who signed sworn statements saw absentee ballots during the audit that weren't creased from being mailed, appeared to be marked by a machine rather than by hand and were printed on different paper. It also repeats a widely circulated claim of fraud based on security video that shows cases of ballots being pulled from under a skirted table and counted while observers and the news media weren't present. And it says proper procedures weren't followed by workers counting ballots by hand during the audit.

Carter Jones, the independent monitor who observed Fulton County's election operations, said in an interview with The Associated Press that he never saw any ballots without creases that appeared to be marked by machine. He said the secretary of state's investigators looked into those claims and found nothing.

The secretary of state's office has repeatedly said that the video showing boxes of ballots being pulled from under a table shows normal ballot processing and that claims that it shows something nefarious are based on selective editing.

The county, election board and court clerk have all argued that the lawsuit is barred by sovereign immunity, a principle that says state and local governments and can only be sued if they agree to it.

Among the election board's other arguments for dismissing the lawsuit is an assertion that there is no claim of an ongoing or imminent dispute that needs to be settled and no claim about potential future conduct that needs to be evaluated by the court. The county argues that the suit should be dismissed for several reasons, including that it is technically an election contest but does not follow the rules to do that and that the voters who filed it have not shown that they have suffered concrete harm.
HARTFORD  A woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting early Saturday morning on Huntington Street, according to police.

Patrol officers responded to the 100 block of Huntington Street for a ShotSpotter gunfire activation in the area around 3:30 a.m., Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.

Arriving officers found the victim, a woman in her 30s, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police tips line at 860-722-TIPS.
Latest job opportunities

Use this website to help find the best person to fill your role. This is a paid-for service aiming at advertising jobs which are of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community and its many churches, groups and organisations.

To advertise a vacancy, simply e-mail the details such as job and person specifications, approx salary, contact details and a closing date to us here .

For full details of the service, and our cost-effective fee, please click here.

Word of thanks

Stewart Barber, Eckling Grange Care

We had a great advert on Network Norwich for many weeks with great layout, unlimited words, colour logo and a direct link from the weekly newsletter! We also found our new manager through the website.

Tom Howell, Halls of Residence

Thank you for all your help with our recruiting process during 2019. We have some great new staff at the Matthew Project as a result. God bless."We had a good response to our advert on Network Norwich for a Project Worker. We were able to short-list some very possible applicants and have now made an appointment of a lady whom we expect to fit well into our existing team and who brings to us some useful past experience.Thank you for your help, what a useful medium this is.""We see the Network Norfolk website as a good place to advertise the organisation and Im very pleased to say that the recent advert for an account assistant led to an appointment."


Norwich FGB announces first dinner event of year Norwich FGB announces first dinner event of year

Norwich FGB has announced its first dinner event of 2021, at the Mercure Hotel in Norwich, on Friday September 10 with special guest Kit Brinkley.

No job. Divorced. No family home. Creditors. No help and no hope - but wait, that is never the case. It was 1998, and a phone call to a colleague, an offer of exhibition work, and an invitation to an Alpha course resulted in a total turn-around in Kits life.



"Come and hear stories of healings, amazing coincidences, and a passion for sharing the Good News, which has changed his own life forever, says branch president Barrie Lawrence.



Married since 1996 to a wonderful Danish wife, Pernille, Kit lives near Eye in Suffolk. Kit has worked in franchising since 1996, staging the UKs National Franchise Exhibitions. As Special Projects Director of World Franchise Associates of World Franchise Associates (WFA). He has worked with investors and brands in the US, Europe and the Gulf States.



Come and be inspired, whilst enjoying fellowship and laughter over a Mercure dinner. Bring your friends, especially any who need a touch from the living God. Kits family motto is Mutabimur  we shall be changed. Come to our dinner on September 10, and you will never be the same again, says Barrie. There will be prayer for the sick and those with other needs. We believe in miracles  because we have seen so many.



The dinner will take place on Friday September 10 at the Mercure Hotel, Boundary Road, Norwich, 7pm for 7.30pm. The cost is 15 per person , to include a two-course dinner.



Further information from fgbnorwich@gmail.com or phone Barrie on 07786 381344.



Pictured above is special dinner guest speaker Kit Brinkley.



Keith Morris, 19/06/2021
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Stating that new IT rules are "designed to empower ordinary users of social media", India on Sunday rejected apprehensions raised by the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and said that new rules were finalised after broad consultations with various stakeholders.

The Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations in its reply to the communication of the Special Procedures Branch of the United Nation Human Rights Council said India's democratic credentials are well recognised, according to an official statement issued by the IT ministry on Sunday.

"The right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India's democratic structure," the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) statement said.

The communication from United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special branch follows a stand-off between the micro-blogging platform Twitter and the government on compliance with new intermediary guidelines and digital media ethics code notified by the government on February 25.

The special branch of UNHRC on June 11 had raised concern around number of provisions of the new IT rules alleging that they do not appear to meet the requirement of international law and standards related to the rights to privacy and to freedom of opinion and expression as protected by International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, acceded to by India on April 10, 1979.

The UNHRC special branch had requested the government to undertake wide consultation with all stakeholders for the new rule.

It also expressed concern on the direction of the IT ministry to social media platform Twitter to shut down over 1,000 accounts on January 31, 2021 on ground that these accounts were spreading misinformation about farmers' protest.

"We worry that the new rules may provide the authorities with the power to censor journalists who expose information of public interest and individuals who report on human rights violations in an effort to hold the government accountable," the UNHRC special branch had said.

Responding to the apprehensions, the Indian government said "the rules are designed to empower ordinary users of social media.

The victims of abuse at social media platforms shall have a forum for redressal of their grievances.

The IT rules finalised after due discussion with various stakeholders".

The government said the enactment of new IT Rules had become necessary due to widespread concerns about issues relating to increased instances of abuse of social media and digital platforms, including inducement for recruitment of terrorists, circulation of obscene content, spread of disharmony, financial frauds, incitement of violence, public order etc.

"The concerns alleging potential implications for freedom of expression that the new IT Rules will entail, is highly misplaced," the statement said.

The Permanent Mission of India in its reply said that MeitY and Information and Broadcasting Ministry undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry association and organisations and invited public comments to prepare the draft rules.

"Thereafter, an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received in detail and, accordingly, the rules were finalised," the statement said.

The government said that the Supreme Court of India in two judgements had directed it to frame necessary guidelines to eliminate child pornography and related contents in online platforms and other applications and in the second case, the court had said that it was imperative to frame proper regime to find out the persons, institutions, and bodies who were the originators of such content messages.

"The Indian Parliament (Upper House - Rajya Sabha) had repeatedly asked the Govt.

of India to strengthen the legal framework and make the social media platforms accountable under the Indian laws," the statement said.

Commenting on concerns around traceability of the first originator of the information, the government said that that the new IT rules seeks only limited information and only when a message already in public circulation is giving rise to violence, impinging on the unity and integrity of India, depicting a woman in a bad light, or sexual abuse of a child.

"When no other intrusive options are working, only then the significant social media intermediary will be required to disclose as to who started the message," the statement said.

It said that the concern that the rules may be misused deliberately to make a large number of complaints so as to overwhelm the grievance redressal mechanisms created by social media platforms is also misplaced, exaggerated and disingenuous and shows lack of willingness to address the grievances of the users of these media platforms while using their data to earn revenues.

"The government of India fully recognises and respects the right of privacy, as pronounced by the Supreme Court of India in KS Puttusamy case.

Privacy is the core element of an individual's existence and, in light of this, the new IT rules seeks information only on a message that is already in circulation that resulted in an offence.

The rules have framed in exercise of the statutory powers of the IT Act, fully taking into account the principles of reasonableness and proportionality," the statement said.

Twitter has written to the government that it intends to comply with the new IT rules but has not been able to do so due to the Covid pandemic.

Facebook, Whatsapp, Youtube etc have complied with the new rules but Whatsapp has challenged the guidelines before court.

Twitter has also been pulled up by a Parliamentary committee headed by Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor for failing to comply with Indian rules.

PTI PRS MKJ 06201659 NNNN
By PTI

NEW DELHI: In a rare regulatory move, Sebi has restrained PNB Housing Finance from going ahead with shareholders' voting on the proposed Rs 4,000 crore-deal with Carlyle group and directed the company to carry out the valuation process as per the relevant legal provisions.

The watchdog said the resolution regarding the deal, which was to be put for shareholders' vote on June 22, was "ultra-vires" of the company's Articles of Association (AoA).

The transaction, which has come under the lens of Sebi and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) following concerns raised in certain quarters, including by a proxy advisory firm, would eventually see private equity major Carlyle group taking control of PNB Housing Finance, which is a subsidiary of Punjab National Bank.

The company's meeting is scheduled for Tuesday (June 22) to take up the matter for approval of the shareholders.

"The current resolution bearing item no. 1 (issue of securities of the company and matters related therewith) of EGM notice dated May, 31, 2021 is ultra-vires of AOA and shall not be acted upon until the company undertakes the valuation of shares as prescribed under 19(2) of AOA, for purpose of preferential allotment, from an independent registered valuer as per the provisions of applicable laws," PNB Housing Finance said in a late night filing referring to Sebi letter to ensure compliance.

The company, promoted by PNB, said it had received the letter from Sebi on June 18, 2021, calling upon the company to comply with the legal provisions in the matter.

The said report shall be considered by the company's board while deciding on the preferential issue of shares and warrants, Sebi has asked.

"The company and its board of directors have considered the Sebi letter, and continue to believe that the company has acted in compliance with all relevant applicable laws, including the applicable pricing regulations prescribed by Sebi, and the AOA of the company, and that such preferential allotment is in the best interests of the company, its shareholders and all relevant stakeholders," PNB Housing Finance said in the filing.

The company is evaluating further steps in this regard, it added.

Proxy advisory firm Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SES), in its report, has raised a number of questions on the proposed deal, wondering if Punjab National Bank (PNB) has willingly surrendered control without extracting a fair compensation.

The deal is ''''ultra vires'''' to the AoA, it added.

Under the proposed deal, Rs 3,200 crore is to be raised through equity shares and Rs 800 crore by issuance of warrants.

Notably, PNB Housing Finance has not raised any equity capital in the past three years, except equity shares issued under the employee stock option plan.

Earlier in February this year, the Reserve Bank had rejected PNBs proposal for a capital infusion into its subsidiary PNB Housing.

The company had wanted to raise tier I capital up to Rs 1,800 crore through various modes, including qualified institutional placement (QIP), preferential issue of shares or a rights issue.

Under the proposed deal, a total of 8.21 lakh equity shares and 2.05 lakh warrants are to be issued at an issue price of Rs 390 per share/warrant to Pluto Investments S.a.r.l (Pluto) (Carlyle Group); Salisbury Investments (person acting in concert with Carlyle); General Atlantic Singapore Fund FII Pte Ltd and Alpha Investments V Pte Ltd.

Salisbury Investments is the family investment vehicle of former HDFC Bank CEO Aditya Puri, who is also a senior advisor for Carlyle in Asia.

As per the proposal, the deal will change the control of PNB Housing Finance -- from PNB being the sole promoter of the company to a joint control holder with Carlyle Group.

With this, PNBs stake in the company will come down to 20.28 per cent from the existing 32.64 per cent, while that of Carlyle will rise to 50.16 per cent from 32.21 per cent.
Nirupama Viswanathan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi has directed doctors to identify diabetic and hypertensive patients (across age groups) in the city and mobilise them for vaccination.

Charting the citys vaccination course, the corporations focus is on erstwhile hotspots and on traders at present, apart from diabetic and hypertensive patients.

Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi told Express that at Koyambedu, an erstwhile hotspot, around 600-700 people are vaccinated every day. Sometimes, these vaccinations start as early as 5 am. So far, more than 12,000 workers, traders and drivers in Koyambedu have been vaccinated.

"In Kasimedu, which was also considered a hotspot, we had started vaccinations around 10 days back and have administered around 4,000 doses so far," the Commissioner said. At the Chintadripet fish market, 89 people have been vaccinated.

Apart from this, traders, shopkeepers and staff around the city are also being vaccinated on priority. As part of its restructured vaccination plan, the corporation will administer vaccinations at Urban Community Healthcare Centres (UCHC) and special locations in each zone, and not focus on Urban Primary Healthcare Centres (UPHC).

Earlier the corporation had administered vaccines at primary healthcare centres among other centres. Now, the civic body has identified three locations across each zone with complete arrangements including registration, apart from the 20 UCHCs within corporation limits. This means the city will have 65 vaccination centres apart from the special camps that are to be conducted.

As far as UPHCs are concerned, we will vaccinate wherever needed, said Bedi.
CP Balasubramanyam By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well, said Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. Dealt with the worst of cards, Indian States have been trying their best to prevail over the pandemic for over a year now. To ensure every person in Tamil Nadu tide over this crisis, the State government had recently capped the prices of 15 medical items by declaring them as essential articles. The benefit, however, has not trickled down completely to the common man.

Nine out of 10 pharmacies (including one standalone and three outlets of a major pharmacy chain) that Express visited in the city were not selling N95 masks and PPE kits for the government-announced MRP of Rs 22 and Rs 273 a unit respectively. The owners or storekeepers said that the items were out of stock, but readily offered premium masks, priced between Rs 80 and Rs150 per unit.

One pharmacy had N95 masks at `20 per unit, but they were poorly packed. Neither did they have quality assurance marks nor details of the manufacturer displayed. Some pharmacies had no fingertip pulse oximeters in stock. Those that had them quoted a price above its fixed cap of Rs 1,500. A surgical equipment store was selling PPE kits at Rs 450 a unit.

When reminded about the price cap, the storekeeper showed a gown and said this PPE kit cost only Rs 150. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a PPE kit must contain goggles, face-shield, mask, gloves, coverall/gowns (with or without aprons), head cover, and show cover. So, whats causing heartburn among retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers, and refraining them from following the price regulation?

We were not consulted

The government capped the prices at short notice without consulting stakeholders, said Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (Chennai chapter) organising secretary T Natarajan. Pharmacies are unable to sell products neither at the new MRP nor the old one. Doing the former would mean loss, while the latter would violate government rules. Pharmacies are just stocking up products currently, he said, adding that an N95 mask of decent quality would cost around Rs 50.

We are not against the government. But, we should have been given enough time to return or exchange products with the manufacturers or finish selling those in our inventory. Within a week, we would submit an appeal, expecting the government to announce some relief, he said.

According to sources, the government seems to have taken a cue from Kerala, Maharashtra, and other States in the country to cap prices of essential Covid-safety articles. It may also be noted that the Kerala government revised its MRP for a PPE kit from Rs 273 to Rs 328 late last month.

An official in the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department told Express that it is indeed possible to implement the governments decision. The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Limited (TNMSCL) procures N95 masks for a price lower than the new MRP. The government capped the MRPs to help people, the official added.

In their defence, a retailer said that to get tenders from the TNMSCL, contractors always quote the lowest price, disregarding quality. The lack of uniformity in pricing despite a government cap can also be attributed to quality factor. Each of the 15 essential products are produced by several manufacturers and their prices differ based on quality.

To drive home the point, Natarajan said that all shirts are used for one purpose but prices range from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 based on the material and other factors. A high-quality shirt cannot be sold at Rs 200, he added. The revised MRPs for Covid essentials were announced on June 4 under the Tamil Nadu Essential Articles Control and Requisitioning Act.

Prices set by TN govt

Hand sanitiser (200 ml) Rs 110

N95 mask Rs 22

Surgical mask (2 ply) Rs 3

Surgical mask (3 ply) Rs 4

Surgical mask (3 ply with non-woven melt-blown fabric) Rs 4.50

Non-rebreather mask Rs 80

Pulse oximeter Rs 1,500

Face shield Rs 21

PPE kit Rs 273

Disposable apron Rs 12

Oxygen mask Rs 54

Sterile gloves (pair) Rs 15

Examination gloves (pair) Rs 5.75

Surgical gown Rs 65

Flowmeter with a humidifier Rs 1,520

Selling prices in Chennai

N95 masks Rs 20-150

PPE kit Rs 150-700

Pulse oximeter Rs 600 2,500
SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: 42-year-old S Srinath, who works in the pharma sector, had enough of the treatment he was getting from a hospital in Anna Nagar, so much so that he fought his way out. If he had not done so, Srinath says the hospital bill would have ruined him financially. Srinath, after testing positive for Covid-19, was admitted to the hospital on May 22.

For 15 days of hospitalisation, he was asked to pay Rs 11.50 lakh, which translates to over Rs 76,000 a day. According to the Tamil Nadu governments regulations, per-day charges for treatment with oxygen support for non-critical patients should not exceed Rs 15,000. For critical cases (under CMs insurance scheme), per-day charges for treatment in ICU with ventilator support should not exceed Rs 35,000. For treatment in ICU under NIV, CPAP, Bi-PAP, the cap has been fixed at Rs 30,000.

Srinath, still weak from the infection, told Express that the hospital, in the name of treatment, was engaging in unethical practices. I got admitted to the hospital because I had trouble breathing and needed oxygen support. On that day, I did not get a hospital bed with oxygen support at any of the government facilities. They (the hospital) openly said the cost would be Rs 80,000 a day. I felt normal after a couple of days, but they made me stay in the ICU for nine days and kept me on 10 litres of oxygen support.

Only after questioning, and even fighting with doctors, did they finally shift me out of the ICU and reduce the oxygen supply. They also gave me 11 doses of remdesivir, he explained. He said he was checking the mounting bill amount daily, and on May 29, asked the doctors to discharge him as he wouldnt be able to afford the treatment anymore. I could not arrange any more money, but they refused to discharge me. After much effort, however, I managed to get discharged on June 6. When I was in the hospital, my wife and son also tested positive.

My wife got admitted to another hospital for five days, which I didnt even know about. To clear the hospital bill, Srinaths family mortgaged all the jewellery they had, and even took a private loan, he said. After I questioned the hospital about the bill, they gave me a discount of Rs 1.50 lakh, and made me sign a thank you note. I am planning to petition the Chief Ministers grievance cell regarding the issue. In the discharge summary, the hospital said Srinath had come with fever and cough with a history of throat and body pain.

(The) patient was initially started on oxygen support. In view of increased oxygen requirement, (the patient was) shifted to the ICU, started on BIPAP support, and weaned off. (The) patient was treated with antibiotics, anti-virals, steroids, gastro-protectives, multivitamins, and other supportive medicines. (The) patient was discharged at request, the summary said.

Hospitals continue to fleece Covid patients though the govt capped treatment rates. The situation is such that one had to demand a discharge since the hospital had already made him haemorrhage more money than he could afford. In another case, a family that lost its breadwinner was forced to ink a bond to get his body
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Led by Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh, BJP members staged a protest in front of the GHMC head office on Friday asking the State government to desilt stormwater drains and open nalas, and demolish the illegal encroachments built on the nalas. BJP leaders alleged that the government hadnt taken any action in this regard even after the monsoon arrived.

Heavy police force deployment was used to prevent the BJP members from forcing themselves inside. Raja Singh, former MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, former Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy were allowed to enter the office to submit a memorandum to GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar. However, since the Commissioner wasnt available, they werent able to submit the memorandum.

Raja Singh said that people had lost their properties and lives due to heavy rains last year. The State government should have acted immediately, but there has been no action so far, the MLA added.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Muvattupuzha is all set to become a fully digital town with the Digital Muvattupuzha 4G project, launched under the leadership of MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. The MLA also plans to give away smartphones to eligible students to ensure education to all. The 4G project aims to eliminate the digital divide and to ensure that students have high internet speed for online classes. The project will be implemented in association with Reliance Jio and an MoU was signed with Reliance Jio for the same. With this, Muvattupuzha will become the first constituency in Kerala to have a 4G network across it.

As a start, the project was implemented at Kuzhalnadans constituency to curb the network issues faced by the students in online classes. In the first phase, the 4G network will be made available everywhere in the constituency within a month. After discussing with various telecom dealers, Reliance Jio has agreed to take over the project. In the second phase, financially backward students studying in government schools who do not have access to online learning will be given smartphones.

The project will be implemented under the leadership of principals, panchayat president and MLAs. Principals of government school should hand over the list of eligible students to the panchayat president. The panchayat president should hand over the list to the MLA concerned. A total of 101 mobile phones were distributed to students as part of the project the other day. Muvattupuzha Rotary Club donated `2 lakh.
Aathira Haridas By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district administration is upping its ante to combat the third wave of Covid which is expected to impact children more. As part of this, the district administration has earmarked the SAT hospital as the major hospital for paediatric Covid care. SAT hospital will be the main hospital and depending upon the caseload, one or two wards from Medical College Hospital (MCH) will be included. We have already done the case projections and gap analysis of how many pediatric ICU beds are needed.

In a few weeks we will have sufficient pediatric beds, collector Navjot Khosa told TNIE. All measures are being taken to ramp up infrastructure facility, the collector said. The second line of the hospital will be the Government Women and Children Hospital at Thycaud. A gap analysis is being done to ascertain the areas that need to be addressed.

The emergency preparedness is being readied by increasing the vaccination drive, infrastructure development and pediatric facilities in hospitals in the district. The first weapon with us is vaccination. We are doing quite well in terms of vaccination. The targeted intervention of vaccination is also in full swing, with 100 per cent vaccination coverage of old-age homes. Special programmes have been launched for targeting tribals, palliative patients and so on. The targeted intervention is being done so that we can save the vulnerable population, said Khosa.

The second line of defence is infrastructure development which is categorised into four viz- normal beds, oxygen beds, ICUs and ventilators. We started planning three weeks ago on how to scale down and scale up for the next wave. Once we are out of the second wave we have to start non-Covid cases too and at the same time, we shouldnt be caught off guard. We should have sufficient infrastructure in place so that admissions can start directly, said Khosa.

Capacity building interventions are being carried out in all hospitals. In the MCH, a 100-bed ICU ward has been developed which will be earmarked completely for Covid. It is a new ward and we havent taken it from the non-Covid ward. Oxygen generation plants and liquid medical oxygen tanks will be set up wherever possible. The preparations and gap analysis have already begun. And sanction has also been given for works to be carried out , said Khosa. The focus will also be on tying up with the private sector. Emergency preparedness is being closely reviewed every week.
Noor Anand Chawla By

Express News Service

The last few Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) outings have grudgingly given antagonists their due place in the sun. Unfortunately, the most interesting, even endearing, of the MCU antagonists - Loki, the Norse God of Mischief - has been overlooked.

Played by Tom Hiddleston, Loki as Lord of Thunder Thor's adopted brother is the anti-hero we have all been charmed by. He finally gets his own web series, Loki, on Disney + Hotstar - helmed by Kate Herron - post other spin-offs in the Marvel Multiverse such as WandaVsion, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

The six-part weekly takes off from where the audience last saw Loki in the MCU. He has been imprisoned by Thor, when a teleportation device called the Tesseract - also one of the infamous infinity stones - accidentally falls into his hands.

Always the opportunist, he grabs it and escapes in a flash. In the present day, the show opens with his arrival in the Gobi Desert, only to be whisked away by members of the omniscient Time Variance Authority (TVA).

He is charged with the crime of attempting to break the "pre-defined path of time" (remember, Thanos kills Loki in Avengers: Infinity War, so theoretically, he cannot still be alive). But in the TVA, as Major Mobius (a brilliant Owen Wilson) explains, time moves in a different manner, hence Loki is very much there even after the sequences of Avengers: Endgame.

For the first time ever, we get a glimpse of the real Loki behind the impish smile. This is not just someone wanting to be King of Asgard and the Nine Realms, or someone who is deeply shattered by the killing of his mother - which he accidentally initiated; here is Loki admitting to his vulnerabilities. He admits to his fears and how being scared makes him act more evil so that "they wont know".

(Spoiler alert) A brilliant scene in the first episode also shows how little the Infinity Stones which started a multiverse war actually matter and how there is an even greater power in the MCU. Loki opens a drawer in the TVA to find the Infinity Stones just lying around and is told by a TVA office guy that "we use them as paperweights". If that isnt a major spoiler for future MCU timelines, then nothing is.

Superhero story arcs usually follow a formulaic pattern where good emerges victorious over evil, every single time. As an exception to this rule, Loki is relatable and popular, despite the underhandedness of his methods.

He is one of the few MCU characters that unabashedly display the all-too-human feelings of jealousy, insecurity and self-aggrandisement. With Mobius to keep him company and match his wit, we are looking at perhaps the best duo to have come out of the Marvel Multiverse. Get set for a rollicking ride.
Uma Shankar Kar By

Express News Service

BHAWANIPATNA: Over a decade back, 21-year-old Laxman Dundi was rescued by an NGO Lokdrusti while working along with his parents at a brick kiln in Andhra Pradesh and rehabilitated at a government-run seasonal hostel in Nuapada district.

The young boy of Kotamal village seized the opportunity to learn science, a subject that he was always fascinated with. He went ahead to study in Ranimunda High School and scored well to get admission to Khariar Government College where he pursued science. Today, Laxman has been quietly making his mark by innovating products that can help the government and people at large.

The 21-year-old rural innovator has recently created an oxygen concentrator that he claims is cheaper but can be as good as the ones available in the market. A BSC final year student in Lokdrusti College of Advanced Technology here, Laxmans concentrator uses a compressor that moves air into sieve bed filters to remove nitrogen gas and then distributes purified oxygen through hoses to a person.

The nitrogen is released back to the air. The device, he said, is fitted with a regulator to control flow of oxygen. It requires less power and costs one third of the devices now available in the market, said Laxman who spends most of his time in his lab to come up with various innovations that could help society at large.

Last year, he had developed a device to sanitise currency notes. The device, he said, will be helpful for use at railways ticket booking counters, petrol stations, bus stands and shopping malls. And prior to that, he designed a safety gadget which is like a belt connected to a wireless remote control to protect women from sexual assault. The device delivers electric shock when a man tries to touch a woman inappropriately.

With a NIDHI-EIR fellowship in hand, he is currently working on an intelligent bike that can run on water power. I received the NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence fellowship under KIIT- Technology Business Incubator programme. I am developing a motorcycle that can run on the kinetic energy of a water source. It uses a dynamo and a step down transformer which converts the DC current to AC helping the bike run, said Laxman.

He has also set up Dundi Electronics and Electricals Pvt Ltd at Khariar which has been recognised as a startup under the Odisha Startup Policy.


G Janardhana Rao By

Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: The son of an auto driver from Vizag has made his parents proud when he became a commissioned officer in the Indian Air Force. G Gopinadh was commissioned as a flying officer in the IAF at the graduation ceremony held at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal in Hyderabad on Saturday.

His father Suribabu, who resides at SIG Nagar in Arilova, has been eking out a living as an auto driver for the past 25 years.

Despite financial difficulties, Suribabu put all-out efforts to enable his son achieve his dream of joining the IAF. Gopinadh is the only one from both the Telugu states who was selected as an IAF officer this year. An elated Gopinadh told TNIE that though his father was not rich, he used to meet his needs and his sisters from the hard-earned money. My parents have done a lot for me and I always wanted to give them back and make them proud, he said.

When his father asked him to do engineering for which he was ready to procure a loan, Gopinadh joined degree against the wishes of his father. He has a dream to join defence forces like his grandfather, who worked as a sepoy in Indian Army. To pursue his ambition, he joined the IAF as an airman. But he did not let his aspiration away to become an officer in the IAF.

After joining the IAF, he completed degree and did post graduation in distance mode from Andhra University. He was promoted as cryptographer last year. However, his ultimate dream came true when he cleared the Staff Selection Commission examination to become an IAF officer.Gopinadhs sister Gowri said all their family members and neighbours were very much excited when they watched the live streaming of her brothers graduation ceremony from the Air Force Academy at Dundigal.

Proud father says his efforts yield fruits now

My brother had a dream and passion to pursue a career in the IAF since he was in higher secondary school, Gowri said, adding that his brother did Intermediate from Vizag Defence College.

He joined as an airman in the IAF because he was confident of becoming an officer one day, Gowri said.

Her parents are immensely happy as their son reached a top position in the IAF. Gowri said since their father did not have proper education, he wanted his children to do higher studies. Gowri did MSc and is working as a lecturer in a private college. Only after she and her brother got jobs, their financial difficulties were alleviated, she said.

I had worked hard to give better education to my children and my efforts have yielded fruits now, an elated Suribabu said. Gopinadh said he will work hard to get his parents all the happiness in the world as they sacrificed their happiness all along for him. He knew when his father used to sleep late in the night and get up early in the morning only to earn additional income for their needs. Dreams come true if you made sincere efforts, Gopinadh says.
Noor Anand Chawla By

Hospitals are the frontline battlegrounds in the war on COVID-19. Doctors and nurses are saving lives at great cost to their mental and physical well-being. Never before has remote medical treatment been so relevant than now.

Thousands of lives have been lost due to poor healthcare and overexposure to the virus. India's health infrastructure remains tawdry, with basic facilities not available in the hinterland where Community Health Centres have a 76.1 percent shortage of doctors.

Professional home care has become the large-scale alternative to hospitalisation for both COVID-19 and non-COVID patients a sector that has grown exponentially over the last year. The India Home Healthcare Market Size and Share USD 6.2 billion in 2020, with a projected increase to USD 21.3 billion by 2027.

Gyan Mehta (name changed) from Bengaluru, all of 26 years of age, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that leads to progressive muscle degeneration. He was admitted to ICU after a fall last year, which caused multiple fractures.

Unfortunately, the post-surgery complications put him on a ventilator, which led to more muscle weakness and ICU delirium. He needed long-term acute care at home, with skilled nursing and telemedical consultation. His family chose Cloudphysician, a medico-technical team dedicated to setting up home ICU facilities after hospital discharge.

Their services include identifying software, hardware, open-source technologies, pan-tilt zoom cameras, a reliable internet service, and a real-time video conferencing platform. They also provide specially trained critical care nurses and a physiotherapist for round-the-clock care.

ICU intensivists with experience in remote care offered guidance throughout the treatment, motivating Mehta and putting him on the path to recovery. In 50 days, he was able to make monthly outpatient visits to his doctor. In six months, he took a holiday abroad with his family when air services resumed.

Similarly, Vishakha Malhotra contracted the coronavirus in Delhi, which she suspects was the result of a visit to a mall. She went into home isolation; going to a hospital was risky, and the bed crunch accelerated the situation further.

A friend suggested a home care package from a top hospital, which included medical equipment, a vitals monitoring tool with built-in alert mechanism in case her situation deteriorated, daily monitoring by a nurse on call and video consultations with a doctor. Medicines were home-delivered. It took 15 days, but Vishakha recovered.

Why home care?

The patient is not disoriented since he or she is in familiar surroundings, like their own room, bed, their favourite cups and plates, music and TV. Home care includes a customised care plan that considers lifestyle needs with extra support.

Hospitalisation implies a loss of independence. Choosing the time to rise from bed, eat and sleep helps to retain confidence. Non-COVID patients can socialise and even have outings under supervision. Interaction with family and friends ensures mental health. It helps avoid hospitalisation during the pandemic.

For non-COVID patients, the home healthcare team from a hospital has nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers and aides working under a doctor's care. Home care professionals help family members to avoid the burnout associated with caring for patients.

Specialised services from the home healthcare provider are an important factor in choosing it. On top of the list are nurse care, palliative care, elderly care and post-surgery care. In focus are expert packages that offer advanced services for tracheostomy care, paediatric nursing and counselling.

The Indian health industry is witnessing its biggest boost in medical home care, which involves teleconsultation, home lab testing and home delivery of pharmaceuticals. Home-based vaccinations, especially for paediatric purposes, are expected to grow in demand after the current age restrictions are removed.



Rise in Remote Treatment

A 2020 RedSeer Analysis report indicates the many reasons for the growth of this sector. India currently has nine beds per 10,000 patients far below the WHO-mandated standard of 40 beds per 10,000 patients and a single nurse for every 1,000 patients.

This has resulted in a severe lack of personalised attention for patients, whose needs are specific. The report highlights that going to a hospital invites a higher likelihood of catching infectious diseases, since 25 percent of patients in India have been found to be vulnerable to 'hospital-acquired infection'.

Intensive care averages between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000 a day. These factors make home-based care an attractive alternative to hospitalisation, except in critical cases. The growing demand for quality post-operative care, advancement in remotely operated technology, growing geriatric population, higher disposable income, and expanding chronic and lifestyle diseases are responsible for the meteoric growth of this sector in India.

Cloudphysicians closely monitored protocol is a prime example of the feats being achieved by the Indian healthcare industry, to provide an economically viable solution for long-term acute care at home. According to Dr Ruchir Mehra, CEO and co-founder of DISHA by Remedo app, technology, startups and PPPs are driving novel solutions to the country's healthcare needs.

The Remedo app connects patients to doctors by understanding their conditions and suggesting lifestyle changes, outside the fixed 10-15 minute consultation. Remedo acts as a digital extension of medical practice, helping doctors provide better care to patients outside the clinic.

Dr Dileep Raman, Intensivist, Pulmonologist, Sleep Specialist and Co-founder of Bengaluru-based Cloudphysician, highlights their proprietary software technology called RADAR, which provides analytical insights into patient health, disease state, treatment line, and medication effectiveness. It also helps with telerounds and allows seamless communication among all healthcare providers.

The ability to offer tele-ICU services is a step further in democratising healthcare in India and in increasing its reach. Awareness and the acceptance of technology-based medical advice, coupled with the penetration of smartphones and the internet, have triggered a shift in behaviour towards home care. The proliferation of devices on the market, from BP monitor to pulse oximeters, has helped people make better use of remote care.

The COVID-19 Equation

When 34-year-old Uma Maheswari in Chennai was diagnosed with mild COVID-19, she decided to return home after a few days at a COVID Care Centre. "I've two children and my husband works full time. I couldnt afford to stay away from home for long," she says.

She immediately booked Apollo's home care plan. It cost her Rs 700 a day, and offered telecounselling and a home care kit. "I had top infectious disease specialists from the hospital checking on me via video conference," says Maheswari.

They suggested mental relaxation activities and physical exercises in addition to the ongoing treatment. "It was affordable and I got peace of mind since I could talk directly to the doctors." The pandemic has changed the healthcare landscape, breaking down as many barriers as it has imposed.

In Odisha, despite only 28 percent of the population accessing the internet, telemedicine services had an overwhelming response during last years lockdown. AIIMS Bhubaneswar and seven other medical colleges, in addition to the Centres medical setup at the district headquarters hospitals, collectively advised over 20 lakh patients virtually.

The first step to home care was taken by a majority of private super speciality hospitals, which have dedicated telemedicine departments to spearhead the transition into home-based healthcare.

Dr GV Rao, director of AIG Group of Hospitals in Telangana, claims they do 1,800-2,000 teleconsultations each month, with the number rising to over 5,000 consultations at the peak of the pandemic, pointing to the lockdowns role in people accepting telemedicine more readily.

Home healthcare during the pandemic proved a boon for patients with non-communicable diseases, since they need a steady supply of medicines and periodic diagnosis. Andhra Pradesh reached out to such patients through a special toll-free number, 14410. A missed call would lead to a call back from an executive to note their details, medical history and primary symptoms.

This information would be forwarded to empanelled doctors who would contact the patient and provide counsel. Appropriate medicines would be prescribed and home-delivered.

Senior Gastroenterologist and Head of the Department of Bhubaneswar-based IMS and SUM Hospital, Prof Manoj Kumar Sahu, says, "Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, which are considered major comorbidities for COVID-19 patients, can be managed through teleconsultation. Quality care can be ensured without danger of exposure to the virus. Telemedicine will eventually boost the reach of high quality healthcare to peripheral areas, unlike before."

Dr Gaurav Thukral, EVP and COO of HCAH India, a dedicated home healthcare service launched by Dabur in 2012, states that the pandemic forced them to juggle responsibilities. From running COVID helplines for immediate query resolutions to remotely monitoring home isolation programmes, from large-scale testing to setting up isolation centres, from managing COVID patients at home to post-Covid recovery care programmes, Thukrals pan-India team has done it all.



Its All about the Team

Having a dedicated team in place is vital to the success of home healthcare services. Dr Harmeet Khurana is the Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Neptune Hospital, Delhi. When the pandemic began, she and her team were given instructions through extensive webinars on the correct procedures for teleconsultation.

However, Dr Khurana believes that these cannot replace physical consultations. "At medical school, we were taught that doctors must follow strict procedures before pronouncing treatment. We must check the patient's history and perform examinations before treating them. Apart from the first step, the rest simply cant be performed on video and WhatsApp. Online consultation for documenting the medical history and follow-up checks can reduce patient time and risk, but physical examination is imperative for a holistic diagnosis," she says.

Her sentiments are echoed by Dr Lingaiah Amidayala, director of Medical Services, Yashoda Hospitals Group, Hyderabad. He notes that patients are more likely to be satisfied when they are admitted to hospital or get a physical OPD check.

It takes time to establish complete trust in telemedicine. However, hospitals are keen to enter this space after witnessing the change in medical consumer patterns. Home healthcare is likely to be incorporated in steps, beginning with follow-up checks, or post-operative care where patients are also willing to accept online consultation.

With remote technology acting as the new pivot, healthcare systems are turning to the field of robotics to assist human healthcare personnel. The Meenakshi Mission Hospital in Chennai, for instance, has introduced 16 mobile Teladoc Health Robots to operate CT and MRI scan machines.

They collect and process data from other diagnostic equipment to be presented to doctors who can make precise clinical decisions based on the inputs. Last year, the Tamil Nadu State Health Department introduced robotic nurses in key government hospitals for in-patient care, though these are yet to be used.

Telerobotic surgeries are on the upswing, with a Global Market Insights report putting their market value at USD 5.5 billion in 2018. With 5G poised to go worldwide soon, telerobotic surgery using robotic arms could become the norm. Danish Ahmed, CEO of the Hospals app that facilitates teleconsultations of foreigners with Indian doctors, claims that such tech will spur growth in Indian medical tourism, and surgeries being conducted online under the supervision of their favoured physicians from India could be a reality.

The Government Position

An important consequence of the pandemic is that the government of India realised the need for a policy to regulate the telemedicine sector to prevent possible profiteering and misuse. The Telemedicine Guidelines of India, 2020, were introduced to regularise teleconsultation services across the country and to specifically address their skyrocketing prices.

These cover all modes of communication such as text, audio, video and others, between service providers and users. Medications are grouped and listed corresponding to specific types of consultation, and restricted drugs are notified.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the national teleconsultation service eSanjeevani that provides healthcare services at home through safe and structured video-based clinical consultations.

These services are operated by state governments. The Kerala health departments facility has served over one lakh people who would otherwise have been compelled to visit government hospitals for outpatient care. Dr NM Arun, internal medicine specialist and public health expert based in Palakkad, lauds the platforms immense popularity and efficacy.

"A lot of patients continue to use the facility even after the lockdown restrictions were over. It is especially useful for follow-up appointments," he says. Patients send reports of their blood sugar, blood pressure, oxygen levels and photos of X-rays and ECGs to their medical professionals. Private labs send digital reports to the doctors concerned.

Health department officials in Tamil Nadu assert that eSanjeevani has helped 6,42,708 people, especially in the rural belt. Odisha governments online preparedness has expanded the reach of telemedical assistance far and wide.

It has set up a dedicated healthcare helpline in association with a Delhi-based firm to provide a platform for people seeking medical advice from home. A team of over 300 physicians are on call round the clock. The Delhi governments Corona Telemedicine helpline had invited doctors as volunteers who would offer counsel free of cost.

Spurred by the success of state telemedicine helplines, several private hospitals around the country have developed their own mobile telemedicine apps to prevent losing business. A report released by popular tele-appointment app, Practo, shows a 500 percent spike in online medical consultations during the lockdown.

There was a 200 percent increase in psychiatric consultations, of which 62 percent were aged between 21 and 30. Overall 50 million Indians accessed healthcare through telemedicine during the lockdown, of which 80 percent were first-time users. The report, which concentrated on the three-month lockdown in 2020, concluded that more than 50 percent of all e-consultations were Covid-related.

Getting the People's vote

When 82-year-old Prakash Singh (name changed) in Delhi had a severe stroke and needed constant care, his family decided to nurse him at home. It was 2019, well before the pandemic struck, and home-based care of an elderly patient seemed more cost-effective and humane than letting him languish in a hospital.

They called in a team of nurses and took the home care package offered by Apollo Hospital. Singh died in May 2020, but the family had no complaints about the quality of the medical care. Many such patients are turning to non-medical specialists for succour.

Sabrina Singh, an end-of-life doula, virtually guides her patients who are on the brink of death. Doulas are non-medical professionals who give physical and emotional support to patients.

Apart from guiding them to put their affairs in order, doulas also comfort patients to face fears associated with death. Their calm presence enables the patients loved ones to find peace during the turbulent period.

These healthcare personnel have come to be much in demand around the country, as witnessed through the rise of numerous geriatric-specific home care centres. Sivaramakrishnan, a 69-year-old retired bank manager in Chennai, turned to Alserv's team for home-based care during the pandemic. He was not ill but needed assistance for general medical upkeep.

He describes the dedication of Alserv's team akin to the care he would expect from his own children. For outright physical injuries such as knee sprains, doctors profess to diagnose their severity by checking limb movements on video. Coimbatore-based iCliniq has a network of over 3,500 doctors; in the last year, it had an average of 3,500 to 4,000 calls daily from Indian and overseas patients.

The influx of new medical devices is behind the transition in treatment approach. Manav Bhushan, CTO and Co-founder, Fourth Frontier, manufacturers of a wearable device that measures ECG continuously, observes that COVID-19 has pushed people to be more aware of their general health.

He says, "Research shows that Covid has a long-term impact on cardiac health. This finding has popularised tools and devices that can be used at home, especially to monitor heart rate. All kinds of continuous glucose monitors and wearable devices that provide detailed information are getting a good response."

Most prominent players of home-based care/phygital care models assure that healthcare at home is a supplement to traditional healthcare, and not its replacement. They only reduce the burden on the medical industry. Since the care management takes place under the supervision of doctors attached to hospitals, both services must work in tandem for maximum benefit.

Dr Thukral points out that despite the inherent difficulties, a majority of COVID-positive patients are receiving care at home. "The goal is to keep hospitals from being overburdened unnecessarily. Hospitals are under tremendous pressure right now, facing severe manpower and infrastructure stress. Home-based healthcare is the future and the answer to lessening the burden on our healthcare system. Increasing the use of home health services during COVID-19 allows discharged patients to continue getting care at home, freeing up much-needed hospital beds for critically ill patients," he says.

What are the factors to be considered while choosing home healthcare? Credibility matters. Many private home care facilities have mushroomed without proper oversight. Consult friends and neighbours for recommendations, and caution. Check testimonials, client referrals and collaborations with respected hospitals.

Be clear about the services that are needed. A good home healthcare professional will develop a suitable care plan only after assessing the needs of the patient. Select a service that will meet all the patients needs. Their professionals must tailor evidence-based care with specific improvement goals in mind.

Home healthcare services must be cost-effective.

Eliminate the superficial aspects. Other significant aspects of home care are convenience and treatment accessibility. Medical expenditure no longer has to break the bank since it promises a reduction of nearly 60-70 percent in hospital bills. Further, with increased internet access and improved technology, high-quality healthcare services are becoming available in rural areas. Home is where the chart is.

Guiding Gadgets

Medical equipment aiding healthcare at home

Frontier X: A wearable device that provides high-quality ECG continuously, allowing the wearer to spot any abnormality immediately. Can identify arrhythmia, ST Depression indicating ischemia, prolonged QT intervals and other medical parameters from ECG. Worn on chest, so the quality of ECG is far better than those of hand-held devices. Became a high-in-demand healthcare product during Covid for people to monitor their cardiac health at home. The ability to live-stream the ECG remotely to any location to their doctors for consultations, works in its favour. Can be purchased online.

Blood Glucose Monitor :A device used to check blood sugar levels. This works by analysing a small amount of blood, usually from a fingertip.

Nebuliser: It turns liquid medicine into a fine mist that a person can inhale through a face mask or mouthpiece. Taking medicine this way allows it to go straight into the lungs and the respiratory system where it is most needed.

Omnytraq: A ring-like device that monitors every single heartbeat continuously for in-depth proprietary data analysis for heart health and long-term health trends. Only available on doctors prescription.

Oxygen Concentrators: A device that takes in air and separates the oxygen, delivering it to a person through a nasal cannula. Air consists of 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, and a concentrator that works by plugging into a source of electricity delivers air with up to 95 percent oxygen.

Blood Pressure Monitor: A device that consists of an inflatable cuff thats wrapped around the arm, roughly level with the heart, and a monitoring device that measures the cuffs pressure. The monitor measures two pressures: systolic and diastolic.

Oximeter: A clip-on device that you place on your finger, a toe or even on your ear lobe, which measures your oxygen saturation level, or the oxygen levels, in your blood. The non-invasive and painless test can rapidly detect even small changes in how efficiently oxygen is being carried to the extremities furthest from the heart, including the legs and the arms.

Top Home Healthcare providers

HealthCare atHome

Services: Setting up ICU, cancer care, nursing care and physiotherapy along with 70 percent of all clinical procedures at home. Pan-India

Apollo Homecare

Services: Orthopaedic, heart, neuro and lung rehab, mother and baby care, and eldercare. Medical supervision with care, including nurse and physician visits. Pan-India

India Home Health Care (partner of BAYADA Home Health Care, US)

Services: Orthopaedic, cancer, post-surgical, critical, palliative, geriatric, tracheostomy and ventilator care. Pan-India

Portea Heal At Home

Services: Nursing care for basics like injection and infusion, medical dressing, vaccinations, eldercare, mother and baby care, post-operative support and health and lifestyle management. Pan-India

Cloudphysician

Services: Smart-ICU solution, which increases the number of ICU beds that an intensivist can reach in a timely, and cost-effective manner. Pan-India, through its remote technology, RADAR

Care24

Services: Attendants, nursing care, eldercare, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru

Healers at Home

ervices: Nursing care, home doctor visits, physiotherapy, eldercare, mother and child care, X-ray at home, sample collection, medicines and on-call dressing visits. Delhi-NCR

Nightingales

Services: ICU care, doctor consultations, caregivers, physiotherapy, sleep studies, speech and language therapy, respiratory care, stroke rehabilitation, dental care and lab tests. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai

Curodoc

Services: Attendants, nurses, physiotherapy, eldercare, baby care, cancer care and provision of medical equipment and administration of injections. Delhi-NCR and Dehradun

Dozee

Services: Contactless, continuous remote patient monitoring. AI algorithms track the patients vitals trends and generate an Early Warning Score enabling early detection of health deterioration. Pan-India, through its proprietary remote technology

The Remote Advantage

Increase in outreach

More efficient output

Follow-ups in chronic cases and for elderly patients

Reduced healthcare cost

Shortened length of in-clinic stay

Less clinician burnout

Lower mortality rates

More clinical contribution

Rules So Far

Here are the government regulations related to the telemedicine sector

The Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020, regulate remote consulting over audio/video and text-based platforms

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) has initiated work on digital health standards for accreditation of telehealth providers

Discussions are on how to operationalise the telehealth model of Aarogya Setu and fund remote care for Ayushman Bharat

What to look for when choosing home healthcare services

Dr Gaurav Thukral - EVP & COO, HealthCare atHome India

Whether the home healthcare provider has a team of trained, experienced, background-verified and clinically trained staff equipped to handle medical emergencies that can be trusted

The decision-maker - family member /patient/caregiver - should search for someone who suits their needs best. The home care partner should be trustworthy, credible, and experienced. Ask the following questions to check it is not a sham

Are the home care partner and their team rightfully qualified and trained?

Are they quality-driven in terms of safety, time efficiency, etc?

Can they handle medical emergencies?

Do they have medical backups in place?

Dr Dileep Raman Intensivist, Pulmonologist, Sleep Specialist and Co-founder, Cloudphysician

People must consider the appropriate expertise and the qualifications of the caregivers. They must be evaluated and vetted by trustworthy entities to ensure that the caregivers are adequately trained and skilled at what they do.

Jagadish Ramamoorthy, Co-founder & Director, Alserv

The healthcare service provider must have hired only trained staff from verified institutes. Each member of staff must go through a background check before being deployed.

Archana Sharma, founder, Samvedna Senior Care & Dr Jayashree Dasgupta co-Founder

The team must be a mix of experienced and young professionals, including doctors, clinical psychologists, social workers, nurses and caregivers. For eldercare services, the staff should have been hired from reputed institutes specialising in geriatric care and elderly issues. The staff must also go through a specialised in-house training in geriatric care

(With inputs from Manju Latha Kalanidhi, Unnikrishnan S, Hemant Kumar Rout, Binita Jaiswal, Omjasvin MD, Donita Jose & Guru Srikanth)
Jayanthi Madhukar By

Sameer Saran is literally a family photographer. His Nikon camera is both witness and recorder of the daily lives of his parents at home. He is creating an album of familial intimacy, a candid camera record of his folks engaging with time and space. "Although Ive been taking their pictures since 2016 whenever I visit them in our Rohtak home, this is the first time Im forced to stay home for such a long period," he says ruefully.

A human rights lawyer, he lives and works in Jordan where he is part of the humanitarian effort in Civil War-torn Syria. He has previously worked in conflict zones such as Kosovo, Kenya, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Iraq. Saran took a break and trained for a year in photography in Paris after which he returned to the legal world, this time with an NGO in Jordan.

The photos of his parents, their familiar everyday routines and movements remind him of the safety and stability away from desolation and orphanhood. What was meant to be a brief visit home, extended indefinitely because of the pandemic. "We are just three people at home and there isnt so much to do. Im focused on this series of photographs," he says.

Since the pictures are not staged, he keeps the camera close just so that he can capture parental moments, provided the light is right. How do his folks react to it? "Well, they follow me on Instagram," he chuckles. They chide him when they feel that they are not looking their best or the image posted is of a private moment. One such moment was his parents waking up earlier than him so that his mother could give his father a haircut. "They knew that if I was awake, I would have taken a photograph."

Saran has not decided on how to take the project forward. "Perhaps an exhibition, which is probably harder right now due to the pandemic," he says. Meanwhile, a day in the life of a family is on Instagram where the world presently lives in frames and phrases.

You can view Sameer Saran's works on his Instagram page (@sameersaran_).
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who is under the Enforcement Directorates scanner for alleged money laundering, has urged Maharashtra CM and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to reconcile with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi before it is too late, saying such a move will save leaders like him from problems being created by Central agencies.

In his June 10 letter addressed to Thackeray, Sarnaik alleged the Congress and NCP, which are constituents in the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, were weakening the saffron party by creating divisions in its ranks and also pointed out that civic polls are due in many cities, including Mumbai, in coming months.

Sarnaik, an MLA from Thane city, also stated that even though the alliance with the BJP has broken, personal and harmonious relations between leaders of the yuti (Shiv Sena-BJP) remain. It is better to reconcile before it is too late, the MLA said in the letter.

As the letter caused a flutter, the Congress reacted cautiously, saying it was an internal matter of the Sena while NCP state unit president Jayant Patil said he did not know any Sena workers crossing over to the Congress or NCP in Maharashtra. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said, Sarnaik reiterated what the BJP has been saying from the last 18 months (about allying with the Sena again).

Notably, the Sena had allied with the NCP and Congress to form the MVA government in November 2019 after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party fell out with the BJP after the Maharashtra Assembly polls over the post of the CM.
Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Union health ministry is likely to allow COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women soon following recommendation by the expert groups, multiple government officials told this newspaper.

As of now while lactating women are indicated for COVID-19 vaccination but the government had not recommended these jabs for pregnant women due to lack of safety data in this cohort.

Government officials said that a decision on issuing clear cut guidelines on permitting Covid vaccination for pregnant women is set to be taken following recommendations by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, which were later evaluated by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid19.

These groups discussed the benefit versus risk of Covid19 for women in all stages of pregnancies and concluded that pregnant women should have the option of opting for vaccinations, said a senior official.

Another official in the health ministry said that as suggested by the expert groups, Covaxin may be recommended for Covishield as inactivated virus-based vaccines have traditionally been found safer for pregnant women.

In its May 28 meeting, NTAGI had said that pregnant women should be offered Covid19 vaccines with information about risks associated with the infection in pregnancy and benefits of vaccination.

A member suggested to compare the risk of complication with exposure with the risk of clotting after Covishield vaccine, say the minutes of the meeting.

Further it was suggested that the risk benefit ratio of administration of vaccine during the surge of pandemic in pregnant women has been thought of while recommending the Covid-19 vaccination for pregnant women and when the surge is coming down the risk may be monitored to see risk versus the benefits.

In addition, the safest type of Covid19 vaccines must be considered for pregnancy as its a matter of two lives, the expert group had said, adding that outcome of the pregnancy may also be taken into account while considering the risks.

ALSO READ | India's first Covid vaccine for kids gets closer to reality, may get DGCI nod soon

It had also asked for studies to be put in place immediately to monitor the safety of Covishield and Covaxin among pregnant women.

Officials said that as per the suggestions, an educational tool comprising information on the risk of Covid 19 infection during pregnancy, benefits associated with the Covid-19 vaccination and rare complications associated with vaccines such as thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (associated with Covishield) will be developed and communicated to pregnant women before administering the vaccine.

NTAGI during its discussion last month had also highlighted a recent report of death of a pregnant woman vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine in Brazil, due to which the immunization program of pregnant women in Brazil was put on hold.

The AEFI is being investigated. Since killed vaccines have an established safety profile in pregnant women, Covaxin or killed vaccines may be the first choice in pregnant women, as per availability, the group had suggested.

The development comes as an ICMR study released last week also showed that pregnant and postpartum women were more severely affected during the second Covid wave in India. While the symptomatic cases in this specific group were double at over 28 % during the second wave, as compared to the first wave, the mortalities too were significantly higher at 5.7 %, when compared to less than 1 % last year.

Meanwhile, More than 3.06 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories and over 24.53 lakh doses will be received by them in the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.

It said that 29,10,54,050 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories (UTs) so far through the government of India's free of cost channel and the direct state procurement category.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 26,04,19,412 doses, according to data available at 8 am on Sunday, the ministry said.

It said that "3,06,34,638 COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered."

"Furthermore, more than 24,53,080 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days," the ministry said.'

ALSO READ | Roll out of Russian Covid vaccine Sputnik V delayed in Delhi

It said that as part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government of India has been supporting states and UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

In addition, the Centre has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by states and UTs.

Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the government for containment and management of the pandemic, along with 'test, track, treat' and Covid appropriate behaviour, the ministry said.

Implementation of the liberalized and accelerated Phase-3 strategy of Covid vaccination 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 the Centre.

It would continue to make these doses available to state governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier, the ministry said.

(With PTI Inputs)
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: The non-vaccinated people maybe not allowed to contest the elections for various posts of Panchayat Raj institutions in Bihar. A demand asking non-vaccinated people be declared ineligible for the Panchayat elections was made with the state election commission by none other the minister of Panchayat Raj Samarat Chaudhary on Saturday.

Samrat Chaudhary, the minister of the Panchayat Raj Department, on Saturday, requested the state election commission to make the vaccination against coronavirus mandatory. I will request the state election commission to make the vaccination mandatory to whosoever wants to contest for the various posts of Panchayat raj institutions in the state, he told the media. He also urged the State Election Commission (SEC) not to consider those eligible for fighting elections who have not taken jabs so far.

A guideline should be issued by the SEC on this before the next Panchayat elections,, the minister said.

In Bihar as per an officials figure, there are 8,406 panchayats comprising 45,103 villages across 534 blocks in 38 districts. The tenure of all elected members of various Panchayat institutions have expired and the development works in the Panchayats are being monitored by the members of the Panchayat Consultative Committees.
By Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh's commercial capital Kanpur is on a mission -- securing the future of two minor sisters orphaned last month by the COVID pandemic.

The two little sisters aged 11 and six years, who lost their parents to the killer virus within three days (May 6 and May 8) now have a grandparents in their landlord Prem Kumar Pandey and his wife Manju Pandey.

Not only has Pandey, the 60-year-old advocate decided to not take from minor sisters, the rent of the flat, where their family had been living since eight years, but has also decided to turn their legal guardian till the two sisters attain their dreams of becoming a dental surgeon and a police officer respectively.

"Both of them are our responsibility till they attain their dreams. I'll soon start process of becoming their legal guardian and take care of their needs, including their education. Though I lost their parents, who were very close to my family, God has gifted me two granddaughters. While the elder of the two sisters is aged 11 and is Class VI student, the five years younger sister is in Class III. They'll continue to study just like they did in the past," Pandey told The New Indian Express.

While the Pandey couple has vowed to take care of the two sisters entire life as grand parents (both sisters only have one relative, who too is financially constrained), many more Kanpurites are pitching in to support the little sisters.

Popular comedian Raju Srivastava (who too hails from Kanpur) met with the two minor sisters in Mumbai, where they had accompanied Pandey to spend time with his daughter's family recently. The popular comedian not only regaled them with his signature comedy, but also handed over Rs 16,000 cheque to Pandey for supporting the little ones future.

But that wasn't all, as Kanpur's singing prodigy, The Voice of India Kids Season 2 2017 fame Guntaas Kaur too met them in Mumbai and has contributed Rs 11,000 for them.

"We're now working to get a bank account opened for the two sisters soon, so that many more Kanpurites eager to support them can send money directly in their account," Pandey said.

Those eager to support to support the cause of the two sisters, include young IPS officer Raveena Tyagi.

Also, a group of Kanpur based traders led by Akhil Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal's state general secretary Gyanesh Mishra too have gifted Rs 11,000 to the little sisters along with three months ration, clothes and study material.

But it's not just the little sisters orphaned by COVID, instead seven more families who either lost, both parents or earning father, have got helping hand from the 150-strong Kanpur based traders group 'COVID Sewa Vyapari Group.'

"We've so far traced eight such families, including three families (each having two daughters) who lost both parents and five families who lost the earning fathers. Each of the family, including the little sisters now living with advocate Pandey have been given as immediate Rs 11,000 and three months ration. We are identifying other such families. The UP government has announced Rs 4000 monthly pension to all such kids/families, but it will take some paper formalities to start. To ensure that such kids/families are not left sans support till then, we've decided to give each of them Rs 11,000 each and three months ration. We've started with eight such families and are tracking others also," the traders group head and foodgrain trader Gyanesh Mishra informed.

Prior to this initiative, the same traders group funded treatment of over 250 poor COVID patients at different hospitals of Kanpur during the pandemic's second wave's peak, besides providing free oxygen ambulances to other patients.

They also rendered food and medicines to two villages worst hit by COVID in Kanpur.
Express News Service

BHOPAL/JAIPUR: Differences in countries dealing with and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic have had a positive impact on one segment of the Indian economy. Export of certain goods based on handicrafts has picked up, with the US and Europe clawing back to normal.

When most industries in India are gasping in the second wave, shipping of the decorative and ornamental has started afresh.

Carpet exporters of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, gems and jewellery merchants in Rajasthan and those involved with embroidery and wooden lacquerware in Punjab have seen figures rise after a slump last year. Textile exporters have also seen things improve, in parts like Rajasthan's Bhilwara.

Most of their buyers are in the US and Europe, where the pandemic was at its peak last year. Canada, Australia and the UAE are also among the popular destinations of these products.

The situation demanded exporters to plan differently. A majority of these businesses suffered deep losses in the domestic market since the virus spread and lockdown became the norm. This prompted some of these ventures to take the virtual route and display their ware to customers abroad. With restrictions gradually easing in those countries, these online expos became successful.

Export of handmade carpets from UP and Haryana went up by 17.76 per cent in 2020-21, from Rs 11,799 crore in 2019-2020 to Rs 13,824 crore. After shipping out coloured gemstones worth Rs 127.61 crore last year, exporters in Jaipur witnessed this figure rise to Rs 460.35 crore already in 2021.

Bhilwara's textile enterprise has also recorded a growth, while Punjabs handicrafts have staved off losses, clocking exports worth around Rs 3 crore in both years. The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC, set up by the Union ministry of textiles) held four virtual international fairs, showcasing the most innovative products.

"It not only helped exports stay afloat after the jitters in April-May, 2020, but also helped eliminate the high cost of organising international carpet expos physically in India or abroad," says outgoing CEPC president and UP-based carpet exporter Siddhnath Singh.

This business is based primarily in Mirzapur and Bhadohi in eastern UP and Panipat in Haryana. According to Singh, over 50 per cent of their market is in the US, 25-28 per cent in European nations and 20-22 per cent in South America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

"By June last year, the debilitating effect of the pandemic started declining, as the Panipat-based carpet units started meeting pending overseas orders. Though data of exports for this April and May is not yet tabulated, the industry is confident it has not been as badly hit in the second wave as in the first. The virtual platform has given us an opportunity," Singh asserts.

Things are literally glittering in Rajasthan's handicraft industry. Exports have picked up in a big way in recent months and they continue to provide jobs. In 2020, gems and jewellery exports amounted to Rs 372.95 crore. From March to May this year, the figure has risen to Rs 1,396.24 crore.

"Demand from the foreign markets is growing again. Besides that, with no national lockdown this year, the units in Jaipur, Mumbai and Surat could keep functioning. In April alone, the country exported gems and jewellery worth Rs 25,226.11 crore," informs Sabyasachi Roy, Director of Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.

Handicraft exporters also confirmed that figures are going up. Between March and May in 2020, 4,277 containers worth Rs 410 crore were exported. In the same period this year, they have shipped 7,643 containers valued at Rs 730 crore from Jodhpurs handicraft sector.

Ismail Khan, handicraft exporter in Jodhpur, says markets were open in the UK, other parts of Europe and the US, resulting in increased demand this year. "I am happy that hundreds of artisans were able to feed their families during the tough times."

Although Punjab's handicraft dealers have seen sales plunge domestically, exports remaining the same has given them fresh hope.

(With inputs from Harpreet Bajwa)
By PTI

GUWAHATI: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Sunday condemned the Assam government's proposed population policy and termed it "anti-secular and unconstitutional".

The party also hit out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for advocating a two-child norm for availing benefits under specific state government schemes and exempting certain communities from it.

"This policy of Assam is not only discriminatory but anti-secular and unconstitutional," IUML National President K M Kader Mohideen said in a statement.

He further said that all secular and democratic forces of the country should unite against this policy and force the Assam government to withdraw this "anti-national, unconstitutional policy of discrimination and destruction".

"The chief minister seems to take pleasure in dividing the people and ruining the family life," Mohideen said, adding that Sarma was behaving "as the dictator in the Hitlerian fashion".

ALSO READ: Assam to soon implement its population policy in government schemes

The former MP also took exception to the exemption offered to scheduled castes and tribes and tea tribe people in the proposed policy.

"He (Sarma) has announced that families with more than two children, mostly Muslims, will have no right to get any government job nor will they receive any benefits from the government's welfare schemes nor will they be permitted to contest in the local body elections.

"But people belonging to scheduled castes and tribes and tea tribes are given exemption to have four to five children," he added.

Sarma had recently said the state government is mooting a population policy, which will enable only families with not more than two children to avail benefits under certain state government schemes.

Assam currently has a two-child norm, along with requirements of minimum educational qualifications and functional sanitary toilets, for contesting in gaon panchayat polls as per an amendment in 2018 to the Assam Panchayat Act, 1994.
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray indirectly criticised Congress, while addressing his party workers on the 55th anniversary of Shiv Sena, saying that this is not the time to do politics, but help the state overcome the COVID-19 crisis.

This comes a day after Congress said that although it will support the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which it is a part, the party will not form poll pacts with Sena and NCP, the other two parties in the coalition government.

"If we talk of contesting elections solo now, people ridiculeus. Which party does not want to win a s ma ny seats as possible fight elections on its own? But this is not the time for such announcements," Thackeray said.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has been talking about contesting elections on its own. NCP and Sena have said they will fight together.

Thackeray said every party should take pride in its work, but that should not hurt the self-esteem of others. "Every party has to expand, but we cannot do politics all the time," Thackeray said. The Shiv Sena president also said Sena has self-respect and will not bow in front of anyone for power.
Kumar Vikram By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI:

An 85-year-old senior doctor, JK Mishra, at Swarup Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj (UP) lost his life on April 26 after he was unable to find a ventilator bed at the hospital where he had served for 50 years.

In Palanpur town of Banaskantha district of Gujarat, Dr Naresh Shah, 79, died on April 22 as his family members could not find a ventilator bed.

Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Pt Rajan Mishra died of COVID-19 complications at a hospital in Delhi on April 26. His son claimed that the family had been desperately hunting for a ventilator but nobody supported us and by the time the PMO reached out, "he had left us".

Short supply of ventilators during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 cost numerous lives. But even as patients suffered due to lack of critical life-saving medical equipment, hundreds of machines delivered to various states were lying unused.

Till the end of May, over 5,500 ventilators were gathering dust in storerooms in various states, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed in its reply to a query filed by The New Indian Express under the Right of Information (RTI) Act. The reply revealed a substantial gap between the number of ventilators ordered, delivered and installed in hospitals across the country.

As per the reply, the ministry ordered 60,559 ventilators from different manufacturers, of which 46,511 were allocated to states. Rest were for Central government hospitals. According to the ministry, 45,191 ventilators were delivered, of which 39,640 were installed by states till May 25, leaving 5,551 unused.

Unused ventilators pile up: Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat among biggest defaulters

Amid reports of dire paucity of ventilators even as positive cases were recording massive daily spikes during April-May, there were sharp exchanges between the Centre and some Congress-ruled states over shortage as well as faulty machines being delivered.

On April 11, the Union health secretary had written a letter to some states, including Punjab, to act on the ventilators lying idle in their possession. "Noncommissioning of the ventilators defeats the purpose" of fighting the pandemic, he said in his letter to Punjab chief secretary Viny Mahajan.

According to the RTI reply, however, it was BJP-ruled UP, Karnataka and Gujarat where the maximum number of ventilators were lying unutilised. Of the total 5,116 machines delivered to Uttar Pradesh, 4,010 were up and running till May-end while 1,106 were still to be installed.

Gujarat and Karnataka recorded delivery of 5,600 and 2,913 ventilators, of which they installed 4,991 and 2,004, respectively. That means, over 900 ventilators in Karnataka and over 600 in Gujarat were lying idle.

On the contrary, Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan had only 56 and 29 idle ventilators, respectively. Among opposition-ruled states, Jharkhand was the biggest defaulter with only 461 of the total 1,210 ventilators installed.

In Madhya Pradesh, even as patients were in desperate need of ventilator beds, the state government told the high court earlier this month that 204 ventilators were kept in storeroom as "backup". During the peak of the second wave in May, Punjab and Rajasthan governments had alleged that the ventilators supplied to them under PM-CARES were found to be "defective and sub-standard" by hospitals that used them.

There were dozens of reports from other states, including Maharashtra, too, about hundreds of machines lying defunct as they were faulty. In many cases, the devices were unpacked because the hospital lacked trained healthcare professionals to operate them.

Regarding a query on non-functional ventilators or ventilators returned to manufacturers, the health ministry in its RTI said "the information is not available centrally". It disclosed that it had ordered a performance audit after receiving complaints.

"After some reports of ventilators lying unutilised in some States, the ministry ordered to carry out a performance audit of installation/commissioning and operation of ventilators provided by the Centre to States/UTs," said the RTI reply. There was also a huge difference in the prices of ventilators purchased by the government from different companies.

While 30,000 machines were ordered from Bharat Electronics at Rs 5,04,640 per unit, 9,500 units were ordered from AMTZ (Basic) at the rate of Rs 1,66,376 per piece. Allied Medical supplied 350 equipment at Rs 8,62,400 per unit.

About 1,000 ventilators were procured from Sinopharm at Rs 10,89,500 per unit and 771 units were ordered from Hamilton at Rs 10,32,400 per piece while 15 nits purchased from Draeger cost Rs 17 lakh each.
By PTI

PUNE: An offence was registered for alleged COVID-19 norm violations on Sunday after NCP workers gathered a day earlier in Pune for the inauguration of a new party office, police said.

The inauguration event took place in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other party leaders, an official said.

"While the organizers sought police permission claiming 100 to 150 people would attend, the actual crowd numbered close to 500, most of whom did not wear masks or maintain social distancing. We have booked NCP city unit president Prashant Jagtap and others under IPC, Disaster Management Act and other provisions," a Shivajinagar police station official said.

Jagtap on Sunday apologised and said the plan was to keep the event simple but party workers continued coming in and the crowd swelled.

Incidentally, the violation took place on a day when Pawar, after a review meeting, had warned people against lowering their guard as it could bring about a third wave of the infection.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A senior official of the Delimitation Commission will hold a virtual meet in the next few days with all deputy commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss various inputs on geographical features of constituencies and the suggestions made by them, sources said.

Set up in March last year, the Commission is mandated to redraw the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir which at present is under central rule.

This year, the panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai was given one more year to complete its task.

The delimitation panel had recently sought data on the area of existing constituencies, including geography and facilities available, and had asked the deputy commissioners for their suggestions to make them more "geographically compact".

ALSO READ | PDP meeting underway to discuss Centre's invitation for talks

Having received the data and suggestions, the Delimitation Commission has decided to hold a virtual meeting with the DCs to take forward the matter.

"As far as possible, the constituency should be fully geographically compact," explained a functionary.

The development comes amid efforts by the Centre to bolster political processes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair a meeting with a select group of political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir next week, which is expected to set the road map for holding assembly elections there.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under the Centre's rule since November 2018 and in August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated its special status and bifurcated it into union territories.

ALSO READ | PM Modi to meet 14 J&K leaders in Delhi on June 24; first since abrogation of Article 370

Government officials said the assembly election is likely to be held after the Delimitation Commission redraws the constituencies.

The Delimitation Commission had asked the DCs whether a constituency is in one district or spread across two.

They were also asked about details of tehsils.

As far as possible, not necessarily, one administrative unit should be in one constituency, else developmental work may suffer.

Moreover, administrative control will be in two hands and not one, the functionary observed.

All these issues and the suggestions made by the DCs will be discussed in the virtual meet.

After the delimitation exercise, the number of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir will go up from 83 to 90.

Twenty-four seats of the Assembly continue to remain vacant as they fall under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
By PTI

BARPETA: The tiger population in Assam's Manas National Park increased to 46 in 2021 from 30 last year, bringing cheer among forest officials and wildlife enthusiasts amid the pandemic gloom.

In 2010, there were only 10 tigers in Manas but its population increased to 30 last year and in this year's census by camera-trapping, 46 big cats were spotted, Park Director Amal Chandra Sarma said on Sunday.

"A rise of 16 tigers, which is over 50 per cent, in a year is indeed a remarkable achievement and the increased sightings indicate that conservation efforts are working in the park," he said.

Among the 46 Royal Bengal Tigers, 19 are adult females, 16 male adults, three sub-adults and seven cubs, he added.

Enlisted in the 'World Heritage Site in Danger List' in 1992, Manas came a long way in its conservation journey getting back its world heritage status in 2011, the officer said.

"It is heartening to note that four tigers were sighted outside the core in the 350 sq km First Addition area for the first time," Sarma said.

The survey covered forest divisions and wildlife sanctuaries in a phased manner with the camera traps first placed in Bansbari and Bhuyanpara ranges and later at the Kahitama, Panbari, First Addition and Bornadi, he said.

The population of other animals like the Bengal Florican increased to 74 this year from 60 in 2014, while 129 swamp deers were recorded against 99 last year.

During the 2019-20 census, there were 28 leopards and seven black panthers in the park and their populations were also expected to increase this year, Sarma said.
Vineet Upadhyay By

Express News Service

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand government on Sunday announced to resume Char Dhan Yatra from July 1 for local pilgrims of the three districts- Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi where the course shrines Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri are located.

From July 11, 2021 the yatra will be opened for pilgrims across the state, said officials.

Subodh Uniyal, spokesperson for the government and state cabinet minister said, "The Char Dham Yatra will be opened from July 1 for pilgrims of districts where shrines are located with negative RTPCT/Rapid antigen report. For other districts the yatra will be opened from July 11."

On June 16, Uttarakhand High Court had remarked that the Char Dham Yatra will not be allowed until the court is convinced about Covid 19 safety.

The government was asked to take decision on the yatra and file a detailed affidavit about arrangements made till June 21, next date of hearing.

Division bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Verma while hearing a number of Covid 19 petitions clubbed together remarked, "We won't allow Char Dham Yatra until and unless we are convinced about the safety (Covid 19)."

The court, commenting on the decision of resuming the yatra citing the example of Kumbh observed that last minute decisions do more harm than good.

"Last minute decisions do more harm than good. Kumbh could not be managed due to last minute decision and situation spiralled out of control," observed the bench.

The bench recalling the spike in number of cases across the country during and aftermath of Kumbh remarked, "If it yet again happens, we cannot go around sullying our state's reputation."

Earlier, last month the court had directed the secretary to visit the place such as Kedarnath shrine and others and then take decision about opening tourism in the state including religious ones.

The government on Sunday also decided to extend 'Covid Curfew' for a week starting from June 23 with few relaxations.

The shops of essential items will be allowed to open five days a week, hotels, restaurants and bars can function with 50% capacity but will remain close from 10 pm to 6 am.
By PTI

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir State Executive Committee (SEC) on Sunday announced the lifting of weekend curfew from eight of the 20 districts, with further easing of restrictions owing to significant improvement in the Covid situation.

However, the night curfew would continue to remain in force in Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora in Kashmir and Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Udhampur in Jammu province, an official order said.

The SEC authorised the deputy commissioners to allow opening of paid and unpaid parks for the use of the public across the Union Territory, only after local assessment of the conditions and after due consideration, subject to Covid-appropriate measures.

In his order, Chief Secretary A K Mehta said the decision was taken at a meeting of the SEC with focus on total weekly new cases (per million), positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate and vaccination coverage of targeted population.

"Whereas it was observed that as compared to the previous week, while significant improvement has been made by at least eight districts, there is need for further improvement in the interest of public health in all districts.

Besides, some districts need intense efforts to reach desired levels.

As such, there is a need to continue with existing COVID containment measures in these districts, the order said.

Extending the ongoing restrictions till further orders, Mehta, who is also chairperson of the SEC, however announced relaxation in the eight districts on account of significant improvements in the Covid-situation.

"There will be no weekend curfew in these districts.

However, daily night curfew will continue to exist from 8 pm to 7 am.

District magistrates concerned shall issue orders under CrPC to this effect, the order said.

All outdoor shops and trades are permitted to open on all days, only from 7 am till 7 pm, 50 percent of the shops in the indoor shopping complexes and Malls can open subject to a roster to be issued by concerned Deputy Commissioners and all government and private offices can function without any restrictions subject to strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, it added.

In the rest of the 12 districts, including Srinagar, the order said the weekend curfew from Friday 8 pm till Monday 7 am and daily night curfew from 8 pm till 7 am shall continue to remain in force.

"All outdoor shops and bazaars are permitted to open on five days in a week (except on Saturdays and Sundays), while 25 percent of the shops would open in indoor shopping complexes and Malls to a roster to be issued by the deputy commissioner concerned," the order said.

"The district magistrates shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to Covid-appropriate behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code, the order said.

The SEC asked the district magistrates to constitute joint teams of police and executive magistrates for enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour.
By PTI

KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will embark on a week-long visit to North Bengal from Monday, within a week of a demand by certain BJP MPs for carving out a separate Union Territory for the region.

His visit also comes within days of meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah twice amid allegations of post-poll violence.

Leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, called on Dhankhar on Sunday and sought his intervention to stop the alleged post-poll violence and violation of human rights in the state.

The governor on Sunday tweeted that he will embark on a week-long visit to North Bengal from June 21.

He will proceed to Darjeeling from Bagdogra airport following a stopover at Kurseong.

Dhankhar, however, did not cite any reason for his visit.

This will be the governor's second trip to North Bengal in two months.

ALSO READ: BJP's North Bengal leader Ganga Prasad Sharma set to join TMC

Following the declaration of results of the West Bengal assembly elections, which the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won with a huge majority, he had visited Cooch Behar following allegations of post poll violence.

He had also visited Ranpagli in neighbouring Assam where people had taken shelter owing to the "violence".

Adhikari "sought urgent intervention for worst ever post-poll violence and outrageous violation of human rights @MamataOfficial by implication in false cases all over state, the governor said in a Twitter post.

"LOP alleged complicity of state machinery @WBPolice @KolkataPolice in perpetration of gruesome violations of human rights. In barbaric and dastardly criminal acts there has been no investigation, much less arrest of culprits @MamataOfficial," he tweeted.

A fresh controversy has also erupted with BJP MP John Barla from Alipurduar demanding that North Bengal be made a Union territory, with party colleague and lawmaker from Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha seat, Jayanta Roy, coming out in support of it on June 15.

Roy has, however, clarified that the comments were made in their personal capacity.

Accusing the BJP of trying to divide Bengal, Chief Minister Banerjee has asserted that such attempts will never succeed.

The governor went to Delhi on Tuesday, a day after a delegation of BJP MLAs petitioned him on the alleged deterioration of the law and order situation in the state.

Dhankhar met Shah twice, on Thursday and on Saturday.

During the first meeting, he is believed to have briefed the home minister about the law and order situation in the state.

During his five-day visit to Delhi, the governor also made courtesy calls to President Ram Nath Kovind and National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra.

Hours before his departure to the national capital, Dhankhar had written a letter to the chief minister alleging that she has been silent over post-poll violence in the state and has not taken steps to rehabilitate and compensate the "suffering people".

Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the Trinamool Congress government in the state on several issues since taking over in July 2019, also accused the police and administration in the state of being partisan.
Ravi Shankar By

In 14th century Italy, the Renaissance had a shaky start. Every Italian city-state functioned as an independent country ruled by powerful families. Naturally invasions, internecine jealousies and bad economics sent most of them into decline.

Italy was coming apart. Then came along a man who would unite Italy - the Latin Chanakya, Niccol Machiavelli, a minor bureaucrat and political advisor to the Borgia family. Machiavelli realised that the Borgias through duplicitous, corrupt and bloodthirsty means could amalgamate Italy.

Along with Leonardo da Vinci and Cesare Borgia, Machiavelli was an unlikely parent of the Renaissance. Centuries later, an Indian Machiavelli has arrived not to inspire a moribund Italian familia, but to unite the ideologically divided, dynasty-driven Opposition. Prashant Kishor aka PK, the ambitious, value-neutral election mercenary, could be the egg white that glues the Opposition together.

Every ambitious public figure has an incremental political agenda. PK vainly expected that Modi would give him political accreditation since he was a vital stakeholder in the BJP's victory. PK was seeking a tryst with history, not content to remain a mere election innovator. History seems to have obliged.

The tactician behind Mamata Banerjee's thunderous victory declared that he was no longer in the election game. He had bigger fish to fry. PK's manoeuvre to mold a non-Congress alternative is the opening gambit to be the acceptable outsider in a Grand Alliance that will oppose the BJP in 2024.

The Congress is not invited to the party. After a brief stint as its poll advisor in UP, PK saw the rot within - Sonia Gandhi's iron grip, the disgust of young performers and the deadweight Gandhi siblings pulling the party down.

On June 12, Kishor had lunch with Sharad Pawar, the most credible Opposition leader today. The BJP responded acidlydoes the fact that it reacted to a lunch meeting reveal nervousness? PK's obvious strategy is to bring Mamata, Uddhav Thackeray, MK Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav on one soapbox. Insiders say that PK expects this syndicate to get around 300 seats. He would then use his personal rapport with the Gandhis to leverage support for such a coalition with or without Pawar as the head.

Prashant Kishor is not to be dismissed. He quit the UN to help elect a prime minister and many chief ministers, and has now become a full-fledged politician. His career is an algorithm of practical realism. His ethical positioning has made him a perfect fit in the Opposition rainbow, whether quitting Modi in 2014 or lambasting Nitish Kumar over CAA.

Even if Opposition Unity by PK is a fanciful daydream for Modi's detractors, Kishor's unexpected intervention has blown a hole in the theory that India lacks an Opposition. It has one, and it is not the Congress party.

Though both the BJP and the Congress have previously dismissed NDA and UPA coalitions as khichdi sarkars, they completed full terms. The BJP's real enemy is not Rahul, it is Prashant Kishor. Training its guns on him will give PK what he desires the most - national political stature. He will be the author of the new political Renaissance.

An important character in 15th century Renaissance theatre is "Machiavelle", a villain who shows a good face to disarm his allies so that he can betray them in the end. But then, in the drama that is politics, one party's good guy is another party's bad guy.

(The writer can be reached at ravi@newindianexpress.com)
Shankkar Aiyar By

June 20, 1991. Quintessentially in Indias political landscape, activity picks up after sundown. PV Narasimha Rao, anointed prime minister, had finished meeting with the new pilgrims lining up to pay obeisance. His next caller was Cabinet Secretary Naresh Chandra. After the perfunctory pondering about the swearing in ceremony the next day, Chandra handed over a file to Rao with two notes on the state of the economy - the significant one was about the commitment India made on 25 conditions (1991 Conditionalities http://bit.ly/29SFW0q) under the January 18 IMF bailout signed during the Chandra Shekhar regime.

The magnitude of the crisis in the economy was exposed in this newspaper on July 8, 1991 when I scooped the airlift of India's gold reserves to be pledged with the Bank of England. The saga of liberalisation is frequently enveloped in mythical notions - about who did what, when and how. On July 24, Rao, who retained the industry portfolio, dismantled licence raj India and honoured the promissory note issued to IMF. In his budget speech, Manmohan Singh quoted Victor Hugo: 'No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come'. It was not voluntary action, but the compelling power of crisis which propelled change.

In 1991, India's population was 83.8 crore. In 2021, it is estimated at 139 crore. Effectively four of ten Indians, or 55 crore Indians scarcely know of an India which existed in perpetual want - when people waited for years for a phone, LPG connection and even a scooter. Today, the Aadhaar-based digital infrastructure enables Indians to get a phone connection or open a bank account in minutes. In 1991, India pledged gold for a $ 400 million loan. In 2021, it has over USD 600 billion in reserves.

Relative to its past, India has done well - from sub 5 per cent growth pre-reforms to an average of 7-plus per cent GDP growth. Since reforms, Indias GDP has vaulted ten times from USD 270 billion to over USD 2.7 trillion and its per capita income from USD 303 to 2,000. However, relative to other countries, India has lagged. China opened up its economy roughly the same time as India. Between 1991 and 2019, China's GDP has grown from $383 billion to over USD 14 trillion and its per capita income from USD 333 to over USD 10,200.

Economic growth is sustained by the virtuous cycle of income- consumption-demand-investment-growth. India has struggled to enable investment - indeed, it could be argued that deterred investment results in a large part of its consumption demand being exported. Structurally speaking, decentralisation accelerates processes yet India has persisted with a centralised system that suffers from bipolar disorder of authority and accountability.

And this is worsened by the regulatory landscape. In theory, India dismantled licence raj but permission raj persists. Successive governments have shied away from reviewing the process of clearances. For sure, India has moved up on ease of doing business rankings but the question remains why must a power project wade through over 90 clearances or a hotel project need over 100. Small and medium enterprises are the bulwark of employment and exports but suffer from over regulation and under provision of capital.

Attracting foreign savings is critical for building infrastructure and economic expansion - as Deng Xiaoping famously said, the colour of a cat doesnt matter as long as it catches mice. Indias policy on foreign direct investment has been defined less by objectives and more by crises. This has detained expansion in the areas where access to capital and technology could have made India a dominant player - for instance in electronics and computer hardware.

Growth at a macro level is but a means to achieve ends. No country has progressed without investing in human development and yet India has struggled to up the spending on education and health. For sure, China is enabled by the authoritarian system whereas India is a vocal democracy. Yet the fact is the authoritarian state has done better on every human development indicator. China is ranked 85 and India 131 among 189 countries by the UN HDR. The number of years of schooling and access to health matters for sustaining and propelling growth.

The defining factor in success is a sense of political purpose and efficiency of the state. Three decades after liberalisation, India continues with a ministerial structure designed for state-led industrialisation. Five decades after the first Administrative Reforms Commission, the political economy wrestles with the very same issues which it interrogated in the 1960s.

The Indian state suffers from lop-sided deployment of resources  it does too much of what it must not do and does too little of what it must do. To deliver on the promise of its potential, India needs to complete the unfinished agenda install Gov 2.0 to enable minimum government and maximum governance.

(The writer is author of The Gated Republic, Aadhaar: A Biometric History of India's 12 Digit

Revolution, and Accidental India. He can be reached at shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com)
T J S George By

"Confronted with catastrophe, the state has melted away in India. The public, overwhelmed with anguish at death on so vast a scale, has been flabbergasted by repeated revelations of the Government's incompetence".

What devastating words. No one in India would have the courage to be so sharp and specific. The Economist was not only blunt; it published figures Indian authorities seem to hide. According to the Economist's global COVID tracker, India records 6,000 to 31,000 deaths a day (as against the official figure of 4,000).

The study suggests that one million people might have already died in India this year. A useful reference point here is the revered Narendra Modis statement on March 25, 2020: "Victory in the Mahabharata war came in 18 days. Against COVID, it will take 21 days."

Numerous 21-day spells have come and gone, yet the Modi brigade is unaware of the credibility gap it has created. What the Prime Minister says is seen by the people half as propaganda and half as self-praise. Self-absorbed as it is, the BJP passed a resolution in February 2021 which said: The party unequivocally hails its leadership for introducing India to the world as a proud and victorious nation against Covid.

World opinion be damned. Proud and victorious India has other ways to conquer maladies and threats. Arjun Meghwal (he is a Union minister if you didnt know) put it patriotically when he said: Eat Bhabhi ji Papad. It will help in the formation of antibodies that are required to fight Corona virus.

The minister must be a shareholder in the papad company. Sheer ignorance can sit on our ministers like a crown. Remember Anurag Thakur declaring (March 17, 2020) that COVID would have no impact on Indias economy. By contrast, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat propounded a profound truth: That COVID virus, too, had a right to live. Indeed, Article 21 of the Constitution gives legal backing to the viruss right to live.

Pious citizens have not only accepted the legal rights of the virus; they have also recognised its divine qualities. "Corona Devi" and "Corona Mata" temples have come up in Uttar Pradesh. (How did they know that Corona was female?) In UP, it's nothing new. But this time, similar temples have come up in Coimbatore and in Karnatakas Madhuvanahalli village also. Is it devotion that is spreading, or fear of the virus? Or, is it merely imitation of the North?

There are wheels within wheels here and that could explain the newfound devotion of some people. A temple that came up in a Pratapgarh village in UP was demolished within days. Villagers said it was razed by the police. The police denied this. According to them, a man collected donations from local residents, appointed a priest and got the temple functioning. It turned out that the temple was built on disputed land and the entire episode was a plot by some to grab that piece of land. The episode fits into our national pattern of using gods for ungodly purposes.

Consider Ajay Mohan Bishts way of getting God on his side. He would have been, like his brother Mahendra Singh Bisht, in the Indian army, or become a college teacher like his other two brothers. But he ignored his BSc in mathematics, took to saffron clothes and turned himself into Yogi Adityanath. That made him bigger than all others in his family because, as Yogi, he was above everything.

He was above accountability for the destruction he brought to UP. Economically, UP is one of Indias most backward states. But that does not bother UP's leaders because politically they are in a dominant position. COVID has brought out the emptiness of UP's politicians. It is the worst affected state and TV screens were filled with pathetic scenes of patients wailing before hospital gates after being denied admission. "Scenes of suffering in India are hard to comprehend," said the prestigious medical journal Lancet. It expressed surprise at "the ineptness of the Modi Government".

The inefficiency of the government is open for the world to see. Cremation ghats in UP were unable to "accommodate" all dead bodies. Burning pyres were lit in open fields. Dead bodies floated down the Ganga. The great Yogi sat in the Chief Minister's august office and said, shamelessly, that the Government had managed to provide adequate medical facilities to citizens.

Why are false gods seated in Indias leadership chairs? Have the real gods abandoned our country as a hopeless case? When will they come to our rescue?
Prabhu Chawla By

Communication is consolation. But when powerful persons cry foul about the vices of others while trumpeting their own virtues, the tone for prurient power play is set. Normally, power unites. But today's political weather is the BJP's summer of discontent and dissidence. The party, solidly united at the top, is cracking in the middle and lower levels. There is hardly a state where saffron factions aren't engaged in internecine verbal wars. While the central leadership claims that PM Modi has given the nation a clean, stable and strong government, incumbent CMs and regional party chiefs in almost every BJP-ruled state are accused of corruption and nepotism. The party that won the general elections four times over the past two decades and in over two thirds of the states is a goner in the dissonance and defiance department. In Kerala, an FIR was filed against its party chief for bribery, which goes against the Sangh Parivar culture. Rebels are up in arms in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tripura, Delhi and Goa.

The BJP has acquired greater nationwide acceptability in a much shorter period than the Congress, which was rewarded for its role in the Independence struggle. But the BJP won the mandate by offering an alternative agenda, institution and ideology. The Congress started to shrink after it failed to reign in local leaders or denied them their share of federal power. Like an ambitious amoeba, the Congress cloned itself endlessly. The 135-year-old Congress is reduced to a tiny dot as its apostates thrive in different political garbs. The BJP suffers less from excessive personality clashes than ideological adulteration.It has expanded its footprint through massive mergers and acquisitions of small parties or by inducting avariciously ambitious individuals with a caste/community base. On the face of it, the confrontation in various states is fuelled by prominent factional leaders. But the real reason is the disproportionate indulgence bestowed on defectors from Congress, TMC, BSP, JDU etc. Undoubtedly, these political pilgrims from other dispensation added couple of thrones to the BJP's tally of state governments. But they also pierced excruciating thorns into the souls of the faithfuls. Samples of dissidence in a disciplined party:

Agitating BJP veteran Kuruba Sharanappa Eshwarappa, former state president and former chief minister, and now a mere minister, has sown chaos in the party. The powerful dyed in the wool leader feels side-lined because Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa promotes Congress crossovers and JD(U) runagates. For the first time in BJP's history, a minister has written a formal letter to the Governor alleging chief ministerial corrupt, "I am at pains, to bring to your kind notice, some of the recent actions of our Respected Chief Minister relating to my Department, which amounts to direct interference in the affairs of Ministers in-charge of Departments, in clear violation of Karnataka (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1977 and also against the established practices and procedures relating to the affairs of the State Administration." The MLAs who were ignored to accommodate defectors in the Cabinet have made life difficult for BSY. Despite total support from the Centre, his government is teetering and underperforming due to constant internal threats. A dissident MLA remarked: "Some of them go to Delhi and have stated that this is a government of three parties. Such things would not have happened had the people given a full mandate to the BJP".

Uttar Pradesh is in the news not because of a visible revolt against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Indeed, numerous BJP MLAs have lambasted the deficiency in governance, particularly during the second Covid wave. Some of them have vocalized against caste domination. But the frequent visits of central leaders to Lucknow and holding individual meetings with ministers and MLAs have made the administration vulnerable. During the past two months, both Yogi and prominent state leaders have been visiting Delhi and meeting top leaders, including Modi. The induction of AK Sharma, a retired bureaucrat, in UP politics just a year before the elections has contributed to scuttlebutt about Yogi's authority being curtailed or even his removal. Sharma was Modi's trusted secretary in Gujarat and a key PMO official. The entry pass given to Jitin Prasada, till recently a Rahul Gandhi altar boy, into the BJP is seen as part of a larger strategy to weaken Gorakhpur's Guru. The stakes are high in UP - the outcome of the UP polls could influence the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the complexion of the Rajya Sabha. Yogi is hardly involved in organisational matters. But as the poll countdown has begun, the central leadership seems to be in a haste to billet leaders who are not Yogi supporters. Moreover, the BJP's dismal performance in the panchayat elections has given fodder to dissidents for sniping at the CM.

Like in the Congress previously, the battle between pro- and anti-Chief Minister factions has turned Madhya Pradesh into a battleground of betrayal. Shivraj Chouhan could rule Bhopal only after two dozen-odd Congress MLAs led by Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP. While the Yuvraj is yet to become a Union Minister, most of his underlings have been made ministers over original and senior BJP leaders. Narottam Mishra, the Home Minister, was a strong CM contender after masterminding the coup on the Congress government. But he lost out to Chouhan. His supporters were denied Cabinet berths. During the last few weeks, dissidents have been meeting and talking about a leadership change but no support from New Delhi is forthcoming.

Tripura and Goa, the smallest states in BJP's fiefdom, are sites of factional fights between original saffronites and quislings. In Tripura, top national leaders had to rush to Agartala to control the dissidence against Biplab Deb who became chief minister after a large number of TMC MLAs joined the BJP. After the ghar wapsi of Mukul Roy to the TMC, his loyalists in the Tripura government are waiting to abandon the BJP. They are mounting pressure on Deb demanding more powers and better portfolios. In Goa, CM Pramod Sawant is being challenged by Health minister Vishwajit Rane. The BJP had formed the government with the help of over a dozen Congress defectors. Vishwajit is the former Congress CM Pratap Singh Rane's son. And it was an ongoing battle between factions which paralysed the BJP during the pandemic. Both its old or new political guests and believers were conspicuous by their absence in helping the COVID victims. It is evident that the defection game has become counterproductive for the BJP. Over 25 per cent of its sitting MLAs and MPs are turncoats. In Bengal, over 80 per cent of its MLAs received their political baptism in other parties. As more state elections loom in the next two years, the rift and rivalry between various cliques could become deeper. Barring the top leadership, the BJP has undergone massive ideological dilution in its drive to win and retain power at any cost. Compromises with core values will only escalate the tensions within. It is not BJP vs. BJP. The real punch up is between authentic Swayamsewaks and opportunists of the multicolour variety. There is no place for united colours in a monochrome universe of saffron.

(The writer can be reached at prabhuchawla@newindianexpress.com)
Cynthia Chandran By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress central leadership has decided to invite former state Congress president Mullappally Ramachandran to New Delhi who has been a wounded lot, after Ramesh Chennithala apprised Rahul Gandhi, MP, about him. This comes after Chennithala was huddled with Rahul Gandhi and also after he held telephonic discussion with senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy to appease the senior leaders following the turmoil caused by the appointment of the new Opposition Leader.

When senior leaders were huddled at Indira Bhavan on Wednesday before K Sudhakaran took over as the state Congress president, he had apprised everyone about the deep hurt he had faced following the poll drubbing. When it was the collective leadership of the Congress which led the assembly elections, a section of leaders had heaped the blame on him. His grievance was that the same set of people had not bothered to congratulate him when he led the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections where 19 seats were won by the UDF. Chennithala in his meeting with Rahul Gandhi conveyed the feelings of Mullappally.

A source close to Chennithala told TNIE that both Mullappally and Oommen Chandy will also be invited to meet Rahul Gandhi in near future. The central leadership realised that observer Mallikarjun Kharge who had come down to oversee the election of Congress Legislative Party leader had not shown his political maturity towards the trio, especially towards Chennithala. Now Rahul Gandhi is keen to ensure that a seasoned leader like Chennithalas expertise and acumen in handling complex issues are given due consideration, said a source.

However, Mullappally told TNIE that he has not heard from the central leadership yet and if invited, he will take a call then. Before leaving New Delhi, Chennithala met Congress Working Committee leaders A K Antony, K C Venugopal, Tariq A nwar and Mukul Wasnik. After the meeting, Tariq said it is the central leadership that should take a call on Chennithala being deputed as a national general secretary to either Punjab or Gujarat. Oommen Chandy is likely to leave for Delhi on Wednesday.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Controversial naturopath Cherthala Mohanan Nair who marketed questionable products that claimed to provide full immunity against Covid, had tested positive for Covid following his death on Saturday.

His body will be cremated by following Covid protocol. Nair, better known as Mohanan Vaidyar, had fever and breathing difficulty for two days during his stay at a relatives house in Thiruvananthapuram. He collapsed and was brought dead at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital on Saturday evening.

Till recently he promoted immunity boosters that offered protection against Covid and he considered it better than taking vaccines. His stand against modern medicine made him a controversial and divisive figure. Despite the fan following, he was criticised by trained Ayurveda and Allopathic practitioners alike for negating the basic scientific knowledge on human body and diseases. He used to offer treatment for several diseases including cancer.

He was arrested for falsely claiming to cure Covid last year and the health department barred him from practicing. While Nairs patients themselves came out against his treatment, he became infamous during the Nipah outbreak when he falsely claimed that the virus did not spread through bats.

A native of Kottarakara he shifted his base to Cherthala where he practised his own style of treatment for 20 years.

Police had registered a culpable homicide case against him for unscientific treatment that led to the death of an infant suffering from a rare metabolic disorder.

Nair used to operate clinics at various places in the state. He was also associated with Parabrahma ayurveda hospital and research center in Ambalapuzha which sold immunity boosters among other products.

Kerala State Drugs control Department took action against the centre for selling Diabetic Cure', a drug claiming to cure diabetes, in January. The inspection also found that the ayurveda institute did not have the license to make the drug under Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Lakshadweep Administration on Sunday categorically denied that it was shifting its legal jurisdiction from the High Court of Kerala to the High Court of Karnataka amid reports that a move is being initiated to shift the legal jurisdiction as the administration was facing several litigations at the Kerala High Court.

"There is no proposal of Lakshadweep Administration to shift its legal jurisdiction from the High Court of Kerala to the High Court of Karnataka," said S Asker Ali, Secy IPR & District Collector, Lakshadweep.

The Lakshadweep administration has been facing widespread protests from the islanders over some of its policies.

These decisions included revising standard operating procedures for Covid appropriate behaviour, the introduction of the "goonda act" and demolishing hutments of fishermen for the widening of roads.

Several litigations were moved before the Kerala High Court against the decisions taken by the islands' new administrator Praful Khoda Patel.

This year, as many as 23 applications, including 11 writ petitions, have been filed against the administrator of Lakshadweep and also against the alleged high-handedness of either the police or the local government of the islands.

Earlier on Sunday, PTI reported that for reasons best known to the island's administration, which is under the spotlight over its handling of these issues, it has made a proposal for shifting its legal jurisdiction from the high court of Kerala to Karnataka.

Collector Ali, however, told TNIE: "The news about shifting of the jurisdiction of the high court from Kerala to Karnataka is baseless and is devoid of truth, 

The jurisdiction of a high court can be shifted only through an act of Parliament, according to the law.

"Parliament may by law constitute a high court for a Union Territory or declare any court in any such territory to be a high court for all or any of the purposes of this Constitution," according to Article 241 of the Constitution.

Section 4 of the same article mentions that "nothing in this article derogates from the power of Parliament to extend or exclude the jurisdiction of a high court for a state to, or from, any Union Territory or part thereof".
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Filmmaker Aisha Sultana, who is facing sedition charges over her remarks against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel, appeared before the police on Sunday.

Sultana appeared before Kavaratti Police by 4.30 pm along with her lawyer.

According to the officials, the interrogation of Sultana is underway at the police headquarters of Lakshadweep. The Kerala High Court last week granted interim anticipatory bail to the filmmaker but she was asked to appear before the police on June 20.

The case was registered against the filmmaker on June 10 when the Kavaratti Police booked her under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on a complaint by Lakshadweep BJP president C Abdul Khadar Haji.

Sultana was served a notice under Section 41A Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the police asked her to appear before the police in connection with the case.

BJP leader Hajis police complaint came after Aisha Sultana called the Union territorys administrator Praful Khoda Patel a bioweapon deployed by the Centre against the people of Lakshadweep as she criticised his decisions. She made the comments during a debate telecast by a Malayalam television news channel on June 7.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Congress state president K Sudhakarans allegation that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was accused in the murders of Vadikal Ramakrishnan, a Jana Sangham worker, and Babu, who served as the gunman of Pinarayi for 20 years, has brought Kannurs violent politics to the fore.

During his press conference here, Sudhakaran also said Kandoth Gopi, Kannur DCC secretary, is a living martyr of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans politics of violence. Following Sudhakarans presser, Gopi too addressed the media and alleged that Pinarayi hacked him in 1977.

I was then state secretary of National Beedi and Cigar Workers Union. During the Emergency, 26 workers of the Pinarayi Dinesh Beedi Society were sacked. On a fateful day, when I reached Valiyambalam Bazaar to inaugurate the march demanding their reinstatement, a gang of 30 men led by Pinarayi armed with swords reached the spot and attacked us. When I tried sopping them, Pinarayi hacked my hand, Gopi said. But Pinarayi used his influence to subvert the case. Police did not even file an FIR though they collected our statement, he said.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A special team arrested former Tamil Nadu IT Minister M Manikandan from Bengaluru during the wee hours of Sunday on charges of raping a woman, police sources confirmed.

Tamil Nadu police formed the team after Manikandan allegedly went absconding following the dismissal of an anticipatory bail plea in the Madras High Court.

On May 28, the woman, an actor, filed a written complaint in the City Police Commissionerate against Manikandan.

Following the complaint, he was booked by Adyar All Women's Police based and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rape, causing miscarriage and cheating slapped.

The woman alleged that she met Manikandan in 2017 when he was minister and got close to him after the latter promised to do business together in Malaysia. She had reportedly tagged along with him to several places during his official tours. She alleged that she was tortured and also forced by him to abort after becoming pregnant.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Tamil Nadu government to conduct a carrying capacity assessment of an area in the state's Virudhunagar district where a blast at a firecracker factory in February killed 19 workers.

The concept of 'carrying capacity' addresses the question of how much natural resources can be drawn from an area without the risk of degrading the environment there.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the director of Industrial Safety to conduct the study in three months in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The report submitted to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary for further action.

"There is a need for a study of the carrying capacity of the area to sustain the extent of such activities having regard to the potential for accidental, occupational and environmental hazards. The study may include the number of units to be allowed, size of operation of such units, the quantity of material to be used, siting criteria for the location of the units, arrangement for fire management and health services," the bench said.

Stressing on the need for reviewing such incidents at the highest level in the state, the NGT told the chief secretary of Tamil Nadu to hold a meeting with all stakeholders in a month.

"After necessary deliberations, appropriate remedial measures be identified to avoid recurrence of such incidents in the future. The same may be implemented through the district magistrate or any other appropriate authority as per law which may be overseen by the chief secretary. The state pollution control board may incorporate appropriate conditions in consents, including prohibiting the use of banned chemicals, and compliance of 1989 and 1996 rules. Further, a mechanism (be put in place) to ensure taking of insurance policies covering risk to life and health of all workers and others likely to be affected by fire or other accidents," the bench said.

Such mechanism may provide monitoring of compliance and stopping activities of units not following laid down standard operating procedures and regulations, it said.

"Substance of this order and regulatory measures may be published in the local area in vernacular language for information of local inhabitants," the NGT said.

The green panel directed the Tamil Nadu chief secretary to submit compliance status of directions after four months by e-mail.

It had earlier formed a panel headed by a former high court judge to secure credible facts and directed it to submit a report on the blast at the firecracker in Virudhunagar district.

The explosion occurred on February 12 when some chemicals were being mixed to produce fireworks at the unit in Acchankulam village.

The eight-member committee included former high court judge K Kannan, representatives of Union Environment Ministry, CPCB, state Disaster Management Authority, head of the chemical engineering department of IIT-Madras, chief controller of explosives in Nagpur, a nominee of petroleum and explosives safety organization and Chief Inspector of Factories, Tamil Nadu.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In a strange incident, a 22-year-old woman from Abdullapurmet claimed she was given two doses of vaccine on the same day by the staff at the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC). The young woman complained of dizziness and was immediately shifted to the Area Hospital, Vanasthalipuram.

They gave me two doses. The nurse was talking on phone and did it without noticing, the girl told mediapersons.

Soon after the incident, the girl complained of giddiness. Doctors present there checked her BP and found it to be 90/70, so they gave preliminary injections to control it and shifted her to the hospital. She was kept under observation for a day. Rangareddy Health Department officials have launched a probe into the matter.

We checked the vials of the vaccine and summoned all the staff there. In our investigation, we found that no such issue took place as all doses from the Covaxin vials were given to different individuals, said Swarajaya Lakshmi, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), Rangareddy. The woman was anxious at the time of vaccination and looked away. When she was about to be poked with the needle, she moved her arm, forcing the staff to reinsert the needle which made her believe so, the District Medical and Health Officer further added.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Upset with the attitude of the Andhra Pradesh and the Central governments, the Telangana Cabinet on Saturday decided to proceed aggressively to utilise its share of water in the Krishna river by constructing a slew of projects. Protesting the illegal construction of a canal by the Andhra Pradesh government to divert 5 tmcft Tungabhadra water from Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), the State Cabinet also lashed out at the passive and indifferent attitude of the Centre.

To utilise its just share in the Krishna, the Cabinet decided to take up new projects including construction of a flood flow canal and increasing the storage capacity of Kalwakurthy reservoir to 20 tmcft.The Cabinet decided that it would go to any extent to protect the interests of the State. It also announced an action plan to protect its rights to Krishna river water to save Telangana farmers.

MPs to call on PM

TRS MPs will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and submit a memorandum with a request to stall the illegal projects being constructed by the AP government. The MPs will raise their voice against AP in the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament. The government will also highlight and explain to people how APs illegal projects are detrimental to the interests of Telangana.

Irrigation officials briefed the Cabinet that the State government has approached the National Green Tribunal against AP for constructing a canal on the right side of RDS. Cases have also been filed in the Supreme Court. The AP government was going ahead with construction of the canal to divert water from RDS, violating the directions of the NGT and the Centre, the officials said. Even 17 years after the constitution of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, Telangana had not gotten its rightful share in Krishna waters, the Cabinet voiced.

TS cordial, AP took advantage

As suggested by Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Telangana withdrew its case filed under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (ISRWDA) and informed the same to the Central government. This step was taken with the hope that the Centre would resolve the Krishna water disputes between AP and Telangana in a cordial manner. Despite this, the Centre continued its passive attitude, which would cause losses to the State, TS Ministers said. The Cabinet also decided to utilise the hydel power generation stations, having an installed capacity of 2,375 MW, during monsoon season, so as to save power for lift irrigation schemes.

Key decisions

Owing to Andhra Pradeshs illegal projects, injustice would be rendered to Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Khammam, Warangal, Ranagareddy districts and also Hyderabad, which depend on Krishna river for drinking water needs. To utilise its just share in Krishna waters, the Telangana Cabinet took the following decisions.

1) Barrage to be constructed between Jogulamba-Gadwal and Wanaparthy districts under the limits of Gummadam, Gondimall, Velatur and Pedda Marur village, across Krishna river near Alampur. The capacity of the barrage will be 60-70 tmcft.

2) Water stored in the barrage will be diverted through pipeline to Edula reservoir, which is coming up as part of Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS. The barrage is proposed to meet the requirements of the ayacut under Palamuru and Kalwakurthy.

3) Pulichintala Left canal will be constructed to provide irrigation to 2 lakh acres in Nalgonda and Suryapet districts.

4) A lift irrigation scheme will be constructed at Sunkesula reservoir to provide irrigation to 1 lakh acres in Nadigadda area.
By PTI

LAHORE: An elderly cleric was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a student in a seminary in Pakistan's Punjab province, a senior police officer said.

The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Punjab police arrested Mufti Azizur Rehman, a cleric of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), during a raid in Mianawali, some 340-km from Lahore.

"We have been able to arrest this criminal.

We will take it as a test case, interrogate him, conduct scientific professional investigation, prosecute and get him convicted by the court.

We want our kids protected from these child molesters and keep our society safe for our future," Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab Inam Ghani tweeted along with a picture of the accused cleric behind bars.

The suspect will be produced before a local court on Monday.

Police also arrested two sons of Rehman for threatening the victim.

Both of them have been booked for criminal intimidation.

Earlier, police had registered a case against Rehman after a harrowing video clip of him allegedly sexually assaulting one of his students was widely shared on social media.
By ANI

DUBAI: As Dubai eases travel curbs for passengers from India, Emirates airline said it will resume flights connecting India, South Africa and Nigeria to the city from June 23.

"Emirates welcomes the latest protocols and measures announced by Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management to allow the safe resumption of passenger travel from South Africa, Nigeria and India to Dubai and onwards," said the airline's spokesperson in a statement.

On Saturday, the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai said that the passengers from India with a valid residence visa who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine will be allowed to travel to Dubai, Gulf News reported.

"They should also present a negative test certificate from a PCR test taken 48 hours before departure. We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with these protocols from 23rd June," said Emirates.

"We thank the Supreme Committee for their continuous efforts in monitoring the development of the situation and announcing the appropriate guidelines and protocols to protect the community and safeguard the travel sector," it added.

Emirates had suspended passenger flights from India effective until July 6, 2021. However, UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden Visas, and members of diplomatic missions who comply with the revised published COVID-19 protocols were exempted from these travel restrictions.
By PTI

JERUSALEM: Benjamin Netanyahu says he and his family will move out of Israel's official prime minister's residence by July 10, nearly a month after he was ousted from office following a record 12-year reign.

That's not nearly soon enough for critics who have long accused the Netanyahus of treating the office and its trappings as their own private property, and who see it as another way of undermining the legitimacy of the new government sworn in a week ago.

In a joint statement released late Saturday, Netanyahu and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said they had agreed the Netanyahus would move out by July 10 and that no more public events would be held at the residence until then.

Bennett will begin using the residence the next day.

Netanyahu, who is now opposition leader, has a private home in the seaside city of Caesarea.

Bennett will reportedly continue to reside at his home in a Tel Aviv suburb, using the official residence during trips to Jerusalem and for hosting foreign dignitaries.

The relatively modest official residence on Balfour Street in central Jerusalem has been the epicenter of weekly protests against Netanyahu over the past year, reflecting the bitter polarization over his rule and his ongoing trial on serious corruption charges.

On Saturday night, the protesters showed up with a moving truck with "Crime Minister" written on the side of it.

"They are ordering food, people are coming in to visit them, nobody knows when they are going to leave," said Ishay Hadas, one of the organisers.

"We decided to come with our truck, and we are ready to help him anytime."

Some have compared Netanyahu to former President Donald Trump, who contested his election defeat with false claims of voter fraud and whose supporters stormed the US Capitol.

Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration but vacated the White House on schedule.

Unlike in the US, Israel has no established protocol for the handover of the residence.

The political transition has already been more bitter than any in recent memory.

After four elections in two years that largely turned on Netanyahu's character and legal woes, a coalition of eight parties managed to form a narrow majority to unseat him.

But he has not gone quietly.

Bennett's speech as incoming prime minister was repeatedly interrupted by loud heckling from Netanyahu's allies.

In his own speech afterwards, Netanyahu lashed out at Bennett, calling him weak and inexperienced, and accusing him of defrauding his nationalist supporters by allying with left-wing parties.

Netanyahu vowed to return to power, saying "we'll be back soon."

On the following day, Netanyahu reportedly devoted less than a half-hour to a transitional meeting with Bennett in which a former prime minister would normally discuss the country's extensive security challenges and other major issues with his or her successor.

Then Netanyahu hosted former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, a Republican widely seen as eyeing a presidential run, at the official residence.

In a tweet about the visit, she referred to him as prime minister.

"Netanyahu's current status in the official residence is that of a temporary guest, staying there at the mercy of Bennett," Amir Tibon wrote in Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper.

"His decision to use Balfour for a political photo op with Haley is an unprecedented act of chutzpah, even by Netanyahu's own standards."

Netanyahu has long been accused of leading a lavish lifestyle and using the trappings of office for his own personal gain.

He is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.

His family's long residence at the house on Balfour Street has also been the focus of lawsuits, with several employees having accused his wife, Sara, of abusive behaviour.

A housekeeper was awarded USD 42,000 in damages in 2016, and another filed a lawsuit last year.

Sara Netanyahu was convicted of misusing state funds after she reached a plea bargain settling allegations that she overspent some USD 100,000 of state money on lavish meals.

She'd previously been indicted for graft, fraud and breach of trust.

The family denies any wrongdoing and have said they are the target of a smear campaign by hostile media.

Netanyahu has said he is the victim of a "witch hunt" by his political opponents and has compared his corruption trial to a "coup attempt."

The protests outside the residence appear likely to continue until they move out, which will be seen by his many of his opponents as the final confirmation that his time in power is truly over, at least for now.

"He thinks that if he will keep on saying I'm the prime minister, if he will stay in the home of the prime minister, people will believe that he is the prime minister," said Mordechai Avraham, one of the protesters who gathered outside the residence on Saturday.

"People will believe that he is going to come back because this is what he told them."
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Fresh from the US-Russia bilateral summit in Geneva, a top Biden Administration official said on Sunday that over the next 12 months the United States will see the results through the Russian actions and not through just words or commitments.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made the remarks during an interview to CNN days after President Joe Biden held a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

"The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, which is to say that, over the next six to 12 months, we will see through actions, not through words or commitments or body language, whether, in fact, we are on a better track with US-Russia policy and the US-Russia relationship," Sullivan said.

President Biden, he asserted, is not taking anything for granted out of his meeting with his Russian counterpart.

"In fact, when he was asked whether he was confident, he said, that's not the right word. Confident is not the right word. Optimistic isn't the right word. The right word is verification, being able to test and see whether, in fact, the relationship does get on to a more stable and predictable basis," Sullivan said.

In another interview to ABC News, the national security advisor said that privately in the room, President Biden communicated to President Putin that there would be costs and consequences if harmful activities against the US continued.

Publicly, in his press conference, he not only spoke out about that quite directly, mincing no words, but he also spoke about American values, something the last president never talked about, Sullivan said.

"He spoke about Alexey Navalny. He spoke about radio free Europe. He spoke about standing up for our democratic allies and partners. And one week before the summit, one week, he sent USD 150 million security assistance to Ukraine. He pulled no punches. He did nothing but stand up for American interests and values in an emphatic and sound way," he said.

Biden, he asserted, entered and exited this summit in Geneva as the leader of the free world, a mantle that his predecessor Donald Trump had given away but was reclaimed by President Biden on behalf of this country.

"Flanked by allies, supported by democratic partners, and then willing to push back hard on Vladimir Putin, which he did in the meeting, while also saying that there are areas where the United States and Russia must work together for the benefit of our two people," he said.

"That is practical. That is clear eyed. That is principled. That is Joe Biden's foreign policy," he added.
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NEW MILFORD  Pursuing dreams and tackling lifes challenges were said several times at New Milford High Schools 124th graduation Saturday afternoon.

A total of 304 students received their diplomas at the graduation, which was held on the schools football field.

In his speech, Principal Greg Shugrue referenced the pandemic, saying roughly 120 days into students junior year, the world changed. Our world changed.

Spring of your junior year, you were just starting to get your stride  then it all came to a screeching halt, Shugrue said.

He said, however, that hes a glass half-full person.

We need to acknowledge our successes and we need to celebrate. Youre here. You made it. You have endured. You have risen to the challenge. You are New Milford strong and dont you ever forget it, said Shugrue, amid clapping and cheers from students and audience members.

Shugrue added he hopes the last 15 months taught the graduates that you can conquer what you put your mind to.

Life lessons students have learned over the course of the pandemic, according to Shugrue, include becoming more sensitive to issues and people, becoming more tech savvy, improving communication and collaboration skills, and becoming more flexible in the ability to adapt to change.

Addressing the class of 2021, Shugrue asked, What excites you? What intrigues you? What makes you tick?

He told them to pursue those dreams and aspirations which point to a sense of purpose. Be the best that you can be.

Universities and colleges New Milfords class of 2021 will be attending in the fall include Boston University, Harvard, Holy Cross, NYU, Purdue, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Miami and the University of Washington.

Shugrue said about $203,000 in scholarships and grants have been accepted by students through state and local organizations.

Also speaking at the graduation was Stephen Donahue, a math teacher who was recognized as Teacher of the Year for New Milford Public Schools in 2019.

Donahue gave the graduates some words of wisdom they can take with them into their future.

Keep challenging yourself, he said. Remember that routine is the enemy. Youll find that by pushing yourselves into unfamiliar surroundings and unfamiliar territories, you will be able to achieve things that you never thought possible.

He also told them to develop a moral compass.

You will be faced with choices and opportunities, Donahue said. Some of these will be good opportunities, some of these will not be such good opportunities. Each of us has to decide what we stand for and then stick to our conviction. Dont let others coerce you into doing something that you know is wrong.

Donahue encouraged the graduates to question everything.

Dont go through life accepting everything you were told. The question why might possibly be the most important question that you can ask, he said. If it cant be answered, then theres a good chance that you found a place where some sort of change is in order.

Valedictorian, Jackson Caldwell, who will be attending UConn, spoke of the resilience of the class of 2021 and referenced specific challenges members of the student body overcame during the pandemic.

He referred to the band, performing one show as opposed to seven or eight, and challenges of wearing a mask and practicing virtually. He also mentioned class achievements in sports, in the high school musical, and with drives and fundraisers despite the obstacles of online learning and low in-person attendance, he said.

He added, however, the class of 2021 did not symbolize tragedy and missed opportunities, but instead, triumph over adversity.

sfox@milfordmirror.com
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Alice B. McGinty (alicebmcginty.com) is the award-winning author

of almost 50 books for children

and is taking registrations for her Words on Fire Writing Camp for Teens this summer at wordsonfire

camp.wordpress.com.
Champaign, IL (61820)

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'I want respect, and genuine concern, not a public show that fades away in time. It doesnt take all people believing the same, but it does take people willing to go the extra mile for one another and remain true to what they say they believe.'
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Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Brett Kepley is a lawyer with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid Inc. Send questions to The Law Q&A, 302 N. First St., Champaign, IL 61820.
Paul Kelpes Man and Machines (Abstraction 5) (1934) is now on display as part of the Modernist Strategies: Highlights from the WPA exhibition at Krannert Art Museum in Champaign.
Jeff Shesol discusses with Jim Dey his new book, "Mercury Rising: John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War," and the
Sundiata Cha-Jua is a professor of African American studies and history at the University of Illinois and a member of the North End Breakfast Club. His email is

schajua@gmail.com.
Letter to the Editor | All of us are being sentenced
Middlefield

DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children adds doctor to staff
It sometimes seems as though every time you think there cant possibly be room in Lake County for another Mexican restaurant, another Mexican 
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Longview, TX (75601)

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Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. High 84F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

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Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
If the genome is the recipe of life, base pairs are the individual ingredients listed. These chemical structures form DNA, and every living organism on Earth has just four. The specific arrangements of these four base pairs -- A, T, C, G -- make us who and what we are.

So it was a big surprise when Scripps Research scientists revealed in 2014 that they could introduce two new, unnatural base pairs (they called them X and Y for short) into the genetic code of living bacteria in the lab. It was like two never-seen-before ingredients tossed into the recipe, hypothetically expanding the variety of dishes a cell can whip up.

Researchers immediately saw the potential applications: With more control and selection, they might be able to use cells as tiny kitchens to cook up new medicines and vaccines. But just because there are more letters in a genetic recipe doesn't mean the cell can read them, or knows what to do with them -- or that any of it works in the cells of organisms more complicated than bacteria.

In a study published June 17, 2021 in Nature Chemical Biology, a team led by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego helped address these hurdles.

The team revealed that yeast cell machinery seamlessly "reads" the unnatural X and Y ingredients, the way it would A, C, T and G, and translates them into RNA, which could eventually be translated into proteins, the basis for just about every part of the cell. Unlike bacteria, yeast are eukaryotes, part of the same multicellular class of life as animals, plants and fungi. (A note about safety: These synthetic cells can't survive without special liquid food provided in the lab.)

Now we can see exactly how eukaryotic cell machinery interacts with unnatural base pairs, but it's not perfect, there's room to improve in terms of selectivity and efficiency. It's our hope that this finding will have a profound impact in the field by enabling the design of more effective, next-generation unnatural base pairs." Dong Wang, PhD, senior author, professor, Skaggs School of Pharmacy

Wang's lab has long studied RNA polymerase II, an essential enzyme found in every fungal, plant and animal cell. RNA Pol II reads the DNA recipe and helps convert the genetic code into messenger RNA. (That mRNA then carries that genetic recipe out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm, where it's translated and used to assemble proteins as instructed.) In the past, the team has studied the structure of RNA Pol II and how it responds to normal genetic recipe hiccups such as DNA damage caused by radiation.

In their latest study, Wang's team revealed for the first time step-by-step what it looks like, structurally speaking, when eukaryotic RNA Pol II picks up and incorporates unnatural base pairs as it transcribes a piece of DNA. In doing so, they discovered, for example, that RNA Pol II is selective -- it can bind X or Y on one strand of a double-stranded DNA genome, but not the other.

"What we have now is a unique view of what is and what is not well recognized by RNA Pol II," said Wang, who is also professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "This knowledge is important for us to design new unnatural base pairs that can be used by host RNA polymerases."
(Newser)  Peloton's fortunes have soared during the pandemic, with more people than ever shelling out $2,000 or more for an exercise bike and riding along with instructors on video. But what happens as the world reopens and people aren't stuck at home as much? The Hollywood Reporter takes a look at the company's strategy, with Courtney Rubin writing that Peloton doesn't so much function as an exercise company as an "old Hollywood studio." That can be seen most clearly in the company's grooming of instructors, who become stars in their own right signed to multi-year contracts. "The period between when an instructor is hired and when they actually appear on the platform includes rehearsals and filling in (training) credentials ... but mostly focuses on brand building." And the resulting classes are viewed by Peloton more as "shows," some of which are carefully scripted.

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"They are tightly produced by a team that collectively, according to the company, has won more than 19 Emmys," writes Rubin. For instance, when star instructor Robin Arzon "announced her pregnancy during a ride in September, producers needed to know that she planned to do it in minute 25, so they could get the best shot." The company even has a chief content officer, Jennifer Cotter, whose mission is to help Peloton become more of a media company, albeit one focused on fitness. That includes videos produced for YouTube and Instagram. In other words, Peloton hopes to become the "Netflix of wellness," as Cotter puts it. Read the full story, which notes the company is teaming up with the likes of Beyonce and Taylor Swift as it navigates the potentially rocky aspect of using copyrighted music in classes. (Read more Peloton stories.)
(Newser)  In a long and fascinating piece about identity for the New York Times Magazine, Times' Madrid bureau chief Nicholas Casey writes that "telling the stories of others came more easily." Telling his own story, far less so. He was born to a white woman who spent a single night with his Black father when the two worked on separate ships in the early '80s that had docked at Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean. The child who resulted was named Nicholas, after his father, and given the middle name Wimberley, also after his dad. He grew up in a mobile home near San Francisco and saw his father occasionally when his ship docked in the Port of Oakland. Until he was 7, that is, and his father said he had killed a man, but it wasn't a "big deal" and he'd likely be out in 30 days. "I love you, kid," he said.

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Thirty days passed, then months, then years, with no word from his dad or way to track him down. Casey weaves a tale about searching for his own identity while having "no trace of my father besides a last name": His mother said it was Nicholas Wimberley-Ortega, and that he had Cuban roots. Casey recounts going from a white school to a Black school where he was unable to fit in, and then to a private school wherein a nod to his Latino rootshe started taking Spanish and managed to go to Cuba with his class. "In the days after I returned home, it began to hit me just how much I had lost with the disappearance of my father," writes Casey. On the streets of Havana, there were men as Black as my father, teenagers with the same light-brown skin as me. They could be distant relatives for all I knew." He recounts schooling at Stanford and a decision to become a reporter, and then an ancestry test his mom gave him for his 33rd birthday. It led him to his fatherand some unexpected truths. He wasn't from Cuba, for one. (The full story is worth a read.)
(Newser)  A woman who set out to enjoy a sunrise view from a popular peak in Wyoming fell 200 feet to her death, reports CNN. Calli Aust and her husband hiked to the top of Steamboat Point in the Bighorn Mountains early Tuesday, and Aust fell from the summit, according to a post by the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office. The office says no foul play is suspected and the death is being treated as accidental. Aust's husband apparently didn't see his wife fall. He first called for help to report her missing, and a search team found her at the base of the summit after 7am.

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Steamboat Point, an abandoned fire lookout, is located in Bighorn National Forest, per the Sheridan Press. It doesn't have a dedicated safety barrier, only what is described as an old pipe that remains from the building's footers. "It is not a safe barrier, but merely a remnant of the lookout tower," says a public affairs officer with the national forest. A post at Afar.com explains the peak's popularity, noting that it's an "an easy climb that yields spectacular views over the whole of Sheridan County and the Cloud Peak Wilderness." The site says it is likely the most photographed natural attraction in the region. (Read more hiking death stories.)
(Newser)  President Biden announced Saturday that Champ, the older of the familys two dogs, had died peacefully at home. The German shepherd was 13, per the AP. He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family, Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement posted to the presidents official Twitter account. The Bidens are spending the weekend at their home in Wilmington, Delaware. The Bidens got Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008. Champ was a fixture at both the vice presidents residence at the Naval Observatory and now the White House. In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion, the Bidens said.

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Champ's passing leaves the Bidens with their younger German shepherd, Major, whom the family adopted from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018. The Bidens could occasionally be seen walking their two dogs on the White House South Lawn, and the dogs sometimes would join the president on trips to Camp David or visits home in Delaware. Major has drawn headlines for his behavior in the past. Major and Champ were brought home to Delaware at one point, and Major went through training after the younger dog had two separate biting incidents at the White House. Champ, who showed his age in recent months in his graying fur and slower gait, was often a more tranquil presence. The Bidens are expected to bring a cat to the White House to join the family sometime soon.

(Read more President Biden stories.)
(Newser)  A gay pride parade near Fort Lauderdale was brought to a tragic halt just as it began on Saturday when a pickup truck fatally struck one person and injured another, reports the Miami Herald. Though initial reports suggested otherwise, it looks "increasingly probable" that the incident at the Stonewall Pride Parade in Wilton Manors was an accident, tweeted city commissioner Chris Caputo. The driver and the two people struck were all connected to the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus, per NBC News. "To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community," says the group's president, Justin Knight. His statement came after Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis described it as a "terrorist attack on the LGBTQ community" minutes after it happened.

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The driver is in custody, though it was unclear whether he has been charged with anything, per the AP. Among those at the parade was Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was seen being comforted in the immediate aftermath. I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration, she said. May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing. Some witnesses interviewed in various outlets thought the crash looked deliberate, but authorities say it will take time to sort out what happened. The investigation into this incident is active, and we are considering and evaluating all possibilities," said Fort Lauderdale police Det. Ali Adamson. (Read more Florida stories.)
(Newser)  Tropical Depression Claudette claimed 12 lives in Alabama as the storm swept across the southeastern US, causing flash flooding and spurring tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes. Nine children and an adult were killed Saturday in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 65, the AP reports. Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock said the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads. The sheriff said multiple people were also injured. The children, age 4 to 17, were not immediately identified. Eight were in a vehicle from the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, which gives neglected or abused school-age children a home, per CNN. Rescue crews pulled the driver out but couldn't reach the children in the burning vehicle. A 29-year-old man and his 9-month-old daughter in another vehicle also were killed. The head of the nonprofit that runs the ranch called the deaths "a horrible tragedy and loss."

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Just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were killed when a tree fell on their house Saturday. The deaths occurred as drenching rains pelted much of northern Alabama and Georgia. As much as 12 inches of rain was reported along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet. National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted Claudette would strengthen back to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina as it goes out to sea. Flash flood watches on Sunday were posted for northern Georgia, most of South Carolina, the North Carolina coast, and parts of southeast Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The system was about 25 miles west of Atlanta, moving east-northeast at 13mph, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday. Shortly after Claudette's landfall Saturday, a suspected tornado spurred by the storm demolished or badly damaged at least 50 homes in a small town in Alabama, just north of the Florida border. "It kind of affected everybody," the sheriff said.

(Read more tropical storms stories.)
Ten people have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death in Blenheim early on Sunday morning.

Emergency services were called to the incident on Market Pl at about 2:55am where one person died at the scene. Two others were seriously injured and taken to hospital where they remain in a serious condition.

Police say they have now arrested 10 people. They have been charged with a range of charges including murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault and disorderly behaviour.

They say it's believed the altercation was between local RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) workers and members of the Rebels gang from outside Marlborough.
By Ben Strang for RNZ

Motorcycles may be eligible for a Clean Car Discount in future.

Under the newly announced government policy, motorcycles were omitted from the plan which will give people buying electric vehicles discounts of up to $8625 for a new vehicle, and $3450 for a used import.

Plug in hybrid vehicles will receive a discount of between $2300 and $5750.

Ministry of Transport spokesperson Ewan Delany said motorcycles were not considered at the start of the Clean Car Discount, because they were a small part of the emissions problem.

"Motorcycles represent a small part of new vehicle sales in New Zealand and it's estimated that in 2019 motorcycle emissions accounted for 0.4 percent of all CO2 emissions from our light vehicle fleet," Delany said.
This livestream has finished.

Winston Peters is giving his first speech since New Zealand First was booted out of Parliament after last year's election.

Peters, who was Deputy Prime Minister under the last Government, has kept a low profile since his party failed to get re-elected, but he's due to make his first speech since that dismal election result.

He is delivering his speech at NZ First's AGM.

Watch it above.
"The Real Club Nautico de Valencia, as a club, has already helped bring the America's Cup to Valencia in the past," says club director Carlos de Beltran.

"Due to its continuous commitment to the development of sailing and the improvement of the Valencian nautical sector, it is natural that the club is a natural member of the candidacy.

"As a Valencian and a professional in the Americas Cup, I cannot imagine a better venue for the 37th edition."

The city believes hosting the event will both stimulate tourism and provide an opportunity to showcase its eco-friendly approach to technology.

"Our working group is committed to bringing the America's Cup back to Valencia," says spokesperson Francesco de Leo.

"In recent months, work has progressed with investors and leading technology companies who share the vision of making the event in Valencia a new standard for promoting sustainability and the path to achieving the United Nations SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

"Now we must double our efforts to succeed in this endeavour to promote Spain and Valencia as a world-class innovation lab."

Other potential hosts include Dubai, the UK's Southampton and Isle of Wight, and Beijing, with the event expected to take place in 2023 or 2024.
Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High near 75F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Congress opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuges coastal plain to oil and gas leasing in 2017, but the fate of the area is uncertain as the Biden administration has announced a new legal analysis of the Trump administrations environmental reviews. Nat Herz/Alaskas Energy Desk
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain will begin enforcing this years summer outdoor work ban starting next month, alongside restrictions in place for battling the COVID-19 outbreak. Announcing the decision, the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Jameel Humaidan, warned against work ban violations, which would attract zero-tolerance actions.

Preparations, the minister said, are all set for the two-month ban, which prohibits outdoor work from midday until 4 pm. Bahrain is currently following tough new restrictions enforced to stamp out a recent spike in infections following Ramadan and Eid celebrations. Humaidan said the ban aims at protecting workers from excessive heat exposure that could lead to life-threatening conditions.

Violators will attract a jail term not exceeding three months or a fine between BD500 to BD1,000 or both. Outdoor work, which involves hot and humid conditions, such as construction, mining, and oil and gas operations, to name a few, are especially likely to cause heat-related illnesses, particularly when involving heavy work tasks, requiring equipment and protective clothing.

The minister said the ban is for safeguarding workers from extreme conditions and reduce occupational incidents. Temperature and humidity will spike during these months, which calls for extreme caution in line with our human rights principles, the ministry said.

The ministry said it is holding awareness-raising campaigns for ensuring full adherence of employers and workers to the measures. Virtual workshops are held to educate the health and safety supervisors of private sector institutions on the need to protect workers from summer-related diseases and occupational accidents. The outdoor afternoon work ban is the best means to ensuring a secure and safe work environment for workers, for which the Kingdom is a leader, said Jameel Humaidan.

Bahrain, the minister said, is keen to ensure the safety of workers at production sites during these months. Humaidan called on private institutions to raise workers awareness of summer diseases and the risks the summer heat can cause to their health.

Establishments, the minister said, should find ways to reduce heat and humidity at the work sites. The labour minister also praised companies in the private sector for compliance with the ban over the past years, which the minister said proves their commitment to workers safety and health.
Four jailed for 10 years in Bahrain for smuggling drugs in face masks

Four jailed for 10 years in Bahrain for smuggling drugs in face masks

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Making use of the pandemic to smuggle drugs into Bahrain landed four men in jail for 10 years.

The High Criminal Court jailed them for attempting to smuggle drugs hidden inside facemasks.

The men, all Asian nationals, hid several kilograms of marijuana inside a consignment of facemasks to deceive customs officials before sending it to Bahrain via air cargo.

However, customs officials who grew suspicious of the peculiar stitching of the face masks foiled the smuggling attempt.

Further investigation led the officials to find the drugs hidden inside.

However, the officers kept their silence and called the suspects to receive their consignment. Unsuspecting of the trap set, the suspect walked straight into the custody of officers.

The Public Prosecution found that the first two defendants are tasked with importing the drugs, while the other two were responsible for distributing them in the Kingdom.

All of them were charged with smuggling and peddling outlawed drugs.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Infonas W.L.L. organised a virtual Eid brunch for its employees on Thursday in partnership with its newest client, Ahlan, a unique food delivery application and loyalty program.

The virtual gathering ensured that the company complied with the preventive measures issued by the National Medical Taskforce for combatting the Coronavirus.

57 employees of Infonas W.L.L., in addition to the representatives of Ahlan, gathered virtually to embrace the spirit of Eid by joining lively conversations, playing exciting virtual games, and winning several cash prizes from a raffle draw.

Furthermore, Ahlan delivered food in real-time by allocating over 50 drivers to ensure that the attendees received their meals simultaneously, contributing to the event's authentic and exciting feel.

Mr Hassan Nowrooz, Infonas Marketing Manager, expressed, "Gatherings during special occasions are a part of our culture. As a responsible corporation, we wanted to demonstrate that we can overcome obstacles and uphold our deep-rooted traditions by making use of the technological advancements available to us."

Infonas W.L.L. is a global telecom carrier and ICT solutions provider established in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The company offers a wide range of voice and data-managed services and solutions for the public and private sectors.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Top Bahraini and Turkish banking officials came together for a webinar by the Bahrain Association of Banks to discuss the possibilities of promoting investments in the banking and finance sectors, emerging economic opportunities and ways to provide sustainable financing.

During the webinar, Adnan Ahmed Yousif, the Chairman of Bahrain Association of Banks, highlighted the importance of encouraging investments, especially after foreign direct investment flows from Turkey to Bahrain reached USD 297 million in 2018, making Turkey the third source of foreign direct investment for the Kingdom. Bahrain, he said, is the home to nine prominent Turkish banks.

There are currently five major Turkish manufacturing companies operating in Bahrain, and the trade turnover reached USD 500 million in 2019.

Umit Leblebici, a member of the Turkish Council of Foreign Economic Relations, expressed their keenness to encourage mutual investments.

The Council of Foreign Economic Relations, which has 146 major business institutions and more than 2,000 Turkish entrepreneurs as members, recently established a banking and financial working group to assist the Turkish private sector in obtaining financing through local, regional and international banks. The Council is keen to discuss the cooperation and common opportunities with Bahraini Banks through BAB, Leblebici said.

Hakki Karatas, the Chief Economist of the Turkish Council of Foreign Economic Relations, said the economic and financial ties would benefit both countries.

Turkey, he said, is the fifth-largest economy in Europe.

The Turkish economy, he said, just like most others, had also suffered a decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secretary-General of the Turkish Banks Association, Ekrem Keskin, indicated that the financial markets in Turkey started to recover from the effects of the pandemic, pointing out that this represents an opportunity for closer cooperation.

The two sectors are similar in many respects, including the freedom to conduct business, corporate ownership and the movement of funds to and from the state, besides no fees are on capital flows for local or international investors, Keskin added.

Zehra Sayar, Head of International Loans at the Turk Eximbank, discussed the cooperation in Export Credit, noting that Eximbank, established in 1987, is the official provider of export credits in Turkey and operates through 22 branch and ten liaison offices across the country, and subject to the Banking Law. This webinar comes in light of the efforts of the Bahrain Association of Banks and the Banks Association of Turkey to activate the MOU signed between them in 2017.


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Summer is pool season, and with the pandemic waning in Connecticut, hosting a pool party might be part of this summers plans. But with drowning the third leading cause of death among children in the United States, according to Safe Kids Connecticut, poolside safety may be a concern.

Lifeguard contracting companies serving Connecticut such as WeLifeguard and InstaSwim allow homeowners to hire lifeguards to monitor their pool parties or hold private swimming lessons on their property.

For Daria Maya, the founder of WeLifeguard based in Westport, starting her nonprofit that connects lifeguards to clients around the country stems from a personal experience.

At a pool party held for her birthday when she was 9 years old, she witnessed a child almost drown after jumping into the deep end of her parents' pool, she said in an email. The parent of the child was distracted, but Maya said the child was rescued by a lifeguard her parents had hired.

Now a senior at Staples High School, Maya said she started WeLifeguard during her sophomore year to provide the extra layer of protection that she witnessed in her childhood.

Most pool party hosts want to be able to relax and enjoy the party guests attending, she said in an email. A lifeguard gives the host the ability interact freely with guests, without the worry about pool safety. Guests really appreciate the added layer of security for swimmers.

CEO and founder of InstaSwim, Brian Tobias said his company's customers also take comfort in knowing a lifeguard is present for their summer pool needs.

"Our clients book through us because they understand the importance of water safety," he said in an email. "The pool can be a dangerous place for individuals who are not strong swimmer, and this is why they put their trust in us and our professional, certified lifeguard[s] to ensure pool safety and prevent accidental drownings."

WeLifeguard has received bookings from all parts of Connecticut and New York to provide service, Maya said, and even received requests from booking agents in New York City and Los Angeles representing local celebrities to guard waterfront and pool events at their homes and corporate events.

Lifeguards who sign up to work with WeLifeguard negotiate pay rates with the pool owner, and guidelines on how many lifeguards are recommended for party size are listed on its website.

Tobias said InstaSwim serves every city across Connecticut and the tri-state area, as well as cities around the country. Customers in Connecticut have booked over 75 pool party lifeguards over the past two years, Tobias said, with lifeguards charging set rates for their work.

We charge depending on the amount of lifeguards that are required, anywhere from $60 per hour for one guard to $150 for three guards, he said.

In addition to lifeguard services, Intsaswim specializes in swim lessons, Tobias said, making the companys main service private at-home swim lessons in the tri-state area. Other companies like AquaMobile Swim and Happy Swimmers USA have swim lessons and lifeguard-for-hire services available as well as lifeguard training in cities around the United States.

And with a nationwide shortage of lifeguards, both Connecticut companies are trying to fill the service requests they receive  both in Connecticut and out of state.

We have had more requests than we have been able to provide guards, Maya said. There is a shortage of certified guards because many guards were not able to be certified, or re-certified during the pandemic.

For Tobias, this influx of requests for InstaSwims services follows a slower season last summer.

Due to the pandemic, unfortunately pool party lifeguard bookings have decreased a bit, he said, though bookings are starting to increase again. This could be due to many Americans becoming vaccinated.

Maya, however, received some requests for virtual swimming lessons during the pandemic, which she said WeLifeguard managed to conduct via video call.

"I Zoomed with the parent [or] caregiver on techniques with the child for the basic strokes," she said. "[They] could be in the pool with a person holding the camera, and I would tell the parent what to do with the child."

Believing that no pool parties should be held without a lifeguard, Maya said her goal is to make water safety more commonplace.

My goal is to live in a world without drownings, she said. If you think about it, there are laws against drinking and driving, texting and driving and failing to wear a seat belt. There should be a standard requiring lifeguards at every pool party, especially if there will be alcohol served.
PARIS (AP)  Marine Le Pens far-right party stumbled, French President Emmanuel Macron's centrists crashed and incumbent conservatives surged ahead in the first round of regional elections Sunday that were dominated by security issues and a record-low turnout.

What was meant to be a vote centered on local concerns like transportation, schools and infrastructure turned into a dress rehearsal for next year's presidential vote, as would-be presidential hopefuls seized on the regional campaign to test ideas and win followers. Macron's rivals on left and right notably denounced his government's handling of the pandemic.

The wrangling appeared to turn off some voters, and less than 34% showed up, according to polling agencies. Politicians across the spectrum pleaded with the stay-at-home voters to wake up for the decisive second round June 17.

Le Pen called the low turnout a civic disaster that deformed the electoral reality of the country, and produces a misleading vision of the current political forces.

The result is a clear setback for Le Pen's National Rally, though it came in second place in most regions, according to early official results and polling agency projections. It is hoping to win control of a region for the first time to boost her decade-long effort to legitimize a party long seen as an anti-democratic, anti-Semitic pariah.

It had been riding high in pre-election polls and had steered campaign discourse toward its favored subjects of policing and immigration  though both are issues handled by the central government and not regional councils. The party dominated the first round of the last regional elections in 2015, but collapsed in the runoff as parties and voters banded together against it.

The result is also a deep embarrassment for Macron, whose young Republic on the Move party had hoped to establish a regional foothold for the first time but failed to excite voters.

Projections from three polling agencies show the conservative Republicans party, which currently runs seven of mainland France's 13 regions, won the most overall votes Sunday, at between 27-29%.

They were followed by the National Rally at 18-19%, then the Socialist Party and its allies, the Greens party, Macron's Republic on the Move and far-left France Unbowed. Early official results from each region reflected a similar breakdown.

Parties that win more than 10% of the vote advance to the runoff, which will determine the number of seats each party gets on regional councils.

Many polling stations stood largely empty as voting kicked off in schools and community centers from Marseille on the Mediterranean coast to Le Touquet on the English Channel. Those who did show up to vote had to stay masked and socially distanced and carry their own pens to sign voting registries.

The posturing by potential presidential contenders frustrated voters like Patrice Grignoux, a 62-year-old tech consultant casting his ballot in Paris.

The presidential election is a world in itself, he told The Associated Press. When you take Brittany or the Paris region, its totally different. The north is also completely different. ... There are issues you find at a regional level but have nothing to do with national issues.

A key battle was in the Hauts-de-France, a swath of northern France that includes the port of Calais, where five of Macrons government ministers joined the campaign  but his party didn't even reach the runoff, according to early results.

Another race to watch is the region that includes Provence, the French Riviera and part of the Alps, where National Rally candidate Thierry Mariani appeared to have a slimmer-than-expected lead over the conservative incumbent. Mariani has said he wants more police and no more public funding for groups promoting individual communities, which many see as targeting Muslim associations or LGBTQ movements.

Macrons party didnt exist the last time voters chose regional leaders in 2015. Its facing disillusionment with Macrons policies, including from rural voters who supported the yellow vest uprising against perceived economic injustice.

The virus played only a minor role in the voting. As infections have ebbed and vaccinations spread, the French government recently reopened long-shuttered restaurants, shops and travel possibilities. Beginning Sunday, the prime minister scrapped an unpopular overnight coronavirus curfew, just in time for the election.
STAMFORD  A Delaware man is accusing the producers and security team behind Jerry Springers latest reality show, Judge Jerry, of failing to intervene in an attack that he says led to severe injuries following a taping in October 2020.

James Papi, 71, was invited to be a guest on Judge Jerry, an arbitration-based reality court show presided over by Jerry Springer, to settle ongoing litigation of a contract between him and Sean Posey Lakins, who hired Papis company to do work at his Delaware home.

Lakins claimed Papi and his contracting crew walked off-site without finishing the project, the original lawsuit said. In a countersuit, Papi alleged Lakins had threatened to assault members of Papis contracting team.

During the show, Springer ultimately awarded Lakins half of the damages he claimed as a part of the original lawsuit. But, a new lawsuit alleges, after Lakins televised win  which is legally binding and cant be appealed in a court of common pleas  Lakins punched Papi in the face as he was getting into his car in the parking lot outside of Stamfords NBC Universal Media studio.

The attack, the lawsuit claims, left Papi with a broken jaw, a broken nose, a hematoma and several broken teeth.

Now, Papi is suing NBC Universal Media, Allied Universal Security and Stamford Media Center and Productions for the substantial pain and suffering that he claims befell him as a result of the attack.

Attorney Michael Skiber, who represents Papi, claims the team behind Judge Jerry essentially instigated the attack on his client by bringing the two individuals onto the show, egging them on and then failing to provide adequate security afterwards.

Judge Jerry had these two people at each others throats in an adversarial environment, and then when it was over, they allowed the attacker to seriously injure my client. Security did absolutely nothing to prevent this from happening after the show, Skiber told Hearst Connecticut Media.

Stamford Media Center, Allied Universal Security and NBC Universal all did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

The lawsuit claims the attack and resulting injuries are a direct result of negligence and negligent security on the parts of NBC Universal (the media company that operated the show), Stamford Media Center (where the show is taped) and Allied Universal Security (the security company used during taping).

Some or all of his injuries may be permanent in nature, have and will continue to cause him great pain and suffering, distress of the mind, limitation of movement and a loss of his ability to participate in the full extent of activities that life has to offer, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit claims the shows security, who escorted both men to their cars, failed to separate the two guests, though they knew or should have known that guests of Jerry Springers shows had a history of being physically combative with one another.

Skiber claims in the suit that, despite being warned of Lakins violent animus towards Papi, security did not prevent the two guests from encountering one another post-taping, nor did they intervene when Papi was attacked.

As a direct result of  NBCs negligence and carelessness, and in particular by reason of the lack of such security, control and/or difference, an assailant was able to and did physically assault and batter the Plaintiff, thereby inducing serious and permanent injuries and damages on him, the lawsuit said.
Political parties and leaders in J&K continue to debate whether "restoration" of statehood will mean full-state status or Centre will keep the UT's home department (law & order) under its control. Yonus Tarigami of CPM, Congress state chief GA Mir and Bukhari of Apni Party are keen on talks. "Solutions to J&K's problems lie at New Delhi, not Islamabad or London. Delhi's invitation is a welcome development," Bukhari said.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday invited 14leaders of Jammu and Kashmir political parties, including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party and the CPI(M), for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24. This will be the first political engagement by the Prime Minister since the scrapping of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

The meeting plan has got cautious acceptance from invitees amid the expectations that the consultations may be the first step towards holding of assembly elections in the state.

CPI(M) leader and Gupkar alliance spokesman M.Y. Tarigami saidWe have received a formal invite. The alliance will sit together and discuss the proposed meeting. However, sources close to Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, a strong critic of the Centres 2019 decision, said she is reluctant to be a part of the meeting with the Prime Minister unless the Centre spells out its agenda and takes concrete initiatives. Officials from New Delhi have spoken to Ms. Mufti on the phone about the meeting. Ms. Mufti has called a meeting of the partys Political Affairs Committee (PAC) on Sunday to take a final call on the proposed meeting, Mr. Bukhari said.

Meanwhile, Sartaj Madani, uncle of Ms. Mufti, was released after a six month preventive detention from a Srinagar sub-jail on Saturday.

Many J&K political parties are careful in assessing the implications of the initiative and highlight the centrality of their demands like restoration of statehood.

The Gupkar alliance is likely to put up a joint front and a common narrative for the complete restoration of the pre August 5 status of J&K. At any rate the statehood demand is expected to be a key element of any election campaign.

Any discussion on elections is currently a future scenario as the delimitation commission must first submit its recommendations for new MLA and Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Delimitation Commission for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has kicked off the exercise by writing to all 20 District Commissioners (DC), seeking basic demographic, topographic information as well as the local administrations impressions of political aspirations of the district. It is only after the completion of the delimitation exercise that elections for the Assembly can be held, although District Development Council (DDC) polls were held last year.

Political parties and leaders in J&K continue to debate whether restoration of statehood will mean full-state status or Centre will keep the UTs home department (law & order) under its control. Yonus Tarigami of CPM, Congress state chief GA Mir and Bukhari of Apni Party are keen on talks. Solutions to J&Ks problems lie at New Delhi, not Islamabad or London. Delhis invitation is a welcome development, Bukhari said.

This is a chance to restore statehood, he said, hoping an announcement for an early poll will follow the PMs meeting.
While both organisations came under criticism some time ago, the pressure on them seemingly continues to grow as EcoHealth is also being suspected of having embezzled US government funds and transferred them to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for conducting research on viruses developed by bats.

The EcoHealth Alliance, a non-profit organisation concerned with wildlife and forest conservation, endorsed heavily by Google, has been accused of covering up the Wuhan lab leak theory. Both Google and EcoHealth are being widely scrutinised for supressing the lab leak theory and EcoHealths president, the British Peter Daszak has been trying his best to disprove the theory while Google is busy censoring articles, websites, scientists, journalists, and other entities who are in favour of the theory.

Daszak had also been part of the coronavirus investigation teams dispatched by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is considered to be compromised by Chinese elements, with even its president Tedros Adhanom being suspected of serving the CCP for not declaring coronavirus a world threatening epidemic earlier. Daszak is one of the most prominent opponents of the Wuhan lab leak theory, attemping to debunk it at every opportunity.

While both organisations came under criticism some time ago, the pressure on them seemingly continues to grow as EcoHealth is also being suspected of having embezzled US government funds and transferred them to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for conducting research on viruses developed by bats.

The charity wing of Google has also been known to fund and promote the reasarch done by the EcoHealth Alliance from as long as 2010.
Amid this scandal of a geopolitical scope, Zhang Zhijian, top nuclear scientist of great repute and the former vice-chancellor of the world renowned Harbin Engineering University, turned up dead on June 18 under mysterious circumstances, officially from a fall from a high building. A scientist falls from a building and dies, and police says nothing suspicious, how?

Zhang Zhijian, a CCP member, a nuclear scientist of great repute and the former vice-chancellor of the world renowned Harbin Engineering University, turned up dead on June 18 under mysterious circumstances, officially from a fall from a high building. His death comes amid a scandal of a geopolitical scope.

A few days ago, at Chinas Taishan Nuclear Power Plant, 5 fuel rods suffered unknown amounts of damage, though the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was quick to declare that no radiation leak occurred and the situation was contained in a timely manner. Several governments, journalists and other entities are questioning the statement by China and call for an investigation. Amid this scandal of a geopolitical scope.

Also read: Chinese hackers targeted Indias Defence, Telecom Data: US Firm report

Interestingly, on June 16, just two days before Zhangs death, another nuclear scientist named Yin Jingwei had been appointed to the post of vice-chancellor at Harbin. The Harbin University released a statement mourning Zhangs death and informing that the investigating police had discarded murder as a cause of death. No further details regarding the investigation were revealed.

There is speculation about the death of Zhang and the nuclear plant accident being connected and while this may not be impossible, it it is still highly far-fetched. Unsurprisingly, the police has very conveniently declared that there was nothing suspicious in his death. A scientist falls from a building and theres nothing suspicious, how?

Also read: Covid menace far from over: Delta variant becomes globally dominant

Also read: Govt vs Twitter: Law of the Land is supreme, not your policies, says panel
On the heels of its popular Harry Potter-themed "wizarding" dining room, Southington's Cava restaurant is heading to Neverland for its latest themed dining area.

Similar to the "wizarding" room, which transports diners into the world of "Harry Potter" and is open for the next month and a half (complete with a Goblet of Fire, replica Hogwarts Express and floating candles  just like the ones found in Hogwarts' Great Hall), the Peter Pan patio features whimsical elements.
AP

A 7-year-old Dallas girl whose mother was recently arrested in her death was stabbed over 30 times, according to a court document.

Madison Petry died after being stabbed on Thursday. Troyshaye Mone Hall, 23, faces a capital murder charge in her daughter's slaying, as well as a charge of aggravated assault in the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy.
BUNKER HILL, Ind. (AP)  Maurice Corky Walsh stepped off the Huey helicopter and onto the tarmac at Grissom Air Reserve Base as the deep thumping of the blades subsided. The 75-year-old Vietnam veteran was grinning ear to ear.

Thats the sound we heard 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, he said.

It was a sound Walsh came to love when he served for a year as a crew chief and gunner in 1967 in the 15th Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division in the U.S. Army.

And it was sound that brought back poignant memories for the around 30 Vietnam vets who on Saturday gathered at the American Huey Museum, which restores and commemorates the very same helicopters that were used in the 15th Medical Battalion.

Since 1998, veterans who served in that battalion have met every year at different locations around the country to swap stories, see old friends and remember their time serving in the war.

But this years reunion in Kokomo was extra special. Thats because they all had a chance to watch or fly in the Huey medical evacuation helicopters in which many of them served as pilots, medics or gunners.

Since 2005, the museum has fully restored two Hueys, which are flown during special events, and turned another of the medivac aircraft into a static exhibit at its facility located at 1697 W. Hoosier Blvd.

But for 79-year-old Larry Hatch, it wasnt a chance to fly in just any Huey. The museum in 2009 actually restored the very chopper which he piloted during his year of service in the battalion. In fact, when the museum acquired it, it still had the logo Hatch painted on it.

Museum founder John Walker eventually contacted Hatch about the restored medical helicopter and asked if he wanted to fly it.

I couldnt believe it, Hatch said. I couldnt believe I had the opportunity, 50 years later, to have the chance to get in and fly the same Huey.

Since then, the Olympia, Washington, resident has been flying it every year during the museums annual Patriots Weekend at Grissom.

Now, Hatch said, hes glad the reunion of the 15th Medical Battalion has finally made its way to Kokomo so all the veterans could have a chance to fly in choppers that played an integral role during their service.

This keeps the spirit alive of those members who lost their lives so we could live free, he said.

Richard Medlock, 72, of Georgia, said it was exciting to be around the helicopters for the first time since he served in Vietnam in 1970s, but he didnt have any desire to get back into one.

Medlock served in the battalion as a radio telephone operator, communicating with the helicopters from the ground before they landed in camp. The time he did ride in a Huey, they came under attach and a bullet nearly struck Medlock.

Yeah, I wasnt too excited about getting back in a helicopter, he said. Theyve been trying and trying to get me back on the bird, but I have no desire to. Plus, I told my wife I promised Id stay on the ground.

But for pilot and gunner Walsh, dealing with enemy fire while making runs to pick up injured soldiers just came with the territory. He said that on one mission, when they were attacked, they landed back at camp to find 93 bullet holes in the chopper.

Hatch said that what really set the 15th Medical Battalion apart, though, was the 98.5% survival rate they had for all the people they picked up on the battlefield. He said thats one of the highest of any medical unit that served in the war.

We had a phenomenal success rate Hatch said. Its unbelievable.

Walsh credited their success to the fact that every medivac chopper had a tight-knit crew that knew how to work together to complete the mission.

It had to be that way, because each one of us depended on each other, he said. But you didnt think about that. Your main function was to get the aircraft airborne and get the guys back to the med station to get them treated.

Throughout the afternoon, veterans and their families hopped on board one of the restored Huey helicopters stationed at the museum. Many walked away with smiles or tears in their eyes.

Walsh said it was amazing to be around the Hueys, but whats even more special is seeing the men who served on the aircrafts during the groups annual reunion in Kokomo, where the veterans stayed from Thursday to Sunday.

Were a pretty close-knit bunch, he said. The reason I come to these is to see these guys, because were not guaranteed tomorrow. I want to cherish what time I do have and see these guys.

Radio operator Medlock said for him, the reunion has been a great way for his wife to learn about his experiences in Vietnam. The two are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year.

From coming to these, shes learned the reason of why I am the way I am, he said.

Medlock said the reunions give him a chance to not only swap war stories, but also remember the comrades they lost and the lives they saved during their service.

We didnt just serve the U.S. forces, he said. We served our allies and sick or injured civilians. We even served the enemy sometimes. We looked after everyone who needed us, no matter what side they were on. As it says on our banner, we did this so others may live.

Walsh said that experience has created a deeply felt connection among all the men who served in 15th Medical Battalion, and the annual reunion is their way to keep that connection alive.

Its a brotherhood, he said. We have a bond that cant be broken.

__

Source: Kokomo Tribune
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 74F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 59F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
An SS3 student was shot dead during a clash between security operatives of the Joint Border Patrol Team and suspected rice smugglers at Iros...





An SS3 student was shot dead during a clash between security operatives of the Joint Border Patrol Team and suspected rice smugglers at Irosu Village near Badagry on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that Alade Oba, 18, was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot during the clash with JBPT comprising Customs, Army and Immigration.

NAN reports that the JBPT, which was established in the aftermath of the border closure of August 2019, is yet to be disbanded.

It was gathered that the JBPT were on routine patrol at Irosu community near Sawa checkpoint around Owode-Apa border post in search of smuggled foreign rice, following a tip-off.

Some aggrieved youths, however, confronted the operatives, vowing that on no account should any security agent be allowed to enter their domain to carry out the operation.

However, in the ensuing fracas, the operatives started shooting into the air.

In the process, one Alade Oba, an SS3 student of Kankon Secondary School, was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.

This resulted in a serious protest by the youths who mobilised and burn tyres, demanding the release of Obas corpse, a source at the scene told NAN.

NAN reports that the unrest prompted the Commanding Officer of 243 Recce Battalion, Ibereko, Badagry, Col. Nicholas Rume, to lead his men to the area to contain what could have degenerated into further loss of lives.

The deceased corpse was later released to the family for burial while soldiers were deployed to maintain peace in the area.

Mr David Aladeotan, Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria in Badagry West, said the deceased was on his way from a coconut farm when he was hit by a stray bullet and died immediately.

Despite the fact that elders and leaders of the community assured them that there was no smuggled rice in the village, they continued searching, but they did not get anything.

So, they deliberately picked some motorcycles parked by some people; this resulted in a confrontation between the officials and the motorcycle riders when they were trying to get their bikes back.

The riders overpowered them and collected their motorcycles back, this made the JBPT reinforce, blocked the roads, restricting peoples movement.

Consequently, they started shooting sporadically into the air and around.

The bullets hit two people immediately.

One of the victims is an SS3 student of Kankon Senior Secondary School, who died on the spot, while the other hit on the leg was receiving treatment in hospital, Aladeotan said.

Contacted, Mr Abdullahi Hussiain, the Public Relations Officer, Seme Customs Area Command, confirmed the incident.

According to the PRO, the security operatives were attacked by rice smugglers who were using bush paths in Irosu community.

The officials of JPBT blocked the bush paths and apprehended some motorcycles being used for smuggling rice.

The smugglers went to mobilise about 150 people to attack the officials of JBPT, throwing stones and using other weapons.

It was when they made an attempt to burn one of the Hilux buses by the team that the officials were forced to shoot into the air to scare them away.

It was during the shooting that a stray bullet hit one of the ring leaders.

The allegation that the guy was coming from a farm is a lie, he was among the smugglers and one of them, he said.

Hussiain said that the situation had been brought under control, adding that normalcy had returned to the area.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Thunderstorms. High 66F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with showers at times, and perhaps a rumble or two of thunder, especially this evening. Low 56F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Dong Phuong Bakery Inc., purveyor of one of New Orleans' most sought-after king cakes, is locked in a bitter legal dispute that has meant the Village de l'Est dough puncher has had to ditch all of the distinctive brand imagery that customers have become familiar with in recent years.

Gone are the bright pastel colors and New Orleans streetscapes that decorated its king cake boxes and the sides of its delivery vans. Gone also is the much-praised website in which an animated delivery man on a bicycle, wearing a traditional Vietnamese "leaf hat," would follow along as customers made their choices.

The Dong Phuong logo, in flowing Vietnamese-style calligraphy, has also been wiped away.

Taking their place, for now, is generic packaging and lettering and a minimalist website with a menu, an order button and not much else.

The changes stem from a common and often costly misunderstanding for small businesses: the ownership of intellectual property when an outside firm  such as a graphic artist, a brand consultant or a web designer  creates logos and other key marketing materials.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana earlier this month, Linh Tran Garza, the bakery's president and the daughter of its founders, alleged that The Gemini Society, the firm behind its 2017 brand and marketing upgrade, secretly filed in November for ownership of the DP Bakeshop trademark that Dong Phuong has been using for more than four years.

Garza said that when she refused Gemini's demands this year to increase the percentage of e-commerce and wholesale sales she was paying them, the Austin, Texas-based design firm then demanded she pay high licensing fees or cease using all the logos and other branded materials.

"The fees are so exorbitant that it was impossible for us to afford," Garza said.

The dispute has the added poignancy of pitting former friends against each other. Garza went with The Gemini Society because the husband-and-wife who run the company were her husband's longtime friends. That meant much of the relationship was done on a handshake with no formal contracts.

"We put a lot of faith in the fact that our friends would treat us fairly," Garza said via email.

Dong Phuong Bakery king cake caper After difficulties involving distribution of its king cakes, including an allegation of "cake scalping" posted on the internet, Dong Phuong (1

John Blevins, a law professor at Loyola University in New Orleans, said the case offers a warning to small businesses when it comes to their intellectual property, an area where many lack expertise.

"This is a clear example of what happens when you don't clarify the intellectual property upfront," Blevins said. "It's sort of like a marriage: you don't think about the prenup when things are going well, and it can all end up being very costly."

The lawsuit asserts that Gemini has no right to claim the DP Bakeshop trademark because under intellectual property law, only the company using it in commerce has the right to ownership. It also seeks to prevent Gemini from trying to exert copyright over a "laundry list" of generic menu terms, such as "Banh Mi Box Meal" and "Build Your Own Baked Goods Box."

Nelly and Dezi Ramirez, owners of Gemini, argue that they are the wronged parties.

"We put our heart and soul into this for more than four years, and we've lost hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Dezi Ramirez. "It was always on the understanding that we were business partners and doing it for 'friends and family' rates."

"We always retained ownership of the licensing rights," Ramirez said.

He said Gemini's claim over the DP Bakeshop trademark is based on their licensing deal with Dong Phuong, similar to the the way Coca-Cola licenses its brand to bottling companies.

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Both sides agree that Gemini was paid about $300,000 for its work since 2017, but the Ramirezes say that came nowhere near covering their costs and didn't reflect their role in building the brand.

According to Nelly Ramirez, "The Gemini Society brought Dong Phuong's immigration story front and center and helped tie in the bakery's East New Orleans destination."

Dong Phuong was opened in 1982 as Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery by Linh Tran Garza's parents, De and Huong Tran. They had immigrated to the country with their young family two years earlier, after spending a year in a Malaysian refugee camp in the wake of the communist takeover of Vietnam.

The New Orleans East bakery that began with traditional Vietnamese pastries grew to produce French bread, king cakes and other products. Garza took over in 2004, after the death of her father, and she says she has worked to continue expanding the company.

Garza's mother, Huong, is the master baker. She still oversees the baking, including the award-winning king cakes that are made in continuous 24-hour shifts during Carnival season. This year, they churned out approximately 100,000 of them, and they were shipped all over the country.

The bakery sees similar demand in the autumn for its mooncakes, which are traditional fare during the lunar festival celebrated by Vietnamese and other Asian communities.

The bakery's French loaves, called pistolettes, have become a favorite of area banh mi and po-boy sandwich makers.

Dong Phuong was named in 2018 as one of that year's James Beard America's Classics, which honors food outlets that have displayed a "timeless appeal and are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community."

Garza's attorney, Amanda Butler Schley, said Gemini's claims to have created the brand are ridiculous. She argued that Dong Phuong's history and reputation for great baked goods are the foundation of the brand.

"I think you could ask any of the publications that have ranked Dong Phuong's king cake as the best in the city, year after year, whether it was their new logo and website that caused them to suddenly recognize Dong Phuong's king cake greatness," she said.

"I would argue it's Linh's direction and her mother's talent which has taken the company to where it is today, not its logo," Schley said. "That's the real brand here."

Whatever the outcome, all the parties involved agree that the breakdown in the relationship has been costly and caused heartache.

Kelly Blache, the bakery's manager, wistfully displayed an array of the colorful boxes that they will no longer be using to pack king cakes.

She said she'd taken a selfie in front of the beautiful Gemini-designed mural that adorned the streetside wall of the bakeshop before it had to be sand-blasted away.

Garza said the bakery is working with a different marketing firm to develop an updated branding plan.

"Even though it was a difficult decision, since we have invested so much already, we decided not to license any of the work and start all over with a new firm," said Garza. "It was a tough and expensive lesson to learn, but this time we made sure we retained ownership."
A 9th Ward store that has been the target of protesters over a deadly shooting in the parking last year was hit with a $20,000 fine Saturday for hiring an unlicensed security guard with a checkered history.

At around 5:30 p.m., the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners, Fabian Blache III, arrived at Hanks Seafood & Supermarket with an order notifying the store that their security guard, Michael Foster, didnt possess a valid license. You are ordered to cease and desist any further use of this provider of security services, read the notice, which added that the board had assessed an initial fine of $20,000, or $5,000 daily for four days.

The fine was yet another economic hit for the store, which has seen a marked drop in business because of a boycott initiated a week ago by the New Black Panther Party, which is demanding security-video footage from Oct. 30, when 24-year-old Corey Garrison was shot in the stores parking lot by a manager of the business.

The New Orleans Police Department deemed the shooting a justifiable homicide the next day, saying that Garrison had pulled a gun first. His family disputes that, saying that he had a gun in his waistband but never removed it.

Since the protest began, Panther members have walked the stores front sidewalk, openly but legally armed, shouting Shut it down! through a bullhorn and distributing detailed flyers about the circumstances behind Garrisons death to passing motorists.

Last weekend, neighbors were rattled by the level of fire power in one small spot: the armed protesters, the pair of Hanks employees leaning on coolers inside with pistols strapped to their hips, and by Foster, who had posted himself outside next to the front door. He was wearing paramilitary gear and carrying what appeared to be an AR-15 rifle.

A concerned citizen wrote state Rep. Candace Newell, D-New Orleans, about the scene.

As armed standoff at 9th Ward store continues, what are Louisiana's open carry laws? Since last week, armed men have been gathering outside Hank's Seafood & Supermarket on St. Claude Avenue in the 9th Ward to protest the fa

While Newell is not able to resolve questions about Garrisons death  thats up to the district attorney and police chief, she said  she does have the authority to contact Blaches board. The board regulates private security, and state law requires qualifying criteria in a professional field in which unqualified individuals may injure the public.

Newell was especially concerned about potential gunfire at Hanks, which stands at 2634 St. Claude Ave., near the streets busy Franklin Avenue intersection. Traffic on St. Claude comes to a standstill in front of the store several times each day, as freight trains block St. Claude at Homer Plessy Way. I took all that into consideration when I saw the picture of Foster out here, she said. I thought, What if?

With one look at a published photo of Foster, Blache knew that he was in violation of his boards policies. Any private guard who requires a semi-assault rifle must request special permission from Blache and justify its use.

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When he looked further, he discovered that Foster wasnt qualified to be a security officer in Louisiana, so he brought a second cease-and-desist for Foster, fining him $5,000 for engaging in providing security services without a license.

Hanks store manager told Blache that Foster was no longer working there and is no longer allowed on the shop's property.

Foster disappeared from the store after a reporter asked about him last week, when photographer Abdul Aziz recognized Foster from a high-profile criminal case three years earlier.

In 2018, Foster had fired off at least nine shots in the yard of the Bell Artspace Campus in the 6th Ward. Though no one was injured, eight rounds hit a Nissan in the complexs parking lot and shattered its windshield. Foster had never met the woman who owned the car or her small children, so it was unclear why he shot up her car.

The incident terrified some artists who live in the apartment complex, because a witness there had heard him talking of killing Black people and because some residents who heard the shots saw his weapon's red scope scan the building, as if looking for someone to show up in a window.

Security-camera footage showed that Foster had been dropped off next to the complex by a car from a ride-hailing service, which had brought him from the French Quarter, where witnesses had seen him get into an argument with a group of Black motorcyclists. Foster pleaded guilty in April to domestic criminal damage of property and the illegal carrying of a weapon. He was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and was prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm during a one-day probationary period.

Because Louisiana law requires security guards to show that they are of good character, along with other criteria, Foster would likely fall short, even if he did go through the proper training and application. He would never get a license from my agency, Blache said.

At this point, the store can appeal the fine and appear in front of Blache's board to argue their case. But the fine was assessed for a mere four days of Fosters employ, which seems to date back to at least December, judging from snapshots with customers that appear on Hanks social media.

On Saturday, Blache asked Hanks manager to show evidence of Fosters length of employment. If the store doesnt comply, he said he will issue an administrative subpoena next week for a years worth of employee records.
A teenager was shot in the French Quarter overnight while walking in the 800 block of St. Ann Street, New Orleans police said in a preliminary release.

The NOPD said the 19-year-old was walking at about 12:30 a.m. when he heard a gunshot and felt a pain in his leg. He was brought to a local hospital via EMS. No other information was made available.

On Sunday afternoon, another shooting occurred in the 2300 block of Magic Street, near North Galvez Street and Orleans Avenue (map). Initial reports indicate a man was wounded and taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. The NOPD reported the shooting at 1:50 p.m. and made no other details available.

Overnight crime reported by police included two aggravated rapes and a stabbing.

The first rape was reported at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday in the 2100 block of Onzaga Street in the 7th Ward, the NOPD said, when a woman was sexually assaulted by a known man.

At about 4 a.m. Saturday, another woman was sexually assaulted by a man on Palmetto and Cherry streets in the Dixon area of New Orleans, police said.

In the stabbing incident, police arrested a 49-year-old woman after she got in an altercation with a 51-year-old man in the 1200 block of St. Charles Avenue, according to police.

The argument began at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday and when the victim tried to leave, the woman stabbed him in the arm. He was brought to a hospital via EMS, police said.
A bike rider planned to join the World Naked Bike Rides New Orleans event Saturday (June 8) bearing a rifle and pistol, according to a post on the events private Facebook page Sunday. But, the post said, a volunteer encouraged him to stow his weapons before the ride began.

According to witnesses, the same man was later arrested in the French Quarter for possessing a firearm.

The Naked Bike Ride is an annual event in which hundreds of cyclists pedal through downtown neighborhoods either nude or nearly nude to draw attention to bicycle rider vulnerability. On Saturday, the riders assembled in Mickey Markey Park in the Bywater neighborhood, where unpaid security volunteer Shane Steinkamp stood watch.

I saw him coming from some distance, Steinkamp said of the gun-toting bicyclist, and I said to myself, Well, thats different.

At first, Steinkamp said in a telephone interview, he thought the guns might be toys, but on closer inspection he recognized they were real. Steinkamp said he is currently a software engineer, but was previously employed as a civilian law enforcement trainer, instructing police officers in departments across the country.

Steinkamp said he wanted to be certain the guns werent a danger to other cyclists, so he asked the man to prove the weapons were unloaded and in a safe condition. The man agreed to remove the bullet magazines from the weapons before allowing Steinkamp to inspect his backpack to be sure there was no ammunition stash or an explosive device inside.

Steinkamp said the man was completely cooperative and, as far as Steinkamp was concerned, represented no threat, so he was allowed to enter the park. But it wasnt long before cyclists notified on-duty New Orleans Police Department officers about the conspicuous weapons.

Steinkamp said the NOPD officers made it clear firearms are not allowed near parade routes, including the Naked Bike Ride. So Steinkamp offered to take the mans guns and stow them in his car until the ride was over.

In Steinkamps parlance, the young man surrendered his arms and participated in the ride. Afterwards, Steinkamp gave the man back his guns.

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Not long after, the New Orleans Police Department arrested 25-year-old Cody Jackson in the French Quarter for illegal possession of weapons at a demonstration, police department spokesman Aaron Looney said.

Police arrest man armed with rifle, handgun near Pride Parade in French Quarter

Steinkamp said that, based on photos of Jackson hes seen on social media and television news reports, he believes Jackson is the same person who planned to carry his guns in the Naked Bike Ride. Sebren Strother, the spokesperson for the Naked Bike Ride, who also interacted with the man prior to the ride, agrees.

In the aftermath of the Mickey Markey Park incident and the subsequent arrest, some riders and onlookers were critical of how the situation was handled, Strother said. But Strother said the mans arrival at the ride was a surprise.

We plan for a lot of things. We try to make it safe, secure and hassle-free, Strother said, but we didnt plan for this.

Next year, Strother said, the Naked Bike Ride organizers will make it clear no weapons are allowed.

New Orleans Pride Parade 2019 was a glorious group hug

Correction: This story has been adjusted to clarify the municipal charge that Jackson was booked under.

Doug MacCash covers art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com or dmaccash1@gmail.com. Follow him on Instagram at dougmaccash, on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream.
Louisiana legislators are doing their best to make sure you won't get killed by an incompetent nurse practitioner.

Don't be too reassured by that. It doesn't mean that a medical error won't carry you off, just that, when it does, a licensed physician will bear at least some of the blame. Your case may be entrusted to a nurse practitioner, but a doctor must still be on hand for consultation either in person or by phone.

After that requirement was waived for the duration of the coronavirus panic, a bill was filed in the Legislature to give nurse practitioners a permanent right to diagnose and treat unaided. It died along with the session after doctors mounted a stern resistance, arguing that, without their oversight, patients would be in jeopardy.

That was pretty droll, considering how many people fail to survive the ministrations of their doctors. That does not seem to diminish the profession's self-esteem, however. As the old joke has it, the difference between God and doctors is that God doesn't think he is a doctor.

Doctors have done a good job of persuading us to put our faith in them, and no doubt there are paragons in their ranks. Still, the wise course may be to steer clear of them. There is plenty of evidence that they can be highly hazardous to your health. Only heart disease and cancer send more Americans to their Maker than bungling quacks.

That is the conclusion of John Hopkins researchers, who blame medical errors for 250,000 deaths a year. That number may be low, since doctors will be disinclined to hold themselves or their colleagues responsible for flatlined patients. So much sickness and death is the direct result of medical treatment that a fancy term was coined to veil the ugly truth. It is iatrogenic.

There are plenty of iatrogenic disasters in addition to those that result from incompetence  some will be unforeseeable, some just bad luck  but that is all the more reason to avoid doctors as long as possible. Even the best of them, moreover, might put you in a hospital where deadly infections lurk.

That does not mean that the Louisiana Senate was wrong to let the nurse practitioner bill die when similar legislation has passed in about half the several states. Some doctors may be fallible, but so are nurse practitioners, and a backup is always handy.

That extra level of security may be more than we can afford in Louisiana, however. If a completely independent nurse practitioner did not provide optimum care, it would still be much better than no care or the care currently available now, especially in the boonies. Try your best, for instance, not to get sick if you ever visit Grant Parish. There isn't a single doctor there.

Statewide, when it comes to health care, we occupy our habitual position at the bottom of the national heap, so the best argument for giving nurse practitioners more latitude may be that it could not possibly make the situation worse.

Both the doctors who opposed the bill and the nurse practitioners who supported it insisted that patient welfare was their sole concern. If that is so, the next time the Legislature tackles health care, perhaps doctors and nurse practitioners will conclude that turf feuds cure no ills.

Email James Gill at gill504nola@gmail.com.
Louisiana lost a big U.S. Supreme Court case last week, and Gov. John Bel Edwards couldnt have been happier.

Today the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act, which is a huge victory for the people of our country and our state, Edwards said. It is my sincere hope that this protracted, politically motivated effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act can finally end and the millions of people helped by the ACA, including more than 849,000 Louisianans with preexisting conditions and the nearly 640,000 in our state who receive health care through the Medicaid Expansion, can breathe a sigh of relief that their live-saving care will not be interrupted by politicians.

Among those politicians out to interrupt that live-saving care, of course, was Attorney General Jeff Landry, who joined with Republican officials in other states to file the third, and hopefully last, Obamacare challenge to reach the high court.

That he did so over the strident objection of the Democratic governor is entirely in character. So is his blithe disregard of the consequences for his constituents, which took a back seat to Landrys taste for partisan fights.

The argument before the court was a convoluted one. Led by Texas, 18 conservative states and the Trump administration contended that the party-line Republican vote in 2017 to zero-out the penalty for not carrying insurance meant the entire health care law  all of it, including the guaranteed coverage of everything from vaccinations to childbirth to substance abuse treatment, the protections for those with preexisting conditions, and Medicaid expansion  had to go.

That would have caused immense hardship and utter chaos, had cooler heads not prevailed. That those cooler heads included not just Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's liberals but also Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett put an exclamation point on the story. They ruled that the plaintiffs didnt have standing to challenge the law, without even getting to the tenuous underlying claim.

It was a well-deserved rout, and a fitting end to a decadelong Republican drive to kill the ACA, even as GOP politicians promised but never delivered an alternative that would give everyone better, cheaper, more personalized care.

Landry took his turn at the state level, pushing a law that would allegedly guarantee preexisting condition protections but offered no realistic way to pay for it. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge, a physician, served as point person for the GOPs attempt to repeal and replace when Republicans had the presidency and majorities in both houses of Congress, only to see it fall short on the substance and fail on the Senate floor.

Other Louisiana Republicans lent their voices to the drive too, with U.S. Sen. John Kennedy vowing to drink weedkiller rather than back the law and Republican Whip Steve Scalise passing a repeal on the House side that had no chance in the Senate, and whooping it up at the White House with Donald Trump afterward.

Trump, who always promised but never explained his grand scheme to fix health care, is gone now, replaced by Obamas vice president, the man who famously called passage of the original bill a Big Effing Deal. Joe Biden ran on a promise to not only protect the ACA but to expand it, an idea that has become immensely popular under the constant threat of repeal. One of his first moves was to lower the cost of private plans available through the program, at least as long as the pandemic persists. Expect Biden and the Democrats who now control Congress to keep plugging away at fixing the laws shortcomings  something Republicans could have been doing all this time if they hadnt been so busy trying to kill the whole thing.

Dont bet on that changing now, even though the court ruled. Afterward, Scalise and other GOP House leaders rolled out their old, tired rhetoric, in a statement labeling Obamacare a failure and saying that the American people want a health care system that is simple, personalized, patient-centered, transparent, cost-effective, and innovative.

Of course they do.

Yet the question remains: If ACA critics havent come up with a suitable replacement by now, isnt it long past time they acknowledged, once and for all, that Obamacare is here to stay?
Norman, OK (73070)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Lock Haven, Pa. A Clinton County man who was charged with multiple felonies had his latest appeal in court rejected.

Joseph J. Newman Jr., 50, of Mill Hall will continue to serve 14.5 to 29 years in State Prison after his latest effort to overturn his conviction failed according to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Newman was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, and firearm not to be carried in 2016. All are felonies.

According to a release, witnesses told authorities Newman approached several men who were members of the Brewery Hollow Outsiders Motorcycle Club. Police said Newman then fired multiple shots at the group.

Clinton County District Attorney Dave Strouse said due to a previous felony conviction, Newman should not have possessed a firearm.

Newmans appeal centered around claims his attorney made several errors during his trial. The Superior Court upheld the decision, calling Newmans claims meritless.

Newman said a witness who could prove he never touched a firearm was not called by his lawyer. The Appellate and Trial Court both said the witness never contacted authorities until months after the shooting.

During a cross-examination with Strouse, the witness allegedly admitted to having memory issues as the result of a double stroke.

According to a release on CrimeWatch, Strouse said of the witnesss testimony was total nonsense and rambling lies that couldnt be reconciled with the testimony of the eyewitnesses and neighbors who actually watched Newman aim a gun and pull the trigger.

The witnesss testimony was rejected in its entirety.
Washington, D.C.  U.S. Rep. Fred Keller (PA-12) announced that the Lycoming Office of Veterans Affairs has endorsed the RECORDS Act, legislation he recently introduced that directs the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) to fully reopen its operations and work to expedite a now 500,000 service records requests backlog.

The NPRC was forced to scale down its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently staffed at only 25 percent capacity.

This is well below the staffing level needed to process an estimated 5,000 records requests it receives on an average day.

These service records are vital for veterans to access VA benefits, adjudicate disability claims, and request a commendation, award, or regalia such as a Purple Heart or campaign service medal.

W. Michael McMunn, Director, Lycoming County Veterans Affairs:

Fully reopening the National Personnel Records Center is vitally important to the operation of veterans affairs offices throughout the country. As the Director of Veterans Affairs in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, I can attest to the fact that the lack of access to public military and service records directly affects the ability of our veterans to obtain necessary documentation to enroll in Veterans Administration health care, disability benefits, and timely receipt of commendations and awards.

Since March 2020, our relatively small county office has processed no fewer than fifty requests for military records from the National Personal Records Center and dispensed information to other veterans who wish to make personal application for records. In most cases, veterans and families are still awaiting responses, some for over one year. We look forward to the return of the NPRCs full operations and believe the RECORDS Act is a step in the proper direction.
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75-year-old man last seen in Pleasant Grove may be in need of help, Dallas police say
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 92F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Generally clear. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
George Will began his column with The Post in 1974, and he received the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1977. He is also a regular contributor to MSNBC and NBC News. Wills email address is georgewill@washpost.com.
Georgias secretary of state this week announced he is set to remove some 100,000 names from voter rolls, the first major voting list maintenance following the 2020 election.

The names are being removed because of a National Change of Address form submitted to the U.S. Postal Service, election mail being sent to them bouncing back; or having no contact with elections officials for at least five years.

Making sure Georgias voter rolls are up to date is key to ensuring the integrity of our elections, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said in a statement.

That is why I fought and beat Stacey Abrams in court in 2019 to remove nearly 300,000 obsolete voter files before the November election, and will do so again this year. Bottom line, there is no legitimate reason to keep ineligible voters on the rolls, he added.

The case in question saw Abrams, a failed gubernatorial candidate, take Raffensperger to court through her group Fair Fight Action. A judge ruled against the plaintiffs, but Raffenspergers office eventually reinstated 22,000 names because, it said, it was interpreting a state law differently. Fair Fight Action claimed the reinstatement came due to their case.

Critics said theyd be reviewing the list of names set to be removed.

The last time Secretary Raffensperger conducted a massive voter purge, he was forced to admit 22,000 errors22,000 Georgia voters who would have been kicked off the rolls were it not for Fair Fight Actions diligence. Well be reviewing the list thoroughly and reaching out to impacted voters, Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight Action, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The major maintenance is taking place separately from regular monthly removals of names for felony convictions and deaths. Its the first major effort since 2019. Raffenspergers office cited federal law as to why no such undertaking happened last year.

Voters who want to see if they face removal can visit this website. They will be able to block their removal if they provide information within about a month.

Voters who are ultimately removed can reregister.

The number of removals is 1.3 percent of Georgias registered voters.

From The Epoch Times
Regional Performing Arts Company in Portage has a goal of providing a supplementary performance experience to our regions youth. They provide a safe, educational environment for young people to grow artistically, while forming long-lasting connections with peers beyond the school network. Excited to be planning their first return show since going completely digital in 2020, the Regional Performing Arts Company is announcing auditions for their fall musical, Cinderella. This timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm, and elegance. Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella was the most widely viewed program in the history of TV at that time. A 1965 recreation starring Lesley Ann Warren was no less successful in transporting a new generation to the miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true. As adapted for the stage, with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, this romantic fairy tale still warms the hearts of children and adults alike. Auditions are scheduled for July 7, 2021, from 5-8 pm by appointment. https://regionalperformingarts.org/
"Wow. I am a florist, and your article is biased and lacks a complete understanding of the industry. If you are going to post things for people to read at least dont throw people under the bus just because you simply dont understand the floral industry or business for that matter."

"I thought I was the only one in the world who had problems with floral orders! Once, I was sending flowers to someone who was going to host me. I spent over $100 not including tax and delivery. When I arrived the hostess thanked me and said she had placed the flowers in the bedroom where I was going to stay. When I saw them I knew why! They were not presentable for any public room. They were puny and downright sad. When I complained to the florist, they said, just as you reported, that it was too bad that I was not pleased. I do not think that they ever expected me to see the flowers. Anyway, I just wanted to confirm your observations."
I think youre going to overload the Michigan City Police Department, he said.

Campbell said he wants officers to be held accountable, but he does have issues with the proposed ordinance.

The Michigan City Police Department is committed to transparency, he said. I believe that youre acting in good faith.

Our officers have been working their butts off day and night just to cover the district, Campbell told the council. He reassigned an officer who would normally be on guard duty at the council meeting so that officer could go out on patrol, he said, because Campbell was already going to be at the meeting.

The proposed ordinance could put an undue burden on the department, he said. Campbell is looking forward to Tuesdays meeting.

If we fight one another, if we dont sit down and have these conversations, were not going to get anywhere, he said.

Resident Rodney McCormick spoke in favor of the proposed ordinance. When he was accused of threatening to kill former Mayor Ron Meer, he said, he couldnt afford access to the footage that he felt certain would vindicate him.
WILL COUNTY, Ill.  Two men, including one from Chicago, are dead following a traffic crash involving eight motorcycles on Interstate 80 in northern Illinois.

Around 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Illinois State Police responded to a crash involving a group of motorcycles on Interstate 80 westbound, west of milepost 126.5, near Interstate 55.

Edwin Torres, 45, of Chicago, who was driving a purple Harley Davidson, and John O. Melvin II, 57, of DuQuoin, Illinois, driving a gold Harley Davidson died in the wreck, police said in a news release.

Five men were transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, and a Carterville, Illinois, man was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

As of late Sunday afternoon, ISP didn't have an update on the condition of those injured.

Police said a preliminary investigation found the eight motorcycles involved in the crash were a part of a larger group of motorcycles.

One of the motorcycles in the group crashed, which caused a chain reaction involving the eight motorcycles, police said.
CROWN POINT  A Tinley Park, Illinois, man received a three-year sentence last week for killing two people, including a Merrillville man, in a fiery New Year's Eve crash in Merrillville.

Steven Hawthorne Jr. pleaded guilty March 26 to two counts of operating while intoxicated, a level 5 felony.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas ordered Hawthorne to serve 30 days in the Lake County Jail, 21 months in the Lake County Community Corrections alternative placement program and 14 months on probation.

The judge gave Hawthorne until June 28 to turn himself in at the jail. Hawthorne also received credit for two days already served in jail, records show.

Hawthorne crashed his car while driving his friends home from a bar in Griffith, according to court records.

Merrillville police were dispatched shortly after 3 a.m. Dec. 31, 2017, to 73rd Avenue and Taney Place to find a 2015 Lexus engulfed in flames.

The driver  later identified as Hawthorne  had crashed into a tree, later telling detectives he didn't remember much about the crash, records state.
The Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to review the unique legal status of the entity that operates the South Shore commuter rail line linking Northwest Indiana to Chicago.

According to the Indiana Court of Appeals, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) is both an arm of the state for some matters, including not being subject to lawsuits filed in other states, and a political subdivision of Indiana, similar to a city or school corporation, for others.

Clarence Lowe, of Hobart, doesn't believe NICTD can enjoy both statuses at the same time. And, if the Indiana Supreme Court agrees, Lowe may be able to pursue his claim for damages against NICTD after he allegedly was injured working on the railroad.

According to court records, Lowe was manually hammering spikes into frozen railroad ties on Jan. 12, 2018, on a portion of the track in Chicago when he claims he injured his shoulders because NICTD failed to provide proper hydraulic equipment.

Records show Lowe filed suit against NICTD in Cook County, Illinois, on April 3, 2018. The case was dismissed Dec. 18, 2018 because NICTD, as part of the state of Indiana, did not give its consent under the 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to being sued in Illinois.
HAMMOND  For those who understand Juneteenth, the nations newest federal holiday commemorates a key moment in African American history. Some see it as an opportunity to celebrate the past while reviewing progress made in race relations and consider work still to be done.

For those attending the city of Hammonds inaugural Juneteenth celebration Saturday, it was a celebration of unwritten history.

As Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. stated, "The history you read is not necessarily the history of our ancestors.

The mayor noted that while Juneteenth may make some feel uncomfortable, this is something we need to learn about and we need to teach our kids."

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of more than 250,000 enslaved black people in Texas after federal troops in Galveston Bay, Texas, announced on June 19, 1865, that those enslaved were free by executive decree. Even though the Civil War was over, Texas was the most remote region of the Confederacy, home to 250,000 slaves.

The day came to be known as "Juneteenth" by the newly freed in Texas, which in 1980 became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday.
Thank God that it is over, Pritchard said. I couldnt sleep, I couldnt do anything. Looking at Kyrins picture, it reminded me of my own son.

Eric Smith, of Hobart, who found Carters body in the river while searching in his kayak, had been out by the river every day since the silver alert popped up on his phone.

I treated it as my own kid missing, Smith said. I got the silver alert when I was at home, ready to go to bed, but then I grabbed my gear and headed out.  I work 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. so as soon as I was off of work, Id head back to the hotel, talk to people, find out what still needs to be covered and then Id stay out until dark.

When Smith encountered Carter in the river, he was taken back.

It took me by surprise, so many emotions hit me, Smith said. I was out there searching for him, but with so many other people looking, I did not expect to find him. Why would it be me?

On Saturday, Smith, an avid outdoorsman, was in charge of grilling hot dogs and enjoyed reconnecting with familiar faces.

Dana Starke said she and those who have met during the search have kept in contact and checking on each other in the wake of Carter being found.
The bottom line, Granhold said, is we have all got to up our games, with respect to our cyberdefenses.

This threat isn't new. In 2018, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told National Public Radio: "Each morning when I get up, I'm given a roundtable of news on what happened while I was asleep, or what happened yesterday around the world. And almost without fail, the longest section of this news roundup is the section on cyber issues, which details multiple reports of cyberattacks and alerts."

Coats continued: "It was in the months prior to September 2001 when, according to then CIA Director George Tenet, the system was blinking red. And here we are nearly two decades later, and I'm here to say the warning lights are blinking red again. Today, the digital infrastructure that serves this country is literally under attack. Every day, foreign actors  the worst offenders being Russia, China, Iran and North Korea  are penetrating our digital infrastructure and conducting a range of cyber intrusions and attacks against targets in the United States."

Russia 'worst offender'

"In regards to the state actions," Coats explained, "Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor  no question."
A Republican state committeewoman in Massachusetts, Deborah Martell, has been condemned by fellow Republicans, including McDaniel, for saying she was "sickened" by learning that a gay congressional candidate adopted children with his husband. Martell is under pressure to resign, which she says she refuses to do.

Alaska Airlines is being called out by the ACLU, and threatened with a lawsuit, as result of a complaint from one its flight attendants that its uniforms do not accommodate nonbinary attendants  those who do not identify as male or female.

So, where does this go without an opposition party?

Values matter

Values matter because they translate into behavior.

If the Republican Party becomes a big tent of moral relativism, who will fight for transmission of the values that sustain life and freedom?

In the early 18th century, French nobleman Alexis de Tocqueville traveled around the United States, trying to grasp the secret of the great success of the new, young country. In his classic book "Democracy in America," he observed as follows:
I have worked on peace and justice issues at home and abroad, and I was always struck by the U.S. bishops myopic focus. But my experiences with them during my brief time in Congress shocked me. As a representative, I saw them cherry-pick theology to promote partisan ends, favoring a future Supreme Court over their congregations struggling to afford care.

At a time when the church could model moral accountability for its decades of criminality and corruption, it opts instead for the partisan agenda of its largest donors and the misogyny inherent in its structure. It has chosen to model the so-called cafeteria Catholicism, of which it accuses reformers. Its statements lack the moral clarity of its Salvadoran brethren in calling out, say, authoritarianism, or Big Techs role in spreading hate and lies, or elected officials who obstruct efforts to humanize our economy.

Growing up around Charlottesville, Va., I spent every Sunday hearing priests sermonize about the horrible atrocities committed against innocent civilians  even nuns  in Central America and about our own governments complicity. We heard about extreme poverty, with a clear message that a failure to devote your life to addressing these injustices might lead to eternal damnation.

I have a joke about my career in peace and justice: that I came for the guilt and stayed for the joy. This calling would eventually bring me to Honduras, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, as well as struggling communities back home. Only with time did I appreciate the blessing of growing up in the Richmond Diocese of Bishop Walter Sullivan, with its cadre of other reform-minded priests who sought it out for protection from the conservatives dominating Catholic leadership. Based in the former capital of the Confederacy, Bishop Sullivan was an unwavering force for racial justice and healing, an antagonist of anti-Semitism and an ally for ending the dirty wars in Central America.

The Catholic lay leaders and clergymen who inspire me are often the ones living the Gospel every day rather than reading it from the pulpit on Sunday. When I visit the border or opioid-ravaged parts of Appalachia, I witness Sister Beth Davies or Sister Norma Pimentel living the Gospel with her every breath. And yes, I saw Archbishop Wilton Gregory out marching with those of us demanding that Black lives matter and Bishop Mark Seitz preaching for a humane border. As the U.S. special envoy to the African Great Lakes region, I stood with courageous Congolese bishops who risked everything to defend human rights and persuaded the Vatican to sponsor peace talks that forged the framework for the Democratic Republic of Congos first peaceful democratic transfer of power.
Its gone from feeling super lonely and now its feeling pretty normal, Mr. Gray added.

Wall Street and the banking sector are pillars of the citys economy, and they have been among the most aggressive industries in prodding employees to go back to the office. James Gorman, the chief executive of Morgan Stanley, told investors and analysts this month that if you want to get paid in New York, you need to be in New York.

Many firms, including Blackstone and Morgan Stanley, have huge real estate holdings or loans to the industry, so there is more than civic pride in their push to get workers to return. Technology companies like Facebook and Google are increasingly important employers as well as major commercial tenants, and they have been increasing their office space. But they have been more flexible about letting employees continue to work remotely.

Google, which has 11,000 employees in New York and plans to add 3,000 in the next few years, intends to return to its offices in West Chelsea in September, but workers will only be required to come in three days a week. The company has also said up to 20 percent of its staff can apply to work remotely full time.

The decision by even a small slice of employees at Google and other companies to stay home part or all of the week could have a significant economic impact.

Even if just 10 percent of Manhattan office workers begin working remotely most of the time, that translates into more than 100,000 people a day not picking up a coffee and bagel on their way to work or a drink afterward, said James Parrott, an economist with the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School.

I expect a lot of people will return, but not all of them, he said. We might lose some neighborhood businesses as a result.

The absence of white-collar workers hurts people like Danuta Klosinski, 60, who had been cleaning office buildings in Manhattan for 20 years. She is one of more than about 3,000 office cleaners who remain out of work, according to Denis Johnston, a vice president of their union, Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union.
The rate was particularly high in the leisure and hospitality industry, where competition for workers has been especially fierce. But the number of those quitting registered across the board.

Economists believe that one reason more workers are quitting is simply a backlog: By some estimates, more than five million fewer people quit last year than would otherwise be expected, as some workers, riding out the labor markets convulsions, stuck with jobs they may have wanted to leave anyway. (And the millions of involuntary job losses during the pandemic surely accounted for some of the reduction in quitting.) Now that the economy is regaining its footing, workers may suddenly be feeling more emboldened to heed their impulses.

But another factor may be the speed with which the economy has reawakened. As the pandemic has receded and the great reopening has swept across the country, businesses that had gone into hibernation or curtailed their work force during the pandemic have raced to hire employees to meet the surging demand.

At the same time, many people remain reluctant to return to work because of lingering fears of the virus, child care or elder care challenges, still-generous unemployment benefits, low wages or other reasons.

The result has been an explosion of job openings, despite a relatively high unemployment rate, as businesses struggle to recruit and retain employees  a dynamic that has placed power more firmly in workers hands. With employers offering higher wages to attract candidates, many workers  especially in low-wage positions in restaurants and hotels  are leaving their jobs and jumping to ones that pay even slightly more.
My community fears that the government might be trying to get rid of us, said Oralia Maceda Mendez, an advocate at a Fresno-based community group for Indigenous people from Oaxaca, Mexico. She has heard many stories from immigrants in her community who treat themselves for Covid-19 with penicillin, other antibiotics or a mix of vitamins and herbal therapies bought from shops or travelers selling medications bought in Mexico.

I am not surprised that people are taken advantage of, she said. We dont have the care we need.

Some farmworkers have received unproven treatments at specialty clinics. A woman in Fresno recently described how her husband, a farmworker, had fallen so sick from Covid-19 that he couldnt breathe or walk, but he refused to go to the hospital because he had heard rumors that undocumented immigrants had checked in and never left. She took him to a wellness clinic, where a doctor gave him injectable peptide treatments, recalled the woman, who requested anonymity because of her immigration status.

She wasnt prepared, she said, for the $1,400 bill, which included the cost of syringes and vials labeled thymosin-alpha 1, BPC-157 and LL-37. Pulling them out of a cabinet in the kitchen of her mobile home, she said she didnt know exactly what they were, and she still feels the sting of the price.

I was shocked, but I was trying to act like it was OK because I had to be strong for my husband and my kids, she said. He grew sicker despite the injections, but the family had no funds left for care. More than a month passed before he was well enough to return to the fields.

Sandra Celedon, the president of a coalition of grass-roots organizations called Fresno Building Health Communities, said she and her colleagues have heard from several farmworkers and other low-income Latino immigrants who spent their savings on vitamin infusions and peptide therapies for Covid. These folks are the poorest of the poor, and yet the doctors were requesting cash for their unproven treatments, she said.
When Juan D. Paneto was selected for a spot in a management training program at a bank in 1992, he couldnt refuse. But there was a problem: He hadnt finished school. Though Mr. Paneto had attended Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., for four years, he was still five classes short of graduation.

But he had to put his education on hold.

My career was taking off, and I figured I would never be able to finish until I retired, Mr. Paneto, now 51, said in an interview Friday.

Life and its circumstances would dictate that Mr. Paneto would have to wait nearly 30 years to finally earn his bachelors degree. But the delay came with a reward: He graduated on June 13, the same day as his firstborn son, who also received a bachelors degree from Union College.

Several times over the last three decades, Mr. Paneto had asked officials at Union College if he could finish his degree without commuting to Schenectady. But there were some classes, they told him, that he had to take on campus. He lives in Wawayanda, N.Y., which is two hours from the school, so he didnt have time to commute to class.
The scene in Manhattan on Sunday afternoon was a far cry from that of November, when lines stretched blocks as more than 1.1 million people cast early ballots in the presidential election.

Instead, voters were able to walk right into polling sites only to emerge minutes later.

Wait-time maps showed delays of less than 20 minutes across the city, which could be a sign of disinterest from New Yorkers who opted to spend their summer Sunday blowing off steam in a mostly reopened city with temperatures forecast to hit almost 90 degrees.

A few masked New Yorkers trickled down the escalators at Hudson Yards, wearing I Voted Early stickers as a handful of canvassers lined the sidewalks. The employees of nearby restaurants said the last couple of days of early voting had been quiet, though occasionally they fielded questions from New Yorkers asking where to go.

Katie Knoll was one of the voters who turned up on Sunday. Hopefully by voting early I can relieve some of the pressure on Tuesday, Ms. Knoll, 26, said. Sustainability and the environment are among the issues most important to her, she explained. No candidate stood out to her as a front-runner.
With wealth inequality reaching another high in America  the top 0.1 percent owning roughly the same share of American wealth as the bottom 85 percent combined  weve seen more and more billionaires swooping in to try to save the day. They seek to personally shoulder the worlds problems, big and small, in flamboyant public fashion, often declaring their intent with spontaneous announcements on social media. (Meanwhile, many of these powered-up plutocrats were recently exposed for paying little or nothing by way of taxes.)

When not cranking out batteries and electric cars, hosting Saturday Night Live or planning to colonize Mars, the Tesla billionaire Elon Musk is jumping into Earth crises with well-intentioned but often unworkable solutions: trying to save children trapped in an underground cavern in Thailand with a sub built out of rocket parts (state of the art but not practical for our mission, said regional officials); bringing power back to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria (with mixed success, according to locals); and providing ventilators for Covid patients (a fiasco, said the headline of a piece by the editorial board of The Sacramento Bee). Some of Mr. Musks fellow billionaires are taking on even bigger monsters: Bill Gates is spending his software fortune to fight global disease, poverty and inequity. Mark Zuckerberg is underwriting moonshot solutions to fix voting and racism. Jeff Bezos is investing billions to create a network of free Montessori-like preschools.

These are worthy causes, to be sure. Theyre also enormous, structural challenges that global governments have struggled with for generations. And yet these visionary megamoguls believe they can overcome them in their spare time, through the power of concentrated cash and out-of-the-box, disruptive thinking, nearly always involving technology.

The problem with out-of-the-box approaches is that they tend to ignore the on-the-ground realities faced by actual human people. The problem with disruption is that its by definition in conflict with existing systems  which means end-running or sidelining incumbent institutions and infrastructure in local communities. And the problem with technology is that it accelerates and amplifies everything, which might get beneficial solutions to more people faster, but also runs the risk of turning small mistakes into full-blown catastrophes.

More honest portrayals of fictional superplutocrats acknowledge all this. In the Marvel Universe, the billionaire Tony Stark is brilliant and well meaning, but also a narcissistic, self-indulgent boy-man; he makes snap decisions without consideration as to their impact on little people, and he and his fellow Avengers get hundreds of Sokovians killed in the process. He conceives of a global security system that will end all war, putting a suit of armor around the world; and the result is a killer android thats set on extinguishing humanity. (Vast wealth can also help cover up for the collateral wreckage caused by mavericks run amok  Stark underwrites an official cleanup force called Damage Control that quietly addresses the destruction and mayhem caused by heroic interventions in the Marvel Universe.)
During his childhood, Nicholas Casey, Madrid bureau chief for The New York Times, received visits from his father. He would arrive from some faraway place where the ships on which he worked had taken him, regaling his son with endless stories. He had black curly hair like Nicholass and the beard he would one day grow.

But then after Nicholass seventh birthday, he vanished.

It was the beginning of a mystery that would lead the reporter to Cuba, South America and Los Angeles on a mission of selfhood.

The familial riddle that plagued him would remain unsolved until his 33rd birthday with a gift from his mother: an ancestry test.
The P3CO policy has a significant shortcoming, according to David Relman, a member of the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity and a microbiologist at Stanford University: It only applies to the grant process in agencies that are part of H.H.S. Grants from the National Science Foundation, the Pentagon or other agencies could include dangerous research and also need oversight, he said. Then there is the even thornier question of private research, not funded by the government.

Dr. Relman has also criticized the governments process for screening and approving gain-of-function research. At a January 2020 meeting of the advisory board, he objected to the lack of information released about how two research proposals were approved.

Rozanne Sandri-Golin, editor in chief of the Journal of Virology, a scientist who works on the herpes virus and a fellow member of the board, said Dr. Relman made a strong case about the lack of transparency in the grant-screening process. The board was told that a committee made the decision but their names werent published, their backgrounds werent published and the process that they used for deciding whether or not it was going to be all right to now proceed with this research was not clearly defined, she said.

The secrecy of the screening process was the most worrisome part of government oversight of potentially dangerous research, according to Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at University of Saskatchewans Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, who was doing research in the United States at that time. Its not clear how they decide whats acceptable gain of function and whats not, she said.

However, the star chamber nature of the process was not its biggest problem, said Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers who has also been one of the most vocal proponents of the lab leak theory, and a longtime advocate of stricter control of research on dangerous pathogens. An even bigger issue, he said, was that gain-of-function research was simply not being screened in accordance with the policy established by H.H.S., which includes the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, run by Dr. Fauci.

The ideal solution, he said, would be the creation of an independent body to provide the oversight of dangerous pathogen research, similar to what the Nuclear Regulatory Commission does for studies of radioactive materials.
Nine children and one adult were killed in Alabama on Saturday afternoon when a van of children returning from a beach vacation and a sport-utility vehicle collided, and the van burst into flames, the authorities said.

The van, owned by the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranch, and the S.U.V. collided on Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, Ala., said Michael Smith, the chief executive of the nonprofit organization, which provides Christian, family-style residential homes for children in crisis, according to its website.

Nine people were in the van: five girls, three boys and the driver, Candice Gulley, who survived.

Those killed in the van were ages 3, 8, 12, 14, 15 and 17, and two were 16, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. They were all from Alabama.

They were on their way back from the beach, Mr. Smith said in an interview on Sunday. Candice was pulled from the vehicle and there was a fire, and all eight children died at the scene.
It was the most dramatic example of the conservative Catholic movements reach since Mr. Biden was elected. But the contingent had been gaining strength throughout the Trump era, clashing with the Vatican, wresting influence away from Pope Francis top representatives in the United States and further polarizing the Catholic faithful in the process. And now, American Catholics are facing an internal war over one of the churchs most sacred rituals, the Eucharist, which for Catholics is the body and blood of Christ.

Leading U.S. allies of Pope Francis, including Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark and Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, sided with the Vaticans warning against proceeding with the eucharistic document, but they were ultimately drowned out. The measure passed with a vote of 73 percent who approved it compared with 24 percent who opposed it.

That 73 percent represents emerging conservative momentum, at odds with Pope Francis broader range of priorities on issues like immigration, poverty and climate change, not only among bishops but in parishes across the country. Although the church has a hierarchical structure, bishops have significant autonomy in their own dioceses. Among the conservative movements leaders: Bishop Rhoades, who chairs the bishops committee on doctrine.

Bishop Rhoades, who, like Mr. Biden, grew up in Pennsylvania, was installed as the head of the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., in 2010 and has publicly tangled with Mr. Biden in the past. In 2016, he criticized the decision by the University of Notre Dame to honor Mr. Biden, who was then vice president, citing his support for abortion rights and gay marriage, in violation of the churchs teaching. I disagree with awarding someone for outstanding service to the Church and society who has not been faithful to this obligation, he said at the time.

Catholics in his state have been at the forefront of anti-abortion activism, pushing abortion restrictions, defending them in court and pressuring elected officials to support former President Donald J. Trumps nominations to the Supreme Court. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the courts newest Catholic judge, hails from the University of Notre Dame, in Bishop Rhoadess diocese.
Mr. Ferrari said they were not going to remove the flag.

My husband and I decided we werent going to stand by and take down our flag because somebody, I feel, was offended by the flag in our community, he said. Ten dollars, $50, $100 a day  its staying up.

In fact, he said, the couple had displayed more rainbow flags outside their home since they received the violation notice, and they had handed out rainbow flags to neighbors who had come by to show their support.

I have the right to put up a Pride flag in celebration of what our gay community has fought for, for so long, Mr. Ferrari said. Its a flag of happiness and joy and celebration, and theres nothing mean about it. And its a pretty flag.

In an email on Sunday, Mr. Ferrari said that he had gone door to door in the development, offering Pride flags. Eleven of the couples neighbors were now displaying them, he said.

It was not the first time that homeowners had been barred from displaying a rainbow flag. In Racine, Wis., a couple recently changed the bulbs on their homes floodlights to rainbow colors after they were told by their neighborhood association that they would have to take down their Pride flag, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

In Eastland Cove, a community of 34 homes built in 2000, Mr. Brosseau said, theres a lot of texting back and forth and everybody wants to do the right thing.

Asked what that would be, he said, I wish it would just go under the rug and wed live our happy lives like it never happened, but it depends on how the offender acts.
WASHINGTON  President Bidens national security adviser said on Sunday that the United States was preparing more sanctions against Russia in response to the poisoning of Aleksei A. Navalny, the countrys most prominent opposition leader, days after Mr. Biden attended his first face-to-face summit meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin.

We are preparing another package of sanctions to apply in this case, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said on CNNs State of the Union, referring to Mr. Navalnys treatment.

Mr. Sullivan was vague when pressed on the timing of the sanctions or what they would include, saying only that additional action would come as soon as we develop the packages to ensure that were getting the right targets.

When we do that, he said, we will impose further sanctions with respect to chemical weapons.

In April, the Biden administration imposed its first sanctions on Russia for the poisoning and imprisonment of Mr. Navalny. But those penalties were not specifically directed at Mr. Putin or the oligarchs who support him.
Policy changes related to individual taxpayers remain the least developed part of Democrats proposal. They had hoped to find a way to tax wealth, by capturing a slice of the fantastic annual gains in value of stocks and other assets held by the superwealthy  gains that are never taxed because they are never sold. Mr. Biden wants to raise the top income tax bracket back to 39.6 percent from the 37 percent that Mr. Trump secured, and to begin taxing capital gains from the sale of stocks by taxpayers who earn more than $1 million a year at income tax rates. For the richest taxpayers, that would nearly double capital gains rates from the current 20 percent.

Taxes need to be raised on corporations and need to be raised on that wealthiest of people who got a terrible, tremendous windfall from the Trump tax game, said Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat of Tennessee.

A tentative plan floated by Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who is the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, envisions spending as much as $6 trillion over 10 years on an economic package that would tackle what Democrats call human infrastructure, not just roads and bridges, with about half of it paid for. It would include investments in child care, health care, anti-climate-change programs, universal prekindergarten and community college access. Mr. Wydens committee would be expected to raise $2.5 trillion, a huge sum that could require significantly reordering the tax code.

We have learned recently that some of the wealthiest billionaires in this country dont pay a nickel in a given year in federal taxes, Mr. Sanders said. Youve got dozens of corporations that are going to make billions in profits and not pay a nickel in taxes. He was referring to a ProPublica report published this month that used a trove of leaked Internal Revenue Service documents to show how Americas richest men  including household names like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Michael R. Bloomberg and Warren Buffett  pay almost no federal taxes, and in some years paid no taxes at all.

It is obvious that if were going to address the needs of working families in this country, we need revenue, Mr. Sanders added, and one way that we get that revenue is by demanding that the wealthiest people, the largest corporations are paying their fair share.
The driver of a pickup truck accidentally struck and killed one man and injured another as marchers were getting ready to begin a Pride parade in South Florida on Saturday, the police said.

The police in Fort Lauderdale said on Sunday that the driver was a 77-year-old man who was unable to walk in the parade because of unspecified ailments.

The vehicle the man was driving accelerated unexpectedly as the parade began and struck two people, the police said.

After striking the pedestrians, the driver continued across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into the fence of a business on the west side of the street, the police said.
Enrique Bolanos, the former Nicaraguan president who saw his predecessor convicted of corruption and drove economic development during a brief period of democratic transition, died on June 14 at his home in Masaya, Nicaragua. He was 93.

His death was confirmed by his son Enrique Bolanos Abaunza, who said his father had been treated for emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.

Once a leading figure of the anti-Sandinista opposition and later, as president from 2002 to 2007, hailed as a staunch defender of democratic norms, Mr. Bolanos was widely seen as an elder statesman so committed to driving out corruption that he even took down his former running mate.

His death comes at a critical time for Nicaragua. His successor as president, Daniel Ortega, has in recent weeks presided over a national crackdown, arresting more than a dozen politicians and civic leaders ahead of elections to be held in November.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban entered two provincial capitals in northern Afghanistan Sunday, local officials said, the culmination of an insurgent offensive that has overrun dozens of rural districts and forced the surrender and capture of hundreds of government forces and their military equipment in recent weeks.

In Kunduz city, the capital of the province of the same name, the Taliban seized the citys entrance before dispersing throughout its neighborhoods. Kunduz was briefly taken by the Taliban in 2015 and 2016 before they were pushed back by American airstrikes, special operations forces and Afghan security forces.

Right now, I hear the sound of bullets, said Amruddin Wali, a member of Kunduzs provincial council. The Taliban have appeared in the alleys and back alleys of Kunduz, and there is panic all over the city.

The setbacks come at a harrowing moment for Afghanistan. American and international troops, now mostly based in Kabul, the capital, and at Bagram airfield, are set to leave the country in weeks.
AHMEDABAD, India  In the stifling, tightly packed medical ward at Civil Hospital, the ear, nose and throat specialist moved briskly from one bed to the next, shining a flashlight into one patients mouth, examining anothers X-rays.

The specialist, Dr. Bela Prajapati, oversees treatment for nearly 400 patients with mucormycosis, a rare and often deadly fungal disease that has exploded across India on the coattails of the coronavirus pandemic. Unprepared for this springs devastating Covid-19 second wave, many of Indias hospitals took desperate steps to save lives  steps that may have opened the door to yet another deadly disease.

The pandemic has precipitated an epidemic, Dr. Prajapati said.

In three weeks, the number of cases of the disease  known by the misnomer black fungus, because it is found on dead tissue  shot up to more than 30,000 from negligible levels. States have recorded more than 2,100 deaths, according to news reports. The federal health ministry in New Delhi, which is tracking nationwide cases to allot scarce and expensive antifungal medicine, has not released a fatalities figure.

The coronavirus pandemic has drawn stark lines between rich nations and poor, and the mucormycosis epidemic in India stands as the latest manifestation. During the second wave, which struck India in April, its creaky, underfunded medical system lacked beds, oxygen and other necessities as infections and deaths soared.
YEKATERINBURG, Russia  Patients with unexplained pneumonias started showing up at hospitals; within days, dozens were dead. The secret police seized doctors records and ordered them to keep silent. American spies picked up clues about a lab leak, but the local authorities had a more mundane explanation: contaminated meat.

It took more than a decade for the truth to come out.

In April and May 1979, at least 66 people died after airborne anthrax bacteria emerged from a military lab in the Soviet Union. But leading American scientists voiced confidence in the Soviets claim that the pathogen had jumped from animals to humans. Only after a full-fledged investigation in the 1990s did one of those scientists confirm the earlier suspicions: The accident in what is now the Russian Urals city of Yekaterinburg was a lab leak, one of the deadliest ever documented.

Nowadays, some of the victims graves appear abandoned, their names worn off their metal plates in the back of a cemetery on the outskirts of town, where they were buried in coffins with an agricultural disinfectant. But the story of the accident that took their lives, and the cover-up that hid it, has renewed relevance as scientists search for the origins of Covid-19.
BRUSSELS  A 35-day manhunt in Belgium that involved helicopters, armored vehicles, 400 soldiers and police officers, as well as reinforcements from Germany and the Netherlands, culminated on Sunday in the discovery of a body believed to be that of a missing soldier with links to the far right.

The body was found in a forest where the soldier, Jurgen Conings, 46, disappeared more than a month ago after threatening the government and virologists responsible for the countrys response to the coronavirus, the federal prosecutor said. At the time, the soldier was armed with four rocket launchers, a submachine gun and a semiautomatic pistol that he had taken from an army depot.

The prosecutor said an initial investigation indicated the body belonged to Mr. Conings, a shooting instructor who in February was classified as a high-level threat to national security. He appears to have shot himself, the authorities said.

In a letter to his girlfriend around the time he disappeared on May 17, Mr. Conings wrote that he would not give up without a fight.
By contrast, the results in the Hauts-de-France region made clear the failure of Mr. Macrons party, La Republique en Marche, to plant roots locally. The party garnered only 8.5 percent of the vote, knocking it out of the next round of voting. (Parties need at least 10 percent of the vote to qualify.)

In most regions, Mr. Macrons centrist party placed third or fourth, trailing mainstream parties on the right and the left. That was a blow to Mr. Macrons ambitions to sideline the countrys old traditional parties in favor of his young political movement that straddles right and left.

For us, its a slap in the face, Aurore Berge, a lawmaker for La Republique en Marche, told France 2.

Pascal Perrineau, a political science professor at Sciences Po university, said Sundays vote shows that the old world is not dead at all, adding that it had placed the French center-right as Frances leading political force.

The six mainland regions in which Les Republicains led included the Paris region, where it got 34 percent of the vote. The left came out on top in five regions, averaging around 25 percent of the vote in each.

The lone region that National Rally led the first round was the southern region of Provence-Alpes-Cote dAzur, or PACA, where it garnered about 35 percent of the vote.

If it is possible for the far right to win in PACA, said Olivier Faure, the leader of the Socialist Party, he will ask his partys candidate to withdraw from the race in the second round to prevent that.
The past decades have witnessed unprecedented growth in global consumption of raw materials, which also lead to increased environmental pressures. As a response to these challenges, countries across the world have made the transition to a circular economy one of their policy priorities.



Cooperation with the DG REFORM of the European Commission

Within the context of the OECDs collaboration with the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission, the OECD is supporting a number of EU Member States in their efforts to develop national circular economy strategies, roadmaps and action plans.

Towards a circular economy strategic framework in the Czech Republic

The OECD has been supporting the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic in developing a strategic framework for the circular economy  Circular Czechia 2040. In this project, the OECD developed a set of key elements for the strategic framework, including the rationale for transitioning to a circular economy in the Czech Republic and an in-depth analysis of four priority areas: consumption and consumers, waste management, economic instruments, and research innovation and digitalisation. The OECD also suggested 40 concrete policy measures to help implement the strategy, along with a monitoring framework to measure the progress made. The identified policy measures can support the Czech Republics efforts towards a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that are an important policy priority for the country. Read the report: Towards a national strategic framework for the circular economy in the Czech Republic.

Circular economy studies in the Slovak Republic and Hungary

The OECD has also launched similar cooperation with the European Commissions DG REFORM and the governments of other central European countries  the Slovak Republic and Hungary. Final outputs from those projects will be published on this website once completed.

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The weather forecast from Met Eireann for Ireland for the coming week is for the weather to turn gradually more unsettled as the week goes on with spells of rain developing after a mainly dry start to this week.

The weather forecast from Met Eireann for Ireland is for Monday to be a dry day in most areas, with spells of sunshine. However, a few isolated light showers may however affect north and northwest coasts. Highest temperatures over Leinster and Munster will range 16 to 19 degrees Celsius; It will be cooler and fresher in Connacht and Ulster, with values of 13 to 17 degrees. Winds mostly moderate north to northeast, fresh to strong on exposed coasts.

A chilly night for June on Monday night but it will be dry with largely clear skies. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in a light northerly breeze.

The weather forecast from Met Eireann for Ireland for Tuesday is for a dry, bright and fresh start to the day but cloud will build from the northwest through the day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing over the west and north towards evening. Highest temperatures of 13 to 18 degrees, coolest over the west and north and warmest in the south and east, in a light to moderate west to northwest breeze.

Tuesday night will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading southwards across the country affecting most regions. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees in a light to moderate westerly breeze.

According to Met Eireann, there will be a dull and cloudy start to the Wedneday with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. The rain and drizzle will gradually ease through the day, with dry and bright spells developing, particularly over the western half of the country. Continuing mostly cloudy in eastern counties with some rain and drizzle lingering there through the evening. Highest temperatures of 17 to 20 degrees, possibly touching 21 degrees, in a moderate westerly breeze.

Wednesday night will be mild night with a mix of cloud and clear spells, largely dry at first. Cloud will increase overnight with rain returning to western and northern counties before dawn. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees in a light to moderate southwesterly breeze.

According to the latest weather forecast from Met Eireann, Thursday will be wet and cloudy day with outbreaks of rain. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds.

Met Eireann's latest weather forecast says that current indications suggest there will be further showers or spells of rain at times to end the coming week and through next weekend, but with some sunny spells also.
Nhial Deng has been a refugee for nearly half of his life.

Nhial arrived to Kenyas Kakuma Refugee Camp in 2010, at only 11 years of age. Fleeing his village in Ethiopia after an armed militia attack, he walked hundreds of kilometres for days, alone and without family, to reach Kenya.

Young, lost, overwhelmed and afraid, Nhial says he expected the worst.

Its very hard for a young person like myself to have to go through what I went through  war and conflict, having to flee, he explains. It was a very traumatising journey.

On arrival to Kakuma, Nhial was met by a pastor in the refugee community. He helped him register as a refugee with the UN, and decided to foster him.

When I reached Kakuma, what struck me the most was that I felt home, says Nhial. He (the pastor) welcomed me to his family like his own kid. I was able to go to school and I just felt that sense of having a family again.

A large camp in Turkana county in northwestern Kenya, Kakuma is home to around 160,000 people. It was built in 1992 following conflict and unrest in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Today, Nhial heads the organisation Refugee Youth Peace Ambassadors, which aims to promote peace in Kakuma, and also delivers mentorship and empowerment activities for young people.

Nhial also works to shift the narrative on refugee issues through amplifying the voices of other young people in the camp.

He believes the dominant public discourse is driven by the media, governments and international organizations, but the way they talk about migrants and refugees is not the way migrants and refugees talk about themselves.

For narrative change to happen, he says, its crucial that refugees and migrants have a voice on these platforms. He encourages young people where possible to use the power of social media and the digital space to engage in conversations about issues that affect them and their communities.

If I don't share my story, other people end up sharing it in their own way, Nhial says. It is the same for other young refugees. If we don't take advantage of these platforms, other people will be there to tell our story, and shape and twist it the way they want.

Nhial also believes that making efforts to get to know refugees and migrants on a personal level is another element that can drive narrative change within societies.

You shouldnt need to read about me in a newspaper or see me on the TV to know me as a person, he says. You can invite me for a cup of coffee and just listen to my story. You might be surprised to find things we have in common, things we are both passionate about. Perhaps it could even be an opportunity for friendship.

Community, belonging and a place to call home

For Nhial, arriving alone to a refugee camp as a young child, community has been essential for his growth and development and his sense of belonging.

When I got to Kakuma, I felt home because I was welcomed to the community, he explains. I had friends, I felt like I was part of something, I felt like I belong here.

The challenges are constant, Nhial continues. Everyone wakes up with challenges, and goes to bed with them. But what strikes me the most, is that despite this, people also find something to smile about. Regardless of what people are going through, you can always find someone here who greets you warmly.

Nhials family has been affected by conflict across three generations. His grandfather was displaced by conflict and his father fled war in South Sudan to Ethiopia, where Nhial was born.

No one should go through this, he says. People need to live in a place of dignity, not a refugee camp. These places can kill human spirit.

The most important thing, he says, is that people have a place to call home. He wants governments to think of other alternatives to refugee camps, to welcome people into communities, where they can go to school, work and have the same opportunities as everyone else.

What I would like to see in the future for my family and for other refugees and migrants is that they have a place to call home, where their status does not limit them from living a life of dignity and respect.

Since arriving in Kakuma, Nhial has always prioritised his education, knowing it was the only way to secure a hopeful and brighter future. In two months, hell be leaving Kenya for Canada to pursue his studies at Huron University College, where he was awarded a full scholarship.

Hes not sure in which country he will end up settling, but he knows hell find home if he has a community.

I dont think home is where we are born, or where we come from, he says. I think home is the people around you. Everywhere we go, there is home for us, if we take the time to find it.

UN Human Rights launched the #StandUp4Migrants campaign on International Migrants Day in December 2020 to reshape the narrative on migration. Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June 2021, share your stories and the vision of the world you want to see with us on social media by using the hashtag #StandUp4Migrants.

Disclaimer: the views, information and opinions expressed in this article are those of the persons featured in the story and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

20 June 2021
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The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down part of the city of Waterloos new ban the box ordinance that prohibits employers from making hiring decisions based on pending criminal charges without a legitimate business reason
FILE - In this Nov. 2020, photo provided by the Scott County (Iowa) Sheriff's Office is Henry Earl Dinkins. Dinkins, an Iowa man charged in the killing of 10-year-old Breasia Terrell, who was missing for nine months before her remains were found in a pond, has pleaded not guilty Wednesday, June 16, 2021, to first-degree murder and kidnapping.
CELINA [mdash] Doyle Eugene Brittain Doyle Eugene Brittain was called to the lord on Wednesday, June 9th of 2021 in Mckinney, Texas. Doyle was born in Sigourney, Iowa and one of six children to the late Alfred and Bertha Brittain. His late siblings were Verle, Orbie, Eldon, Ruby, and Vera. H
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  A Kansas police officer is in critical condition and the person who fired at officers is dead after a shootout in Wichita, authorities said.

Two police officers were checking on the welfare of a 32-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter at a home in south Wichita around 10:15 p.m. Saturday when the shooting began. Police said the woman reported having a physical fight with her boyfriend before officers arrived, but she thought the man had left.
MANHATTAN  A northeastern Illinois father-daughter team finds the fun in farming, every day.

It may be when Dave Kestel clicks a quick picture of his daughter Frankie Kestel-Forsythe taking a nap in the buddy seat during planting season, or special moments like her wedding reception in the farm shed last year.

Hes my best friend, Frankie said of her dad.

She takes his mischief, including some social media posts, in stride and is still planning what she might do to surprise him.

Hes my role model except when hes taking pictures of me, she said with a big smile.

Their enthusiasm for agriculture is contagious. Even as a kid, Frankie was all about farm life.

When she was little, we had to check her pockets for worms before she came in, Dave said.

It never crossed my mind to do anything else, Frankie said. I wanted to follow in my dads footsteps.

Starting in high school, she worked at Grand Prairie Animal Hospital in Manhattan, Illinois, near their farm. As a teen, she wondered about becoming a veterinarian, and still likes the work so much that she continues to be a part-time vet tech there along with farming.

She took a double major in animal science and agronomy management at Illinois State University in Normal, graduating in 2018.

She is also a crop insurance agent, and offers her dad advice on that topic. Dave, who sells Pioneer Seed and is active in trying new ideas in test plots, brings recommendations on seed choices and techniques to their partnership.

The Will County farmers seem to share boundless energy. They may work long hours but often celebrate them in beautiful photos of the brilliant sunrises and colorful sunsets, which Dave may share on Facebook and Twitter. His non-farm hobbies including mountain climbing and competitive stair climbing in urban skyscrapers.

Often, the freshly-graduated next generation bring home a push for increased technology on the farm, but Frankie said her dad already was connected.

For someone who argues a lot with his computer, he does a good job with technology, Frankie said. For his generation, Im pretty impressed.

Usually their biggest argument in a day is what to have for lunch. Dave admits he would have a hamburger every meal if that was an option. And, the one he ate that day is usually the best he ever had.

Unlike lunch choices, they usually agree on how to grow corn, soybeans and raise steers together.

Frankie showed cattle for 13 years in 4-H.

I got to re-live my childhood of showing cattle in FFA, Dave said.

They graduated from the same high school in New Lenox as well. Frankie said she likes sharing all those traditions and hopes to do the same with her children someday.

Often people are surprised Frankie is a girl, she said.

I love that  its fun to surprise people, said the farmer named after her grandfather, Francis.

Frankie and her husband have flipped more traditional career roles. Kyle is a nurse and she is a farmer. Dave also had the non-traditional job of flight attendant before farming full-time.

Kyle works nights and enjoys spending some parts of his days helping on the farm. It means a lot that he is interested in it, Frankie said.

Its important to have someone who understands the lifestyle, she said.

Kyle and Frankies October 2020 wedding also reflected their styles and personalities with a church service at the Catholic church where both families attend, followed by a reception at the farm. A smiling, tuxedoed father of the bride drove the tractor pulling a hay wagon full of guests from the church to the farm. Two mighty John Deere tractors flanked the entrance of the decorated farm shed.

It was a fantastic day, Frankie said.

Dave shows a photo of the back of his wedding tie, where she pledged to always be daddys little girl. She smiles with pride that she made him cry with her gift.

When farming with his daughter, Dave said, he understands the feeling his dad, Tony, had when they farmed together. And Frankie likes knowing shes doing what her great-grandpa, grandpa and dad did.

This is exactly where Im supposed to be, she said.

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The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, did not immediately free all enslaved people in the United States. Rather, they were freed incrementally. In the Confederacy, they were freed as Union troops occupied territory. Slaveholding states that remained in the Union moved over time to abolish slavery after the proclamation, and the 13th Amendment's adoption in December 1865 finally ended it.

On June 19, 1865, two months after the war had officially ended and over two years following the issuing of Lincolns proclamation, Gen. Gordon Granger publicly read the emancipation order in Galveston, Texas. Black communities in Texas have celebrated June 19 as their day of liberation from that point forward.

A Bloomington resident, Union Army Sgt. Maj. William McCoslin, was serving in the 29th United States Colored Infantry at Ringgold Barracks, Texas, during that period. Just three months after Granger publicly read the emancipation order, McCoslin penned a letter to the editor of The Pantagraph  an appeal to address unfair treatment of his regiment. His letter provides a window into the experiences of Black soldiers serving in the Union Army.

He wrote, In the name of God and the bloody fields of battle which we have marched in thirst and hunger, rain and mud, and darkness I inquire, why have we not been restored, as volunteer troops to the bosom of our families and friends?

Evidence that a local celebration of Juneteenth was conducted in the years following the emancipation appears in the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project (BNBHP) archives in the form of an article from The Daily Leader dated Jan. 3, 1874. The headline for the article reads, Emancipation Day. Its Observance in this City. The Colored Citizens of Bloomington Celebrated their Independence.

The article proclaims that the celebration was the grandest demonstration ever made by the colored citizens of the city of Bloomington on the 11th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The celebration included processions, banners, and abundant speeches.

In more recent years, there have been three major iterations of the annual Juneteenth celebration in Bloomington-Normal.

Beginning in 1993, the BNBHP hosted a celebration on the quad of Illinois Wesleyan University each year. The event, initiated by founding project members Mildred Pratt, Pam Muirhead and Caribel Washington, took place annually through 1999. The event was developed as a continuation of other BNBHP events with the goal of bringing people together. Pratt and Washington had been leaders of the BNBHP, conducting endless research and interviews and working to advertise and expand the project since the early 1980s.

Later, between 2003 and 2015, the African American Forum (a State Farm affinity group) hosted a celebration each year at Forrest Park. The celebration included historical presentations, griot-style storytelling, musical performances and a barbecue.

Following a long hiatus and a formal reboot of the BNBHP, the project again held a local Juneteenth celebration in 2019. At that time, the event was planned to be an outdoor event, but due to fears of inclement weather, the celebration was moved indoors at the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal.

During the past year of social and racial unrest in the country, the BNBHP Juneteenth committee felt it was imperative that the celebration continue, providing an opportunity for the community to come together to commemorate and appreciate our shared history.

Despite the long tradition of Juneteenth celebrations, first in Texas and then across the country, Juneteenths recognition as a state holiday in Texas did not come until over 100 years later, in 1980.

Last October, the Bloomington City Council voted to make Juneteenth an official city holiday. The idea was put forth by Mboka Mwilambwe, who then was a council member and now is mayor. He believes that added awareness will help community members understand and appreciate the history that the day represents.

This year, the BNBHP, in partnership with the City of Bloomington Human Relations Commission and the McLean County Museum of History, presented an entire week of programming from June 14-19. The program series explored the theme Justice Delayed, offering an opportunity to examine and engage in meaningful public discussion on where we are today and asking the question, Where do we go from here?

The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project was founded in 1982, and its collections span the 19th and 20th centuries. The collections contain photographs, portraits, booklets, oral histories, articles and photocopies related to club organizations and churches of the local Black community. In 1989, the BNBHP became affiliated with the McLean County Historical Society, which now serves as a repository for the projects collections. For more information about the project and its collections, visit www.bnbhp.com.

Juneteenth 2019 in Bloomington-Normal

Pieces From Our Past is a weekly column by the McLean County Museum of History. Jeff Woodard is director of marketing and community relations at the museum.

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WILL COUNTY  Two men are dead after a chain-reaction crash involving eight motorcycles Saturday morning in Will County, according to a news release from Illinois State Police.

At approximately 10:13 a.m., eight motorcycles, part of a larger group of motorcycles, were traveling westbound on Interstate 80, west of milepost 126.5, near Interstate 55. One of the motorcycles crashed, causing a chain reaction involving all eight motorcycles, the news release stated.

Edwin Torres, 45, Chicago, driving a 2007 purple Harley-Davidson, and John O. Melvin II, 57, DuQuoin, driving a 2004 gold Harley-Davidson, were pronounced dead after the crash, according to ISP.

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A 50-year-old man from Carterville was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The other drivers  a 45-year-old man from Palatine, a 53-year-old man from Morris, a 58-year-old man from Bartlett, a 41-year-old man from Bloomington and a 51-year-old man from Kenosha, Wisconsin  were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to ISP.

All lanes of Interstate 80 westbound were shut down from about 10:19 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday.

The cause of the crash is unknown at this time, and the investigation continues.

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SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Senate adjourned Tuesday without calling a comprehensive energy regulatory reform package for a vote.

After adjournment, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, made a statement similar to one he made June 1 after the Senate failed to call an energy bill for a vote ahead of the regular session adjournment.

There are still some points of contention between two critical constituencies  between labor and the environmental activists  I believe they're going to be continuing to meet as early as this evening to try to work out those differences and the Senate stands ready, willing and able to return as soon as an agreement is reached, he said Tuesday.

Hours earlier, in an Energy and Public Utilities Committee hearing, Senator Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said the bill had stalled amid disagreements over decarbonization measures aimed at taking coal and gas plants offline.

While the discussion of caps on coal plants stalled the bill on May 31, Harmon said the sticking point is now the decarbonization of gas plants. All sides agree that gas will be taken offline by 2045, he said, but the questions pertain to what the transition period would look like.

With a phased carbon cap proposed by the governor, closure could come far sooner than 2045, Harmon said, preventing gas plants from having the ability to transition to new sequestration technology or potentially hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas.

The bill contains goals of putting the state on a path to 40 percent renewable energy by 2030 through an increased fee on ratepayer bills; encouraging adoption of electric vehicles through rebates and incentives; and getting the state to 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050. It also strengthens several ethics measures for public utilities.

It also provides several ratepayer subsidies for the development of renewable energy and preserving the profitability of nuclear energy.

That includes, but is not limited to, $694 million in subsidies to three nuclear plants owned by energy giant Exelon at a cost of about 80 cents on the average monthly ratepayer bill; an added $1.22 to an average bill to fund new renewable development; 86 cents for an expanded low-income weatherization program; about 18 cents per month to incentivize the transition of closed or closing coal plants to solar facilities; and another 9 cents per month for the conversion of coal sites to battery storage.

* * *

ELECTION CHANGES: Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Thursday a bill making several changes to the state's election code.

That elections law, which took effect immediately upon the governors signature, will instructs election authorities to create a permanent vote-by-mail list which voters may choose to join. It also makes Election Day 2022 a state holiday and requires election authorities to create a central voting site where all residents within the authoritys jurisdiction can cast a ballot on Election Day 2022.

It also allows political candidates to use campaign funds for child care and care for other dependents, and requires that any vacancy in the General Assembly be filled in an open meeting, rather than behind closed doors. It beefs up cybersecurity requirements as well.

It allows, but does not require, county jails to establish polling places to allow an inmate to vote if they are a resident of the county and have not been convicted of the offense for which they are in custody. It also creates provisions for curbside voting during early voting and on Election Day.

* * *

TWO-DAY SESSION ENDS: Illinois lawmakers finished a two-day special session Thursday by passing some important legislation but without reaching agreement on the one issue they had hoped to resolve  an energy bill that would phase out all carbon emissions from power plants over the next 30 years.

Topping their list of accomplishments was the final, slightly amended passage of a $42.3 billion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, something they thought they had completed when they first adjourned June 1, but which Pritzker was forced to send back for a minor change to correct drafting errors regarding the effective date of various provisions.

The budget provides essentially flat funding for most state government operations, with the exception of K-12 education, which will see the $350 million increase called for in the evidence-based funding formula, and some human services such as Medicaid.

The bill also calls for using about $1 billion in federal funds from the recently-passed American Rescue Plan Act to get an early start on infrastructure projects that are part of the Rebuild Illinois capital improvements program of 2019, something Pritzker said would create new jobs throughout the state and help accelerate the states economic recovery.

Republicans, however, harshly criticized that spending, arguing that the projects were hand-picked solely by Democratic lawmakers.

They also criticized the budget for not addressing the large deficit in the states unemployment insurance trust fund, which some have estimated may be as large as $5 billion.

Democrats, however, countered that the trust fund deficit can be addressed at a later time, possibly with additional federal relief.

In addition to fixing the budget bill, lawmakers also passed legislation this week to ensure that people who, through no fault of their own, received more unemployment benefits than they were entitled to will not be required to pay back those overpayments.

They also passed legislation aimed at clearing up a backlog of applications for Firearm Owners Identification cards as well as legislation providing for a first-ever elected Chicago school board, an issue that had divided legislative Democrats and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

* * *

VACCINE LOTTERY: Any vaccinated Illinoisan will be automatically entered into a lottery for $10 million in prizes without having to take any extra steps to enter.

Pritzker announced the all in for the win vaccine lottery at an event in Chicago, noting it would award $7 million in cash prizes for adults 18 years of age and older, as well as $3 million in scholarship awards for Illinoisans ages 12 to 17.

The first drawing will be conducted by the Illinois Lottery on July 8 and drawings will continue into August. Prizes will include cash payments from $100,000 to $1 million. Scholarships would be in the form of Bright Start 529 savings plans worth $150,000 each.

The money is allocated from federal American Rescue Plan funding, of which the state received more than $8 billion.

Drawings will be conducted statewide and individually in the states Restore Illinois regions that coincided with mitigation efforts throughout the pandemic. In the final drawing August 26, the winners of the final two of three $1 million prizes will be chosen from a statewide pool.

To receive a vaccine, Illinoisans were required to give their information to the medical professional who administered the vaccine, so Pritzker said that is how the names will be chosen for the drawings. Anyone having received at least their first dose by July 1 would be eligible for prizes in the first drawing.

Those who win would be contacted by the Illinois Department of Public Health, who will seek permission to share the winners name with the Illinois Lottery. IDPH will not share information without a recipients consent, according to a news release.

More information is available at allin.illinois.gov.

Nearly 70%of the states 18-and-older population had received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Thursday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. That number was 67% for Illinoisans 12 and older, and 89% for those 65 and older.

For full vaccination, the number as of Thursday was 50% for 12 and older, 53% for 18 and older, and 73% for 65 and older.

Pritzker and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said they were hopeful that the lottery would increase vaccine participation to continue to drive positivity rates and hospitalizations downward. They noted vaccinations remain free for Illinoisans at a variety of locations, such as mass vaccination sites, local health departments, chain and small pharmacies, doctors offices and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

* * *

FOID BILL: The Illinois house on Wednesday passed an expansive Firearm Owner Identification card law change.

House Bill 562 already passed the Senate on May 31 by a 40-17 vote and it passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 75-40.

FOID card applicants would not be required to submit fingerprints, but if they do, or they share with the Illinois State Police the fingerprints they filed to receive their Concealed Carry License, they would be eligible for the automatic renewal process, which is to be established by ISP by 2023.

Otherwise, the application fee for renewal would remain at $10 every 10 years.

The bill also strengthens enforcement mechanisms for removing guns from the hands of those who have had FOID cards revoked.

That includes creating a prohibited persons portal to track people who have had their cards revoked or suspended.

The bill also requires ISP to establish the Violent Crime Intelligence Task Force to aid in enforcement of FOID card revocation or suspension enforcement. The task force would conduct enforcement operations for those with suspended or revoked licenses, with a priority on individuals presenting a clear and present danger to themselves or to others, according to the bill. The task force would be a law enforcement entity, not a legislative task force.

Another portion of the bill would require ISP, by July 2022, to create a publicly searchable database that contains the serial numbers of weapons that have been reported stolen. The measure also requires the State Police to monitor state and federal databases for residents charged with firearm-related crimes.

The bill also creates a FOID Card Review Board to consider appeals on denied or revoked cards.

Also per the bill, anyone engaging in a private sale or transfer of a gun would be required to maintain records of the sale for a period of 20 years, unless it was done through a Federal Firearms Licensee.

The bill also authorizes ISP to produce an electronic FOID and Concealed Carry License, allows the agency to provide a single card for FOID and CCL, and would update FOID and CCL renewal dates to be the same for one cardholder.

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The bill also allows a card applicant to notify ISP that they would like to receive text or email notifications for renewal instead of mail reminders.

* * *

REMOTE BUDGET VOTE: The Illinois House changed its rules Wednesday to allow lawmakers to cast votes on legislation remotely, giving them enough votes to pass a change to the budget bill and other measures.

Shortly after this rule change, House Democrats approved the amendment to the budget that resulted from a drafting error in the bill the House passed shortly before midnight on May 31.

The budget amendment that was requested by Pritzker passed the House Wednesday, 71-44, with the three additional remote votes giving Democrats the minimum number required to pass the bill.

The budget now will head back to the governor for his signature.

Pritzker issued an amendatory veto of next years $42.3 billion budget on Tuesday to ensure that state funding takes effect when the 2022 fiscal year begins on July 1.

Pritzkers amendatory veto to the budget made July 1 the date that portions of next years operating budget would take effect, since some of those sections of the budget were not assigned an effective date.

The amendment to the budget bill was approved on Tuesday by the Senate, 36-21, which is also exactly the number of votes it needed to pass.

Votes taken in either chamber after May 31 must receive a three-fifths majority, under the state constitution, or at least 36 votes in the Senate and 71 votes in the House, in order for an earlier effective date to be implemented.

Republicans called out their Democratic counterparts for overlooking key errors in the more than 3,000-page operating budget bill that was introduced late in the night on May 31 before it was approved less than an hour later.

Some Republican House members also spoke in opposition to the resolution allowing remote voting, which will only be permitted until the first day of the fall veto session in November 2021.

Rep. Tim Butler, a Springfield Republican, said the lawmakers could vote remotely for any reason because the resolution did not establish any criteria for allowing remote participation.

* * *

JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY: The day that marks the anniversary of the day in 1865 when some of the last enslaved Americans learned that they had been freed is now an official state holiday in Illinois.

At a bill signing ceremony in front of a signed copy of President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation, Pritzker signed House Bill 3922 into law, designating June 19 as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Illinois.

With this new law, no longer can a child grow up in Illinois without learning about Juneteenth in school, Pritzker said. With this change, the people of Illinois will have a day to reflect on how the freedom that we celebrate just two weeks later, on the Fourth of July, was delayed to Black Americans.

Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. It declared that all slaves held in states that were in rebellion against the United States were immediately and permanently free.

That proclamation did nothing, however, for slaves held in states like Kentucky and Maryland that had not seceded from the Union. They would not become free until after ratification of the 13th amendment in 1865.

It also did not immediately free slaves who were held in territory that was still under the control of the Confederacy. Those slaves had to wait until Union forces captured their territory which, in many cases, did not happen until near the end of the war.

Most historians date the end of the war as April 9, 1865, when Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who led the Army of Northern Virginia, surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. But not all Confederate armies surrendered at that time.

It was more than two months later, on June 19, 1865, when federal forces reached Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved people in that city, and throughout Texas, that they had been freed.

Under the new law, June 19 will be recognized as an official state holiday and all flags covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act will be flown at half-staff. In addition, a Juneteenth flag will fly over the State Capitol in Springfield.

* * *

BIPA LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT: Six Flags Great America has agreed to a $36 million settlement to end a class-action lawsuit over the amusement parks use of finger-scan entry gates.

Six Flags doesnt admit to any fault or liability as part of the agreement, which is subject to final approval at a court hearing in October.

The lawsuit, filed in Lake County, claims that the finger scan violates the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act, which regulates how companies can use an individuals biometric data  such as a fingerprint or a scan of the hand or face geometry.

The law, passed in 2008, was first the state or federal law to establish a person's individual right to sue over biometric privacy rights. It also requires that entities must have written consent from a person before collecting and storing that persons biometric information.

The law also provides damages of $1,000 for each negligent violation and $5,000 for each intentional or reckless violation.

Stacy Rosenbach, the lead plaintiff in the case against Six Flags, sued the Gurnee amusement park in 2016 on behalf of her son, Alexander, who provided his fingerprint to gain entry, without first giving his consent.

The case eventually reached the Illinois Supreme Court.

The question before the high court was whether a violation under BIPA must allege actual injury or harm, rather than basing the violation entirely on the injury or harm that occurs when biometric data is collected without a persons consent.

Six Flags argued that there was not an actual injury because the biometric data was not breached or stolen.

In 2019, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that an individual need not allege some actual injury or adverse effect, beyond violation of his or her rights in order to qualify as an aggrieved person under BIPA, and be entitled to damages and other relief.

After the Supreme Court ruling, both parties entered into mediation. The Lake County Court preliminarily approved the proposed settlement agreement last month and the settlement was recently made public.

Under the agreement, people who first had their finger scanned when entering Six Flags Great America between Oct. 1, 2013, and April 30, 2016, can receive up to $200, over five installments.

People who first had their finger scanned when entering the park between May 1, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2018, can receive up to $60, in five installments.

* * *

PHASE 5 BEGINS: As of Friday, June 11, Illinois is in Phase 5 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, meaning businesses and organizations can resume normal activity, although some limited restrictions remain in place.

Under Phase 5 guidelines, capacity limits are lifted for both indoor and outdoor activities while people who have been fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear face coverings in most settings and businesses are no longer required to enforce mask mandates or maintain social distancing rules, although they may continue to do so if they choose.

People who have not been fully vaccinated are still encouraged to wear face coverings, and all people are still required to wear face coverings while traveling on public transportation, in congregate settings, in health care settings as well as in schools, day cares and educational institutions.

* * *

PRITZKER ON PANDEMIC: During an interview with Capitol News Illinois last week, Pritzker said that even though the state was ready to enter the final reopening phase, he was not yet prepared to lift the disaster proclamation he first issued on March 9, 2020, which has served as the legal basis behind scores of executive orders such as a ban on residential evictions and utility shutoffs. It has been extended monthly since that date.

It's a new chapter, of course, in the pandemic but we aren't quite ready yet to remove the disaster declaration, Pritzker said. There are things that need to be ramped down and, you know, making sure of course that we actually are seeing continued decrease of cases and hospitalizations.

Asked during his interview with CNI whether, in retrospect, he wished he would have handled things differently, Pritzker said he had to work with the information he had at the time.

I can tell you that if I knew then what I know now, I'm sure I might have made some different decisions, he said. But that just wasn't something available to me. What we had was a novel coronavirus.

Pritzker added that just a few days before he issued the stay-at-home order he received projections  a copy of which he said remains on his desk  that said if the state took no action, Chicago alone would see 20,000 deaths from COVID-19 by August of that year.

So we had to make decisions quickly. We had to be decisive about it, he said. I needed to be transparent and communicate at 188 press conferences during the year 2020. And it was my job to not only give people the facts, but do that in the face of the president in Washington, D.C., who was lying to people about this. And I think people needed to hear from somebody, somebody that they would be willing to listen to, that they trust.

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ROCKTON  Heather Haynes spent much of Friday afternoon using a grabber to pick up debris scattered in her yard on Watts Avenue, several hundred yards from the fire-ravaged Chemtool plant.

"There were some very large chunks, but a lot of it is smaller pieces that have broken apart," Haynes, 47, said. "There's also some metal or paint particles. It's very fragile, so picking that up is my biggest concern because I don't want the pets walking on that."

Haynes and other residents living within one mile of the plant were given the all clear to return to their homes four days after Monday's massive fire broke out.

Haynes, her 13-year-old son, Jaxon Sanchez, her two dogs and one cat have spent the last several days at her mother's house outside the evacuation zone since Monday's catastrophe.

"It was a little scary at first. Explosions woke me up on Monday morning," she said. "My son's anxiety level was elevated. I just went into mom mode. I gathered him and the animals and we left. I hope this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I just have to deal with it."

Down the street, Brent Loomis inspected the damage to his home on Watts Avenue, where he has lived since 2002.

Loomis and his beloved pitbull/boxer mix Conrad hastily evacuated their home minutes after the fire broke out.

"I can't do anything right now because all of the windows in my house were left open," Loomis said. "My house is filled with smoke or whatever it is that's burning over there. I'm basically living out of my truck, at a hotel or at a friend's house trying to figure out what to do first. I've never been in a situation like this."

Loomis, 47, plans to file a claim with Chemtool's parent company, Lubrizol, for reimbursement of the expenses he incurred from having to leave his home for four days.

He's also concerned about his drinking water.

"We have water wells here getting contaminated. When it rains, all of the debris is draining down into our wells," Loomis said. "I don't have city water. I have a well and they couldn't get somebody to clean that up."

Across the street, Tatiana Stricklin pulled into her driveway to check on the home she shares with her husband, Kevin, and their two small children, ages 3 and 1.

Stricklin and her family have been staying at a hotel since Monday.

"We've been back to get some stuff and every time we come back, we've been overcome by the smell," Stricklin, 19, said. "My head has been pounding. We've had massing headaches from it, so we've just been trying to stay away as much as we can. There's a lot of debris out back so, until it gets cleaned up, the kids probably won't play outside much."

Air quality in and around the fire site is being evaluated from more than 30 monitoring devices throughout the area, according to the Winnebago County Health Department.

Water samples are also being collected from the Rock River, sentinel wells, wastewater treatment plants, sanitation lines on site and water runoff from fire suppression.

Sampling is also being done in storm sewers to assess for contaminants.

The cause of Monday's fire remains under investigation. The fire is not considered suspicious or the result of criminal activity, Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson said Friday.

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RICHTON PARK  Greater community outreach in an effort to boost membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars is a priority for Bobby Welch, a Richton Park resident recently installed as the new state commander for the VFW Department of Illinois.

An Iraqi war veteran, Welch said a bigger emphasis on community service projects might draw veterans who also were deployed in the Middle East, and also help raise the community profile of individual VFW posts.

"They think of the VFW as that corner bar that nobody wants to go into," he said of the public's perception of the organization, which traces its roots to 1899.

Welch was installed as state commander June 12 after wrapping up a one-year term as senior vice commander. He said there are 268 VFW posts in Illinois, among them Post 450 in Alsip where he serves as a trustee.

Statewide membership is 41,000, but the number has been falling sharply each year, Welch said.

"We have lost 10,000 members in the last five years," he said. "I'm figuring we're losing about 3,000 each year because of deaths or members dropping out or moving out of state."

Maintaining a stable or rising membership level will allow posts to do more community engagement work, Welch said.

"Without numbers we can't do what we want to do," he said. "Hopefully we can show those other veterans who are on the fence about joining the good things we do."

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Welch entered the Navy in October 1993, and following graduation from recruit training in March 1994 he was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 in Gulfport, Mississippi.

He separated from active duty in May 2000 and later joined the Naval Reserve and was assigned to a Seabee battalion at the Naval Operational Support Center Chicago, Great Lakes, Illinois.

He was deployed in 2006 to Iraq and was based at Camp Al Taqaddum until 2011, and retired in February 2013 as a chief petty officer.

Welch has a degree in construction management and works as an engineering equipment operator for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers based in East Chicago, Indiana.

With a full-time job, the 46-year-old Welch said he and his girlfriend, Cathy Sullivan, a member of the auxiliary at Post 450, will be traveling pretty much every weekend until his term expires next year, visiting posts around the state and meeting with officers of the state VFW's 17 districts.

Welch's nickname is "Chief," and it came about when he first joined a VFW Post in Bradley.

"I am a retired chief petty officer with the Navy and when I joined the post I was still in the Reserves," he said. "One of the guys from my unit who was a post member introduced me as 'Chief' and the name stuck."

He said he has been a member of the Alsip post since 2014.

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All sorts of information is now spilling out about how former president Donald Trumps Department of Justice sought to investigate leaks related to the Russia investigation. Under Trump, the department subpoenaed the confidential data of journalists and, apparently, the White House counsel. Both of these are chilling, but arguably the worst violation so far is the Justice Departments investigation into members of Congress, including Adam Schiff, who was spearheading the Russia investigation in Congress.

The reason this is so bad: it actively violated the separation of powers, a core constitutional principle.

The Constitutions framers designed a system in which different branches of government would serve as checks on one other. The basic idea was, in James Madisons famous formula, that ambition must be made to check ambition, so that no one branch could consolidate power in itself and thereby undermine the structure of republican government. With the separation of powers, whenever one branch exercises great power, the others have the capacity to oversee it.

The rules that govern disclosure of classified material are based on executive orders issued by the president. They dont apply to members of Congress  because the president has no jurisdiction over them, and they dont work for the president. For the Department of Justice to investigate members of Congress and seek to determine whether they are leaking classified information thus exceeds the authority of the executive branch.

The laws passed by Congress that criminalize disclosure of classified information almost certainly dont apply to members of Congress. They apply to employees and officers of the federal government  that is, workers in the executive branch. This makes sense insofar as Congress effectively delegated the system of classifying secret information to the executive. Congress could in principle have criminalized leaks by its own members. But it hasnt done so, at least not expressly.

As a result, leaks by members of Congress wouldnt constitute a crime. When the executive branch shares classified information with Congress, it has to trust the peoples representatives to keep secrets that are truly crucial to maintain national security.

Congress functions as an official, constitutionally recognized source of oversight over the executive branch. Indeed, even more than the judiciary, which can only assure that the executive branch follows the law when someone brings a case to it, the legislature is the primary institution charged under the Constitution with checking and overseeing the executive. You could formulate it into a simple rule: No congressional oversight, no democracy.

The genuine danger posed by Department of Justice investigations into congressional leaks is that the security apparatus of the executive branch could come to dominate the democratically elected Congress. That would undercut the very capacity of Congress to oversee the executive.

The fact that Congress was looking into possible collusion with Russia by Trump as part of its impeachment inquiry makes this danger clear. If the president can launch inquiries into the members of the branch of government charged with overseeing him, he can short-circuit the power of Congress. To put it bluntly, the president and the Department of Justice could break democracy.

A first step in appropriate reform is for the Department of Justice to announce guidelines according to which it will not investigate members of Congress or subpoena their records unless they are being investigated for a statutory crime such as corruption.

If these guidelines arent enough to constrain the executive, it might be worth going further, and requiring special vetting by independently appointed, nonpartisan prosecutors before any such investigation could be launched.

The Trump Department of Justice repeatedly violated traditional norms of departmental independence. Now we need formal steps to help restore that independence  fast.

Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist

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Fathers aren't high on pop culture's popularity list right now.

Among our more recent phrases that we say and everyone immediately knows what you mean are such charmers as "dad joke" and "dad bod." An insurance company's ad campaign features a fictional doctor who helps people avoid the kinds of things that fathers do since becoming fathers, like offering unasked-for help and reading World War II histories.

Fathers won't apologize for the things they do that make them fathers. Because part of the father's job is to provide us with all of those things and one more. Dad can at some point embody everything we hope to avoid. But Dad also provides the example, the consistency and the strength needed to navigate through life's tough moments.

Let's remember that Sunday as we mark Father's Day.

Father's Day celebrates fatherhood and honors fathers, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers and father figures in society.

As we move deeper into the 21st century, we realize our fathers come in different type, shapes and styles. The families baby boomers watched in television situation comedies may have never really existed. Even if they did, they're far less common now. Families and fatherhoods are defined by many different factors rather that just one. Our relationships with as fathers are as unique as we are from one another. For every loving father-son relationship about which we hear, there are inevitably others decidedly less than ideal. That's part of the reason we recognize father figures as well on this day. However independent any of us are or want to feel we are, we are better people when we have that adult influence we require.

The role that is assumed by a father or father figure is possibly as important as it's been in history. As much as life has turned easier since our fathers and father figures were children, today's youngsters face things their elders could never have imagined facing as kids. That stabilizing hand, the well-considered advice, and the simple wisdom fathers are able to provide to their children are vital to our society.

The tradition of Father's Day is believed to have been started in an attempt to comfort suddenly fatherless children. The first recognition came during a memorial service held after in excess of 360 men died in a 1907 mining accident in Monongah, W. Va., the worst mining disaster United States history. In 1909, Sonota Dodd of Spokane, Wash., began a unsuccessful decades-long campaign for national recognition of the day.

The resistance largely came from a public concerned that the push was commercialization, although Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge both actively campaigned to make the holiday a national one. Commentators and social scientists of the day argued that men were primarily breadwinners, with a limited domestic role. By World War II, the day was marketed as one to honor those serving in the armed forces, and as one history of Father's Day reports, by the end of that war, Father's Day may not have been official, but it was certainly tradition.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

While fatherhood is a gift, it also has no instruction book. Those choices made by father figures are carried with us forever. We thank them

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June 17 marked the 50th anniversary of President Richard Nixons 1971 speech beginning the war on drugs. By any objective accounting, the drawn-out conflict has been a colossal failure. It was begun under false pretenses, has cost billions, has destroyed livelihoods and lives  and perhaps most glaringly, has not made a dent in drug abuse, which is unhealthy to individuals and society.

The nations awakenings on two substances, marijuana and prescription opioids, point the way to what can and should be a better approach: increasingly treating addiction and its consequences as public health problems rather than criminal ones.

The shift in cannabis policy has been swift, stark and valuable, as more than a dozen states have legalized it for adults. Yet the persistence of idiotic federal policy underlines how dangerously entrenched the drug wars punishing approach remains. The Drug Enforcement Administration has, for nearly half a century, classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, lumping pot in with far more dangerous substances, as having high potential for abuse and no medical value, despite the fact medicinal marijuana is legal in 36 states. That, and parallel policies remaining in many states, turn many Black and brown Americans into criminals for doing what whites routinely do with impunity.

Meantime, in recent years, an exploding opioid crisis that hooked millions on prescription pharmaceuticals and drove hundreds of thousands into overdose deaths has led to widespread calls to begin getting addicted individuals into treatment rather than serving up cycles of punishment. Its a long-overdue corrective, and one that should apply to more substances.

More, not all. Some substances are so addictive and dangerous they must be banned for sale, and those bans enforced by police and prosecutors. And many narcotics are so tightly linked to organized crime and deadly violence, they too demand a tougher approach.

Keep fighting that good fight, while profoundly recalibrating the larger war.

New York Daily News

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100 years ago

June 20, 1921: Weedman, a tiny unincorporated spot near Farmer City, hosted the Epworth League convention at the M.E. Church. People say its the biggest convention in years, and credit the spirit of Weedman people for making it happen. Guests were put up in local homes.

75 years ago

June 20, 1946: Uncle Sam has no use for surplus pigeons now that the war is over. So veterans and active service members can get their very own military pigeon free by applying to the War Assets Corp. office in Peoria. These birds all have pedigrees and were trained in Burma.

50 years ago

June 20, 1971: The BHS class of 1946 is preparing for its very first reunion, 25 years after graduation. Alumni include actor McLean Stevenson and Judge William Townley. It was determined that collectively class members have 333 children and 201 years of military service.

25 years ago

June 20, 1996: Postal workers picketed the Empire Street post office, protesting reform efforts and remarks by Postmaster General Marvin Runyon. He was quoted as saying that postal workers salaries were outrageous. Workers handed out leaflets and drew honks of support.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.
Photo: (Photo : Pexels)

A certified nurse-midwife is a provider of primary gynecological healthcare to women of varying ages. CNMs are advanced practice nurses as they graduate with a master's or another higher-level education program. Their role goes beyond helping women to deliver and caring for a baby. They provide lifelong reproductive health care to women whether they are pregnant or not.

Many confuse CNM with certified midwives (CM) who help women give birth and attend to newborns. A CNM is a registered nurse and a graduate from a nurse-midwifery program. Certified midwives do not go through the path of becoming registered nurses. Instead, they study to earn a health-related degree and graduate from a midwifery program. CNMs and CMs sit for similar certification exams to get authority to practice, but the designation of their professions is different.

How to become a certified nurse-midwife

Certified nursing midwifery is an advanced practice that requires a nurse to complete another career-relevant educational program. A certified nurse-midwife went to NP school and earned an MSN degree. Before progressing to study, a Master of Science degree in nursing requires someone to the beholder of bachelor's degrees, preferably Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After the degree, anyone intending to become a CNM takes the first step by becoming a registered nurse since it is an entry requirement to a nurse-midwifery program. Someone becomes a registered nurse (RN) by completing an accredited nursing program and pass a licensure exam to earn practicing certification as a nurse in a state.

An MSN degree helps to enhance the RN competencies and demonstrate greater breadth and depth of knowledge. The graduate degree also increases skills and the ability to make interventions. The MSN degree must be from an accredited school and program. A registered nurse intending to work as a certified nurse-midwife should also have served in a labor and delivery unit for around a year or more.

Work of a certified nurse-midwife

A CNM's primary role is to offer advice, intervention, or treatment. They specialize in gynecological matters, including pregnancy, childbirth as well as postpartum health care. In addition, CNMs handle reproductive health issues from adolescence, pregnancy, motherhood, and post-menopause care. The education and qualification of CNMs make the advanced practice registered nurses. They can prescribe medication and get more responsibilities than the registered nurses. Apart from attending to women, some CNMs also assist male patients with reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections.

The core duties of a certified nurse-midwife are:

Educate women about birthing options

Assist mothers through their attempts to conceive, planning pregnancy and birth

Teach partners about family planning, contraceptives, and reproductive health

Monitor health of pregnant mothers and fetal growth

Treat pregnancy-related illnesses

Prepare women for labor

Perform low-intervention techniques like inducing labor or pain relief during labor

Assist with the delivery process at hospitals or birthing centers

Assist new mothers with self-care, breastfeeding, and postpartum healthcare

Write prescriptions

Perform physical exams

Order lab tests and review the results

CNMs, because of their advanced practice role, can perform administrative duties like taking a history of a patient, handle appointments, and process payments. They can engage medical doctors and other specialists when needed during pregnancy or birth. CNMs, while working with obstetricians and gynecologists, perform diagnostic tests and prescribe treatment. Some states allow them to work independently. CNMs working alone can request, perform and interpret diagnostic tests to prescribe medicine.

Where to find certified nurse-midwives

You can get a certified nurse-midwife practicing at these places providing healthcare.

Hospitals

Community healthcare clinics

Physician offices

Outpatient care centers

Patient homes

Some of the CNMs join policy-making, administrative and advocacy roles. These are professionals with an interest in working outside the clinical settings in hospitals and birth centers. For instance, CNM with a passion for safety during labor can use the training and experience to advocate for an initiative that improves patients' lives.

Many pregnant women prefer working since they provide more personalized care and approach birth more naturally than the traditional obstetricians. In addition, they usually have the time to include a woman's family in care plans during pregnancy, delivery, and aftercare.
The Public Relations Unit of NLA would like to state categorically that KGL is NOT indebted to NLA by an amount of GHS 55Million as has been stated by one Kwaku Antwi-Boadu, a supposed spokesperson for faceless Lotto Marketing Companies.



We would like to urge the general public, stakeholders and media to totally and wholly disregard the defamatory statement in circulation against KGL Technology Limited issued by one Kwaku Antwi-Boadu who claims to be the spokesperson for the Lotto Marketing Companies. The only recognized LMCs is the Members of Association of Lotto Marketing Companies.



Setting the records straight:

1. NLA/KGL Contract is one of the best so far. This contract is also NOT full of scandals as is being alleged by Kwaku Antwi-Boadu and his LMCs.



2. NLA/KGL Contract NEVER poses any threat to human security as is being alleged by Kwaku Antwi-Boadu and his group.



3. KGL has totally and completely respected the contract that it has with NLA. It is also NEVER true that KGL Contract has collapsed NLA and rendered the members of the LMCs jobless.



4. It is NEVER true that there are over 120,000 LMCs across the country. It is a complete lie with data to dispute the allegation. Again, it is NEVER true that the KGL contract will increase unemployment rate in the Country.



5. It is NEVER true that KGL has not fulfilled its payments to NLA under the company's provisional license.



6. Furthermore, it is NEVER true that KGL is indebted to NLA to the tune of 55million Ghana Cedis. That is a complete fabrication from dishonest individuals who do not understand laws of contract and whose only desire is to discredit and destroy the reputation of KGL Technology Limited and National Lottery Authority(NLA).



KGL is fully committed to the fulfillment of its obligations under the company's provisional license.



If Kwaku Antwi-Boadu and his group have been able to co-exist with the illegal Lotto Operators/Agents/Writers for the last 33 years then certainly the request by Kwaku Antwi-Boadu and his LMCs for the cancellation of NLA-KGL digitalization contract is completely baseless and without logical reasoning.



The NLA/KGL Contract is in line with the Governments digitalization Programme at the National Lottery Authority(NLA).



The Government through the Ministry of Finance, National Lottery Authority (NLA) and KGL Technology Limited would institute NLA-KGL Stabilization Fund to address the concerns of Lotto Marketing Companies who feel threatened by the digitalization programme of NLA in partnership with KGL Technology Limited.



Digitalization of Lottery has come to stay and absolutely no noise, demonstration, propaganda and defamatory statements by known and unknown faces can destroy the project.





Source: Head of PR, NLA









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 Bank of Ghana (BoG) has launched a special programme to purchase gold from local producers to help shore up the countrys gross international reserves (GIR).



The first of its kind, the central bank is hopeful that the initiative will help double its gold holdings in the GIR in the next five years to help foster confidence in the local currency, enhance currency stability and create a more attractive environment for foreign direct investments to spur economic growth.



The bank also expects to leverage the increased gold holdings to raise cheaper sources of funds to provide short-term foreign exchange liquidity for the economy.



It comes at a time when the banks gold holdings has remained static at 8.77 tonnes for 15 years, although the country has been producing gold for more than a century, becoming the lead producer in Africa in 2019.



Central banks of developed countries such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany and other European countries, keep part of their reserves in the precious metal as a store of value and buffer for their currencies.



Some investors also do that as a hedge against currency depreciation, the tumbling of markets (shares prices).



Historic



The Governor of the BoG, Dr Ernest Addison, said at the launch in Accra yesterday that the initiative was historic, as it marked the first time the central bank was embarking on domestic gold purchasing to augment its foreign reserves.



He said it also marked a significant change in the modus operandi of the banks foreign exchange reserves management operations, adding that the programme promised to revolutionarise the small-scale mining sector in the country.



Dr Addison said it was ironical that Ghana was not an active buyer of gold, in spite of mining gold for centuries.



He said the central banks of countries such as the United States of America, Turkey, India, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Colombia, Cambodia, among others, were reaping the full benefits for being active gold purchasers and Ghana could no longer remain on the fence.



Benefits



Ghanas domestic purchasing programme for gold has the potential to improve the small-scale gold mining sector by guaranteeing that they receive a fair purchasing price for their gold, provide an incentive to formalise and move away from damaging environmental and social practices.



It will also lead to a route to formalise and improve ability to sell into formal gold markets and thereby reduce their vulnerability to illegal actors in the domestic and international gold supply chains, he said.



Dr Addison added that the bank viewed the gold acquisition programme as an efficient way of growing the foreign exchange reserves of the country to supplement the traditional ways that it had built reserves over the years.



Modalities



Explaining the modalities of the programme, Dr Addison said the programme would enable the BoG to buy domestically produced gold from selected gold aggregators and mining firms and pay in the local currency at the prevailing market prices.



He said the BoG could also buy dore gold (unrefined gold) from a London Bullion Market Association (LBMA)-certified gold aggregator for its quality and value to be determined, technically known as assay, by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC),  the national assayer.



Upon going through a satisfactory assaying process, the PMMC will submit an assay report to BoG on the day of delivery. Using the agreed pricing sources for gold and the cedi/dollar exchange rate, the value of the gold supplied will be determined and paid for within 48 hours to the aggregator, he said.



At the next stage, Dr Addison said, the BoG would aggregate the assayed dore gold in its vaults and periodically send the validated dore gold to a certified refinery to be processed to the required international standard of good gold delivery, with 99.99 per cent purity.



The final leg, the governor explained, the LBMA-certified gold would then be stored at designated locations as part of the BoGs reserves.



He said only one gold aggregator had been selected for the programme after an independent due diligence was conducted.



Dr Addison said in the near-term, other gold aggregators would be eligible to participate in the programme, once a road map is developed to ensure they meet the governance, risk, compliance and supply chain requirements.



Commendation



The BoGs Governor commended the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who he said got the programme started, and the collaborative roles played by the Minerals Commission, the PMMC, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, selected licenced gold aggregators, among others, for making the programme a success.









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
Vodafone Ghanas mobile financial services, Vodafone Cash has partnered with global cross-border payments company WorldRemit to enable its customers to receive international money transfers straight to their mobile money accounts without any charges.



The service allows Vodafone Cash customers to seamlessly receive international money transfers from their family and friends in the UK, Canada, Australia, the USA, and others. This partnership between two global brands eliminates the stress, risks, long queues and other challenges associated with visiting agents to access remittances from overseas.



WorldRemit users can send money from over 50 countries, including the UK and the USA, to more than 130 destinations. Depending on their location, customers can choose from multiple payout methods including bank deposits, mobile wallets, cash pick up and mobile airtime top-up.



Speaking at the launch, Martison Obeng-Agyei, Head of Vodafone Cash at Vodafone Ghana, said: Our partnership with WorldRemit is part of measures to curtail financial barriers by using technology and innovation. The stress joining long queues to receive money from family and friends abroad can now be avoided by using Vodafone Cash. We have over the years provided a robust mobile money platform that allows our subscribers to simply and securely make transactions through Vodafone Cash. We are very proud to be at the forefront of innovative technologies and partnerships which make our customers' lives easier.



Country Director for Ghana at WorldRemit, Gbenga Okejimi, expressed his enthusiasm in collaborating with Vodafone Cash.



He said: Were delighted to broaden our partnership with such a reputable brand and payout network as Vodafone to offer a reliable payout service. Ensuring our customers are able to transfer money to family and friends back home conveniently, safely and as quickly as possible is why we exist. Were confident that this partnership in Ghana will give our customers more flexibility and options to receive support from their loved ones abroad.



Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

Featured Video
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for more sensitisation on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and the opportunities it offers for the growth of member countries.



He described as sad the fact that some neighbouring countries were still unaware of the business opportunities in the agreement and how they could explore them to their respective advantage.



Event



The Asantehene said this when a 35-member Rwandan delegation, comprising government officials and relevant stakeholders in the private sector, paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi yesterday.



The delegation was led by the Rwandan High Commissioner to Ghana, Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, and the Chief Tourism Officer of Rwanda, Belise Kariza.



The delegation is in the country to explore bilateral opportunities in business, tourism and economic development.



Their visit is in response to an earlier one by a Ghanaian delegation, including the media, to that country in March this year as part of efforts to promote regional tourism and trade between the two countries in anticipation of greater collaboration under the AfCFTA.



Promoting local trade



The Otumfuo said, "we lose if we don't trade among ourselves. We should be proud to say, for instance, I went to Rwanda and not London".





"Our balance sheet must be intertwined. We must ensure that our money stays in Africa for the benefit our people," he added.



The Asantehene urged the two countries to share ideas and build synergies to create opportunities and legacies that would transcend generations.



Invitation



For her part, Dr Kacyira extended an invitation to the Asantehene to Rwanda to deepen the bilateral relationship that has existed between the two countries.



She commended Ghana for its role in helping to end the 1994 genocide that claimed many lives in her country.



The High Commissioner acknowledged the fact that there were many business opportunities in both countries that were yet to be tapped.



She urged Otumfuo to use his influence to help promote trade among African countries, in line with the objective of the AfCFTA.



As part of the one-week visit by the delegation, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), in partnership with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), has organised a series of events, including breakfast meetings, to establish business-to-business linkages and institutional collaboration between the two countries.



The delegation is expected to tour historic sites in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions.









Source: graphiconline.com









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CIMAF Ghana Limited has celebrated some media personalities for their outstanding roles as a father to mark this year's father's day.



The release said they recognise the sacrifices fathers make to provide shelter for the family.



As a brand that believes in building Africa together, CIMAF is honouring fathers in Ghana with gifts and special messages to thank them for all the sacrifices. Statement read



Some of the celebrants are Isreal Laryea of JoyNews, OB of AsempaFm, Bernard Avle of Citi FM, Nana Yaw Kesseh of Peacefm. Agya Kwabena of UTV, Captain Smart of Onua TV, Mogabi Maase of Power FM, Kwame Nkrumah Tikese of Okay FM and Kofi Kum Bilson of Peace FM.



CIMAF Ghana Limited will also be paying toll levies for all men who will use the motorway on fathers day.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Ghana is collaborating to establish a chocolate production plant in Rwanda to boost trade and investment between the two countries.



As part of the partnership, Ghana will supply processed organic cocoa in a form of cocoa nibs or cocoa Liquor as shall be determined.



Rwanda will also establish a formulation plant in Ghana for the production of organic pyrethrum-based pesticides for crop protection, veterinary use and public health.



This will help cut transportation costs and bring affordable organic products closer to Ghanaian farmers.



Madam Ariella Kageruka, the Head of Tourism and Conversation Department, Rwanda Development Board disclosed this on Saturday as part of recommendations from Ghana-Rwanda familiarisation tours between the two countries.



She said both countries have agreed to undertake collaborative research on pyrethrum and Cocoa to ensure greater yields to the benefit of farming communities in Rwanda and Ghana.



"In order to facilitate easier access to Rwanda and Ghana markets, we recommend urgent establishment of an MoU between product registration and standard agencies of both countries," she said.



Ghanaian officials between March 14 and 20, 2021 embarked on a familiarization tour to Rwanda while a 32-member delegation of Rwandan officials also visited Ghana from June 13 to 20, 2021 to explore business opportunities.



The two countries have also agreed to forge partnerships between tourism stakeholders to develop Rwanda - Ghana joint packages for international tourism.



Other areas to explore include the creative art industry, travel and hospitality sector, education, culture and agriculture.



Nana Sarfo Kantanka, the Special Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, said both countries were proud product of great leadership and pledged to maintain the relationship to bring sustainable development to the citizenry.



He said the policy environment to be spearheaded by both countries was critical to realisation of these partnerships in boosting trade and investment.



The Special Adviser called for support from stakeholders for the collaboration to succeed, adding that Ghana- Rwanda had set the tone for others to follow.



Ms Afua Asabea Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Authority, said the collaboration between the two countries was the beginning of the journey to explore more business opportunities.



She called for commitment between the two countries for the partnership to work, saying "we need to operationalize these concepts to be fruitful."



Mr Akwasi Agyemang, the Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Authority, said government had laid a good foundation and charged the private sector operators to make the partnership work.



He said multi-destination tourism was necessary to position the African brand on the global map.

Source: GNA









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Mr. Herbert Krapa, a Deputy Minister-Designate for Trade and Industry, has said the government is undertaking a number of initiatives to ensure the country benefits fully from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).



A lot has been done in terms of positioning Ghana to take advantage of AfCFTA including the institutional support, the inter-ministerial committee, the steering committee, the technical working groups, and the stakeholders engagement platforms. All these have been put in place to ensure that Ghana takes good advantage of the platform.



He also urged the government to identify products and companies with high potential value and give them the necessary support to benefit from the AfCFTA agreement.



I believe that going forward we need to identify products that have export potential, identify companies that have the capacity to do so, and also identify those that we will train to ensure we take full advantage of it.



Mr. Krapa made this known when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for his vetting on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.



About AfCFTA

AfCFTA is an agreement among 54 African countries with an estimated potential of boosting intra-African trade by 52.3 percent by eliminating import duties.



It also seeks to establish a single market for goods and services, allowing for free movement of business travellers and investments.



Ghana hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat, which is tasked with the responsibility of coordinating the successful implementation of the Agreement.



The Secretariat operates as an autonomous organ of the African Union charged with implementing the decisions of the higher organs of the body in respect of the wide array of areas covered by the Agreement, ranging from industrialization to Intellectual Property, and from trade in professional services to the harmonisation of standards for manufactured goods.

Source: Citinewsroom.com









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The Upper West Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has imposed an indefinite curfew on the movement of fertilizer and other farm inputs in the Sissala East Municipality and Sissala West District of the Region.



Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Chairman of the Upper West Regional Security Council, said the measure was to stop the practice of smuggling fertilizer out of the country to ensure that local farmers in the Region had enough to purchase.



"No vehicle will be allowed to carry fertilizer in the Sissala East and West area and those intending to buy in large quantities must do so with a police escort. All fertilizer movement must be done within 6am to 6pm."



Dr Bin Salih said this at the weekend during a meeting with input dealers and other stakeholders at Tumu as part of measures to safeguard agricultural activities in the Upper West Region.



He expressed remorse over the engagement of citizens in illegal smuggling of fertilizer to neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso, especially from the Sissala West and its neighbouring areas, which, he said, was an impediment to the progress of agriculture in the country.



Its disheartening to note that intelligence got to us that smuggling was taking place, particularly in the Sissala West, and we got alarmed as some 45 Rhino truckloads of fertilizer, each carrying about 300 pieces of fertilizer, were carted into Burkina Faso" he said.



"The scale of the act of smuggling led to the Ministry of Agriculture withdrawing names of dealers who had records of dabbling in smuggling in previous years."



Dr Bin Salih, who highlighted other measures to safeguard agriculture, said: "All farm inputs coming into the region must first report to the Regional Coordinating Council for us to know the vehicle, the quantity, and the destination, once they get into the Sissala area, we expect the consignment to be offloaded into shops and sold to the public".



Anyone found flouting this rule will have the fertilizer confiscated, sold and the vehicle involved impounded and auctioned."

Source: GNA









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A police officer searches for clues at the scene of a shooting in Etobicoke in northwest Toronto on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Police say that four people including a one-year-old child, two other children and an adult were rushed to hospital Saturday night after a shooting at a childs first birthday party. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
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Dale Gravett, executive deputy director of the Chester County Housing Authority, points to a sketch of a complex with 36 townhouses planned for Phoenixville.
Crankworx has announced it will be returning to B.C. in September for the second stop of the 2021 World Tour.Over the space of 12 days, the second stop of this year's Crankworx series will feature nine events including Slopestyle. Competing at Crankworx B.C. are 32 King and Queen contenders and 14 Slopestyle riders qualified to compete in the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship.The event is set to visit the same locations as last year's CLIF Crankworx Summer Series, this includes SilverStar Mountain Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden, and Sun Peaks Resort. Across Crankworx B.C. riders will compete in Downhill, Dual Slalom, Air DH, Pump Track, and Slopestyle.Unlike last year's Summer Series, Crankworx B.C. will follow the format of a normal event with King and Queen contenders chasing points in the season overall titles. Slopestyle riders will be competing in the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championships and with a third Slopestyle event added for 2021 riders will now be able to chase the Triple Crown of Slopestyle prize.More details about the event are set to be revealed closer to the event including the possibility of allowing spectators. Stay tuned for more information ahead of the event's kick-off on September 6.
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President Joe Biden this week signed legislation recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday, canonizing the moment when enslaved African Americans in Texas were told of their freedom and of the end of the Civil War.

Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and a promise of a brighter morning to come, Biden said Thursday at a White House ceremony. This is a day of profound, in my view, profound weight and profound power.

The law took effect immediately. Juneteenth, a portmanteau of June and 19th, is now the 11th national holiday.

By making Juneteenth a federal holiday, Biden said, all Americans can feel the power of this day, and learn from our history, and celebrate progress, and grapple with the distance weve come but the distance we still have to travel.

The recognition  likely hastened by a summer of social confrontation, widespread protest and the murder of George Floyd by police  was celebrated by many, including those in Aiken County.

It was a long time coming, said Donna Moore Wesby, who, on Saturday, could be seen emceeing the Juneteenth celebration at Founders Park and Aikens Center for African American History, Art and Culture. It definitely opens the doors to greater recognition of our people.

Aiken City Council member Lessie Price separately said the time was long overdue. The enshrinement of Juneteenth at the highest levels, she added, marks a beginning of grander efforts: in education, in equality, in awareness.

Its extremely encouraging to see, Price said.

The granting of holiday status is far from the endgame, though, people said. There are voter suppression tactics to fight, police reforms to pursue, and infrastructure upgrades to champion, emphasized Eugene White, the Aiken County NAACP branch president.

Its great, but theres a lot more left to do, said Dr. Melencia Johnson, a Center for African American History, Art and Culture board member. I would gather most folks hadnt heard of Juneteenth until today.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day and Jubilee Day, commemorates when, in 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, announcing all slaves are free. The 13th Amendment was ratified months later.

The Juneteenth festivities in Aiken, at the corner of Richland Avenue and York Street, leaned toward educational, with activities closely tied to Black history and culture. Johnson said she wanted people to walk away from the event knowing more about Juneteenth  its historical significance, for example  as well as the arts and heritage center.

The truth is, its simply not enough just to commemorate Juneteenth, Biden said Thursday. After all, the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans didnt mark the end of Americas work to deliver on the promise of equality, it only marked the beginning.

Both the city of Aiken and Aiken County issued proclamations honoring Juneteenth. They were read aloud Saturday.
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COLUMBIA  One of South Carolina's biggest energy providers has teamed with a pair of rural Lexington County school districts on a massive project that company leaders say is helping to train the next generation of workers to repair utility lines across the state.

Line work is some of the most hazardous in America as workers face electrocution, burns and risk of falling from climbing poles under buzzing high voltage lines. It was the nation's 10th most lethal job in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  but also is lucrative. The average wage for crews in 2020 was $35 an hour, according to federal data, and is roughly the same in South Carolina, per a check of online job sites.

Its one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and its so important that they are consistently trained in how to operate the system, said Keller Kissam, president of electric operations for Cayce-based Dominion South Carolina.

The pandemic cut into the company's ability to hire those front-line workers, Kissam said.

"The pandemic impacted our ability to conduct in-person interviews, which are essential to assessing aptitude and other skills that are critical to performing the demanding work of a lineman. Were pleased that were now in the process of filling the 25 positions we need to return our lineman staffing level to normal at just over 400," he said.

The training at Dominion Energys 37-acre complex behind Lake Murray includes more than 40 students from the Lexington Two and Lexington Three school districts taking construction and fabrication classes.

Since the beginning of the year, students there have already built three structures with materials provided by the utility as part of a model neighborhood that allows workers to train on residential and commercial electrical systems that are crafted to fit Dominions specifications.

Dominion serves 1.5 million customers statewide with electricity and gas along 42,000 miles of power and gas lines, according to its company profile. Its Midlands training center also works with municipal power companies, moving about 100 electricians and linemen through the facility annually.

One thing about these folks is they have a heck of a lot of interactions face-to-face with our customers, particularly when they may experience a power outage, so we wanted to build almost a little village, Kissam said.

The venture was created after a chance meeting between Bernard Trotter, a building construction teacher at Batesburg-Leesville High School, and Robby Feaster, Dominions manager of electric safety and training.

Robby started telling me about Dominion Energys training facility and how they had partnered with a school district in Columbia to have students construct some of the buildings that were used for employee training," Trotter said. "He said they had built a few for them last year, but then COVID hit and halted construction. So, I offered for my students to step in and help as well."

While students involved in the program with Dominion aren't climbing poles or suiting up for the dangerous line work themselves, their contributions are essential in making sure those who do are going into the field with confidence by giving them state-of-the art equipment to train on.

This partnership is helping us apply what is taught in the classroom to hands-on construction in the field, learning and comprehending the importance of the floor, wall and roof system, Lexington Two Innovation Center construction teacher Kenny Shumpert said.

The collaboration also lets Dominion ensure their linemen are training on the most up-to-date equipment, Feaster said.

Technology's changed where we can get lights back on quicker, we can isolate problems through our distribution dispatch, and those electronic devices are fairly new to the industry, he said.

Kissam said Dominion was eager to give its brand over to the initiative.

"That's what the American dream is, if you're willing to make the sacrifice, you can make a darn good living. And I think that's what we're teaching these students," he said. "And so that's the key tie between what Robby has initiated with this program and what these students are doing."
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High around 85F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
THE POSTSCRIPT MURDERS. By Elly Griffiths. 336 pages. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $25.

The police didnt see anything wrong with the death of Peggy Smith. But this 90-year-old woman was a murder consultant with bookshelves of crime novels all thanking her for her help.

Then a gunman breaks into the apartment and steals a book. Then the author of that book is killed, and Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur and three unlikely amateur detectives are swept up into an investigation fit for any murder mystery fan in The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths.

This is Griffiths second Harbinder Kaur book. While it does make passing references to the first one, this story stands on its own. It's part amateur detective story, part police procedural, and Griffiths also weaves in the more niche subgenres of spy thriller and cozy mystery through the authors the sleuths meet.

Griffiths uses present tense and short chapters to propel the reader forward, and the chapters alternate between the four main characters points of view. It can be a bit overwritten at times  having Harbinder jokingly call herself the Best gay Sikh detective in west Sussex is rather heavy-handed  but it is helpful to keep track of the characters.

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And what characters they are! As a bonus for readers tired of the hegemony of brooding straight, White male detectives, half of the four main characters are women, and theres only one straight person in their quartet.

Describing them sounds almost like the leadup to a joke: a Ukrainian nursing home assistant who dabbles in Bitcoin, a former monk-turned-coffee shop owner and a retired gay BBC producer walk into a murder investigation. But Griffiths never treats any of them as a joke. Each is well drawn and interesting without being caricatures. I fell in love with each of them.

While it is a well-plotted story, the characters definitely come first. That way plot points can hit you like a ton of bricks. And the murders are each wrapped up neatly and quickly in a few pages  or even a paragraph  but the solutions are still satisfying and dont feel sudden.

This is a murder mystery by, about and for fans of murder mysteries, as well as a love letter to the genre itself. Griffiths gleefully namechecks not only classics like The Moonstone and titles by Agatha Christie, but also TV favorites like Father Brown and Midsomer Murders. The tone is light and the book is like a satisfying puzzle, without the angst that comes with a drama. Its just a pleasure to read.

If your taste in mysteries runs more towards Tana French or Broadchurch, this book might be too cozy. But if Agatha Christie or Murder, She Wrote are more to your taste, then The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths will be just your cup of possibly poisoned tea.
As more South Carolina homeowners turn to solar energy, state officials are working to resolve disputes between customers and renewable energy companies.

New renewable energy regulations from the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff and Department of Consumer Affairs went into effect on May 28. While technical, the regulations have one overarching goal: help homeowners advocate for themselves in transactions for the leasing or buying of renewable energy, namely solar panels.

The new regulations were created and approved by the two government bodies to address complaints from homeowners who felt they didnt know what they were getting into when they decide to purchase or lease solar.

The Office of Regulatory Staff, which oversees the leasing of renewable energy, has had 36 complaints since 2014, when the state started regulating solar leasing. The Consumer Affairs Department, which regulates the sales of renewable energy, received around 230 complaints in that time.

It has emerged that there are some customer protections that are needed both on the way that solar leasing companies market to their customers  the types of promises they make them  and then how customers who are dissatisfied ... can remedy their dissatisfaction, said Dawn Hipp, chief operating officer at the Office of Regulatory Staff.

Until May 28, government officials had been operating informally to address the solar complaints, Hipp said. Most of those complaints involved homeowners who were unaware of how much solar energy would cost them and expected better returns on their investments.

In other instances, homeowners found themselves waiting weeks or months to hear back from solar companies after they paid for the panels to be installed. There were also cases of elderly people signing 30-year contracts without being aware of how much it would cost them.

The goal of these regulations, in part, was to make sure that customers have all of the relevant information to make a decision and, if they did not, then they would have a remedy, said Ronald Aiken, spokesman for the Office of Regulatory Staff.

Addressing the complaints

Government officials hope the new regulations will help resolve some of the complaints while empowering consumers.

In 2019, the S.C. Energy Freedom Act directed Office of Regulatory Staff and Consumer Affairs Department to work together to create the new rules.

Under the regulations, solar leasing and installation companies are required to provide a set of disclosures so consumers are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to owning or leasing renewable energy.

As part of the disclosure requirement, the companies must provide a marketing pamphlet to consumers who are interested in using solar at the beginning of the process. They then have to provide another set of disclosures before any contracts are signed, Consumer Affairs Administrator Carri Grube Lybarker said.

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If the salesperson makes certain statements  if they talk about savings  they have to also give a full list of disclosures and make that a fuller statement so the consumer has all the information, she said.

The new regulations also set up a formalized complaint process to prevent businesses from taking advantage of consumers, which in turn gives businesses a baseline for operations, Hipp said.

It formalizes a lot of the practices we had already been doing with these leasing companies, she said. There are no surprises for them.

A solar boom

The rise in complaints against solar energy companies can be tied to growing pains as renewable energy becomes more popular.

Solar energy leasing in South Carolina has only been legal since 2014. In that year, there were about 580 installations of solar panels for lease in the state, according to data from the Office of Regulatory Staff. Since then, popularity in solar energy has skyrocketed to over 25,500 installations in 2020.

The state does not have data on the number of homes that have purchased solar panels instead of leasing them, as those transactions dont require a licensing process. Solar energy installers like Kasey Harwell, who owns Raywell Solar in Charleston, have seen the number of new contracts grow each year.

Its becoming more mainstream, Harwell said. A clear example of that are some of the new tract homes that are being built are including solar on every home.

Although the new regulations help protect consumers and hold businesses accountable, they dont take away some of the challenges that come with moving to solar.

One of the major challenges is responding to changing utility rates, Harwell said.

It used to be all solar was worth 12 cents per kilowatt hour, he said. Now, you can get discounted rates if you sell it back to the utility. So the calculations from our standpoint ... got a lot more difficult with utility changes.

In an effort to follow the new rules and be on top of changes to utility rate schedules, Harwell said he and other companies have to invest in more advanced sales software.

Despite the frustrations that can come with the changing landscape of solar sales, Harwell said, hes in support of the regulations that will ultimately prevent a culture of pushing sales without disclosing important information for the consumer.
With the threat of flood watches and heavy rain forecasts, Sunday did not seem the ideal day to host a march down Line and America streets into Marion Square in protest of gun violence. But that did not stop people from showing up.

Motivate to Educate, a Charleston nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence, originally intended this march to begin at 1 p.m. on June 20. Protesters would wear orange and white and gather at Marion Square for a staged event. It would be perfect for a sunny day in the Lowcountry.

Instead of marching through the streets, a few community members circled up at Marion Square. As rain drizzled, they huddled under the oak trees.

Once gathered, activists and government officials spoke openly about ways to address gun violence in Charleston.

Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, said that in 29 years of her marriage, this is the first time Matthews left her husband on Fathers Day, she said. She wanted to talk about gun violence in South Carolina and addressing it at the legislative level.

Its not enough to be in Charleston, Matthews said. You have to be in Columbia, where the laws are made.

Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Columbia and candidate for governor, stood beside Matthews in the circle. She spoke openly about her worries about gun violence as a Black woman with two young adult children.

Yesterday and the day before, we were celebrating Juneteenth, McLeod said. But so many of us arent free. My sons arent free.

Joyce Smith, chief deputy of the Charleston County Sheriffs Office, said that gun violence could be addressed at the local level, in addition to the legislative level.

It takes the whole community, it takes a village, to touch a community, especially one that has been deeply touched by gun violence, Smith said.

Smith said that the increase in youth gun violence was also apparent. There has been a surge of gang-related gun violence in the Charleston area over the past five years.

If you have not sat down in the classroom lately, take some time to sit down, Smith said. See what is going on.

Crystal Reed, programs superintendent at Charleston Parks and Recreation, agreed that it was essential to help deter the citys youth from gun violence.

There is a need to have adults that children look up to keep kids out of trouble, Reed said.

Bobbi Jo ONeal, Charleston county coroner, began to cry when discussing how gun violence had impacted the community. ONeal spoke of the families who have been devastated by gun violence.

Nothing is as hard as knocking on someones door and letting them know their loved one has died, ONeal said.

All of the speakers in the circle were women, gathered in honor of all of the mothers who have lost their children to gun violence, Tony Lewis, founder and president of Motivate to Educate, said.

We brought all these great, intelligent, dynamic women together, Lewis said. So when they engage with the folks of the general public, they bring in knowledge of their own experiences.
For Rodney Tillman, the founder of the local nonprofit Vision 2020 & Beyond, a Juneteenth celebration was long overdue. Between the pandemic and becoming a federal holiday, the group's inaugural Juneteenth celebration focused on resilience.

The nonprofit focuses on community growth in the Bettis Academy area and this event brought together Black-owned businesses in South Carolina and Georgia as part of the celebration of African American culture.

Being an African American, a lot of people were unaware of the date, Tillman said. Even myself, until seven or eight years (ago) I had never heard of it (and) didnt know it existed. I realized the true meaning of the day and the resilience of the day and the people that struggled from yesterday, we decided to do something on our own home property just to bring the community together.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. It was about two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Southern states, according to the Associated Press.

LaDestini Kitchings of Choices, a Caribbean style food vendor in Graniteville, was excited to be back out in the community  rain or shine.

It means a lot because for our culture and our background, it's a lot for all our people to be able to come together and our own individual businesses and be able to show each other the different things, Kitchings said.

Veronica Tutt of Daffodils Custom Crafts and Designs in Marietta, Georgia, came out to celebrate the holiday with other business owners.

It's been like a big family reunion, Tutt said. Good vendors. I like the vendors, I like the music, it's a good feeling out here.

Tillman hopes the event brought together good times after a long pandemic delay.

I just want to see a bunch of smiling faces and congregating of the people, he said.
+7 Don Holt Bridge crash leaves Charleston deputy seriously injured, tow truck driver missing A Charleston County sheriff's deputy suffered serious injuries and a tow truck driver remains missing after a multi-vehicle crash on the Don Holt Bridge Wednesday morning.

As a recent transplant to Charleston living on Daniel Island, I am astounded by the number of accidents on the Don Holt and Wando bridges.

Granted, there are a lot of tractor-trailers on Interstate 526, but from my observations, it is not these trucks causing the problem.

It is drivers of cars, pickup trucks and people hauling items in trailers without properly securing the load.

The far right lane across the bridges is intended for large, slow-moving trucks, not for speeders who are too impatient to stay in the middle lane and move to the fast lane when appropriate.

The shoulder next to the far right lane is often where a disabled car is parked.

So when a speeding car races to the top of the bridge, it may hit whatever is on the shoulder.

Last July, I was in the eastbound lane of I-526 when a pickup hit a Charleston County deputy and a tow truck driver assisting a disabled car.

The deputy was injured and the tow truck driver was killed.

Tractor-trailers are important to Lowcountry commerce. Occasionally, I see one speeding but not nearly as much as cars and pickup trucks.

Can everyone just slow down and play by the rules? Or are there rules anymore?

Maybe we need another pandemic to slow things down and make folks appreciate life. The first one did not work.

PAMELA BOYNTON

Lucia Street

Daniel Island

Focus on FDA

A Wednesday letter to the editor about Aduhelm, the recently approved treatment for Alzheimers, expressed concern over equitable access to the drug for people of color.

Its still a little too soon, though, to ask your doctor about Aduhelm, the frustrations of Alzheimers caregiving notwithstanding.

The Food and Drug Administrations approval of this new drug was so questionable that two commissioners resigned in response to what they observed to be an unwarranted drug approval.

Multiple news reports say its effectiveness has not been shown to be significantly different from that of a placebo.

In other words, if FDA commissioners had actually been scientific in their deliberations, Aduhelm would not be prescribable.

It seems premature at this point to worry about equitable access for people of color for something that may not be of any medical use to anyone.

Rather, the worry for now should focus on a critical, trusted government agency deferring to pharma lobbying and effectively promoting a drug that, despite a number of studies, has not yet demonstrated effectiveness for the purpose claimed.

Regardless of whether it treats Alzheimers, or for that matter ingrown toenails, can there be any doubt that pharma will continue to promote it aggressively?

Our nation is famed for its free-range consumerism, for our impatience to try the next big thing.

But it appears Aduhelm is very unlikely to prove itself helpful for families trying to fight their way out of the thicket of Alzheimers disease.

PHILIP SNEAD

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North Edgewater Drive

Charleston

Make dads day

May and June are incredibly busy months for most people.

Along with warmer weather, there are high school and college graduations, weddings, class reunions and a few other special events thrown in between.

One of those special occasions is Fathers Day.

For many, Fathers Day may not be as special as attending a childs graduation service or seeing him or her marry that special person.

But it is always a good idea to step back and realize that none of the things mentioned here would have been possible without a mother or father.

I have to admit that when I was younger, I overlooked the importance of Fathers Day.

It was not until my father died that I slowly began to see how he shaped my life. I know that I am not alone. We all may share these same feelings, especially as we grow older.

Today is Fathers Day. It also will be 25 years since my father died.

As I look back, the one thing I miss the most is talking with him and having some sort of connection to the past.

There is nothing like talking to parents or older relatives about experiences they had.

This Fathers Day, make it about more than giving dad another tie.

Instead, visit or spend some quality time with your dad or anyone you consider a father figure.

If nothing else, you will have a real connection to the past.

BRIAN KIZER

McAlhany Road

Reevesville

Hands off, Putin

Numerous media outlets reported that during the recent Geneva Summit, President Joe Biden provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with a list of critical infrastructure he said should be off limits to cyber attacks.

I am hoping that the list had one item, center page and in bold type: Everything is off limits!

DAVID FISHER

Dunnemann Avenue

Charleston
South Carolina has joined a number of states in an effort to protect and improve flounder populations.

Gov. Henry McMaster signed bill H.3957 on June 15 that would change size and creel limits on flounder harvested in South Carolina waters. The bill also increases the cost of saltwater fishing licenses for residents and non-residents with the extra money used for the development and implementation of a flounder stocking program.

"This is something we've really needed and we appreciate the legislature for stepping up with these changes," said Scott Whitaker, executive director of CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) South Carolina.

The Senate passed the bill unanimously and the vote was 111-1 in the House of Representatives. The new regulations and fee increases go into effect July 1, 2021.

"Both bodies had different reads on the issue and how to go about making a course correction but in the spirit of effective public policy they took input from fisheries managers, constituents and interested parties to forward a sound plan," said Tombo Milliken, CCA SC Government Relation Committee chairman.

Under the new regulations, anglers, including those who gig or spear fish, will be limited to five per day with a 10-fish boat limit. That is half the current regulations. The minimum size limit for flounder also will be increased by one inch to 16 inches total length.

New fishing license fees for residents are: 14-day, $10; annual, $15; three-year, $45; lifetime, $300. The previous cost for residents was: 14-day, $5; annual, $10; three-year, $30; lifetime, $300.

The saltwater fishing license fees for non-residents will be: one-day, $10; seven-day, $35; annual, $75.

The old license fee structure for non-residents was: 14-day, $11; annual, $35; three-year, $105.

The legislation also says that revenue generated from the sale of recreational and commercial marine licenses, permits and tags will to into the Marine Resources Fund.

Flounder stocks in South Carolina, along with many other southern states including Texas and North Carolina, are well below what biologists consider healthy levels.

In 2017, South Carolina changed the minimum size limit by one inch to 15 inches and decreased the bag limits from 15 per person per day to the current 10 per person per day. Boat limits went from 30 per day to 20 per boat.

North Carolina has implemented a recreational flounder season that runs from Aug. 16-Sept. 30. The limit there is 15 inches total length with a limit of four per person per day. Georgia has a 12-inch minimum size limit and daily creel limit of 15. Texas has a minimum size limit of 15 inches with a bag limit of five fish, except Nov. 1-30 when it is two fish by pole-and-line and from Dec. 1-14 when its two fish (includes gigging).

CCA South Carolina said that the legislation represents a conservation win that "technically ends overfishing of southern flounder."

Swamp Fox NWTF banquet

The Swamp Fox chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its annual fund-raising banquet and auction on June 26 at the Exchange Building at the Exchange Park on Highway 78 in Ladson. Doors open at 5 p.m. for the sportsman exhibits with dinner at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are pre-sale. Contact Wayne Grace Jr. at 843-834-7779 or Karen Whaley at 843-870-3480 or email swampfoxnwtf@gmail.com.

America's Boating Club

America's Boating Club Charleston will hold boating safety classes June 26, July 10 and July 31 at 1376 Orange Grove Road, Charleston. The classes begin at 9 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. Successful participants earn the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Boater Education Card. The cost is $25 for adults and youth 12-18 are free. Call 843-312-2876 or email lynest@tds.net.

Hooked on Miracles

The Hooked on Miracles King Mackerel Tournament will be held July 17 out of Ripley Light Yacht Club. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the MUSC Children's Hospital. The captain's meeting for the tournament (hookedonmiracles.com) presented by Key West Boats will be held from 5-9 p.m. July 15, with an MUSC children's outing aboard the Billistic on July 16. Fishing hours on July 17 are from 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. with check-in from 2-5 p.m. First prize, based on 125 paid entrants, is $25,000. The entry fee is $400 per boat.
The meeting happened in late January 2019, after choir practice.

A longtime foreman with the state Department of Transportation stepped out of a small white church near Hartsville and spotted the owner of a local tree service company. The owner had removed a tree along a highway and wanted to get paid, preferably with a DOT credit card.

The foreman handed over his state purchase card, and the tree cutter swiped it on his portable reader. Then he handed $200 in cash to the DOT foreman  for giving his company the work.

The DOT employee refused. Hed taken some cash a year before and that decision had weighed on his conscience.

So there in the churchs parking lot, the tree cutter put the money on the ground and left.

Moments like this create choices. While many public servants in South Carolina do their jobs with honor and diligence, more than 1,100 educators, law enforcement officers, judges and state employees made decisions since 2018 that clearly crossed lines, an Uncovered investigation revealed.

These 1,100-plus cases represent a gray zone of ethical breaches, cases that often dont make headlines. Youll find them in the files of South Carolinas many self-policing boards and panels, agencies such as the state Criminal Justice Academy, Department of Education and Ethics Commission.

They involve small offenses and large, but all share one thing in common: moments when people in public positions made decisions that violated laws or professional standards of behavior.

Like the state Highway Patrol trooper who struck a suspect twice in the knees even though he posed no threat, then four days later deployed his Taser three times on a person who also wasn't a danger.

And the Berkeley County middle school teacher who stole a students saxophone and pawned it.

And the school superintendent in Chester County who threatened to slit an employees throat.

These ethical breaches sometimes lead to criminal charges, such as those against six Orangeburg County officers, who were convicted in a bribery scheme to protect what they thought were Mexican drug shipments.

But most officials ended up avoiding handcuffs and instead were reprimanded or saw their work licenses suspended.

Donate to our Investigative Fund to support journalism like this Our public service and investigative reporting is among the most important work we do. Its also the most expensive reporting we do. We cant do it without your support. Donate Now

Want to learn about these cases? Youll find yourself in a gray zone of bureaucracy. Many examples are tucked in agency filing systems or obscure corners of government websites. The general public would be hard-pressed to find them without determined digging, knowledge of the states Freedom of Information Act and a checkbook to cover fees many agencies slap on people who ask for this information.

This lack of transparency represents a missed opportunity to establish a stronger culture of accountability. Experts in fraud say that deterring future misconduct begins with clear rules  and highly visible consequences when people break those rules.

The Post and Couriers Uncovered project is shining a light on areas of government that often escape scrutiny, especially in rural areas where community newspapers are struggling. For this story, The Post and Courier reviewed state government disciplinary proceedings, hearings and filings.

This includes at least 460 cases the Department of Education handled, more than 620 misconduct allegations against South Carolina law enforcement officers, as well as Ethics Commission cases and complaints against magistrates and judges.

And it includes the one in Hartsville, where wads of cash magically appeared a few footsteps from a DOT foreman.

Because this previously unreported case involves people who made troubling decisions and agonized over them later, lets explore this gray zone more deeply.

A tree grows in Hartsville

Darlington County and its largest city of Hartsville are part of South Carolinas Pee Dee region, known widely for Darlington Raceway and its NASCAR events. Interstate 20 slices through the southern part of the county. Along its path, trees sometimes die or block views of signs. The DOT office there typically hired private companies to remove large trees. One of its contractors was McDonalds Tree Service.

Gregory McDonald had taken over the business from his father, who died in 2009 while cutting a tree in Hartsville. McDonald mostly worked on weekends while holding down a job at a nearby industry.

In late 2017, McDonalds company had removed some trees and was looking to get paid, an investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division would later reveal. McDonald liked getting paid with p-cards because he got the money faster. For jobs less than $2,500, DOT officials often used purchase cards, or p-cards as theyre called. Anything more than $2,500, and the department's rules called for multiple bids.

Perry James was a longtime DOT foreman in the area who typically handled these tree-cutting bills. But hed nearly reached his p-cards $10,000 spending limit, so he asked another foreman to pay for the tree work, the SLED investigation found.

His colleagues name was Leverne Williamson, and hed also been with the department for decades. McDonald showed up at Williamsons home on a Saturday, and Williamson gave McDonald his DOT p-card. McDonald ran a $2,490 charge  $10 below that $2,500 threshold for competitive bids.

After running the card, McDonald handed Williamson $200 in cash, telling him hed done that for James, the other foreman.

Williamson told SLED agents that the scenario happened again a year later, this time at Williamsons church  that night after choir practice. But this time Williamson refused to take the money.

I told him, No, Im not doing that. Oh God, it bothered me so bad (after the first time). Im not doing this no more. Thats when he threw it on the ground and pulled off.

A SLED agent asked: Did you pick up the money?

You know, Im not going to let it sit down there for someone else to get it.

Why people enter the gray zone

For many years, researchers believed that misconduct was rooted in poverty and parental influences  that criminal parents spawned future crooks. This consensus changed in the late 1930s, in large part because of a sociologist from Indiana named Edwin Sutherland.

Criminologists consider Sutherland the Sigmund Freud of their field. Sutherland was fascinated by fraud committed by the wealthy, whether in corporate boardrooms or high political offices. Sutherland was the first to coin the term white collar crime. Generational poverty and parental influences might explain why some steal. But what about the corporate executives? What about well-off people who still milked their positions, often for much larger sums than street thieves?

Sutherland came up with a new hypothesis: Criminal conduct wasnt necessarily rooted in genetics or parenting. Rather, it was learned, like a language or skill. Environmental factors, such as peer pressure and a culture of dishonesty, often were the most important corruption triggers.

Fraud: Who does it, why and how to stop it For 25 years, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has collected data about fraud from examiners across the world, creating a unique window into a world of deceit  and how and why it happens. The groups latest Report to the Nations analyzed more than 2,500 fraud cases that caused $3.6 billion in losses. Among its findings: More than half of frauds involved stealing money, including tampering with checks, billing, skimming payroll and bogus expense reimbursements. Fraudsters typically created fake documents, forged signatures and altered files to conceal the thefts.

About 40 percent of the time, the fraud was uncovered when tipsters came forward.

Owners, executives and managers accounted for more than 55 percent of frauds. Upper-level employees were the worst offenders, making off with a median theft of $600,000. Lower-level employees typically stole $60,000.

Just a small percentage of fraudsters had prior criminal records.

And the biggest red flags that something was amiss: people who were living beyond their means, financial problems or close relationships with vendors. The group found that the best ways to deter fraud was to make sure employees knew the rules and then set up systems to identify and punish misconduct. Effective anti-fraud approaches include repeated and widespread ethics training, fraud hotlines and surprise audits.  Tony Bartelme

Sutherlands new approach caught on. One of his proteges, Donald Cressey, studied these external forces and found that most fraud fit in a fraud triangle.

The triangles first point forms when people feel a sense of lack: financial problems, a need for more money or power, resentment toward an employer.

They may feel pressure to live better than theyre living, this psychological feeling that theyre falling behind, said John Warren, vice president of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and co-author of an international fraud study.

The triangles second point represents an opportunity, a chance to solve problems by secretly doing something wrong, Warren said. This often takes place at work.

When you think about it, work is the only place you go where you regularly have access to somebody elses stuff.

The triangles third point forms when employees justify their wrongful actions. Warren said this point is perhaps the most interesting of the three because it describes a shift in a persons identity.

Most fraudsters dont have criminal records. They pay their taxes, and a lot of the time theyve worked for government agencies or companies for years. They think of themselves as law abiding  until the point they cross the line.

Then, to protect their identities, they make excuses, he said.

Because I dont conceive of myself as a criminal, I might say, Im just a guy going through a tough patch right now.'  Or, I need this because everyones cheating anyway. This lets them cross the line from law abider to law breaker.

But lying to yourself only goes so far.

What you often hear is that people get trapped in the crime. It weighs on them every day. They worry that today is the day someone is going to catch me.

Back to Darlington

In a conference room, two SLED agents tried to piece together their case, questioning witnesses and recording the interviews on video.

In one video obtained by The Post and Courier, Leverne Williamson, the DOT foreman, described how hed prayed over accepting the cash and finally decided to report it to his supervisor. This is what had triggered SLEDs involvement in the first place. Over and over, Williamson told agents he was filled with remorse.

I felt so bad. My conscience was trying to chain me up. Ive been looking out for the state for 35 years.

He told the agents he had collected $600 in all and stuffed it in jar at home; the cash was still there.

I hate the day he (Perry James) asked me to pay for that tree," Williamson said. "I go to church. It bothers me. Ive got a conscience. It is one of the things you cant do  take money.

Agents twice interviewed James, the other longtime DOT foreman. James made lots of small talk about his work and life. Agents tried to steer him back to the allegations: Did he take any payoffs?

James answered that people sometimes threw small amounts of cash in ditches when he worked in Conway years before.

I dont go that route.

A SLED agent pointed out that Gregory McDonald, the tree service owner, told them hed given cash to James and Williamson for sending work his way. James became angry.

He will get confronted, James told the agents. Nobody is going to lie on me. You call me a liar, and Im ready to fight. Hes going to meet me this week. This is my career and my family.

One of the agents suggested he not do anything rash.

Then, near the end of the second interview, James admitted that hed taken $20 or $30 about three times when McDonald threw it on the ground.

Im sorry I lied to you, James said, putting on his hat to go. I don't know. Im just trying to raise my grandkids, you know.

Contacted by The Post and Courier, James said he has "a lawsuit in the works" and declined to comment. Williamson didn't respond to requests for comment via mail and phone.

The SLED agents also interviewed McDonald twice about his tree company work.

They asked: Had he given state employees any cash incentives for giving him work?

McDonald told the agents he typically dropped money on the ground near the foremen or threw it in their trucks. He estimated that he did this about once a month.

Dont get me wrong. Ive done it many a times with other people for giving me business: a real estate owner; a thank-you-for-your-business type of thing. Even at Sonoco (his job during the week) we have classes, and they tell us not to do that. But vendors come in and take you to lunch.

The SLED agent asked again whether the foremen accepted the cash, and McDonald said again, I have tossed it in the car or tossed it on the ground. ... I come back around and look for it later, and it isnt there.

The SLED agent said in a nonchalant voice: They wont take it, but say if it lands over there, it is what it is. Its fair game?

Im not trying to get them in trouble for that, but you know what Im saying, yeah.

McDonald did not respond to The Post and Courier's requests for comment.

In March 2020, after more than a year, SLED finished its report and sent it to prosecutors.

Making it tough for the public

As would happen after the Hartsville investigation, many cases of ethical wrongdoing in government dont end up before criminal grand juries. Instead, some agencies have their own self-policing mechanisms: hearings, panels and committees.

Consider the Criminal Justice Academy: The agency offers basic and advanced training to South Carolinas law enforcement officers. It also maintains a certification process. As part of that program, it collects misconduct allegations, including many that may not be criminal in nature but are serious violations of ethical standards. The agency then decides whether to yank an officer's credentials.

Since 2018, the Criminal Justice Academy handled 622 misconduct cases, according to documents the agency provided to The Post and Courier.

That total includes about 290 allegations of dishonesty and more than 110 cases of physical abuse, excessive force and other practices that put people in danger. These cases run the gamut.

There's the case of Summerville police officer James Bateman, who allegedly faked his radar proficiency test in 2016, then later was accused of depositing $1,500 from the departments cadet program into his personal account. (He agreed to relinquish his law enforcement certification as part of a guilty plea.)

And there's the one of Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood, who bilked taxpayers for pricey conference junkets and had deputies work on his barn while on the clock. (Underwood was suspended after being indicted, then lost his reelection bid. A jury recently convicted Underwood and two of his top deputies.)

The Education Department also tries to police its ranks. It heard more than 460 cases since 2018, a Post and Courier review found.

Many were about teachers who violated their contracts by quitting their jobs early. Others involve a buffet of misconduct, from tax evasion to drug use at school. A surprising number of principals and superintendents ran afoul of ethical standards.

Like the case of Beaufort County School Superintendent Jeffrey Charles Moss. The Ethics Commission cited him twice  in 2016 for using his position to get his wife a $90,000 job as the district's "innovation" director and then again in 2019 for going to conferences on the districts clock and snagging thousands of dollars in speaking and travel money on the side. Calling his behavior unprofessional, the Education Department issued a public reprimand. He no longer works for the district.

***

While many cases represent serious legal or ethical violations, most are all but hidden from the public.

The Criminal Justice Academy has no searchable roster of misconduct cases. The Ethics Commission has a simple list, one that doesn't describe violations, officials' titles or where they served.

The Education Department does a tad better, posting summaries on its website. But theres still no easy way for the public to identify misbehaving educators in their districts  not without going through cases one by one.

And one of the least transparent disciplinary systems involves the states judges and magistrates.

Flawed oversight has allowed judges to keep complaints buried and avoid any discipline whatsoever, a 2019 series called "The Untouchables" by The Post and Courier and ProPublica showed. Not a single circuit judge has been publicly disciplined for misconduct in decades, despite more than 1,000 complaints.

Magistrates also enjoy lax oversight, and their ranks include a Greenville lawyer appointed to the bench who siphoned thousands of dollars from accounts he managed and a Jasper County magistrate once accused of forging a title to a Rolls-Royce for a fellow judge.

The Post and Courier found a dozen sitting magistrates disciplined for misconduct by the states judicial watchdog, but they arent required to disclose their offenses when seeking new terms.

Even the governor is kept in the dark before signing off on their reappointments.

***

This lack of transparency represents a missed chance to deter future misconduct, experts say.

Agencies usually claim that technology and time prevent them from presenting their disciplinary work in more accessible ways, said Jessica Pishko, a lawyer and former fellow at the University of South Carolina who researched corrupt sheriffs. But the real problem is a lack of leadership, she said.

Many of these agencies are self-policing. So you need a stick, a law that says you have to put your investigation on a website in a month or something like that. Why not have a database where you can look up an officers name and see all the misconduct complaints against them?

That fraud triangle is less likely to form when governments and businesses establish clear lines of behavior and visible consequences when people cross those lines, added John Warren of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners group. Aggressive and repeated ethics training also helps.

You tell them, 'Its not OK.' Weve clearly told you you cant do this thing.' That makes it harder to rationalize.

And without rationalizations, fraudsters almost never do it.

Case closed

After SLED finished its tree-cutting investigation in Hartsville last year, the case landed in a gray zone of potential punishments.

William B. Rogers Jr., the chief prosecutor in the area, looked at SLEDs findings and decided not to press charges. In a letter last year to SLED, he said that DOT had already taken appropriate administrative action.

He ordered the agent to close the file.

Transportation Department Secretary Christy Hall said that any "breach of trust is completely unacceptable," and that the agency took swift and decisive action."

The department said it fired Perry James, the longtime foreman. The punishment for Williamson, the foreman who had come forward and expressed so much remorse, was more lenient: a five-day suspension without pay.

The department then asked another agency, the Materials Management Office, to "debar" McDonald's Tree Service  ban it from doing state government work.

Debarment is a rare move, a review of cases shows. One in 2018 involved a Department of Revenue technology contract employee who billed the agency nearly $30,000 for time he didn't work. He was debarred for two years. Another in 2015 was about a contractor for Horry-Georgetown Technical College that altered a subcontractor's quotes to get paid more. The state debarred that company for 90 days.

In the Hartsville case, the Materials Management Office tried to contact McDonald but didnt get a response.

So in December, the agency barred McDonald's Tree Service and McDonald from doing state work for three years.

There were no press releases, no public statement about what had happened.

The decision was merely placed on an obscure South Carolina agency's website, along with the handful of other cases where people had crossed lines.

Joseph Cranney contributed reporting from Columbia.
A couple of years ago I saw a middle-aged Caucasian couple and their three young children walk past the mayors office in Dededo. When I asked Read more
Fishers from across the region this week will discuss data collected during the pandemic and recommendations made by an in-house group of scientists.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's scientific and statistical committee recently supported including a new section of fishermen observations in an upcoming report that details regional and pelagic fish stocks, sea surface temperatures and other activities for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii and other islands in the region.

The input given was important "in light of COVID-19-related restrictions on data gathering, and real in-water experiences that cannot be replicated by federally funded science," according to the council.

"Bottomfish catch, effort and participation generally declined for all areas except for CNMI in 2020 relative to historical averages, with impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic likely being a contributing factor," the council stated in a release. "In addition, there was a severe reduction in fishery-dependent sampling, especially in Guam, where nearly half of the scheduled creel catch interviews for the year were not conducted due to social distancing restrictions."

The in-house committee also supported options for bigeye tuna longline catch and allocation limits for 2022 of either up to 6.6 million pounds or 13.2 million pounds of total transfers for the participating U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI.

"This recommendation is based on a 2020 assessment for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean that indicated the bigeye tuna stock is healthy  not subject to overfishing or overfished," the council stated.

As noted by the council, territories such as Guam are able to "transfer" part of their individual quotas through specific agreements. This has benefited larger jurisdictions including Hawaii in the past, by allowing these areas to go above their own assigned quota instead of ceasing fishing activities.

Local members of the council will discuss these and other recommendations when the council meets virtually from June 22 to 24. A release notes that in addition to connecting through a web conference, host sites have been organized in the Marianas.

Members on Guam can attend at Cliff Pointe, 304 West O'Brien Drive in Hagatna, while members in the CNMI can go to the BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru Street in Garapan, Saipan. More information, including agendas and briefing documents, can be found at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars.

Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19, according to the council.
WestCare Pacific Islands is now accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, known as CARF. This is the second time the nonprofit has received accreditation on an organizational level. It earned its first accreditation in 2017 for programs including the rapid rehousing of homeless veterans, which continues to be the only accredited program of its kind on island.

"We are happy that was accredited," said Aja Ramos, WestCare Pacific Islands vice president of operations. "In addition to that, we added one more program to our evaluation and that is our outpatient behavioral health program  it's an uplift counseling service."

The program offers behavioral health counseling for adults in crisis or seeking support for any life challenges and substance abuse treatment.

"That program did earn its three-year accreditation. It helps us to become the first nonprofit organization on island to provide accredited outpatient mental health services to adults here on our island," Ramos said.

CARF is an industry standard for accreditation in the health and human services field. Ramos said it means the community can expect a high level of care through WestCare Pacific Islands.

"CARF is renowned throughout the United States and actually internationally as well," Ramos said. "Their reach is as far as Canada and Europe and other nations throughout the world. Here on island, when you go to an organization that is CARF-accredited you can expect the standard of care which you will find in all these other places."

She said clients can be assured through the accreditation that WestCare is committed to quality improvement, practices and services, and that its services put the client first.

"They know if I am going to WestCare to help me with the homeless situation at a desperate time in my life, I know they are putting me first. I know that they're seeking my input and that the plan of care really is mine and they are here to assist and put me at the center in a way that's meaningful and compassionate."

Ramos pointed out that the process needs to be efficient and meet the needs of the consumer quickly. Accreditation opens the door to increasing that capacity of care in the community.

"When we look at people going off island for care it may not be an issue of quality, but an issue of necessity. Lack of specialized care is a big issue on island that oftentimes people don't have the choice but to leave to seek certain types of services," said Ramos.

She said clients who do venture abroad for services will find that accreditation holds WestCare to the same standards of services provided in the states.

"I think that when we make a comparison to that, we are looking at the process and the level that they can expect. So when they come to us it's not going to take five days or 10 days to get a result which you might see in other places that are process-heavy," Ramos said.

"What we are talking about here is people's lives and oftentimes when they come to us they are in a crisis," she said. "It helps the consumer get the services they need in a quicker fashion."

Accreditation helps streamline the process and holds WestCare accountable in making sure they don't place the client at further risk from the challenges they came to WestCare with.

"I think accreditation for us boils down to trust from the clients and consumers in the community looking for services whether that be crisis-oriented services or prevention services," Ramos said.

It also means that the government can place its trust in WestCare while simultaneously raising the bar for other nonprofits.

"It raises the bar for other nonprofits to come together to advocate for ourselves and our profession to show that we are able to deliver these services in a dignified manner, efficient manner and manner of expediency. That's really important to our government officials who are always looking for the nonprofits to assist in serving our community," Ramos said.

One of the most recent initiatives has the Guam Department of Education, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and nonprofits working together to implement after-school youth programs in the upcoming school year.

WestCare was one of the dozens of interested applicants who applied to the Governor's Education Assistance and Youth Empowerment grant program, which dedicates a portion of the $33 million in CARES Act funding received by the governor through the Education Stabilization Fund to address learning loss.

WestCare is hoping to secure the funding to be able to continue two youth programs, Malak Na Ha'ani and Project Isa-ta, as federal funding for both is set to expire.

"We asked to continue a couple of youth programs in particular. One of them is our school-based counseling services in three public schools, which we implemented during the pandemic. Really, the goal there is to have a behavioral health counselor and a case manager youth specialist dedicated to those three high-needs schools," Ramos said.

Malak Na Ha'ani is offered at Benavente Middle School, F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School and Okkodo High School, which were selected based on referrals related to behavior, substance use and family trauma.

WestCare hopes to continue these programs through the governor's program.

"We hope that the governor will support that, as well as a youth program that we have focused on youth leadership and empowerment also based in public schools," Ramos said.
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Evan Brandt has been a staff reporter for The Mercury for more than 20 years. He covers municipal, school district, political, state government, federal government and environmental news.
I wrote this on Fathers Day several years ago. It is a post that struck a chord with at least a few readers. I amplified it last year and am taking the liberty of reposting these reflections in honor of the day.

My father was a thoughtful man in his own way. In the last years of his life he recited for me the things for which he was most grateful. In retrospect I can see he thought about gratitude a lot.

He listed the three things he was most grateful for in this order: 1) that his grandfather didnt miss the boat from Russia to the United States, 2) that when his grandfather arrived in New York he kept on moving until he reached Minnesota (this although my father loved New York), and 3) that his father was born before he was. The last was his way of acknowledging his debt to his father. I join him today in all three thoughts.

He wasnt a good student, but he urged me to get a good education. They can never take it away from you, he told me over and over.

After Army service in the Philippines, he went to hotel school on the GI bill in Los Angeles. He returned to Minnesota and married my mom, Rivian, his high school sweetheart. They moved from St. Paul to Fargo-Moorhead so my dad could manage the Comstock Hotel in Moorhead.

My dad loved the hotel/restaurant business. He established the Las Vegas Lounge and the Chuck Wagon buffet at the Comstock (All you can eat for 50 cents). The Chuck Wagon was a raging success. Below is a late 50s photo of the sign on the roof of the Comstock when the price of the buffet had skyrocketed to 60 cents.

Below is a photo of my dad checking Hubert Humphrey in to the Comstock. I would guess the photo dates from 1954, when Humphrey ran for reelection as Senator.

Below is a photo of my dad checking Orville Freeman in to the Comstock. I would guess the photo also dates from 1954, when Freeman was elected governor.

Humphrey and Freeman had retaken the DFL Party from the Communists between 1946 and 1948. I wrote about their efforts last year in Revolutionary theater in Minneapolis. We could use men like them again in Minnesota politics, but they are nowhere to be found inside the DFL. That much I can tell you, as President Trump would put it.

We moved from Moorhead to St. Paul in 1958 when my grandfather died. My dad sold the Comstock in 1960 and bought what was then mostly a truckers motel in Roseville, Minnesota, just north of the state fairgrounds in St. Paul. In the early 1960s he remodeled it and added a restaurant, a bar, and a buffet.

When I was in law school I used to meet my dad for lunch at his restaurant. One day I found him in the kitchen by the heat lamps pushing out the meals to the customers. It was busy. Mopping his brow, he reflected, This is my punishment for my lack of education. I told him that the punishment didnt fit the crime. We both laughed.

I started thinking about my father and this Fathers Day when I heard the old Winstons single Color Him Father on the radio last week. I learn from the Allmusic Guide entry on them that the Winstons were a Washington, D.C.-based soul act led by Richard Spencer. Spencer was born in North Carolina, where he received some formal training on the piano.

In 1969 the Winstons hit it big with Color Him Father. The single was a top ten R&B and pop hit. Spencer wrote the song and won a Grammy for it. At this point it sounds like a story from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. It might even be deemed hate speech where the thought police hold sway.

The father depicted in the song sets a good example for his seven kids. He works hard to support his family. He emphasizes the importance of education. He also has a big heart for the kids. As if that were not enough, Spencer loads an O. Henry twist into the last verse: the man is the kids stepfather. Their father was killed in the war.

I wonder if the father in Spencers life resembled the man in the song. Spencer followed one of the that mans precepts, taking time out from show business to pursue his education in 1979. (First posted in 2010, amplified in 2020.)
Critical Race Theory is perhaps the great evil of our time. It is racism, pure and simple. Its key precepts are: 1) The most important thing about a person is the color of his skin. 2) You have rights not as an individual, but as a member of a group. 3) People of the same race have the same or similar personality and character traits. John C. Calhoun was the Democratic Partys leading theorist in 1830, and he remains the Democrats leading theorist today.

A day or two ago a reporter asked Ted Cruz for his views on Critical Race Theory. As you would expect, Cruz summed it up very well:

Critical Race Theory is bigoted. It is a lie. And it is every bit as racist as a Klansmen in white sheets. pic.twitter.com/i2lDGVLfkw  Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 18, 2021



As often happens, the Left stole a march on the rest of us by stealthily introducing CRT into our schools. Now normal Americans are fighting back. Several states have passed legislation banning the teaching of CRT in public schools. I am fine with that, but such legislation is not going to win the war. In my view, there is no way for a statute to describe the tenets of CRT in a way that will effectively block leftist teachers and administrators (a majority in most states) from continuing to push their poisonous doctrines.

Rather, CRT can be rooted out only through grass roots activism. Parents, and citizens generally, must get involved and keep an eagle eye on what is going on in local classrooms. School boards are the critical battleground. For too long, left-wing teachers unions have easily been able to dominate low-turnout school board elections, to the point where teachers unions now brag about getting to select the people with whom they negotiate salaries and benefits. This corruption must stop, but it will only be defeated by strong, well-organized grass roots efforts.

In Minnesota, my organization is leading the fight against Critical Race Theory. You can read about our effort here. We are in the midst of a 17-city tour, educating parents and others about CRT and how it can be defeated. Among other things, we are about to release an app that will allow parents to self-organize on a school district by school district basis. You can read about the tour here, here and here.

Stung by the effectiveness of our efforts, Education Minnesota (the states teachers union), Black Lives Matter and the NAACP have tried to disrupt our tour by planting activists in our audiences and by putting pressure on venues to cancel our events. The former effort has failed, although police did have to arrest a BLM activist at one of our events. The latter effort has been more successful, as two venues in Duluth, a country club and a Holiday Inn, knuckled under to the leftists. We will be back in Duluth as soon as we identify a braver venue.

If you would like to support our effort in a key battleground state, you can donate here. Two weeks ago, one of our donors offered a $100,000 matching challenge grant for our anti-CRT project. We have already raised $80,000 against that matching offer, as the grass roots are all in on this issue. It would be good to go over the top before the end of the month.
Its not an explicit confession of error, of course, but consider this line that appears well into a report about Joe Bidens meeting with Vladimir Putin: Putins high hopes for Trump delivered little for Moscow.

How can that be? The Post, the Democrats, and more than a few Never Trumpers told us that Trump colluded with Putin. Had that been true, Trump would have delivered for Moscow or else been exposed by Putins team for not living up to the (alleged) corrupt bargain.

The obvious reality is that Trump owed Putin nothing and that Putin had nothing on Trump. The collusion story that dominated media coverage of Trump for the first half of his presidency and was the centerpiece of the Democrats opposition to him amounted to a hoax, just as Trump always said.

What did Trump deliver for Moscow? Sanctions, resistance to Nord Stream 2, and military aid for Ukraine  lethal aid, not just the blankets and ready meals Obama supplied.

Oh yes, Trump also expressed skepticism about claims that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. The Post points this out in its report.

But that was no favor to Putin. The Russian autocrat, who craves the perception of strength and influence above all else, would like that the world to think hes powerful enough to influence an American presidential race.

In any event, Trumps expressions of skepticism had nothing to do with collusion. Trump simply didnt want people to think his 2016 victory owed anything to the help of outsiders (and theres no good reason to believe it did).

The Posts confession of error on Trump is a throwaway line. The article itself is, as I said, about the Putin-Biden meeting.

And here too, the Post makes an admission against interests. Reporter Robyn Dixon says that Putin flew home [from the meeting] with almost everything he wanted. Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, goes further. He told the Post that Putin got all that he had come for.

Imagine that. Trump gave Putin essentially nothing. Biden so far has given Russias boss just about everything he wanted.

What did Putin want? According to the Post, he wanted respect above all else.

He got it. As the Post puts it, Biden acknowledged Putin as the leader of one of the worlds two nuclear powers and the man without whom global security goes nowhere.

Putin boasted about this. At a post-summit presser, he noted that his meeting with Biden lasted nearly two hours, adding its not every world leader that gets this amount of attention.

The Post cites two policy areas as to which Putin seems to have gotten what he wanted. First, acknowledgement of his red line against Ukraines admission to NATO. Second an agreement to discuss rules on international cybersecurity.

The Post doesnt mention two more important things that Biden gave Putin pre-summit. First, no sanctions regarding Nord Stream 2. Second, no provision at this time of the military aid to Ukraine authorized by Congress.

Not a bad haul. Grounds for Democrats to impeach, if Trump had made these concession.

Pre-Trump, it was Democrats who openly took a soft line on Russia. Recall how Barack Obama ridiculed Mitt Romney for warning of the threat Putin posed to international security.

With the rise of Trump, the Democrats suddenly talked a hard line on Russia, but is was all for show. That was pretty clear then and its obvious now.

To paraphrase Obamas putdown of Romney during their second debate: 2009-2017 is now calling to ask for its Russia policy back.
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Nigerias Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday, said the Nigerian government is committed to the development of entrepreneurship and made-in-Nigeria products.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a five-day exhibition of made-in-Nigeria products and live performance of cultural troupes on Saturday in Abuja, the minister said the Nigerian government would continue to develop initiatives to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) thrive.

Mr Mohammed argued that the growth of SMEs will encourage economic development.

The products exhibited here in the past five days are 100% made-in-Nigeria and by our micro, small and medium scale enterprises. They depict the ingenuity and industry of our indigenous entrepreneurs, the minister said.

It is as a result of this ingenuity that the Buhari administration has continued to diversify the economy as well as encourage and boost SME activities in the country as a driver of the economy.

Mr Mohammed explained that the ceremony provided young Nigerians the opportunity to showcase the countrys rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials.

The minister also commended the inter-ministerial ownership sub-committee for collaborating with the private sector to promote local content in Nigeria.

The event has also featured various paper presentations on key issues that affect Made-in-Nigeria products in the areas of production, branding and financing, the minister said.

Other areas looked at in the presentations include agriculture, SME development and challenges, infrastructural development for regional integration, Nigerias economy beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, women in economic development as well as commerce and industry, amongst others.
Christybelle Sylva John, Coordinator, Ray of Hope Empowerment Foundation, says her sole mission is empowering more women and children, whom she believes are crucial pegs in addressing Nigerias developmental challenges.

Through her foundation, she continues to reach out to impoverished women and indigent children, helping them find succour in the current economic downturn. She shares her philanthropic experiences with PREMIUM TIMES.

Excerpts:

PT: A bit more about yourself

Christybelle: I am from Enugu State but lived all my life in the North. I schooled in Zaria, Jos and a bit of Enugu State and Abuja.

PT: How many languages do you speak?

Christybelle: I speak Hausa, English and a bit of Yoruba.

PT: Can you tell some memorable things you recall growing up?

Christybelle: I had a fantastic upbringing. I had a father, who was a strict man, who had a military background and a mum who was a teacher. We may not be from a rich family but we had a comfortable life.

PT: Looking at you, and at the humanitarian streak, how would you say you came about it?

Christybelle: I grew up in a very large family. We were just six of us from my father, but we had a lot of people who lived with him. When we were going to school then in ABU Zaria because my dad is someone who loves education so much, he invested in the lives of a lot of people.

He believes he may not give you all you want but knowledge is something he will give you and no man can take it. I saw him take care of other peoples needs so I grew up with that mentality.

PT: We still want to know about your passion for the vulnerable having seen some of your field projects

Christybelle: Growing up in the North, I saw those who were highly placed, I saw others placed below. You see a lot of children coming to particular house singing songs and waiting for the owner of the house to come to give them food and I feel its not supposed to be so.

We dont need to make noise when we see people who are in need so that was what prompted me to start this programme and before even this organisation was registered when I was in school I have always been this kind of passionate person who does not want to see people in need suffer.

When I was in secondary school, each time we were going back to school my dad will tell me I know you, by the time you get back to school go and share the provision and start calling me again for new ones. This was because I couldnt stand seeing people ask for help and if it is within my reach, I cannot say no. When I was in university I used my little money to visit the motherless baby homes. This was what I started in school and I grew up and I felt there was a need to continue.

PT: What is the story behind the name of your outfit?

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Christybelle: When you are in a dark place and you see a glimpse of light, what it shows is that there is hope for you. That was how I came about the name.

PT: Tell us about the major projects you have handled in the past?

Christybelle: Yes we have done several back to school outreaches in the last few years which is our usual programme for our children from low income families. We have done women empowerment programmes in many cities. We have done medical outreaches which we tagged health on the wheels where we go to communities and those at the rural areas.

PT: If you were to give a number, how many Nigerians have you reached through these projects so far?

Christybelle: We have lost count since 2013. But I can conservatively say we have reached over 50,000 people. We have done programmes in Benue, Kaduna, Kastina, Imo, Enugu, Abuja and Zamfara in the past few years.

PT: Who is sponsoring these projects?

Christybelle: I started with my funds but sometimes I run to my parents for assistance. People who valued what we were doing supported us. With the help of social media when we are having an event, we put it out there and people rally support for us financially.

PT: Can you share some of your challenges on the field?

Christybelle: Sometimes, when you get to some communities and you write to them seeking permission, you experience bottlenecks. In some places in the North when you are trying to bring in programmes like family planning, it is difficult. The women tell you they cant stop having children until God stops them.

PT: You have seen the level of poverty and insecurity in society, what will you say triggers it? How do you think this can be solved?

Christybelle: Its a chain reaction, how do you change it when so many children are not properly educated and are roaming the streets. To break this you have to get them informed.

PT: Our population is growing, do you think this has also contributed to this?

Christybelle: Yes, I have a small family and I know the cost of taking care of these children, how much more a man who has 19 children. That why we are having issues of terrorism and kidnapping. These are children who could not get the paternal care they need, so they go into the street to care for themselves. If you dont take care of them, they might become prey in the hands of the predator. We also believe in teaching a man how to fish is more sustainable and will reduce the level of insecurity and poverty. If the almajiris in the northern part were educated and empowered there would have been less insecurity in the northern part.

PT: Going forward, what do you think the solution could be?

Christybelle: Empower our women, who are the foundations of families. Take the children off the streets. We should put in relevant policies that target our women and children. If everything was working for them (women, children), I dont think we will have the level of crime and insecurity we have now.

These children feel how can one man come and acquire the whole wealth that belongs to an entire state. When you are put in a leadership position, you are expected to provide basic amenities. But is this always so? The time will come when the children you dont provide for will fight you or your children.

PT: What are the programmes you have planned?

Christybelle: We have an ongoing programme which we started in March to commemorate the day of the women globally. It is called Women rising against poverty. We started March 20. We have empowered some women with start-up funds to boost or start a new business. The next programme that we are going to be doing after concluding this is Menstrual Hygiene, where we will create awareness in rural areas and distribute sanitary pads.

In September, we will continue our regular Resume back to school, where we support children from low-income families with necessities to be able to excel in life. We donate free books, bags and other accessories. Those who are not able to pay their schools fees, we place them under our scholarship.

PT: Any interesting experience on the field you would like to share?

Christybelle: Two. There was a child I saw her by the roadside one day, she was supposed to go to school, but I saw her crying. I asked what was wrong. She said they were supposed to be writing an exam in the coming week but she is yet to pay her fees. That was in 2019. We didnt want her to miss that term so we spoke with her mum, paid her fees and since then she has been under our scholarship.

During one of our programmes on Menstrual Hygiene, we visited a school in Zaria. There we saw over 300 students, sitting on the floor, no seats. I came back to Abuja, mobilised funds and we bought 300 desks for them. There are many more stories.

PT: So what motivates you?

Christybelle: Seeing smiles on peoples faces and making the world a better place.
With an estimated 150,000 annual births of babies with sickle cell anaemia -regarded as the most common form of sickle cell disease, Nigeria takes almost half of the share of more than 300,000 babies with severe haemoglobin disorders that are born globally each year.

These staggering statistics, according to health experts, has ranked Nigeria as a black sheep among the comity of nations.

But the Nigerian government seems unconcerned about the countrys status as the global epicentre of the disease with successive administrations showing no clear signs of commitment to its elimination.

Today, as the world gathers to mark the 2021 edition of the annual World Sickle Cell Day towards raising awareness about the disease, there is no evidence of any activity on the part of the Nigerian government to solidarise with those living with the disease.

This year, relevant individuals and governmental and non-governmental organisations will assemble in the United States of America (USA) to mark the day with the theme; Shine the Light on Sickle Cell.

However, without any significant activities lined up to sensitise the populace on the danger inherent in ignorance about the disease, Nigeria continues to grope in the dark for imaginary solutions.

A PREMIUM TIMES recent letter seeking relevant information on the disease, which was addressed to the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerias government department in charge of health issues, was yet to be replied by the ministry.

Also, the ministrys official in charge of family health, the department responsible for family health issues, Salma Kolo, however, said the department of hospital services is responsible for sickle cell matters.

Mrs Kolo said; Im yet to receive your letter on my desk. However, I will direct you to the director of hospital services if you can come to the ministry on Monday. That is the department in charge of sickle cell disease.

About sickle cell disease

According to Medscape, a multilingual online platform providing continuing medical education for physicians and health professionals, sickle cell denotes all genotypes containing at least one sickle gene, in which haemoglobin S makes up at least half the haemoglobin present.

The organisation further categorises major sickle genotypes to include those with haemoglobin SS which is otherwise called sickle cell anaemia and regarded as the most common form, and another with homozygote for the S globin with usually a severe or moderately severe phenotype and with the shortest survival.

There are also others with haemoglobin S/b-0 thalassemia which means double heterozygote for haemoglobin S and b-0 thalassemia, which is said to be indistinguishable from sickle cell anaemia, and the haemoglobin S/b+ thalassemia, which is said to be mild-to-moderate severity with variability in different ethnicities, among others.

By its foundation, sickle cell anaemia is an inherited form of anaemia, described as a condition in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to transport adequate oxygen throughout the body.

Experts say sickle cell anaemia can lead to many complications such as stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, organ damage, blindness, leg ulcers, pregnancy complications, among others.

For instance, it is believed that sickle cells can block blood flow to an area of the brain, igniting stroke signs such as seizures, weakness or numbness of arms and legs; sudden speech difficulties, and loss of consciousness.

Frightening statistics

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately five per cent of the worlds population carries trait genes for haemoglobin disorders, mainly sickle-cell disease and thalassaemia.

According to the global health body, more than 300,000 babies with severe haemoglobin disorders are born globally each year, but 75 per cent is said to be found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigeria carries 66 per cent of the burden in the region, the American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states.

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Experts further added that the majority of the children with the most severe form of the disease die before the age of 5, usually from an infection or severe blood loss.

According to a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), 24 per cent of the Nigerian population are carriers of the mutant gene and the prevalence of sickle-cell anaemia is about 20 per 1,000 births.

In countries such as Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria, the prevalence is between 20 to 30 per cent while in some parts of Uganda, the prevalence is said to be as high as 45 per cent.

Meanwhile, a study published on thelancet.com shows that Nigeria has the highest birth prevalence of sickle cell disease in the world, with an estimated 150,000 annual births of babies with sickle cell anaemia, the most common form of sickle cell disease.

An earlier report by this newspaper also quoted the WHO 2014 statistics, saying that; at least 100,000 babies die from the disorder in Nigeria every year.

And like other sub-Saharan African countries, the inherited blood disorder is said to be the underlying cause of about 1 in 12 newborn deaths.

The grim statistics is said to have qualified Nigeria as the number one sickle-cell endemic country in Africa.

Efforts to stem the tide?

Annette Akinsete is a consultant public health physician, who, like many other Nigerians, is unimpressed with the Nigerian governments poor attention to the elimination of the disease in the country.

Ms Akinsete, who doubles as the chief executive officer of Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation that is focused on preventive and curative measures for sickle cell disease, said she cannot beat her chest that Nigeria is committed to global policies and programmes aimed at beating the scourge.

In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the campaigner said Nigeria has not invested enough in SCD.

She said; The government comes up with policies and plans but they need to work with advocates for implementation. NGOs are the ones picking the slack for the government. We want the government to come up with comprehensive policies that take care of people with sickle cell.

The senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Sam Egwu, once corroborated Mrs Akinsete while leading a debate on a bill to prevent, control and manage sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria.

Mr Egwu, an agronomist and former Ebonyi State governor, who rued the prevalence of the disease in the country, said the situation has risen to an alarming proportion, but that little is known about it and far little is done about it.

Abiola Morakinyo, an SCD sufferer, lamented what he described as the victims harrowing experiences for diseases brought upon them by others.

He lamented the social challenges such as stigmatisation facing the patients, saying Nigeria is one of the very few countries where medications taken regularly by the SCD patients are not available for free.

The disease is prevalent among the poor due to illiteracy and poor awareness campaigns by the government. But the poor cannot afford regular medications such as folic acid, Mr Morakinyo told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone.

Aborted legislation

The sickle cell prevention, control and management bill, which was sponsored by Mr Egwu during the eighth parliamentary calendar, scaled the second reading in 2020.

The main provision of the bill seeks to prevent persons who are carriers of AS and SS genotype from marrying others carrying similar genotypes.

The sponsor said the bill seeks to curb preventable massive deaths and avoidable hardships caused by the disease, and that such will be achieved by placing a statutory duty on the federal government to engage in and encourage the prevention, control and management of the occurrence, spread and effect of sickle cell anaemia.

He said the legislation will enable the Ministry of Health to direct, coordinate and supervise the prevention, control and management of the disease, while it will also be empowered to accredit reputable public and private hospitals and medical clinics across the country, including the rural areas, to function as accredited participants in the prevention, control and management of the disease in Nigeria.

The lawmaker explained that the passage of the bill will ensure that experts and other concerned parties are committed to the prevention and control of sickle cell disease in the country through adequate sensitisation and counselling towards facilitating uniformity and standardisation of care for those living with the disease.

Mr Egwu said; It will ensure that these campaigns, sensitisation and services are taken to the rural areas across the nation where the majority of the citizens are ignorant of this disease and do not carry out the relevant tests to ascertain their genotype before getting married.

Proper sensitisation of the rural dwellers and accessibility of the blood testing services, which this Bill seeks to enhance, will lead to an appreciable reduction in the number of fresh cases in a short time.

However, since May 2020, when the bill scaled the second reading, with a committee tasked to report back to the house by June, nothing has been heard of the bill one year after.

But the sickle cell advocate, Ms Akinsete, has criticised the bill, saying it is not what should be prioritised.

She said; Those are not the kind of things we are looking out for because they are thinking of how to prevent sickle cell. Lets focus on those who are there already. In terms of prevention, its just to make people know what sickle cell is and thats why we have World Sickle Cell Day. This can help people make informed decisions but you cannot force your decision down their throat.

Let them make the decision to either marry each other or not. But it is best they know before they get to that level of marriage.

She also suggested that Nigeria should have enough counsellors in primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in every local government area in the country to prevent sickle cell disease. Until that happens, I wont say Nigeria has done enough.

Health Commissioner speaks

The commissioner for health in Osun State, Rafiu Isamotu, has said by virtue of Nigerias population and the nature of the disease, it is easier to guess that Nigeria has the larger percentage of the global cases of SCD.

He, however, explained that since he joined the Osun State government to man the health ministry about eight years ago, he has focused on public campaigns and awareness drives to limit the prevalence.

Mr Isamotu, a paediatrician, said; I want to believe that we are not doing enough awareness regarding this. The less people with sickle cell trait marry each other, the less (the) chance of giving birth to children with sickle cell.

He said the state government is working on a major collaboration aimed at screening newborns of sickle cell, which he said would kick off in October in the state.

We have concluded arrangements on how we would start newborn screening of sickle cell. Exactly what is done in Europe and the USA. By the grace of God, by October this year we would start. We are also recommending Hydroxyurea as part of our treatment regime for sickle cell kids in the state, the commissioner added.

Mr Isamotu, while pleading with his colleagues across the 35 other states of the federation and the federal capital territory to step up the efforts to address the disease prevalence, noted that the partnership targeted at newborn screening would be with Global Sickle Cell Alliance, Inc.

Managing SCD

Mrs Akinsete noted that in Nigeria, when people with sickle cell disease appear in hospitals for treatment, they hardly receive the required attention.

She said unlike other patients with other forms of complaints, those with SCD require pain relief and rehydration.

Mrs Akinsete said; So you need to set up a drip for them and observe them for the day. For the usual daily medication, its folic acid every day. Folic acid is hematinic; that is one thing that helps to build blood.

When we say they have a shortage of blood, sometimes doctors prescribe iron tablets for them but that is wrong. People with sickle cell should not be given iron tablet. Iron tablet is what we give people with shortage of blood but we dont do that for sickle cell. This is because they already have excess load of iron in their bodies. Sometimes when we give them blood transfusion, we give them something to remove the iron. We also give malaria prophylaxis and that is very important.

She said because Malaria attacks the red blood cells, and that sickle cell patients already have problems with their red blood cells, this means that the blood they have will be compromised. So we give them prevention medication for malaria, like proguanil and daily doses of folic acid.

Mrs Akinsete said at her clinic in Lagos, such medications are given free because if we dont, most families cannot afford these medicines every day.

In our country, the health insurance scheme is still in its infancy. When patients go to the hospital, they are told that their insurance does not cover these medicines. So until the government steps in with a proper policy, backed by law, the people with sickle cell should be treated free. At least folic acid and proguanil are preventive drugs and what we are pushing for is that they get these medicines free every day of their lives, Mrs Akinsete added.

She also spoke about a new medication called hydroxyurea, saying it was initially found for cancer treatment before it was repurposed for sickle cell.

Because it increases the level of fetal haemoglobin, she said taking this drug makes people with haemoglobin S come up and they begin to behave like AS because they would no longer have a crisis.

She added; So the discovery of hydroxyurea has been a big boost to the management of sickle cell. Although many doctors are still wary of prescribing it because its a new drug. But we are prescribing it in our clinic as other countries are also using it.

Some people talk about infertility and dark nails as some of the side effects but we are following them based on science and research findings. The other treatment used for children with high risk of stroke is hydroxyurea. In fact, before this treatment, it was blood transfusion for every three weeks. But thats almost impossible in Nigeria because we hardly have enough blood in our blood bank.

The Osun State health commissioner corroborated Mrs Akinsete, and added that in science, as long as the merits far outweigh the demerits, the drugs are safe to use.

Mr Isamotu, however, did not confirm the infertility claim, saying it is a drug adopted by his state. Apart from routine care of giving prophylactic folic acid and penicillin antibiotics to all kids with diagnosed sickle cell, we also follow them up in the clinic till their teen years.

Gene therapy

There is significant progress made by scientists in the developed world to combat the scourge of the disease through a new innovation called gene therapy.

In 2017, France recorded a milestone when a 13-year-old boy with sickle cell disease became the worlds first patient to be successfully treated with gene therapy.

The teenager was said to have remained free from sickle crises and other signs of the disease 15 months after his treatment, which was conducted as part of Phase One of two clinical trials.

Meanwhile, Africa also received a boost when in 2020, the United States National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced plans to invest $200 million in the development of gene-based cures for sickle cell disease and HIV.

Previously regarded as experimental, gene therapy has now evolved with a team of scientists in Germany and Iran said to have noted in a September 2019 review that, at least, 20 gene therapy products have already been approved.

In Nigeria, the Sickle Cell Foundation has established a centre for bone marrow transplant in collaboration with Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

World Sickle Cell Day

Since 2008, World Sickle Cell Awareness Day has been held annually marked across the world.

The decision followed a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations, recognising SCD as a public health concern.

The choice of the date, June 19, is in commemoration of the date the resolution was passed.

It is aimed at increasing public knowledge and raising awareness of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and the struggles people with the disease and their families go through.
Despite their communities hosting multi-billion-naira investments, residents of over 40 communities in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos have continued to wallow in darkness.

The communities host the Lekki Free Trade Zone and the popular Dangote refinery among other multi-billion-naira projects.

Former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu in 2006 launched the ambitious Lekki Free Trade Zone, domiciled in Ibeju Lekki, as an agenda to turn the region into one of the largest investment destinations in Africa.

At the ground-breaking on May 12, 2006, Mr Tinubu likened the creation of the export free zone to one of the most effective strategies for transforming a country like Nigeria from third to first world.

Since then, Ibeju-Lekki local government has seen the entry of huge private investment and one of such is the much-celebrated Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery, a $15 billion investment, reputed to the largest single-train refinery in the world upon completion. The refinery sits on 6,180 acres (2,500 hectares) of land.

Another is the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a $1.5 billion investment, which upon completion is projected as one of the largest deep seaports in Sub-Saharan Africa.

While residents and indigenes are happy to hear officials speak glowingly about the potentials of these investments for economic growth, they are worried that many communities in the local government still lack electricity.

The affected communities include Tiye, Mobido, Idasho, Ilege, Magbon-Segun, Idotun, Itokin, Lekuru, Ebute-Lekki, Okunraiye, Olomowewe, Origanrigan 1, Origanriran 2, Oshoko, Lekki, Shiriwon, Ibekodo, Itamarun and Oniyanrin.

Others are Ogogoro, Igbolomi, Idata, Otoolu, Folu, Ikegun, Lepia, Okun-Ise, Okun Abumiti, Igbogun, Obada, Ilagbo, Ide Island 1, Ide Island 2, Igbodola, Batedo, Imobi-Oke, Imube-Omi, Ereke, Okegelu and Apakin.

The communities, according to the 2006 census, serve as homes to over a hundred thousand people.

Bitter Tales

Many children living in various communities in Ibeju-Lekki do not believe that there could be light from an electric bulb without the use of a generator. Residents who spoke with our reporter narrated tales of woes and the difficulties they face due to lack of electricity.

For a first time visitor, the presence of electric poles, a transformer and electric cables may suggest that the communities in this local government have electricity. The residents describe them as mere decorations.

PREMIUM TIMES findings revealed that the electric poles, transformer and cables were brought in the year 2000 during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Then, the community felt their years of darkness would soon come to an end. That has, however, remained a pipe dream.

In early 2000, after the materials were brought, some of the communities had limited power supply for a few years. Soon, the darkness returned fully and that has remained the situation since then.

Our correspondent also gathered that their years of challenges vary. While some of the communities have not had electricity for the past 15 years, some residents said total darkness in their communities started about 10 years ago.

On a recent afternoon in Lekuru community, Tawakalt Olayemi-Malik sat on a wooden stool in front of her house. Placed before her was a carton of frozen fish which she was about to roast. She picked up a fish, bent it, and used a tiny bamboo stick to pierce the head and tail, forming a circular shape.

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Next, Mrs Olayemi-Malik placed them on a net, on top of a huge metal container. Beneath the container, fire from a coal pot blazed towards the fish, roasting them.

This has been her new source of livelihood after her hairdressing business crashed due to a lack of electricity, she told PREMIUM TIMES. Her bitter experience started 15 years ago after she got married to an indigene of Lekuru community.

Before marriage, she could cater for her necessary needs with the income from her hairdressing work. Back then, she had five apprentices but on getting to Lekuru to live with her husband, they all left.

The total blackout in the community frustrated the business and that was the beginning of my predicament, she said.

Most of the tools we use such as dryer, steaming machine and many more require electricity to function. I have the tools but we cannot make use of them because the community does not have electricity.

After losing all her apprentices, she abandoned the hairdressing job to start petty trade. Still, it failed, she said.

I later began a petty trade, took money from my savings to buy a generator and freezer. After nine months, the generator got spoilt. I now live in penury. People are working in the refinery adjacent to my house but I have nothing to sell to them, she said, explaining why she turned to charcoal-roasted fist business.

Atunrase Tolani, a barber in Tiye community, told PREMIUM TIMES that he has not used government electricity since the past 11 years that he opened his salon. He said 70 per cent of his income is spent on fuel.

I spend an average of N4,000 daily on fuel. The youths in the communities are tired of even agitating.

We thought the establishment of companies like the seaport, refinery and indomie will be of help to us but that is not it. We just continue to suffer in darkness.

More travails

Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that even when efforts were made to get transformers, electricity officials failed to connect them to the grid.

A fashion designer, Eleto Monsurah, lives at Origanrigan community. She said she uses stove iron to press her customers clothes and it does not make my work come out well.

Taiwo Oti, an operative of the neighbourhood safety corps who lives in Lekki, said lack of electricity has made the community unfavourable for petty business despite the governments efforts to promote SMEs.

One of the youth leaders in Ibeju-Lekki, Muhammed Jamiu, said most of the communities in the local government have been in darkness since 2005 and efforts to find a solution to the challenges have been unsuccessful.

The youths in the local government gathered ourselves in late 2009 to form a group under the banner restore our light 2010. We agitated and met with various leaders but no result.

The state governor earlier this year paid visit to Dangote Refinery and we confronted him with our plight. He made a promise to look into the electricity crisis but nothing has been heard, he said.

Disturbed communities leaders

The leaders of the communities in Ibeju-Lekki accused the Lagos State Government of marginalisation.

They wondered why communities that house multi-billion-naira investments continue to live in darkness for several years despite visits by officials. The leaders also called on the private investors to assist with electricity restoration.

One of the leaders in Okunraye community, Ibrahim Adedeji, lamented the situation.

Both young and old are affected by a lack of electricity. Even some of us that build house for business sake do not have tenants because nobody wants to stay in an area without electricity. I have more than four spoilt generators in my house because I overuse them.

We are suffering and not happy that despite the state government officials visit to free zone, nothing is being done. They are always giving us excuse which makes us doubt their love for the people.

The Baale of Tiye community, Kayode Mustapha, said his community has not witnessed electricity for several years and his subjects are fast seeing him as an incapable leader.

While the rich are buying generators to light their houses, others knocked at their doors at night to charge. Most people use electricity for their work but they have been jobless because government fails to do what matter to its citizens welfare.

Corroborating his colleague, the Baale of Origanrigan 2, Komolafe Babatunde, said the children we gave birth to in this community in the last 10 years do not understand what is called NEPA light. The only understanding they have is that electricity is generated through generator.

Many visitors have left our community to other places where they can have access to electricity. We are appealing to the state government to treat this as a matter of urgency.

Group petitions Sanwo-Olu

As part of the effort to ensure that electricity is restored in the affected communities, a group called Ibeju-Lekki Development Vanguard, last month, petitioned Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The group said residents in Ibeju-Lekki are compelled to live under 17th-century conditions.

If the government cannot fix its immediate basic need now, how can they trust the government and its private sector friends to deliver jobs, education, infrastructure, security, water etc. in the future?

The time to fix the shameful blackout in Ibeju-Lekki communities is now! part of the petition seen by PREMIUM TIMES read.

Earlier in the year, while on another facility tour at the Dangote Refinery complex, we read with despair that you (Governor Sanwo-olu) were not aware that a whole swath of land under your care does not have electricity for years.

We were comforted by your promise to take immediate steps and personally ensure that the issue was resolved. But months thereafter, we are yet to see any practical steps being taken.

We believe that you have the capacity to ensure that the people of these communities do not experience any further pain due to government neglect and inaction. We hereby passionately demand from government a quick attention to fixing the light in Ibeju-Lekki without any further delay.

Evasive Authorities

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the chairman of Ibeju-Lekki LCDA, Ogidan Olaitan, for comments on our findings but he did not respond to calls and text messages.

The lawmaker representing Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area at the state assembly, Raheem Kazeem, did not also respond to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries.

In our first telephone interview with him, he told this newspaper to call him back but he has since refused to respond to calls and text messages.

On his part, the senator representing Lagos East which covers Ibeju-Lekki, Tokunbo Abiru, promised to do all required of him to ensure that the communities have electricity.

His spokesperson, Enitan Olukotun, said although the senator was recently sworn in and he is not lacking in his responsibility of ensuring that there is rural electrification in various communities, we have done a survey on the needs of the people including those in Ibeju-Lekki. We know that legislatures do not have budget but can only facilitate projects.

This newspaper also reached out to Olarere Odusote, the Lagos State commisioner for energy. He did not respond to enquiries sent to him about Ibeju-Lekkis electricity challenges.

The state information commissioner, Gbenga Omotosho, simply said the governor has ordered that they should go and fix the light. The government has met wit the electrcity people

When questioned further on the precise steps that are being taken by the government, he pleaded with PREMIUM TIMES for more time to get details from the ministry of energy. Over three weeks later, Mr Omotosho has not responded.

Last March, when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu visited the free trade zones in Ibeju Lekki, he pledged to intervene in a six-year-long power outage in eight communities namely Magbon Alade, Alasia, Orimedu, Eleko, Osa Oroko, Ise, Akodo, and Solu.

Nigerias electricity in a mess

Nigeria has a long history of not solving its electricity problems and promises by successive governments to tackle this are yet to yield significant results.

Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006 said the country would be generating 10,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2007 and 35,000MW by 2020. The projection was later adjusted in 2009 by the late Umaru YarAdua who modified the projections, placing installed capacity growth at 6,000MW to 20,000MW by 2015.

By the time President Goodluck Jonathan came on board, he launched a privatisation exercise in 2013 with the mandate to increase power generation and provide stable supply of electricity to Nigerians at affordable cost.

His administration split the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) into six generation companies (GenCos) and 11 distribution companies (DisCos) handled by private investors while the federal government retained 100 per cent ownership of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Many years later, most parts of the country still battle with the irregular supply of electricity while many other communities have none at all, leading to negative economic consequences.

Last year, the Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, said the country had an installed generation capacity of 13,000 megawatts but distributes less than 6,000MW. However, statistics provided by GET. Invest, a European programme focused on renewable energy projects, said only 3,500 MW to 5,000 MW is typically available for onward transmission to the final consumers in Nigeria, less than a third of what is required.

This significant difference in production and distribution has been blamed on the countrys poor transmission and distribution network, incessant collapse of the national grid and other factors.

Also, in spite of the poor distribution, electricity companies continue to demand more increases in electricity tariff, saying the prices Nigerians pay for electricity are not adequate to sustain the supply of electricity.

For the 40 communities in Ibeju-Lekki, however, the total lack of electricity means there is no basis to discuss tariffs.

Affecting growth of SMEs

In April, the World Bank said Nigerian businesses lose $29 billion annually to erratic power supply. This was contained in its Power Sector Recovery Programme factsheet.

According to a senior energy specialist at the World Bank, Muhammad Wakil, Nigeria now has the largest number of unelectrified people globally and the trend is worsening. Of the electrified, the supply is very unreliable with widespread blackouts.

He also said Nigeria now has 25 per cent more unelectrified people than the second most unelectrified country in the world, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The bank also said between June 2020 and February 2021, its board approved $1.25 billion financing to support the Nigerian government in its efforts to reset the power sector.

Earlier in 2019, it said 80 million people in the country were without access to electricity and millions more suffered from poor service.

A banker and development enthusiast, Wale Eleto, told PREMIUM TIMES that it is sad that communities in Ibeju-Lekki are among places facing electricity difficulties.

He also explained the danger of having huge investments strive while small-scale businesses are collapsing.

The World Bank has said that by 2030, there will be need for 600 million jobs globally. It has also reminded us quickly that seven out of every 10 jobs will be provided by SMEs.

Now, for an environment like Ibeju-Lekki, their strength will be SMEs. How can we then have employment without electricity? How many other communities are suffering like this? We have seen promises from successive governments and nothing has been done.

We are calling on authorities to do the needful without any further delay, power must be restored in Ibeju-Lekki communities. We cannot afford the same mess in Niger Delta where people are cheated on their lands and the debacle in Apapa to happen in Ibeju Lekki.
The Nigerian government has shown that its resolve to regulate online media is undaunted.

With an earlier social media bill stalling at the parliament due to public outcry, the government has now plotted another route to censor the media.

Information minister Lai Mohammad earlier in the week told the parliament to empower the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission by extending the agencys power to censor the media to include all online media through the ongoing amendment of the agencys Act currently being considered.

Mr Mohammed would double down on this, during Politics Nationwide, a Radio Nigeria call-in programme on Tuesday, saying that the regulation of social media platforms is becoming a global practice.

He said that most countries have come to terms with the power wielded by the tech giants and how governments are vulnerable to such powers. Hence, the need for regulation

Singapore, Algeria, Pakistan, Turkey regulate social media, Australia has done so, he said.

He added that the UK had initiated a new law that places a fine up to 18 million pounds (about N10.8 billion) on social media companies if they failed to stamp out online abuses.

He said Google was fined 220 million euros (about N110 billion) on June 7 by French Competition Regulator for abusing its dominance in the online advertising market in France.

The minister also cited Pakistan as a country Nigeria is looking at as the South Asian country has approved a new set of rules to regulate social media by ordering companies such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even TikTok to register and open offices in Pakistan.

He added that in compliance with the new online broadcasting rule of Turkey, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video had obtained licences from that countrys broadcasting authority.

Although Mr Mohammeds narrative is flawed  for example, the kind of regulation in Australia is totally different from Nigerias Twitter ban or regulatory plan  most of the countries Nigeria seeks to emulate ranked poorly in the press freedom and human development index.

A PREMIUM TIMES comparative analysis shows that of the top fifteen countries on the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, eleven of them are among the top fifteen countries on the latest Human Development Index.

They include Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Costa Rica, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, Germany.

The exceptions are Jamaica, Portugal, Canada (which ranks 16th country with the freest press), and Estonia.

Nigeria ranked 120th of 180 countries on the press freedom index in 2020 and 161st of 189 nations on the 2020 human development index (HDI), down from 158th in 2014.

HDI ranked all countries by whether or not their people had freedom and opportunity to live a life they valued.

How do the countries cited by Mr Mohammed control the internet and how do they fare on the press freedom and developmental indices?

Turkey

Turkey blocked access to Twitter in March 2014 in the run-up to local elections, PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported. The move was reportedly carried out to stem a stream of leaked wiretapped recordings of senior officials that had appeared on the site, prompting then Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to say he would root out the network.

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Turkey lifted the ban on Twitter after the social networking site complied with its request to remove photographs of a slain Istanbul prosecutor.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the ban as censorship and a trample on the publics right to be informed about a subject of general interest.

Press freedom in Turkey is ranked 153rd, while human development places 54th in the world.

Singapore

Born out of concern about the spread of online falsehoods, Singapore enacted the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, a piece of legislation that took effect in October 2018 and was first used the next month.

It gave sweeping power to all government ministers to decide what constitutes a breach and issue a correction notice that must be posted alongside an assertion they deem false.

If an action is judged to be malicious and against Singapores interests, companies could face fines of up to Sg$1m ($720,000), while individuals could face jail terms of up to 10 years.

Repeat offenders will be blocked if they do not post a label from the Singapore government identifying themselves as recalcitrant, according to a review by Washington Post which cited the States Times Review as a case study.

Long criticised for restricting civil liberties, authorities in the tightly controlled wealthy island nation insisted that law was necessary to stop the circulation of falsehoods that could sow divisions in society and erode trust in institutions.

The law is just one in the spectrum of tools that we have in order to deal with this whole challenge of disinformation and online falsehoods, Singapores communications and information minister, S. Iswaran, reportedly said.

We think it is important to juxtapose the truth with the falsehood, because that is where the eyeballs are.

However, free-speech advocates labelled the tough rules a chilling attempt to stifle dissent and they worried that the law could embolden authoritarian regimes to enact similar laws to clamp down on their critics and threaten technology companies.

Human rights watch also described the law as killing the chicken to scare monkey.

Singapore ranks 160th on the press freedom index but is highly placed  11th  on the HDI.

A bill before Nigerias parliament seeking to regulate social media has been taunted to have been dubbed from Singapores version.

Algeria

In 2016, Algeria banned Facebook and Twitter, supposedly to block the leakage of students baccalaureate exams and test questions at a time the country was battling cheating scandals. Digital rights experts questioned the decision, suggesting it had a political undertone as was done in the past.

By 2019, a pro-democracy movement called Hirak led sweeping mass demonstrations across the North African country, forcing long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign in April 2019.

An election that followed ushered in President Abdelmadjid Tebboune whose government would have none of Hiraks continued demand for sweeping political reforms.

Mr Tebbounes government, in December 2020, adopted its first ever decree governing electronic media; an order that critics said was censorship and stifling free speech.

It, among other things, required online media to register on a .dz internet domain, forcing opposition sites to adopt use of nicknames to protect writers and their families from state harassment.

Charged for offending the president, a critic of the government, Walid Kechida, was jailed for nine months under the penal code. In February, Khaled Drareni, a journalist, was released after almost one year in prison for allegedly inciting unarmed gatherings.

Thirty-one human regional and international rights groups condemned the crackdown on civil liberties in Algeria.

Algeria, Africas largest country known for its oil wealth, places 146th on the press freedom index and 91st on human development.

Pakistan

A set of internet rules rolled out in November empowers the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block an entire online system and access peoples online conversations and metadata without any judicial oversight.

The rule also requires platforms with more than half a million users in the country to register with the PTA within nine months and establish a permanent office and database servers in Pakistan within 18 months.

The platforms are prevented from uploading and live streaming any content related to terrorism, hate speech, pornography, incitement to violence and detrimental to national security or violating the glory of Islam, which could be blasphemous.

The platforms are expected to act within 24 hours or, in case of an emergency, six hours to remove such contents once up.

Erring service providers or social media companies could face a fine of up to 500 million rupees ($3.14 million).

Observers and rights activists have roundly decried the rule, worrying that it could potentially erode press freedom and expose journalists who critique the military or government of the conservative Islamic nation to undue persecution.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, condemned the law. Digital rights group described it as a blatant violation of Pakistanis freedom.

Although major social media networks were temporarily suspended in April to restore public order, Pakistani authorities had said they would review the law.

Pakistan places 145th on the press freedom index and 154th in terms of human development.

Australia

In the case of the Oceanic country, regulatory laws were passed to give financial cushion to local publishers who had continuously argued that they should be compensated for contributing the links that drive audiences and advertising dollars of digital platforms like Facebook and Google.

Therefore, Australias Media Bargaining Code was not designed to restrict free speech as Nigerias information minister portrayed it.

It was designed by authorities in Australia to strengthen publishers when negotiating payment for news content used on tech firms sites.

Australia passed the new law in February. It required internet companies platforms to pay local media outlets and publishers to link their content on news feeds or in search results.

This resulted in a standoff between the tech companies and the Australian government, but it was resolved after series of concession deals among the parties.

This perhaps explains why Australia ranks 25th on the free press index and has the 8th best human development index in the world.

Stifling free speech

Mr Mohammed maintained that the regulation of social media was not targeted at stifling press freedom and gagging free speech.

However, critics have accused the Nigerian government of wanting to model its moves on some countries with undemocratic practices.

The detractors also accused the government of cherry-picking what suits its agenda, while turning a blind eye to the human developmental strides in some of the countries cited.

The government has, in turn, said that without the regulation, the proliferation of fake news and abuse of information would continue and Nigerias corporate existence would be under threat.

We must not confuse press freedom with irresponsibility, Mr Mohammed said. How can you stay in your country and allow your own platform to be used to propagate war in another country?

Our appeal to Nigerians is that they should understand where we are coming from. We have no intention to stifle peoples freedom or to cut off the source livelihood of anybody.

But, media advocates have faulted this, saying the government needs to be more open and rid itself of fake news first while also guaranteeing freedom of speech on and offline before making moves to regulate the media.

Freedom of speech and press freedom, they said, have a far reaching impact on the lives of the people.

We are concerned about an alarming backsliding on human rights across Nigeria as the Federal Government and State authorities continue to use the criminal justice system and repression to silence peaceful dissent, while failing to ensure accountability for violations of rights. People continue to suffer repressive measures including unlawful surveillance and harassment, arbitrary arrests, detention and unfair trials, a coalition of civil society organisations including Amnesty International and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) said in a recent statement.

The Nigerian authorities have continued to propose laws to regulate the social media, and restrict the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom, including through legislative bills popularly known as the Hate Speech Bill and The Social Media Bill which both provide severe punitive sanctions such as the death penalty in some cases, for social media users convicted of crimes provided under them.
The governors of Nigerias South-east region may be preparing to hold talks with IPOB, going by the positions adopted by the governors and other leaders of the region during their Saturdays meeting in Enugu.

IPOB is a pro-Biafra group which has been proscribed by the Nigerian government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State as telling reporters that the leaders from the region had set up a committee to engage the agitators in the region to address their fears.

It is not clear if Mr Umahi specifically mentioned IPOB by name when he spoke with reporters.

But the governor may have very well referred to group when he said agitators, as IPOB is the main group agitating for the independent state of Biafra, for now.

This development signals a departure from the previous hardline posture against IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Although Mr Umahi said secessionist groups from the region were not speaking for the people of the area, he made some remarks that seemed like the kind of thing IPOB and their supporters would like to hear.

The governor, for instance, said governors and other leaders of the region condemned the extrajudicial killings of civilians in the region by security agencies.

He also said that although the South-east remains committed to Nigerias corporate existence, but that such union must be based on love, mutual respect and equality of rights, irrespective of ones religion, ethnic group, political inclination and creed.

The governor said that leaders from the region had noted with concern threats against the Igbo people by some groups in other regions.

The meeting pleaded with leaders of other regions to note such threats to our people, address it and protect our people, he said.

Those present at the Saturdays meeting included Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Anambra and Imo States were represented by the deputy governors, Nkem Okeke and Placid Njoku respectively.

Others were the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, and President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, George Obiozo.

Its difficult to proscribe an ideology

Governor Ikpeazu, before now, had urged the federal government to open talks with IPOB and other agitators in different parts of Nigeria in order to check the rising insecurity in the country.

Mr Ikpeazu said, The good place to start is to listen to the crux of their agitation, because some of the things they have mentioned is what is agitating the mind of the ordinary people in the South-east. So, what is wrong in listening? What is wrong in discussing the issues?

If they say they want somebody in the Security Council, why cant that happen?

The Nigerian government, he said, should begin a conversation immediately.

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When asked about the possibility of holding talks with a group like IPOB which has been proscribed, Mr Ikpeazu said, You can proscribe an individual, you can proscribe a group, you can proscribe an organisation but it is difficult to proscribe an ideology.

South-easts Security challenge

Frequent deadly attacks on security agencies has complicated the security challenges in the South-east. Such attacks, including the burning down of court buildings, INEC facilities, and other public facilities, may be eroding the peoples trust in the government.

The huge success recorded in the recent IPOBs sit-at-home order could also erode the peoples trust in the political leadership of the South-east governors and others.

Apart from the fact that the Nigerian military may be over-stretched with their campaign against the Boko Haram insurgency in the countrys North-east and other campaigns in other parts of the country, military operations in the South-east, which is seen by many as an extreme option, appeared not to have brought about a lasting peace in the region.

Some gunmen on Wednesday attacked the country home of a state lawmaker in Imo and beheaded a security guard on duty, in what appears to be a new dimension in the security challenge in the state.

The country home of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, was similarly attacked in April.

Mr Ikpeazu has said that IPOB was trying to fill a gap wrongly and that the group was being energised by the activities of criminal herders who invade farmlands in the South-east.

In the first place what is the genesis of the agitation in the South-east? Some people in the South-east feel unprotected the way things are going and they also feel that some criminal herders that have found their way into our forests were not adequately sanctioned according to the rule book of Nigeria, and that created a gap.

It is this gap that non-state actors are trying to fill, wrongly though, he said.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on the security crisis in the South-east region and the labour crisis in Kaduna state.

The meeting held at the Presidential Vlla in Abuja on Sunday.

Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Mr Ngige said it resolved that there is no need for another strike action in Kaduna State.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wrote Mr Buhari that the Kaduna State government refused to comply with the terms of Agreement reached between the two parties brokered in April.

Recall that the Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment met with both parties to seek the suspension of the warning strike against the decision of state government to rightsize.

We also looked at the Kaduna State government/Nigeria Labour Congress imbroglo. We have arrested the strikes, we have apprehended them and formed committees for the workers through the NLC and the Kaduna state government so that they can do some social dialoguing and reconciliation through that route.

The NLC just five days ago, wrote to Mr. President complaining that the Kaduna state government wasnt keeping to their own side of the agreement, signed, especially in the area of victimisation of workers, said that the government of Kaduna state has sacked some staff from their workforce for participating in the strike.

And Mr. President sought for advice on it and weve transmitted the advice today. So, I and the Chief of Staff have jointly briefed him on that and we are taking action to make sure we dont have a repeat of what happened in that state, he said that we have already been bedeviled with security issues, we dont want any more compounding of those issues,  he said.

Commenting on the security crisis in the Southeast, the minister said he has made some proposal to the president, based on the yearnings of the people.

And we are following up with dialogue which at the end of the day is what will happen. We have to talk, we have to discuss. And part of the discussion starts also tomorrow(Saturday). The Minister of Defence, Minister of Interior and the Service Chiefs were in Enugu earlier last Saturday and we are going to do follow-up meetings on that again starting from tomorrow.

We briefed him and he accepted that dialogue is the way to go in all these. Like I keep on saying there is a very tin line between perception and reality, so certain things should be done, at least to assuage the feelings of the people in the area and make them not to feel unwanted so that area was also discussed.

PREMIUM TIMES had in recent months reported activities of insurrectionists and vandals of Police stations and electoral commission offices in the region.
Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces have successfully rescued three more students and one staffer of the Federal Government College, Yauri, Kebbi State.

Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday.

The rescue comes two days after five students were rescued alongside two staff of the college.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how armed bandits abducted an undisclosed number of staff and students of the unity school.

PRNigeria reported that aside from the kidnap, the bandits shot security personnel during an exchange of gunfire.

The heavily armed bandits, who came on motorcycles, reportedly entered the town from the neighbouring Rijau forest in Niger State.

In the Sunday statement, the army said the troops also killed one bandit and recovered nine motorcycles and four mobile phones from the fleeing bandits.

He also said additional troops have been deployed to the forest to ensure the safe return of the remaining captives.

Read the full statement:

PRESS RELEASE

UPDATE ON BIRNIN YAURI ABDUCTION

Troops of the Nigerian Army operating under the auspices of Operation HADARIN DAJI supported by Nigerian Air Force components have rescued more abductees of the FGC Birnin Yauri. One teacher and three students were rescued yesterday at Makuku, in the ongoing search and rescue operations. The troops also killed one bandit and recovered nine motorcycles and four handsets from the fleeing bandits.

Additional troops have also been deployed to dominate the forest and deny the bandits freedom of action.

Recall that two teachers and five students were earlier on Friday 18 June 2021 rescued by the gallant troops in a coordinated fire fight with the kidnappers.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Brigadier General

Director Army Public Relations

20 June 2021

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The Nigerian Army has announced that soldiers, on Sunday, foiled an attack by Boko Haram terrorists on Kumshe town of Borno State.

The army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a brigadier general, who announced this in a statement on Sunday, said the intervention of gallant troops forced the terrorists who came on gun trucks and motorcycles to flee without accomplishing their mission.

The latest incident occurs a few weeks after the Nigerian army announced the killing of over 50 terrorists in another operation.

In the statement on Sunday, the army spokesperson said at least six of the terrorists were killed during the encounter.

He added that six AK 47 rifles were recovered alongside one hand held grenade, assorted drugs and other medical items.

Read the full statement by the army below.

OPERATION HADIN KAI: TROOPS FOIL BOKO HARAM ATTACK IN KUMSHE TOWN

neutralise terrorists

Troops of Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) deployed at the Forward Operational Base (FOB) of 152 Battalion, Kumshe on Sunday, 20 June 2021 gallantly dealt with elements of Boko Haram terrorists (BHTs) on a suicidal infiltration attempt into the camp.

The terrorists mounted on 4 Gun Trucks and several motorcycles attempted to infiltrate and attack the camp through the northern part of the troops deployment, but were met with the fierce fire of the highly alert troops, resulting in the instant killing of 6 BHTs.

The troops, who remained dogged and sustained heavy gun fire on the terrorists during the encounter, routed and forced the terrorists to flee in total disarray, leading to the capture of six AK 47 Rifles, one hand held grenade, assorted drugs and other First Aid items.

The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya has lauded the troops high level of alertness and fighting spirit, urging them to sustain the momentum and ensure that the remnants of terrorists hibernating in the area are completely cleared.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Brigadier General

Director Army Public Relations

20 June 2021
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on an industrial action if the 13 months salaries of over 1,000 of its members across the country were not paid.

Lazarus Maigoro, Chairman, University of Jos chapter of the union, who stated this in a statement on Saturday, in Jos, added that the federal government had also withheld the check-off dues of the affected members.

He accused Ahmed Idris, the Accountant General of Federation (AGF), of systematically denying the lecturers their remuneration, even after government and the union had reached an agreement on non-victimisation of its members following their last strike.

The chairman alleged that the affected members were being threatened to either enrol into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform, or have their salaries withheld.

He explained that despite the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari that members of the union be paid their full remuneration, the accountant general had denied the affected union members their pay, in a complete violation of the terms of the agreement signed between the union and government.

Mr Maigoro said that the office of the accountant-general had continued to feed the public and some sections of government with false reasons over the matter, such as incorrect BVN numbers, incorrectly spelt names and their sequential arrangement, among others.

He, however, added that such excuses were not tenable, because the bursary departments of their various institutions had submitted the names severally to the authorities, but the problem had continued to persist.

ASUU wants to bring to the attention of the Nigerian public the deliberate, systematic and unpatriotic actions of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, on the future of education in Nigeria.

Idris, from all intent and purposes, is bent on withholding the salaries of over 1,000 members of ASUU spread across the country, with more than 100 of such lecturers being members of our branch at the University of Jos.

This is simply because they participated in the last strike and refused to enrol in the much discredited IPPIS, despite the non-victimisation clause signed in the Memorandum of Action (MoA) that led to the suspension of the strike in December 2020.

Despite the directive given by Mr President to pay the salaries of all lecturers, the AGF has refused to pay their salaries, for periods ranging from four to thirteen months, respectively.

More worrisome is the fact that while the AGF is refusing to pay the salaries, his staff are busy calling the affected lecturers and insisting they have to register with IPPIS before they are paid; some are even asked to forfeit a part of their salaries in order to be paid. So, it is very clear that this is a deliberate act on the part of the AGF and his staff.

Many of our members at the University of Jos have not been paid salaries from February 2020 to date. How they are expected to go to the classroom and teach beats my imagination.

It is not news, that our union have vowed to fight back at any cost in order to salvage our colleagues from his tyranny and unpatriotic act against not just ASUU members, but the future of education in Nigeria and so, if nothing is urgently done, we will be forced to take action, Mr Maigoro said.

ALSO READ: ASUU elects new president

The union has gotten to a stage where it may be forced to take drastic measures to save the lives and families of its members because their despair is also our collective despair.

Mr Maigoro also said that the inability of government to pay other allowances, such as sabbatical, visiting, part time and contract staff was also destroying the university system in the country.

Apart from the refusal to pay the salaries of our members, the lack of payment of allowances of sabbatical, visiting, part-time, contract staff is further killing the federal universities in Nigeria, and this is all because of IPPIS.

We hope that whatever decision the union takes, will not be misconstrued by the Nigerian public, especially seeing the seeming silence of the public and the government over the complete violation of our 2020 MoA, he said

Mr Maigoro called on President Buhari to wade into the matter, in order to save the affected members, as well as the future of education in Nigeria. (NAN)

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The Catholic Bishop of the Abuja archdiocese, Ignatius Kaigama, has urged the federal government to collaborate with the church to ensure a clean and healthy environment for Nigerians.

Mr Kaigama made the call Saturday at an event to mark the beginning of a seven year climate improvement programme by the diocese, with the theme: Care for our common home.

Mr Kaigama said local and international environmental realities had proven that nature has been wounded and the church must be part of its healing process.

We are interested in collaboration. We just hope that the government will return the gesture and embrace us. We must work together for beautifying the earth, for creating harmony and order in our society.

When we are doing it our way, providing the quality schools and clinics that we are able; sometimes we suffer a lot of interference from the ministries. They disturb us with taxes and so on. They believe that we are making money. But they forget that we have been doing this for years and our work is with the poor, Mr Kaigama said.

Speaking at the holy mass to mark the event, Omokugbo Ojeifo, an Abuja based Catholic priest, said that climate change could have been responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic and its ugly effects on the world.

He urged churches, organisations, schools and families to take seriously the need to adopt renewable sources of energy and avoid wastes, among other measures as steps towards improving our environment.

What matters are the little concrete actions that we take today. What can we do to cut down the waste of food and water? Do we conserve energy by turning down electrical appliances before leaving our homes? Parishes should be made to ask how they can promote renewable energies in their parishes and institutions, Mr Ojeifo said.

According Mr Ojeifo, the various steps expected to be taken by the diocese would revolve around seven themes.

Our response to the cry of the earth, our response to the cry of the poor, the ecological economy, the adoption of a civil way of life, ecological education, ecological spirituality and community engagement.

He added that the diocese has categorised the society into seven groups to enable the implementation of the seven year plan for climate change.

The groups include families, parishes and dioceses, schools and universities, hospitals, businesses and farms as well as religious institutions

He said the diocese has prepared a plan to ensure that the various groups play their roles in ensuring a safe climate for Abuja and Nigeria in general.

Saturdays event was in furtherance of a 2015 encyclical on global climate change by the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, under the theme Laudato Si Mi Signore, which means; praise be to You my Lord.
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The Chief Pathologist of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), John Obafunwa, on Saturday submitted the autopsy documents of 99 deaths resulting from the #EndSARS protests in Lagos to the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry.

Mr Obafunwa, a professor of forensic pathology, was told to submit the autopsy reports at the last proceedings on June 6

According to him, the 99 bodies, which include three killed at the Lekki Toll Gate during the shooting on October 20, 2020 by soldiers, were deposited at the morgue between October 19 and October 24, 2020.

While giving evidence at the panel on Saturday, Mr Obafunwa, the head of the department of morbid anatomy at the Lagos State University College of Medicine, said the ethical practice, especially during a mass disaster or a situation where all sorts of speculations arise, is to do an x-ray before you put a knife to a body.

You need to look for hidden fractures or prosthesis. It will help if such is discovered because it will be circumstantial evidence to make you say that this body belongs to this person.

We need to avoid sensationalism. If you look at a page in the report I submitted, all I did was to summarise. However, if I do an autopsy and I do not do radiography, you would tear me to pieces if I come to court with such a record. That is why I had to do everything, leaving nothing to chance.

The chair of the panel, Doris Okuwobi, ruled that the records presented be accepted as evidence and adjourned further hearing till June 26.

Soldiers shooting

On October 20 last year, soldiers opened fire at unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate killing yet-to-be-determined number of people.

Although the army initially denied its soldiers shot at unarmed protesters, the multitude of evidence presented by witnesses, including videos showed that soldiers shot at protesters.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who initially said no one died from the shooting, later said only two persons died.

Several protesters, including those who have appeared before the judicial panel to give evidence that many people were killed at the Lekki tollgate and many injured, have insisted that some of the corpses were taken away by the soldiers.
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 19 announced a revision in procedures for travellers coming from the Republic of India, South Africa and Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement issued by the UAE Embassy in Abuja to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

According to the statement, the new rules issued by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai are effective from June 23, the Dubai Media Office said.

Also, the updates are part of the committees keenness to protect passengers and ease hassles for them without compromising on COVID-19 preventive measures, said the Chairman of the Supreme Committee, Mansoor Al-Maktoum.

The Media Office announcement said the updated travel protocols are part of a normal process of revising and optimising preventive measures based on the latest local, regional and international developments.

Following the announcement, UAE carrier Emirates Airlines confirmed it would start carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with the new protocols from June 23.

We look forward to facilitating travel from these countries and supporting various travellers categories, an official statement from the airline said.

It stated that residence visa holders from India and travellers from South Africa shouldve taken two doses of a vaccine approved by UAE authorities and carry RT-PCR tests reports from labs approved by the federal governments of these countries.

But for Nigerians vaccination is not made mandatory but all other conditions apply.

In addition to the above, Indians have to take a rapid PCR test four hours prior to their travel.

While there are four vaccines in the UAE for use on eligible individuals against the COVID-19 infection  Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V and Oxford-AstraZeneca, it is unclear if the UAE has approved vaccines administered on Indian, South African and Nigerian citizens in their countries, it stated.

NAN reports that all travellers are also required to present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 48 hours before departure. However, UAE citizens are exempted.

Only QR coded PCR test result certificates are accepted. All passengers must take a rapid PCR test four hours prior to flight departure. All passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai Airport.

Passengers should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours.

Passengers should produce a negative PCR test certificate with a QR Code from labs approved by the Nigerian government.

All passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival at Dubai Airport. Transit passengers should comply with entry protocols of final destinations.

Entry will now be permitted to residents who have received two doses of UAE-approved vaccines, the state said. (NAN)
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The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has reaffirmed that construction of the Second Niger Bridge would be completed next year.

The minister gave the assurance at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, to mark the sixth year anniversary of the present administration.

According to Mr Fashola, the bridge, which will serve as a major link between South East and South West Nigeria will be delivered between the second and third quarters of 2022.

Records show that construction of the bridge commenced on September 1, 2018 with construction cost put at N336 billion when the contract deal was signed.

The minister, however, made no mention if the construction cost of the facility had changed since the commencement of work.

He said that the project would facilitate the influx of investments to the South-east when completed.

Mr Fashola said that the construction work had gone beyond the water level, explaining that most bridge works were done under water.

So, what you see currently is the final work. The sub-structure which entailed building cement structures under water often costs a lot of money.

We should finish the bridge next year between the second quarter and third quarter, he affirmed, saying that construction time was lost because of COVID-19.

The bridge is 1.6km long and furnished with other ancillary infrastructure, including a 10.3km highway and an inter-change, expected to be completed next year.

The bridge spans from Asaba in Delta State to Ozubulu, Ogbaru and other communities in Anambra State.

The existing Niger Bridge, linking Onitsha and Asaba was completed in December 1965.

It was built by the French construction giant, Dumez.

(NAN)
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Federal Government and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed from using their patently unlawful directive to all TV and radio stations not to use Twitter, and to delete their accounts as a pretext to harass, intimidate, suspend or impose criminal punishment on journalists and broadcast stations simply for using social media platforms.

The suit followed the order by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) asking TV and radio stations to suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately, and telling them to delete unpatriotic Twitter, after the social media giant was banned in the country for deleting President Muhammadu Buharis tweet.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/496/2021 filed last Friday, SERAP is seeking: an order of perpetual injunction restraining the government of President Buhari, the NBC, and Mr Lai Muhammed and any other persons from censoring, regulating, licensing and controlling the social media operations and contents by broadcast stations, and activities of social media service providers in Nigeria.

In the suit, SERAP is also seeking an order setting aside the directive by NBC and Mr Lai Mohammed asking broadcast stations to stop using Twitter, as it is unconstitutional, unlawful, inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], and the countrys obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

SERAP is arguing that The government of President Buhari, the NBC and Mr Lai Mohammed have consistently made policies and given directives to crackdown on media freedom, and the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression and access to information, and to impose crippling fines and other sanctions on broadcast stations without any legal basis whatsoever.

According to SERAP: The court has an important role to play in the protection and preservation of the rule of law to ensure that persons and institutions operate within the defined ambit of constitutional and statutory limitations.

SERAP is also arguing that Where agencies of government are allowed to operate at large and at their whims and caprices in the guise of performing their statutory duties, the end result will be anarchy, licentiousness, authoritarianism and brigandage leading to the loss of the much cherished and constitutionally guaranteed freedom and liberty.

According to SERAP: By using the National Broadcasting Act and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to stop broadcast stations from using Twitter without recourse to the court, the NBC and Mr Lai Mohammed have contravened the right to access to justice and fair hearing guaranteed under sections 6[1] & [6][b] and 36[1] of the Nigerian Constitution 1999, and articles 1 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: The directive by the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed to broadcasters to delete their Twitter accounts is unlawful, as it amounts to a fundamental breach of the principle of legality, the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom, and incompatible with the countrys international human rights obligations.

SERAP and concerned Nigerians are entitled to the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom subject only to lawful restrictions. SERAP and concerned Nigerians frequently rely on the Twitter handles of many broadcast stations as sources of information for our activities in the promotion of transparency and accountability in the country.

Nigeria is a state party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which impose legal obligations on the government of President Buhari to ensure that the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom are respected, promoted, protected, fulfilled, and not unlawfully restricted.

The NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed have not shown any law breached by journalists, broadcast stations and media houses in Nigeria, and the government of President Buhari cannot use any disagreement with Twitter as a ploy to violate Nigerians rights, and undermine their individual businesses and professional duties.

The drafters of the Nigerian Constitution well knew the danger inherent in special executive and legislative acts which take away the life, liberty, or property of particular named persons. They intended to safeguard the people of this country from punishment without trial by duly constituted courts. These principles are so fundamental and must be respected.

The directive to broadcast stations has seriously undermined the ability of Nigerians and other people in the country to freely express themselves in a democracy, and undermined the ability of journalists, media houses, broadcast stations, and other people to freely carry out their professional duties.

The Twitter accounts by broadcast stations and media houses are their own properties acquired upon privity of terms and conditions formulated by the Twitter Inc. and accepted by the stations and media houses.

SERAP is also asking the Federal High Court for the following reliefs:

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1. A DECLARATION that the directive by the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed to broadcast stations in Nigeria to deactivate their Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter as a source of information gathering is unlawful, and amounts to a breach of the principles of legality and no punishment without law, and violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom guaranteed under sections 39 and 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 [as amended], Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

2. A DECLARATION that the acts of the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed in relying on the National Broadcasting Act and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to unilaterally direct broadcast stations to delete their Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter without recourse to the court amount to infringement on sections 6[1] & [6][b], 36 and 44[1] of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], Articles 1 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

3. A DECLARATION that the provision of section 2[1][r] of the National Broadcasting Act and sections 5.6.3, 5.11.3 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code being inconsistent and incompatible with sections 36[1], 39 and 22 of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights are null and void to the extent of their inconsistency and incompatibility.

4. A DECLARATION that the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed lack the power and authority to unlawfully impose penalty such as fines and other sanctions on any journalists and broadcast stations for using Twitter, and refusing/failing to deactivate their Twitter handles.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
South-east governors and leaders have requested security agencies in the zone to respect the rights and privileges of all those living in the zone.

They made the call on Saturday in Enugu after a meeting attended by political leaders, socio-cultural organisations, clerics and the traditional leaders.

The Chairman, South-East Governors Forum, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, who addressed reporters after the meeting, condemned the killing of civilians in the zone by security agencies.

Mr Umahi urged them to discharge their duties within the law and in accordance with their rules of engagement.

The Ebonyi governor reaffirmed the commitment of the region to the corporate existence of the country.

Mr Umahi, however, said that such union must be based on love, mutual respect and equality of rights irrespective of ones religion, ethnic group, political inclination and creed.

The governor said the various secessionist groups from the region were not speaking for the people of the area.

He said the leaders from the zone had set up a committee to engage the agitators to allow elders of the region to address their fears.

We have come out publicly on many occasions to speak against such agitations, he said.

Mr Umahi said the meeting was in fulfilment of the June 11 agreement they had with a federal government delegation led by the Minister of Defense, Bashir Magashi, a retired major-general.

Consequent upon that, we scheduled our own meeting today to discuss and articulate our positions.

This is to enable us not only engage the presidential team but also engage our people over all burning issues, he said.

The governor said leaders from the region had noted with concern threats against the Igbo people by some groups in other regions.

The meeting pleaded with leaders of other regions to note such threats to our people, address it and protect our people, he said.

He said that governors from the South-east had assured people from other ethnic nationalities of their safety in the region in spite of the prevailing circumstances.

The leaders condemned the killing of security personnel and burning of government infrastructure in the region.

He called on National Assembly members from the region to support the creation of state police in the ongoing efforts to amend the constitution.

The governor said the meeting endorsed the South-east joint security unit called EbubeAgu, and requested the personnel to work with statutory security agencies.

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Those present at the meeting included Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Anambra and Imo states were represented by the deputy governors, Nkem Okeke and Placid Njoku respectively.

Others were the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, and President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, George Obiozo.

(NAN)
The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York on Saturday held a remembrance ceremony to honour the memory of Nigerians who died from COVID-19 within its jurisdiction.

PREMIUM TIMES monitored a major part of the event via zoom.

The Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Lot Egopija, had earlier, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that the programme was aimed at honouring the memories of those Nigerians who died in New York during the pandemic that rocked virtually all parts of the globe.

He said one of the foundations of the African culture was the honor people accord the memories of their loved ones and this would be replicated in the case of these Nigerians, who left behind traumatised families.

We want to share in their pains and let them know we stand by them at this trying moment for all humanity, Mr Egopija told PREMIUM TIMES, explaining the rationale a week before the event.

The United States of America is currently one of the nations hardest hit by the scourge. It has so far recorded 34,401,712 cases with 617,083 deaths according to a data tracker.

About 28,694,843 persons in the U.S. have recovered from the ailment.

New York, where thousands of Nigerians reside, recorded 33,374 deaths out of its 954,000 COVID-19 cases.

Migration Policy Institute says the largest number of Nigerian immigrants in the United States reside in Texas, Maryland, and New York.

By metropolitan area, New York City has the largest Nigerian immigrant population, followed by Houston and Washington DC, it adds.

Memorial

The Memorial drew Nigerians from all walks of life including UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Nigerias Ambassador to the UN, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, other Nigerian envoys, community leaders, and families, friends and associates of the victims.

Some Nigerians, who converged on Nigeria House venue of the event and those who joined by virtual all thanked the Consulate for the initiative.

They also encouraged Nigerians who had not been vaccinated to do so and to raise their voices to encourage others to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus.

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, in her keynote address, urged people to raise their voices against COVID-19, noting that vaccine is the surest way to be protected.

Mrs Mohammed said the remembrance ceremony was in line with the tradition and culture of honouring the memories of the departed.

She said it was surprising that high fatality of COVID-19 had been recorded in some part of the world, more than in Nigeria and some parts of Africa.

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For us, it not about the virus itself, although, it took so many lives; it is also about the social-economic impact; even those who have lost loved ones are also suffering from the social-economic impact.

We are grateful to God that those fatality  even I will say, one life lost is one too many but  it is not as bad as we expected.

You remember there was projection from voices in the world that fatality in Africa will be more but we thank God, it is not so.

We must commend our government and local leaders who really stepped up to protect as many as they could from the virus; although we lost so many, she said.

Similarly, Muhammad-Bande, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, thanked the consulate for honouring the memory of the deceased, saying it is a long tradition in Nigeria to remember the departed loved ones.

Mr Muhammad-Bande said it was also a sense of community that necessitated the gathering to condole with the families and friends of the COVID-19 victims.

We can continue to reflect about life and death but we should learn the lesson of life that death is inevitable and so we must learn to live healthy.

The Nigerian envoy commended the Nigerian government for evacuating some Nigerians who were stranded during the lockdown back home.

In his remarks, Mr Egopija said the COVID-19 pandemic led to so many deaths and suspension of socio-economic activities globally.

Mr Egopija said the purpose of the remembrance ceremony was to identify with Nigerians, who lost their loved ones to the pandemic, in line with the tradition of honouring the dead.

He encouraged Nigerians yet to be vaccinated to do so, saying, the New York City authority had provided a mobile vaccination van outside the Nigeria House to vaccinate interested Nigerians.

They have also offered to provide safe services to various Nigeria communities on mutually agreed days, he said.

Mr Egopija commended the efforts of the New York State, which was the epicentre of the pandemic, saying the state celebrated the attainment of vaccinating 70 per cent of its population a few days ago.

The Nigerian envoy said businesses had been permitted to resume operations in line with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in the state.

It is evidence that the host country is gradually returning to the pre-COVID-19 days.

Also speaking, Bobby Olisa, President, Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), New York, emphasised the importance of being vaccinated, wearing face masks and observing physical distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mr Olisa recalled his experience of testing positive for COVID-19 and spoke against stigmatising COVID-19 patients.

Iwuozo Obilo, a representative of medical doctors, said there is the need for Nigerians to be vaccinated, saying the pandemic is not over, we still have some variants.

We cannot be complacent; the vaccines are safe, please take it and encourage your loves ones to do so, he said.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Health Foundation paid tributes to the frontline workers who lost their lives to the pandemic.

Responding on behalf of representatives of the families of the deceased, Joyce Adewumi, younger sister of one of the victims, Jonathan Adewumi, thanked the Consul-General for remembering ceremony to honour their departed loved ones.

Ms Adewumi said the event was comforting and consoling to the families, friends and associates of the COVID-19 victims.

It has been a very difficult period for us but this event today has helped us ease the pain; it is greatly comforting to us, she said.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque by the Deputy Secretary-General and the Consul-General. Muslim and Christian prayers were offered for the souls of the departed.
The Ondo State government said Sunday that it is making moves to ensure the release of 18-year-old Kemisola Ogunniyi, who recently gave birth in prison in Akure, where she has been detained for months in connection with last years #EndSARS protests.

Charles Titiloye, the states Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said this in a statement on Sunday, confirming the hope expressed by her lawyer on Saturday that she would be released on Monday.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Ms Ogunniyi was arrested by soldiers after the violence that erupted in the wake of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.

Her lawyer, Tope Temokun, had said she was randomly picked up on the streets of Akure last year for allegedly having connections with persons who torched the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat in Akure, Ondo State, during the nationwide #EndSARS anti-police brutality protest last year.

She was said to be about two months pregnant when she was arrested along with three others on October 22, 2020.

Those with whom she was arrested were Ayodele Bukunmi, Ojo Samuel, and Ani Obinna.

They were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit arson, riotous assembly, stealing and malicious damage, and later remanded in Surulere Prison in Ondo West local government area of the state.

The Ondo State government subsequently arraigned them. They have since been kept in pretrial detention in Akure prison.

After giving birth on Wednesday, many Nigerians took to social media, particularly Twitter, to campaign for her release.

On Thursday, her lawyer, Mr Temokun, wrote separate letters to the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Titiloye, and Chief Judge, Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, demanding her release.

The lawyer said Saturday that he met with Ondo State attorney-general whom he said expressed passionate interest in ensuring Ms Ogunniyis release without delay.

He also said he similarly got good assurances from the office of the Chief Judge in respect of his clients matter.

Attorney-General confirms move to release Ms Ogunniyi

Mr Titiloye, in a statement seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, said the state is committed to the release of Ms Ogunniyi who gave birth to a baby boy in prison on Wednesday.

The official, who noted that the detainee did not disclose her pregnancy status at the time of her arrest last October, said his office is facilitating her release.

Ondo State government will not be opposing the fresh bail application filed by her lawyer, Mr Temokun, Mr Titiloye said.

He also confirmed meeting with Mr Temokun on Friday in talks over the new mothers release on bail.

This office is aware that the offences with which Kemisola Ogunniyi was charged are offences for which bail may be granted by the court and she is entitled to a counsel of her choice who has the duty to file an application for bail before the court.

It is worthy of note that, at the previous sittings of the court, counsel to two of the four defendants had filed applications for bail.

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However, no information was placed before the Court then about the pregnant status of Kemisola Ogunniyi and no application for bail was brought before the Court by her counsel.

It was on June 17, 2020 that the office of Attorney General was served a bail application by a new counsel (Tope Temokun Esq) engaged by Kemisola Ogunniyi.

Consequent upon the application for bail dated the June 17, 2021, the Attorney General of Ondo State and Commissioner for Justice, met Tope Temokun Esq on June 18 , 2021 and arranged that Kemisola Ogunniyi be released on bail without any opposition from the prosecution so that she can take care of her baby from home, part of the statement read.

He also said that criminal trial is pending before a Court of competent jurisdiction and hopefully with the intervention of Ondo State Government through the office of Attorney-General and Chief Judge of Ondo State, she will be released on bail shortly.

#EndSARS protest

Many young Nigerians had marched against police brutality in October 2020.

The protest tagged #EndSARS later turned violent after it was hijacked by hoodlums who looted and destroyed stores, homes, warehouses, as well as private and public property, in different parts of the country.

Soldiers brutally shot at young protesters who gathered at Lekki Toll gate in Lagos, in a desperate move to end the peaceful demonstration.

PREMIUM TIMES recalled that many Nigerians were arrested randomly in the wake of the #EndSARS protests.

This newspaper on Thursday reported that a protester, Nicholas Mbah, regained his freedom on Tuesday after spending eight months in Kirikiri prison in Lagos.
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Fighter aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday eliminated scores of ISWAP-Boko Haram terrorists including their commanders in Lamboa in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

PRNigeria gathered that the multiple airstrikes conducted by a mix of aircraft including Alpha-Jets, L-39 and MI-35 helicopters, might have also killed the notorious ISWAP Logistic Commander, Modu Sullum.

Mr Modu Sulum was allegedly responsible for the destruction of power transmission towers at Malanari along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway and attacks on travellers in Auno and Jakana axis.

The insurgents, in a convoy of eight gun trucks had invaded Lamboa, preparatory to launching a gruesome attack in Mainok axis in the state.

But the terrorists were swiftly engaged by ground and air troops, who foiled their missions after the NAF reconnaissance platform had earlier hovered over the location before the airstrikes.

It was gathered that over a dozen ISWAP-Boko Haram fighters were killed by bombardments of the military fighter aircraft.

When contacted air force spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet confirmed the success of the military airstrikes.

He told PRNigeria that Yes, it was a very successful operation. Of the eight terrorist gun trucks sighted by our surveillance team, the aircraft successfully took out six of the trucks including an unconfirmed number of terrorists that were eliminated.

Currently the ground troops of the Nigerian Army and our air elements are mopping up the area and assessing the situation.

As we have said before, there is no hiding place for these terrorists especially with the renewed vigour, synergy and jointness being exhibited by all members of the Armed forces in the North-East theatre of Operation.

Meanwhile, PRNigeria gathered that other military offensives are simultaneously taken place in other axes including Magumeri with the resumption of office of the New Theatre Commander Operation Hadi Kai, Major General Chris Musa.
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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Saturday paid a confidence-building visit to communities affected by bandit attacks around the Kaduna-Abuja highway in Chikun LGA.

According to a statement by the states commissioner for Internal Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the governor, who was also accompanied by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, was at Sabon Gayan and Kakkau areas where he interacted with citizens.

The governor was received at the Kaduna-Abuja Road by the Force Commander (Operation Thunder Strike), Lt. Col. MH Abdullahi, who briefed the Governor on the security situation in the general area, and specifically on the barricading of the road by citizens following the bandit attacks.

After ensuring accelerated flow of traffic, the Governor held a meeting at Kakkau community which was attended by the village head, Mr. Iliya Garba Zarmai and members of the community.

 The Governor condoled communities across the state where citizens were killed within the last one week, and assured them of the state governments commitment to security of lives and property. He added that the government was aware of their plights, as conveyed in daily security reports from action agencies.

 He further assured the residents that the government is working resolutely, round the clock, with security agencies, in addressing the menace.

Furthermore, within the last one week, from Monday 14th to Friday 18th June 2021, security agencies reported to the Kaduna State Government several incidences of attacks by armed bandits which left some citizens dead in Kakkau, Damba-Kasaya, Kankomi, Kajuru town, Idasu, Karaukarau, and Sobawa villages in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Kajuru local government areas.

 El-Rufai has sent condolences to their families and prayed for the repose of their souls.

Gonin Gora residents protest

Residents of Gonin Gora had blocked the Kaduna-Abuja road in the early hours protesting the incessant kidnapping of residents of the community.

The blockage caused delay of traffic for many travelling between the Northern part of the country and Abuja and the southern states of Nigeria.

According to a resident, Danladi Malam, about 50 residents including women and children, were kidnapped in the community in the last five days.

We cannot sleep with our eyes closed now. It is very unfortunate that we are in Kaduna town not far from the city centre and we cannot sleep any more. Bandits come in and kidnap our people on a daily basis.

Many residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES appeal to the government to improve provision of security to the people of the state.

Meanwhile, governor El-Rufai had warned citizens not to cause discomfort to travellers by blocking a major road like the Kaduna-Abuja road.

Mr El-Rufai a warned against blocking of roads, a practice he described as detrimental to the activities of innocent citizens whose movement is forced to a halt. He stressed that such actions would offer no solution, but only create panic and further breakdown of law and order, Mr Aruwan said in a statement on Sunday
God creates success out of failures, He creates life out of death.

In the 1990s, I owned a profitable chain of video-rental shops. Early on, I got the business computerised. Nevertheless, I lived in constant fear that suddenly, without warning, the system would break down, leading to loss of valuable data and income.

One day, the very thing I feared came upon me: The system broke down. Worst of all, it happened in my most profitable shop in Victoria Island. I tried all the different fixes prescribed by the program manual but to no avail.

After a while, somebody put on a childrens Christian video, and, at the end of my wits, I just stood there staring vacuously at the film.

Dont worry

Suddenly, my attention was drawn to precisely what I was watching. A man was dancing around with a bunch of kids, and the song they were singing went something like this:

Dont worry, about a thing;

Everything is gonna be all right.

I say dont worry, about a thing;

Everything is gonna be all right.

Then they ended the song with this telling line:

This is my message to you oh oh.

I got the message all right. I told my staff to continue with manual rentals. God, I declared, has solved this problem. While they looked at me incredulously, I waltzed out of the shop and went home.

The next morning, I woke up singing the same song: Dont worry about a thing. Everything is gonna be all right. I walked into my study and opened a drawer. In it was written on a piece of paper a command in my handwriting. It said del VRJR.dat.

I could not, for the life of me, remember when and why I wrote that. The Lord said to me: Femi, go and type that into your system in the shop and then re-index your files.

When I did it, the problem was solved.

This happened again a second time just like the first time. There was another major problem with the program in the Victoria Island shop. Immediately I got there, somebody mysteriously put on the same Christian video telling me not to worry about a thing. In no time, the wisdom of God came again, and the problem was solved.

Silent treatment

Nevertheless, I continued to live in fear of the possibility of a computer breakdown in Videonet. Whenever any of my staff phoned or came to see me, I would brace myself for the bad news.

Then one day, the bad news came again from my Victoria Island outfit. Something happened and the entire had data disappeared. I went there and did all I could, but to no avail. I waited patiently for someone to put on the miracle video, but no one did. After a while I went home, still expecting to hear from the Lord; but he said nothing.

After two days, the Lord finally spoke. Femi, He said, I am not going to recover the data for you. The data is lost. You are going to have to start all over again by re-entering all the tapes and customers.

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So I asked the Lord: Will you help me to do that?

I am glad you asked Me, He replied. Yes, I will help you.

The Lord gave me the wisdom whereby I re-entered all the data in the shop with a team of seven people within two days. I imported data from other shops, gave them identifiable prefixes, and used them as the foundation for entering over ten thousand tapes.

I operated at a level of wisdom I knew was not mine. In two days, the system was up and running. The Lord then provided the wisdom by which we were able to recover the late charges, despite the lost data.

From that day forward, I was never anxious again about the possibility of system failure in my video shops. Much later, the Lord gave me the wisdom simply to install backup systems, but I never had to use them.

The point I am making here is that the Lord used the adversity of system failure to cure me of the fear of system failure. Despite earlier assurances not to worry, I continued to worry. So, the Lord allowed the system to fail, instead of safeguarding it from failure.

Thereby, I discovered that system failure is not the end of a video shop, and I stopped being afraid. God does not kill the Goliaths in our lives. But he teaches us to overcome them by trusting in Him.

Blessing of trouble

One of the best things that ever happened to me was that I was shot by armed robbers. It was in the middle of the attack that I heard from the Lord for the very first time in my life. That attack laid the foundation for my present walk with God and my ability to hear and know his voice.

Therefore, I can say like the Psalmist: It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might know the Lord. (Psalm 119:71).

What does it take to know God? To know God, we must suffer. Nothing brings about the perfecting of the believer in the knowledge of God like suffering.

How can I know God is a healer if I do not fall sick? How can I know He is the Great Provider if I am never broke? How can I know He is my Deliverer unless I have a crisis?

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19).

At the feet of the Lord, I came to understand God creates success out of failures. He creates life out of death. He creates wealth out of poverty. He brings joy out of sadness. Everything about the kingdom of God is worked out in contradictions by faith.

God does not just want us to read the scriptures. God wants us to experience the scriptures. God is determined to give us a testimony. God is determined to be glorified in us.

One of the questions I ask myself because of my different experiences with the Lord is if the bible were to be written today, would I be in it? Am I determined to know the Lord and the power of His resurrection?

If so, then I must be prepared to be a Lazarus. I must be ready to be killed and then rise from the dead. People will write me off and then hear about my promotion. Like Joseph, they will throw me down a well, sell me off as a slave, send me to prison and I will still emerge as prime minister of the nation.

Trials and tribulations help us to develop a godly character. We are never the same after we go through them. They move us into greater reliance and dependence on God. In the process, we lose those things in us that are not the planting of the Lord.

James counsels believers: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4).

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com
It appears that the elites who have secretly been stoking the flames of violence and hate are beginning to do a rethink. Somehow, the admonition that, An eye for an eye leaves all of us either one-eyed or blind, seems to have gained traction among the political aristocracy. The doves are raising their voice of reason above the din of the hawks.

Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; says Dalai Lama XIV. Differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.

Such sentiments are desperately needed in Nigeria today. Different parts of the country have been vending different positions on the problem with the union of many nationalities called Nigeria. Many of the views are so diametrically conflicting that it is difficult to imagine how any kind of synthesis can be achieved. The elite on all sides have been hugging the limelight. They tell us what each region wants or what they will never accept.

In the past, the impression was given that the North wanted a continuation of the status quo (that is, the current unitary federalism in operation). The South-Wests position was championed by the Afenifere group, which insisted that the current system was unworkable and that the country was doomed without restructuring. Ohaneze Ndigbo of the South-East concurred and added that the marginalisation of the South-East in many segments of national life gave the impression that the civil war which ended 50 years ago was still on. The Middle-belt Forum and the Pan Niger-Delta Forum (PANDEF) have also been airing their views on the way forward.

For the first time since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy, the country is so divided that it is very difficult to hear anything above the cacophonous ethnic din. But surprise, surprise! In the midst of the various centrifugal forces, various alliances are being forged and hate vending is gradually giving way to unctuous rhetoric about the need for dialogue across the various divides.

Perhaps the elite on all sides have realised that they will be the first casualties when the bubble bursts. The masses are already lying flat on the ground  and he who is down fears no fall! The elite can no longer pretend not to notice the mass privation in the land and the unprecedented clamour for secession.

What made the current cry of, To thy tents, O tribesmen really worrying, was the level of vitriolic hatred exhibited by various groups against others. Many commentators warned that escalating socio-political differences to the level of open hatred was a recipe for genocidal confrontations. In a democracy, there is always room for disagreements; vociferous disputations come with the territory. But hate?

At a stage, it seemed the entire country was one sprawling ungoverned space peopled by atavistic natives baying for blood. One concerned Nigerian, Aminu Saad Beli was so exasperated that he counselled that instead of fighting a senseless war, Nigeria could be peacefully dismembered as has happened in other countries. His examples: In 1776, the USA split from the UK; In 1830 Belgium separated from the Netherlands; In 1965, Singapore split off from Malaysia; in 2002, East Timor got split off from Indonesia; In 1921, Ireland split off from the United Kingdom, (and possibly in the future there will be secession of Scotland); In 1944, Iceland split from Denmark; In 1905 Norway split from Denmark; In 1947, the British India Dominion was partitioned into India and Pakistan; In 1971, Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan; etc etc.

I think the centripetal pull of the elite across geographical divides and political persuasions can be described as instinctive self-preservation. Come to think of it, if Nigeria breaks, there will be new Turks in each manor. The current chiefs will most probably be reduced to low-level Indians.

But Beli cautions that ethnic homogeneity in breakaway countries will not guarantee peace as can be seen in South Sudan, where post-secession conflicts have been orchestrated by clans within the same tribe. If Nigerians from different parts are convinced that they can no longer cohabit as one country, he says, the honourable thing to do is to part peacefully and dialogue as brothers on the way forward. But hate should be completely out of the equation.

It appears that the elites who have secretly been stoking the flames of violence and hate are beginning to do a rethink. Somehow, the admonition that, An eye for an eye leaves all of us either one-eyed or blind, seems to have gained traction among the political aristocracy. The doves are raising their voice of reason above the din of the hawks.

Former President Obasanjo has been a recurring decimal in our various attempts at charting a way forward. Sultan Saad Abubakar and Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, together with other prominent traditional rulers, have also made highly publicised efforts to douse the flames of division.

The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), has been preaching peace and love. The involvement of traditional rulers in the search for peace across the country has, however, exposed some of them to the most virulent attacks by some of their people  an unprecedented affront.

Southern and Middle-Belt leaders have been forging a common front under the auspices of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBF). They said no section of the country could claim superiority over other sections, adding that failure of the federating units to live as equals may result in SMBL seeking alternatives.

The Northern elite have been reaching out. Both the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum have endorsed restructuring as a way forward. For the first time in a long while, it seems the political elite in Nigeria have realised that the logical destination of the current unitary structure is dismemberment. So, after all these years of campaign to have a more equitable, less suffocating system, it appears theres no stopping an idea whose time has come.

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in stating the position of the NEF said, We believe that restructuring represents a recognition of the fact that the current system is not working optimally. There are basic issues about how the federation functions. There are genuine needs for addressing those areas that present limitations to optimum utilisation of resources, devolution of power, innovative approaches to dealing with problems like security and improving national cohesion.

This newfound rapprochement could end up as a win-win situation for all sections of the country if we are guided by the wisdom in Thomas Jeffersons timeless words: When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar NaAba, has also gone on record as canvassing for the presidency to shift to the South in 2023. This is in recognition of the fact that a federation thrives on inclusiveness. If some sections feel they have no stakes in the federation, there will be no incentive for them to work for its cohesion.

I think the centripetal pull of the elite across geographical divides and political persuasions can be described as instinctive self-preservation. Come to think of it, if Nigeria breaks, there will be new Turks in each manor. The current chiefs will most probably be reduced to low-level Indians. The impulsive, highly critical and energetic young population may elect one of their millennial generation to steer the ship of state. Old politicians will become dinosaurs. So, why continue bickering over cows and forests and Amotekun and Ebube Agu and JTF and bandits and marginalisation and tribe and religion when brother can reach out to brother across the regional isle and fashion out a more equitable way of cohabitation?

Those who have cast a nostalgic glance back at the First Republic have a point. In those days of relative innocence, we celebrated and tolerated each other. The words of the old anthem, Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand, played out in real life. Each region developed at its own pace with its own unique character. If I remember correctly, primary education in the North, for example, took seven years while it was six years in the West and eight years (Primary 1 and 2, and Standard 1-6) in Lagos.

There was tribal jostling by the politicians in their bid to secure their homesteads, but there was nothing near the current open, in-your-face marginalisation, hate-vending and outright disrespect for the views and feelings of others.

War? No! Dialogue? Yes, we should never be scared of talking to (not, at) each other in Nigeria. If the presidential boulevard on which we are treading is leading nowhere, we can retrace our steps back to the good old parliamentary highway from whence we came. In charting a way forward, no options should be off the table.

This newfound rapprochement could end up as a win-win situation for all sections of the country if we are guided by the wisdom in Thomas Jeffersons timeless words: When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

Wole Olaoye can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com.
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As we celebrate United Nations Public Service Day on June 23, people must continue to mobilise to demand more resources for public workers, for the recognition of the value they generate in our societies, providing services that the market is simply unable to deliver. These are services underpinned and driven by the public interest and managed democratically

Lets face it: The impact of the pandemic is now cruelly different, depending on where you live and how much money you have. In Europe, the United States, China and a handful of wealthy countries, restaurants and bars are overflowing, gyms are reopening, and people are beginning to socialise without fear. For those countries that have monopolised most of the vaccines against COVID-19, there is hope that the page has been turned on the pandemic, once and for all. Elsewhere, in countries like India and whole continents such as Africa and Latin America, the virus  and its variants  continue to rage, with their trail of deaths, hospitalisations, unemployment, and poverty. These two starkly opposed realities are united by one thing: the steady rumbling of calls for austerity that is making itself heard across the world.

In London, Mexico City or Cape Town, the arguments are the same: After the crisis abates, the measures that were taken to (sometimes barely) support those most affected will need to be reversed. This means following the familiar path of dramatic cuts to hospitals and social protection benefits and salary freezes for public sector workers. It also implies the marketisation and commercialisation of water, health and education services, including the commodification of care and the exploitation of womens labour.

It seems that this pandemic has not taught us anything. Have we already forgotten the images from Lombardy? The heart of Italian finance and fashion boasted of having the most efficient health care system in the country, because it was the most privatised. It was even used in advertising: Be healthy, come to Lombardy, said one brochure. By March 2020, however, the region, one of the richest in the world, was overwhelmed, with a mortality rate of 5.7 per cent, more than double the national average (2.4 per cent). Neighbouring Veneto, which had maintained a public healthcare system, has pulled through much better.

Have we also forgotten that in the United States, the virus killed proportionally more low-income people because, being deprived of health insurance, they could not get to a hospital that would treat them in time? And what about what happened in the impoverished suburbs of Santiago, Chile, another paragon of privatisation, where 90 per cent of the victims of the pandemic died at home, never having been able to afford to see a doctor. Have we forgotten the 115,000 health and care workers and many other who died of COVID 19 while serving their communities?

Fiscal consolidation in the form of cutting the budgets of public services and handing over control to the private sector is not inevitable. To compensate for the huge sums disbursed during the crisis and to finance the recovery, governments must look to where the money is: In the accounts of multinationals and the richest people.

This is not acceptable. Just as it is not acceptable to see that many governments, such as Philadelphias, are now considering privatising public water services. As if the pandemic has not demonstrated the need for universal access to water, with entire communities being denied the ability to wash their hands to protect themselves from the virus. And what about education? The increasing reliance on private schools around the world, encouraged by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is one of the reasons why hundreds of millions of children have been out of school since the pandemic began.

Fiscal consolidation in the form of cutting the budgets of public services and handing over control to the private sector is not inevitable. To compensate for the huge sums disbursed during the crisis and to finance the recovery, governments must look to where the money is: In the accounts of multinationals and the richest people. The big technology companies, which saw their profits soar during the pandemic, must finally pay their fair share of taxes. This is not a radical move: It is what the Biden administration has recently announced.

Driven by Washington, the G7 countries have just recognised the extent of tax evasion by declaring themselves in favour of a minimum global tax on the foreign profits of multinationals of at least 15 per cent. This is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough to generate significant revenues for both countries in the global North and the global South. It is crucial that governments mobilise unilaterally to tax their multinationals at much more ambitious levels, following the example of the United States, which is opting for a 21 per cent rate.

Choosing to put private schools or clinics in competition with each other, rather than guaranteeing quality public services for all, is to take the risk of further fuelling the resurgence of totalitarian regimes we are witnessing across the globe. Defending public services is defending democracy.

This will not happen without public pressure. As we celebrate United Nations Public Service Day on June 23, people must continue to mobilise to demand more resources for public workers, for the recognition of the value they generate in our societies, providing services that the market is simply unable to deliver. These are services underpinned and driven by the public interest and managed democratically, allowing everyone to live in dignity, not according to their ability to pay, but because it is their right. An example of this mobilisation is the global movement that launched the Care Manifesto, calling for rebuilding the social organisation of care as a necessary measure to tackle gender inequality. It is through these mechanisms of solidarity that we can build more resilient and just societies, which are better able to respond in times of crisis, such as the one we are currently experiencing.

This is also a political issue. The more we lose control of our essential services, underfunded and privatised as they are, while the wealthiest organise a parallel system of health and education, the more the middle and working classes lose confidence in the state.

This breakdown of the social fabric, of which public services are the beating heart, goes a long way in explaining the rise of populist and authoritarian movements and parties. Choosing to put private schools or clinics in competition with each other, rather than guaranteeing quality public services for all, is to take the risk of further fuelling the resurgence of totalitarian regimes we are witnessing across the globe. Defending public services is defending democracy.

Rosa Pavanelli is General Secretary of the global union federation Public Services International, while Magdalena Sepulveda is Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Usman Baba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the bye-election for Sabon Gari Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

The Returning Officer, Mohammed-Nuruddin Musa, who declared the result on Saturday in Zaria, said Mr Baba won the election with 9,113 votes.

He defeated his closest contender, Musa Musa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 7, 404 votes.

The returning officer also said that Anas Abdullahi of the ADC had 62 votes; Chindo Ibrahim of ADP, 61 votes, while Musa Halilu of PRP secured 305 votes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bye-election followed the declaration of the seat as vacant by the state House Assembly in April.

This was due to the failure of the lawmaker representing the constituency, Aminu Shagali, to participate in legislative activities for more than 360 days.

Mr Shagali was a member of the APC.

(NAN)
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The Senate of the University of Jos has elected Gray Ejikeme as acting vice- chancellor of the university.

Mr Ejikeme, a former deputy vice-chancellor, was elected by the Senate of the University at its emergency meeting on Friday.

The professor of Clinical Psychology and Social Work replaces Sebastian Maimako whose single five-year tenure expires next week.

The need to get a new Vice- Chancellor for the University became necessary so as to avoid a leadership vacuum in the institution, the Senate announced.

Ejikeme is the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Administration) of the University. Ejikeme, who served the University in many capacities would succed Professor Sebastian Maimako on 23rd June this year.

He obtained the PGDE, M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, a Masters of Science Degree in Social Work (MSSW) and PhD from the University of Jos among a host of other academic and professional certificates.

Mr Ejikeme was awarded Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association (FNPA) in November, 2014 and was honored with an Award of Excellence in Service to Humanity by the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW) in recognition of his numerous work to promote Social Work Profession and practice in Nigeria among many other Professional accolades.

The don started his teaching career with the University of Jos in 1986 where he began teaching psychologically-oriented Sociology and Social Work Courses in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences.

He has held several academic and administrative positions including Head of Department, Sociology; Head of Department, General and Applied Psychology; Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences; Chairman, amongst others.
The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, has vowed to lead a search and rescue mission into the forest where over 100 students kidnapped on Thursday from Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, are believed to be held by their kidnappers.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that bandits abducted a large number of students and teachers at the federal secondary school in the state. A police officer was killed during the attack.

Meanwhile, addressing a crowd of sympathisers who visited him on Saturday at the Government House in Kebbi, Mr Bagudu said he was ready to lead hunters and vigilantes to face the bandits.

Flanked by state governors who were in the state on a solidarity visit, led by the chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Mr Bagudu told a crowd including hundreds of local hunters to get ready for the mission.

A video seen by PREMIUM TIMES and a statement from his Special Adviser on Media, Yahaya Sarki, captured the governor speaking at the event.

We will go out there and like I promised, the day we will move out, I will not be in the office because I will lead the movement and this will be done to rescue the abductees.

Mr Bagudu said it is not weapons that win war, it is the will that bad people cannot triumph and we will show that we have enough willpower.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies have been doing the best they can with limited resources. But, we also need to mobilise, kit ourselves and take on these bandits. Our various scriptures as Muslims and Christians allow us to put our lives at risk in defence of our honour, property and our faiths.

In what the bandits are doing, they have challenged all these , so we cant let them.

Mr Bagudu asked the hunters to go back and mobilise, pending when he would get the necessary clearance from the security agencies, adding, and we will meet in the field.

Mr Fayemi said he was in the state as a representative of Nigerian governors to commiserate with the government and people of Kebbi over the unfortunate incident.

We are here in solidarity with our brother, the governor of Kebbi State and all the good people of Kebbi State on the unfortunate incident at FGC Birnin Yauri.

Whatever you can do to make it the last one in Kebbi, please put up the effort, he charged the hunters.

The NGF Chairman also conveyed the message of President Buhari to the people, expressing how deeply concerned he is over the Birnin Yauri incident.

He prayed it will be the first and last incident of school attack in Kebbi State.

The leader of the hunters in Gwandu emirate, Hassan Muhammad, who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Dajin Sarkin Gwandu, told the governor and his entourage that the hunters have no fear in facing the bandits to save the school children but they need the support of the government.

Our local hunters will join the operation as they are also ready to sacrifice their lives for the success of the mission, he said.

Earlier on Friday, the Nigerian military said operatives had rescued two of the kidnapped teachers and five of the students. The military also said it rescued 800 rustled cows from the bandits.

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Nigerian Army troops operating under the auspices of Operation Hadarin Daji who have been on a hot pursuit of kidnappers and bandits following an unfortunate abduction incident in Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri yesterday 17 June 2021 have so far, rescued two teachers and five students after a fierce exchange of fire with the criminals, Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, said on Friday.

However, Mr Nwachukwu said the operatives also found the body of a female student who was believed to have died from exhaustion while the kidnappers were taking them away on foot.
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The Ndigbo Unity Forum worldwide, a non-governmental organisation, has advocated the death penalty for looters of public funds to eradicate the current spate of corruption in the country.

The group made the call in a statement jointly signed by its president, Augustine Chukwudum and secretary, Tony Igbokwe, on Sunday, in Enugu.

It also called on the National Assembly to remove the immunity clause from the Nigerian constitution, so that governors and other public officials could be probed while still in office.

This will go a long way in stopping the ongoing daily looting especially at the state level, the group said.

It urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put in more stringent measures and seriousness in the ongoing anti-graft war, because some public office holders, by their words and actions, think the anti-graft war is a ruse.

We also demand that institutions like EFCC, ICPC and the judiciary be strengthened so that no one can be above the law as it is today.

Everybody must be treated equally as it is in the U.S., Britain, Canada and other countries of the world.

By so doing, justice must prevail, not in a case where ex-managing director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, who stole billions of naira, was recently sent to jail for a term of six years imprisonment.

While someone who stole vegetables that was less than N1,000 value was abandoned for more than five years as an Awaiting Trial Mate (ATM), the group said.

The group said it was a big irony for looters of public funds to be moving about with heavy police escorts, while enjoying their loot inside the country.

The common people, whose wealth was stolen, are dying daily of hunger, lack of potable water, bad roads, no functional hospital and no standard primary and secondary schools, it said.

The group recalled a statement it issued in 2020, calling on the EFCC to probe both present and ex-governors of the South-east over their alleged mismanagement and looting of public funds.

Up till date, no single ex-governor has been convicted and most of them have come to believe that President Buharis anti-corruption war is a ruse, it added.

(NAN)
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The police in Oyo State, on Sunday, confirmed the murder of a popular Ibadan radio presenter, Titus Badejo, by unknown gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident in a text message sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

NAN gathered that Mr Badejo, a former presenter with Naija FM Ibadan, was murdered by unknown gunmen on Saturday, outside Club 407 in the Oluyole area of Ibadan at about 11:30 p.m.

The PPRO said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend the assailants.

At about 0730hrs, Sunday 20th June 2021, One Damilola Afolabi m, Manager, at Club 407,Oluyole Ibadan, reported at the Oluyole Divisional Police Headquarters that on Saturday, 19th June, 2021, one Titus Badejo, Journalist and freelance disc jockey with the club, was shot outside the clubs premises by unknown assailants.

However, comprehensive investigations are in top gear to unravel circumstances surrounding the incident and to apprehend the assailants. Verifiable updates would be provided soonest, Osifeso said, in the text.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the deceased, popularly called Ejanla, meaning Big fish in English, had been at the club with friends since 9.00 p.m.

When he was leaving with his friends in his car around 11:30 p.m., two masked men on a motorcycle suddenly stopped his car, wielding a gun and asked all of them to lie down.

He was the only one shot by the gunmen, who left immediately without taking anything or touching the other occupants of the car, the source said.

NAN gathered that his corpse had since been deposited at the morgue of Adeoyo Hospital, Ring road, Ibadan. (NAN)
One of Nigerias first four Architecture graduates, Fola Alade, is dead.

Mr Alade died on Saturday at the age of 87, family sources in Aramoko-Ekiti said.

Architectural masterpieces bearing his insignia are the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, defunct Federal Secretariat building, Ikoyi, Lagos, and the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Others are the Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, Satellite Town, Lagos, Nigerian Air Force Base, Ikeja, and the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies building, Kuru, near Jos.

Others are the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, and Nigerian Embassy buildings in 11 countries.

Mr Alade graduated from the Nigerian College of Arts & Sciences and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University) in 1961 as one of the first four Architecture graduates.

Thereafter, he completed his post-graduate studies at the Architectural Association School of Tropical Studies, London in 1965, on a Commonwealth Scholarship.

He was the first Architect to become a Federal Permanent Secretary in 1976, a post he held until his retirement in 1979 after which he established his private practice Fola Alade Associates in 1979.

After his post-professional training, he became an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom in 1963.

He joined the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as a Resident Architect in the old Western Region and later Lagos City Council.

In 1969, he became the first Registrar of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria. He served as the General Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

He was appointed as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the Federal University of Port Harcourt in 1990.

The Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye, in his condolence message, described Alades demise as a great loss to Ekiti State in particular and to Nigeria in general.

This was contained in a statement by Mr Afuyes Special Adviser on Media, Tai Oguntayo, on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti.

The Ekiti Assembly speaker eulogised the architectural professionalism of Mr Alade in his lifetime.

He described the foremost architect as the giant pillar behind the various physical structures of many institutions in Nigeria today.

He said the late architect was a patriot in the real sense who left his mark on the sands of time.

Mr Afuye prayed to God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

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(NAN)
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The police in Lagos have arrested one Emmanuel Madueke, the 62-year-old proprietor of Megland Comprehensive School, Lekki, for allegedly sexually assaulting and harassing a 14-year-old student of his school.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

It stated that the proprietor sexually harassed the student on the day schools celebrated Childrens Day.

According to the Coordinator of the DSVRT, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, a team comprising of officers of the Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, and the DSVRT visited the school on June 17 to investigate the claims.

The visit was based on the Lagos State Governments Executive Order on Safeguarding and Child Protection Programme, 2016.

Investigations allegedly revealed that the perpetrator had developed a cordial relationship with the senior secondary school student before allegedly perpetrating the illegal act.

In an interview with the student by the team, she disclosed that the school proprietor during the schools Childrens Day celebration made advancement toward her.

He kissed her on her lips but she was able to push him away and ran out of his office.

She added that since the incident, she had made every effort to distance herself from the proprietor, the DSVRT said.

According to the statement, in his reaction to the allegations, Mr Madueke claimed that his action was an innocent gesture on the students cheek.

Further investigations revealed that the affected student might not be the only student to have fallen victim of sexual harassment in the hands of the alleged perpetrator.

It was further alleged that Madueke tactically grooms female students who become acquainted with him promising educational advancement as a reward to them, the DSVRT said.

The statement said Mr Maduekes actions contravened the Childs Rights Law 2015 and Sections 135, (Indecent treatment of a child) and 263 (Sexual Assault) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Following the revelations from the DSVRT investigation, the case was reported to the Ilasan Police Division and that investigations were currently ongoing by the Gender Desk Department of the Police Command.

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment in ensuring the protection of children from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

No form of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence will be tolerated in the State, the statement said.

(NAN)
A Celebration of Life Service for David J. Tallman, NK2Y, will be held at the Plattsburgh United Methodist Church, 127 Beekman Street, Plattsburgh, NY on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at 3 P.M. on the front lawn of the church, weather permitting. It will be moved to the sanctuary for inclement we
There are at least three characteristics that Xi has inherited from his father Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002), a leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state.

People-oriented philosophy

Many Chinese leaders started their careers from the grassroots, going through the difficulties ordinary people face and understanding the people's needs, which lays a solid foundation for their practical and people-oriented approach in formulating national policies.

The people-oriented philosophy is one of the most important treasures Xi Jinping got from his father, who believed that officials and the masses are equal and they must always live among the people.

The father once told his boy: "No matter what your job title is, serve the people diligently, consider the interests of the people with all your heart, maintain close ties with the people, and always stay approachable to the people."

Adhering to the path of "serving the people," Xi Jinping visited China's 14 contiguous areas of extreme poverty after becoming general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in November 2012. He went to villages and households, and told communities that he is just "a servant of the people."

During his domestic inspection tours, Xi Jinping always chatted with the locals, cared about their daily life and stressed the responsibilities of serving the people with other officials.

The Party has won the people's wholehearted support because it has always served the people with heart and soul and striven for the well-being of all ethnic groups, Xi has said on many occasions.

Down-to-earth approach

Inheriting his father's down-to-earth approach, Xi Jinping visited all the villages in Zhengding, Hebei Province during his tenure of county Party chief in the 1980s. Then in Ningde, Fujian, he visited nine counties within the first three months as secretary of the CPC Ningde Prefectural Committee, and traveled to most townships later on.

After he was transferred to east China's Zhejiang Province in 2002, he visited all 90 counties in over a year. During his brief tenure in Shanghai in 2007, he visited all its 19 districts and counties in seven months.

The formulation of the country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for Economic and Social Development and future targets for 2035 also reflected Xi Jinping's adherence to investigation and research.

By convening and presiding over a number of symposiums, he listened to opinions and advices on the country's economic and social development in the plan period from all walks of life.

Living a simple life

The Xi's has a tradition of being strict with children and living a simple life. Xi Zhongxun believed if a senior Party official wanted to discipline others, he should begin first with himself and his family.

Xi Jinping and his younger brother used to wear clothes and shoes from their elder sisters. After Xi Jinping became a leading official, his mother called a family meeting to ban the siblings from engaging in business where Xi Jinping worked.

Xi Jinping has carried on his family's tradition and been strict with his family members. Wherever he worked, he told them not to do business there or do anything in his name, or else he "would be ruthless." Whether in Fujian, Zhejiang or Shanghai, he pledged at official meetings that no one was allowed to seek personal benefit using his name and welcomed supervision in this regard.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-06-19/Father-s-Day-Three-treasures-Xi-Jinping-gets-from-his-father-11dOYnkTNYc/index.html

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1537072/Xi_Jinping_Xi_Zhongxun.jpg

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TUKWILA, Wash., June 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of Teamsters Local 174 members who work at Columbia Distributing voted unanimously in favor of a strike against their employer today during a spirited online meeting. These workers warehouse and deliver beer, soda, water, juice, and some wine and spirits to restaurants and stores throughout the Puget Sound area, and if they were to walk off the job, these deliveries would all but cease.

The sticking point in the negotiations is not the economics of the contract, but the far more important issue of contract language to protect workers on the job. Management insisted on putting forth proposals for contract language that would allow them to fire workers indiscriminately for minor offenses, and for so-called 'offenses' that were only witnessed by the company's worker surveillance technology. This type of surveillance technology allows companies to indiscriminately target employees who stand up for their rights on the job and hold Employers accountable for their action.

The meeting included anger and vitriol from the workers, who have spent the past 15 months toiling through a pandemic and showing incredible loyalty to their employer. Many pointed out that under the work rules management had proposed, they would have already been terminated for minor instances such as forgetting to clock back in from lunch, or breaking too hard while making deliveries in a truck. When the time came to take a vote, the group was in perfect solidarity, delivering the clear message that they were not willing to work under the rules Columbia was demanding.

"We always say that it doesn't matter how much money is in a contract if the company has the power to fire you for looking at them sideways, and that's exactly what Columbia seems to want," said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. "Our members will not ever settle for a contract that doesn't actually protect them and their livelihoods, and they proved that today with this unanimous strike authorization. Columbia management needs to think long and hard about how far they are willing to take this, especially during a record labor shortage, because our members are willing to take this fight to the street, and if that happens we plan to win."

Now that a strike has been authorized by the membership, one can be called at any moment.

Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,600 working men and women in Seattle and the surrounding areas. "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.

Contact:

Jamie Fleming, (425) 281-0166

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 174
Xi Jinping has vividly interpreted what is maintaining close ties with the people.

During one summer, Xi Zhongxun visited 21 counties in the scorching heat to familiarize himself with the local situation. Xi Jinping, then a student in Tsinghua University, went to the province with his father to take part in social practice activities. He was influenced by his father's down-to-earth working approach.

On Nov 3, 2020, the proposal for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan was published. To this end, Xi Jinping successively went to Jilin and other places for investigation, and presided over seven symposiums. He said "without investigation, there will be no right to speak, let alone decision-making."

What else Xi Jinping learned from his father is thrift and hard work.

Xi Jinping once recalled his childhood life and said his worn-out clothes were patched up instead of being thrown away and he and his younger brother used to wear clothes and shoes handed down from their elder sisters.

While making inspection tours, Xi chose to spend the night in the train for several times to reduce the spending burden for local authorities. As for overseas trips, he said the living place should not be luxurious.

Xi said the spirit of hard work should be upheld although the living conditions have greatly improved nowadays. He called on all the Chinese people to pass on the treasure of staying frugal and abstaining from extravagance.

SOURCE CCTV+
Enterprises will go through the Response, Recovery, and Renew phases.

Download the Latest Version: Technavio's Analysis on Market characteristics

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43462

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Adjust their strategic planning to move ahead once business stability kicks in.

to move ahead once business stability kicks in. Build Resilience by making effective resource and investment choices for individual business units, products, and service lines.

making effective resource and investment choices for individual business units, products, and service lines. Conceptualize scenario-based planning to mitigate future crisis situations.

More Details: https://www.technavio.com/report/respiratory-monitoring-devices-market-industry-analysis

Key Considerations for Market Forecast:

Impact of supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior

Optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios for all markets

Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates

Related Report on Health Care Industries:

Incubators, Inhalators, Respirators, Resuscitators, and Other Breathing Devices Market by End user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis

Wearable Medical Devices Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis

Major Three Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market Participants:

Becton, Dickinson and Co.

Becton, Dickinson and Co. operates its business under segments- BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional. The company offers Alaris EtCO2 Module, which is an EtCo2 module integrated with Alaris PCA Module. It enables continuous EtCO2 (capnography) monitoring to help reduce risks of opioid-induced respiratory depression.

Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA operates its business in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The company offers a range of carbon dioxide monitoring accessories including disposable carbon dioxide cuvettes and mainstream carbon dioxide sensors to improve patient safety.

General Electric Co.

General Electric Co. operates its business under segments- Power, Renewable energy, Aviation, and Healthcare. The company offers CARESCAPE respiratory modules, it monitors respiratory and ventilatory parameters for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients in anesthesia and critical care applications.

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Speak to an Analyst: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43462

Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Respiratory monitoring devices market is segmented as below:

Product

Pulse Oximetry



Spirometry



Capnography

Geographic

North America



Europe



Asia



ROW

The respiratory monitoring devices market is driven by increasing prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases. In addition, technological advances in respiratory monitoring devices is also expected to trigger the respiratory monitoring devices market toward witnessing a CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period.

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Us

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.

Our 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.

Contact

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Jesse Maida

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Report: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43462

SOURCE Technavio
New Delhi, June 20 : Looking back at his younger self, actor Kabir Bedi says he now sees himself with more compassion, more understanding. That the process of writing the book, "Stories I must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor" (Westland Books), allowed him to forgive himself of many mistakes.

"There was also the perspective of time. Of course, it was painful to revisit certain parts of my past which were always submerged somewhere in my mind, spaces I had been avoiding for a long time. Through the written word, I decided to revisit and encounter them again. It was cathartic, revelatory, and also a reevaluation," the actor tells IANS.

Laying bare his personal life -- from his multiple marriages to affairs that changed the course of his life, the compelling memoir, which explores his success in the Indian, American and Italian film industry, is also an emotional read, especially when he lays bare his vulnerabilities. A section is devoted to the tragic suicide of his son, Siddharth who was suffering from schizophrenia.

Adding that he intentionally wrote 'Stories I must Tell' as a series of overlapping tales so as to make it "unputdownable", Bedi remembers his initial struggle with writing. "The problem was figuring out how to tell my story -- I knew I had a good one to share. I made a number of attempts, but threw out the pages feeling that it was not interesting enough to read. It was not something that would keep me engrossed as a reader." One morning, sipping his tea at the dining table, he remembered his conversation with the late author Khushwant Singh who had told him that for him writing meant keeping the phone off the hook and deciding on a time to sit on the table -- and following it religiously.

"That was it, suddenly, the next day I started seeing the book as a series of short stories to be written in an overlapping time. That gave me the the freedom to go back and forth in time zones -- touching different people and telling my tale in a non-linear way. I wrote in a frenzy. It took me nine months to get the script out. I worked like a man possessed." The author admits that he has been writing for a long time --- for the past 10 years, but would always stop after 50-6- pages. "I would always tell myself -- only a die-hard fan may read this, but I wanted to reach out to everyone, especially young professionals. And those who wanted to know what it was like to live in the sixties and the seventies, and experience Hollywood and Europe." For Bedi, 'Stories I must Tell' is a long catalogue of his accolades and achievements. "I wanted to connect in a human, emotional way. And I had put up a sticker above my computer that said, 'Don't be afraid to be vulnerable'." Stressing that not just the book, but everything in life is a learning, the author emphasises that both achievements and mistakes play an instrumental role in that process -- something that never ceases. "There are different phases in your life. What comes across to me is that I had the courage to say that it was the turning point in my life. Whether it was my time based in Delhi, or my career in advertising, or Bollywood, Europe, America. There were always turning points in my life that always looked out to new horizons. Even now the process goes on." A voracious reader, who has always been writing articles, Bedi feels that there is another book inside him. "A writer is somebody who writes regularly. Considering I have enjoyed the entire process of being an author, I certainly intend to put time into it. Once I am finished with the launch of this book, I certainly will get down into another bit of frenzied writing." Still open to acting, the actor, who was also a part of the long running "The Bold and the Beautiful" is waiting for the right project to come his way. "Whether on an OTT platform in India, or a film in America -- everything is possible. I am willing, able and fit, and people know who I am." Optimistic that OTT platforms will continue to redefine the experience for their viewers, the actor says that they are a peculiar and wonderful hybrid between film and television.

"Not only have they opened up new avenues of creativity -- for writers, directors and actors, but have given story-telling a chance to play in a way that it has not before. The long-form, which has become addictive for binge-watching. Films will always be films but long-running series on television have their devoted following. Something very exciting is happening in the world of OTT platforms. And I am one of its biggest fans."
Lucknow, June 20 : The iron gates of the Bahujan Samaj Party office in Lucknow are firmly shut. Peeping through a side door, one can see the sprawling campus, completely deserted. The security men outside are busy watching songs on their mobile phones.

Asked about 'Behenji' (as Mayawati is known in her party), one of them says, "Dilli mein hai".

Any other leader? "Yahan koi nahin hai (No one's here)," he says nonchalantly.

His reply aptly sums up the state of affairs in the BSP that is now struggling for political survival in Uttar Pradesh, despite having a loyal vote bank.

The party has turned almost leaderless with Mayawati having expelled/suspended majority of the second-rung leaders.

The expulsion of two senior party MLAs Lalji Varma and Ram Achal Rajbhar, earlier this month, seems to have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

The BSP's strength in the state assembly has come down to seven from 19 -- even less than the nine-member Apna Dal.

The party may soon lose its 'national status' that Mayawati so proudly flaunts, if the party continues to slide down.

The BSP has been whittling down since it was voted out of power in 2012. The party which had won 206 seats in 2007 by carrying out a successful formula of social engineering, was left with just 80 seats in 2012.

In the 2014, BSP did not win a single Lok Sabha seat and in 2017 UP assembly elections, it came down to a humiliating 19 seats.

Since 2007, when the party last formed the government in Uttar Pradesh, with 206 seats and a vote share of 30 per cent, its decline has been steady.

Its vote share was 25 per cent in 2012 and slid further down to 22 per cent in 2017. In 2019, BSP ended up with 19 per cent vote share.

In the past few months, the BSP has lost 11 legislators -- all of whom were either suspended or expelled by Mayawati. These include former state president Ram Achal Rajbhar and leader of the BSP legislature party Lalji Varma.

A rebel BSP MLA said: "Mayawati needs to do a great deal of introspection. From having 206 MLAs in 207, the party is now left with seven. Those who built the party with their hard work are now out of the party.

"Leaders like Dr Sonelal Patel, Swami Prasad Maurya, Daddu Prasad, Om Prakash Rajbhar, Babu Singh Kushwaha, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Ramvir Upadhyaya, R.K. Chaudhary, Masood Ahmad, Brijesh Pathak and Chaudhary Laxmi Narain were made to exit the party which reflects poorly on Mayawati's leadership." Late Kanshi Ram had carefully crafted the party's base by promoting leaders of various sub-castes in the Bahujan Samaj Party.

To earn the confidence of the downtrodden, he took care to keep the 'Manuwadis'(upper castes) away from the top ranks of the BSP.

His experiment worked wonders and the BSP registered a miraculous growth after 1993 when it formed its first government in alliance with Samajwadi Party in UP.

Today, a number of leaders who were shown the door by Mayawati, have set up their own political outfits that focus on their caste groups.

Sonelal Patel's daughter, Anupriya, heads the Apna Dal that gains its strength from the Kurmi community. Om Prakash Rajbhar heads the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party that focuses on Rajbhar votes. Babu Singh Kushwaha has his own Jan Adhikar Manch that has a base among Maurya and Kushwaha communities.

A former BSP leader explained, "The problem with Mayawati is her complete disconnect with the party cadres. She is a queen, locked up in her ivory tower, and believes what she is told. No Dalit can even hope to meet her for an interaction.

"How can anyone run a party like this? Today, the face of Dalits has changed and they are now politically empowered." Another interesting fact that is often cited by former BSP men, is that despite being a Dalit-centric party, the BSP has no Dalit leader left, other than Mayawati.

"The number two position is held by Satish Chandra Mishra, who is a Brahmin, and also leads the party in Rajya Sabha.

"In Lok Sabha, our leader is Ritesh Pandey - also a Brahmin. Why would anyone support BSP as a Dalit-centric party now? The total alienation of Dalits from a party that has survived on Dalits is the biggest irony of BSP today," said the former BSP leader.
Mumbai, June 20 : As the country battles the 15-month long Covid-19 pandemic, a Mumbai NGO has come up with a unique mass-feeding solution that is bringing succor to the poor tribals in remote areas or even to the jobless migrants displaced during the series of lockdowns.

The Association for Nutrition and Development Action (ANNADA) has launched 'ready-to-cook', nutritional food packets with long shelf-life for migrants, and deprived communities or tribals, especially those in isolated or inaccessible areas, to survive for several days.

"In rural tribal belts, people are spread out in small clusters across long distances with limited access to food, making the situation extremely complex and a logistical nightmare... This is how we came up with an innovative approach to solve the problem and take adequate nutrition to the neediest families," ANNADA Lead (Communications & Partnerships), Satyen Melwani, told IANS.

Citing statistics, ANNADA's Programme Head Alvin D'Souza said that around 200 million people go to bed hungry in India daily, and natural disasters add another 30 million each year.

"The pandemic has doubled this number, bringing another 230 million below the poverty line and virtually at the doorstep of starvation. At ANNADA, we have tried to create a model that can provide hunger relief in these difficult times," D'Souza said.

After careful research, the NGO went about developing a wide variety of universally acceptable food-mixes -- tasty, nutritious, fortified with minerals and vitamins and easy to transport to different communities, ranging from a simple 'dal-khichdi' of north India to the 'bisibelle bhaat' of south India.

"We created the food mixes with ingredients sources only from FSSAI-certified vendors, processed them in an ISO-approve facility, and safely packed and distributed them with the support of our empanelled logistics partners," said Melwani.

D'Souza said these food kits are easy to store with a minimum 90-day long shelf-life, and can be cooked with minimal skills, simply by adding water and boiling before consumption.

Each ANNADA ration kit contains 5 kg of food materials comprising dal-khichdi, multi-grain khichdi, masala daliya, dal and soya or jaggery chunks to enhance the protien and iron content, covering the bulk of the nutritional needs of any individual.

Distributed under its flagship programme, 'No One Sleeps Hungry', each packet, costing around Rs 1,150, can easily feed a four-member family for 10 days, informed Melwani.

ANNADA Director Deepak Soni said that during the first phase of the pandemic, the NGO had disbursed around 17 lakh ready-to-cook meals in less than a month to around 17,000 families, and in the second wave, the target is to distribute 30 lakh meals to 30,000 families by June-end.

The trio explained that using a collaborative approach with 11 partners, the six-year-old NGO's ground network identified and reached out to the neediest communities without duplication of services.

"So far, we have sent these food-kits to far-flung rural communities such as tribals, migrants and daily wagers across Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Jalna and Osmanabad, rag-pickers and transgender communities, differently-abled and homeless people in the urban centres like Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and even Ahmedabad," said Soni.

"We have impacted almost 700,000 people, reduced cases of malnutrition in children below six years of age and pregnant/lactating mothers by at least 50 per cent across our mother and child health and nutrition projects," D'Souza claimed.

The NGO is now getting requests from all over India for such ready-to-cook food packets for which it has appealed for donations from people, philanthropists and corporates.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Gurugram, June 20 : The Gurugram Police have nabbed a Kenyan national for visa fraud. The accused had fraudulently converted his student visa into e-visa to get a job in a call centre, the police said on Sunday.

The accused has been identified as Barack Omondi Ukku.

According to the police, the accused had been working in a call centre situated in Udyog Vihar here since December 2019.

"A complaint against him was lodged by the call centre owner, Ashwini Kumar of Delhi. He alleged in his complaint that Barack Omondi Ukku had come to India on a student visa, but he fraudulently converted it into e-visa to get a job at their BPO," said a police officer.

Based on a complaint a case under relevant section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including the Foreigners Act was registered against the culprit at Udyog Vihar police station.

He was produced in a local court, which sent him to two-days police custody," the officer said.
Chennai, June 20 : Former Tamil Nadu Minister and AIADMK leader M. Manikandan was arrested in Bengaluru on Sunday morning by the Chennai city police in a case related to allegedly raping a Malaysian national after promising to marry her.

The anticipatory bail moved by the former minister was rejected by the Madras High Court on Wednesday and Manikandan was on the run ever since. He will be brought to Chennai after obtaining a transition warrant and will be produced before a judicial magistrate court, according to a statement of the Tamil Nadu Police.

The court while rejecting the anticipatory bail application had noted that the charges against him were serious and that he could tamper with the evidence given the fact that he was holding a powerful post in the state of Tamil Nadu as a minister.

The Malaysian citizen had complained that Manikandan had promised to marry her and was in a relationship with her for five years and had even forced her to abort.

Police had registered a case against the former minister for cheating, rape, causing miscarriage, hurt and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code. Manikandan was also charged under 67(a) of the Information Technology Act that relates to publishing sexually explicit acts online.

The prosecution charged that the former minister had promised to marry the Malaysian actor after divorcing his wife and had impregnated her thrice. The woman was then working with the Malaysian Tourism Development Organisation.
Islamabad, June 20 : The goods train service between Pakistan and Iran was suspended after a freight train derailed in Balochistan province, sources said.

At least six bogies of the freight train, which was on its way to the provincial capital city of Quetta from Iranian Zahedan city, derailed on Saturday near Dalbandin in Chagai district, the Pakistan Railways sources told Xinhua news agency.

They added that no one was injured in the incident.

The sources said that the incident occurred due to overspeeding of the train on the dilapidated Pakistan-Iran railway track, adding that around about 30 metres of it was affected after the incident and repair work has been started.

Additional rescue teams have been dispatched from Quetta to the area to restore the train service expeditiously, the sources added.
Patna, June 20 : In the third week of June, Chirag Paswan lost his political status within his own party, thanks to his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras who was instrumental in the coup over becoming president of the party founded by Late Ram Vilas Paswan.

The overall series of events could be a learning experience for other political parties and individual leaders who indulge in negative politics.

The negativity in Chirag Paswan's politics first appeared during Bihar assembly election 2020 when he decided to contest on his own, and tried to inflict the maximum damage to the Janata Dal United (JDU). He had then openly supported the BJP and declared himself as Hanuman of PM Narendra Modi.

Chirag Paswan was forced to leave the NDA due to his single point agenda of hurting the JDU, though both BJP and JDU are part of the NDA. Chirag's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) put up candidates on 143 seats and most of them against the JDU.

The LJP's gameplan reduced the JDU to 43 seats in 2020 assembly election while its seats in 2015 polls were 69. Such an approach hurt Chirag Paswan more, with his party managing to win just one seat in 2020 polls. Later, the lone LJP MLA Raj Kumar Singh, who won from Matihani constituency, shook hands with JDU boss Nitish Kumar.

"During Bihar assembly election 2020, we were wanting to contest the poll under the NDA, just like the parliamentary election. Chirag objected to it and decided to go alone in assembly election and could win just one seat. The party has been wiped out politically. The party workers and leaders are angry over his decision," Pashupati Kumar Paras said while pointing towards the negative politics of Chirag Paswan during the assembly election.

Amid political unrest in LJP, Chirag Paswan openly alleged that JDU leaders were behind the scene, working against him and breaking the party.

RJD also levelled similar allegations against JDU. Shyam Rajak, the national general secretary of RJD said: "Nitish Kumar is the architect behind split between Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras." Responding to it, JDU national president R.C.P. Singh said that Chirag Paswan is only reaping what he has sown.

"Chirag Paswan has done so many blunders in the recent past. The people of Bihar and his own party workers and leaders were not happy with whatever he did during the Bihar assembly election. Now, the result is the split in the party," Singh said.

He further said that digesting success is not an easy thing for all. You can achieve something but to maintain requires acumen. Chirag Paswan failed on this count. He has done just the opposite of his father Late Ram Vilas Paswan who never believed in sabotaging others. He had an ideology of maintaining a coalition dharma. On the other hand, Chirag did just reverse his father's ideology and is now paying the price for it.

He has been doing negative politics since the death of his father. As a result, four MPs and his uncle Pasupati Kumar Paras left him.

Umesh Kushwaha, state president of JDU said: "Chirag Paswan set his own house on fire, hence, a coup by his own uncle. Pashupati Kumar Paras has not criticized CM Nitish Kumar. He did not indulge in negative politics." Kanhaiya Kumar, the former JNU student union president and communist leader, said, "The real player in the entire episode was the BJP. The saffron party is trying to create rift among those who are known for their ideology of social justice in Bihar. Nitish Ji, Lalu Ji and Ram Vilas Ji were on one side fighting for social justice. Later on, they were made to split over their political interest. BJP leaders cashed on it to derive maximum gain." "People are blaming the JDU but the real force behind it is the BJP. They want complete power in Bihar through divide and rule policy," Kanhaiya Kumar said.
Kabul, June 20 : Afghan security forces have repulsed a Taliban offensive to overrun the key Tala-o-Barfak district in Baghlan province, a police spokesman said.

"The Taliban rebels launched multi-pronged attacks on Tala-o-Barfak district today morning but police in sharp reaction retaliated, forcing the rebels to flee after suffering casualties, and leaving four bodies behind and three more injured," provincial police spokesman Jawed Basharat told Xinhua news agency late Saturday.

One policeman was killed and two others were injured, the official said.

If the Taliban is successful in capturing Tala-o-Barfak district, the armed group could control the road linking Baghlan's provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri to the central Bamyan province.

Basharat also noted that the security forces would continue to attack the insurgents in the restive district.

The militant group has stepped up activities and captured over a dozen districts since the withdrawal of the US-led forces from Afghanistan on May 1.

Over the past two months, the government has lost 30 districts to the Taliban, which makes up 8 per cent of the country.
Jaipur, June 20 : Rajasthan will soon house one of the worlds largest open modern art galleries, the Mandawa Art Village, which will bespeak the stories of desert, beautiful 'havelis', colourful dresses, camels, sands and much more.

"The idea is to offer an alternative choice to the people who live in the village through creative economy," said Amita D'Alessandro, the French co-founder of Mandawa Art Village, along with Virendra Singh Shekhawat, the director and founder of DPC, a Delhi-based photography club.

"Through art, art workshops, art experience, creation of open-air gallery, we are developing a new form of artistic tourism which will generate jobs in the village, offering a better life to the villagers," D'Alessandro added.

The Mandawa Art Village project aims to promote local art and culture and stop migration from the village.

"We want to transform it into an international art village to offer another attraction to the tourists who visit Mandawa. Restoring, preserving and promoting local old art forms is also one of our aims," Shekhawat said, adding that foreign tourists coming to the art village will be taught pottery making, photography and many more forms of art and craft.

One of the major attractions of the art village is the walls painted by international street artists, which will immediately strike a chord with the tourists.

New street art in the art village and heritage frescos of Mandawa are perfect combinations for Indian and foreign tourists, Shekhawat said.

Rocio Del Perez Solar, an artist from Peru, visited the village in the end of 2019 and painted four walls.

Eva Potacka is another artist from Morocco who painted the walls here and her style of painting is using colourful pastels and extensive use of stencils to give a Moroccan feel to the art works.

One of her artworks is inspired by the cows in India, said Shekhawat.

Artists from across the globe will be invited for collaboration and they can even adopt the village and showcase their country in the village, he added.

The village, situated 4 km from Mandawa, is well known for its painted havelis and the project will ensure that the rural economy gets a boost, Shekhawat told IANS, adding that "reverse migration is the need of the hour and we are working in that direction".

The Mandawa Art Village will offer a lot to the tourists: Art in public spaces depicting India's rich culture and art forms created by renowned foreign artists, photography exhibitions, art installations and sculpture, photo and heritage walks, photography and art workshops, folk music concerts, folk dance etc.

"As tourism opens up in India post th Covid pandemic, we shall invite global artists from countries like Morocco, Peru and Portugal who will add stroke of colours to the walls of Mandawa, Shekhawat said.

The idea is to create sustainable art villages in the spokes of the tourism hubs so that the villages also get a fair share of the tourists and are able to earn livelihoods by the additional opportunities created, said Shekhawat, adding that the villagers have already started donating their rooms to run photography classes, pottery classes, etc.

"Covid-19 has slowed the pace of the project, but we are sure to get back to its speed soon. Our project started in 2019 and we had plans to wind it up in 2021. However, now it will be delayed by two years.

"Rajasthan Tourism has partnered with us and it will publicise and market the project in the international platform. This is a first of its kind private project in India," Shekhawat told IANS.

The Embassies of Peru, Ecuador and Mexico are partners of the ongoing project, and they will send their artists to India to make it a global art village, he added.

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New Delhi, June 20 : As mass public gatherings remain an obvious danger in India amid the lethal Covid-19 waves, you may see humanoid robots performing campaigning on behalf of political leaders in the 2022 Assembly elections.

Onestand India Pvt Ltd has developed a humanoid robot called 'DOOT' for this purpose, which can communicate and deliver the impression of a human being with excellent voice recognition, face recognition and gestures.

These robots are likely to be seen campaigning for the Assembly polls next year and according to the company, they are in talks with the respective political parties to deploy these robot campaigners for the state elections next year.

The states that go to the polls in 2022 are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Gujarat.

In the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls in April, a newly-formed political outfit India Makkal Munnetra Katchi (IMMK) introduced a humanoid robot for campaigning for the first time. Called 'Doozy', the four-feet robot was also the party symbol.

Now, 'Doot' is ready to serve political parties by reaching out to a limited group of people with their messages amid the pandemic.

"The robot's rover has a large wheelbase, with an all-wheel-drive gearbox, which enables it to move easily even on rough surfaces. Through artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled voice recognition, the humanoid robot will address the public on behalf of the politician," Kumar Kanhaiya Singh, Director, Onestand India, told IANS.

Questions and interactions will be reviewed periodically by a team that will have an answer to common queries updated after every review.

Doot is equipped with a custom-made servo motor, which enables the full upper body to bend and raise with ease.

It can also twist itself with 140 degrees of freedom, making it the only humanoid in the country to do so.

HD cameras are located in the head of the robot which enables the operator to have a look at the audience and also record the attendees.

"The 4th generation servo motors, which are indigenously manufactured, barely make any noise and are tested to work in hot Indian conditions for long hours without any breakdown or need for servicing," Singh said.

The humanoids are built on an aluminum frame with industrial-grade components.

"Due to the pandemic, political leaders are unable to meet even their party workers. These robot campaigners will save a lot of time as multiple humanoids could go at multiple places at the same time," Singh informed.

The humanoid robot has 10 axes (joints), which enables it to shake hands or wave at people.

The company had earlier rented out drones to various municipal corporations in Bihar for sanitisation during the first Covid wave.

The humanoids have been developed by Mumbai-based innovator Santosh Haulawale who has partnered with Onestand India.

Haulawale earlier created robots for treating Covid-19 patients and assisting healthcare workers.

"The introduction of robot campaigners can not only be a novelty factor for Assembly campaigns but also save people from coming in close contacts," said Singh.

(Nishant Arora can be reached at nishant.a@ians.in)

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Islamabad, June 20 : Four teachers were injured after unidentified gunmen open fire on a school van in Pakistan's Balochistan province, local reports said.

The gunmen ambushed the school van in Mastung district on Saturday and attacked it when the female teachers were on their way back home after taking classes, Xinhua news agency quoted the reports as saying.

The injured women were shifted to a nearby hospital, where their condition is said to be stable.

No group or individual has claimed the attack yet.

Police have cordoned off the area and an investigation to ascertain the motive of the attack in underway.
Brussels, June 20 : Josep Borrell, the European Union's (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, warned that the bloc could impose sanctions on Lebanese politicians over their involvement in the ongoing political stalemate of the country.

Borrell's comments on Saturday came following his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun to discuss obstacles hindering government formation, reports Xinhua news agency.

The top EU official said Lebanese politicians must quickly form a new government, implement reforms and reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to get the country out of its crisis.

Lebanon's crisis started in late 2019 amid shortage in US dollar reserves.

It was further exacerbated by the explosions that rocked the Port of Beirut, resulting in the resignation of the cabinet of Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab on August 10, 2020.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri was appointed on October 22, 2020 but he has been incapable of forming a new cabinet due to his differences with President Aoun over distribution of ministerial shares.

In their last meeting held in March, Aoun and Hariri again failed to reach a consensus, raising concerns about further instability and a total economic and financial collapse in the country.

"We cannot understand that nine months after the resignation of a Prime Minister, there is still no government in Lebanon," Borrell said.

He said that only an urgent agreement with the IMF will rescue the country from a financial collapse.

"There is no time to waste. You are at the edge of the financial collapse," he said.

Borrell said the EU stands ready to assist Lebanon and its people if the country succeeds in striking a deal with the IMF.

The Beirut blasts and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated the country's economic situation, driving thousands of companies out of business while leaving thousands of people unemployed.

Figures released by the World Bank showed that over 50 per cent of the Lebanese people have become "poor".

In a new report released on June 1, the World Bank said that Lebanon's prolonged severe economic depression may place it among the 10 most severe crises globally since the mid-19th century.
Lucknow, June 20 : Uttar Pradesh will launch the 'Dastak' campaign from July 1, which is part of a comprehensive Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy embraced by the Yogi Adityanath government.

Health department officials have been asked to coordinate with other departments and make necessary arrangements to prevent the spread of Encephalitis, Malaria, Chikungunya, and other diseases.

State-level training of health workers has been started and healthcare facilities have been strengthened in every village.

According to a government spokesperson, all Block Development Officers (BDO), District Panchayat Raj Officers, District School Inspectors, Chief Medical Officers and officers of all departments have been asked to extend their support to the campaign.

The state government has formed about 73,000 monitoring committees across the country which have been playing vital roles in the fight against seasonal fever, vector and water-borne diseases.

More than 4 lakh members associated with these committees have been engaged in making people aware by visiting them at their homes.

In 3,011 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 855 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the state, adequate arrangements have been made for treatment of these diseases.

A total of 592 urban PHCs have also been asked to remain alert to provide treatment round the clock to patients. Fever clinics have also been set up at CHCs and PHCs to make sure patients could be treated on an immediate basis.

Besides, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, ANMs and village heads have been entrusted with the responsibility of apprising rural population about various water-borne and vector-borne diseases.
New Delhi, June 20 : Amid shortage of Covid jabs in many states, the Centre on Sunday announced that more than 3.06 crore vaccine doses are still available with the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to be administered, and over 24 lakh will be provided to them within three days.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's (MoHFW) latest data reveals that more than 29.10 crore (29,10,54,050) vaccine doses have been provided to states and the UTs so far through the Central government (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 26,04,19,412 doses, as per data available at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Citing the data, the Ministry clarified that more than 3,06,34,638 Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and the UTs to be administered.

Furthermore, it said, more than 24,53,080 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and the UTs within the next three days.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Central government has been supporting the states and the UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

In addition, the Central government has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and the UTs.

The government pushing vaccination which is an integral pillar of its comprehensive strategy for containment and management of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid appropriate behaviour.

Under the vaccination strategy, in every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by Central government, which would continue to make these doses available to the state governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier.

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New Delhi, June 20 : The auction houses announces Jan Davidsz. de Heem (Utrecht 1606--1684 Antwerp), a banquet still life and Dirck Hals (Haarlem 1591--1656) and Dirck van Delen (Heusden 1604/5-1671 Arnemuiden) A Merry Company in a palatial interior, as two leading highlights in the forthcoming Old Masters Evening Sale taking place live on July 8 at Christie's King Street. The Sale is part of the marquee series of auctions comprising this season's Classic Week calendar.

De Heem's lavish Banquet still life is widely regarded as one of his finest and most important works. Preserved in remarkable state it offers a dazzling display of the artist's technical virtuosity on a grand scale. On long term loan at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht since 1948, the picture has subsequently appeared in no fewer than twelve international exhibitions, making it one of the most widely admired and extensively published Dutch still-lifes in the modern era.

The monumental A Merry Company by Dirck Hals and Dirck van Delen constitutes one of their most ambitiously conceived and successful artistic collaborations. Combining the innovative wit of Hals' crowded figure groups with van Delen's splendid imaginary interiors, it embodies the most highly regarded traits of the genre that emerged in the Dutch Republic in the second decade of the seventeenth century.

Both works are brought to the market from the heirs of Jacob Lierens (February 5, 1877 -- May 30, 1949) who was a Jewish businessman and art collector in pre-war Amsterdam. A partner in the company L. Lierens & Coat Raamgracht 24, and later at Prinsengracht 353-355, a scrap metal and textiles concern passed down from his father Hartog, Jacob married Henriette Johanna Benavente (July 20, 1877--June 10, 1956) in 1895. The couple lived in the Villa Johanna at 196 Amsteldijk and went on to have four daughters: Elisabeth (February 16, 1900--May 30, 1930), Rebecca Bosboom (January 15 1902--March 21, 1996), Branca Roselaar (October 8, 1905--September 30, 1942) and Esther Cardozo (July 3,1907--1971). The two paintings: A Banquet still life by Jan Davidsz de Heem and A Merry Company in a palatial interior by Dirk Hals (the younger brother of Frans Hals) and Dirck van Delen were included in the forced sale of the Lierens' collection, which took place at Frederick Muller & Cie. in Amsterdam on October 14, 1941. There, these paintings were purchased by Hans Posse, the head of the Linz Special Commission that acquired art for the "Fuhrermuseum" planned to be built in Linz, Austria.

Recovered at the end of the war by the Allies' Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section or "Monuments Men", both paintings were returned to the Netherlands, where they were transferred to the Dutch post-war organisations which handled receipt and restitution of such works. The paintings became long-term loans from the Dutch government collection: The Hals to the Museum in Haarlem and the De Heem to the Centraal Museum in Utrecht respectively.

After the war, Lierens and his family pursued various restitution claims, including compensation for the loss of household items and jewellery. In 2018, the present-day Restitution Committee in the Netherlands, set up with the re-emergence of interest in Holocaust-era assets following the Washington Conference of 1998, recommended the restitution of these two paintings to Jacob and Johanna's heirs. The Committee concluded on its recommendation that "the sale of the paintings was connected to measures taken by the occupying forces against Jewish members of the population and took place in order to save the couple's lives".

Lierens' granddaughter Elisabeth (born 1934) recalls living in hiding during the war and her son David Linder explains: "My mother never spoke about those years until about fifty years later... When I told her about the return of the two paintings, she was overwhelmed with joy. She never expected to live to see it. To her, those paintings symbolize life because they allowed Jacob Lierens to pay for a hiding place and see to it that his family didn't starve." Following the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, L. Lierens & Co was 'aryanised' in 1941 and the family's home and belongings were confiscated by March 31, 1942. In 1943, Lierens and his wife were imprisoned for a time in the Westerbork transit camp, a holding camp which usually led to deportation and from which few returned. The Lierens' fortunate release was secured for a cash payment in August of that year. From there the couple and the family went into hiding, financed by the sale of some of their possessions.

Lierens and his wife survived the war, as did their daughter Esther and her family, who also were in hiding, along with their daughter Rebecca and her family, who had fled to New York in 1939; Johanna joined them there following Jacob's death in 1949. Their daughter Branca Roselaar-Lierens and her husband Emanuel Roselaar did not survive the war and perished in Auschwitz.

Henry Pettifer, Head of Old Master Pictures, comments, 'It is an honour to be handling the sale of two such magnificent pictures from the Golden Age of Dutch painting. The extraordinarily detailed still-life by Jan Davidsz. De Heem is one of his most celebrated works; while the interior by Dirck Hals and Dirck van Delen is one of the most grandiose genre scenes from the period. Having recently been restituted by the Dutch government to the heirs of Jacob Lierens, this will be first time that either picture has appeared on the market in eighty years and I anticipate strong interest in both these works.' (IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
New Delhi, June 20 : Ahead of Prime Minister's meeting with leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress on Sunday said that restoring full statehood and conduct of elections is a way forward to restore democracy.

Addressing a press conference here, Randeep Singh Surjewala, the party general secretary, said, "Let me draw your attention towards the Congress working committee resolution on August 6, 2019 whereby it clearly demanded restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. We believe that and undoing it is a direct attack on the democracy and the constitutional principles." "Indian National Congress believes grant of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as also holding elections so that people are able to elect their representatives instead of a rule by Delhi, is the only way forward to guarantee full democratic right." he added.

He said, "now it's for the prime minister and the BJP to decide whether to hold a meeting or to accept the demands of the Indian National Congress, the interest of the constitution and the people of the state." The statement comes after prime minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold an all-party meeting on Jammu and Kashmir, a first such move since the abrogation of Article 370 from the region and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories in August 2019, sources said.

The meeting will be held in Delhi as the central government wanted to restart the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi, June 20 : The Centre has told the Supreme Court that all deaths with a diagnosis of COVID-19, irrespective of co-morbidities, are to be classified as deaths due to COVID-19.

The MHA in its affidavit said: "All deaths with a diagnosis of COVID-19, irrespective of co-morbidities, are to be classified as deaths due to COVID-19. The only exception could be where there is a clear alternative cause of death, that cannot be attributed to COVID-19 (e.g. accidental trauma, poisoning, acute myocardial infarction, etc), where COVID-19 is an incidental finding." The MHA submitted for recording of Covid-19 deaths, that there is a statutory mechanism in place either by way of an Act of Parliament or guidelines having the force of mandate and the law. Any breach of the guidelines mentioned hereunder would be a criminal offence as stipulated under section 188 of the IPC. The affidavit said broad guidelines for recording of COVID-19 related deaths in India were prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "The guidelines clearly state positive deaths, implicate deaths related to COVID-19. Further these guidelines are in sync with the WHO Mortality Coding", said the affidavit.

The affidavit said the ministry of health had released guidelines on distinction between 'death audit' and 'death certification'. The Centre said the primary goal of certification of cause of death (death certificate) is to identify and correctly classify all deaths due to a medical condition (e.g., COVID-19) and to eliminate any discrepancy in coding so as to obtain true estimates of burden of COVID-19 deaths. On the other hand, 'death audit' is an administrative exercise to identify gaps that contribute to deaths of patients. The aim is to improve quality of healthcare services by suitable corrective measures to prevent/minimize future deaths. "It is however submitted that, States/UTs may continue using their State specific death audit proforma, provided it broadly captures the parameters as the indicative proforma", added the affidavit.

The MHA said in May, 2021, Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI) has also issued guidelines regarding registration of deaths and recording of the cause of death, wherein it was advised that death of the person should be registered within the stipulated time within 21 days.

On May 24, the top court had suggested there must be a uniform policy and also some guidelines for issuance of death certificates for those affected with Covid-19. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah had said many a time reasons given in a death certificate can be heart attack or lung failure, but these could be triggered by Covid-19. The bench asked Centre's counsel, "So, how are death certificates being issued?" The Centre filed affidavit in response to the petitions filed by advocates Reepak Kansal and Gaurav Kumar Bansal citing Section 12(iii) of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) providing for ex gratia monetary compensation for the families of those who died during a notified disaster.

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Mumbai, June 20 : The Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) has urged the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) to address issues faced by MSME borrowers and the NBFCs catering to these enterprises.

The industry body of retail NBFCs had a virtual meeting with Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of MSMEs on June 15. On Friday, FIDC wrote to the minister outlining the needs of the sector.

FIDC in its letter has requested the minister to include wholesale and retail trade in the list of activities allowed for registration as MSME and also make consequent changes to the 'Udyam' portal.

It informed the minister that retail and wholesale traders who contribute significantly to the country's economy and are integral part of the business community have been excluded from the definition of MSMEs.

"Traders constitute around 35 per cent of total MSMEs in the country and are thus not eligible for liquidity support from the banking system and extension of priority sector benefits much needed for them," it said.

The NBFC body has also urged that minister that all claims filed during FY21 (especially during March 24, 2021 to March 31, 2021) but not processed, be treated as claims for FY21 as one-time exception, otherwise this will be a huge financial loss to banks and NBFCs.

Among other measures, the letter written by Mahesh Thakkar, Director General of FIDC said that considering praise worthy contribution of the NBFCs during the pandemic and the current state of MSMEs and other small borrowers, including trading community, it is requested that NBFCs should be covered under above circular so that they can pass on the subvention credit pertaining to FY 20-21 to its MSME customers.

"We also request that the Interest Subvention Scheme be relaunched and be extended to both MSME and Retail and Wholesale traders," it said.
Kolkata, June 20 : A 38-year-old man, declared dead in the Jnaneswari train accident in 2010, has been found alive after 11 years.

The mystery was unravelled when the CBI detained a man, namely Amritavan Chowdhury, from Jorabagan in North Kolkata on Saturday evening. The man was 27 years old at the time of the accident.

Chowdhury was listed among the passengers who died in Jnaneswari train accident -- one of the most dreadful accidents allegedly conducted by the Maoists on May 28, 2010 in West Midnapore when the Mumbai-bound Jnaneswari Express derailed and had a head-on collision with a goods train killing 148 passengers.

Based on preliminary findings, the CBI officers said they had reason to believe that the train accident victim declared dead on May 28, 2010 and whose identity was established through DNA profiling was still alive. The family in return managed a compensation of Rs 4 lakh and a Central government job as announced by the Railways at the time of the accident.

All these years, his sister Mahua Pathak, who is presently posted as "assistant signal" in Sealdah division of South Eastern Railways had allegedly been engaged in a Central government job that she received as part of the compensation for her brother's death. His parents are said to have accepted ex-gratia as part of the compensation package. Amritava Chowdhury, his sister Mahua Pathak and their parents Mihir Kumar Chowdhury and Archana Chowdhury have been named in the FIR, and unknown government and private officials have also been kept in the ambit of the FIR.

"We received a complaint from the office of general manager (vigilance), administrative branch of the South Eastern Railway on August 11 last year based on which a discreet inquiry was started. The preliminary findings suggest that the person in question, Amritava Chowdhury, against whose death his family was compensated by the government, is still alive," said a CBI officer.

"The body was handed over to the family after matching the DNA profiling. This means there was some tampering with the DNA report because now we find that the so-called dead person is alive and that body that was handed over to the family was not that of Amritava Chowdhury," said a CBI officer.

According to senior police officers of the state the bodies that were in a recognizable condition were handed over to the families after examining the documents but there were many bodies that were mutilated and it could not be identified. In those cases, the bodies were handed over to the family members after DNA matching.

"It was apparent that the Chowdhury family in alleged connivance with some government officials had tampered with the DNA profiling report and proved that the DNA of one of the bodies of the victims of the train accident matched with that of their family member's," a senior police officer said.
New Delhi, June 20 : After second land deal in Ayodhya surfaced, the Congress was quick to attack the government for allowing such loot and profiteering and termed it a "Ramdroh" and those involved "chandajeevi." Addressing a press conference on the issue on Sunday, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said, "The responsibility lies on the Supreme Court on whose orders the trust has been constituted and the Prime Minister, to audit the whole process of land purchase and money given by devotees." The Congress alleged that the second deal is between Deepnarayan and the trust as the former is active member of the BJP and nephew of Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhayay, who sold land at exorbitant price after purchasing it on a very less rate.

The Congress alleged that even Mahant Nritya Gopal Das is not being consulted on the issue. While after the first controversy broke out, Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, had issued statement amid the allegations of corruption in the purchase of temple land.

He said that the trust is working to provide the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple a grand look according to Vastu Shastra, to make the complex safe in all respects and convenient for the visitors.

He said that important temples/places falling within the boundary of the construction wall and retaining wall in the east and west part of this temple have been purchased with mutual consent.

Last week when the first deal surfaced Randeep Surjewala had said, "the trust was established on the direction of the Supreme Court and now the court should take cognisance of the issue and investigate the matter." He said the court should audit all the accounts and make public the report including the purchase of the land.

The Congress leader said that the work of construction should not be halted at all, but the allegations should be looked into as it's a matter of faith for crores of Ram Bhakts.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too attacked the people involved in the deal and said in a tweet, "the misuse of contribution is disrespect to crores of devotees' faith."
Hong Kong, June 20 : People who got Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine showed "substantially higher" levels of antibodies compared to those who received China's Sinovac shots, according to a new study.

The study, led by University of Hong Kong (HKU), aims to estimate the incidence of natural infections over time and level of population immunity due to infections and vaccinations, the South China Morning Post reported on Saturday.

The presence of antibodies is a sign that the vaccine is working to protect an individual, although the quantity of the proteins generated by the body's immune system to identify and neutralise the coronavirus does not directly correlate to the level of immunity, the report said.

Some who received the Sinovac vaccine might need a third booster shot as well, lead researcher Professor Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist with HKU was quoted as saying by the TRTWorld.

The study involved tracking the antibody responses of 1,000 people who received either vaccine.

On June 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) authorised the Sinovac-CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.

The two-dose Sinovac-CoronaVac product is an inactivated vaccine. Its easy storage requirements make it very manageable and particularly suitable for low-resource settings.

Based on available evidence, the WHO recommended the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks.

Vaccine efficacy results showed that the vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in 51 per cent of those vaccinated and prevented severe Covid-19 and hospitalisation in 100 per cent of the studied population.

On the other hand, the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine is based on mRNA technology and has been authorised for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Studies have shown that the two-dose shot is effective against Covid-19, as well as its variants - Delta, Gamma and Beta.

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New Delhi, June 20 : In India, yoga is celebrated as an ancient tradition, which has grown into a global phenomenon. As India gears up for International Yoga Day on June 21, a research paper released by an expert at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said, yoga can be used as an adjunct therapy in the management of severe arthritis.

Dr Rima Dada, Prof Lab for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, Department of Anatomy at AIIMS, said, yoga improves clinical outcome in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and decreases systemic inflammation by its beneficial effects on psycho-neuro-immune axis and normalization of dysregulated transcripts.

The research paper titled 'yoga impact on autoimmune arthritis' is based on a study done in collaboration with Dr Uma Kumar, Professor and Head of the Department of Rheumatology. Dada emphasized yoga is an integrative health strategy which focusses on both physical and psychological aspects of a disease.

Dada claimed the study on the impact of yoga in 66 RA patients supports adding yoga as an adjunct therapy to treat the chronic debilitating autoimmune disease.

The results of the study suggested that there was a decrease in disease activity after yoga practice, which was associated with a significant reduction in inflammatory cytokines, the elevation of mind-body communicative markers, and normalization of various transcript levels, which improved quality of life. "Despite lack of a cure, the disease may be controlled by yoga-based lifestyle interventions which improves joint flexibility and reduces pain. Yoga significantly improves and reduces the psycho-somatic symptoms, pain perception, disability quotient, joint flexibility, range of motion, posture, muscle strength, coordination, and disease activity", said the study.

Dada emphasized that this mind-body intervention is the need of the hour in the age of super specialization. "Yoga holds the immense potential to be an adjunct therapeutic regimen in RA patient and has tremendous rehabilitative potential", added Dada.

The findings indicated that yoga plays a role in facilitation of mind's capacity to overcome disease and improve physical symptoms via a variety of downstream pathways.
Sanaa, June 20 : Four newly-recruited Yemeni soldiers were killed and dozens others injured in a Houthi drone attack on a pro-government military base in the southeastern province of Hadramout, a military official said.

"A military base of the newly-recruited pro-government Yemeni forces located in Al-Wadiah border crossing point in Hadramout was bombed by Houthi drones on Saturday, causing a huge explosion in the area," the official told Xinhua news agency.

"The targeted military base fully backed by Saudi Arabia was specifically used for training new pro-government Yemeni army recruits," he added.

The Houthi rebels based in the capital Sanaa haven't made any comments yet.

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 Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government.
Lucknow, June 20 : The Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh is reaching new heights in medicinal farming, with the Yogi Adityanath government promoting cultivation of medicinal plants in a big way.

Nurseries are being established in villages while plantation of herbs is on in full swing in different parts of the state.

Farmers belonging to Bundelkhand are switching over to cultivation of medicinal plants, both, for monetary gains as well as for its health benefits.

According to the government spokesperson, the farmers are showing keen interest in growing basil, aloe vera, ashwagandha, brahmi, satavar, vach, artemisia, kaunch, kalmegh and sarpagandha.

The UP government has also been encouraging farmers to diversify crops for cultivation in order to enhance their incomes.

The National Medicinal Plants Mission scheme of the Department of Horticulture and Food Processing has played vital role in popularizing cultivation of medicinal plants in UP in the recent past.

Though the scheme has been operational since 2009-10, it had failed to benefit farmers during the previous governments.

The Yogi Adityanath government has involved State AYUSH Society in providing benefits to the farmers engaged in medicinal farming.

In order to increase the interest of the farmers in medicinal farming, the government also announced a grant per hectare for farmers. As a result, the number of farmers to take up medicinal farming directly and indirectly has increased significantly during the present regime as compared to the previous governments.

The government spokesperson said that more than 15,000 farmers have so far benefited from this initiative of the state government while cultivation of medicinal plants has expanded to 9,705 hectares in the state.

The demand for medicinal crops has also increased substantially amid the Covid pandemic.

Dr V.B. Dwivedi, nodal officer of State AYUSH Mission and joint director of Horticulture and Food Processing Department, said that the department is making every effort to promote medicinal farming as per the intention of the government.

He said that along with Bundelkhand, farmers of Devi Patan division as well as Lucknow and Meerut circles have also started cultivating medicinal plants.

He added that the herbal products of Mirzapur and Jalaun farmers are making their mark in foreign countries as well.

Meanwhile, a large number of farmers have taken to Satwari cultivation in Gorakhpur.

The scheme has helped farmers become self-reliant by doubling their income, and is also helping them stay healthy.
Rome, June 20 : Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza has signed a new ordinance, extending the white or lowest-risk pandemic zone to most of the country from monday onwards.

"The new ordinance will become effective on Monday," the Minister said on Saturday.

The regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Marche, Sicily, Tuscany and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano will join Abruzzo, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Piedmont, the Autonomous Province of Trento, Puglia, Sardinia, Umbria and Veneto in the white zone, where most anti-virus restrictions are lifted, reports Xinhua news agency.

The only remaining anti-virus regulations in the white zone are social distancing and the obligation to wear a mask both indoors and outdoors.

The northern region of Valle d'Aosta will remain in the yellow or low-risk zone, with some restrictions still in place, including a midnight to 5 a.m. curfew for people who have not been fully vaccinated.

In a bid to contain the second wave of the pandemic, Italy has been using a colour-coded system in different regions in the country since late last year -- white for almost zero risk, yellow for low risk, orange for medium risk, and red for high risk -- with varying restrictions according to the level of virus transmission.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Health reported 1,197 new coronavirus infections, 4,087 recoveries and 28 deaths.

Italy's caseload and death now stood at 4,252,095 and 127,253, respectively.

So far, over 45 million doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in Italy, of which more than 15 million people have been fully immunised.
Lucknow, June 20 : The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to amend criminal law to give strict punishment to chain snatchers.

According to sources, the UP Law Commission has submitted a report to the government, recommending up to 14 years imprisonment for the chain snatchers.

The report said that strict steps are needed to ensure the safety of women.

The report recommends imprisonment of 3 to 14 years and fine for such criminals.

The commission said that there is no separate provision for such offences in the law, so there should be provisions for punishment in chain snatching cases by adding the theft section in IPC.

The commission recommended adding the word 'snatching with theft' in section 410 of IPC.

According to the Law Commission, there has been a steady increase in the cases of chain snatching.

The commission said that 827 cases of chain snatching were registered in 2015, 1025 in 2016, 1098 in 2017, 1425 in 2018 and 1233 in 2019 in the state.

Such incidents are being reported in Moradabad, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Meerut in large numbers.

Apart from this, chain snatching incidents were high in Ghaziabad, Kanpur , Varanasi, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Fatehgarh, Jhansi, Mathura, Mainpuri, Aligarh and Bareilly.
Ankara, June 20 : The number of Turkey's daily Covid-19 vaccination has exceeded 1.5 million, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

Turkey has started to administer vaccines to its citizens aged 30 and above, Xinhua news agency quoted Koca as saying in a tweet on Saturday.

Turkey on Saturday confirmed 5,480 new Covid cases, including 494 symptomatic patients, raising the total number in the country to 5,365,208, according to the Health Ministry.

The death toll from the virus rose by 51 to 49,122, while the total recoveries climbed to 5,228,419 after 4,195 more recovered in the last 24 hours.

The rate of pneumonia in Covid-19 patients stands at 3.4 per cent while the number of seriously ill patients is 829 in the country, said the Ministry.

A total of 215,496 tests were conducted over the past day, taking the overall number of tests in Turkey to 58,339,486.

Turkey started mass Covid-19 vaccination on January 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.

More than 26,576,000 people have been vaccinated so far.

Turkey reported its first Covid-19 case on March 11, 2020.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tel Aviv, June 20 : The Israeli Ministry of Health reported a Covid-19 outbreak in two schools in the town of Binyamina, 60 km north of Tel Aviv, which has infected 45 students.

The outbreak concerns a primary school and a middle school, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying on Saturday.

An extensive testing operation, which began after one of the middle school students had been tested positive, revealed the outbreak.

According to the Ministry, the source of the outbreak is related to a family who recently returned from abroad and had tested positive for the Delta Covid variant.

On June 6, Israel started vaccinating teenagers aged between 12 and 15 against Covid-19.

Before that, only people aged 16 and over were eligible to get vaccinated.

The number of people vaccinated against Covid-19 in Israel currently stands at about 5.49 million, or 58.9 per cent of its total population.

Israel has so far reported 839,829 coronavirus cases.

The death toll from the virus remained at 6,427, while the number of patients in a serious condition decreased from 23 to 22, out of 47 patients currently hospitalised.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Cairo, June 20 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks with his visiting Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush in Cairo on the latest developments of the Tripoli's roadmap for a political settlement.

"I assert Egypt's support for the interim executive authority represented in Libyan presidential council and the national unity government in performing their tasks during the transitional stage," Shoukry told a joint press conference on Saturday following the talks.

The Egyptian top diplomat stressed the necessity of restoring security, stability, sovereignty and unity of the Libyan territories and "implementing all the stages of the roadmap for the political solution resulting from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum", reports Xinhua news agency Egypt is looking forward to the Libyan general elections scheduled for December 24 and the expulsion of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya "without procrastination", he said.

The Libyan parliament approved in March an interim unity government to run the country until the general elections held later this year which are expected to end a decade-long civil war that followed the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Meanwhile, Al-Mangoush described the newly formed unity government as "the government of all Libyan men and women that seeks earnestly and sincerely to express the aspirations and hopes of its people".

She valued Egypt's support for the Libyan peace roadmap, noting the people of the two nations are connected with deep ties as well as a shared destiny throughout history.

"We also welcome the arrival of an Egyptian delegation (in Libya) to coordinate reopening the (Egyptian) embassy in Tripoli and consulate in Benghazi," she said at the news conference in Cairo.

The two ministers also addressed ways to boost Egyptian-Libyan cooperation in various fields to broader levels.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 20 : Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and member of parliament, K. Sudhakaran has dared Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan to have a debate with him. The slugfest between the two started after the KPCC president, in an interview with a popular Malayalam weekly, said that he had kicked Pinarayi Vijayan during their college days and that Pinarayi was a timid person those days.

Replying to Sudhakaran, the chief minister in a press conference, on Friday, said that the KPCC president was daydreaming on his exploits and that several people those days had that dream of physically intimidating him but could not reach him.

Continuing with the verbal tirade, Sudhakaran said that the attack against the chief minister is personal and that the CM is a mafia king. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Sudhakaran said that he would continue his attack against Vijayan until he engages him in a political debate.

Sudhakaran, in his Facebook post, said that Pinarayi is a political criminal and that he has to be dealt with in this manner only. He said that Pinarayi Vijayan was indulging in rotten personality worship. Sudhakaran also said that the chief minister is a dictator and has crushed the political life of CPM leaders like former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, M.A. Baby and K.K. Shailaja.

The KPCC president also said that former Kerala high court judge late K. Sukumaran had opined that Pinarayi had mafia connections during a hearing of a case in which gun pellets were seized in a handbag carried by Pinarayi at Thiruvananthapuram airport. Sudhakaran also said that Pinarayi did not pursue against the Judges comment and had even withdrawn the legal notice served to the judge.

Sudhakaran said that Pinarayi Vijayan has to be stopped or the state would slip into anarchy and that the state has been witnessing this for the past five years. The senior Congress leader said, "He has to be attacked politically and exposed, otherwise this culture of dictatorship will continue. Let him come for a political debate, otherwise, I will continue with this verbal attack."
Mumbai, June 20 : The market capitalization of Anil Ambani led Reliance Group has surged by over 1,000 per cent in less than 3 months.

The market cap of the group, which stood at Rs 733 cr in March, jumped to Rs 3,890 cr in May 2021, and Rs 7,866 cr on the last trading day of this week i.e. June 18, 2021.

The market capitalization of the group companies, Reliance Infrastructure, Reliance Power, and Reliance Capital has more than doubled over the last 20 trading days.

The market cap of Reliance Power now stands at Rs 4,446 cr, Reliance Infrastructure at Rs 2,767 cr, and Reliance Capital at Rs 653 cr.

Nearly 50 lakh retail investors of Reliance Infrastructure, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital, who have continued faith in the group, have gained from this immense value creation.

The Reliance Group has the largest family of retail shareholders in India, with around 33 lakh retail shareholders in Reliance Power, 9 lakh in Reliance Infrastructure and 8 lakh in Reliance Capital.

Over the last couple of years, while FIIs/ MF exited the group companies, and lenders who had invoked pledged shares have sold the same in the markets, the same had been picked by retail investors who are now reaping the benefits of this wealth creation.

The surge in the stock prices of Reliance Group companies has been backed by various significant positive developments across group companies, in the last 3 weeks.

Reliance Infrastructure announced fund raising of Rs 550 cr from the promoter group and VSFI Holdings Pvt Ltd - an affiliate of Varde Investment Partners, LLP.

In another significant development, Reliance Power announced the preferential issue of equity shares and warrants to its promoter company, Reliance Infrastructure, aggregating Rs 1,325 cr, in order to convert debt into equity.

Reliance Capital Group company, Reliance Home Finance is also in the final stage of its asset monetisation, as Authum Investment and Infrastructure, with a bid value of Rs 2,887 cr has emerged as the successful bidder for its assets. This will reduce the Reliance Capital debt by over Rs 11,000 cr, giving a big boost to the company and its investors.

The debt reduction drive of Reliance Group achieved another milestone when recently Axis Bank and Yes Bank decided to remove the red flag classification of the Reliance Capital account, paving the way for the successful monetization of Reliance Capital assets.

Reliance Capital has received over 70 bids for its multiple assets, that include its general insurance, health insurance, life insurance, and securities business, apart from its private equity investment in companies like Paytm E-commerce and Nafta Innovations.
New Delhi, June 20 : Further advance of southwest monsoon into remaining parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab is likely to be slow.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) made the forecast on Sunday based on large-scale features showing no favourable condition.

The wind pattern by the numerical models also do not indicate any favourable condition for sustained rainfall over the region during the forecast period, the IMD said.

Under the influence of a low-pressure area over southeast Uttar Pradesh and neighbourhood, the weather department said fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls very likely over east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during next 24 hours and significant reduction in rainfall activity thereafter.

Under the influence of a Western Disturbance as a trough in mid tropospheric levels and monsoonal easterlies, it predicted widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls over Uttarakhand during next 24 hours and significant reduction in rain fall activity thereafter.

Moderate to severe thunderstorms accompanied by frequent cloud to ground lightning is very likely over east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during next 24 hours, the IMD further said.

"This may cause injuries leading to casualties to people and animals staying outdoors," warned the IMD.
Liverpool, June 20 : Civic leaders in Liverpool have pleaded with the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to keep the English city's World Heritage status.

A letter, signed by City Mayor Joanne Anderson, Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the CEOs of English Premier League clubs Everton FC and Liverpool FC, was sent to the committee on Saturday ahead of a critical decision over the city's World Heritage status to be made in July, reports Xinhua news agency.

Local media reported that key figures from Liverpool's cultural, economic and academic sectors have also signed the joint letter.

Liverpool has, since 2012, been on UNESCO's register of sites in danger over major redevelopment plans for large areas of the city's waterfront dockland area which falls within the zone covered by the coveted status.

The recent decision by Liverpool Planning Committee to give a go-ahead to Everton FC to build a new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock within the World Heritage area, has brought the plight of the city's World Heritage status into sharp focus ahead of the World Heritage Committee meeting in late July.

"In advance of the World Heritage Committee meeting in July, we are asking the committee members to defer any decision on the city's status and, instead, accept an invitation to visit Liverpool at some point during the next 12 months," the signatories said in their letter.

"On the issue of Liverpool's World Heritage Site, we would like to make it absolutely clear that the city does not want to lose this status," they added.
Canberra, June 20 : Australia's Trade Minister Dan Tehan has declared that the government is in "no rush" to re-open the country's international borders.

Tehan on Saturday confirmed that Australia is negotiating a potential travel bubble with Singapore but that a final decision would be made by medical experts based on the spread of Covid-19 variants of concern, reports Xinhua news agency.

"That will largely depend on how these various variants play out and the monitoring of those circumstances," Tehan said.

"It has been made very clear that we will only create a bubble with Singapore when it is safe for us to do so, and in the meantime we're looking at what would be the processes that would enable that to be as safe as possible." The travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand opened in April, allowing quarantine-free travel to and from Australia for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the government has refused to say when Australia's borders will be opened to travellers from all countries and regions.

Tehan's comments on Saturday came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would spend the next six months monitoring the spread of Covid-19 internationally and efficacy of vaccines before making a decision on the borders.

"The jury is out on that and it will be a while, I think, before the epidemiologists can have greater clarity on that. We have to be patient for the evidence and the science," Morrison told News Corp Australia.

Morrison, who is in quarantine after returning from an overseas trip, said a system that identifies people who are fully vaccinated would be key to further travel bubbles.

"In Europe they have a system which works green light, red light. And the green light is if you've had it, so you have the antibodies, if you've had a PCR test within the relevant period or you're vaccinated. These things feed back into other databases to enable the border clearance," he said.

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Chandigarh, June 20 : Five-time Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal will appear before a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kotkapura police firing case of 2015 at his residence here on June 22.

Earlier, Badal had expressed inability to appear before the panel on June 16, citing ill-health and his age.

"Still not in good health, Mr Badal however is keen to fulfill his legal and constitutional duties as a law abiding citizen of the country," a statement quoting Harcharan Bains, Principal Advisor to SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Sunday.

In his two-page response to the summon from the SIT investigating the handling of the Kotkapura incidents by the previous government, Badal last week said, "the entire process of investigation already stands brazenly compromised through blatant and unapologetic political interference and it reeks too strongly of political vendetta to inspire any confidence about a fair process of law being followed." In spite of this, Badal had said, he will "cooperate fully" with the investigative process.

The former chief minster had also pointed out that the very need for the present SIT has "arisen out of the brazen politicisation of the case by the previous SIT".

In this regard, Badal had come down heavily against "one of the members of the previous SIT" for his "openly political conduct" which had allegedly subverted the entire investigative process.

"With callous and contemptuous disregard for all the established procedures and norms, this officer completely usurped and appropriated to himself the entire functioning and designated role of all other members of the SIT, including its chairman, and rendered them totally redundant," Badal had said.

Badal was the chief minister of Punjab when the police had opened fire on protesters in Kotkapura on October 14, 2015, killing two and injuring others.

The SIT is to ascertain as to who gave the orders to open fire, whether the cops fired in self-defence and if standard operating procedure was followed.
New Delhi, June 20 : The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Office has responded to the concerns raised by Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council regarding India's new IT norms, wherein the Permanent Mission has stressed that India's democratic credentials are well recognised and the new norms were finalised after due consultation with various stakeholders.

The letter by the Mission said: "The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry association and organizations and invited public comments to prepare the draft Rules." Thereafter an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received and, accordingly, the rules were finalised.

It also told the UN arm: "India's democratic credentials are well recognized".

The right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution, the Permanent Mission of India said in its letter, adding that the independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India's democratic structure.

"The Permanent Mission of India requests that the enclosed information may be brought to the attention of the concerned Special Rapporteurs," it said.

The Indian Government and the US-headquartered Twitter are in sort of a tussle over the new norms, wherein the Centre has said that the social media platform has failed to comply with the norms.

The company, however, recently said that it has appointed an Interim Chief Compliance Officer as suggested under new intermediary guidelines.

The Government of India, in exercising its powers under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and in supersession of the earlier Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011, framed the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 ('new IT Rules') and notified the same on 25 February, 2021.

For the significant intermediaries, the Rules have come into effect from May 26, 2021.

Although initially the significant intermediaries were largely reluctant to comply with the new norms, by and large all the players have complied by now, and Twitter has said that it will provide details of the interim Chief Compliance Officer to the government soon.

Twitter has also lost its status of intermediary platform in India over non-compliance to the new intermediary guidelines.

A day after Twitter said that it has appointed an Interim Chief Compliance Officer, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad last Wednesday said that the US-based company has failed to comply with the new intermediary guidelines.

In a series of tweets, the minister came down hard on the platform over its reluctance to comply with the new norms.

"There are numerous queries arising as to whether Twitter is entitled to safe harbour provision. However, the simple fact of the matter is that Twitter has failed to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines that came into effect from the 26th of May," Prasad had said.
Hyderabad, June 20 : Desperate to mobilize resources to tide over the financial crisis aggravated by the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the Telangana government is set to begin sale of government lands to raise Rs 20,000 crore while the move has drawn the ire of opposition parties.

After failing to raise resources through sale of lands for last two years, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has finally initiated the process for e-auction of identified lands to realize its ambitious Budget for 2021-22.

The state's non-tax revenue for 2021-22 was estimated at Rs 30,557.35 crore, including Rs 20,000 crore from sale of land.

It had set a target of mobilizing Rs 10,000 crore in 2019-20 and Rs 14,515 crore in 2020-21 but the government could not even begin the process for sale of land due to the slowdown of the economy amid Covid-19.

Though the country's economic recovery has received a setback due to the second wave of the pandemic and prospects of getting good price for lands do not look bright due to continuing slowdown in the real estate sector, this time the state government is desperate to raise resources.

The pandemic has hit hard the state's finances. It suffered a revenue loss of about Rs 50,000 crore during the first wave of Covid-19 lockdown and another Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore in the second wave.

Facing a severe fund crunch, the state is looking to raise additional resources to meet its financial commitments, especially for Rythu Bandhu, the investment support scheme for farmers. Under this scheme, the government will be crediting Rs 7,509 crore to bank accounts of farmers between June 15 and 25.

The government is also facing an additional financial burden of Rs 1,000 crore due to revision of salaries of government employees and for payment of arrears to them.

The government also requires more funds to improve health infrastructure. It already announced plans to spend Rs 10,000 crore over next two years to improve infrastructure facilities in government hospitals.

Taking swift actions, the State Cabinet constituted a Sub-Committee headed by Finance Minister T. Harish Rao on resource mobilization and also set in motion the process for sale of government lands.

Harish Rao asked all the departments to prepare a list of properties, land parcels and other properties belonging to the government.

The minister justified the government's decision, saying that lands were being sold for the state's development and to implement various welfare schemes.

Dismissing opposition Congress party's criticism, he alleged that the Congress had sold nearly 88,000 acres of Telangana land in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, to spend on the development of the Andhra region.

"Only those lands which do not serve any public purpose will be identified for auction. Land parcels which are in prime locations and likely to fetch good prices will be priority," said a senior revenue official who did not want to be identified.

"In addition to the prime land parcels in Hyderabad and surroundings, plots in other towns of the state will also be identified for auction This will be done in phases. The process is likely to continue for several weeks," he said.

A Government Order (GO) was issued on June 10 prescribing Standard Operating procedure (SOP) for nodal agencies for sale of government land parcels under control of various departments which are not required for any public purpose located in various prime areas scattered throughout the state by open public auction.

According to the GO, since land parcels in prime locations scattered across the state are prone to encroachments, the government permitted for disposal of government land parcels which are not required for any public purpose by open public auction.

The government formed different committees to execute the process in a transparent manner, follow all norms and to ensure that it get good price for the land.

Nodal department will be delegated powers to approve the special terms and conditions and tentative schedule for conduct of e-auction and for fixing of upset price duly considering the prevailing market rates with due diligence.

The government also granted permission to engage MSTC, a Government of India agency as service provider to conduct e-auction on online platform. The GO provides for constitution of a committee at nodal department under the concerned Principal Secretary to Government to finalise bids and approve.

The government has already identified prime land parcels in Hyderabad and surrounding districts of Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Sangareddy and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri for e-auction. This is likely to be done in three phases and the government hopes to raise Rs 10,000 crore.

The auction will begin with the prime lands in Hyderabad. This is expected to fetch the best price in the country.

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) have fixed Rs 25 crore per acre as the minimum price to be quoted for the first phase of land auctions in Kokapet and Khanamet. A total of 65 acres of land in 13 land parcels will be auctioned on July 15. While the upset price has been fixed at Rs 1,625 crore, the government hopes to net about Rs 3,000 crore.

The opposition parties have slammed TRS for its move. The Congress party has demanded that the government withdraw the GO on land sale. It dared the TRS for a debate on revenue earning and debts of the state.

It reminded that TRS had opposed land auction by the previous governments in combined Andhra Pradesh.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said his party would fight against the auction of government lands. He said the party would petition the governor on the issue and would also educate people how the decision could increase burden on each citizen.

"The State government is already in neck deep in terms of barrowings. With this move, KCR is forcing everyone to pay the price for his misgovernance," he said.

The Congress leader vowed to stop the government from auctioning lands and warned that the state could have a burden of credit to the tune of Rs 5 lakh crore in the next two years.

Congress party's national spokesperson Dr Dasoju Sravan Kumar also slammed TRS for its double standards on the issue. He recalled that TRS leaders had staged a sit-in in front of HMDA office in 20212 demanding then government headed by Kiran Kumar Reddy not to sell lands.

BJP also strongly opposed sale of lands. Its leader N.V.S.S. Prabhakar wanted to know how government found the land for sale when it claims that there is no land available for construction of double bedroom houses and implementing three-acre land to Dalits programme.

"The Telangana movement itself was to save precious lands of Telangana from encroachment or sale by rulers but unfortunately lands of Telangana are being sold once again," he said.

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Lucknow, June 20 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will launch a plantation campaign with a difference in July.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, concerns about people's health is increasing and the campaign will lay special emphasis on medicinal and nutritious plants to help build up the immunity system of the common man.

According to the Forest Department officials, one and a half dozen species of medicinal and aromatic plants such as dahujan, amaltas, arjun, neem, kadamba, ashok and hibiscus will be planted as part of the campaign. Their total number will be close to 418 lakh.

Besides, the state government has set a target of planting about three dozen species of medicinal and nutritional plants including among others bael, amla (gooseberry), kaitha, jamun (java plum), bahera and harr.

The total number of these plants, which are rich in medicinal properties, will be 2,82,05,994.

Nutritional plants will also include custard apple, jackfruit, lemon, lasoda, fig, sycamore, mahua, mango, mulberry, jungle jalebi, guava, pomegranate, tamarind, plum, kinnow and papaya.

The government has set a target of planting 30 crore saplings this season.

The Forest Department is its nodal agency while 26 other departments are also cooperating in this campaign. The departments have been given the target to plant a total of 19.20 crore saplings, while the Forest Department will plant the remaining 10.80 crore saplings.

As many as 42.17 crore saplings have been prepared in 1,813 nurseries of the Forest Department, keeping in mind the agro-climatic conditions of all the districts in order to ensure timely availability of plants as per demand.

Apart from this, the Silk and Horticulture Departments have also prepared saplings in their nurseries.

The Forest Department will provide saplings to government departments, various court premises, farmers, institutions, individuals, private and government schools, Central government undertakings, local bodies, railways, defence, industrial units and cooperatives for free as before.

To ensure transparency, the departments that will plant saplings will also get the geo tagging of their respective areas done.

The Yogi Adityanath government has planted a total of 60,24,46,551 saplings of different species so far.

Both, forest cover and tree cover, have increased in Uttar Pradesh in the last four years due to record plantation.

According to the State Forest Report 2019 of Forest Survey of India, there has been an increase of 127 km in the forest cover in Uttar Pradesh as compared to 2017.

According to the report, the tree cover of Uttar Pradesh is 3.05 percent as compared to the national average of 2.89 per cent.
San Francisco, June 20 : The facial recognition programme, used by nearly two dozen US states to verify people seeking unemployment benefits, is working inconsistently, leading to many people being denied benefits or having their applications put on hold, media reports said.

The identity verification service ID.me is intended to help reduce unemployment fraud and uses biometric data and official documents to verify people.

But according to Motherboard, some who have applied for unemployment have reported that ID.me has failed to identify them correctly and that they have had difficulty reaching someone at ID.me to remedy the problem.

ID.me did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but the company's CEO Blake Hall told Motherboard in an email that the algorithms the company uses in its Face Match technology have "99.9 per cent efficacy", The Verge reported.

He added that user error may be to blame, and said the company was not aware of "eligible individualsa who couldn't verify their identity with its software".

With millions of people unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, state offices have dealt with a surge of claims over the past year.

Some states reported a sharp rise in fraudulent claims last spring and the Department of Labor reported in February that between March and October of last year, it had identified more than $5 billion of potentially fraudulent unemployment payments.
New Delhi, June 20 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the J&K government in connection with the case of a writer and poet gunned down by the Pakistani militants in 1990.

Daily Excelsior reported that the notice has been served through its Chief Secretary asking it to furnish the additional/complete report regarding the complaint filed by Rajinder Premi, son of martyr Sarwanand Koul Premi, a well known writer and poet, who was gunned down along with his younger son, Ravinder Koul on May 1, 1990 by Pakistani militants who also looted all the valuables and cash lying in the house.

The family has also demanded ex-gratia and compensation for looted and damaged property besides return of house hold goods kept in the custody of local Auqaf Committee and fulfillment of all promises made by the government with the family of martyr which it has failed to do till date, the report said.

In his complaint, Rajinder Premi has demanded identification and arrest of killers of Sarwanand Koul Premi, a well known writer, thinker, poet and social activist and his son who were gunned down on May 1 in 1990 by the militants terrorists after kidnapping them from their residence in Soaf Shalli, Kokernag on April 28 night of 1990 and whose bodies were thrown on road side near Anantnag town of Kashmir valley bearing the marks of complete torture.

In its recent notice to J&K government, the NHRC has taken serious exception that the report from the office of Chief Secretary J&K is still awaited and it has failed to submit the report to Commission so far about the complaint of the terrorism affected family regarding government apathy to its plight in erstwhile State of J&K, the report said.

The Commission has issued instructions to Registry to issue final reminder to the Chief Secretary of J&K with the remarks to submit the requisite report and reply within four weeks failing which the Commission will be constrained to invoke corrective process under Section 13 of the Protection of the Human Rights Act 1993 calling for personal appearance of the authority concerned before the Commission.

The Commission has also issued directives of transmitting the copy of last direction as well as comments received from the complainant to the Chief Secretary for submission of report within stipulated time period.
New Delhi, June 20 : Three persons have been arrested for fraudulently availing loan of Rs 11 crore against spurious gold in connivance with bank officials, Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) said on Sunday.

The accused are identified as Meenu Manchanda, 58, Navender Sharma, 36, and Sonu Sharma, 27.

According to the police, a case was registered on the complaint of Dhanlaxmi Bank which provides loan against gold ornaments to its customers.

The accused persons, in connivance with bank appraiser Vijay Manchanda, Karol Bagh Branch Manager Ashish Kumar, and Connaught Place Branch Manager Rajat Sharma took gold loans against the spurious gold ornaments in 2013.

The accused were granted loans amounting to approximately Rs 11 crore by the bank against gold ornaments weighing around 47 kg. However, during an internal surprise inspection by the end of September 2013, certain aberrations in gross weight and doubt on purity etc were noticed with regard to gold loan extended to the above group.

"On subsequent re-verification by the bank on the basis of the appraiser report, it was revealed that the accused had taken gold loans against spurious gold ornaments," police said.

The forensic analysis also revealed that gold contents in most of the pledged ornaments are almost zero and in few ornaments, it ranges from zero to nine carat.

Even from the naked eye, the pledged ornaments were appearing fake and the same was confirmed in the FSL report. Further as per report of government approved valuer, the value of the gold pledged is almost negligible.

"There was huge variance in the weight also due to which excessive loan was sanctioned for which they were not entitled. In the present case, ten accused beneficiaries of the spurious gold loan and the then two Branch Managers of Dhanlaxmi Bank were arrested and charge-sheet qua them filed in the court," the police said.

Meenu Manchanda is wife of main accused Vijay Manchanda, while both Navender Sharma and Sonu Sharma were his employees.
Seoul, June 20 : Certain commensal bacteria that reside in the human intestine produce compounds that can inhibit SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19, researchers have found.

Previous clinical findings have shown that some patients with moderate to severe Covid-19 have gastro-intestinal symptoms, while others showed signs of infection solely in the lungs.

"We wondered whether gut resident bacteria could protect the intestine from invasion of the virus," said Mohammed Ali, a doctoral student at Yonsei University in Seoul.

To investigate this hypothesis, the researchers screened dominant bacteria inhabiting the gut for activity against SARS-CoV-2. Their search revealed that Bifidobacteria, which have previously been shown to suppress other bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and have proven active against irritable bowel syndrome, had such activity, said Ali.

H pylori can cause sores, called ulcers, in the lining of stomach and also lead to stomach cancer.

The investigators also used machine learning to search for potential illness-fighting compounds in databases containing microbially produced molecules, discovering some that might also prove useful against SARS-CoV-2. "To train our model, we leveraged previous coronavirus datasets in which several compounds were tested against targets from coronaviruses," said Ali.

"This approach seems to be significant as those targets share features in common with SARS-CoV-2." Ali observed that many existing antibiotics and cancer therapies are compounds that bacteria use to compete with each other within the gastrointestinal tract, and that these were initially purified from microbial secretions.

"Finding microbes that secrete anti-coronavirus molecules will be a promising method to develop natural or engineered probiotics to expand our therapeutics prevention techniques, to provide a more sustainable way to combat the viral infection," said Ali.

The research will be presented at the World Microbe Forum, taking place online from June 20 to 24.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, June 20 : Celebrities from Telugu film industry took to social media and expressed their love for their fathers.

From Mahesh Babu, Ram Charan to Rashmika Mandanna, actors didn't hold back from showering love for their 'heroes".

Telegu star Mahesh Babu uploaded a candid picture with father, legendary actor Krishna and captioned it: "My hero, guiding light, strength, inspiration.. you're all of this and much more to me. Celebrating you today and every day of the year! Happy Father's Day Nanna".

Actor Ram Charan, also posted a picture on his Instagram with father, renowned actor Chiranjeevi and captioned it: "Time with u is time treasured forever !! Happy Father's Day!!"

Actress Rashmika Mandanna uploaded a story on her Instagram account with her father Madan Mandanna and wrote: "Happy Papa Day... Papa.. I love youuuuu" Actor Nithiin, uploaded a picture from him childhood days with his father Sudhakar Reddy and captioned it as: "Happy Father's Day to the backbone of our family and the person who had been with me through thick and thin. You are the best dad & my super hero .. love u loads." Actress Eesha Rebba uploaded a story with her father to wish him and wrote on it: "Happy Father's Day, Daddy".
New Delhi, June 20 : Accura Scan, a business-to-business (B2B) solution provider, is aiming to support the banking, financial and telecom sectors with its recently launched 'ID Forgery for Real-Time Document Verification'.

The company also plans to enter in a full-fledged manner into the US and Europe with its ID verification solution for mitigating online ID fraud.

Yasin Patel, CEO, Accura Scan said: "We expect to target Banks, FI's, Telecom sectors with Realtime ID Forgery Detection. Accura also plans to enter into the US and EU market in full scale with such robust ID Verification Solution for mitigating online ID fraud." Accura also expects to grow 10x with its full KYC solution.

"With rolling our KYC Product three years back we had a demand from our customers to have an ID forgery detection in place where document authentication becomes easy and can be verified remotely in real time," he said, adding that now the company has enquiries from over 120 countries and is hoping to sign deals with most of these enquiries into long time partnerships.
New Delhi, June 20 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arivind Kejriwal, will be visiting Punjab on Monday to discuss the state Assembly elections slated for next year.

Kejriwal tweeted on Sunday: "Punjab wants change. The only hope is the AAP. See you tomorrow at Amritsar." AAP sources also confirmed that he will visit Amritsar on Monday. This will be his second visit to Punjab this year.

Kejriwal's visit on Monday comes as his party suffered a massive setback after Punjab Ekta Party led by former AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira decided to join hands with the Congress on June 17.

Khaira had been a member of the Congress and switched to the AAP in 2015.

Last week he had visited Gujarat to strengthen the party and has announced to contest elections on all Assembly seats in the two states next year.
Mumbai, June 20 : Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra took to social media on Sunday to share a special message for hubby Raj Kundra on the occasion of Father's Day.

Taking to Instagram, Shilpa shared a photograph of Raj, who she fondly calls Cookie, taking bath in a swimming pool with daughter Samisha and son Viaan Raj.

"Dearest Cookie, To the world you are just a father .. but to our family you are our World. Our children Viaan- Raj and Samisha are so fortunate to have you in their life. Thankyou for being in our lives and being the bestest PAPA in the world @rajkundra9 #love #happyfathersday #gratitude #unconditionallove #happiness #family," the actress wrote.

Shilpa, who is also a yoga enthusiast, suggested an asana on social media last week that would help relieve pent up stress and anxiety.

In her video posted on Instagram, Shilpa performs the Parsva Sukhasana.

"Sometimes, one needs to start their week on a calm and quiet note. Today is one such day for me when I just want to relax my mind and calm myself down. So today, I practiced the Parsva Sukhasana. It helps relieve the pent up stress and anxiety that gradually affects the immune system and one's overall health. Physically, it helps stretch the neck, shoulders, obliques, and back," the actress revealed.
New Delhi, June 20 : The Centre has told the Supreme Court that any death resulting from Covid-19 infection should have to be certified as Covid death, and if not done so, the certifying doctor will face action.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in an affidavit, said: "It is mandated that any death resulting from Covid-19 must have to be so certified that is, as Covid death, failing which everyone responsible, including the certifying doctor, will be responsible for penal consequences." It emphasised that all deaths with a diagnosis of Covid-19, irrespective of co-morbidities, are to be classified as deaths due to the infection.

The MHA affidavit said: "All deaths with a diagnosis of Covid-19 irrespective of co-morbidities are to be classified as deaths due to the infection. The only exception could be where there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be attributed to Covid-19 (e.g. accidental trauma, poisoning, acute myocardial infarction, etc) where Covid is an incidental finding." It submitted, that for recording of Covid-19 deaths, that there is a statutory mechanism in place either by way of an Act of Parliament or guidelines having the force of mandate and the law. Any breach of the guidelines mentioned here under would be a criminal offence as stipulated under Section 188 of the IPC, it said.

Noting that broad guidelines for recording of Covid-19 related deaths in India were prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it said: "The guidelines clearly state Covid-positive deaths implicate deaths related to the infection. These guidelines are in sync with the WHO Mortality Coding." The Centre said as per the provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, the contemporary system is state governed and implementation of the statute is vested with the state governments/Union Territories administration.

The state authority (Chief Registrar) has been declared as the chief executive authority in the respective state for implementing the provisions of this Act and rules and the order framed.

"The District Registrar for each district within the state is responsible for executing the provision of RBD Act and rules in respective districts. There are more than 2.8 lakh registration centres in rural areas and nearly 7,500 in urban areas," the affidavit added.

According to provisions of the act, at the local area level, the death events are registered by the designated local authority (Registrar) on the basis of information given to him/her by the informant prescribed under Sections 8 or 9 of the RBD Act.

The affidavit said under the provisions of Section 10 of the RBD Act, the information related to cause of death is filled up by the medical practitioner attending to the deceased at the time of terminal illness.

"The medical practitioner should after the death of the person issue a certificate as to the cause of death in prescribed forms stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death. This cause of death certificate is sent to the Registrar along with death reporting form on the basis of which the Registrar makes necessary entries related to cause of death in the register of death, at the time of registration of death event," the affidavit added.

Under the provision of Section 17 of the RBD Act, "no extract relating to any death, issued to any person should disclose the particulars regarding the cause of death as entered in the register".

"Accordingly, the cause of death cannot be disclosed by the Registrar to any person, hence the extract/death certificate does not include any information related to the cause of death of an individual, it is therefore most respectfully said the death certificate does not show the cause of the death of any individual," said the affidavit.

On May 24, the Supreme Court had suggested there must be a uniform policy and also some guidelines for issuance of death certificates for those affected with Covid-19.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R.Shah had said many times, reasons given in a death certificate can be heart attack or lung failure but these could be triggered by Covid-19. The bench asked Centre's counsel, "So how are death certificates being issued?" The Centre filed affidavit in response to the petitions filed by advocates Reepak Kansal and Gaurav Kumar Bansal citing Section 12(3) of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) providing monetary compensation for the families of those who died during a notified disaster. The top court will take up the matter on Monday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, June 20 : Actress Vivana Singh, who seen playing the role of Maharani Rajeshwari in the show "Apna Time Bhi Aayega", says practicing yoga has helped her in more ways that one.

As the world celebrated Yoga Day on Monday, the actress reveals its benefits.

"Practicing yoga has helped me in acting, especially while playing and performing strenuous characters and sequences. On International Day of Yoga, I appeal to everyone that they should do yoga everyday as it has several benefits. In fact, during such a challenging time, Yoga will also help you stay strong mentally and physically. It will also help boost your immunity," says Vivana.

The actress, whose who airs on Zee tv, reveals how the habit of doing the ancient Indian practice happened to her.A "My father practises yoga every day and watching him, I learnt the artform. Over the years, I kept practicing it on a regular basis and I have to say, it has helped me a lot," says the actress.

She adds:"I usually do surya namaskar, a few breathing exercises and a few asanas. Of all the Yoga exercises, surya namaskar is my favourite as the whole body gets stretched when you hold each posture in surya namaskar. It helps tone your muscles and adds an amazing amount of flexibility to your body. It also helps detoxify and relax my mind. In fact, it has also helped me remain calm in difficult situations."
London, June 20 : Immune response following a coronavirus infection can vary between individuals and may not be enough to fight Alpha, and Beta variant of Covid-19, finds a study reinforcing the need for vaccination.

The study found that people who produced a weak immune response signature, obtained at one and six months post infection, failed to show any neutralising antibodies against the Alpha variant, with none mounting a neutralising antibody response against the Beta variant.

The preprint study was led by University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield, Newcastle and Birmingham, suggests that whether it is symptomatic or asymptomatic infection, it does not necessarily protect people long-term from Covid-19, particularly against new Variants of Concern.

"Our study is one of the most comprehensive accounts of the immune response following Covid-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. It is very important that we all get the Covid vaccine when offered even if you think you may have previously had Covid-19," said Christina Dold, from the University of Oxford.

"We found that individuals showed very different immune responses from each other following Covid-19, with some people from both the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups showing no evidence of immune memory six months after infection or even sooner," Dold added.

The study examined how the immune system responds to Covid-19 in 78 healthcare workers who had experienced either symptomatic or asymptomatic disease. An additional eight patients who experienced severe disease were included for comparison.

Blood samples were taken monthly from 1-6 months post infection to examine different elements of the immune response. The report details a highly complex and variable immune response following Covid-19 infection.

The team found an early immune signature, detectable one month post infection and linked to both cellular and antibody immunity, which predicted the strength of immune response measured at six months post infection.

This is the first time that such a signature has been found and improves understanding of the development of lasting immunity.

While the majority of people who had symptomatic disease did have measurable immune responses at six months post infection, a significant minority (26 per cent) did not. The vast majority of people who experienced asymptomatic disease (92 per cent) did not exhibit a measurable immune response at six months post infection, the researchers said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kolkata:Health workers are giving the free vaccine to the people of 29 no word, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) organised by former mayor of BMC Krishna Chakrabarty during coronavirus pandemik in Kolkata on July 16, 2021(Photo: Kuntal Chakrab Image Source: IANS News

Amaravati, June 20 : Andhra Pradesh set a new record on Sunday by administering over a million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in a single day.

As part of an intensive vaccination taken up by the state health authorities, 11.85 lakh people were vaccinated across the state on Sunday.

Health secretary Anil Singhal said the state has improved its earlier record of vaccinating six lakh people in a single day.

A mega vaccination drive was undertaken by the state health machinery on the orders of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Singhal said so far 96 lakh people have received the first dose of the vaccine in the state. He said if the Centre supplies vaccine doses on the basis of consumption, Andhra Pradesh has good chances of receiving more doses.

He said the number of Covid cases was gradually coming down. The Health Secretary said the administration was ready to tackle a possible third wave. As part of the preparedness, the Health Department will ensure storage of medicines and oxygen.

Singhal said the state has ordered 60,000 vials of Amphotericin-B injection for treatment of black fungus cases.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 20 : Appointment of former bureaucrat A.K. Sharma as Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh BJP has come as a surprise to many in the party and government. Till last week, there was a strong buzz across Lucknow and New Delhi that Sharma could be inducted into the Yogi Adityanath government.

With te appointment of Sharma to the party post, there is an indication that the proposed reshuffle in Adityanath cabinet is likely to be delayed or might not take place at all Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh on Saturday announced Sharma's appointment along with other organisational appointments.

A BJP leader, who is part of organisational activities, said: "For hours, I was completely unaware about Sharma's appointment. There was discussion at different levels about the appointment of Morcha Chiefs, which was also done yesterday, but appointment of new Vice President has come as a surprise to me and many others in the party." Another Uttar Pradesh BJP leader said that the entrusting organisational responsibility to Sharma has now ended the speculation that he could be given an important portfolio in the Adityanath cabinet ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls.

Sharma, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer, had worked closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nearly two decades both in the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office and Prime Minister's Office.

In January this year, Sharma took voluntary retirement, joined the BJP, and became a Member of Legislative Council in Uttar Pradesh.

A Minister in the Adityanath government said that with Sharma given responsibility of organisational work, there is a question mark on the Adityanath cabinet expansion or reshuffle.

"Now, it seems that all speculation about cabinet reshuffle has been put to rest. Cabinet reshuffle may be delayed or might not take place," the Minister said.

However, a senior functionary in Uttar Pradesh BJP claims that there was no plan or discussion about inducting Sharma in the Adityanath government and it was just speculation.

"Cabinet expansion or making Sharma a minister in Uttar Pradesh was not part of discussion during the Chief Minister's recent Delhi visit," he claimed.
Patna, June 20 : Two persons, including an infant, were seriously injured after a crude bomb exploded in Bihar's Siwan district on Sunday, police said.

The incident, occurring in Judkan village under Hussainganj police station around 11 a.m., was the fourth such incident in Bihar in the last one month. There had been blasts in Banka, Araria, and Darbhanga district earlier.

The injured were identified as Vinod Manjhi, 28, and his son Satyam Manjhi, 2.

Both of them were taken to Sadar hospital, Siwan, from where, doctors, after primary treatment, referred them to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) as their condition was said to be serious.

"I went with my son to buy a packet of biscuits from the nearby market. While returning, a fellow villager named Sagir Singh gave me a cotton bag and asked to carry it to the house. After some distance, it exploded," said Vinod Manjhi, who sustained splinter injuries in his chest, stomach, and right hand. His son was injured in the stomach and both hands.

"We have registered an FIR against Sagir Singh under relevant IPC sections of attempt to murder and the Explosives Act," Siwan's Superintendent of Police, Dr Abhinav Kumar, said.

"We have collected the samples from the crime scene and sent them to the forensic lab for testing. The exact nature of the bomb will be ascertained after the report," he added.
Patna, June 20 : A 12-year-old girl, residing in a school hostel in Bihar's Aurangabad district, was allegedly sexually assaulted by the school owner, police said on Sunday.

As per the FIR registered with the women police station, the victim alleged that the accused Raju Kumar, the owner of the school, located in Daudnagar locality in Aurangabad, raped her for the last two days.

On Sunday, she managed to escape from the hostel and reached the nearest police station. When she revealed her ordeal, she was immediately sent to the women police station under police custody.

"The victim was the only girl student living in the hostel. Her father and mother are employed with a private firm in Gujarat. The owner knew the status of the girl and took advantage of it. He sexually assaulted the victim on Friday and Saturday night. The accused also threatened her to dire consequences if she revealed the incident to anyone," Suman Kumar, investigating officer of the women police station, said.

"We have conducted medical examination of the victim which confirms rape. An FIR under POCSO Act has been registered against Raju Kumar. He is at large now," she added.
Lucknow, June 20 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has created a larger-than-life image for himself as a Hindu torchbearer.

His saffron robes underline his almost aggressive brand of Hindutva - the kind that non-believers should be apprehensive of.

His spin doctors revel in projecting his pro-Hindu (read anti-Muslim) stance but facts tell a different story.

In the four and half years of his tenure as UP Chief Minister, it is the Muslims who have benefitted the most and there are facts to prove it.

Yogi Adityanath's 'One District One Product' flagship scheme has benefitted Muslims the most.

The ODOP scheme has bene passionately promoted by the UP government in the past four years and this has led to revival of indigenous industries, many of which were dying a natural death.

Interestingly, a large number of industries in the ODOP scheme are those that have been nurtured by Muslims.

Whether it is the revival of the lock industry in Aligarh, brassware in Moradabad, bells and 'ghunghroos' in Etah, leather products in Agra, shoes in Hamirpur, carpets in Bhadohi, chikan and zardozi in Lucknow and glassware in Firozabad, it is Muslims working in these industries that have directly benefitted with the revival of locally made products.

"For the first time, we found a government promoting locally made products which, in turn, gave us a platform to exhibit our skills and expand out trade," said Mohd Haroon, a bell maker from Etah.

Weavers from Azamgarh, Mau and Varanasi also found the ODOP scheme to be a boon for them.

"The initiative of the officials helped us to go digital and despite the pandemic lockdowns, we managed to sell our products online. We had local officials helping us in making digital transactions and keep business afloat in the pandemic," said Yusra Amin, who owns a boutique of silk garments in Varanasi.

While the ODOP schemes economically strengthened the Muslim community, the Yogi government also enriched and improvised the educational institutions for Muslims.

Madrasa Board member Zirgamuddin, said, "The changes that have taken place in Madrasa education in the past four years are unprecedented. The Yogi Adityanath government regularized the educational session which allowed our students to go to colleges and universities for higher education.

He further said that the Yogi Adityanath government had introduced NCERT syllabus to bring madrasa education at par with other schools.

Danish Azad, member of the UP Bhasha Samiti, said that there are 17,000 private and 558 aided madrasas in the state and their upgradation and improvisation had changed the future of the students.

The Yogi Adityanath government has earmarked Rs 479 crore for madrasa modernization scheme, Rs 829 crore for minority male and female students scholarship and Rs 588 crore for multi-sectoral districts plan to make available basic infrastructural facilities in the districts with a minority-dominated population.

The Yogi Adityanath government has been often criticized for targeting Muslims on issues like triple talaq, and 'love jihad'.

Shaista Amber, president of the All India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board, said, "The verdict against triple talaq has given a new lease of life to Muslim women and the government has supported Muslim women in their fight against such evil practices. Today, women are coming out to lodge complaints against triple talaq and the men are getting punished." 'Love jihad' has been a contentious issue and one has to admit that there have been aberrations in implementation of the same but that has mainly been due to inefficiency of the police at the local level.

Yogi Adityanath's biggest achievement that has proved beneficial for the minorities, majorly Muslims, is that Uttar Pradesh has not faced any major communal riot in the state in the BJP regime.

"We were very apprehensive when the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya dispute was to be announced in November 2019. Families in several districts stocked up essential items because they feared communal trouble. The Yogi government deserves accolades for ensuring complete peace after the verdict was delivered and even Hindus were not allowed to celebrate.

We were asked to implement law and order with a firm hand. This had a calming effect on all and the result is that the temple and mosque constructions are going on peacefully," said a police official who did not wish to be named.
Mumbai, June 20 : Actor Arjun Bijlani, who is currently in Cape Town, shooting for adventure reality show "Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi", uploaded a collage of pictures with his son Ayaan.

The actor is missing Ayaan all the more as everyone celebrates Father's Day on Sunday.

Arjun uploaded the post on his Instagram page and captioned it as: "Happy Father's Day to me. Missing you champ. Coming soon! #happyfather's day." He also uploaded a video in his Instagram stories, where Ayaan has sent a video message to him, wishing him a Happy Father's Day.
Chennai, June 20 : A recent study on the genome sequencing of the SARS- Cov2 released by the Tamil Nadu's health department shows that the widespread infection in the state was due to the Delta variant.

The World Health Organisation( WHO) has categorised the Delta variant of the virus as a Variant of Concern( VOC).

The WHO study has also found that it is the main cause of the spread of the disease in India.

According to the TN health department's study, out of the 554 samples tested between December 2020 and May 2021, 386( 70 per cent) samples were found to be Delta variants ( B.1.617.2.). This is followed by the Alpha variant at 8.5 per cent.

The Delta variant was predominantly reported among the adolescent and adults above 12 years of age(81 per cent) compared to children (19 per cent).

The study also found that the Delta variant was largely seen in community clusters and family clusters.

Tamil Nadu has now brought the Covid -19 under control and relaxations are given in 27 districts of the state with the Western Region still under tough lockdown measures as there is not much of a reduction in cases.

Suchithra Menon, Virologist, told IANS: "World Health Organisation(WHO) has categorised the Delta variant of the SARS-COV2 virus as more transferable than the parent virus and now the study of the TN public health department has found that this variant has caused much of a concern in the state.

We should not let our guard down as the possibility of a third wave looms large on the horizon. Vaccination of maximum population, wear masks, safe distancing and hand sanitisation should continue to prevent from the Covid-19 attack."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Agra/Mathura/Vrindavan, June 20 : As thousands of Shri Krishna devotees celebrated Ganga Dussehra, which marks the appearance of the Ganga river on Earth, groups of river activists in Agra, Mathura, and Vrindavan resolved to impart momentum to their efforts to save the Yamuna river, the lifeline of the Braj Mandal.

In Agra, members of the River Connect Campaign circulated a memorandum repeating demands for cleaning of the river bed and construction of the barrage downstream of the Taj Mahal.

Environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya reminded Union Minister Nitin Gadkari of his promise to start a ferry service between Agra and Delhi and several assurances by other ministers including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to restore the pristine glory of the river Yamuna.

Activists Jugal Kishore, Rahul Raj, Deepak and others said rivers in India were dying because of urban sewage being directly discharged into them.

Bhattacharya said that "according to a recent CPCB report most of the sewage and waste water sludge generated by urban clusters was being discharged in the rivers without treatment. An alarming 72 per cent of sewage goes into rivers untreated".

In Vrindavan, members of the Braj Vrindavan Alliance met at the Brahmar Ghat to discuss ways to rejuvenate Yamuna.

Acharya SriVats explained the importance of river Yamuna and lamented its present plight. The members resolved to meet every month to work on strategies to pressure the government agencies to speed up cleaning up efforts.

Activist Akash Vashisht said that the Yamuna could be saved only if a minimum round the year uninterrupted flow of water was assured. Friends of Vrindavan convener Jagan Nath Poddar said encroachment son the flood plains of Yamuna had to be demolished and the whole area along the bank cleared of illegal structures. The green cover in Vrindavan had to be increased through systematic afforestation work.

Poddar said: "Our volunteers have been successful in cleaning up the holy Mansarovar pond during the pandemic lockdown. More local people should join the efforts to restore the glory of Braj area that draws millions of Sri Krishna devotees from all over the world." In Mathura, sustained efforts of the Yamuna Mission have started showing encouraging results. Led by Pradip Bansal, a prominent businessman, a team of dedicated workers have cleaned up the Gau Ghat which had been buried under dirt and sludge. The whole stretch has been transformed into a verdant green patch.

"Earlier people used to avoid the Yamuna ghats, as the squalor and the stink were unbearable. Our efforts in the past few years, using machines to dredge the river bed along the bank, has made a world of difference. The water is cleaner and people are being attracted to take bath, swim and conduct pujas and other rituals," Bansal said.

The transformation of the river bank is no less than a miracle, say the locals who throng the Kans Kila area which was once lost to garbage heaps and sewage.

"Today, it is an attractive pilgrim spot visited by thousands daily," local activist Pavan Gautam said.
Chennai, June 20 : DMK Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate P. Wilson on Sunday wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking increased regional representation in the Supreme Court.

In his letter, he asked the President to intervene to ensure social diversity and regional representation in the appointment of judges to the top court.

Noting that the Madras High Court has only one representative in the Supreme Court, he requested Kovind to direct the Union government to give adequate representation to all states in appointments to Supreme Court, as several other high courts too have less representation.

"The Supreme Court should necessarily have on its bench adequate representations from all the states, in proportion to the sanctioned strength of the state's high court," Wilson said.

He also said that several important disputes between the states like linguistic, customs and cultural issued is decided by the Supreme Court, and hence, adequate representation from each state is required.
Covid put conventional methods to test, innovation came to rescue: Modi Image Source: IANS News

PM appeals to world leaders to come together to defeat terror.(photo:instagram) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, June 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 7th International Yoga Day programme on Monday.

"Tomorrow, June 21, we will mark the 7th Yoga Day. The theme this year is 'Yoga For Wellness', which focusses on practising Yoga for physical and mental well-being," Modi tweeted.

Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu has greeted the people on the eve of the International Day of Yoga.

"On the occasion of International Day of Yoga, let us resolve to brighten our lives physically, mentally and spiritually by practising Yoga every day. " he said.

"The pandemic made the world realise the importance of overall well-being and Yoga is one simple yet powerful practice that helps us build resilience and improves our health holistically.

It gives me immense happiness that Yoga, India's gift to humanity, is transforming millions of lives around the globe," Naidu added.
Kolkata, June 20 : A small hillside village in West Bengal's Alipurduar district on the border with Bhutan, Adma often sees its population of around 200 people left out of state benefits because the only way to it is through a nearly 6-hour walk through difficult terrain of steep hills and dense forest. District Magistrate Surendra Kumar Meena was, however, determined that its residents not be left out of the vaccination drive.

On Saturday, a 15-member team of health and other officials, headed by Meena, walked around nearly 20 kilometres uphill through the dense forest and vaccinated around the 100 eligible populace in the village.

"It was a non-motorable road and we had to cross five hills to reach the village. However, I am happy that all the eligible people have been vaccinated and our purpose has been served," Meena told IANS over phone from Alipurduar.

The team started off much before daybreak and reached Raimatang, some 45 km from the district headquarters, by road. From there, the team trekked uphill 9 km for four hours to reach Adma, where people of the Dukpa community live. The team crossed five hills on their way carrying cold boxes of Covid vaccine.

The District Magistarte was accompanied by BDO Prasanta Kumar Barman of Kalchini block under which the village is located, along with state Health Department employees and security personnel as the trek was through the core area of Buxa Tiger Reserve.

"Vaccination in the district has been going on fine. However, considering the remote location and the socio-economic background of Adma village, it was impossible for the residents to come up for vaccination. So, I channelised the health workers and took up the challenge as no one should be left out from receiving the jab," Meena said.

Meena visited almost all the households in the village and informed them the motives behind organising the Covid vaccination programme in this village in a camp mode and encouraged them to come forward for vaccination. He appealed to the people not to harbour any misconceptions related to Covid-19 vaccine.

It was an uphill task but ultimately the entire eligible populace was convinced and vaccinated at the end of the day.

After some 100 villagers aged 45 years or above were vaccinated, the team again trekked back for another four hours to reach Raimatang and returned to the district headquarters at around 5.30 p.m. The DM also organised an awareness programme on Covid-19, distributing masks and sanitisers to the villagers.

"I want to thank all the officials who supported me in this cause. Without them, it would have been impossible for me to undertake such a challenging job. I am really happy that we could successfully vaccinate all the eligible people of the village," Meena said.

The local gram Panchayat members and the villagers expressed their happiness and gratitude to the District Magistrate for walking all the way to their remote village and organising this vaccination programme.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hyderabad, June 20 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday inaugurated integrated district offices complex and police commissionerate in Siddipet and Kamareddy districts and called the state a role model for other states in administrative reforms.

District collectorate complexes and police offices have been built as part of the government's efforts to ensure good government.

The two districts were among 23 new districts carved out by dividing 10 districts after formation of Telangana state. This had increased the total number of districts in the state to 33.

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said old districts were divided to decentralize governance and take fruits of separate statehood to the doorsteps of the people.

The government also undertook the unique task, which no other state government ever did in the country, of constructing integrated collectorates at the district headquarters and set up special police offices for the senior police officials.

To make the government employees who are playing a key role in creating 'Bangaru Telangana' (golden Telangana) and to increase their involvement, collectorate complexes were constructed at the district headquarters.

MLA camp offices are also coming up so that MLAs are accessible to the people in the constituencies.

At Siddipet district headquarters, the chief minister inaugurated the integrated district offices complex, district police commissionerate complex and MLA camp office.

He said Telangana has become a role model for other states in development and in the administrative reforms.

KCR, who hails from Siddipet district, interacted with the people and some prominent personalities.

After taking the customary police guard of honour, the CM inaugurated the police commissionerate.

He went around the complex and examined it. The CM expressed satisfaction over the quality of construction.

Speaking on the occasion, KCR listed out administrative reforms the government is implementing, implementation of the welfare schemes, and how these schemes are helping the people.

The CM also explained in detail about Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha, Kaleswaram Projects, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, Kalyanalaxmi, Shadi Mubarak, KCR Kits and other schemes tracing the historical background and in-depth reasons to launch them.

Stating that he brought in so many schemes for the long-term benefit of the people, the Chief Minister these schemes can never be changed even if a new government comes in the state.

KCR said he always identifies himself as true son of Siddipet. He recalled how as an MLA during the united AP rule, how he faced problems to get people water for irrigation, drinking water purposes and supply of power.

The CM also explained about the qualitative change Telangana had undergone from the united AP rule to till now.

He reiterated his journey would not be stopped till Bangaru Telangana is achieved.
Sullia : , June 20 (IANS) A photograph of a girl attending her online class amid heavy rains as her father stands besides holding an umbrella over her has gone viral on social media in Karnataka on Father's Day.

This photograph highlights multiple issues, including the various hardships that students, especially from rural areas, undergo to attend online classes.

Though this photograph was taken on June 15, it has gone viral on Father's Day (June 20). Many social users shared this picture on their timeline and have shared some or the other similar experience with their parents.

Shot in Ballaka, a remote village in Sullia taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, the photo shows Narayana holding an umbrella over his daughter, a class 10 student as she attends her online classes for the state board (Secondary School Leaving Certificate).

This picture was clicked by Mahesh Puchchappady, a journalist and All India Areca Growers Association's General Secretary, and shared on Twitter.

In his pinned tweet on June 15, he said that the girl comes to the same place around 4 p.m. every day, adding that in rural areas, students are attending online classes like this, because of mobile network issue and "heavy rain also".

Puchchappady said that this is a common sight in Mangaluru-Sullia-Guthigar-Kamila where one can find students sitting outside their homes to attend classes, as cell phone connectivity has always been an issue in hilly regions - especially those villages situated on either side of Western Ghats.

The network issues were also highlighted in a recent Unicef India report, titled 'Rapid assessment of learning during school closures in the context of Covid-19: Findings from a rapid assessment covering nearly 6,000 parents, adolescents and teachers across six states in India', which highly recommended that governments to refocus on creating content for children.

"Wherever internet is an issue, the governments must focus on developing light Apps that can easily operate on 2G network also which will ensure that students who are deprived of online classes, can pick up from these light learning Apps," the report, released in May, stated.
Agartala, June 20 : Three suspected cattle lifters were hacked to death by a mob in western Tripura's Khowai district on Sunday, police said.

Khowai district Superintendent of police Kiran Kumar said that the three suspected cattle lifters after "stealing five cattle" trying to run away in a car but the villagers at North Maharanipur apprehended them when the vehicle dashed against a coconut tree and then they were severely roughed up.

"One person died on the spot while other two died at the government-run Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital in Agartala," Kumar told IANS.

The slain suspected cattle lifters were identified as Jayed Hossain, 28, Billal Mia, 30, Saiful Islam, 8,and all the three hailed from bordering Sonamura areas under Sepehahijala district.

Police have registered a case and probing the incident.

Various political parties including the main opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist have condemned the incident.

The 'TIPRA Motha', a newly floated political party, chairman and Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman said that anyone who takes law in his hands should be punished.

"We live in a lawful society and the public murder of the three people irrespective of the alleged crime is unacceptable. If they were guilty it was the responsibility of the police to arrest them not the mob to lynch them," said the supremo of 'TIPRA Motha', the party recently won the politically significant 30-member autonomous body Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous district council.
New Delhi, June 20 : In a rejoinder to the UN Special Rapporteurs who had commented that India's new IT Rules do not meet international human rights norms, India has firmly said that these rules were formulated only after wide ranging discussions in 2018.

In a letter to the UN Human Rights Council, India's Permanent Mission to UN pointed out that India's Ministry of Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry associations and organisations and invited public comments to prepare the draft rules.

Thereafter, an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received and accordingly the Rules were finalised, India said in the letter.

"The Permanent Mission of India would also like to highlight that India's democratic credentials are well recognised. The right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The independent judiciary and robust media are part of India's democratic structure", the letter said.

UN Special Rapporteurs at United Nations Office of the Human Rights Commissioner have said in a report that it is concerned that India's Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, in their current form, do not conform with international human rights norms.

"As noted in previous communications sent to your Excellency's Government, we are concerned that these new rules come at a time of a global pandemic and of large-scale farmer protests in the country, where the enjoyment of the freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to receive information, and the right to privacy, is particularly important for the realization of several other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights", the report said.

"We would like to recall that restrictions to freedom of expression must never be invoked as a justification for the muzzling of any advocacy of multiparty democracy, democratic tenets and human rights", the report said.
New Delhi, June 20 : LJP chief Chirag Paswan will take out a yatra across Bihar from his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan's birth anniversary on July 5.

On Sunday, Paswan, who is facing a coup from his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, held a national executive meeting of the party in the national capital.

After the meeting, he said: "On the birth anniversary of my father on July 5, I will start 'Aashirvaad Yatra' from Hajipur and it will pass through all the districts of Bihar." In the meeting, LJP national executive members opposed the use of party symbols by rebels led by Paras.

Paswan's decision to start the roadshow from Hajipur, the Lok Sabha constituency of his uncle, is seen as a direct show of strength for the control of the party founded by his father.

He also also met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday and urged him to review his decision of accepting one of the suspended party MPs as the leader of LJP in the house, in his place.

Paswan was removed as the leader of the LJP in the Lok Sabha on Monday after five out of the six MPs wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker that they had elected Paras as the leader of the LJP in the house.

Following the coup, Paswan called a virtual national executive meeting and sacked the five rebel MPs from the party's primary membership.

In response, he was also removed as the party chief by the rebel MPs led by his uncle in a meeting held in Patna.

But a defiant Paswan said: "I am still the LJP President as the Patna meeting did not have the required quorum of the national executive."
Hyderabad, June 20 : Telangana Finance Minister T. Harish Rao escaped unhurt when his convoy of vehicles met with an accident in Siddipet district on Sunday night.

Vehicles in the minister's convoy collided with each other when the security vehicle leading the convoy had to apply sudden brakes to avoid hitting some wild pigs, police said The incident occurred near Nagula Banda when the minister was returning to Hyderabad from Siddipet.

Harish Rao and his aides escaped unhurt. The cars in which the minister and his security guards were travelling suffered some damage in the collision.

The accident occurred when the driver of the pilot vehicle applied brakes as some wild pigs suddenly came on to the road.

Harish Rao reached Hyderabad in another car. On learning about the incident, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao called up the minister and enquired about his well-being.

Earlier in the day, Harish Rao, along with the Chief Minister, had attended an official programme in Siddipet.
New Delhi, June 20 : The US Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has said that the import of US blueberries to India has increased over the past few years.

In a statement, the USHBC said that imports of US blueberries in all forms have increased since 2009, and the council intends to continue to develop new opportunities for Indian consumers to enjoy the flavour and unique health benefits of blueberries and blueberry ingredients.

"In fact, imports of dried blueberries from the US increased from zero in 2009 to more than 1,800 metric tons (MT) in 2020, and fresh blueberry imports reached 100 MT," it said.

It noted that US blueberries not only have a reputation for consistent quality, but also offer many nutritional and health benefits.

They are low in fat and sodium, have just 80 calories per cup, and contribute phytonutrients called polyphenols. They also provide key vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C and manganese, which can help the body process cholesterol.

These nutrients are also essential to fighting not just common health issues but helping boost immunity, it added.

In 2021, the USHBC expanded its programming in India to promote blueberries not only as a fresh, healthy snack, but also as a flavourful ingredient with a diverse range of utilisations and characteristics for packaged goods and food service menu items.

"Processed blueberries can be frozen, dried or transformed into powder, puree and juice, and used in a variety of sweet and savory applications," USHBC's Vice President of Global Business Development, Alicia Adler, said.

"Developing new products with blueberries not only meets consumer demands for unique flavour and healthy food products, but also increases the profitability of the food manufacturing sector by incorporating value-added ingredients like blueberries." USHBC India Representative, Raj Kapoor said: "USHBC is a federal research and promotion programme representing blueberry growers, marketers, exporters and importers in the US, who work together to research, innovate, and promote blueberries around the world."
Thiruvananthapuram, June 21 : While new state Congress chief, K. Sudhakaran has opened up against his old foe, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan now faces an outburst from former CPI-M leader from his home Pinarayi village in Kannur district, Pandayala Shaji, who calls him a "gangster".

Shaji is son of Pandya Gopalan, the volunteer 'captain' of the undivided Communist Party in the state which was formed at Parappuram in Pinarayi village in 1939 in presence of legends like E.M.S. Namboodiripad, A.K. Gopalan, N.E. Balram and P. KrishnaPillai.

Vijayan was the most trusted disciple of Pandyala Gopalan Master but Shaji had differences of opinion with Vijayan and he left the party to join the Communist Marxist Party.

In an interview with IANS, he sought to show how Vijayan had long displayed "dictatorial tendencies" and why he left the party.

A leader of the Student Federation of India (SFI) and one of the party's foremost orators, Shaji left after he assaulted by alleged CPI-M goons when his father was presiding over a public meeting at Thalassery in which the main speaker was Vijayan.

Following are excepts of the interview.

Q: Your father, late Pandiyala Gopalan Master, was a founder leader of the Communist party in the country and one of the towering leaders of the Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) after it was formed in 1964. Why then you are against the party? A: I cannot tolerate with the dictatorship politics in the CP1-M practiced by Pinarayi Vijayan and I became an eyesore to him after I led a public programme in Thalassery town in which I shouted slogans against Vijayan owing to differences of opinion related to the job of certain private college teachers.

I was with the teachers who were to lose their jobs when the institution where they were teaching was being taken over by an educational cooperative society in Pinarayi town. Vijayan was for expelling the teachers and taking over the institution and starting it afresh. This led to a difference of opinion and it reached the streets wherein I led a procession and shouted slogans against Vijayan. This was one issue Vijayan could not forget as he is a person who will never tolerate criticisms even from the son of his mentor and political leader, Pandiyala Gopalan Master.

Q: You were attacked when your father was presiding over a public programme of the CPI-M in Thalassery. What was the reason for the attack? A: I was almost killed and am still living with multiple injuries. My hand was broken in four places and my leg was smashed with iron rods and pipes. I left the CPI-M when the party split and the dynamic political leader and another Guru of Pinarayi Vijayan, the late M.V. Raghavan (MVR)formed the Communist Marxist Party (CMP). I joined with MVR and his fledgling political outfit, CMP and we faced violent opposition throughout Kerala with special emphasis in my home district Kannur.

Vijayan was the CPI-M district Secretary in Kannur those days and I was his neighbour. My father was still continuing with the party and one evening while my father was presiding over a public program on February 11, 1992 at Thalassery town, in which Vijayan was the major speaker, I was assaulted by known CPI-M criminals in my home town at around 6.30 pm. Roads on the two sides were blocked by the CPI-M men who has a brutal majority in that town and I was hit. No one dared to touch me and no vehicles were allowed.

Later a group of Congress leaders who had come to know of this came and picked me up and I was admitted at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka. I had to undergo treatment for one year and three months there so that I could stand up... the attack was that brutal and I am still suffering from it. It was totally the handiwork of Pinarayi Vijayan.

Q: Were you an office bearer of CPI-M before you joined CMP? A: I was the unit secretary of the Student Federation of India, at Thalassery Christ College which had 10,000 students. I was the unit secretary of the largest SFI unit in the state and hence I was close to all the SFI leaders across the state. More than that, I was a party member and SFI district committee member. Later I left the party sacrificing all the benefits that I could have accrued given the proximity our family had with Vijayan. I could not stand the dictatorial trends of Pinarayi Vijayan even during my college days as he would never allow any else to speak against his opinion even within the party. There was no inner-party democracy in the CPI-M and Vijayan is never a communist. For someone to be a communist he should have care and love for others which sadly he does not have.

Q: You have termed Pinarayi Vijayan as a gangster rather than a political leader, why? A: Everyone in Kannur district knows who Vijayan is. He is thriving on the strength of the party which is carrying on not because of any ideology but due to the capital it has. It has several institutions, huge money, and several assets and hence people get employment, children get jobs, and admission in party-run schools, colleges, and the party have their own cooperative banks. These banks and the lure of jobs are that big, people even though they want to leave the dictatorship will not as everything in one's life is dependent on the party. Other than the attack on me, Vijayan had planned, conspired, and executed several murders in Kannur district on his political opponents and his tenure as CPI-M Kannur district secretary saw several violent political attacks in Kannur district.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the PAGA-Only lawsuit against EPN Enterprises Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The Sacramento employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a PAGA-Only lawsuit against EPN Enterprises Inc., alleging the company violated the California Labor Code. The lawsuit against EPN Enterprises Inc., is currently pending in the Sacramento County Superior Court, Case No. 34-2021-00300162. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

Cal. Lab. Code  226 states that employers shall provide employees with accurate itemized wage statements showing, among other things "gross wages earned and all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period..." From time to time, DEFENDANT allegedly violated this California Labor Code by allegedly failing to provide accurate itemized wage statements.

PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. As a result of their rigorous work schedules, "PLAINTIFFS and other AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEES were from time to time denied their proper rest periods by DEFENDANT and DEFENDANTs managers."

For more information about the PAGA-Only lawsuit against EPN Enterprises Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

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Growing business is a good thing, but also make sure that growth and expansion happen as trouble-free as possible.

As concerns regarding COVID-19 ease, the economy appears primed to grow quickly business owners may be tempted to expand their business to states other than California. Some states are more friendly to new businesses, and opening a new office or plant in one of those states is tempting, but the San Luis Obispo corporate law attorneys from Toews Law Group, Inc. caution that moving too quickly may result in legal issues that can hamper business growth.

Expanding your business to another state is not as simple as merely opening a new storefront. Each state has specific requirements regarding what is required to qualify to do business within its territory. This is true for both traditional brick-and-mortar business and those that operate within the online marketplace.

More and more businesses are finding it easier to generate business without ever leaving the office in their home states. Because of online business growth, most states have laws that require out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales tax and this means these states need ways to track those businesses that sell merchandise to customers in those specific states.

Whether opening a store or office in another state, owning income-producing property as a California company or selling merchandise online, most states, at the minimum require a business to register as a foreign entity with that states secretary of state. That should be easy, right? Just look up a states requirements and file all the proper paperwork.

Not necessarily. The San Luis Obispo corporate law attorneys advise that each of the common business structures described below are treated in different ways:



A small online business that draws customers from other states through recommendations from friends and family, exposure on social media, and Internet searches.

An online consulting business that offers services instead of merchandise.

An online-based retail business that actively markets in other states.

A business opening a physical store, office or manufacturing facility in another state.

The best strategy for each of these businesses is different. Specific questions need to be asked and answered before moving forward with qualifying as a foreign entity with that states secretary of state.

What is the best strategy for a small online business with unpredictable out-of-state sales to handle paying that states sales tax? Is adding a commercial shopping cart to the website that handles all of the various sales tax the best strategy? Are there other legal solutions?

Does an out-of-state consulting service need to register with the state of residence for each client? Do those states have a sales tax on services?

What is the best strategy for a large online retail business to accurately pay each states applicable sales tax?

When opening a physical presence in a new state, what are the permit, license and zoning regulations for the new area? Is a fictitious business name (DBA) required?

What are the employment laws, payroll taxes and insurance requirements?

And finally, once all these questions are answered, what is that states registration requirement? What forms need to be completed, fees paid, are there bond requirements, who will serve as agent for service of process? A consultation with a qualified attorney such as the San Luis Obispo corporate law attorneys is going to answer these, and more, questions.

In short, there is a lot of planning that needs to happen before making expanding to another state. Growing your business is a good thing, but you also need to make sure that the growth and expansion happens in as trouble-free a manner as possible.

The San Luis Obispo corporate law attorneys at Toews Law Group, Inc. are proud of their ability to help with a wide range of corporate law services. Corporate and business law are an overarching body of law that applies to people and companies engaged in business. Before starting a new business, or expanding an existing business, a consultation and review of all of the relevant aspects of the business in question is a solid strategy. Trust the attorneys at Toews Law Group, Inc. to ask the right questions and to provide the best legal guidance for reaching business goals.

This information has been prepared by Toews Law Group, Inc. for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The transmission of this information is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.

Toews Law Group, Inc.

1212 Marsh Street, Suite 3

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

(805) 781-3645
"We become fully human only through education." Alain de Botton

Please see video for more information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qPL2Um3vOvXqadu1RwrVXE3qWbeEEcom/view

The event will be held on 1st of July at 5:00 pm UTC, 4:00 pm London and 11:00 am New York. It will also be broadcast on the website http://www.sustainfinance.org. The discussion will include the socio-economic barriers preventing children, especially girls, from accessing education and how these barriers can be overcome. The event will be hosted by gender equality activist and sustainability strategist Ilkay Demirdag and include young actress Faith Fidel, star of the Netflix movie "Fisherman's Diary".

Faith Fidel is a shining wonderkid star from Cameroon. Fishermans Diary where Faith Fidel plays the leading role highlights how the universal right to education is still not accepted everywhere. It depicts a disadvantaged fishing community in Africa where education is considered futile, for lazy people and definitely not for girls. Ekah, a young girl played by Faith Fidel, goes against the whole town in order to secretly educate herself. At only 12 years old, she takes care of her sick mother and helps her father fishing and bringing money home.

At the speaker event, Faith Fidel will share her insights about disadvantaged communities in Africa. The event, we also will also discuss our recent article "Educated Girls, Improved Quality of Life." http://sustainfinance.org/educating-girls/ authored by Caroline Codsi, Kubra Koldemir and Richard Betts. Caroline Codsi, is a leading global voice in promoting gender equality and diversity as well as a renowned TEDx Speaker, who has been selected Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and has received a UN Womens Award. The team is delighted to announce that Caroline will attend the event. Kubra Koldemir, a sustainability business writer, who has written numerous sustainability articles published on diverse global channels will also speak. Other distinguished guests include former CFA Institute President Paul Smith under whose leadership the Institute launched multiple gender equality programs and Dr. Arguden, who is a leading global governance expert, social entrepreneur, thought leader and author.

Despite recent advances in gender equality globally, girls still suffer from less attention being paid to their education by their families than boys. Recent events have made this situation worse. According to Plan International, the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in closures of schools and other learning spaces, impacting up to 99% of the students in low and lower-middle income countries. Girls who dont have the opportunity to stay in school are at higher risk of increased gender-based violence, unplanned pregnancy, trafficking, and child marriage. The pandemic will also push nearly 47 million women and girls into extreme poverty this year.

It is British philosopher Alain de Botton who said: we become fully human only through education. We expect education to be accessible, free and compulsory everywhere in the world; but in reality, according to the United Nations, there are still 260 million children out of school!

Many education-related investments in emerging countries primarily focus on building schools and increasing the number of educational institutions. However, for many children, especially girls, the barrier may not just be whether there is a school building or not but it may relate to socio-economic conditions. Therefore, we likely need more creative solutions for promoting education that are tailored to local cultures and conditions.

Firstly, children that grow up in disadvantaged communities or countries can have a very different view on life. Many children from such areas start at a much earlier stage to earn money and contribute financially to their families. These children learn basic life skills such as cooking at a young age out of necessity. While trends such as urbanization, rural depopulation and climate change are modifying this traditional lifestyle, it will likely persist for a while in many parts of the world. So, the education system needs to adapt to it by providing flexible and remote learning for instance. The potential of flexible learning has been clearly demonstrated during lockdown with children in many parts of the world having to switch to remote learning, which was made possible thanks to recent improvements in digital technology.

Secondly, a UNICEF report called Strategies for Girls Education states that the more disadvantaged the girl the more essential it is that the education system should reach out to her through special measures, rather than assuming she will be drawn in as part of the general drive for education for all. The same UNICEF report highlights several successful education programs across the world. For example, in Bangladesh, where children help out their families in farming, class times are being set by local parents and the school calendar is adapted to fit the harvest period. In Tanzania and Burkina Faso, satellite schools provide basic education through a specially designed three-year course, that allows eligible children to join the mainstream school system even if they live in remote areas. In Turkey, girls can study and take exams remotely to catch up with their peer group in an open primary school system.

Thirdly, if we want to improve girls attendance rate, we need to understand what prevents them from going to school in developing economies. Supplying agricultural communities with equipment such as mills to grind cereals, or carts for water conservation, can decrease the workload of the children who help out their families. If building new schools is not combined with these measures, even if there is a school the childrens schedule may not allow them to attend. Therefore, to ensure we are adequately investing in education, a more holistic approach is required.

In addition to financial barriers, there can also be significant social barriers. For example, adults can place expectations on children such as regarding the education level or subjects they are allowed to study. In poor communities where the adults have not attained a high level of education and have low-skilled jobs, young people may not have an inspiring role model to look up to.

So how can these barriers be overcome?

Clearly, we need to raise awareness about the importance and impact of a good education. Technology can serve as an essential enabler broadening peoples horizons. Even if unable to physically attend school or travel, technology allows people to learn more about other cultures and the World, becoming more open to other perspectives that can challenge local stereotypes and societal expectations. Conversely, browsing the internet tends to be linked to powerful algorithms, which can also polarize users opinion. Therefore, a purposeful use of technology can address some of the education-related difficulties.

A Netflix movie called Fishermans Diary highlights how the universal right to education is still not accepted. It depicts a disadvantaged fisherman community in Africa where education is considered futile, for lazy people and especially not destined for girls. Ekah, a young girl played by Faith Fidel, whom we met, goes against the whole town in order to secretly educate herself. At only 12 years old, she takes care of her sick mother and helps her father fishing and bringing money home.

It is essential that initiatives to improve education in emerging economies take into consideration local circumstances as students may still need to maintain a job. It is very important to communicate to families that children can still help out in their time off while still attending school. says Fidel.

Education is key to give people the confidence to engage in public discourse and promote good governance. Improving global education access is clearly one of the most effective ways to increase social mobility, empower girls and women and support economic growth as well as social well-being.
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FILE - In this March 14, 2020 file photo, Royal Caribbean International cruise ship docked at PortMiami, among other cruise ships, as the world deals with the coronavirus outbreak in Miami. Royal Caribbean is postponing the initial voyages by one of its cruise ships after eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19. The company said Wednesday, June 16, 2021, that the Odyssey of the Seas' first trip is being pushed back from July 3 to July 31.
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A referendum on the November ballot asks whether to amend the state Constitution to create a bipartisan panel that would take on the once-every-10-year task of redrawing the legislative boundaries for General Assembly and congressional districts (AP Photo

A referendum on the November ballot asks whether to amend the state Constitution to create a bipartisan panel that would take on the once-every-10-year task of redrawing the legislative boundaries for General Assembly and congressional districts (AP Photo

The House of Representatives and Senate face an impasse over a host of issues, perhaps most importantly of all H.R. 1, also known as the For the People Act, an elections and redistricting-reform bill sponsored by congressional Democrats. H.R. 1 reflects a long-held desire by redistricting-reform activists to reassign the task of redistricting congressional districts from state legislatures to independent commissions. Organizations such as Common Cause argue that the move to independent commissions would remove individuals with the most vested interests from the process, preventing them from putting their own personal and partisan goals ahead of community interests.

Research suggests that these independent commissions draw more competitive districts than those drawn by state legislatures. Leading constitutional law expert Richard Pildes makes a strong case that more competitive districts can, in turn, provide the incentives for representatives to take more moderate positions, thereby lessening polarization within Congress. Redistricting definitely has a role to play in potentially depolarizing the House, but the nationalization of American politics, the power of primaries, and single-member districts might lead to self-reinforcing of political polarization. Solving redistricting at this point might not be sufficient.

The long-held theoretical means by which gerrymandering causes polarization is by removing the electoral incentive for representatives to moderate their positions. With a district solidly in favor of one party, representatives need only concern themselves with their primary electorate. Pildes makes a similar argument, and my own research confirms that it is easier for challengers to adapt their ideological positions to appeal to the primary electorate relative to the incumbent.

Republicans efficiently spread their supporters across districts by packing Democrats into relatively few districts, with margins 80-20 in favor of Democrats and 60-40 in favor of Republicans during the 2010 redistricting cycle, for example. Following the 2020 election, Republicans seem set to repeat the strategy this coming cycle , maximizing their advantage in seats despite their lack of popularity. Independent commissions might not eliminate the residential patterns of Democrats that make it easier for Republicans to secure legislative majorities, but they might reduce the threshold to a level where its possible for Democrats to translate their popular majorities into governing ones.

The problem is highlighted in recent research by Stefan Krasa and Mattias Polborn , who offer strong evidence that the nationalization of politics, combined with the primary system, can allow party loyalists to thwart the will of general-election-only voters. Unlike in gubernatorial elections, voters in congressional elections vote not only for the individual but also for the majority party for the chamber. Voters might support an individual candidates demeanor and qualities but dislike his partys national positions sufficiently to decline voting him into office.

Krasa and Polborn cite the case of Lincoln Chafee as an example. Despite being the most liberal Republican in the U.S. Senate, the longtime Rhode Island incumbent lost his seat in the general election following Democrats successful attempt to nationalize the 2006 midterms by galvanizing opposition to then-President George W. Bush. When voters sense stark differences between the parties and feel that their congressional race might decide the outcome, the individual characteristics of their candidates matter less compared to the national party positions. As Krasa and Polborn demonstrate through their game-theoretical models, primary voters realize and take advantage of nationalized elections to force upon general-election-only voters candidates more extreme than they would prefer. Even if the individual candidate takes extreme positions, voting for an extreme candidate of the same party is the better alternative than letting the opposing party take power.

Given the way primary voters can take advantage of the forced-choice nature of single-member winner-take-all districts, reforming redistricting would not be enough by itself to make the House less polarized. Research by political scientist Gary Jacobson demonstrates that, during the 2020 elections, views about Donald Trump dominated congressional elections to the point that the impact of campaign expenditures amounted to effectively nothing. Yet Trumps outsized impact is only part of a long-running trend where national and presidential politics dominate every other dimension.

Even if competition in House races returned to levels seen in the 1990s , the current national-level polarization is strong enough to prevent voters from voting for the individual candidate over the party. The Senates actions, or lack thereof, also supports Jacobsons findings from mass surveys. Unlike the House, the Senate is not subject to redistricting. Though it is not possible to gerrymander a state, partisanship likewise dominates the upper chamber. Despite an attack on the Capitol meant to overturn an election, only six Republicans sided with Democrats in favor of an investigatory bipartisan commission on the incident. Further, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell lobbied his party to vote against the commission, demonstrating that party leadership views party solidarity as paramount.

If we accept the reasonable assumption that investigating an attack on the fabric of our system of government is about as bipartisan a topic as can be imagined, then we have a ceiling of just over 10% of Republicans willing to cross the aisle when gerrymandering is not a concern. This leaves little hope that redistricting reform will act as a cure-all.

What can be done about redistricting? Unfortunately, with moderate Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema protecting the Senate filibuster, not much at the national level. Likewise, Republicans have no reason to give up their power in states such as Wisconsin and North Carolina where they control redistricting.

A possible national-level solution more amenable to Republicans might be to increase the size of the House, which has been capped at 435 members since 1913. Political scientists Francis Lee and Bruce Oppenheimer suggest that increasing the House at a ratio followed by other Western democracies  the cube-root rule  would lessen state legislatures ability to manipulate district boundaries. Such a change would increase the size of the House to over 544 members and would need only legislation, as opposed to a constitutional amendment, to implement. Republicans would presumably have no reason to go along with such legislation, however, if they did not see it as advantageous to them; and Democratic representatives might likewise not enjoy the loss of their individual power. With more representatives, the power of any single representative diminishes. Additionally, increased chamber size would increase the power of party leaders , which could further nationalize politics.

A less aggressive approach might be to encourage states to redistrict in a manner  such as not splitting ZIP codes and similar geographies  that preserves the ability of constituents to communicate with their representatives. Redistricting in a manner where representatives could more easily figure out whom they represent could allow for some dimension other than party to play a role in elections, empowering individual candidates. Likewise, such districts could lower the cost of campaigning and allow for more responsiveness. The Republican National Committee professed a deep concern over communities of interest and existing boundaries in their amicus brief for Gill v. Whitford , which ended redistricting litigation at the national level. Even if Republicans came on board for such a scheme, though, such effects would be marginal and pale in comparison to the overwhelming effect of partisanship on the opinions and actions of representatives. Likewise, such reforms to preserve boundaries dont answer the question as to how the Senate became so polarized even in the absence of gerrymandering.

Overall, while it is unclear if a bill similar to H.R. 1 might pass, such a solution is unfortunately no longer sufficient. In the best-case scenario, national-level polarization has already reached the point where politicians are willing to put party over country. Further, the primary system of selecting officeholders, in combination with polarization, is sufficient to effectively eliminate any meaningful choice during the general election. The U.S. has reached a point where even marginal reforms might be considered nearly miraculous.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/20/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report contains spoilers that reveal if Tiffany and Ronald are still together now or if the couple has split up.]

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Tiffany Franco and Ronald Smith haven't closed the door on their relationship just yet, as shown on Season 6 of : Happily Ever After?, so what happened between the couple? Are Tiffany and Ronald over with and divorced -- or are they still together? What do the latest spoilers reveal about their relationship now?Tiffany was a 27-year-old from Frederick, MD, and Ronald was a 29-year-old from South Africa when they starred on : The Other Way's first season in 2019.Tiffany accepted a marriage proposal from Ronald despite his faults and mistakes -- including Ronald having a criminal record as well as a serious gambling addiction that led to a six-month rehab stint in South Africa.Once Ronald changed his ways and sought therapy, Tiffany moved her eight-year-old son Daniel to South Africa on a Tourist Visa so they could be a family, but she wasn't convinced it was going to be a permanent move.Ronald had to prove himself to Tiffany, and she also said she needed to make sure Daniel would love his life in South Africa and feel safe, comfortable and happy in a foreign country.Tiffany and Ronald got married during her trip, but due to financial constraints and Tiffany deciding South Africa was not a safe place for her kids to grow up, she decided to return to the U.S. and give birth to the couple's daughter there.Tiffany thought the best way to be with Ronald and to make her whole family happy would be to apply for a spousal visa so Ronald could move to the U.S.After giving birth to the couple's daughter Carley in Summer 2019, Tiffany revealed on Part 1 of : The Other Way's Tell-All special -- which aired in October 2019 -- that life in the U.S. was "so much harder" than she could have ever anticipated without her husband by her side.Tiffany said Ronald had also become "very hot and cold" about their plans for him to move to the United States.Ronald had allegedly told Tiffany that he didn't want to waste money trying for another visa -- given he had been denied a K-1 visa before due to his criminal record -- but then Tiffany revealed she went ahead and applied for a spousal CR-1 visa for Ronald."The last time Ronald and I were physically together, it was eight months ago," Tiffany explained, "and I am all alone -- left to face everything and be responsible for everything. Ronald, right now, is not emotionally supportive and he's not financially supportive."Tiffany said Ronald never offered to send money for clothes or diapers, and Tiffany vented, "I didn't make this baby alone!"Tiffany therefore met with an attorney, Christopher Role, and said she was no longer sure if she wanted to make things work with Ronald because she was allegedly the only person trying in their relationship."I have moments when I wonder if this marriage is right for me," Tiffany confessed. "Ronald doesn't know this, but I think I want a divorce."Tiffany lamented she was feeling miserable every day and had reached "a breaking point" and feared there was "no other choice but to get divorced" because things might only get worse once Ronald arrived to the U.S.But Ronald insisted he was making "small strides" and "ends meet" by doing odd jobs such as painting rooms for people."It's not easy having a wife who is always doubting that you are doing the right thing," Ronald explained. "I want Tiffany to see that I can be the husband I know I can be for her and this family."Suddenly, Tiffany revealed to Ronald on Zoom she had decided to cancel her family's plane tickets to South Africa. Tiffany said it wasn't fair she was always paying for things and if Ronald wanted to see her and the kids, he'd cough up the dough.Tiffany also reminded Ronald that he had spent $3,000 to fix his motorcycle instead of helping his children, but Ronald said his money isn't worth much in the U.S. due to the exchange rate.Ronald said it was "unbearable" to miss milestones in Carley's life and watch her grow up through a computer screen, and the pair got into "a huge heated" fight over the canceled tickets.Tiffany ultimately used the money as a down payment for a new apartment so she and the kids could move out of her mother Maggie's house. She was also putting her own happiness first for once.Meanwhile, Maggie felt there was "nothing special" about Ronald and that he was taking advantage of her daughter.But once Tiffany and Ronald fell back into a good place in their relationship after a lot of arguing, Tiffany received an email she had been waiting on "for years" informing her that Ronald's visa application to come to the United States had been approved and they'd be able to move on to the interview phase of the process.Ronald gushed over videochat about being "overwhelmed" -- happy and scared at the same time -- but Tiffany fell just under the income requirement to be able to completely take care of Ronald financially upon his entrance into America.Tiffany therefore asked her father Carlos to be Ronald's co-sponsor because she said she was "not willing to do this long-distance thing anymore."Tiffany came clean to Carlos about Ronald's shady past and assured her father that everything on Ronald's record -- including a drug possession charge -- had been withdrawn and he was never convicted of anything."Although it looks really bad and it looks really f-cked up, I just want to be honest with you... I don't want to move to [South Africa]," Tiffany explained."You're my only shot at getting him here, and I promise if anything goes wrong, I'll take care of it. I just need you to sign."Carlos agreed to be Ronald's co-sponsor for the sake of Tiffany and his grandchildren's happiness, and Tiffany just hoped Ronald wouldn't screw up this huge opportunity and put strain on her relationship with her dad.Tiffany later met with an immigration lawyer to discuss Ronald's upcoming interview at the Embassy in South Africa for the spousal visa, which was in the approval stage.Ronald was told he only had one chance to get it right or else he and Tiffany would have to wait years to go through with this process again. While Ronald videochatted with the lawyer, he was sitting back on a couch and vaping.Ronald also made light of having been arrested five or six times.Tiffany watched Ronald essentially bomb the interview during a practice round with the lawyer. Tiffany explained that Ronald rambled on when asked "yes" or "no" questions and didn't seem to take things seriously.Tiffany left the meeting more worried than ever, and the lawyer predicted Ronald would have a 50/50 chance of getting his spousal visa approved.Tiffany called Ronald after the meeting and reminded him that he needed to shape up and take things seriously, but Ronald pointed out how Tiffany and the kids could always move to South Africa and live with him."I don't know if Ronald is purposely sabotaging the visa, but I do think that he's a little more careless with it because in his mind, if it doesn't work out, we can still move over there -- which is his backup plan and so he's not that scared," Tiffany explained."For me, I'm terrified because I know I'm not going there. So for me, if he fails that interview, that's it and there's no backup plan. He still thinks he has a safety net, and he doesn't."Ronald then asked Tiffany to visit him in South Africa with the kids for the Christmas holiday and stay for three months. Maggie was disappointed when she discovered Ronald had grunted about being asked to pay half of his family's plane tickets.Maggie laughed about Ronald being "a joke," and she told Tiffany to use her trip to South Africa as a test run to figure out whether she really wanted to be with Ronald forever and have him move to the United States permanently.Tiffany wanted to see that Ronald was saving money, working, prioritizing his family, and being responsible in South Africa. Maggie told Tiffany that she had made all the sacrifices in her relationship and Ronald had done nothing to contribute.Maggie admitted Tiffany's decision to marry Ronald and have a child with him wasn't her "brightest idea," but Tiffany insisted, "I am not stupid... I don't want to go there and pretend we're just perfect and happy."Tiffany had set high expectations for Ronald and their future together, and she said her husband needed to check off all of her boxes or else she'd rebook her plane ticket and head home to America with the kids.It appears Tiffany and Ronald are still together and happy, although their relationship remains complicated and long distance.In a May 24 Instagram Live session, Tiffany conducted a makeup tutorial and dropped a sly quick comment about her current relationship status with Ronald.Towards the beginning of the hour-long video, Tiffany explained she had an allergic reaction under her eyes from an eye cream."It's from when I was on the airplane coming here from South Africa. My skin got super dry and it just got really messed up," Tiffany said, before flashing a big know-it-all smile.Tiffany also said during the video, "I wish Ronald was on here so he could help me [answer questions] while I'm doing my makeup, but he is busy!"Tiffany's comments clearly suggest she and Ronald remain a couple and continue doing things together.As recently as May 18, Tiffany and Ronald went Instagram Live together, with Tiffany posting their conversation on her page.Tiffany captioned their session, "Definitely getting a divorce. Definitely getting a divorce," but she added a crying-laughing emoticon to her post to suggest she's joking.It was clear from the pair's interactions they're still married and things are going well, but Tiffany insisted all the "divorce talk" on the show was "not for ratings" and it was real.Tiffany jokingly asked Ronald when he'd be signing the divorce papers, and Ronald explained with a big smile that he didn't have a pen.Tiffany was all giggles as she and Ronald sang love songs to each other and teased one another.And on April 4, 2021, Tiffany confirmed she still loves Ronald.Ronald posted a beautiful tribute to Tiffany's son Daniel, whom Ronald also considers and calls his son.In addition to complimenting the young boy on his maturity, cleverness and being well-mannered, Ronald wrote, "I just really hope that the connection we have I hope it never dies as you get older now I'm proud to have you as my son but also I'm a bit sad not being able to be there to celebrate it with you."Ronald, who made it clear he's still living in South Africa, continued, "But make the best of it my boy just know you are in my thoughts and I wish I was there may you have a blessed year and many more and you guys better call me when your blow the candles lol."Ronald added of Tiffany, "Last thing so tell your mom @tiffanyfrancosmith its your yes day and make the best of it... you know what i mean my boy! love your dad."Tiffany actually commented on Ronald's post, "Aw love you. I'm showing him."However, Tiffany and Ronald have had a very tumultuous relationship over the last year or so.Ronald and Tiffany announced they were "separating" in January 2020 and seemed to be headed for a divorce.Tiffany accused Ronald of "adultery" and manipulation and claimed he had suffered multiple relapses of the gambling addiction he had once sought treatment for before in a rehab facility.On January 28, 2020, Tiffany told her Instagram followers in regards to her marriage "some things are just irreparable," and Ronald claimed on social media at the time he'd be "filing for divorce in South Africa" after a year-and-a-half of marriage."Tiff only tried to do good, not really control me but more protect me from wrong [people], places and temptations, and the more I think about it now, it makes sense..." Ronald wrote on Instagram during."She was more the victim and I'll admit here I was a dick to her at times, worrying about me, me, me and not looking after her feelings or needs."But rumors of a reconciliation began to swirl on March 5, 2020 when Ronald posted adorable snapshots of Tiffany and himself seemingly in South Africa together.In March 11, 2020 Ronald uploaded a selfie of the couple as well as a photo in which they were embracing in front of a fountain during a date night at Monte in Gauteng, South Africa.Ronald then flat out confirmed the next day his marriage to Tiffany was back on and thriving in the comments section of his Instagram post."Hope the rumors are true and y'all found your way back to one another!!" one person wrote."Yes," Ronald replied.When an Instagram user asked Ronald to "please work it out" with Tiffany, Ronald responded with, "We are good."One person mentioned, "I thought they got divorced," and Ronald wrote back, "Guess not," with a smiley face.And finally, one fan wrote, "Happy you're back together," to which Ronald replied, "Yes."Tiffany revealed on a May 2020 episode of : Self-Quarantined that she was waiting for Ronald to get approved for a spousal visa so he could move to the United States."We got married over a year ago, but we only applied for his spousal visa four months ago. The coronavirus has affected the whole process of the visa. This virus is stopping everything, including my family being together," Tiffany told the cameras.Meanwhile, Ronald was living in Victoria, South Africa, and apparently FaceTimed or Skyped with his family in America often. Ronald said he desperately missed his family in the United States.On top of the distance and coronavirus "craziness," Tiffany said there were trust issues in her relationship but she and Ronald were working with a counselor to get past them.Tiffany and Ronald then reunited for the holidays in December 2020 after a tumultuous year.Tiffany apparently brought her two kids, her son Daniel from a previous relationship and Ronald's daughter Carley, to South Africa to visit her husband for Christmas.Tiffany had posted a family photo of Ronald, Daniel, Carley and herself outdoors on a bench and she captioned it, "Family," along with a red heart emoticon."Such amazing holidays with the family," she captioned another photo of herself and Ronald at the time.Ronald also confirmed on his own Instagram account the pictures were not "old" or throwbacks."Merry Christmas to everyone and your family hope you all enjoy it as much as i do," Ronald wrote."Just wanted to show everyone how blessed i am to be with my family and to be able to spend such a happy time with them and make memories, having fun, playing around, and just spending quality time as a family together hehe."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Sierra Clarks reporting is made made possible by a partnership between the Traverse City Record-Eagle and Report for America. Go to www.record-eagle.com/RFA to support this and other articles by RFA reporters in the Record-Eagle newsroom.
Members of the Brattleboro Fire Department visit the St. Michaels Preschool and Youth Summer Camp during the Community Heroes week on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. The members of the fire department went through fire safety with the children and then showed them the equipment that is stored on
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Norma Jean Henderson, 90, of Glen Daniel, passed away Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Born January 12, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Blanche Stover Burleson. In addition to her family, she was preceded in death by a son, Eddie Henderson, and eight siblings Betty Marsh, Ruth Snuff
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Little blue pills are becoming more prevalent across New Mexico, but, while seemingly harmless, they pack a deadly punch.

These blue pills interlope as prescription pills, but theyre anything but doctor-approved.

Fentanyl is finding its way into other products, as well. Heroin, cocaine and even marijuana are being laced with the deadly opioid, the Albuquerque Journal reports.

It takes only 2.2 milligrams to overdose on the drug, said Carlos Briano, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesperson. The dangerous part is that people might not even realize theyre ingesting it.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is prescribed to treat extreme pain, usually in cancer patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and, in most recent cases, its being made illegally, often mixed with cocaine or heroin without the consumers knowledge.

The CDCs provisional data through May 2020 suggests that overdoses due to synthetic opioids, which include fentanyl, actually increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DEA tracks seizures by fiscal year and, in half of fiscal year 2021, DEA has already surpassed fentanyl seizures for the entire fiscal years of 2020 and 2019 in New Mexico, Briano said. He said the fentanyl is produced easily by Mexican cartels and clandestine labs in Mexico.

For very little investment  such as $5,000  the cartels can make thousands of pills that will yield upward of $1.5 million in profit. Briano said the majority of fentanyl they see is in pill form, with the average dose being 1.8 mg. About one in four of the counterfeit pills seized contains a lethal dose.

Ive heard Kyle Williamson, special agent in charge, say to some people that you have better odds playing Russian roulette because thats a one in six chance of dying, Briano said. But, with these counterfeit fentanyl pills, you have a one in four chance of dying.

In the past few months, the 1st Judicial District Attorneys Office said it has seen a surge in drug trafficking cases involving fentanyl.

In the most recent cases, the DAs office prosecuted a Rio Arriba man in possession of 1,300 fentanyl pills; a person found with 900 fentanyl pills in their car in Santa Fe; and a person with over 500 fentanyl pills in a local hotel.

Assistant District Attorney Russell Warren said the office has noticed a dramatic increase in fentanyl since the winter of 2020. For about the past six months, people being caught with large amounts of fentanyl, and the number of people being caught with fentanyl, has increased rapidly and scarily, he said.

The scary part is one pill can cause an overdose, and then we caught someone with 1,300 pills, thats potentially 1,300 deaths, he said.

A lot of the fentanyl the office is seeing is from cartels making fake OxyContin pills, which sell at a higher price. Warren also said hes seeing fewer heroin offenses because heroin users are likely turning to the fentanyl pills because they were sold fake heroin and are now addicted to fentanyl.

Theyre being sold heroin laced with fentanyl because drug traffickers want to get people addicted to these drugs because they can produce them cheaper, and theyre much more potent and more dangerous, he said.

This also leads to more overdoses because people dont know theyre consuming fentanyl, he said.

To help combat this rising, and lethal, issue, Warren said the DAs office is filing more motions to keep drug traffickers caught with fentanyl in jail during their court proceedings. To the judges credit, Warren said, theyve been approving these motions.

Lt. Scott McFaul, a regional drug enforcement task force commander for the New Mexico State Police, said hes seen a dramatic increase in fentanyl.

McFauls region encompasses Taos, Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties. He said hes seen the most fentanyl increases in Santa Fe County. To his knowledge, the fentanyl seems to be traveling up Interstate 25 from Albuquerque.

He said theyre mainly seeing the fentanyl in pill form, but do also see it in its powder form  which can easily be mixed with heroin. Since January, McFaul said fentanyl has pretty much ended up everywhere.

Were seeing this with heroin because its cheaper and more potent than normal heroin, he said. They utilize that because its more bang for their buck, I guess is the worst way to put it.

He said now that the U.S.Mexico border is reopening after the pandemic, theyre seeing an uptick in every drug, but primarily fentanyl in pill form.

McFaul said the State Police works closely with federal partners to get the bigger cases prosecuted in federal court because punishments are generally harsher.

Jeremy Apodaca, public information officer for the Espanola Police Department, said fentanyl is showing up in regular interactions with people whom officers come into contact with. That includes traffic stops.

Espanola police are seeing these illegally manufactured pills almost on a daily basis. Apodaca said the department has seen a large uptick in the past eight to 10 months.

Its going to create more demand and people wont even realize (theyre using fentanyl) because they feel theyre getting a better high  from one person or one dealer versus another, he said.

Fentanyl is also dangerous because it can be absorbed through the skin; even handling the pills can pose a risk.

An unsuspecting person might pick up the blue pills in an attempt to dispose of them and absorb a fatal dose of fentanyl through their skin, he said. If someone sees anything like this, Apodaca encourages them to call police and not to touch it.

We have gloves, well go out there and collect it, he said. Well handle it properly, or dispose of it properly, whichever it needs. And were always available for stuff like that rather than anybody getting hurt.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israels government approved Sunday the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into a deadly disaster at a Jewish holy site in April that left 45 people dead.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the commission would investigate major safety shortcomings that led to a deadly stampede at Lag Baomer celebrations on Mount Meron.

It will be headed by a current or former senior judge, and its members selected by the countrys chief Supreme Court justice.

Some 100,000 people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gathered for the April 29 holiday festival in northern Israel despite coronavirus restrictions limiting outdoor assemblies to 500 people, and longstanding warnings about the safety of such gatherings. The state comptrollers office had previously issued a pair of reports in 2008 and 2011 warning that the conditions at Mount Meron were dangerous.

Hundreds of people funneled through a narrow passageway descending the mountain's holy site during the festival. A slippery slope caused people to stumble and fall, precipitating a human avalanche that killed 45 people and injured at least 150.

The police launched an investigation into the disaster, but to date have yet to make any arrests.

The government said the commission would investigate the officials who made the decisions that led to approving the event and determining the framework that was approved and its terms.

Powerful ultra-Orthodox politicians reportedly pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government officials to lift attendance restrictions at the religious festival.

Experts had long warned the Mount Meron complex was inadequately equipped to handle the enormous crowds that flock there during the springtime holiday, and that existing infrastructure was a safety risk.

Netanyahus political allies, including ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, walked out on a Knesset committee hearing that discussed forming an investigation last month. Families of the mostly ultra-Orthodox victims of the disaster had called on Netanyahu to take action and form an independent state commission to investigate the incident.

Bennett said at the start of his newly formed governments first Cabinet meeting that the responsibility is on our shoulders to learn the lessons to prevent the disaster to come."

The commission cannot bring back those who died, but the government can do everything to prevent an unnecessary loss in the future, he said.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz, one of the ministers who advanced the motion to launch the commission, said in a statement: We must make sure that a tragedy of this nature never repeats itself. The taskforces purpose is, above anything else, to save human life."
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A New Orleans store that has been the site of armed protests over a fatal shooting has been fined $20,000 after state officials noted an unlicensed security guard carrying an assault rifle.

The Times-Picayune ' The New Orleans Advocate reports the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners, Fabian Blache III, served the cease and desist order personally on Saturday.

Hank's Seafood & Supermarket became the target of protests earlier this month by the New Black Panther Party. The group is demanding video from Oct. 30, when 24-year-old Corey Garrison was shot in the stores parking lot by a manager.

The New Orleans Police Department pronounced the shooting a justifiable homicide the next day, saying Garrison pulled a gun first. His family disputes that, saying Garrison - who was Black - had a gun in his waistband but never removed it.

The store was fined $5,000 a day for four days for hiring Michael Foster, who didn't possess a valid license.

Panther members have walked along the sidewalk in the front of the store, openly and legally armed, since the protests began. They're urging a boycott of the store and handing out flyers.

Neighbors, though, have been worried. In addition to the protesters, Foster and multiple employees of the store have been outside at times with guns. State Rep. Candace Newell, a New Orleans Democrat, said she got complaints and contacted the security guard board.

Blache said a photo showed Foster was violating board policies. Any guard who carries an assault rifle must request special permission and justify its use. Blache said he later discovered Foster wasn't even licensed.

Hanks store manager told Blache that Foster was no longer working there and is no longer allowed on the shops property.

In 2018, Foster fired at least nine shots in the parking lot of a New Orleans apartment complex.

A witness there heard Foster talk of killing Black people and some residents said they saw the weapon's red target scope scan the building. Earlier that day, witnesses saw Foster argue with a group of Black motorcyclists. Foster pleaded guilty in April to domestic criminal damage of property and the illegal carrying of a weapon. He was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and was prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm during a one-day probationary period.

Blache said Foster couldn't qualify to be licensed because he doesn't meet the legal requirement to be of good character.

The store could appeal, but the fine was assessed for only four days, although photos from customers posted on the store's social media accounts suggest Foster may have worked there as early as December.

Blache said he's seeking records regarding the length of Foster's employment from Hank's.
MINERSVILLE  Steam train enthusiasts flocked to the borough Saturday to ride a historic steam locomotive, as well as support an engineer who operated it but became stricken ill earlier this year.

More than 100 people came to see and possibly ride the CNJ 113 engine at the event to benefit Chris Bost, of Leesport, an engineer with Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad.

Bost was a vital part of Railway Restoration Project 113, which formed in 2013 to restore the historic engine. In January, Bost, originally from North Carolina, was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a neurological disorder that causes progressive weakening of the limbs.

Bost was not in Minersville but met the train when it pulled into the Reading and Northern Railroad station in Leesport.

James Gouldley, of Avon, Lebanon County, is not only a train enthusiast but has worked for SMS Line in Bridgeport, New Jersey. Gouldley said he and some friends who are also fans of steam engines came to Minersville for a two-fold purpose, to help with the benefit for Bost and to see Engine 113.

In addition to the engine, Saturdays train included five passenger cards and two gondolas.

We are all railroad fans and were able to get tickets for one of the gondola cars, he said. A bunch of us not only work for the railroad but are avid railroad fans.

James Eisenhart Jr., of Ashland, said he worked with Bost with the restoration of Engine 113 and knows how he must feel not being able to run his pride and joy.

He is a beautiful human being, he said of Bost.

Speaking about the fundraiser that featured food and refreshments, Eisenhart said, this is about Chris. He didnt deserve it. Hes a good man.

Eisenhart said he once worked as an engineer with Norfolk Southern Railroad and that nothing beats the feeling of running a train, something he misses.

He said he can only imagine how Bost must feel not being able to do that anymore.

Its an awesome experience to run a train. I know more than anything he (Bost) misses it, Eisenhart said.

Robert Kempes, a retired dentist in Schuylkill Haven, works part time as a train host with Reading and Blue Mountain Railroad. Both he and host Dawn Bubeck collected tickets from passengers and rode with them on the trip to Port Clinton.

Kempes said he is glad to see everyone come together to support Bost.

Although he enjoyed dentistry, Kempes said the railroad is the place to be.

I loved dentistry, but this is fun, he said.

Robert Kimmel, Project 113 president, said the benefit and train ride was a good way to raise money to help Bost since the engine attracts a lot of people  both railroad fans and those who just want to see a part of history.

Reading and Blue Mountain Railroad is covering the cost of operating the train on its tracks and Reading Anthracite donated the coal to run the engine.

In addition, water for the benefit was provided by Redners Markets while gift cards were donated by Giant Markets, Weis Markets, Walmart and BGs Value Market.

Eisenhart summed up the days events for a worthwhile cause.

He (Bost) has helped a lot of people, now its our time to help him, he said.
If huge crowds, complimentary remarks through decades, psychological bouts of anglers ecstasy and flat-out giddy anticipation are ways of judging the popularity and importance of a destination, the Pumping Station Dam in the Brandonville/Girard Manor area of East Union Township, a few miles northeast of Shenandoah, has all boxes checked.

Sure, the Shenandoah Borough-owned site is in less than pristine shape and now well over a decade away from all of the adoration, but hints of potential cooperation by East Union Township and Shenandoah, to explore the possibility of pulling in grant money to rehabilitate the site, have sparked some hope about the potential for a restoration.

The beloved status the Pumping Station Dam once had is revealed in past news clippings and photos heralding a site that for the better part of the 20th century had an appeal for regional people that cant be exaggerated.

Need evidence?

OK. Take the time in April 1971 for the annual Kiddies Day Fishing Rodeo at the Pumpy, as people lovingly call the site. It was attended by over 800 kids, according to an Evening Herald report at the time. Jim Hazen, Schuylkill County waterways patrolman, attended and mingled with youngsters for whom prizes, food and refreshments were free, thanks to the rodeo sponsors, the Shenandoah East End Field & Stream Club and the Pumping Station Booster Club, and to donations from regional businesses.

Hazens impression? He called the affair one of the best in the state, according to the Herald report.

Had the Pumpy been a regional draw?

The top prize winner that day a half century ago was a fishergirl, 4-year-old Lisa Bolitsky, of Hazleton, who caught an 18.5-inch rainbow trout and was hailed by booster member Jack Kress and Kiddies Day Chairman John Zack.

Meanwhile, booster club President Joe Machulsky and East End club member Harry Trutt dished out soup and gave sodas to the hungry young anglers.

Did older folks also enjoy the Pumpy?

Lets go back to April 25, 1972, when Lost Creeks middle-aged Fabian Urban caught a 12-pound, 30-inch brown trout. The fish, according to a Herald report of the achievement, was the biggest brown trout ever caught in county waters and fell just 3 inches short of the state record for a brown trout. (The state record, by the way, was held at the time by Frank Kociolek of Dupont, who reeled in a 33-inch, 24-pound brownie in 1967 at Lake Wallenpaupack.)

And what was Urbans reaction about his Pumpy performance?

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it sure feels good, he said, displaying his catch for a Herald photo and accounting of the feat. The Herald writer at the time speculated that people can bet there are a great number of jealous fishermen who will be flocking to the Pumpy to try to beat Fabes record.

Its been a while, though, since the Pumpy, whose history dates back to the early 20th century  its life began as a drinking water reservoir for Shenandoah  has managed to ignite such joy.

Conditions force closure

In July 1975, former Evening Herald reporter and editor Molly Dalton referred to the Pumpy in a story she wrote about The Greenie, an abandoned (Shenandoah) water system reservoir located on Locust Mountain about 2 miles northeast of Shenandoah, not far from the historic Peddlers Grave. The Greenie had been part of the old borough water system that included the Pumping Station Dam and something called the Cement Dam a half mile south of The Greenie. The Pumping Station Dam, Dalton wrote, was converted into a popular fishing spot, and the Cement Dam no longer holds water due to cracks and deterioration.

Kaylee Lindenmuth, Shenandoah, who runs the online Sentinel, recently wrote the Pumpy had been part of the Shenandoah-owned water system that once featured three water companies and which eventually merged to become todays Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah. This eventually led to the Pumping Station Dam no longer being used as a reservoir for drinking water. The Pumpy went on to achieve legendary status as a fishing/camping mecca and hatchery.

But that all changed a decade or so after the 20th century made the jump to the 21st century. The Pumpys most enthusiastic supporters had become members of the Pumping Station Preservation Association, successor to the booster club. The state Department of Environmental Protection determined the dam was in need of expensive repairs and neither the borough nor the association had the wherewithal to finance them.

So what had once been one of the best in the state was closed. Not even the love, enthusiasm and dedication of association members such as Leo Pietkiewicz, the Shenandoah councilman who headed the preservation association for more than a decade and a half, could save it.

Pietkiewiczs deep connection to and even love for the Pumpy were on display in a text he forwarded about the preservation association he helped to organize: The unofficial motto of the officers of the association was, Its for the kids,  Pietkiewicz said. But he added association members realized it wasnt just (for) the young kids, but everyone. We were all kids when we were at the Pumpy.

He said the preservation group took responsibility for the Pumping Station site after Charles Kutchinsky decided to retire. Pietkiewicz also paid tribute to the work Joe Machulsky did at the Pumpy with the booster club, referring to him as Grandfather Machulsky.

We formed a committee and began to actively recruit membership, Pietkiewicz said about the startup of the preservation association, adding the groups membership had grown from about 50 to above 350 at our peak.

The association also managed to get important work done at the site, Pietkiewicz said. The group installed three valves as directed by the state Department of Environmental Protection to properly lower the level of the dam in case of emergency. The installation included two 12-inch gated valves and an 8-inch gated relief valve, which at the time cost the association $15,000 to have installed, he said.

The association at one time was self-sufficient in raising the necessary monies to raise, on a yearly average  20,000 trout  which were supplied by the Pennsylvania Fish and Game co-op hatchery division, Pietkiewicz continued. He said the Pumpy was responsible for supplying the (fish) food, roughly 8 tons a year, and also with the upkeep of the hatchery and surrounding property.

We then started a concession stand on Sundays to help offset expenses, which helped support our annual Kiddies Day (Rodeo)   he said.

The association continued the tradition of supplying free hot dogs and soda during the rodeos and every child received a prize whether they caught a fish or not. However, Pietkiewicz acknowledged, It was pretty tough not to catch one when we would stock 8,000 just for the kids rodeo.

Forming a partnership

During the Pumpys years out of the limelight, the site was plagued by deterioration, vandalism and littering to a point that even spurred concern on the part of East Union officials. However, the story about East Unions approach to the situation, and how the thinking was that it would be better to offer a helping hand rather than approach Shenandoah Borough with a citation book, as Kyle M. Mummey, vice chairman of the East Union Township supervisors, explained in a text, reveals an interesting, even positive, twist to the idea of problem-solving.

Whats in the works now is a potential cooperative effort involving East Union and Shenandoah jointly seeking funding to revitalize the Pumping Station.

Via text, Mummey, who acknowledged he can remember fishing at the Pumpy many years ago with his father and grandfather, said that as a lifelong East Union resident, I know how important recreation and, more specifically, how important the Pumping Station Dam is to the residents of East Union Township and neighboring communities.

When he took office in January 2020, Mummey said, I made a promise to attack blight, which negatively affects property values and quality of life and have heard from countless residents about their concerns for the Pumping Station Dam and their ideas to bring it back as a local recreation area.

Mummey, who also is a high-level East Union firefighter, said he had commanded firefighters efforts in a brush fire that occurred on the Pumping Station grounds in April. Seeing how the site had deteriorated, I realized that it was time to act. My fellow township supervisors agreed and we made arrangements to meet with (Shenandoah) Borough officials at a work session.

His fellow supervisors are Chairman Dennis Antonelli and Jon Dettery.

The agenda for the regular meeting of the East Union supervisors, held on May 20 and available online, contained the following item under New Business: Discussion on Pumping Station Dam and cooperative agreement with Shenandoah Borough to revitalize.

In further explaining the effort, Mummey texted, As there is strength in numbers, we felt that an intergovernmental partnership between the borough and the township would best serve members of both communities and garner the support of residents in both communities.

According to Mummey, members of Shenandoahs borough council and the mayor (Andrew Szczyglak) have been very enthusiastic about partnering with us to move this project forward. Negotiations are underway regarding an agreement that will be inked to open the possibilities of grant funding to fuel the restoration efforts. As the effort progresses, we hope to get support from the county government as well as state government.

Memories, and potential

Even a whiff of potential new hope for the Pumpy was enough to reinvigorate the olfactory nerves of longtime enthusiasts such as Dave Bekisz, of Weston Place, Shenandoah, executive director of the Schuylkill Transportation System and a longtime Pumping Station angler with buddies, including Dave Toborowski. He suggested that more than a few regional folks would be behind a rehabilitation effort.

Bekisz said he had been a member of the preservation association, acknowledged Pietkiewiczs efforts on behalf of the group, and emphasized the effort supporters had made for raising and feeding the trout.

His Pumpy memories include the time his son, Aaron, had been one of those fishing derby winners during the sites glory years.

And Pietkiewicz remains awash in memories that, as the adage goes, last a lifetime.

Some of the real highlights of being the association president were the friendships I made with so many people, the generosity of local businesses and their support with our fundraising  Pietkiewicz said.

An overall avid outdoorsman, Bekisz recalled past discussions about saving the Pumpy, involving a former local legislator and focusing on possible county involvement, with the Pumping Station perhaps becoming a Sweet Arrow Lake North, a reference to the setup that saved the Sweet Arrow Lake site in the Pine Grove area by creating Schuylkill Countys first county park.

The potential alone is exciting for people like Bekisz.

Id love to see it come back, he said.
POTTSVILLE  A Minersville man will spend more time in prison after a Schuylkill County judge sentenced him Thursday for the second time in the case.

Elvin R. Kessler, 55, must serve five to 12 months behind bars, Judge James P. Goodman decided.

You need to be punished, Goodman told Kessler after imposing the sentence, which he did after revoking Kesslers probation.

Kessler, who admitted violating his probation by failing to report to his supervising officer, using methamphetamine and not making payments on his court-ordered costs and fees, originally pleaded guilty on June 7, 2018, to three counts of simple assault and one count each of resisting arrest, criminal mischief and driving under the influence.

Prosecutors withdrew three counts of aggravated assault and one count of disorderly conduct.

Goodman sentenced him on June 13, 2018, to spend nine to 23 months in prison and an additional 12 months on probation and pay costs, a $500 fine, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account.

Minersville police charged Kessler with committing his crimes on June 23, 2016, in the borough.

I just need to get my life together, Kessler said. I lost my home in this case.

Kessler already is an inmate at the county prison, and Goodman conducted the hearing by videoconference.

On Wednesday, Senior Judge D. Michael Stine found David A. Weller, 56, of Orwigsburg, guilty of indirect criminal contempt, which is contempt committed outside the courtroom. Prosecutors withdrew a second count of the same offense.

Stine sentenced Weller to pay costs and a $300 fine.

Orwigsburg police charged Weller with violating a protection from abuse order on May 31 in the borough.
100 years ago  1921

The 56th Annual Commencement of the Pottsville High School and the Class Day exercises of the 1921 Class will take place at the Hippodrome on Tuesday. The Class Day exercises are to take place at 10 oclock and the commencement at 8 oclock Tuesday evening.

75 years ago  1946NUREMBERG  Albert Speer, former German munitions minister, declared to the International Military Tribunal today that he was determined to kill Adolph Hitler in his chancellery bunker in Berlin in March of last year, but was unable to slip cannisters of poison gas past the guards.

50 years ago  1971Jim Walters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Walters of Pottsville, has been named to the deans list at Wisconsin State University, Whitewater, Wis. He is a freshman majoring in general business.

25 years ago  1996WEST CHESTER  Friends, family, even complete strangers chanted Craig, Craig, Craig Wednesday morning as the Pottsville physician prepared to run with the Olympic torch. Its a once in a lifetime experience, observed Dr. Craig L. Reimer, standing in a driving rain three miles south of the Chester County seat getting ready for his run.
POTTSVILLE  Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael OPake and the Schuylkill County detectives are asking for the publics help in locating a man who failed to report to prison as required earlier this month.

Detetives said Jose Luis Santiago failed to report to Schuylkill County Prison on June 10 to begin serving a prison sentence of nine to 23 months.

The original charges against Santiago were misdemeanor offenses of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and simple assault.

Santiago, 49, is described as Black and Hispanic, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds.

He has a last known address of 32 Water St., Coaldale, detectives said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Santiago or other fugitives in Schuylkill County is asked to call the district attorneys office at 570-628-1350 or the Schuylkill County Tip Line at 570-624-3988.

Information can also be submitted by email to dadd@co.schuylkill.pa.us

In addition, detectives said that anyone who may see or come in contact with Santiago is asked to call the Schuylkill County 911 Center or their local police immediately.

All information received will remain confidential.

A list of Schuylkill County bench warrants is available at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us.
To the caller from Tremont, everybody knows the president is not required to make his tax returns public. However, because of Trumps reputation as a liar and cheat, why is he afraid to end the speculation and come clean? I think every American knows the answer to that and its called prison time for fraud.

Frackville



Tremont, the reason Trump refused to show his taxes was because he knew voters would be outraged by how little he paid. He claimed he was a billionaire yet he paid less taxes than the average teacher who is paying college loans. I am not sure if it is a crime, but it would have certainly cost him the presidency.

Mahanoy City



I agree, Schuylkill Haven, concerning the Blue Mountain disrespecting the young people in the military. These graduates should be honored for enlisting in the military. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their country. How many school board members actually served in the military?

Hegins



It is amazing how in everything in Thunder Enlightning, everybody knows what everybody is going to do. Of course, it is their own opinion, but how do they know what the Democrats are thinking and what the Republicans are thinking and saying they wont do anything for certain people, like veterans or senior citizens or whatever? They really have no idea how a man is going to vote when the time comes.

Tamaqua



I am calling about the crisis of global warming. We in the United States are doing all this stuff to stop it but China is not doing anything. They are the biggest polluters in the world and nothing is ever done by them or you cant make them do it. It seems fruitless in what we are doing since China continues to pollute.

Pottsville
Allu Arjun is one of the top leading actors in the South movie industry. Apart from being an excellent actor, Allu is also a doting father to his two kids with his wife Sneha Reddy. The actor has two kids, an older son Ayaan and a younger daughter Arha. Allu is often seen sharing pictures of his kids and gushing about them on his Instagram. Let us take a look at Allu Arjun's Instagram that shows he is a doting father.

1. When he called his daughter his angel

Allu shared a photo of his daughter from their vacation in the Maldives. Allu wrote " My Lil angel" as he shared the photo.

2. When he recreated the 1990 Anjali movie's trailer with his daughter

Allu took to his Instagram and shared a re-creation of the classic movie Anjali. The video featured his daughter Arha in place of the actress Shamili. Allu's caption read "Arha's Anjali. Happy Birthday My Lil ARHA! We shot a memorable video recreating the classic Anjali with my Daughter Arha. I wanted to share it with all my well-wishers. Hope you like it as we did."

3. When he celebrated his son's birthday

Allu took to his Insatgram and shared a picture of his son Ayaan as he celebrated his birthday. While sharing the picture the actor wrote that he did not know what love was until his son came into his life. Allu's caption read "I used to think "what is Love ??" all my life. Many times in the past I felt strong feelings but was not sure if it was love. But after you came into my life I now know what LOVE is. You are the LOVE. I Love you Ayaan. Happy Birthday My Baby."

4. When he celebrated his son's pre-school graduation

Allu took to his Instagram and shared his proud moment as a father, as his son Ayaan graduated from pre-school. He shared a picture of his son from the ceremony and wrote in the caption that he was extremely proud of his son. The actor also thanked all the teachers that helped his son build his foundation. Allu's caption read "Pre School Graduation Celebrations. Ayaan I am soo proud of you for excelling soo well. I wholeheartedly Thank @bodhivalleyschool for teaching the foundation of life to my son. I am so glad as parents we made a good choice by enrolling in this school. Thanks to all the Teachers for making him grounded, and all the helpers for taking care of all these years. Thanks to Bodhi Valley School once again. Proud and Memorable Day."

5. When he shared an adorable video of his son from the sets of his movie

Allu shared an adorable video of his son from the sets of one of his movies. In the video, Allu's son was seen sitting in the cameraman's chair and refused to get down and loudly said that he was the producer of the movie. Allu in his caption wrote "4th Generation Allu . Ayaans grandfather Allu Aravind Garu said,  go to the sets and play if someone says NO tell them you are the producer of the movie."

IMAGE: ALLU ARJUN'S INSTAGRAM

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Marking Fathers Day 2021, Google on June 20 put out a colourful stop-motion doodle. The occasion is commemorated on the third Sunday of June every year to recognize the contribution of fathers in childrens lives and cherish paternal bonds. On Sunday, Google displayed doodle artwork by Olivia When featuring animated greeting cards, plenty of hearts and a myriad of bright hues.

Todays Doodle is popping up to wish everyone a Happy Fathers Day! the search engine said along with its doodle.

In the creative artwork, doodler When has played beautifully with the alphabets that make the word Google. While the first G of the artwork is depicted as the father, the second g is shown as the offspring. Further in the animated artwork, g could be seen sending hearts to his father G who then replies with another red coloured heart.

Behind the scenes

Meanwhile, Google also shared the behind scenes of the doodle on its website. Not only did it post the initial concept of the artwork but also revealed Whens early sketches of her special Fathers Day artwork. The doodle is visible not only in India but across the US, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Peru, Turkey, UK, France, Hungary, Kenya and other countries.

'We're thinking of all papas'

Google India also shared the doodle along with a sweet message on Instagram. "With our #GoogleDoodle today, were thinking of all the papas, appas, babas and dads, wherever they may be. Heres to your love, your strength and your wisdom," they wrote.

Father's Day is an important occasion for many. It's a day where people can share their love and affection for their fathers and father figures in their lives. Father's Day is an important day for people to convey their emotions to their father figure. Since its inception in 1907, the day is celebrated each year to honour fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages.

Image: Google

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India is comparatively in a better situation with regards to the COVID-19 situation in the country as compared to a few months ago when the country was grappling with the devastating second wave of COVID-19. The country had recorded a peak of over four lakh cases in 24 hours which have now dropped to somewhere in 60,000 odd cases currently, which is safe to say that the country is now getting out of the second wave of COVID-19.

Nevertheless, experts have raised an alarm on the impending waves of COVID-19 while their severity is disputed by many with some saying it may be more severe than the previous waves and many others saying there is no data to back such claims.

However, it is also pertinent to note that the Coronavirus is mutating, with many nations finding variants of the virus which are more transmissible and dangerous than the previous variants. Variants such as the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) are also said to be vaccine-resistant while there are reports of another new variant 'Delta Plus'. This has raised doubts in many countries whether to open international travel amid the possibility of further COVID-19 waves.

German Ambassador to India Walter Lindner has stated that although relaxations have been given as COVID-19 infections are decreasing in many countries including parts of Europe, the easing of travel restrictions is a difficult decision to make. He said the caseload of more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants is growing in many countries causing fear of more dangerous waves in future, potentially reversing whatever the world has achieved so far in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Numbers of Covid-cases are falling in parts of Europe, so some measures are being relaxed. At same time, case-numbers of potentially more transmissible & vacc-resistent variants (esp Delta) are growing in many countries & cause fear of a 4th wave which could reverse the achieved pic.twitter.com/BTrkg8Sjze  Walter J. Lindner (@AmbLindnerIndia) June 19, 2021

Against this backdrop easing travel-restrict from virus-mutation countries not easy case to make. We try to find realistic solutions. We see & hear students plights, who would not understand them? But also job of virologists & healthExp to protect own citizens against next wave  Walter J. Lindner (@AmbLindnerIndia) June 19, 2021

Delta variant of COVID-19 becoming dominant globally

The highly virulent strain of the novel Coronavirus, i.e. B.1.617.2 also known as the Delta variant, is more transmissible than the Alpha variant, or the UK variant, and is of the most dangerous lineage of the virus that has spread to at least 70 countries. The WHOs top scientist Soumya Swaminathan has now expressed concern over the delta variant, first identified in India, becoming the dominant variant of the disease worldwide.

World Health Organizations chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said at a news conference that because of its significantly increased transmissibility the delta variant is now on the way to becoming the dominant variant worldwide. She added, that scientists still need more data on the variant, including its impact on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

The UK has reported a steep surge in infections with delta variant, meanwhile, Germany's top public health official predicted that the hypervirulent strain would soon become dominant despite the vaccination rate. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson deferred the planned lifting of public-health restrictions by four weeks due to the sudden spike of the B.1.617.2 variant cases. The delta variant now accounts for more than 60 percent of new cases in the UK, surpassing alpha strain first detected in the country last year.

Meanwhile, the WHO said it is also actively tracking the recently emerged delta plus variant. The current variant of interest, Delta Plus is a highly virulent mutation of the Delta virus that has been detected in India. The strain has been circulating in Europe since March.
As Iranian ultraconservative cleric, Ebrahim Raisi won the presidential election on June 19, congratulatory messages poured in from around the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too extended his wishes on Sunday with the message of strengthening relations between India and Iran.

PM Modi expressed his willingness to work with Excellency Ebrahim Raisi to strengthen ties between India and Iran.

Congratulations to His Excellency Ebrahim Raisi on his election as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the warm ties between India and Iran.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 20, 2021

Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's congratulatory message, several world leaders including Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Iran's new President. While citing a press officer at the Russian embassy in Tehran, the RIA news agency reported that Putin congratulated Raisi on winning Irans presidential election. While Pakistani Prime Minister said that he is looking forward to working with Raisi to further strengthen the relations between the two nations. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Raisi and said that he believed cooperation between the two neighbours would strengthen during his term.

Ebrahim Raisi sanctioned by the US government

As Iranian judge Ebrahim Raisi secured a landmark victory in the countrys 13th presidential elections, the United State's State Department claimed that the Presidential Election in Iran was not a fair one, but the US will continue to advance its interests in Iran regardless of who is in power, a spokesperson informed. Raisi is Iran's top judge and holds ultra-conservative views. He would be the first serving president of the Islamic Republic already sanctioned by the US government even before acquiring the office.

Raisi wins Iran Presidency

The sole moderate in Iran's presidential election conceded defeat early Saturday to Ebrahim Raisi, the country's hard-line judiciary chief. It signaled the protege of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had won a vote he dominated after the disqualification of his strongest competition. Former Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati and ex-Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei offered their congratulations to Raisi. Raisi was also one of four judges who oversaw death sentences for about 5,000 prisoners, according to Amnesty International. Iran, on the other hand, has never acknowledged the mass executions and Raisi has never addressed the allegations about his role in them.
Islamabad, Jun 20 (PTI) In the wake of looming uncertainty in Afghanistan due to the withdrawal of the US troops, Pakistan on Saturday announced that it would complete the fencing of its border with the war-torn country by the end of June.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed stated this on the floor of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The minister informed the house that 88 per cent work on the fencing of the border with Afghanistan has been completed and the rest would be completed by June 30, it said.

The fencing of the 2,640 km land border with Afghanistan began in March 2017 after a spate of attacks from across the porous border.

Pakistan shares a long and porous border with Afghanistan, which runs through mountainous terrain and is largely unpatrolled. The Durand Line was drawn by the British rulers in 1896 and is disputed by Afghanistan, which also resists Pakistani attempts to erect any border fence.

The barrier consists of two sets of chain-link fences, which is separated by a 2-metre space filled with concertina wire coils. The double-fence is 3.6 metres high on the Pakistani side and 4 metres on the Afghan side.

Surveillance cameras and infrared detectors have been installed and about 1,000 check posts are part of the security system along the fence. The movement across the border will be possible only through 16 designated crossings.

Initially, it was expected to be completed by April 2021 but due to some delay, now the government is committed to complete it by the end of June.

Officials said that Pakistan is working to augment the security apparatus on the western border due to withdrawal of the US troops which is feared to create a vacuum in Afghanistan, complicating the already fragile security situation with possible impact on Pakistan.

US President Joe Biden in April announced that all US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 to end America's longest war that has cost trillions of dollars and the lives of over 2,400 American soldiers.

Alluding towards the situation in Afghanistan in the context of the US troops pullout, the minister noted that the next two to three months were very important for Pakistan because right now infighting is going on at some 38 locations in Afghanistan.

The minister also said that as many as 2,400 Afghan security personnel had joined the ranks of Taliban. PTI SH RS RS

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New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Sunday said it held a global campaign to press for patent-free vaccines and medicines for COVID-19, joining hands with organisations of workers, farmers, small traders and more.

While people in small groups held demonstrations in various parts of India and 20 other countries, holding placards and raising slogans that demanded patent-free vaccines and medicines for all, others joined them online, it said.

"On the occasion of 'World Awakening Day', the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, along with several organisations of workers, farmers, small traders, industry, academic institutions and the civil society, organised more than 3,000 programmes in India and 20 other countries to support the 'patent-free vaccine' campaign," SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said.

The US, the UK, Italy, Indonesia, the UAE, Malaysia, Sweden, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan are among the 20 countries where people participated in SJMs campaign and held demonstrations for patent-free vaccines and medicines for COVID-19, he added.

The programme was aimed at creating awareness on the issue and expose those individuals, companies and governments of some developed countries, and exert pressure on them to accept Indias proposal for TRIPS waiver to make vaccines and medicines free from patents, Mahajan said.

The impediment to the mass production of the COVID-19 vaccines is the patent law and intellectual property rights under the provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) which do not allow other pharma companies to manufacture these vaccines, he said.

Patent laws need to be relaxed, even if it is for a limited period of time, to increase the production of vaccines and medicines to save the world's 7.87 billion population from the clutches of the coronavirus, Mahajan added.

While people along with their representatives around the world are one on this issue and are supporting the proposal of India and South Africa for TRIPS waiver for vaccines and medicines, greedy companies and their supporter governments in some countries are creating hurdles in the smooth passage of this resolution at the WTO, he said.

While the world needs about 14 billion vaccine doses (1,400 crore) to protect people from COVID-19, only 200 crore were produced by pharma companies in the last six months, the SJM said.

One billion is equal to 100 crores.

At the current rate, it may take another two to three years for the world's eligible population to be vaccinated, it said.

Though countries like Israel, the US, the UK and Norway have almost controlled fresh infections and deaths from Covid by vaccinating the majority of their adult population, most of the countries are still reeling under the pandemic, the RSS-affiliate said.

It is imperative to vaccinate all the people all over the globe at a much faster pace because no one will be safe until everyone is safe, it added. PTI PK IJT

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The Customs department probing into the Kerala gold smuggling case has issued show-cause notices on Sunday, June 20 to 53 people including prime accused Swapna Suresh, suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar and two former diplomats in the UAE consulate, Thiruvananthapuram, as per official sources. The notices asking why action under Customs Act should not be taken against them in the smuggling cases were issued by Customs (Preventive) Commissioner Sumit Kumar on June 16.

The case against them involves the smuggling of a total of 167 kg of gold 23 times including the illegal trade of 30 kilograms gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore that was seized by the Customs at Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic bag on July 5, 2020. On June 9, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) made their 35th arrest by nabbing key conspirator Muhammed Mansoor.

As per sources, Former UAE Consulate General Jamal al-Zabi and Attach Rashid Khamis Ali were issued notice through the Union Finance Ministry, sources said. The Finance Ministry will forward the matter to the External Affairs Ministry as it is a matter involving foreign diplomats who have already left the country, they said.

Based on the statements of the accused the show-cause notices were prepared and the documents that were seized and other evidence collected during the probe. They have been requested to inform if they desire to be heard in person before the case is adjudicated. "All these people are given a chance of 30 days for a reply," the source said.

Besides Suresh, six others who were served notices are currently detained under COFEPOSA (the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act). The key accused who were served notices included Sarith P S, Sandeep Nair, and KT Ramees, they said.

Kerala gold smuggling scam probe

The Vijayan-led government in Kerala has also been facing heat in the gold smuggling scam ahead with the opposition seeking the CM's ouster. On July 5, 2020, Customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs.15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate. Sarith PS who worked at the UAE Consulate was apprehended in this regard. Subsequently, Swapna Suresh, an ex-Consulate employee working as the manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited, and M Sivasankar, the ex-Principal Secretary to Kerala CM were also arrested in this case.

In January 2020, the NIA had filed a charge sheet before the Special Court. Claiming that the conspiracy started in June 2019, the agency alleged that the aforesaid persons raised funds and smuggled 167 kg of gold between November 2019 and June 2020 through the import cargo addressed to diplomats at the Consulate General of UAE in Thiruvananthapuram. Moreover, it added that the main accused had planned to smuggle more gold from countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Holding them responsible for threatening the "economic security of India", the agency revealed that the probe against absconding persons and others who facilitated the crime is underway.

(With PTI Inputs)

(Image Credits: PTI/@MUMBAICUS1-TWITTER)
The Chennai police have arrested a former AIADMK Minister M Manikandan from Bengaluru for allegedly raping a Malaysian woman and causing miscarriage as well as for criminal intimidation. He was arrested after the Madras High Court refused to give an anticipatory bill to him. The former Minister was absconding and two special teams were formed to nab him.

In May, the woman had lodged a complaint against the former Minister, accusing him of cheating her. As per reports, the Adyar All Women Police booked him under different Sections of the IPC, including 376 (rape), 313 (causing miscarriage without womans consent), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 417 (punishment for cheating), 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) and the IT Act.

Manikandan accused of abusing, cheating

As per the complaint, Manikandan had cheated the woman after having been in a live-in relationship with her for a few years. She also mentioned that he had promised to marry her and made her pregnant thrice, forced her to get abortions, and threatened her family members in Malaysia when she insisted on marriage. However, Manikandan reportedly denied all the allegations made by her.

Earlier this month, the former Minister had moved the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail, following which, the Court had directed the police not to arrest him till June 9.

Noting that all the details of her abuse had been mentioned in the complaint, Shantini Theva, the woman who complained, claimed that she had WhatsApp photos as evidence to show that she lived with Manikandan for five years. Showing pictures from her alleged WhatsApp chat with the AIADMK leader (which she attached with her complaint to the Police), she claimed that Manikandan had threatened her by saying that he had photos of her including those in compromising position.
Srinagar/Jammu, Jun 19 (PTI) The National Conference, PDP and the Congress on Saturday said they will take a call on attending a meeting with the prime minister in Delhi after deliberations within their respective parties, while the BJP expressed hope that all invitees will take part in the all-party deliberations.

Fourteen leaders of eight political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have been invited to the meeting that will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24 to discuss the future course of action for the union territory.

The BJP and the Altaf Bukhari-led Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party have confirmed their participation in the meeting, while five -- NC, PDP, Congress, Peoples Conference and CPI(M) -- will take a call after intra-party deliberations. There was no immediate reaction available from Bhim Singh of the Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party.

The meeting -- the first such exercise since the Centre announced the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and its bifurcation into union territories in August 2019 -- is likely to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders.

National Conference President and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said that he had received a phone call inviting him the all-party meeting. "It is welcome step and I will be consulting senior party leaders in next few days to discuss the future course of action," he told PTI in Srinagar.

The PDP will hold a meeting on Sunday to discuss the invitation of the Centre to political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for talks, party president Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday.

Mehbooba told PTI, "There is no clear-cut agenda about the talks with New Delhi. However, I have asked my party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) for a meeting to discuss the same." The last chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, who had an alliance government with the BJP from 2016 to 2018, she said that the decision of whether to participate in the talks would be taken by the party.

"There is no agenda for the meeting but I was conveyed that the meeting is being called to review the general situation and how to take the political process forward. There is no clear-cut agenda," Mehbooba said.

CPM leader M Y Tarigami said that he had received the call and that he would discuss the issue of the participation in the meeting with his party before taking a final call on it.

Congress unit chief G A Mir said that he would wait for instructions from the party high command about the attendance of the meeting. Holding dialogue was a welcome step as dialogue with stakeholders was the only way forward, he added.

Though, we do not know the agenda of the meeting yet, I think, by Monday, we will be able to say something (over the issue of participation in the meeting), Mir said.

A Peoples Conference leader said the party leadership will sit together on Sunday or the day after to take a decision on whether to participate in the meeting or not.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) chief Bukhari told PTI, We will go to attend the meeting. We have always believed in dialogue and we are committed to it and committed to our promises of restoring the democratic rights and the identity of the people of J-K. He said the party has been able to achieve its promises of land and job rights for the domiciles of the union territory and we believe, the statehood should be restored as well.

The BJP said it is confident that all the Jammu and Kashmir leaders invited to a meeting with the prime minister in Delhi to discuss the future course of action for the union territory will attend the "important" deliberations.

BJP Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina, who is among the invitees, claimed the meeting convened by the prime minister is in accordance with the wishes of heads of various political parties who have been seeking time from him and demanding such a meeting for a long time.

"The leaders of all political parties of JK are meeting the prime minister in Delhi on June 24 and I have also received an invitation from the Prime Minister's Office. All parties' meetings are being convened in special circumstances and there was also a demand from various political parties for such a meeting with regard to JK," Raina said. PTI SSB TAS SKL SMN SMN

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The amount of heat trapped by Earth has doubled over the course of only 14 years. Scientists at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States found that "Earth's energy imbalance approximately doubled" during the 14-year period from 2005 to 2019. The findings of the study have been published in the Geophysical Research Letters.

Heat trapped by Earth has doubled between 2005 & 2019

The balance between how much Sun's radiative energy is absorbed in the atmosphere and at the surface, and how much thermal infrared radiation Earth emits to space determines Earth's climate. For the study, scientists compared data using two independent measurements that include NASAs Cloud and Earths Radiant Energy System (CERES) and data from a global series of ocean buoys called the Argo which allows an accurate estimate of the rate of global warming of the oceans. Norman Loeb, lead author for the study and principal investigator for CERES at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia said that the two independent ways helped them find the changes in Earth's energy imbalance.

"The two very independent ways of looking at changes in Earth's energy imbalance are in really, really good agreement, and they're both showing this very large trend, which gives us a lot of confidence that what we're seeing is a real phenomenon and not just an instrumental artifact, " said Norman Loeb. "The trends we found were quite alarming in a sense," said Loeb in a news release by NASA.

Scientists found that the increase in emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane due to human activity traps heat in the atmosphere. The warming leads to other changes, such as snow and ice melt and increased water vapours and cloud changes that can further enhance the warming. The researchers also found that a shift of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) from a cool phase to a warm phase likely had a role in the intensification of the energy imbalance. Scientists warn that this study is only a "snapshot relative to long-term climate change" which they cannot predict with any certainty. However, the study concludes that if the rate of heat uptake does not subside, greater climate changes should be expected.

"It's likely a mix of anthropogenic forcing and internal variability," said Loeb. "And over this period they're both causing warming, which leads to a fairly large change in Earth's energy imbalance. The magnitude of the increase is unprecedented", said Norman Loeb in the news release by NASA.

IMAGE: Pixabay
Supporters arrived en masse to Mama in the Ivory Coast on Saturday to celebrate the return of former president Laurent Gbagbo.

Gathering just a few blocks from Gbagbo's house, many expressed their happiness for his return by dancing and singing.

"I have left my activities, my work, everything to come and welcome him" said Wahuie Nogo Nina, a 43-year-old retailer and supporter of Gbagbo, "God bless his way so he comes back safe, because he is the only president in Africa (...) who will help us to overcome this situation," she added.

For his supporters, Gbagbo is seen as the solution to overcoming the economic crisis and unemployment they are suffering.

Gbagbo returned to the Ivory Coast on Thursday, a decade after his refusal to concede defeat in a presidential election sparked months of violence that left more than 3,000 people dead.

"A lot of things has happened in the village," said Bertin Kouassi Ouraga, traditional chief of Mama.

"Even his mother has died during this time. So, it's a total relief, a renaissance for the village," Ouraga added just before leaving his house to welcome women coming from neighbouring villages.

The 79 -year-old Chief and friend of Gbagbo, suggested that young people from the town should look at the former president as an example to follow: "young people must see Gbagbo as a reference () that a man from a small village like this one has became an icon for the entire world."

Gbagbo was extradited to the International Criminal Court at The Hague in 2011, and spent eight years awaiting trial on war crimes charges.

A judge acquitted him in 2019, saying prosecutors had failed to prove their case.

The verdict was appealed but upheld in late March, clearing the way for Gbagbo to leave Belgium, where he had spent the past two years.

His opponents maintain he should be jailed in the Ivory Coast and not given a statesman's welcome.

Gbagbo supporters have maintained his prosecution was unfair and politically motivated.

The ex-president garnered nearly 46% of the vote in 2010 and maintains a strong base of supporters.

IMAGE: AP

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Guinea has declared an end to an Ebola outbreak that emerged in February. A total of 16 confirmed cases and seven probable infections were reported in Guineas latest outbreak in which 11 patients survived and 12 people lost their lives, according to World Health Organization. The disease resurfaced in the country since the deadly outbreak that ended in 2016.

End of Ebola outbreak in Guinea

The Ebola outbreak in Guinea from 2014 to 2016 killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa. Guineas latest outbreak was declared on February 14 after three cases were detected in Gouecke, a rural community in the southern Nzerekore prefecture. Health authorities with support from WHO were able to move swiftly to tackle the outbreak, due to the lessons learned during the outbreak in Guinea and Congo. The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement said that the expertise gained during the last outbreak helped to control the outbreak in Guinea. Ghebreyesus appreciated the efforts of health workers, the government and the people of Guinea who worked to control the Ebola outbreak.

"Based on the lessons learned from the 201416 outbreak and through rapid, coordinated response efforts, community engagement, effective public health measures and the equitable use of vaccines, Guinea managed to control the outbreak and prevent its spread beyond its borders," said the WHO chief in a statement.

GOOD NEWS from Guinea!



The #Ebola outbreak in #Guinea has been officially declared over after just 4 months!



Congratulations to health authorities, health workers, & communities for the swift response while battling #COVID19! End of Ebola in Guinea: https://t.co/fqab5CbJDr pic.twitter.com/wRhR5dNJ7s  WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) June 19, 2021

#Ebola outbreak in #Guinea declared over! I commend the affected communities, the government & people of , #healthworkers, partners & everyone else whose dedicated efforts made it possible to contain this outbreak. https://t.co/eCdpX3vyha  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 19, 2021

Based on the lessons learned from the 201416 #Ebola outbreak & through rapid, coordinated response efforts, community engagement, effective public health measures & the equitable use of vaccines, #Guinea managed to control the outbreak & prevent its spread beyond its borders.  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 19, 2021

WHO helped to ship around 24,000 Ebola vaccine doses and supported the vaccination of nearly 11, 000 people at high risk, including more than 2800 frontline health workers. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said that lessons learned from the past outbreak helped in containing the outbreak in just four months in Guinea. Moeti warned that they must remain alert for a "possible resurgence".

"Although this Ebola outbreak flared up in the same area as the West Africa one which killed 11 000 people, thanks to new innovations and lessons learned, Guinea managed to contain the virus in four months," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti in a statement. "We are getting faster, better and smarter at fighting Ebola. But while this outbreak is over, we must stay alert for a possible resurgence and ensure the expertise in Ebola expands to other health threats such as COVID-19," Moeti added.

IMAGE: AP/WHO/Twitter
Dozens of human rights advocates briefly blocked Croatias border with Bosnia on Saturday to protest the European Unions migration policies.

The protesters demanded that EUs border agency, Frontex, be dismantled and countries end their pushbacks of migrants trying to reach Western Europe. Waving banners reading Stop deportation, or No human is illegal, they parked cars at the border and shouted slogans against EU policies.

No incidents were reported as Croatian police stood nearby.

Croatian officers have faced allegations of using violence to turn back migrants trying to come in from Bosnia, which authorities have denied.

Thousands of people remain stranded in Bosnia while waiting for a chance to cross into the EU member state Croatia and move on toward other, wealthier EU nations.

Francesco Cibati, from a rights group based in Trieste, Italy, said protesters came to demand that everyone be granted the right to seek asylum. He said organizations from Spain, Germany, France, Austria and Slovenia supported the protest.

European Union is violently pushing back people and Croatian police is doing that on behalf of European Union, paid by European Union," he said. "So we are here to protest this situation, which is intolerable.

Migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Mideast, Africa or Asia come to the Balkans by first arriving in Turkey, then slipping into Greece or Bulgaria before moving on toward North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia.

IMAGE: AP

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Over 100 people from various European countries briefly blocked a border post between Croatia and Bosnia on Saturday, demanding human rights for migrants entering the European Union.

Members of human rights NGOs, mostly from Italy, but also from Germany, Austria, Spain and Slovenia, managed to block off the border traffic for couple of hours, by parking their cars in the middle of the border line.

The border crossing connecting the EU with northwestern Bosnia has often been used by migrants attempting to cross into the bloc.

Protesters demanded that violent pushbacks of migrants, allegedly conducted by Croatian police, stop immediately.

Francesco Cibati, president of Italian human rights organisation Linea D'Ombra, which was involved in the protest, told The Associated Press they were "sick" of the EU's approach to migration.

The current situation was "not tolerable", Cibati added, as he called for the abolition of the EU's border force Frontex.

Croatian police did not react to the protest and the demonstration soon dispersed on Saturday.

But, the protesters said that they will be coming back, demanding a stop to the deportation of migrants from the EU and for the EU to grant asylum to those who need it.

IMAGE: AP

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A Liberian rebel has been sentenced in Switzerland to 20 years in jail for rape, murders and an act of cannibalism. Alieu Kosiah has been found guilty of war crimes during Liberias first civil war in the 1990s. The Swiss Federal Criminal Court in the city of Bellinzona, Switzerland, delivered its judgment in the trial of Alieu Kosiah on June 18.

Liberian rebel sentenced in Switzerland

Kosiah is the first person to be tried for war crimes in a non-military criminal court in Switzerland, reported BBC. He is also the first Liberian to be tried and convicted for war crimes committed during the first Liberian civil war, from 1989 to 1996. As per reports, Kosiah was a rebel leader and a part of the ULIMO movement which from 1991 fought against Taylors control of the country.

The authorities reportedly arrested Kosiah on November 10, 2014, in Switzerland, where he had been living since 1999. The arrest followed criminal complaints against him by seven Liberian victims who became formal parties to the proceeding. After a nearly five-year investigation, the Swiss attorney generals office filed an indictment against Kosiah in March 2019. Swiss prosecutors accused him of various crimes, including ordering the murder and cruel treatment of civilians, rape.

Kosiah has been sentenced to 20-year prison including the six years he has already served in detention. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based rights group, described court's ruling as a "landmark step for Liberians". Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at HRW, said that more than 20 years later of committing crimes, the guilty was convicted.

"More than 20 years after the violations were committed, victims played a vital role in securing the first conviction for war crimes during Liberias civil war," said Balkees Jarrah said in a statement.

IMAGE: AP
Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry met with his Libyan counterpart, Najla Mangoush in Cairo on Saturday.

In a joint press conference Sameh Shoukry emphasized the importance of "achieving clear results" during the upcoming Berlin conference on Libya, confirming the "commitment" of all parties in reaching a positive outcome.

Najla Mangoush spoke of the opportunities for the Government of National Unity of Libya to bring "a national unified vision and a clear strategy" to the Berlin meetings, where historically Libya has not been involved due to "political splits and lack of unified visions."

Germany and the United Nations plan to host the Berlin conference on Libya on 23 June, and it will follow up on a first conference held in January 2020 at which leaders agreed to respect an arms embargo and push Libya's warring parties to reach a full cease-fire.

The countries that have been involved in the process include; the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, along with Italy, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

The Berlin conference also aims to bring together powers with interests in the North African country and its transitional government.

The agenda will include discussions for preparations for elections in December and the withdrawal of foreign forces.

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Dozens of Israelis protested outside the prime minister's official residency in Jerusalem Saturday, calling for opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu to move out now that he is no longer in power.

Israel's parliament narrowly approved a new coalition government on Sunday, ending the historic 12-year rule of Netanyahu and sending the polarizing leader into the opposition.

Naftali Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu turned rival, became prime minister after the 60-59 vote.

The protesters have been gathering each Saturday for more than one year demanding Netanyahu resigns and leaves as he's on trial for alleged corruptive affairs.

This time they also placed a truck outside the official residency, with "crime minister" written along the side.

"We are ready to help him (move) anytime," protester Ishay Hadas said, standing in front of the truck.

Protesters chanted "Bibi go from here", in reference to Netanyahu's nickname, and called for the ex-prime minister to leave to his private house in Caesarea, a coastal town north of Tel Aviv.

Mordechai Avraham, a protester from Jerusalem, likened Netanyahu's actions to former-U.S. President Donald Trump's comments after the November U.S. elections.

"He thinks that if he will keep on saying I'm the prime minister, if he will stay in the home of the prime minister, people will believe that he is the prime minister, people will believe that he is going to come back because this is what he told them," Avraham said.

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In an interview with a television network, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that Pakistan will "absolutely not" allow the CIA to use bases on its soil for cross-border counterterrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

The Pakistan PM restated his stance on the use of military bases in an interview that will air on Monday. He said that Islamabad will not allow it. To keep militancy away, the United States is in negotiations with Pakistan and other regional governments about future operations in Afghanistan. Imran Khan was again questioned by the US media on granting the CIA access to military bases.

Theres no way were going to allow any bases or any sort of action from Pakistani territory into Afghanistan. Absolutely not," he said, as per the report.

In April, US President Joe Biden announced that all American troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 this year. A similar troop-pullout was announced by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

UN concerned about Taliban crisis

Meanwhile, a panel of UN experts said this month that violence perpetrated by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan continues to hamper the peace negotiations with the Afghanistan government. The U.N. experts, who monitor sanctions against the Taliban, predicted more violence in the run-up to their departure, raising a significant question as to how would the Afghanistan military manage without any external support. A peace deal that Washington brokered with the Taliban and signed in February 2020 was aimed at bringing American troops home and ending more than four decades of relentless wars following the 1979 Afghan invasion by forces from the former Soviet Union.
Taken aback by PM Modi convening all-party meeting of Kashmiri politicians, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday, 'warned' India against taking further steps in Jammu-Kashmir. In a statement, Qureshi said that Pakistan opposed any moves to further 'dilute the Kashmiris' identity'. Pakistan has written to UN Security Council President worrying that India may be contemplating further divisions, bifurcation and demographic changes in J&K.

Pakistan worried about PM's all-party meet

Qureshi issued a statement that reads, "Pakistan had resolutely opposed Indias actions of 5 August, 2019 and taken up the issue at all international fora, including the UN Security Council. Pakistan is firmly resolved to oppose any Indian moves that sought to divide and bifurcate J&K to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, further dilute the distinct identity of the Kashmiris, and perpetuate Indian occupation of J&K. As a forewarning, he had apprised the President of the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General about Indias possible moves".

It added, "Referring to the illegal domicile rules and land laws introduced by India in J&K, which were aimed at converting Kashmiris into a minority in their own land, the foreign minister underscored that such Indian actions to impose a new demographic reality on J&K were a clear violation of international law including the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the 4th Geneva Convention. Foreign Minister Qureshi called upon the international community, especially the members of the UN Security Council, to stop India from doubling down on its illegal actions in J&K and avoid imperiling the already volatile peace and security situation in South Asia."

PM Modi's all-party meet on J&K

The Centre has extended an invite to top Kashmiri political parties - NC, PDP, Congress, Apni Party, CPM to come to New Delhi for talks to bolster political activities in the Union Territory. The meeting to held on June 24, will be chaired by PM Modi and attended by Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha, Home Minister Amit Shah, Home Secretary etc. The meeting comes in the backdrop of the EC commencing delimitation exercise in J&K which has been extending till 2022. Once the delimitation commission submits its report, the EC would conduct the polls.

Mulling on attending such a meeting PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, NC chief Farooq Abdullah will chair a political affairs committee (PAC) meeting to decide the same. Congress chief GA Mir said he will consult the national leadership but will attend such a meeting while J&K Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir too welcomed the move. All parties have denied receiving a formal invitation, but have confirmed receiving a call about the meet - which would be a first, since the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir when the State was bifurcated, turned into Union Territory.
At least 18 people have been killed and many injured after heavy rainfall unleashed floods and landslides in Nepal. Those who lost their lives re four women and three children, as per Nepal Police Headquarters. Previously, Nepali authorities had confirmed that the fatalities include one Indian and a Chinese worker at a development project. And a total of 21 others have been missing, according to PTI.

Over the last week, the Himalayan country has been hit by torrential rains causing widespread flood and damage to critical infrastructure. The downpour, which began last Tuesday, has swelled rivers, broken bridges, damaged roads, obliterated homes and other buildings as well as killed livestock. As per the authorities, hundreds of people have been forced to move to community shelters, including schools, sheds and tents. At present, rescue and relief operations are being carried out in joint efforts by Nepal Police, the Army, and the Armed Police Force, according to Arun Pokharel, the Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk. The Army used helicopters to rescue people trapped on top of buildings.

Whether its global warming or the pandemic, its the poorest people of the poorest countries bearing burden they were not responsible in creating and are not in a position to deal with. Global problems need global solutions.

We are not safe until everyone is safe.#NepalFloods pic.twitter.com/ozSoBgpHtP  PragatiGhimire (@PragatiGhimire2) June 16, 2021

Torrential rains in Nepal

Arun Pokhrel, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchowk said, "We suspect the flood originated from the main source of Melamchi and Indrawati River. As of now we only have confirmed report of one dead."

In Sindhupalchok, two concrete motorable bridges and an estimated five to six suspension bridges have collapsed, in addition to the deaths. Land for agriculture and fish farms has also been flooded. Excessive flooding has forced the closure of a police station in Helambu town, an Armed Police Force Camp, and the Melamchi Drinking Water Project. Over 300 hutments in Melamchi River communities have been swept away. In Lamjung district, over 15 houses have been washed away. Nearly 200 homes in low-lying portions of the district are under risk, according to officials.

Pray for Nepal 7 lost their life more than 20 are missing.#floods #nepalfloods pic.twitter.com/1mp83TggeZ  NP Neupane (@sandipnpn1) June 17, 2021

Image: sandipnpn1/Twitter
Supporters of Keiko Fujimori and the Fuerza Popular party marched in Lima on Saturday, demanding an annulment of the run-off election.

The participants claimed to be against the communism they believe presidential candidate Pedro Castillo represents.

Castillo was up against Fujimori in the second round of the country's presidential election on 6 June.

However no winner was declared.

According to the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) official results, Pedro Castillo received 50.125% of the votes and Fujimori received 49.875%.

The body in charge of announcing the winner has said it is still reviewing the votes amid allegations of voting irregularities.

Fujimori has made claims of large-scale election fraud.

"We'll give our lives for the country; it's not about Keiko, it's about Peru," said Nancy Falla, a supporter of the Fuerza Popular party.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
US President Joe Biden plans to host Israels President Reuven Rivlin at the White House on June 28, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. According to a press release, Rivlins visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the US and Israel. The visit will also be shortly before Rivlin is due to end his seven-year term in July.

Psaki said, President Rivlins visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel and the deep ties between our governments and our people. It will be an opportunity to consult about the many challenges and opportunities facing the region.

She added, As President Rivlin approaches the end of his term, this visit will honor the dedication he has shown to strengthening the friendship between the two countries over the course of many years.

It is worth mentioning that the role of the president in Israel is largely ceremonial but also meant to promote unity among the ethnic and religious groups. Issac Herzog was elected as Israels new president earlier this month in elections that also marked the end of the era of PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli government changed after last months fighting between Israel and Palestine militants in Gaza also touched off rare mob violence among the Jewish majority and Arab minority within Israeli cities.

Naftali Bennett will now be Israels Prime Minister until September 2023 as a part of the power-sharing deal. As per reports, he will then transfer the power to Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid, for another two years. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who has dominated Israels political landscape for several years, will remain the head of the Likud party and become the opposition leader.

Biden congratulates new Israel PM

Earlier this month, Biden even congratulated Bennett after he was elected as the new Prime Minister of Israel. In a telephonic conversation, Biden recalled his decades-long support for the US-Israel relationship and vowed to deepen cooperation between both nations. Moreover, the US President and the Yamina chief agreed to consult each other on all regional security issues. Biden also conveyed that his administration will work closely with the new Israeli government to advance peace, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.

In a statement, the US president added, "Israel has no better friend than the United States. The bond that unites our people is evidence of our shared values and decades of close cooperation and as we continue to strengthen our partnership, the United States remains unwavering in its support for Israels security".

(Image: AP)
In a further embarrassment for the Pakistan military establishment, MQM supporters staged a peaceful protest rally in front of the White House on Saturday seeking the right to self-determination for the people of Sindh. Alleging that the Mohajir community is the most vulnerable to ISI's atrocities and brutalities, they submitted a petition to the White House as well as the US State Department. The petition urged that a team of the United Nations should visit Sindh to ascertain the ground reality.

Moreover, it sought the intervention of the UN and human rights organizations to stop ongoing human rights violations including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killing and political victimization of the people of Sindh. The petition also raised the issue of China's overarching influence in Pakistan. The protesters added, "Stop the spread of Islamic extremism in the south Asia region protected by Pakistan Army and ISI. Stop ethnic cleansing of Mohajir community".

MQM and Altaf Hussain's importance in Pakistan

Born in a middle-class family in September 1953, Altaf Hussain's family moved to Karachi from Uttar Pradesh at the time of partition. This group comprising millions of Urdu-speaking people is known as the Mohajir community in Pakistan. When he was a pharmacy student, he became active in the student politics scene. As the Mohajir community began losing its initial importance after the 1970s, it began to express an increasing sense of insecurity. This sentiment was effectively tapped by Hussain. In 1984, he formed MQM which became a major political force in 1988 by becoming the third-largest party in the national legislature.

However, Hussain faced a major setback after the Pakistani Army ordered a major crackdown on MQM in the early 1990s. Accused in a murder case, Hussain fled Pakistan and requested asylum from the United Kingdom. Years later, he gained citizenship of the UK. Nevertheless, he would address huge rallies in Pakistan via telephone and continued to have a major influence over the politics of Karachi. In 2016, owing to the alleged pressure from the Pakistani military establishment, MQM was forced to publicly sever its connection from Hussain. But an MQM faction headed by him continues to operate from abroad. With 7 seats, MQM is currently a part of the Pakistan government.

Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had explained why he did not wish to return to Pakistan. He stated, "I came to London because several persistent assassination attempts were made on my life. But the first time in the history of Pakistan, a suicide bomb attack was carried out to assassinate me. They were the hired killers of ISI.

(With PTI inputs)
YEREVAN -- Armenians voted in snap elections on June 20 with tensions running high following a monthslong political crisis fueled by the defeat of Armenian forces against Azerbaijan in a six-week war last autumn over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.



Preliminary results with only 8 percent of precincts counted showed Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's Civil Contract party leading with 61.7 percent of the votes ahead of former President Robert Kocharian's Armenia Alliance with 17.6 percent.



Prosperous Armenia, a party led by business tycoon Gagik Tsarukian, was third with 5.32 percent of the vote.



More results were expected to roll in over the course of the morning.



The Central Election Commission said nearly 50 percent of around 2.6 million eligible voters cast their ballots.



"On the whole, the election was conducted in accordance with the country's legislation," said the head of the Central Electoral Commission, Tigran Mukuchian.



With a total of 21 parties and four alliances taking part in the election, the final political constellation that emerges may not be known for days or even weeks if no party secures a majority.



Opinion polls before the election showed the contest to be mainly a neck-and-neck race between Pashinian's party and Kocharian's newly created alliance, with each mustering about 24 percent support.

A voter in Yerevan told RFE/RL that he voted for peace and unity.

"Be it Nikol [Pashinian], Robert [Kocharian] or anyone else, they should take care of the nation and raise it back to its feet," the man said.

Pashinian called the early elections in response to sustained opposition rallies and dissent within the state over his handling of the war that ended with a Moscow-brokered cease-fire in November.

Pashinian, who swept to power after leading large anti-establishment protests in 2018 that ousted his predecessor, stepped down as required by law to allow the election to take place but remains the country's leader. The new parliament could restore him to the post or choose a new prime minister.

Despite Pashinian's dwindling poll numbers, down from 60 percent before the war, the former journalist has shown he can still draw thousands of supporters to rallies.

The fragile peace deal restored Baku's sovereignty over a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts that had been controlled by ethnic Armenian forces since a war in the early 1990s. The defeat stunned Armenians, and prompted months of recriminations and political infighting.



Pashinian has defended the deal, saying it prevented Turkish-backed Azerbaijani forces from taking control over the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region. He has also blamed previous administrations for wasting diplomatic opportunities and endemic corruption that left the military unprepared.

More than 6,000 people were killed in the autumn war and thousands of civilians displaced, while the Armenia-Azerbaijan border area remains tense and the long-term fate of the peace deal uncertain. The issue of prisoners of war and other detainees is a potent social issue as well.

Kocharian, a native of Nagorno-Karabakh, ran a campaign promising security, economic growth, and resolving political tensions.

"I voted for a dignified peace and economic growth, this is my choice," Kocharian told reporters after casting his ballot on June 20.

In addition to being president between 1998 and 2008, he was one of the leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh's separatist forces during the early 1990s war and became the region's first de facto president between 1994 and 1997.



While president of Armenia, he was accused of acting unlawfully by sending police to disperse postelection protests in Yerevan in 2008. Eight demonstrators and two police officers died in the clashes.



Pashinian was one of the organizers of the 2008 protest and was ultimately jailed until being released in 2011 under a government amnesty.

Kocharian was later charged over the deadly crackdown on protesters and spent about a year and a half in pretrial detention. He was cleared of criminal charges earlier this year in a case the former president said was a politically motivated attack by Pashinian, but still faces a separate corruption probe.

During the 12-day election campaign, emotionally charged threats and insults raised concerns of postelection violence, especially in the event of allegations that the result is rigged or otherwise challenged. More than a dozen opposition candidates and activists were detained during the campaign, accused of bullying or bribing voters.



On the eve of the election, the largely ceremonial President Armen Sarkisian urged voters to remain peaceful, saying it would be unacceptable that "political and moral boundaries are crossed, that the situation escalates and hatred and enmity are fomented."



The outcome of the vote may hinge on which smaller parties clear a 5 percent threshold and which political alliances cross the required 7 percent hurdle to enter parliament.



If no party or alliance wins an outright majority, Pashinian or Kocharian will have six days to cobble together a coalition with smaller parties.



Failure to find a coalition leads to a runoff vote between the two top parties or alliances that determines the final distribution of seats under Armenia's so-called "stable majority" rule.



That provision automatically gives the winner of the runoff 54 percent of the legislature's seats. Remaining seats would be divided as mandated by the first-round results.

Many analysts say the country is likely to either have a coalition government or face a runoff.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa
Negotiators have adjourned talks on reviving the Iran nuclear deal for consultations in their capitals, saying on June 20 that further progress was made to restore the agreement but it's now up to the governments involved to make political decisions.

Enrique Mora, the European Union's envoy to the negotiations, gave no indication when the talks would resume but said progress had been made on a number of technical issues and the participants would have a clearer idea of how to close a deal when they return.

"We have now more clarity on technical documents -- all of them quite complex -- and that clarity allows us to have also a great idea of what the political problems are," Mora said.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's envoy at the negotiations, said he expected the diplomats to return for the final round in about 10 days and said they could finalize negotiations next month.

"I believe we have all chances to arrive at the final point of our negotiations, maybe even by mid-July, unless something extraordinary and negative happens," he said.

In a written statement, senior diplomats from Britain, France, and Germany, known as the E3, urged speedy decision-making.

"Delegations will now travel to capitals in order to consult with their leadership," the diplomats said. "We urge all sides to return to Vienna and be ready to conclude a deal. The time for decision is fast approaching."

The comments came after the latest round of negotiations involving Iran and six world powers that have been going on in Vienna since April.

The meeting was overshadowed by the election of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners in control of Iran's government.

Raisi, who won nearly 62 percent of the vote in the June 18 election, will take office in early August, replacing Hassan Rohani, who has served the maximum two consecutive terms. He was a key architect of the nuclear deal, which lifted some international sanctions in exchange for Iran agreeing to curbs on its nuclear program.

EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell said on June 20 he hoped the election of Raisi would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

"We are very close. We have been working for two months," Borrell told reporters during a visit to Beirut. "So I hope that the results of the elections is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process."

Israel's new prime minister warned that Raisi's election was "the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with."

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Raisi was "infamous among Iranians and across the world" for alleged crimes against humanity for his part in execution trials three decades ago.

"A regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions," Bennett said.

Israel has long opposed Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran insists is intended for peaceful purposes.

The United States in 2018 withdrew from the landmark pact under which Iran agreed to curtail its nuclear ambitions in exchange for the lifting of many sanctions against it.

The remaining parties to the deal are Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany, and the European Union.

The United States is present, but not directly negotiating, mainly due to Iran's refusal to meet face-to-face. Instead, the U.S. delegation is at a nearby location in Vienna, with the other delegations and the EU as go-betweens.

Since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 deal, Tehran has rebuilt some of its stockpiles of enriched uranium, a potential pathway to weapons.

Trump's successor, Joe Biden, has indicated a willingness to rejoin the agreement once Washington is certain that Tehran is willing to respect its commitments.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
The Serbian Interior Ministry has ignored an official request seeking documents to shed light on a politician's allegation that Russian diplomats attacked his teenage daughter at a Belgrade McDonald's two years ago before they were whisked away and the incident was swept under the carpet by police.

An opposition leader and Milosevic-era dissident targeted by assassins in the past, Liberal Democratic Party head Cedomir Jovanovic announced last month that he was breaking his public silence over the incident after Serbian police told him they were withdrawing protection for his family.

He has since filed a complaint accusing the Serbian chief of police of dereliction of duty and had a run-in with police after a late-night skirmish with "hooligans" blasting nationalist songs near his Belgrade home on June 2, prompting prosecutors to order criminal charges against him.

Jovanovic called the charges retaliation for his complaint against police chief Vladimir Rebic and pledged to tell the prosecutor everything he knows about hooligans. But he also told B92 that "I will ask who is responsible for the assassination attempts against me, the attacks on my daughter, [and] for planting a bomb under my car."

The outspoken Jovanovic, who has had police protection since a bomb tore through his car in 2001, said the authorities asked him to stay quiet after they were called to respond to the summertime confrontation and scuffle involving his then-14-year-old daughter.

He accuses authorities in Belgrade of trying to "bury" the incident, in which he says three men with Russian diplomatic passports assaulted his daughter's friend and a bystander, then forcibly laced her drink with the hallucinogenic drug known as ecstasy.

His accusations come with tensions high between Moscow and Western governments over years of alleged Russian military-intelligence poisonings and other attacks on targets abroad, including in Britain, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.

Serbia's Interior Ministry and other officials have declined RFE/RL requests for comment on Jovanovic's charges about the alleged attack on his daughter, which he originally aired in an interview with news outlet Blic on May 14.

Within hours of their publication, Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Aleksandr Botsan-Harchenko called the allegations "malicious fabrications."

Jovanovic said Serbian authorities told him verbally that they had closed the case without any charges and were recently under Russian pressure to put the incident behind the two allies.

"[They told us] the case was closed because we, as parents, gave our statements a few days after the event [at the McDonald's], those people [named in the report] never responded, and, in the last few days, at the request of the Russian Embassy, the MUP (the Serbian Interior Ministry) has been doing the documentation to try to bury it all somewhere deep in the past [and] that way put an end to it all," Jovanovic told RFE/RL's Balkan Service.

Outspoken Centrist

The 50-year-old Jovanovic has been a fixture on Serbia's shifting political landscape since organizing student protests against Slobodan Milosevic's leadership in Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

He was said to have been a key figure in negotiations leading to Milosevic's peaceful surrender after masked government troops stormed the ousted president's villa in March 2001. After the surrender, Milosevic's daughter, Marija, reportedly fired a shot at Jovanovic, who years later said he declined to testify against her to avoid "making an already hard situation for her even harder."

But that early exposure has not translated into election victories.

Jovanovic has variously joined, quit, or founded multiple centrist political parties in the subsequent decades and made unsuccessful presidential bids in 2008 and 2012.

He has been a consistent Russia critic and backed a pro-Western path for Serbia that, controversially among Serbs still bitter over Western intervention during the conflicts of the 1990s, would include eventual NATO membership.

Jovanovic is a frequent target of criticism by Serbian nationalists and other right-wing elements who object to his acknowledgment of Serbs' role in ethnic cleansing in the '90s, support for Kosovo's independence, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.

He has talked about receiving regular death threats against him and his family. He was assigned personal police protection after narrowly escaping a car bomb in Belgrade in February 2001.

In that incident, Jovanovic's SUV exploded shortly after a meeting with then-Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic and a senior Yugoslav State Security official at which Jovanovic and the minister probed the official about past political assassinations.

More than a decade later, a former member of the Serbian State Guard was sentenced to prison for phoning death threats to Jovanovic in 2012.

In Plain Sight

As Jovanovic described it, his daughter Jana and a friend were approached by three strangers at a McDonald's in the summer of 2019. The three men pushed away the friend before openly pouring a powdery substance into Jana's beverage and trying to force her to drink it, he said.

A bystander who intervened to ask if his daughter was OK was knocked to the ground by one of the three men, he added. The friend called Jovanovic's wife, who called the police.

"When [the police] arrived," Jovanovic said, "the three men took out Russian diplomatic passports, then someone from the Russian Embassy came for them and took them away."

Jovanovic further said a test showed that Jana's drink had been spiked with MDMA, the recreational psychoactive drug commonly known as "ecstasy." Jovanovic could not provide RFE/RL with any evidence of the MDMA finding.

Jovanovic told Blic and RFE/RL this month that he went public only after he was unofficially informed by police that they would soon be withdrawing police protection for his children.

He had not been provided any written confirmation of such a decision. But he said his response was to tell the police that if they weren't protecting the rest of his family, he didn't want police protection either.

His criminal complaint against Serbia's police chief alleges that Rebic's actions are endangering the lives of Jovanovic and his family members, and says Rebic's statements to the media over the June 2 incident foster public hatred toward them.

The Russian Embassy declined to comment for RFE/RL's Balkan Service on Jovanovic's accusations, beyond Botsan-Harchenko's initial denial.

The Serbian Interior Ministry has also refused to respond to questions on the case, and it ignored a 15-day deadline that expired earlier this month for responding to an RFE/RL freedom-of-information request regarding the related documents.

Diplomatic Rifts

Jovanovic alleges he is targeted by Moscow and its intelligence and diplomatic arms for intimidation because he represents a threat to Russian policies in the Balkans.

"If all of them together think that they are indirectly blackmailing me in such a way, to stop me from what I am doing in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the entire region, then they're wrong," he said.

Serbia, a fellow Eastern Orthodox ally with significant diplomatic and defense ties to Russia, is widely regarded as Moscow's closest ally in the Balkans.

Serbs and Russians have had generally close official relations for centuries, although Belgrade has spent decades diversifying its diplomatic efforts as it seeks EU membership.

Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin was on an official visit to Moscow when Jovanovic aired his accusations this month.

Vulin, who was defense minister at the time of the alleged attack on Jovanovic's daughter, has spent years strengthening Serbian-Russian security cooperation. Those efforts included a fresh commitment to a Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center in the city of Nis, in southern Serbia, that is thought by U.S. and other Western officials to be an outpost for Russian spies under diplomatic cover.

Russia came under increasing international scrutiny for its covert operations abroad after the deadly radiation poisoning -- allegedly by former KGB agents -- of former KGB and Federal Security Service (FSB) agent Aleksandr Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Sanctions and diplomatic pressure intensified after two Russian GRU military-intelligence officers were blamed for the poisoning of Russian intelligence defector Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury in 2018.

The Czech Republic's declaration in April that the same two GRU agents were likely behind a deadly 2014 attack on an ammunition depot in that country sparked the expulsion of an alleged nest of Russian spies under diplomatic cover in Prague.

That was followed by counterexpulsions by Moscow and then European "solidarity expulsions" in support of the Czechs, as well as new evidence potentially tying the same men and their secretive GRU unit to attempted assassinations by poisoning in Bulgaria.

Belgrade endured its own intelligence scandal with Moscow in 2019 after video emerged of a Russian military attache appearing to bribe a retired Serbian military officer for information a year earlier.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic eventually confirmed the embarrassing episode but quickly added that it wouldn't affect Belgrade's "friendly and brotherly" policy toward Russia.

Written by Andy Heil in Prague based on reporting by Ljudmila Cvetkovic and Maja Zivanovic of RFE/RL's Balkan Service in Belgrade
The United States is preparing new sanctions against Russia over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan has said.

"We are preparing another package of sanctions to apply in this case as well," Sullivan said on CNN on June 20.

Sullivan said the sanctions will come once the United States ensures that the right entities are targeted.

"When we do that, we will impose further sanctions with respect to chemical weapons," Sullivan said.

Navalny was arrested in January when he returned to Russia from Germany, where he had received treatment for a near-fatal poisoning in August with a Soviet-era nerve agent. Navalny has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin directly for the attack, a claim the Kremlin has denied.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he told Putin during their summit last week that human rights will always be on the table and that he will continue to raise the issue, including the arrest of Navalny.

Biden said that he also warned Putin of the consequences if Navalny were to die in prison, telling reporters at a news conference that he "made it clear" that the consequences should Navalny die "would be devastating for Russia."

The Biden administration announced in March that it was placing sanctions on seven senior Russian officials, including Putin's deputy chief of staff, after a U.S. intelligence assessment concluded "with high confidence" that officers from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) were behind Navalny's poisoning.

The U.S. announcement came on the heels of European Union sanctions against four senior Russian officials.

Russia reacted angrily, saying the move was "absolutely unacceptable" and would have a destructive effect on the country's already bad relations with the United States and the European Union.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov was recalled later in March following a comment by Biden indicating he agreed that Putin is a "killer."

Relations between Washington and Moscow further deteriorated in April when the United States announced sanctions against dozens of Russian individuals and entities and expelled 10 Russian diplomats as it moved to hold the Kremlin accountable for election interference and a massive cyberattack on U.S. government and corporate computer networks.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan also returned to the United States for consultations.

Around the same time, Biden said the United States wanted a stable, predictable relationship with Russia and proposed the summit that took place last week in Geneva, Switzerland.

No major breakthroughs were announced after the summit, but the two leaders said they found some common ground on minor issues and announced their ambassadors would soon be returning to their posts.

Antonov departed Moscow on June 20 to return to Washington. No date has been announced for Sullivan's return.

Antonov is due to start work in Washington on June 21. He told RIA Novosti that he was optimistic and wanted to help build "equal and pragmatic" relations with the United States.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and RFE/RL's Russian Service
Uzbekistan is once again worrying about where some of its citizens are studying Islam and officials in the country and its embassies in Egypt and Turkey are taking measures to ease these concerns.

The Uzbek government has apparently recalled some 1,500 young people studying at religious schools in Egypt in recent months.

The reasons are still vague, but Uzbek authorities are not only working to bring back some of their citizens studying Islam in Egypt and Turkey, they are also tightening control over who leaves the country to study religion abroad.

RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik, said a representative from the Uzbek Embassy in Egypt confirmed in a June 9 phone call that the prestigious Al-Azhar University would now only accept an Uzbek student of religion after Uzbekistan's Committee for Religious Affairs of the Cabinet of Ministers had given an official recommendation for that particular student.

The embassy claimed that according to the administration at Al-Azhar, hundreds of students from Uzbekistan had not been attending their courses or taking exams. The Uzbek Embassy representative in Cairo called this an "alarming fact."

RFE/RL spoke with a person connected to Uzbekistan's State Security Service (DXX). Speaking under condition of anonymity, this person said most of the approximately 1,500 Uzbek students who were brought back from Egypt in recent months were from the Ferghana, Andijon, and Namangan provinces in Uzbekistan's section of the Ferghana Valley, one of the most conservative religious regions in Central Asia.

The embassy in Egypt posted a statement on its website expressing concern that "most citizens" were being taught at dubious "establishments and centers" in Cairo. The source close to the DXX said in many cases these students had flown to Dubai on one-week visas and from there traveled to Egypt.

Ozodlik also noted that in Turkey, at least three madrasahs where Uzbek students were studying were recently closed by the Turkish security service.

Additionally, the source connected to the DXX said that in the first five months of 2021, some 1,800 minors had been stopped at Uzbekistan's borders as they attempted to travel to Egypt to study at religious schools.

Ozodlik's sources said these young people and many of the students in Egypt and Turkey were being sent there, but the sources did not say who was sending them abroad for religious education.

Mubashshir Ahmad is the founder of the Zon.uz website. He studied at Al-Azhar in the 1990s. Ahmad called the Uzbek government's actions "interference" in people's constitutional right to education.

Ahmad has helped arrange for Uzbek citizens to attend madrasahs in Egypt and he claimed that about one month ago, the Foreign Ministry declared "hundreds" of Uzbek citizens in Egypt to be on a "wanted list," including some who were teaching at madrasahs.

Ahmad said an acquaintance had recently returned to Uzbekistan from the Middle East and was questioned about religious schools. He said others had also been questioned upon return to their homeland.

This is not the first time Uzbekistan has recalled religious students studying at foreign schools. In 1997, the Uzbek authorities brought back some 2,000 students from Turkey after hearing that Islamic clerics from fundamentalist sects had been trying to recruit them.

Some were studying the works of the late Kurdish Sunni Muslim theologian Said Nursi, and for more than 10 years after this recall there were arrests and prosecutions in Uzbekistan of people for distributing or teaching the well-known Nursi's works.
MANSFIELD -- Mt. Sinai Baptist Church may be a small community parish, but that doesn't stop its members from making a difference.

The church offers a food pantry and clothing giveaway once a month. The clothing program began eight years ago. The pantry started two years later.

When I first came the church I wanted to make sure we were a church that was doing something to help, not just preaching on Sunday," said Pastor Lawrence Rawls. "People are hurting, people need help.

Both the food pantry and clothing giveaways take place the third Saturday of each month, year round, from 1 to 3 p.m. The church is located at 275 Grace Street in Mansfield.

The church generally serves at least 30 households a month, but has seen up to 60 in times of more dire need.

Rawls said he expects to see a spike in demand when the state discontinues the extra $300 in federal unemployment benefits on June 26.

The pantry is currently offering pre-prepared boxes of food for health and safety purposes. Visitors can browse through the selection of donated clothes inside the church two or three at a time.

The church sources its food through the Cleveland Food Bank, so households must meet certain income eligibility requirements. The clothing is available to anyone regardless of income.

Rawls said the women of the church make sure clothes are clean, hung and organized for easy browsing.

The church is currently not accepting clothing donations due to a great outpour of community support.

Its a decent size church, but we didnt want the clothes to outrun the church," Rawls said. Our parishioners donate some, but weve been getting a lot of clothes from people who just have a big heart."
MANSFIELD  After two years of waiting, the Buckeye state welcomed its newest Miss Ohio on Saturday night  Lora Current.

Current, 20, will represent Ohio at the Miss America Competition later this year. The first runner-up of 2021 Miss Ohio was Miss Miami Valley Mackenzie Rian Perry. The second runner-up was Grace Brown, Miss Franklin County.

Current, from Rosewood in Champaign County, is the current Miss South Central. She is also a student of The Ohio State University, majoring in social work.

After on-stage interviews, social impact pitch, talent and the red carpet competition, she defeated 22 other contestants and won the title. She also received a $10,000 scholarship.

When asked the first thing that she wanted to do after being crowned, the new Miss Ohio said she wanted a Pepsi  and she got one soon after from the competitions staff.

The 2020 Miss Ohio program was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was Currents first year in the competition program. She tap-danced with the song Its Good to be Alive in the talent competition. Current said she started dancing when she was 2 years old. She now teaches junior high and high school girls to tap dance as well.

Her social impact pitch was ReadOn: Empowering Literacy, Learning, and Leadership. The project aims to empower students to overcome obstacles and reach their potential by connecting families to resources and creating literacy opportunities.

Current said she wants to help students with learning disabilities and encourage them to pursue their dreams.

While just being crowned Miss Ohio, she already knows how she wants to contribute to the program. Current said she is looking forward to bringing in more sponsors as well as participants to the competition. She wants to let more people know that it is not just a beauty pageant.

She wants to talk to high school and college students her age about the opportunities of getting involved in this type of program.

I want to talk about confidence, the new Miss Ohio said.

She said she wants to tell the girls that they can compete at any level, even at a local competition.

Current said she is excited about being 2021 Miss Ohio and is grateful for the opportunity. She made a promise to all Ohioans on Saturday night.

My heart really is to serve Ohio well and represent Ohio well, she said. I will make you proud.
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Lawsuit, design changes stall Newton County convenience store permit

This rendering shows the general design of what a convenience store at Ga. Highway 11 and I-20 could look like. The developers have pledge to emulate the look of the historic Brick Store in the final design.

COVINGTON  A controversial convenience store permit stalled Tuesday night after the developer introduced changes not previously discussed and could not guarantee that a lawsuit related to development of a truck stop on adjacent property would be dropped.

Newton commissioners voted to table a vote on a Conditional Use Permit until Aug. 17 after Richard Milam, attorney for developer JPC Design & Construction, requested changes to some of the special conditions that were put in place when the Planning Commission recommended approval of the CUP in May. The developer plans to build a convenience store with underground gas pumps and two restaurants on the site.

The project is scaled down from a truck stop that was previously proposed for the property, which is made up of 10 acres already zoned Highway Commercial and another 35 acres partially zoned Agricultural. Commissioners denied rezoning for the truck stop in February, and the developer subsequently filed an appeal in Superior Court. The developer is now seeking to build a convenience store on the 10 acres already zoned Highway Commercial, but needs the CUP for underground fuel storage tanks because the property is in a protected watershed.

When questioned by District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards Tuesday night, Milam said he had no knowledge of an agreement by the developer to drop the rezoning lawsuit against the county in exchange for approval of the CUP for the convenience store.

This is an entirely separate request, Milam said.

However, both Edwards and County Attorney Megan Martin said that was inconsistent with what they had been told. Martin said the board had been led to believe that if the county was willing to work with the developer on the CUP for the convenience store, the other matter would be resolved.

In addition to the inconsistent information about the lawsuit, Milam requested some changes in the special conditions recommended for the CUP by the Planning Commission. In particular, Milam asked that a 100-foot landscaped buffer at the front of the building be reduced to 50 feet. Milam said that the 100-foot requirement would place the convenience store within the 35-foot buffer required for a wet-weather creek at the back of the property. If the building encroaches on the creek, Milam said the developer would have to request approval from the Army Corps of Engineers and go through the wetlands mitigation process.

Additional changes requested by Milam included allowance for 16 fuel pumps rather than 12 and 20 long-term parking spaces instead of nine. He said the store and restaurants will employ about 20 people.

Resident Wayne Pugh, who lives in nearby River Cove Meadows subdivision, spoke during the public hearing, expressing the opposition of area residents. Pugh said he was a little shocked that changes were being proposed after residents and the developer had reached a consensus at the Planning Commission meeting in May.

Pugh said this development will set the tone for future development in the Brick Store overlay, and the overlay guidelines should be followed.

If we start giving up certain things now, we are going to continue to give up things, he said.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
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Turkey is planning to send a rover to the moon by 2028 or 2029, using a domestically-developed rocket engine that will have its first flight to the moon in a test mission in three years.

A Space.com report specified, Turkish Space Agency, TUA President Serder Huseyin Yildirim, speaking at the Global Space Exploration Conference 2021 in Petersburg Russia discussed early this week, details of the space program of the country, which was officially announced by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan early this year, in February.

The rover, which is slated for launch in 2028 or 2029, Yildirim said, will softly land on the moon and collect scientific data on its surface

The TUA official also said the rocket that launches the moon rover will be built domestically through the use of a hybrid engine that Turkey is currently developing.

ALSO READ: Moon's Ice Causes Dilemma for Scientists: Study or Harvest?

Test Mission in 2023

To help guarantee that the space agency is ready for the rover launch, a prototype of the rocket is set to fly to the moon in the latter part of 2023, if everything goes as planned.

According to Yildirim, they intend to use their own engine "to reach the moon." However, for this phase, he explained that their spacecraft will be taken to low Earth or orbit with international collaboration.

Based on a Turkish Anadolu Press Agency report, 2023 will make a rough landing on the moon, which will help engineers of Turkey to collect data for the soft landing in the late 2020s.

Aside from this, a similar Koliasa report said Turkey is planning to send 30 astronauts to the International Space Station in years ahead, to carry out scientific experiments.

Commenting on the plan, the official said they are now trying to finalize their negotiations with the parties adding, in a few months they will be finalized, the braining process will begin.

Turkey's National Space Program

The National Space Program of Turkey, published in February this year, foresees the establishment too, of a local Turkish spaceport, as well as the development of a domestic region positioning and timing satellite system.

According to TUA's website, this program is prepared, taking into account the worldwide developments, with the objective of enabling the coordinated, not to mention, the integrated carrying out of strategies, projects, visions, and targets this country in line with national space policy.

It was in 2018 when Turkey launched its space agency. According to the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, at that time, the move was criticized as it took place in the middle of an economic crisis.

Nonetheless, supporters have claimed the space program can serve as motivation for researchers and scientists to stay in the country, rather than searching for opportunities abroad. When it comes to the budget of the program, this report said details have not yet been provided.

Moreover, the space program will allow Turkey to be part of an exclusive club of a few other nations that are capable of pulling off multifaceted space exploration projects on their own.

The space program's announcement early this year took place on the same day the regional rival United Arab Emirates' Emirates Mars Mission successfully entered orbit around the Red Planet.

Related information is shown on TRT World's YouTube video below:

RELATED ARTICLE: SpaceX Nailed Rocket Landing After Sending Massive Radio Satellite to Sirius XM

Check out more news and information on Moon and Space on Science Times.
Miss Oregon is crowned in Seaside

One of the North Coast's largest events since the pandemic
THORNTON, N.H. (AP)  Surveillance video helped police get to the bottom of a series of vehicle break-ins in town of Thornton.

Home security footage captured the bandit  a black bear  opening the door of a vehicle and then crawling inside.
Francisco Seco/AP

PARIS (AP)  Belgian police say the body of a fugitive far-right soldier who was the target of a huge manhunt appears to have been found Sunday.

Hundreds of security forces scoured a swath of northeast Belgium after the May 17 disappearance of Jurgen Conings, who was on an anti-terrorism watch list, had threatened a top virologist involved in the country's COVID-19 program and had hoarded heavy weaponry.
DENVER (AP)  A few years ago, the U.S. Forest Service sat down with Eagle County officials and delivered some bad news: The federal agency was short-staffed and would be closing campgrounds in the mountainous county that includes Vail, where outdoor recreation is king.

Eagle County responded by spending its own tax dollars to pay USFS employees, an unusual arrangement that has become commonplace in Colorados high country, where waves of tourists have poured into some of the most-visited forests in the nation.

It has rubbed some within the community the wrong way because its a federal property and they should manage it with federal money, Eagle County Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney said. But if that money is not allocated then they manage it by closing. They dont have the people.

Colorados ski areas send about $25 million a year in fees to the federal treasury in exchange for being on federal land, and only a small fraction returns to those forests for management. That is a frustrating contrast for ski companies that cant get expansions and upgrades approved in a timely way and for local governments that must maintain the forests or lose their economies golden goose.

Why is that money being generated here and then taken to Washington and thrown into the treasury, Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula said, instead of being allocated for things that are needed in the forests?

Coloradans in Congress from both political parties have sought a solution for several years but nothing has made its way to a presidents desk yet. The latest bill has the support of Colorados two U.S. senators, as well as Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse and Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who together represent all of the high country.

Neguse calls the current arrangement outrageous, saying the Forest Service has been unable or unwilling to invest the necessary resources to do the work they are obligated to do under federal law.

 A lot to handle

White River National Forest, which spans nine counties and a dozen ski areas across northwest Colorado, is the most popular forest in the U.S. In 2008, its Eagle-Holy Cross ranger district in Eagle County had seven full-time employees on front country management  permitting, interacting with visitors, maintaining facilities.

A decade later, in 2018, it had one, according to the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments.

Thats a lot of forest for one guy, said Jon Stavney, the councils executive director, You wouldnt run a sheriffs department that way. His organization sent a letter to Congress in 2018 warning of the shortage and urging action.

Ski areas saw the problem first. For those 122 nationwide that reside on federal land, changes to slopes must be approved by the U.S. Forest Service, which studies their environmental impact. But the years-long delays mean ski areas are slow to upgrade critical infrastructure, Alan Henceroth, chief operating officer at Arapahoe Basin, recently told a congressional panel.

By 2018, mountain counties realized the problem was beyond the ski areas: Rangers were tasked with overseeing massive stretches of land, making it difficult for them to put out all the campfires left burning.

Summit County voters created a fund in 2018 that is used for wildfire mitigation and ranger work. Summit and Eagle counties also created front country ranger programs  partnerships between the counties and the forest service to add patrols in the White River National Forest at the expense of county taxpayers.

Since 2019, Eagle County and its towns have spent $387,000 on front country rangers, according to a county spokeswoman. In 2020, when the coronavirus had many people seeking outdoor fun, those rangers extinguished 32 fires and hauled out 5,000 pounds of garbage, along with human and dog waste, abandoned RVs and illegal campsites.

People come here, want to access our trails and fourteeners, and theyre overrun with people. They need management. The parking needs management. The trails need management. Its a lot to handle, McQueeney said. Were happy to do it, but we do hear pushback: Is that really our role? So far, every year, weve managed to say, Yes, it is and our constituents are agreeing with us.

Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence calls the unusual arrangement an insurance policy for her tourism-dependent county, which includes Breckenridge, because if some huge wildfire takes out Summit County, the economic impact would be devastating for generations to come.

Pitkin County also spends money maintaining national forest land and Garfield County pays for staff at Hanging Lake in White River National Forest, according to the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments. Several mayors and county commissioners told The Denver Post they felt their hands were tied; the threat of fires and closed campgrounds forced them to act.

 A little more perfect

Earlier this month, the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act, or SHRED Act, debuted in Congress. Forests that account for more than $15 million in ski fees  such as White River  could spend 60% of it on staffing, trail improvements and other ranger work. Those that take in less than $15 million per year, including Colorados nine other national forests, would keep 75%.

The bills odds appear good: It has bipartisan support in both the House, where two Democrats and two Republicans introduced it, as well as in the Senate, where its sponsored by Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado and Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, will support the bill with a few technical changes, according to Jennifer Eberlien, associate deputy chief of the National Forest System. And no opposition was voiced during a recent two-hour House hearing.

(The hearing briefly attracted national attention when Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert asked Eberlein whether the forest service can shift the moons orbit and the Earths orbit to combat climate change. Eberlein said she would have to get back to Gohmert.)

Neguse, who chaired the hearing, expects the bill will be amended sometime this summer before going to the full House for a vote.

When asked why the forest service is underfunded, Neguse said administration after administration in Washington, on both sides of the aisle, (have been) neglecting the agency. Because the vast majority of national forests are in the West, it can be a bit difficult for the appropriators in Washington  to fully appreciate the scope of the need, he added.

For the high country mayors, commissioners and county managers who have felt required to spend their constituents tax dollars maintaining federal forests, the SHRED Act is a welcome alternative to the strange arrangement theyve put up with for several years.

In a perfect world, this wouldnt be happening, McQueeney said, and maybe this bill will make it a little more perfect.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

The shipment arrived on a China Airlines cargo plane that had left Memphis the previous day. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan, were among those who welcomed the plane on the tarmac at the airport outside of the capital, Taipei.

Chen said that America was showing its friendship as Taiwan faces its most severe outbreak. When I saw these vaccines coming down the plane, I was really touched, he said over the noise inside a building where the boxes of vaccines, some with U.S. flags on them, had been brought on wheeled dollies.

Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get vaccines. The COVID-19 death toll on the island of 24 million people has jumped to 549, from only about a dozen prior to the outbreak.

The U.S. donation also signals its support for Taiwan in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory. The U.S. does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan under what is known as the one-China policy, but is legally bound by its own laws to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

These vaccines are proof of America's commitment to Taiwan," said Christensen, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy. "Taiwan is a family member to the worlds democratic countries.

The U.S. promised 750,000 vaccine doses for Taiwan earlier this month, sending Sen. Tammy Duckworth and two of her Senate colleagues to the island aboard a military transport plane to make the announcement. Taiwan has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen said the U.S. had decided to increase the donation through efforts on both sides over the past two weeks.

In a Facebook post, Tsai joined the U.S. in drawing attention to their shared democratic systems. China, which has been ruled single-handedly by the Communist Party since 1949, says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and reserves the right to use force if necessary.

Whether it is for regional peace and stability or the virus that is a common human adversary, we will continue to uphold common ideas and work together, Tsai wrote in Chinese.

She has accused China of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, the German co-developer. Chinese officials have repeatedly denied the charge, and say China is willing to provide vaccines to Taiwan. Taiwanese law, however, bans the import of Chinese-made medicine.

The U.S. donation follows Japans shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them.

The outbreak, which has eased somewhat, has spurred the government to try to expand testing and vaccination. Health authorities on Sunday reported 107 new locally spread cases, the lowest in more than two months.
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Biography

Paul Carlsons career in housing homeless persons and working on national homelessness policy spans three decades. From the earliest days of the homelessness crisis in the 1980s he worked to house homeless person with severe mental illness and substance abuse issues. He held key positions with the City of Seattle and later with the federal government developing strategies to end homelessness.

For nine years he represented the federal United States Interagency Council on Homelessness in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The focus of his work was on organizing community strategies to end homelessness and to create an adequate supply of housing and services for disabled persons and impoverished families.

Before entering federal service he was a special advisor on homelessness for the City of Seattle, directing the operations of the Sound Families Initiative, a housing production program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Paul worked for many years as the Director of Housing Services for Harborview Mental Health in Seattle, where he developed the housing program for chronically homeless persons with severe and persistent mental illness.

He currently serves as Executive Director of a federal agency called the Seattle Federal Executive Board. His duties involve working with federal agency executives to organize special inter-agency programs and initiatives.

He received a BA from Dickinson College and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has also attended St. Andrews University, Scotland, and Princeton Theological Seminary.
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Oakland police said Sunday said they are searching for a motive in the shooting Saturday at Lake Merritt that killed one person and injured six others.

At a news conference at police headquarters, Officer Johnna Watson said authorities were investigating whether the shooting was connected to any gangs, groups or specific targets.

Watson said two armed men arrested Saturday after running from the scene remained in custody. Their names were not released. Police said they recovered two firearms.

About 5,000 people were in the vicinity of the 2200 block of Lakeshore Avenue where the shooting occurred Saturday evening, Watson said.

About 10,000 people total had gathered around the lake Saturday to celebrate the first federally designated Juneteenth holiday, Watson said. Investigators said they believe the celebrations were not connected to the shooting.

Extra patrols were dispatched to the lake Sunday to ensure safety, Watson said.

Police said the gunfire victims were five males ages 16 to 27 and two women, ages 21 and 22. One of the victims, identified as a 22-year-old San Francisco man, died at the hospital, police said. His name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The six others were in stable condition. Their identities also were not released.

Watson said police would hold another news conference Monday after investigators conduct more interviews.

Oakland police first received reports of shots fired at 6:22 p.m. Saturday. The shooting sent hundreds of people running from the area. By 7:30 p.m., officers had largely locked down the scene with police tape and the commotion had subsided.

The area at the eastern edge of Lake Merritt was quiet Sunday, attracting little attention from people out exercising or recreating along the lake.

Giselle Herrera and her husband, Jose Tapia, were taking a lunch break Sunday afternoon after setting up a picnic for a client who was celebrating Fathers Day at the lake. The couple, from San Leandro, run a luxury picnic business in the Bay Area and set up special picnics for clients at the lake every other week.

After learning about the Saturday incident via social media, Herrera said she had to ask her client about going forward with the scheduled picnic. I was shocked, said Herrera, 22. We cant imagine how the little kids felt running.

Kev Choice, an Oakland resident who lives a block away from the lake, said he was hurt to learn about the shooting. Choice, a musician, was celebrating Juneteenth at the lake Saturday and had left a couple of hours before the shooting occurred for a gig in San Francisco.

I was really sad and hurt and disappointed, Choice told the Chronicle in a phone interview. I was sad that people got injured and sad that something tarnished the image of something positive, he said referring to the joyful Juneteenth celebrations at the lake.

William Kewley, 38, said Sunday that he was on his way to meet a friend near the southern part of the lake when the gunshots went off Saturday night. The area near Lakeshore and Brooklyn avenues, where Kewley lives, was shoulder-to-shoulder busy, he said.

It was very clear that it was gunshots and not fireworks, Kewley recalled. You saw everybody running in either direction from here.

Kewley said he was simply scared when he heard two sets of gunshots with about 15 bursts each. He was about 300 feet from the area.

Oakland police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to a $40,000 reward for information leading to arrests in this case, increased from $35,000 on Saturday.

Anyone with information, video or photos of this incident should contact Oakland polices Homicide Division at 510-238-3821.

Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
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When news broke that the U.S. Coast Guard was called to rescue ocean kayaker Cyril Derreumaux off the coast of Santa Cruz earlier this month, the questions started rolling in: How much does a helicopter rescue cost? Is that charge passed onto taxpayers? Why doesnt the Coast Guard bill the kayaker?

Why should taxpayers foot the bill for his narcissistic waste of time? one person wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

Derreumaux, a 44-year-old paddler from Marin County, set out May 31 on what he thought would be the voyage of a lifetime, planning to stroke his small kayak 2,400 nautical miles across the Pacific to Hawaii. If successful, he could have set a world record for the fastest human-powered crossing between those points, a goal that appears to be increasingly alluring to certain hard-core water enthusiasts.

But Derreumaux succumbed to rough seas after just six days on the water. On June 5, after discovering that his sea anchor had broken in high swells, he phoned the Coast Guard for a rescue.

The agency promptly deployed a four-person helicopter crew from San Francisco International Airport (Air Station San Francisco) to Derreumauxs location, 54 miles off Santa Cruz. In about two hours, rescuers scooped Derreumaux out of the chop and delivered him unharmed to SFO just after midnight on June 6.

Many people on social media praised Derreumauxs good judgment  better to be safe than sorry, they reasoned  but an undercurrent of criticism pierced the well-wishing.

So who foots the bill for the rescue? one person commented on Derreumauxs Facebook page. This whole thing seems kind of dumb and perhaps a waste of taxpayer money, not to mention risking the lives of members of the USCG.

Derreumaux has gotten some nasty emails as well, but he says they represent only about 5% of the response. The rest have been supportive. The critics seemed to indicate that his trip was a folly that endangered the lives of first responders and would eventually result in a financial burden for the rest of us.

They draw the line of, if it doesnt serve me, I dont agree to it, Derreumaux said.

But thats not how these rescues work in the United States.

How much does an ocean rescue cost? Derreumauxs rescue cost $42,335.97, according to the Coast Guard. That covers everything from crew hours to helicopter fuel. The money comes from the agencys national budget for search-and-rescue, which this year is more than $1 billion.

It may seem like a hefty price tag for one persons short-lived misadventure, but it is nothing out of the ordinary for the agency.

I wouldnt say this particular rescue negatively impacted our budget any more than any other rescue, said Leo Zapawa, chief warrant officer and search mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector San Francisco.

How many search-and-rescues does the Coast Guard perform? The San Francisco sector ranges from Bodega Bay south to Monterey. The Coast Guard escorts military vessels arriving at the Port of Oakland, tracks container ships ferrying hazardous cargo into Stockton, assists foundering fishing boats at sea, leads offshore searches for swimmers caught in rip currents, and much more.

Anything that touches the water, we get involved with, Zapawa said. Its a huge area. We are the busiest Coast Guard sector in the nation.

Between 1,600 and 1,700 search-and-rescue operations occur here each year, Zapawa said. Everything from the bell-ringers where a person is in the water and theres an imminent threat to life and limb, to distress cases where someone is running out of gas.

On hot summer days, the Coast Guard may respond to as many as 60 search-and-rescue calls across the region. The MH65 Dolphin helicopter dispatched to Derreumaux  the agencys standard rescue aircraft  is sent out practically every single day, Zapawa said.

Zapawa characterized Derreumauxs rescue as a higher-risk mission but dismissed the idea that it posed a danger to the lives of the four Coast Guard crew members.

As a search-and-rescue person, you get a lot of satisfaction from that kind of job, he said.

Can the Coast Guard stop a person from venturing into the ocean? Preventing a recreational boater from launching into the ocean is difficult without clear evidence that the person poses an intrinsic danger to themselves or others, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Kroll, who operates out of Alameda.

If you wanted to, you could go out on an inflatable pool raft and into the middle of the bay and as long as youre not impeding shipping traffic, youre well within regulations, Kroll said. For the record, I would not advise that whatsoever.

Solo ocean rowers and paddlers like Derreumaux dont qualify as threats. In fact, many of them seem more prepared than casual boaters on daytime cruises, Coast Guard officers said.

The Coast Guard likes to be kept abreast of potentially risky undertakings like Derreumauxs, and asks that solo adventurers submit a float plan with their itinerary and vessel information to the agency before launch. Derreumaux had done that.

If people are choosing to do those longer adventurous or semi-dangerous treks, please reach out to us to help you plan that trip, Kroll said. As much as the Coast Guard is there to rescue people, wed rather not have to. Keeping people out of danger is our goal.

What happens when a boater needs a rescue far away from shore? Once a small craft travels beyond 100 miles from shore, helicopter fuel capacity becomes a limiting factor, and air rescues can become too difficult.

Its kind of the point of no return, Kroll said. Once you get 100 miles or so offshore, there are only a handful of assets we have to help you.

For a small craft like Derreumauxs, the most likely rescue scenario would involve diverting a passing freighter to his location to hoist him aboard. But ocean encounters between mammoth container ships and puny paddle boats under duress are inherently dangerous.

Its possible the Coast Guard would send out a long-range cutter from the West Coast or Hawaii, but its not necessarily the fastest option in an emergency in the middle of the ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is so big and wide open. The question becomes feasibility for getting out there in time, Kroll said. Thats why we employ a larger search-and-rescue network for cases far offshore.

Does the Coast Guard bill boaters for rescues? No.

Theres no mechanism for the Coast Guard to put the costs on a recreational boater, Kroll said.

Some countries  Spain, for example  charge boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts who call for wilderness rescues if those people appear to have behaved recklessly.

The precedent is trickling into the United States despite the Coast Goard policy.

New Hampshire has pursued claims against hikers deemed to be negligent on their outings. In recent years, California lawmakers considered establishing mechanisms to recoup rescue expenses from people who are found to have broken the law while putting themselves at risk, but theres no legislation in the works to that effect.

In Northern California, the Coast Guard views search-and-rescue as part of its core duty.

This is what we do, Zapawa said. Were budgeted for it. Because of the volume of cases we do here, were probably the best in the world at it.

Gregory Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas
On this weeks episode of Extra Spicy, Justin Phillips and I talk to British restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa, who currently writes reviews for Londons Evening Standard. Its actually a two-part episode because Jimi and I had so much to talk about, like our feelings about being the first so-and-so (specifically him the first Black restaurant critic in the UK) and the many differences, both tonal and philosophical, between US and UK food criticism. And, after 16 months of playing nice, we talked about our yearning to actually be critical of food when it's missing the mark.

In the US, theres been a de facto truce struck between restaurants and their critics, out of a sensitivity about the dire straits the hospitality industry has been in during the coronavirus pandemic. Though 1-star Yelp reviews have definitely continued unabated, I held off on writing pans of restaurants. In light of the stressors of mass closures, on-and-off-again shutdowns, and the mass exodus of workers into other industries, criticizing a restaurant for warm beer seemed akin to telling your friend lying in a ditch that she was wearing the wrong lip color for the occasion.

In 2020, if I found a slimy cucumber in my lox bagel, or if an understaffed kitchen took more than an hour to produce my table's entrees, I would simply not talk about the restaurant. My editors agreed on that front.

While I acknowledge the humane aspect of stowing the knives for pretty much anything that occurred in 2020, I think negative reviews get a bad rap. In the restaurant world, theres a prevalent sense that food writers and critics should be working with, if not for restaurants. In my previous life as a restaurant cook, I had many conversations with chefs who thought that way  who saw negative reviews as the work of mean-spirited critics who didnt know the value of hard work.

Outside of the food world, too, critics who write about film, video games and other media can experience audience backlash to negative reviews of popular intellectual properties. (See: Manohla Dargis on 1917 and Carolyn Petit on "Cyberpunk 2077.") Its tempting to think that criticizing something constitutes an attack, either on the creator or you, for liking that thing. But thats a toxic attitude to hold.

On the contrary: just letting things slide all the time, without actively doing or saying anything to help the work become better, just facilitates stagnation. In a world without the mitigating factor of a pandemic hanging over our heads, not speaking up is disrespectful of both the creators and the consumers. There have been many cases in the past year where Ive received terrible food from a restaurant or pop-up, and then received awkward notes from chefs and restaurateurs asking why their projects havent been mentioned in any stories or lists. A policy of no negativity just leaves them in the dark about how they can do better. In fact, I think I should be writing more negative reviews once things settle.

Critical reviews have myriad benefits. They're a way to set standards and, more importantly for readers, guide diners away from restaurants that would be a waste of hard-earned money and time. In some cases, negative reviews have obvious literary value, such as with British critic Jay Rayner's piece on Le Cinq in Paris. Here, he writes that an onion starter is "mostly black, like nightmares, and sticky, like the floor at a teenagers party." Others contain actionable solutions for problems: My review of Le Colonial offered suggestions to an Asian fusion restaurant that seemed to struggle with adapting its decor to the 21st century. And negative reviews can point out instances of discrimination, such as when then-New York Times critic Ruth Reichl famously donned makeup and a wig to disguise herself as an elderly woman while visiting New York City's Le Cirque. She was largely ignored, and her indignation could be felt throughout the review. Even corporate Domino's took pains to improve its crust recipe in reaction to people mostly hating it.

Now, many pandemic-borne restrictions and rules have been lifted in California. You can walk down the street without a mask, and packed patios and dining rooms indicate that diners are excited to get out there again. The summer of fun, so to speak, has commenced. So is it time to rev up the negativity engines once more?

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

To be clear, what I mean by negativity isn't just about saying some place is bad. It's about seeing what a restaurant aims to do  the experience it's selling  and how well it achieves that aim. I don't think restaurants will revert back to the way they were before the pandemic for years, but I do think it's possible to criticize them while holding that truth. I might suggest that a trendy hotel restaurant with slow service and a complicated menu pare down its offerings to ensure well-paced meals. Or that a pizzeria make its crust less doughy and use less sugar in its sauce. My pre-pandemic policy on negative reviews remains consistent in spirit: I aim my punches upward, at restaurants that actually have the means to react to my suggestions. If a restaurant seems like it'd collapse with the lightest nudge, I'll probably pass.

A small part of me is worried that readers arent ready for negative, or even moderately critical reviews. So Im curious about what you think: Email me your thoughts!

For Famurewas part, it looks like hes diving into critical commentary again. I bet hes feeling great about that.

Correction: This article was updated to reflect that it was Le Cirque, not Gramercy Tavern, where Ruth Reichl disguised herself for a review. Sorry Ruth!
The Bay Area celebrated the nations newest official holiday  Juneteenth  on Saturday with barbecues, bouncy houses, martial arts demonstrations, music and the opening of a small museum featuring a pop-up exhibit on the Black Panthers.

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation 2 years earlier, setting them free.

Its almost like the Fourth of July, said Barbara Brown, 70, a 42-year-Oakland resident who belonged to the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Its the day of emancipation for African Americans. Its a day to celebrate.

Brown spoke with The Chronicle on Huey P. Newton Way, a commemorative block of Ninth Street in West Oakland where Newton was fatally shot. On Saturday, it was also the site of a block party to mark the opening of the 1,000-square foot Mini Museum in a home thats covered with a mural honoring the women of the Black Panther Party.

Elsewhere around the bay  in the Bayview in San Francisco, at Lake Merritt in Oakland, off Solano Avenue in Albany, in Healdsburg, Los Altos, Hayward and other places  people observed Juneteenth with organized commemorations and backyard gatherings.

The celebrations came just two days after President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. Black communities have celebrated Juneteenth for more than a century, but its importance has become more widely recognized in recent years.

Bidens declaration followed a particularly difficult year in the campaign for civil rights, with nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and a pandemic that disproportionately infected and economically destabilized people of color.

Juneteenth brings much-needed awareness to the historic struggles faced by African Americans while recommitting our country to addressing systemic racism and the economic hurdles that remain before African Americans today, state Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa said in a statement.

This years remembrance was marked by a few firsts.

Santa Clara County on Friday became the first California county to make Juneteenth a paid holiday. For the first time, Marin County hosted two events marking the day enslaved people learned of their freedom. And outside the State Capitol in Sacramento, criminal reform advocates summoned the days symbolism to rally against what they call involuntary servitude in the state prison system.

On Huey Newton Way in West Oakland on Saturday, where a crowd of several dozen people gathered, many said the day was one of joy, love and community despite the nations historical and continued mistreatment of Black people.

M. Gayle Asali Dickson, another former Black Panther, acknowledged skeptics who say that the Juneteenth holiday declaration is merely a gesture.

Its symbolic, but it is good symbolism, she said. Because at the same time we are hearing from the other sides that we dont need critical race theory, dont need 1619 (a long-form New York Times project re-examining American history regarding Black people) in our schools. The thing is, for the history of America to include the truth, this is important, this is a good opportunity. Weve been denying Americas history.

Remediation and reparation still need to take place, Dickson said, and the Black community and its supporters must maintain pressure on their political representatives.

Folks have to realize that we need to be vigilant, she said. We need to hold them to their word.

Around the corner, people lined up to visit the lower floor of Jilchristina Vests house, which she turned into the Mini Museum, featuring an initial exhibit on the Black Panthers and their campaigns to bring free food, free ambulance services, a free community school and a variety of other free programs to the Black community.

On the street, next to a food truck giving away free empanadas, the Men of Iron, a West Oakland group that teaches a mix of military drills and martial arts to young Black men, gave a demonstration, briefly dueling with sticks and showing off some marching drills.

We take kids and give them a foundation of honor, love and respect, said Ken McCullum, a retired Alameda County sheriffs deputy and head instructor of the nearly 14-year-old program.

Daseia McCoy, 27, of Oakland came to watch her 7-year-old son, Jeremiah, perform. She said Juneteenth has long been a day for Black people to celebrate their ancestors being freed, and that shes happy to see the rest of America officially joining the celebration.

Its a celebration of our ancestors being freed, she said. Its a happy day, a no-judgment day where everybody gets along. ... Its been going on for a long time, but its just getting known to a lot of people now.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Theres a 16-second, hastily shot video thats been circulating on social media over the past year showing a few dozen Black men happily pushing strollers along a sidewalk in Oakland. Its been viewed more than 700,000 times.

The footage is from February 2020s Black Dads of the Bay Meetup near Lake Merritt. San Jose native Louis Ceaser created the event with the initial hope that a couple of Black fathers like him might be interested.

Ceaser said 150 showed up.

The video went viral because Black dads in America, simply by existing in public spaces with their kids, are contradicting the problematic myth of the absent Black father. The myth is so pervasive that it has obscured a new generation of progressive Black fatherhood.

There were dudes who saw us out there and asked what we were doing. When they heard what it was  just a bunch of Black fathers connecting with each other  they would just join us, recalled Ceaser, who became a father for the first time in 2019. His wife, Vivien, is pregnant with their second child.

It was emotional for me, for a lot of us.

Black men have long been excluded from Americas portrait of the care economy, despite evidence that they play a central role in it. In a 2013 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70% of Black dads living with children under age 5 bathed, clothed and changed the diapers of their kids, compared with 60% of white fathers. And 35% of Black fathers read to their children on a regular basis, a little more than the 30% of white fathers who did the same.

The work (Black fathers) do on a regular basis is looked at as an anomaly, said Prentice Powell, who spoke in a whisper as his newborn daughter, Shai, napped beside him. I didnt have a blueprint for how to be a father. But so many of us Black men are functioning off this innate gift, this natural ability to be great at it. The country just doesnt acknowledge us.

Shawn Ginwright, a professor of Africana Studies at San Francisco State University and a father of two children in their 20s, says the countrys Black father narrative is mostly devoid of such intimate beauty and love.

My son has seen me cry. I have seen him cry. These are intentional spaces where I engage with my children, Ginwright told me. Im trying to expand their notion of what it means to be a Black man, to be a Black father.

The absent Black father stereotype is a product of systemic racism  fueled by economic disinvestment, mass incarceration, media portrayals, and antiquated views of marriage and living arrangements.

The number of imprisoned Black men in America exploded from the 1970s to the 1990s as a result of the war on drugs. Pew Research Center data show Black people still account for more than 30% of prison populations. Decades of over-policing took a toll on Black families in America and removed countless Black fathers from the lives of their kids. According to a 2015 report by national nonprofit Child Trends, 1 in 9 Black children in the U.S. has had a parent in prison.

According to 2019 CDC data, the nonmarital birth rate among Black women was 70%, compared with 28% for white women. A 2017 census report showed that 53% of Black kids live with one parent. People have ignored the broader systemic inequities that put Black families under greater pressure and used a surface-level view of the data to perpetuate the absent Black father myth. In doing so, America has disregarded Black mens ability to successfully co-parent outside of marriage or a shared physical address.

Daytime talk shows in the 1990s such as Maury stoked the flames through paternity test segments often featuring Black guests. Bill Cosby, before he was accused by 60 women of rape and convicted of felony sexual assault in 2018, spent years publicly excoriating Black fathers. As recently as 2015, during the Baltimore protests against police violence, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blamed some of the unrest on the lack of fathers in Black communities.

While working on this column, I called my two older brothers, Kyle and Blair. Both are in their 30s. Each has two children. Neither had time to talk.

Kyle was clothes shopping with his daughter, which is something my mom did with my grandfather when she was a child. Blair was taking his son out for a dad lunch, which is something my dad did with me growing up.

If you think about it, were taking the things older generations did right and were building from that, Blair said. Our focus is just more on the emotional connection. Its different than the past, but in a good way.

Each day, Black men in this country are reframing the conversation around Black fathers. Itd be a nice Fathers Day gift if America started to listen.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  The death toll from floods and mudslides following heavy rains in Sri Lanka rose to 14 with another two missing, officials said Sunday.

Ten districts on the Indian Ocean island have been under heavy rainfall since last Thursday, including the capital Colombo and suburbs where many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated.
Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Regarding Californians are losing faith in public schools. Theyre not wrong (Editorial, June 3): The disdainful attitude toward San Francisco educators and our union demonstrated in this piece mirrors that of many articles released by The Chronicle this past year which cast us as adversaries of the students and families that we have worked so hard to support and advocate for when our government has often failed them.

A review of the facts about public school enrollment suggests that the Editorial Boards conclusions about declining enrollment are premature at best. The Board points out that private schools reopened while the District continued remote education, yet the Chronicles own reporting quoted the executive director of the California Association of Private School Organizations as saying that the states private schools have so far reported a cumulative enrollment decline of 6% ... Similarly, the Editorial Board points out that California reopened to fewer students than any other state on the mainland, but they fail to compare CAs rate of decline (2.6%) to that of the four states that required in-person instruction at the start of the 2020-2021 school year: Florida (2.3%), Arkansas (1%), Iowa (1%) and Texas (3%). Why did the Board choose to present this as a San Francisco (3.9%) issue when other large urban centers like Boston (4.3%) and New York City (4%) were also impacted? Visit here for a deeper dive on the enrollment data.
As America starts the process of returning to normal life amid a successful COVID-19 mass vaccination program, many of the worlds poorer countries are still suffering through deadly waves. The World Health Organization estimates that 11 billion doses of vaccine are needed to achieve global herd immunity. Yet only 0.4% of the worlds current supplies of vaccines have been administered in low-income countries.

The United States could quickly reassert its former role as a global health leader by helping to vaccinate the world. Here are five ways America can enhance COVID-19 vaccine equity globally  and help end the greatest threat to global health in more than a century.

Donate surplus doses: The Duke Global Health Innovation Center estimated in mid-April that high- and middle-income countries had secured 6 billion out of 8.6 billion doses of different vaccine candidates, leaving low-income countries with large populations with little supply. By the end of July, the U.S. alone will have an estimated 300 million-dose surplus, even after vaccinating 12- to 15-year-old children. Doses in the U.S. are approaching expiration dates, while health care workers without access to vaccines are dying elsewhere.

President Biden initially pledged to share 80 million doses of vaccine with the rest of the world by the end of June  with a first allocation of 25 million doses announced June 3. Biden further pledged to buy 500 million doses of vaccine to distribute to the global community in advance of the G7 summit. The U.S. needs to lead the critical discussion on how each wealthy country should donate doses to the global supply.

Develop distribution strategies to maximize impact while supplies limited: The U.S. should coordinate with COVAX, which serves as a dose-sharing facility for the world, to decide on strategies to distribute vaccine in a way that maximizes impact while supplies are still limited. One way is to delay vaccination of those with previous COVID-19 infection in global settings, since immunity from natural infection is associated with low rates of re-infection. Once supplies increase, a single dose of a two-dose regimen can be given to those with previous infection to boost immune responses.

A second strategy is to rapidly distribute vaccines to countries experiencing current surges (ring vaccination) which can have an immediate impact on controlling spread and disease. Lastly, we should focus on first vaccinating healthcare workers and vulnerable populations (older, those with co-morbidities) in countries without active surges.

Help waive patents for vaccines: Waiving patent rights temporarily on vaccines allows poorer countries to manufacture on their own. Thats not happening. Instead, pharmaceutical companies who hold patents on COVID-19 vaccines are reaping billions of dollars in profit. A WTO provision to waive patents during medical emergencies has existed since 1995. But it hasnt been used in the case of COVID-19. In October 2020 (before Indias latest wave), India and South Africa formally proposed to the WTO Council that intellectual property provisions for vaccines be temporarily waived. This request was denied.

COVID feels achingly familiar to the HIV crisis in 1996, when the U.S. and Europe had access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy (ART), but places where the epidemic was more widespread (such as Sub-Saharan Africa) did not. Waiving patents took years of debate, which resulted in millions of African lives lost.

Unlike with HIV, waiving patents for COVID-19 vaccines needs to happen soon. The U.S. has already indicated its support to waive protections, but it needs to further apply pressure on countries reluctant to follow suit.

Encourage an increase in manufacturing capacity: Pharmaceutical companies making mRNA vaccines are not producing enough vaccine for the entire world. Manufacturing is complicated, but there has also been recent attention to producing variant-targeted boosters, even though boosters may not be needed for COVID-19 for some time. The U.S. could encourage public-private partnerships through voluntary licensing agreements to increase manufacturing capacity. The U.S. could also support increased production in materials (like the lipid particles encasing the mRNA in the mRNA vaccines) to accelerate global manufacturing.

China and Russia each have vaccine candidates that they are distributing worldwide, which means the U.S. can keep its focus on boosting mRNA vaccine supplies, given the challenges of creating key ingredients to these vaccines.

Support philanthropy: Direct vaccine donations from pharmaceutical companies to places with COVID-19 surges would be an admirable gesture, as would donations from wealthy companies to purchase vaccine supplies. The five Big Tech companies  Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Facebook  had a combined income of $1.2 trillion during the year of the pandemic. Even a $25 billion investment (just 2% of that revenue) for Moderna doses (a patent currently held by the US government) would massively boost supplies for the world.

The U.N. secretary general said in February that vaccine equity is the biggest moral test before the global community at this time. The blueprint is there for the U.S. to reassert itself as a global health leader and help end the pandemic. We now face the moral test of our willingness to follow through.

Monica Gandhi is an infectious diseases doctor and professor of medicine at UCSF. She serves as the director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Research and medical director of the Ward 86 HIV Clinic. Twitter: @MonicaGandhi9
Last month, a small uproar erupted on Twitter over the discovery that the New York Times once published a puff piece on Adolf Hitler summering in his mountain retreat in the clouds. Written shortly before the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the piece features casual pop-ins from Hermann Goring, already at work on the Final Solution, in between snack breaks for gooseberry pie and well-done pudding.

The online debate over the piece focused on the enduring media blind spots to the dangers of fascism  and the lingering inability to let go of the both sides journalism practice of uncritically giving cynical propagandists a mouthpiece, in the supposed interest of fairness.

The discussion inspired me to take my own trip through various newspaper archives. And I found something seemingly far worse than a puff piece.

Eight decades ago, on the same day Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the Times published an essay by Hitler himself. Titled The art of propaganda, the piece is excerpted from Hitlers autobiography, Mein Kampf.

Of all the things I can recommend doing on a Sunday afternoon, reading the musings of a man who wiped out several branches of your family tree ranks toward the bottom. But I couldnt help myself.

I was expecting subtle or not-so-subtle anti-Semitism  an amplification of genocidal deception  published by the Times under the banner of free speech idealism and the naive American assumption that truth and reason inevitably wins in the so-called marketplace of ideas.

What I found instead was the clearest distillation I have read of what American democracy is up against in the wake of the Capitol riots and GOP efforts to disenfranchise millions of voters.

Reading Hitler made it obvious how widely the techniques of fascism are currently being deployed. And not just over the Big Lie that Trump won the election.

Notably, rather than handing Hitler a megaphone to spread deception, the Times piece begins with a contextualizing note  something rare in the newspaper business these days, but a solution film companies are rediscovering as they find ways to preserve racially problematic films like Gone With the Wind.

It reads in part:

Germany is now waging a psychological war against this country as well as a military war in other parts of the world. That psychological war is based in the principles of the propaganda laid down by Adolf Hitler in his autobiography.

With that caution established (something the press should do more of when covering the utterances of certain well-documented liars) what follows isnt propaganda itself, but an unvarnished strategy document for how to use lies to gain and maintain power.

All effective propaganda should be limited to a very few points which, in turn, should be used as slogans until even the very last man is able to imagine what is meant by such words.

As soon as one sacrifices this basic principle and tries to become versatile, the effect will be frittered away.

Hitler might as well be laying a road map for the recent Republican attacks on Critical Race Theory (CRT).

A number of conservative states have banned the teaching of the concept in public schools in recent weeks, backed by unrelenting rhetorical attacks on the theory from conservative media outlets.

Of course, actually banning the teaching of CRT would almost certainly be unconstitutional. Instead, Republicans have created a CRT strawman, and are using that strawman to discredit an important tool for historical understanding.

Texas, for instance, doesnt actually ban CRT, but the teaching that an individual, by virtue of the individuals race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.

CRT does nothing of the sort. It is an analytical tool for determining how the racialized policies and laws of the past continue to impact life in the present.

But by manipulating the actual meaning of CRT, these bans have falsely branded the theory as a tool of anti-white racism.

This is a lie. And an obvious one at that. But lies told forcefully and consistently enough often supplant the truth.

Hitler anticipates those who recoil at the use of techniques like these. And he relishes it.

As soon as ones own propaganda admits even a glimpse of right on the other side, the ground for doubting ones own cause is laid. The masses are not in a position to distinguish where the wrong of the enemy ends and their own begins. In this case they become uncertain and mistrusting, especially if their opponents do not produce the same nonsense but, instead, burden their enemy with all and the whole guilt.

Hitlers understanding of human manipulation isnt gospel, of course. But its very clear his techniques are being widely employed. And that theyre working.

Millions of people think COVID is a fraud and vaccines are the danger. That being asked to wear a mask is tyranny.

By propaganda even heaven can be palmed off on a people as hell and the most wretched life as Paradise.

And Hitler didnt even have a Twitter account.

One of societys great protections against propaganda is the news media. But trust in the news media has never been lower. And its hard not to think the earnest but flawed pursuit of both sides fairness has played some role in undermining its credibility in the face of a propaganda onslaught.

Companies like Fox News and OANN, meanwhile, are willingly spreading and profiting from disinformation, which then takes on a life of its own online.

So what to do about it?

Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinemas approach is an example of what not to do. Sentimental notions of bipartisanship are a propagandists dream.

There is no compromise with the Big Lie.

Hope exists, of course, in the 81 million-person wall who voted for Biden. The wall here held, unlike in Germany.

The efforts to chip that wall away are unrelenting. It has to hold. Learning the tactics of the forces marshaled against it may be best fortification each of us can offer right now.

Matthew Fleischer is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: matt.fleischer@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MatteFleischer

Correction: An earlier version of this piece misspelled the first name of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.
A recent Gallup Poll found that for the first time a majority of Republicans (55%) said they supported same-sex marriage. Four years ago, only 40% backed it. So what changed over that period?

Obviously, change happens rapidly in society, said Charles Moran, managing director of the Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBTQ GOP organization with 51 chapters in 33 states. But I do give a good amount of credit to the leader of the Republican Party during those times.

Wait a minute. Donald Trump was good for the LGBTQ community?

Donald Trump defied conventional wisdom and was one of the most unorthodox candidates that our country has ever seen, Moran, a part-time Los Angeles resident and member of the California Republican Partys executive committee, said on my Its All Political podcast. One of the best things about him is he really helped get the Republican Party beyond the hang-up around LGBT equality issues.

Moran conceded that the party still has some hang-ups: The Texas Republican Party, for instance, still wont let Log Cabin have a booth at its state party convention.

Its not as if an LGBTQ mecca like California always welcomed the organization with open arms. The states Republican Party didnt formally recognize Log Cabin  which was founded here 44 years ago  until 2015. It was begun by gay conservatives who were opposed to the Briggs Initiative, the unsuccessful 1978 ballot measure that attempted to ban gay teachers from schools.

The GOP still has some pretty big hang-ups when it comes to anything LGBTQ. Despite recognizing the organization, the California Republican Party still opposes same-sex marriage. Its platform says, We support the two-parent family as the best environment for raising children, and therefore believe that it is important to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The national GOP platform also considers marriage to be heterosexual-only turf. Well, it did in 2016. The party did not adopt a platform last year, instead renewing the one it passed four years earlier. Trump  who wanted to shrink the platform into a brief list that people could carry in their pocket  instead released a list of 50 core priorities for his second term, none of which mentioned LGBTQ issues.

Moran, who was a delegate to the 2020 convention, said the lack of a platform was a missed opportunity.

We really had an opportunity to radically change the platform of the party, to make it modern, in a way that it had never been done before, Moran said. And the only person who could have made that happen was Donald Trump.

To some LGBTQ conservatives, Trump started his presidency with a promise that he wouldnt, unlike the GOP nominees before him, stoke fears about the community for political reasons. President George W. Bush had used state ballot measures opposing same-sex marriage to rally religious conservatives to help him win re-election in 2004.

When Trump accepted the nomination at the party convention in Cleveland, he said, As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology, Trump said. Believe me. (Some saw that as an attempt by Trump to gain support among the LGBTQ community for his effort to ban Muslims from coming to the U.S.)

It was a big deal then that Trump, unlike most Republicans, voiced the Q (which stands variously for queer or questioning) in LGBTQ.

But less than a year later, the president proved to be less than a protector.

He ordered  via tweet, without consulting top advisers  that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Trump said that the military cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.

Tremendous medical costs were overstated. A 2016 study by the nonpartisan Rand Corp. found that extending gender transition-related health care would increase military costs between $2.4 million and $8.4 million annually, representing a 0.04% to 0.13% increase in the annual health care costs.

Many saw the move as a transparent appeal to the GOPs base at a time when many were still suspicious of Trumps conservative beliefs and were showing signs of turning on him because of his criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

But Moran argued that it wasnt a ban, as often described. Nobody was kicked out.

Bree Fram, the president of Sparta, a transgender military service advocacy, support, and education organization, said theres a reason transgender service members werent kicked out: It would have taken a lot of time, and the policy that could have led to discharge was only in place for 21 months.

Getting Republicans to a place of acceptance on transgender issues similar to their position on same-sex marriage will be a challenge. The GOP has backed more than 100 pieces of anti-transgender legislation across 33 states.

Log Cabin does not support the federal Equality Act, which was passed by the House in February. It would broaden legal protections to include sexual orientation and gender identification, because 31 states still dont have laws to protect gays and lesbians against job discrimination. But Moran dismissed it as a solution in search of a problem.

Conservatives can agree that you shouldnt be fired for being trans, you shouldnt lose your access to public accommodations because youre transgender, you shouldnt be fired from your job, he said. But federal legislation is going too far.

Being a gay Republican often means having to answer questions that gay Democrats dont. Moran came out when he was 19. Now, hes 40.

The easy answer he gives when people ask him why hes a Republican is, I really do believe in individual responsibility, personal freedoms, small governments and a strong national defense. I am very proudly gay. I have been living my truth.

I was physically attracted to men, I was emotionally attracted to men, I was gay, Moran said. But that didnt really change anything when it came down to my conservative principles. Theres nothing about my sexual orientation that has anything to do with those issues.

Moran said he tells conservatives, If you believe in having the ability to control your money, and to raise your kids the way you want to and to be able to defend yourself the way you want to, it also includes letting you have your family be the way that is best suited for your life.

And be it two men or two women, at the end of the day, if you really believe in you making those personal choices on how to best live your life and keeping the government out of it, youre going to support equality issues for the LGBTQ community, he said.

The new Gallup poll shows that gaining support among Republicans can happen. It just takes a lot longer. And even more so for the party to catch up to its members.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
MESA, Ariz. (AP)  A wig store in suburban Phoenix serves people who have lost their hair from chemotherapy and continues to require shoppers to wear masks to protect people with cancer from COVID-19.

But last month, the shop started receiving harassing phone calls after the founder of an anti-mask group tried to ruin the business by posting the stores name, phone number and address on social media.

Since then, Sunnys Hair and Wigs has received an outpouring of support from concerned citizens and even a visit from Mesa Mayor John Giles and city Councilman Francisco Heredia.

Its just been overwhelming, shop owner Lisa Memberr told the Arizona Republic.

Memberr said her staff has been inundated with phone calls and visits from complete strangers bringing food, treats and some cash and just letting them know that people care and that we are not alone in this and that they support what we did and are taking action to show that.

The store recently received a check for $1,000 from a woman in New Jersey to help buy wigs for people undergoing cancer treatment.

The Republic reported that the store was targeted on May 28 by Ethan Schmidt, the 23-year-old founder of an anti-mask group who travels around metro Phoenix confronting businesses that still require customers to wear masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while claiming he is the victim of discrimination.

Despite the lifting of local mandates, Memberrs shop has kept mask requirements in place to protect customers undergoing chemotherapy and have compromised immune systems that make them particularly vulnerable to serious illness or death from the coronavirus.

Schmidt said he had a medical and religious exemption and refused to put on a mask even after the manager explained the store still requires all customers to wear masks because some of its customers are undergoing cancer treatment, the Republic reported.

Memberr reported the confrontation and the harassment the store received to the Mesa Police Department and also filed an injunction against harassment against Schmidt in municipal court.

Schmidt did not immediately respond Sunday to a request for comment sent to his Instagram account.

Memberr said the $1,000 donated to her store will be enough to cover the cost of at least six wigs for people undergoing cancer treatment.

Wigs on average cost about $150 although some can cost as much as $800.

Sunnys Hair and Wigs already offers 20% discounts to people battling cancer.

Store manager Roberta Smith said the shop has received more than 100 calls of support and a dozen cards from people all over the U.S., from states such as Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Massachusetts.

Many of the calls have come from people undergoing cancer treatment or who are immunocompromised, according to Smith, who said the outpouring of support really has kind of renewed our faith in humanity here.
Someone surreptitiously gained access to a Bay Area community's water supply and deleted programs that treat drinking water, NBC News reported.

The breach happened on January 15 and was noticed the next day by workers at the unnamed facility, who changed passwords and added the programs back in. The individual is being referred to as a hacker, but it doesn't appear it took much hacking to get in. The person got hold of a former plant employee's username and password, and simply logged themselves into the system.

Although NBC News said the hacker "tried to poison" the Bay Area's drinking water, that assertion was disputed by a Northern California Regional Intelligence Center official who spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle. (SFGATE and the Chronicle are both owned by Hearst, but operate independently of one another.)

"It takes a lot to influence a water supply chain," executive director Michael Sena said. "For a large impact, there has to be a large change in the chemicals in the system. The amount of chemicals it would take to cause harm to people...the numbers are astronomical."

Nonetheless, the attack is another worrying look at how porous America's water treatment facilities are. In February, a similar attack in Florida made national headlines. A plant employee in Oldsmar said he watched as a hacker took control of his computer, moving the cursor to open the program that controls how much lye is allowed into the water supply. The hacker added enough lye to corrode pipes and make people sick before the employee regained control and reset the levels.

"Of all the country's critical infrastructure, water might be the most vulnerable to hackers: the hardest in which to guarantee everyone follows basic cybersecurity steps, and the easiest in which to cause major, real-world harm to large numbers of people," NBC News wrote.

The FBI is reportedly still investigating the Bay Area water supply hack.
Canned tuna is high in protein, low in fat and by far the most popular shelf-stable seafood in the United States.

It can also be mysterious, questionable and scandalous.

As The Washington Post reported in late January, Subway  the worlds largest sandwich chain  is facing a class-action lawsuit in California that claims its tuna sandwiches are completely bereft of tuna as an ingredient.

After the news broke, the jokes swiftly followed.

Jessica Simpson (who didnt know whether Chicken of the Sea was chicken or tuna back in 2003) tweeted: Its OK @SUBWAY. It IS confusing.

Jimmy Johns, a competitor, started sending email blasts with subjects like, Tuna Sandwiches Should Use Real Tuna.

Subway, for its part, has categorically denied the allegations.

There simply is no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California, a spokesperson wrote in an email to The New York Times. Subway delivers 100% cooked tuna to its restaurants, which is mixed with mayonnaise and used in freshly made sandwiches, wraps and salads that are served to and enjoyed by our guests.

From a reporters perspective, however, the case bore further investigation  a deep dive, if you will.

So, I procured more than 60 inches worth of Subway tuna sandwiches.

I removed and froze the tuna meat, then shipped it across the country to a commercial food testing lab.

I spent weeks chatting with tuna experts. I waited, and waited, until the lab results came back.

The following is what I found.

Tuna, in the Abstract

Canned tuna has its die-hards and naysayers, but it certainly sells. According to Nielsen Holdings, a global data and analytics company, about 700 million cans of tuna were sold in the United States over the last year.

I think part of it is just nostalgia, said Ryan Sutton, the chief food critic for Eater NY, when asked to explain the ascendancy of the canned fish. Its what a lot of people grew up eating.

Tuna sandwiches rose to prominence in the early 1900s, when people realized canned fish could translate into a quick and cheap meal that involved no cooking. By the 1950s, tuna had surpassed salmon in popularity, and during the 1980s, an estimated 85% of Americans had canned tuna in their pantries despite growing concerns about high levels of mercury in the fish.

After a decadeslong decline in tuna consumption, a 2018 Wall Street Journal story suggested that millennials were to blame (many cant be bothered to open and drain the cans), though newer brands offering more sustainable options were seeing their market share grow.

Then, in 2020, canned goods took on great urgency as shoppers scrambled to buy shelf-stable food, not knowing how long the pandemic might last. That year, the global canned tuna market was valued at $8.57 billion, according to Grand View Research.

Subway has nearly 40,000 locations worldwide, about half of them in the United States. (As Grub Street once calculated, the average distance between Subways in Manhattan is 1,154 feet, or about 4 1/2 blocks.) The total number of locations has been in decline since 2015, a trend that a New York Times investigation attributed, in part, to targeted and manipulated inspections.

Still, Subways storefronts are ubiquitous, and according to the company, its tuna sandwiches are some of the bestselling. Subways tuna sandwich ranks among our guests favorite sandwiches, the chains spokesperson wrote in an email.

But its safe to say that Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, do not love Subways tuna, which they believe is anything but tuna, according to their filing from January. (Dhanowa and Amins legal team declined to comment on the case for this article.)

What exactly the plaintiffs believed the sandwiches contained, they wouldnt say. But in their filing from January, they alleged that Subway has deliberately misled customers by selling products falsely advertised as tuna in order to charge a premium price.

Subways spokesperson, when asked about the progress of the case, reiterated the statement shared when the original complaint was filed.

The taste and quality of our tuna make it one of Subways most popular products and these baseless accusations threaten to damage our franchisees, she wrote in an email.

Given the facts, the lawsuit constitutes a reckless and improper attack on Subways brand and goodwill, she added.

With all of that in mind, I began searching for a commercial lab that could test a sample of Subways product. A handful of them politely declined my inquiries, citing technical limitations and company policies that made my tuna ineligible for analysis. Eventually, I found myself on the phone with a spokesperson for a lab that specializes in fish testing. He agreed to test the tuna but asked that the lab not be named in this article, as he did not want to jeopardize any opportunities to work directly with Americas largest sandwich chain.

For about $500, his lab could conduct a PCR test, which rapidly makes millions or billions of copies of a specific DNA sample, and try to tell me whether this substance included one of five tuna species.

From the Sea to Your Submarine

According to the Seafood List, which is compiled by the Food and Drug Administration, there are 15 species of nomadic saltwater fish that can be labeled tuna.

Subways tuna and seafood sourcing statement says the chain only sells skipjack and yellowfin tuna, species that a lab would recognize as Katsuwonus pelamis and T. albacares.

Before it lands on a Subway sandwich, that tuna, like the majority of commercially sold tuna, is caught by fishermen working in exclusive economic zones. (EEZs are areas that extend roughly 200 nautical miles from each countrys coast; the United States, with more than 13,000 miles of coastline, controls the largest EEZ in the world, containing 3.4 million square nautical miles of ocean.)

There are five organizations that manage regional fisheries within those economic zones. Their job is to enforce regulations and make sure the predators of ocean ecosystems remain in the ocean and not on our plates, according to Barbara Block, a professor of marine sciences at Stanford University who codirects Stanfords Tuna Research and Conservation Center.

Removal at sustainable levels is a priority of many, Block added in an email, but practiced by few. Some species of bluefin tuna, for example, have become endangered following decades of overfishing.

There are three methods these fisheries use to catch tuna: purse seining, longlining and pole-and-line fishing.

Pole-and-line fishing is the kind hobbyists take part in: sitting on a boat and bringing in one catch at a time. Larger fishing operations tend to rely on the other two methods.

Purse seiners drop a large, round wall of netting around a school of fish and then purse the bottom of the net shut to prevent fish from escaping. Longliners drop one 30- or 40-mile-long line into the water, then wait for the fish to catch on hundreds (or thousands) of hooks.

Then the fish is cleaned, sorted and, eventually, canned. Dave Rudie, the president of Catalina Offshore Products in San Diego (the former tuna capital of the world), works with a cannery that sells about 1 million cans of tuna each year, 10,000 of which contain bigeye sourced from him.

The really perfect colored tuna  the brightest red  goes to the sushi bars, Rudie said. Tuna thats a little bit paler in color will go more for the cooking, where you sear the outside and its raw in the middle.

We also get some more off-color tuna and that off-color tuna, we cut it up and freeze it, he continued. And we send it up to a cannery in Oregon.

Canneries tend to follow the same general process. Most canned tuna is caught by purse seiners and its frozen on the boat, Rudie said. Theyre going to take it to a cannery, where theyre most likely going to cook it once, and then theyre going to pull the meat off the bone, and theyre going to put it in a can, and then its going to get retorted  cooked a little bit  to sterilize it the last time before they seal the can.

Then theres the issue of labeling. When Oceana, an organization focused on ocean advocacy, conducted one of the largest fish fraud investigations in the early 2010s, it discovered that seafood may be mislabeled as often as 26% to 87% of the time for commonly swapped fish such as grouper, cod and snapper, disguising fish that are less desirable, cheaper or more readily available.

Such distinctions might not be noticeable, or all that troubling, to every consumer. But when youre trying to figure out whats in a Subway tuna sandwich, they matter.

I was told that if I packed a Ziploc of Subway tuna into a Styrofoam shipping cooler with a few ice packs and mailed it across the country, the lab could test it.

To procure the sandwich specimens, I visited three Subway locations around Los Angeles. It seemed logical to order only tuna on the sandwiches  no extra vegetables, cheese or dressing  as the lab was already wary about the challenges of identifying a fish thats been cooked at least once, mixed with mayo, frozen and shipped across the country.

My first frozen tuna shipment, which cost upward of $150, was lost in transit. But on second try, the sample arrived intact. In two to three weeks, the lab would tell me whether it contained any tuna.

Sandwich Artists Weigh In

Though Subway declined to disclose its tuna suppliers, Sage, who has been a Subway manager in California for three years, shared some details about how the product arrives at her location. (Sage asked not to use her full name out of fear of reprisal from her employer.)

The tuna comes in a case and inside the case, there are six aluminum pouches and its just like a pressed, vacuum-sealed slab of tuna, Sage said. Its flaky and its clearly soaked in water  its like a brine, so its just soaked in salt water  and its just flaky tuna. We just spread it apart with our hands  gloved, of course  and mix it with mayo.

Sage said that each store follows corporate guidelines, which instruct that certain meats can stay out in the stores refrigerated sandwich bar for up to 24, 48 or 72 hours.

Tuna, she said, has a 72-hour counter life (the time frame was also confirmed by Subways spokesperson), though Sage said her store often replaces it before it hits three days. We all agree  all of us that work there  it gets kind of gross, she said.

Jen, a former Subway sandwich artist who worked at a location in Iowa for a year, said she couldnt imagine what incentive Subway would have to replace the tuna with anything else. (Jen also asked not to use her full name out of fear of reprisal from her employer).

I dealt with the tuna all the time, Jen said. The ingredients are right on the package, and tuna is a relatively cheap meat. There would be no point to making replacement tuna to make it cheaper.

And as an occasional consumer of Subways tuna, Jen said she was confident it was fish.

I personally have a really weak stomach to fish, which is how we know the tuna is real, she said. Last time I ate it, I puked my guts out.

But Sage said that beyond meeting these food safety standards, she was not very concerned about whether this tuna was real or not.

We dont really care at all, she said of herself and her fellow sandwich artists. Which may sound kind of weird, I guess, but customers will bring it up and we just go: I dont know. What kind of cheese do you want?

The Lab Results

Finally, after more than a month of waiting, the lab results arrived.

No amplifiable tuna DNA was present in the sample and so we obtained no amplification products from the DNA, the email read. Therefore, we cannot identify the species.

The spokesperson from the lab offered a bit of analysis. Theres two conclusions, he said. One, its so heavily processed that whatever we could pull out, we couldnt make an identification. Or we got some and theres just nothing there thats tuna. (Subway declined to comment on the lab results.)

To be fair, when Inside Edition sent samples from three Subway locations in Queens out for testing this year, the lab found that the specimens were, indeed, tuna.

Even the plaintiffs have softened their original claims. In a new filing from June, their complaints centered not on whether Subways tuna was tuna at all, but whether it was 100% sustainably caught skipjack and yellowfin tuna.

With all testing, there are major caveats to consider. Once tuna has been cooked, its protein becomes denatured, meaning that the fishs characteristic properties have likely been destroyed, making it difficult, if not impossible, to identify.

All of the people I spoke with also questioned why Subway would swap out its tuna.

I dont think a sandwich place would intentionally mislabel, Rudie from Catalina Offshore Products said. Theyre buying a can of tuna that says tuna. If theres any fraud in this case, it happened at the cannery.

Peter Horn, the director of the Ending Illegal Fishing Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts, agreed that it would be difficult to place blame on Subway if this were the case.

In the defense of Subway, or quite a lot of these fishmongers, the further you get, the fish from the bone, the harder it is to recognize what that fish is, he said.

Most of us see the fish on the bone, skin intact, and we can recognize what sort of fish that is, he continued. You drop the head and the tail off, it becomes more difficult, but you can still probably recognize it. You take the skin off it, you take it off the bone and you cut it into slices then youre only sort of saying, Right, whats the color and texture?

Sutton, the food critic, suggested that this incident could encourage consumers to take more interest in where their food comes from.

I would hope that an issue like this would cause more people across the country and all across the world to spend more time thinking about every step of the environmental, labor and economic supply chains that supply their food, he said.

And even as Subways prices have risen beyond the days of $5 footlongs, Horn said the companys notably cheap sandwiches raise more important questions than the integrity of their tuna.

We cant just continue to have a downward pressure on the price, he said, because if we all want everything at rock-bottom prices, that means something, somewhere is going to be exploited, whether thats people or the ocean  probably both.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
LEXINGTON, Miss. (AP)  Two more young men have been charged with capital murder in the shooting death of a Gulf Coast man found dead on June 2 in central Mississippi.

Holmes County Sheriff Willie March tells local news outlets that 15-year-old Akarion Johnson of Attala County and 18-year-old Brock Banks Jr. of Durant have been arrested and both charged as adults.

They're the latest suspects arrested in the death of 26-year-old Kyle Craig of Ocean Springs. Morgan Craig, his sister, has said Craig drove to Holmes County to buy a four-wheeler he had seen listed for sale. Kyle Craig bought, repaired and sold all-terrain vehicles and may have been carrying a large amount of cash.

Arrested and charged with capital murder earlier were 17-year-old Parveion Harris, 20-year-old Montavious Landfair and 17-year-old Darius Erving.

It's unclear if any of the men have attorneys.

Craig stopped answering phone calls and his relatives drove north looking for him after reporting him missing. The relatives used Craig's cell phone to trace his location and found him dead on the side of a road, with multiple gunshot wounds, near the town of West.

March said the latest two suspects were turned in by their families.

On June 12, Erving escaped from a Lexington hospital after he complained that he was having trouble breathing while in custody. March said Ervings parents turned him in the following day.
PARIS (AP)  A school undergoing construction work collapsed in the Belgian city of Antwerp, killing five workers and injuring nine others, according to local authorities. An investigation is underway into the cause of the accident.

Firefighters and rescue dogs labored through the night after Fridays accident to pull out the victims one by one, while the construction company cleared rubble and worked to secure the site, according to a running account on Twitter by the Antwerp fire service.
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (AP)  Hold the onions? Yes, and the mustard, too, unfortunately.

Red Hots Coney Island in Highland Park is closing in late July, a month after it celebrates its 100th year in business on June 26.

Our bodies are telling us its time, Carol Harlan told the Detroit Free Press. We are closing on our terms, not because the pandemic is shutting us down.

Her husband and co-owner, Rich Harlan, has been making chili for 55 years. The restaurant was started by his great-uncle, Tom Nicholson, who came to the U.S. from Greece.

The Harlans put a hot dog in a bun, then add mustard, chili and onions. Some coney places put the mustard on top of the chili.

I am not in for prettiness but for the taste, Rich Harlan said. I want you to taste the chili. The mustard is to enhance the flavor.

During the peak of the pandemic, Red Hots was closed for weeks like many restaurants but delivered frozen chili to customers' porches.

Carol Harlan hopes someone buys the business, which can seat 35 diners. The interior got a makeover in 2015, thanks to the Food Network's American Diner Revival.

"Highland Park needs a place like this," Carol said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Federal regulators have brought a complaint against a zinc mining company, claiming that an employee in Tennessee was illegally fired for making safety complaints about the mine.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh filed the complaint earlier this month with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission against Nyrstar Gordonsville LLC on behalf of worker Richard Waller. An administrative law judge in April approved the labor secretary's request for temporary reinstatement of Waller's pay and benefits while the case over the Cumberland mine in Smith County proceeds.

The complaint claims Waller was fired for documenting unsafe conditions in the mine's shaft inspection book; complaining to supervising staff about those conditions; engaging in protected refusal to perform welding without a required fire extinguisher; and speaking with a Mine Safety and Health Administration inspector who was on site at the mine.

In an agreement signed by the company and attorneys for Department of Labor and Waller, instead of physically returning to work, the mine worker is temporarily receiving his pay and benefits and can seek work elsewhere while his case proceeds.

In statements in the case, Waller wrote that the form given to him during his firing said he was terminated for insubordination, though the only discipline that should have remained on his record was a two-day suspension in January 2021 for a violation of the lockout/tagout policy to isolate energy sources before workers do mechanical or electrical work.

He wrote that the company claimed that it adheres to a Progressive Discipline policy, which he said the company didn't follow, saying further that the policy has so many caveats it is meaningless.

Representatives from Nyrstar did not immediately return email requests for comment on the complaint.

The complaint seeks the expungement of the firing from Waller's record; reinstatement of employment; full back pay with interest and benefits; and a $20,000 penalty.

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act says mine workers can't be terminated, discriminated against or interfered with for certain protected safety and health activities, such as filing a complaint alleging a violation, or refusing to work under unsafe or unhealthy conditions.

Since 2009, the most requests in one year that an administration has filed with the mine safety commission to temporarily reinstate workers for retaliation over safety or health activities is 40 in 2012, according to federal data. From 2017 until 2020, the years of former President Donald Trump's administration, there were 12.5 filed annually on average. From 2009 until 2016, former President Barack Obama's time in office, there were 26.6 filed a year on average. There have been nine filed this year to date.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP)  A city-owned museum will return works of art to two Alaskan Native American tribes that requested the items back in 2017, decades after they were acquired for collections.

A vote by the Birmingham City Council cleared the way for the Birmingham Museum of Art to return items to the Tlingit and Haida tribes, WBHM reported.

The groups requested the return of pieces under a 1990 law that requires institutions which receive federal funds to return Native American cultural items to the respective tribes. The director of the museum, Graham C. Boettcher, told the council that the museum no longer had a "a moral, ethical or legal claim under federal law to the art.

The city ordinance allowing the museum to send pieces back to the Native American groups will apply to future claims, including global collections where items may not have been brought into the United States legally, Boettcher said.

"So, we want to be able to operate ethically and in accordance with all laws, he said.

The museum, founded in 1951, has extensive collections of Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian, and Native American art, according to its website.

The museum has several Tlingit items as part of its collection including several spoons, baskets and bentwood boxes. Nearly all of them were purchased by the museum in 1956.

The museum also lists three works by Haida artists, including two screen prints by Freida Deising and a Reg Davidson totem pole, all of which were acquired in 1994.

Members of the Haida Nation and the Tlingit Nation live in southeastern Alaska. A central tribal government represents more than 32,000 Tlingit and Haida members, according to the groups' website.
CHICAGO (AP)  A fifth person has died as a result of a mass shooting last week in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to authorities.

The Cook County medical examiners office pronounced the 25-year-old woman dead on Saturday. Police say no arrests have been made in the Tuesday morning shooting that left four dead and four others wounded. All had been shot in the head.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias suppression of information seen as pivotal to a free and open media is at the center of accusations that the country has become one of the worlds most secretive democracies.

Last week, a former Australian spy was convicted over his unconfirmed role as a whistleblower who revealed an espionage operation against the government of East Timor.

Its the latest high-profile case in a national system in which secrecy laws, some dating back to the colonial era, are routinely used to suppress information. Police have also threatened to charge journalists who exposed war crime allegations against Australian special forces in Afghanistan, or bureaucrats plan to allow an intelligence agency to spy on Australian citizens.

Australians dont even know the name of the former spy convicted Friday. The Canberra court registry listed him as Witness K. His lawyer referred to him more respectfully as Mr. K in court.

K spent the two-day hearing in a box constructed from black screens to hide his identity. The public and media were sent out of the courtroom when classified evidence was discussed, which was about half the time.

The only sign that anyone was actually inside the box was when a voice said guilty after K was asked how he pleaded.

The Australian government has refused to comment on allegations that K led an Australian Secret Intelligence Service operation that bugged government offices in the East Timorese capital in 2004, during negotiations on the sharing of oil and gas revenue from the seabed that separates the two countries.

The government canceled Ks passport before he was to testify at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2014 in support of the East Timorese, who argued the treaty was invalid because Australia failed to negotiate in good faith by engaging in espionage.

There was no evidence heard in open court of a bugging operation, which media reported was conducted under the guise of a foreign aid program.

K was given a three-month suspended sentence. If hed been sent to prison, there were court orders designed to conceal his former espionage career by restricting what he could tell friends and associates to explain his predicament.

He had faced up to two years in prison. Since his offense, Australia has continued to tighten controls on secrecy, increasing the maximum sentence to 10 years.

As lacking in transparency as Ks prosecution was, it was a vast improvement on Australias treatment of another rogue intelligence officer known as Witness J.

J has been described by the media as possibly the only person in Australian history to be tried, sentenced and imprisoned in secret. But no one seems to know for sure.

As with K, it is illegal to reveal Js identity.

J pleaded guilty in a closed courtroom in the same Canberra court complex in 2018 to charges related to mishandling classified information and potentially revealing the identities of Australian agents. He spent 15 months in prison.

The secret court hearing and imprisonment only became public in late 2019 because J took court action against the Australian Capital Territory government, claiming his human rights were violated by police who raided his prison cell in search of a memoir he was writing.

Outraged lawyers then called for the first major review of the nations secrecy laws since 2010. Whistleblowers as well as journalists currently are under threat from more than 70 counterterrorism and security laws passed by Parliament since the 9/11 attacks in the U.S.

Andrew Wilkie, a former government intelligence analyst whistleblower whos now an independent federal lawmaker, is a vocal critic of national security being used as an excuse to pander to paranoia and shield embarrassment.

Wilkie opposed the prosecution of K and his former lawyer Bernard Collaery. Collaery is fighting a charge that he conspired with K to reveal secrets to East Timor, and wants his trial to be open.

I am in no doubt that one of the reasons for the secrecy around the K and Collaery matter is the enormous political embarrassment that we were spying on one of the poorest countries in the world to get an upper hand in a business negotiation, Wilkie said.

Wilkie quit his intelligence job in the Office of National Assessments days before Australian troops joined U.S. and British forces in the 2003 Iraq invasion. He publicly argued that Iraq didnt pose sufficient threat to warrant invasion and that there was no evidence linking Iraqs government to al-Qaida.

I basically accused the government of lying, Wilkie said.

Although the government attempted to discredit him, Wilkie said he was never threatened with prosecution for revealing classified information.

For many, Australian authorities took a step too far in June 2019 in their bid to chase down whistleblowers, intimidate journalists and protect government secrets.

Police raided the home of News Corp. journalist Annika Smethurst, and the next day the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Both media outlets had used leaked government documents as the basis of public interest journalism.

The search warrants were issued under Section 70 of the Crimes Act 1914, which prohibited a government employee from sharing information without a supervisors permission.

That section has since been replaced under national security legislation that expanded the crime to include a government employee sharing opinions or reporting conversations between others.

Media law experts Johan Lidberg and Denis Muller said Australia is the only country within the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance  which includes the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand  that gives its security agencies the power to issue search warrants against journalists in the hunt for public interest whistleblowers in the name of national security.

Police decided in May last year that they had insufficient evidence to charge Smethurst, the journalist, over an article published in April 2018. She had reported that two government department bosses planned to create new espionage powers that would allow an intelligence agency to legally spy on Australian citizens.

Prosecutors also decided in October last year that the public interest does not require a prosecution of ABC reporter Dan Oakes over a television investigation broadcast in July 2017 that alleged Australian troops killed unarmed men and children in Afghanistan in potential war crimes.

But David McBride, a former Australian army lawyer who admits leaking classified documents to the ABC, is fighting multiple charges. He calculates he faces up to 50 years in prison for being a whistleblower.

There have been two parliamentary inquiries into press freedom since the police raids, but progress toward change has been criticized as slow and weak.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, which has rubber-stamped many of the problem security laws, said many submissions for change warned that "the balance in legislation and culture within the Australian government has tipped away from transparency and engagement to excessive and unnecessary secrecy.

A Senate committee inquiry into press freedom last month made several recommendations, mostly for more government investigation. The committee asked whether secret information offenses should be amended to include a harm requirement, and whether journalists should still have to prove that an unauthorized disclosure was in the public interest.

Wilkie, the lawmaker, argues Australia has drifted into becoming a pre-police state through its embrace of secrecy.

Its now unremarkable when a government cloaks something in a national security need for secrecy, Wilkie said. We dont bat an eyelid anymore. We should be outraged.
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP)  The COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Laura and Delta have kept the USS Orleck Naval Museum stuck at its location on North Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles. Efforts to move the former Navy ship to the Jacksonville Naval Museum in Florida have been on hold for more than a year, but Orleck Museum Executive Director Ron Williams is hopeful that it will get done.

Its just taken a long time, unfortunately, but were moving forward, Williams said Thursday. We dont know of any reason why it wont come to fruition, but after all weve been through, we dont take anything for granted.

Several steps need to happen first, Williams said. The Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association, a nonprofit group, needs its mayor to sign an ordinance authorizing the Downtown Investment Authority to enter into a lease agreement with the nonprofit so that the ship can be placed on city property. The ships proposed location is close to TIAA Bank Field, home of the NFLs Jacksonville Jaguars.

Were taking it a day at a time, he said. Its frustrating for everybody, including people in (Jacksonville) were working with to get it through all the hoops. Jacksonville has a much more complicated government process than we do here. Its a big city council with a bunch of commissions.

The ordinance requires three readings before the city council and has been referred to several council committees for review, Williams said.

Were optimistic its going to take place, and were going to work toward that goal, he said. My challenge is Im not over there to know the particular details.

Another key factor, Williams said, is getting the ship to the Gulf Copper Manufacturings Central dry dock yard in Port Arthur, Texas, on a tight schedule. The goal, he said, is to get 3-4 weeks worth of work done quickly so it can be sent over to Jacksonville, a move that could take up to eight days.

While Hurricane Laura left the Orleck battered, the ship did not take on any water. Williams attributed that to the ship already being secured for tow.

The ship lost its gangway, which allows crews to board the ship, during Hurricane Laura. Custom Metal Fabricators in Lake Charles designed and built a new one.

We needed that before we could start accessing the ship safely, Williams said.

Jacksonvilles history as a naval town should provide a better location for the Orleck, Williams said. The Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association tried to get the USS Charles F. Adams, but the Navy decided in late 2018 to scrap the ship. Both the Orleck and Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association have been working since January 2019 to get the ship to Jacksonville.

Jacksonville has a lot of naval history and people they can tap into. Theres a lot of potential, he said.
LONDON (AP)  Former U.K. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, a longtime Conservative lawmaker who gained international fame refereeing the countrys bruising political drama over Brexit, said Sunday he has switched allegiances and joined the opposition Labour Party.

Bercow was a Conservative member of Parliament for 12 years until being elected in 2009 to the neutral role of Speaker, responsible for running House of Commons business and interpreting its rules of procedure.

He enraged the Conservative governments of Prime Minister Theresa May and her successor, Boris Johnson, by giving backbench legislators chances to stymie proposed legislation about the U.K.s exit from the European Union.

He became a hero to opponents of Brexit and a villain to its supporters, and was recognized around the world for his loud ties and even louder calls of Order! in the raucous House of Commons.

Bercow also was accused during his career of bullying members of his staff, claims he denied. He stepped down in 2019.

He insisted he was neutral in his handling of Brexit debates, though after leaving office he called the U.K.'s 2016 vote to quit the EU a historic mistake.

Bercow began his political career in the 1980s as a right-wing acolyte of then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but has moved to the left over the years.

He angered some on the political right by saying in 2017 that then-President Donald Trump shouldnt be allowed to address Parliament, an honor given to some of his predecessors, including Barack Obama.

Bercow is a strong critic of Johnson, a champion of Brexit whose rise has coincided with an exodus of pro-EU politicians from the Conservative Party. Bercow told The Observer newspaper that the Conservatives under Johnson had become reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic.

The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced, he said. The reality is that the Labour Party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland rejected the characterization of the party as xenophobic, and said Bercows decision to forgo political neutrality actually has the effect of diminishing the force of his voice in politics.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A judge will decide this week whether to charge a Wisconsin police officer who killed a man sitting in a parked car, after the man's family invoked a rarely used legal process in a bid to get around prosecutors who cleared the officer.

Joseph Mensah shot Jay Anderson Jr. in 2016 after he discovered him sleeping in his car after hours in a park in Wauwatosa, a Milwaukee suburb. Mensah said Anderson was reaching for a gun.

Anderson was the second of three people Mensah killed during a five-year stint with the Wauwatosa Police Department. Prosecutors cleared Mensah in each case. But an attorney for Anderson's family stumbled onto an obscure legal option to force a grand jury-like proceeding against Mensah in which a judge rather than a jury hears evidence.

A Milwaukee judge could implement the little-used procedure on Friday and charge Mensah directly. It's a case being watched by at least one other family frustrated by a prosecutor's decision not to charge a police officer who shot their loved one.

We kind of thought that was it, Anderson's father, Jay Anderson Sr, said of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm's decision not to charge Mensah. They let him get away with murder is what they did." He called the hearing a blessing to me and my family.

Mensah, who is Black, joined the Wauwatosa Police Department in 2015, the same year he shot and killed Antonio Gonzales, who identified as a Latino and American Indian. Prosecutors said Gonzales refused to drop a sword. The Anderson shooting came the following year.

In 2020, Mensah shot and killed 17-year-old Alvin Cole as Cole fled from police following a disturbance in a mall. Cole was Black. Mensah said he shot Cole because Cole pointed a gun at him. That shooting sparked months of protests, and Chisholm's decision not to charge Mensah set off several more nights of protests in Wauwatosa in October.

Mensah resigned from the Wauwatosa Police Department the following month, collecting a $130,000 severance payment. He now works as a Waukesha County sheriff's deputy.

Kimberley Motley, an attorney representing the Gonzales, Anderson and Cole families, said she was researching the use of grand juries in Wisconsin in hopes of finding another avenue for charges and found what's known as the John Doe option.

Wisconsin law dating to the state's territorial days set up such proceedings as a check on prosecutorial discretion. Similar to grand jury investigations, prosecutors can invoke the process to subpoena witnesses and question them under oath and in secret in hopes of gathering enough evidence to justify charges against someone. Prosecutors used the process in the early 2010s to investigate then-Republican Gov. Scott Walker's campaign operations. Walker was never charged.

An even more obscure section of the John Doe law allows citizens to ask a judge to open a John Doe when a prosecutor has declined to file charges. The judge can choose to initiate the investigation and decide whether to run it publicly or in secret. The citizen or his or her attorney can question witnesses in front of the judge with no cross-examination. The judge can then decide whether to issue charges and appoint a special prosecutor to handle the case.

At least six other states, including Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota, have similar provisions for citizen-initiated grand juries. A Kansas woman who alleges she was raped collected enough petition signatures last month to force a grand jury investigation after prosecutors declined to file charges.

Citizen-initiated John Does are rarely used in Wisconsin. Marcus Berghahn, a criminal defense attorney and adjunct law professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said they happen perhaps once or twice a decade in the state. Motley said she's not aware of any John Does being used against police officers.

Motley filed a petition seeking one in February. She argued in the filing that no Wauwatosa officer besides Mensah has shot and killed anyone in the line of duty in more than a decade. She also highlighted the 19 shots he fired in the three incidents, calling it an extraordinary number."

Most police officers never fire a single shot in the line of duty during their career and multiple homicides by a single officer is an even rarer occurrence, she wrote.

She alleged that Anderson never touched the gun on the passenger seat, and said Chisholm faces a conflict of interest whenever he reviews an officer-involved death. The risk Mensah poses to public safety is too great not to appoint a special prosecutor, she said.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Glenn Yamahiro agreed to open an investigation, and heard testimony at five public hearings.

Motley has asked Yamahiro to charge Mensah with second-degree reckless homicide and homicide by negligent use of a weapon.

Mensahs attorney, Jon Ceremele, didnt return a message. He said in February that Mensah has been cleared of any criminal liability, he clearly acted in self-defense and Motley didn't have any new evidence to present.

Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber testified in May that he considered Anderson armed, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Motley subpoenaed Mensah, but Ceremele said he would simply invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and wouldn't speak. He didn't appear in court after Yamahiro accepted that contention, Motley said.

Motley said Anderson's case could point the way for other families who have lost loved ones to police and want to pursue the accountability they feel they didn't get when a prosecutor decided not to charge an officer. She said she's weighing whether to pursue the same process for the Cole and Gonzales families.

Justin Blake, whose nephew Jacob was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by a Kenosha police officer in August, attended one of the Mensah hearings. He said the family is trying to familiarize itself with the John Doe process. A Kenosha County prosecutor cleared the officer in Jacob Blake's case, saying Jacob Blake had been fighting with officers and was wielding a knife.

It would be just tremendous if we were able to indict this criminal cop," Justin Blake said, referring to Mensah. "That would lay the groundwork for our family to get justice for Little Jake when weve had no justice. Theres just so much leeway for cops to get out when they do criminal stuff. This is a way to keep their feet to the fire.

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Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1
PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. (AP)  Joseph Gray, the reigning World Mountain Running Champion, raced to the top of the tallest mountain in the Northeast on Sunday to collect his fifth Mount Washington Road Race victory.

Gray, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, led from the sunny start to the cold, blustery finish at the 6,288-foot summit, finishing the grueling race with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute and 40 seconds.
NORTH HAVEN, Maine (AP)  A 153-acre farm on North Haven Island has been donated to the American Farmland Trust, which plans to continue using it as working farmland.

The Turner Farm property was one of North Havens largest farms in the 1800s and it underwent a restoration under the ownership of financier and philanthropist Donald Sussman, who donated the land to the trust, the Portland Press Herald reported.
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP)  Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has made one of his first public appearances since returning home after nearly a decade in exile, attending Mass on Sunday as residents of his hometown made preparations for his visit.

Gbagbo, who was acquitted of crimes against humanity two years ago at the International Criminal Court, showed up at St. Paul Cathedral in Abidjan, where he was greeted by Cardinal Jean Pierre Kutwa.

The ex-president returned to Ivory Coast on Thursday after the government allowed his return. Earlier this year, the ICC upheld his acquittal on charges related to the post-electoral violence that engulfed Ivory Coast after its 2010 president election.

Gbagbo, the incumbent leader, refused to acknowledge defeat to Alassane Ouattara, sparking months of clashes between their supporters that left more than 3,000 people dead. Ouattara ultimately prevailed and has been the president of Ivory Coast ever since.

Some victims' groups have expressed dismay over his homecoming, saying that Ivorian authorities should now try him for his role in the conflict.

However, in his hometown of Mama over the weekend, jubilant supporters began making preparations in hopes that Gbagbo will soon pay the community a visit and visit his mother's grave. On Saturday, dozens of supporters gathered just a few blocks from Gbagbos house in Mama, where they sang and danced to celebrate his return to Ivory Coast.

Many said they hoped Gbagbo could now help the country overcome the current economic crisis and high unemployment rates exacerbated by the pandemic.

"Now that Gbagbo is back, we know that we are going to work, said Lefri Sabrine, who hails from the same village as the ex-president's late mother.

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Associated Press journalist Yesica Fisch in Mama, Ivory Coast contributed.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A Louisiana judge has overturned a Black man's murder conviction after prosecutors agreed with defense attorneys that it was unlikely that earlier prosecutors struck possible Black jurors by chance.

The Times-Picayune ' The New Orleans Advocate reports Orleans Parish Criminal District Judge Rhonda Goode overturned the murder conviction of Jabari Williams last week. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 had ordered further review of the case because of problems with the jury selection.

Prosecutors must now decide whether to retry Williams, who is accused of shooting Selvin Gonzales, a Honduran laborer, in 2011. Prosecutors allege Williams was trying to sell drugs to Gonzales and followed him down the street to shoot him.

Before Goode ruled, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams agreed with defense lawyers who said there was a 1-in-1,000 chance that the prosecutors accidentally struck 12 Black people from the jury pool.

Williams attacked former District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro for how the case was handled, while Cannizzaro blamed Williams for not keeping the conviction from being overturned.

Williams's office has joined with defense attorneys to agree to overturn multiple disputed convictions.

Jason Williams is not related to the suspect, Jabari Williams.

Jabari Williams confessed, but claims he shot the man in self-defense. His lawyers questioned whether the defendant was improperly pressured to confess, and also noted that the star witness, Gonzales' roommate, said he had trouble telling Black people apart. Jurors voted unanimously to convict Williams of second-degree murder.

Both the judge overseeing the case and the lead prosecutor were Black. But Williams lawyers said the selection process was biased.

The lawyers claimed there was no other reason to explain why prosecutors struck Black people out of the jury pool, while keeping white people who gave near-identical responses to questions about whether defendants could falsely confess.

Cannizzaros appellate lawyers said race had nothing to do with it. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the state Supreme Court said a judge needed to have a special hearing to reconstruct what happened during the 2012 trial.

But the hearing never happened. Instead attorneys in Williams new Civil Rights Division agreed that the conviction should be tossed. On Tuesday, they agreed to many of the defense claims, and argued that reconstructing what happened at trial would be impossible so many years later.

The division also cited a statistical analysis offered by defense attorneys Michael Admirand and Patrick Mulvaney, of the Southern Center for Human Rights. Those lawyers said that in the six months leading up to Jabari Williams trial, New Orleans prosecutors used 78% of their discretionary strikes against Black prospective jurors, at a rate more than three times that of white people.

Last year, Williams promised that he would root out wrongful convictions, and in a lengthy statement, he blasted Cannizzaro's "previous administration for its handling of the trial.

But Cannizzaro has accused Williams of allowing convictions to be overturned for political reasons.

No court, all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, ever found racial discrimination in the jury selection process of this case, Cannizzaro said in a statement. This DAs office took it upon itself to manipulate the ruling of the Supreme Court in order to further its own personal agenda at the expense of the victims family and public safety.
CAIRO (AP)  Libyas interim authorities reopened on Sunday the Mediterranean coastal highway linking the countrys long-divided eastern and western cities, in the latest bid to reunite the territories after years of civil war.

The announcement comes three days ahead of an international conference on Libya that will be hosted by Germany and the United Nations in Berlin.

I am so delighted to participate in the opening of this essential lifeline linking the east of our country to its west, Libyan Prime Minister Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah told a crowd that gathered as bulldozers were towing away rocks and sand dunes blocking the road.

The coastal highway has been closed since April 2019 after east-based military commander Khalifa Hifter launched a military offensive to wrest the capital, Tripoli, from the U.N.-recognized government. Its reopening was a long-held demand by the U.N. to enable the safe passage of civilians and goods.

The United States' embassy in Libya hailed the move, saying in a tweet it was paving the path for Libyans to have full control over their own affairs.

Dbeibah was elected as interim prime minister, along with a four-member presidential council, by Libyan delegates at a U.N.-sponsored conference in February. They are meant to shepherd the country to nationwide elections late this year.

In March, the transitional government announced the resumption of flights between eastern Benghazi and western Misrata after seven years of suspension. Both cities have been key strongholds of Libyas warring factions.

Libya has been mired in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Afterwards, the oil-rich country was long divided between a U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities based in the countrys east, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

On Wednesday, an international conference on Libya is set to kick off in Berlin to discuss preparations for the general elections, and withdrawal of foreign forces who were brought in to fight for the opposing sides.

The resumption of traffic on the route stretching along Libyas Mediterranean coastline comes amid tensions between interim authorities and Hifters troops. On Saturday, Hifters self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces announced the deployment of more troops in the largely lawless south, and the closure of the western border with Algeria, saying it was to combat terrorism. In response, Libyas presidential council issued a decree sending their own brigades to the south.

Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert and senior fellow at the Global Initiative, said that he saw the announcement as posturing ahead of the Berlin negotiations. He said Hifter wants his troops to continue to be seen as a force to be reckoned with, but that its unlikely that they could enforce such a closure.

Hifter does not have the ability to send forces to close the Algeria borders. It is just too long, too far away and beyond his capacity, he said.
MOAB, Utah (AP)  Corona Arch is arguably one of the most famous arches in Moab. It rises more than 100 feet into the air, like a giant arm reaching out of the ground, then bends slightly before connecting to a steep cliff.

But its not inside Arches National Park. Still, the parking lot at its trailhead was packed on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, KUER-FM reported. Salt Lake City resident Michelle Gonzalez and her family were there to kill time after they were turned away from Arches.

She said when they showed up at the national park around 10 a.m. there was a sign saying to come back later, because the parking lots were full.

We went to another gift shop right down the road from there, and they told us to go back at around 1 or 2 o clock and maybe well get in, she said.

The experience Gonzalez and her family had has become the norm. Arches National Park is on track to have its busiest year ever, and that increase in visitation has caused the park to close its gates over 80 times so far in 2021.

Two other popular national parks in the West  Rocky Mountain and Yosemite  implemented reservation systems last year due to the pandemic. Both brought reservations back this summer in anticipation of record visitation.

Park advocates along with Moab and Grand County officials say a similar system could help alleviate congestion and protect Arches. But efforts to implement a timed-entry system there have failed in the past.

Lines and closures have been a problem at Arches since around 2016, according to Joette Langianese, director of a nonprofit called Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks that helps fundraise and advocate for both parks.

Visitation dropped a bit last year because of the pandemic, but she said tourists are back in full force this year, and theyre wreaking havoc on the park.

This year has been over the top with new visitors who really are not educated as to how to appropriately recreate, she said. For example, throwing garbage just on the ground and not in the garbage can, or walking off the trail or stepping on the (cryptobiotic) soil.

Langianese said those are the kinds of things rangers are supposed to monitor, but the sheer number of visitors is making it hard.

It just doesnt give the rangers the opportunity to really provide that kind of education, because theyre just getting by, because its just so busy in the park, she said.

She said a reservation system, sometimes called timed-entry, would spread visitors out over the course of the day during the high season, so the park isnt swamped. People would reserve a time slot online in which to show up. Then, once theyre in the park, they can stay as long as they want.

She said the park could reserve some tickets to sell the day before, to locals and those who arent able to get reservations ahead of time. It could also allow visitors to enter the park early in the morning or late in the evening without a reservation.

Lets just try it, see how it works, Langianese said. If it works great  great. If there are some problems, we can tweak it or just not do it anymore.

The former superintendent of Arches, proposed a similar fix in 2015. Businesses in Moab pushed back, saying it could scare people away. Then, a 2018 study commissioned by the Park Service found the change could drain up to $22 million from Moabs economy in its first year. That put the idea on hold indefinitely.

Grand County Commissioner Mary McGann is convinced the study was wrong. She cites the town of Estes Park as proof. Its sales tax revenue actually increased after nearby Rocky Mountain National Park implemented its reservation system.

Its helped their economy, because people, instead of standing in line, are downtown, walking the streets, going into the shops, having a late breakfast, all sorts of things, McGann said.

The Moab City Council and the Grand County Commission both voted in May to send a letter to the park service asking it to implement timed-entry at Arches this September. That way, it will be in place by Labor Day.

But it could be hard to get visitors on board.

Tory Wadford and her partner waited around 40 minutes to get into the park on Memorial Day weekend. Thats not long compared to the two-hour wait visitors experienced at Zion National Park to board shuttles that Sunday.

Wadford said it was longer than she expected to wait. Still, she said she has mixed feelings about a potential reservation system that would require purchasing tickets online.

What weve realized with Zion, with the shuttle system, the tickets sell out within minutes, she said. So we actually only were able to reserve one ticket for both of us to get there. So were having to wait until the day before to get the second ticket so that can, you know, be a little nerve wracking.

Chet Kleinot and his wife were turned away three times before they got into Arches, after waiting in line for an hour. They were a little more receptive to the idea of timed-entry, but they had some concerns.

What if you didnt know about it? So it was almost like every hotel would have to tell you when you checked in, you know what I mean? Kleinot said.

That was a problem at Rocky Mountain National Park when it started timed-entry again this summer. The Denver Post reported folks waited in line there for an hour before being turned away because they didnt have a reservation. Some angry visitors even started a petition asking the park to ditch the reservation system.

Langianese said that will probably happen at Arches too, if it implements timed-entry. Still, shes convinced its the right thing to do.

We definitely want people to come here and enjoy our parks, she said. But we also want them to be able to experience the parks in a way that they can feel that solitude and that silence, so that they want to make sure that it stays the same.

The park service declined to comment for this story, but Langainese said they are considering the idea. She said she hopes they act soon, because if they do implement reservations, it will take a few months to educate visitors about the change.

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This story corrects the name spelling of reporter Kate Groetzinger.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Stricter air quality standards are likely coming to Maine schools.

The Maine Legislature has approved a proposal to create consistent standards across the state. The proposal from Democratic Rep. Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth would also charge the Maine Department of Education with amending standards for air quality and ventilation around the state. The bill has been sent to the governor's desk.

Proponents of the stricter standard said the state suffers from a patchwork of ventilation practices at its schools. That is partly because the DEP's rules state that there should be sufficient changes to produce healthful conditions" and there is no definition of what healthful conditions" means.

The proposal would make sure new standards apply to all public schools by July 1, 2026. Students, educators and school staff should be confident that, no matter their school, the air is safe to breathe, Millett said.
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP)  The body of a man who went missing when he walked out of a hospital emergency room in New York's Hudson Valley region one month ago was found, authorities said.

Andrew Neimans body was found on the shore of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie on Wednesday, the Poughkeepsie Journal reported. His identity was confirmed on Friday, according to his sisters Facebook page dedicated to the search.
CHICAGO (AP)  Chicago police say a suspect in the stabbing death of a Maryland woman on a downtown street remains at large.

The 31-year-old woman, who hasnt been identified, was walking Saturday afternoon along Wacker Drive in the Loop business district when she was attacked. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she later died.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts plans to send about two dozen state troopers to Texas later this month to help patrol the nation's border with Mexico.

Ricketts said Saturday that the troopers will spend up to 16 days providing law enforcement assistance to the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Ricketts said he was responding to a request for aid from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in accordance with a preexisting mutual aid agreement that is normally activated in times of emergencies.

Ricketts has criticized the Biden administrations approach to border security and several other policies. In recent weeks, Ricketts has been giving speeches around the state condemning President Joe Bidens conservation plan that calls for preserving 30% of the nations land and water by the year 2030.

Nebraska is stepping up to help Texas respond to the ongoing crisis on their border with Mexico, Ricketts said in the press release. The disastrous policies of the Biden-Harris Administration created an immigration crisis on the border. While the federal government has fallen short in its response, Nebraska is happy to step up to provide assistance to Texas as they work to protect their communities and keep people safe.

After Florida officials announced a similar deployment of officers last week, officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said they would continue working with state and local law enforcement but would defer to state officials to comment on any steps they are taking to increase an enforcement posture.

Republicans have emphasized border security, and many supported former President Donald Trumps program to build walls along the nearly 2000-mile (3,220-kilometer) border between the United States and Mexico. The Biden administration has since suspended the project.

Nebraska State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said some details of the deployment are still being worked out, but the agency has enough staff to cover the shifts of the troopers who are going to Texas without using overtime.

Ricketts' office did not say how the costs of the deployment would be covered.
CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP)  A vehicle stolen from the driveway of an Ohio sheriff was later recovered but her duty weapon remains missing, authorities said.

The Hamilton County sheriff's office said the county vehicle assigned to Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey was reported stolen at 8 a.m. Saturday. Officials said the vehicle was locked at the time it was taken.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A convicted drug dealer and sentenced to 25 years in prison is free after being mistakenly released from the Oklahoma County jail, pending transfer to the state Department of Corrections.

Court records show an arrest warrant was issued Friday for Reimundo Cuevas, 37, who was sentenced April 12 after pleading guilty to charges that include trafficking drugs and conspiracy.
GRANGER, Ind. (AP)  One man was killed and four other people were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in northern Indiana.

Police identified the victim as 26-year-old Victor Anthwan Kyle, Jr. The other four victims injuries that were not considered life threatening.
WRENTHAM, Mass. (AP)  A 1-year-old boy drowned in a family swimming pool in what's being described as a tragic accident, police said.

Family members were performing CPR when police arrived Saturday evening, and the boy was pronounced dead at Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, police said.
TRAER, Iowa (AP)  Authorities are investigating after an Iowa man was found dead in his home.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said Ryan Cooper was found dead at the home west of the town of Traer early Friday morning after someone else in the home called 911. Traer is about 20 miles south of Waterloo in eastern Iowa.
DETROIT (AP)  There have been multiple arrests in a freeway shooting in Detroit that left a 2-year-old boy dead and a 9-year-old seriously injured, according to Michigan State Police.

The agencys special investigation section announced the arrests on Twitter Saturday and said Sunday that the suspects vehicle had also been recovered.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Its almost impossible to go to Pride, a gay bar or really any queer space without hearing Whitney Houstons I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

The song has long been one of those unofficial anthems of the LGBTQ+ community. A ballad about love and togetherness.

The moment the tune came on at OutFest, South Carolina Prides summertime bash, the crowd of hundreds near the stage broke out into song, screaming it into the atmosphere, a release of so many emotions pent up from a year at home, away from each other.

Houstons song, in many ways, was a sign. After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the LGBTQ+ community in South Carolina was finally back together.

For many people at OutFest, it was their first time. They said they usually just waited until the fall for the main event, Columbias Famously Hot SC Pride Parade & Festival.

SC Pride, OutFest and every single other LGBTQ+ celebration last year was canceled or moved online, thanks to the pandemic. Gay bars were closed, and even when they reopened, many didnt want the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.

So when OutFest arrived, queer people from all over the state, and even neighboring Georgia and North Carolina, traveled to Columbia to see others like themselves, to feel at home for the first time since the pandemic began.

I feel so comfortable, which is so not how Im used to feeling, USC student Becca Ferguson said at the event. This year was her first time attending. Just seeing everyones artistic capabilities and what they can put in an outfit like is so motivating to me. Im just standing here smiling, and Ive been here for (hours). I dont know  I just cant get enough of it.

CANCELING MUCH MORE THAN PRIDE

The organizers of LGBTQ+ Pride events around the state knew the moment COVID-19 shut down the U.S. in mid-March that the chances of being able to hold their marquee celebrations were slim.

The virus poses a particularly dire risk for members of the queer community, who have some of the highest rates of the HIV, a potentially deadly immunosuppressive disease, in the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in six gay and bisexual men are expected to be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetimes. The risk is even higher for transgender women, more than 40% have HIV, according to a CDC study of seven cities from 2014-2018.

South Carolina Black Pride president Darius Jones said he knew holding an in-person Pride celebration wasnt worth the risk. Many of the people who attend the annual event in Columbia are older members of the queer community who have had HIV for decades, he said.

My number one concern was honestly the safety of our community members, Jones said. Its just so crazy because I got so much backlash  We need to have a party! We need to do this!

Last year was supposed to be 15th anniversary of SC Black Pride. Now, Jones said they are trying to pick up where they left off but are planning a slightly scaled-down festival because funding and sponsorhip has been more scarce than in years past.

Its definitely happening. We dont have the caliber of it that we planned on last year, but were definitely going to have a huge event, Jones said.

SC Pride president Jeff March said he waited as long as he could before canceling OutFest last June and the Pride Parade and Festival in October. He knew people were tired of being stuck at home, away from other members of the community. He knew that LGBTQ+ service workers and performers, like Drag Queens, needed the money the festival would bring.

He even thought about trying to host a virtual event but decided the organization would be better off saving as much money as possible to ensure OutFest and Pride could return in 2021.

When we had to officially cancel, it just broke my heart, March said. We still kind of hung on and thought, Anything could change. Well be ready anyway.

It was hard to take a year off. It was hard to make the right decision. We dont know if we made the right decision in not going virtual. But we did the only thing we could do, which was hold on to our funding, he said.

Pride events often serve as fundraisers for charitable organizations that support the queer community.

Park Circle Pride, a new festival started this year in North Charleston, was a major boon for the Alliance for Full Acceptance and We Are Family, two queer nonprofits that received a cut of the proceeds.

Alliances president Colleen Condon said Park Circle Pride provided critical support for her organization, which had to cancel its annual November gala that typically brings in more than $200,000.

We dont know yet how much were going to get from this opportunity, but we appreciate the donations. We also appreciate the opportunity to make more connections with people who may not have been active with AFFA or We Are Family before, Condon said.

LOSING OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY

The LGBTQ+ community has long struggled with having enough safe and welcoming spaces to support its members. In the latter half of the 20th century, bars were often the only safe havens it had. As acceptance to the community grew, so did the number of spaces, for a time.

Acceptance came at a cost. Many LGBTQ+ bars around the country have closed in the last 20 years because they werent as essential. Queer people can meet online, in school or at work, without having to hide.

At their heights, Myrtle Beach, Columbia and Charleston used to have around five gay bars each. Now, Myrtle Beach and Columbia each have two. Charleston has just one.

Despite their decline, queer spaces are still essential, activists and Pride organizers say. They provide connections to the broader community, support networks and, in many cases, access to health care.

Without bars, the communitys iconic performers, Drag Queens, had to resort to online shows or asking for donations on sites like GoFundMe. Service workers at those same bars, who often are queer themselves, were also left behind.

Overall I was very concerned, Jones said. We were losing our sense of community. The only ways we had were in group text messages or Facebook or gay Twitter. There were avenues, but they were not physical avenues.

PRIDE RETURNS

Park Circle Pride was one of the first queer celebrations to return since the start of the pandemic. Simon Cantlon, the event organizer, created the six-day festival after the owner of Commonhouse Aleworks approached him two years ago requesting his help in bringing a new Pride festival to their community.

Cantlon originally planned the event for 2020 but canceled once the risks posed by COVID-19 became clear.

Despite being a brand-new event, he and other organizers said that hundreds of people  more than a thousand on the busiest days  attended. Many were members of the queer community, but many straight allies and families attended, as well, he said.

So many people said to me, Ive seen so many faces I havent seen in a year, Cantlon said. Its like this giant reunion.

That same weekend, SC Prides Jeff March was putting on Outfest. It was the festivals third year, and he created it so Columbia would have something to celebrate during the official Pride month of June like other cities, including New York and San Francisco, around the country. He was apprehensive in the weeks leading up to it, unsure of how many people would attend.

Turnout quadrupled compared to 2019.

I was peeking out from behind backstage at one point early on, and I cant deny that there were tears coming out of my eyes behind my sunglasses because I was like, This is amazing, March said. We were more than ready to get back together again.

USC student McKenzi Norris said being at OutFest finally made him feel like he wasnt alone.

I just like knowing that theres a community here because  its kind of cliche  but sometimes its lonely, Norris said. Knowing that other people exist, who arent straight, is nice.

Condon, of the Alliance for Full Acceptance, said even after so many decades of progress for the queer community, Pride still serves an important purpose in the social and mental well-being of LGBTQ+ people. Nowhere else can such a wide range of queer people gather and, for once, feel like they are normal.

Im not sure people always realize how important Pride is, Condon said. Its special being in a place where its the norm to be holding the hand of somebody whos the same sex as yourself, to have so many people being gender fluid and non binary and trans.
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP)  In 2020, Alamogordo Animal Control took in 1,260 animals, saw 563 adopted and euthanized 36 animals, according to Alamogordo Police Department data.

In 2020, the Otero County Animal Shelter took in 1,605 animals, saw 542 adopted and euthanized 364 animals, according to Otero County Animal Shelter data.

Officials with both organizations expected the number of surrendered animals to increase post COVID-19 pandemic, as pet owners found their way back to offices and away from home.

Its post-COVID-19 stuff, everyone was home and had time for the dog and now everyone is going back to work and were getting the same stories, you know? Alamogordo Animal Control Manager Dwaine Martinez told the Alamogordo Daily News.

Martinez said a surge in pet surrenders was already noted.

Alamogordo Animal Control and Kitty City held regular adoption events at White Sands Mall every other Saturday except those Saturdays near holidays.

At the June 12 adoption event, a family of three cats were adopted.

Weve seen a little bit of returns, but I dont think its been any increase of what it would have been without COVID-19, Kitty City Director Kathy Denton said.

Kitty City has a return policy where they work with the adopter to find out what issues may have arisen with the newly adopted cat or kitten, Denton said.

Otero County Animal Shelter Manager Lori Soto said the shelter receives dozens of surrenders.

I think we have a mixed group, Loretta Burks of Otero County Animal Shelter said. I think were seeing some where people took them for the pandemic. Where were located, were in kind of a unique spot because we also take off of (Holloman Air Force Base).

This means that some of the surrendered animals coming in are due to an airmans deployment to a place where dogs may not be able to be shipped or because they cannot afford to transport the dog, Burks said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the short-term foster program through Otero County Animal Shelter was not active, Burks said.

One of Otero County Animal Shelters partners is Dogbreath Express Rescue Transport.

Anthony Buddy Gurnari of Dogbreath Express helps with canine overflow from he Alamogordo Animal Shelter.

Hes taken a lot of dogs because we have been trying to help people and take them in and hes been really good about trying to help get these dogs out to no-kill shelters and stuff so we can make room and try to help people with the overflow thats coming out of the city, Soto said.

Aside from his work as a rescue transport, Gunari also socializes the dogs in the backyard-type play area at the Otero County Animal Shelter. That includes Marie and Millie who played and chased each other for a while before being taken back to their kennels.

Gunari usually takes the dogs out two at a time, unless the dog is shy and needs individual attention.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  Spacewalking astronauts equipped the International Space Station with the first in a series of powerful new solar panels Sunday, overcoming suit problems and other obstacles with muscle and persistence.

It took two spacewalks for French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough to install and unfurl the panel to its full 63 feet (19 meters) in length.

The solar wing unrolled like a red carpet once the final set of bolts was released, relying solely on pent-up energy. The slow but steady extension took 10 minutes, with station cameras providing live TV views.

It is beautiful, Pesquet called out.

Well done, both of you, Mission Control replied once the operation was complete. That was great to see.

As the 6 1/2-hour spacewalk concluded, Kimbrough, who has three children, wished Happy Father's Day to all the flight controller dads. Thanks for working with us on a Sunday."

The astronauts started Sundays spacewalk picking up where they left off Wednesday, when a string of problems prevented them from unrolling the high-tech solar panel.

Remember: You are butterflies with biceps today, astronaut Megan McArthur radioed from inside.

After pushing and tugging, the spacewalkers managed to unfold and align the solar panel so both halves were now end to end, resembling a roll of paper towels. Their shout of Woo-hoo!" was met with applause in Mission Control.

The two had to wait until they were back on the night side of Earth  and the station's old solar panels were no longer soaking up sunlight and generating power  before making the final power connections. Otherwise, they could be shocked.

While awaiting darkness, the camera-and-light assembly on Kimbrough's helmet came loose, even though he'd switched to a different suit to avoid the trouble he encountered last time. Pesquet did his best to secure it with wire ties, as the minutes ticked by. His effort paid off, and the final step  the actual unfurling  went off without a hitch.

This new solar wing  with five more to come  will give the aging station a much needed electrical boost, as demand for experiments and space tourists grows.

NASA originally allotted two spacewalks for the job  one for each solar panel being installed. But managers added a third spacewalk, given all the earlier problems. Pesquet and Kimbrough will go back out Friday to complete work on the second panel delivered by Space X earlier this month.

This first pair will augment the space station's oldest solar wings, which are degrading after 20 years of continuous operation.

SpaceX will deliver two more pairs over the next year.

Although smaller than the originals, the new solar panels supplied by Boeing can generate considerably more power. The space station needs this reenergizing if NASA hopes to keep the space station running the rest of this decade, with private guests paying millions of dollars to come aboard.

A Russian film crew is scheduled to launch to the orbiting outpost this fall from Kazakhstan, followed by a string of rich businessmen. SpaceX is providing the rides from Cape Canaveral.

On Wednesday, the display control panel on Kimbroughs suit conked out and he had to return to the air lock to reset it. Then his cooling system registered a momentary pressure spike. Engineers are still evaluating what went wrong.

Space is hard, Kimbrough tweeted last week.

___

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.
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP)  Matt Dennis doesnt mind following in previous generations footsteps, or turn rows, on his family farm in East Carroll Parish, even though theyre big shoes to fill.

His father and grandfather were both once recognized as top young farmers in the state.

And now Matt Dennis has been recognized as Louisianas top young farmer of 2021.

Dennis, 28, was named the winner of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award during the Farm Bureaus 99th annual convention, which was held virtually for the second straight year because of COVID-19.

Its the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federations top award and includes a $35,000 cash prize.

We dont do it for the recognition, but it definitely feels good, said Dennis, whose father David still works with him on the family farm, though Matt now leads the operation. Its my lifes work and it has been my familys life work for three generations.

Dennis said his grandfather the late Bud Dennis came to Louisiana to farm rice in the 1960s after struggling to make it in Arkansas.

My granddad was up in Arkansas and he was farming up there, not doing all that great, Dennis said in an interview on Farm Bureaus This Week in Louisiana Agriculture with host Avery Davidson. And he just all of a sudden came up with a bright scheme that he was going to move to Louisiana and farm rice. And everybodys just kind of like, you know, what the heck are you thinking? Youre going broke up here.

And hes like, No, I got this. I got this. It worked out and everythings still going good.

Dennis cultivates soybeans and corn as the primary crops on the 7,500-acre Sondheimer farm, but hes interested in returning some acres back into rice.

Dennis has used technology and precision leveling to bring the land to peak production, as well as planting his rows of soybeans and corn so they all go in one direction from field to field for efficiency.

Getting the water off is to me as important as getting water on, he said. And thats kind of where I got my start ... I hold a lot of pride in that, keeping everything dry and draining good.

Dennis said his father instilled a sense of always seeking ways to elevate production and efficiency.

I was taught that theres always a better way to do it, he said. No matter how good your way is, there is a better way to do it and you better figure out how to do that better way. And so whenever were doing good, Im never really celebrating. Im always thinking theres a better way to go about it. And Im trying to find that better way.

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said the Farm Bureaus young farmers and ranchers program is critical to the future of agriculture as the industrys producers age with fewer people stepping in to fill their shoes.

The average age of the American farmer is 57.

Farm Bureau recognizes the best of the best; its a huge honor and one thats earned, Strain said.

Davidson, host of This Week in Agriculture and communications director for Louisiana Farm Bureau, said hes determined for people to celebrate in person for the centennial convention.

Weve done our best to be innovative in keeping members engaged and connected, but theres nothing like getting together in person, and thats our top goal for 2022, Davidson said.
BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (AP)  At the boat dock in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, shrimp boat Captain Truc Le unties a thick mooring line attached to his blue and white vessel with the name Lucky Kim painted on the side.

Le and his wife and son are at the dock to restock the ice that cools their shrimp catch. Le has continued fishing throughout the pandemic. He wasnt too nervous about COVID-19, but his family members were, so he got a vaccine, he said.

Theyre worried that if they dont vaccinate, they will easily catch the virus, Le, who does not speak English, said in Vietnamese.

Alabama has the second-to-lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the nation. Les small Vietnamese immigrant community on the Gulf has taken a different approach.

Community leaders estimate almost every eligible person, upwards of 90 percent of eligible Vietnamese Americans in Alabama, have gotten the shot. Thats compared to just 34 percent of all Alabamians.

Les son, who works on the boat with his father, said he is planning to get the vaccine, mostly because his family wanted him to. Les wife, Phuong Thi Nguyen, loaded ice into coolers near an industrial ice machine at the dock. She said her daughter helped her get an appointment for a vaccine in Mobile because she does not speak English.

People around us, most of them got vaccinated, she said in Vietnamese, through a translator. They told me if I get vaccinated, the percentage (chance) of getting COVID-19 is low.

There are about 4,000 Vietnamese people in this region of Alabama and roughly 900 in Bayou La Batre, community leaders estimate. Nguyen says she sees other members of the local Vietnamese community at holidays, like New Years, at the local Vietnamese community center, and in their homes, especially when family visits and friends come by.

She says her lack of English is the most challenging part of living in the U.S.

In south Alabama, many Vietnamese, like Le and Nguyen, work in the fishing industry. They immigrated to the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama Gulf during a wave of migration in the 1980s when the U.S. allowed refugees to immigrate here following the Vietnam War.

Daniel Le, director of the Gulf chapter of Boat People S.O.S., a national group that assists Vietnamese immigrants in the United States, said many Vietnamese in this part of the country take COVID-19 seriously. Theyve observed the restrictions and they listen to scientists

Culturally, in general, Vietnamese believe in healthcare providers, said Le. They know the healthcare provider knows whats best for them.

EARLY ADOPTERS IN BAYOU LA BATRE

At Bayou Pharmacy, across town from the docks, Vietnamese customers typically make up a minority of shoppers at the store, about 15 percent, but they became the majority when vaccines arrived, said Pharmacy tech Courtney Moore.

In the beginning of the vaccine, we would have days of like 80 people, and 70 would be Vietnamese, she said.

It was Moores job to call through the waitlist in early 2021, back when vaccines were in high demand.

We have one of the only pharmacies with a Vietnamese speaking person; now we have two, said Moore, whose mother is Vietnamese. People are more comfortable with the language barrier.

The pharmacy organized vaccinations over the phone and by paper, helping ease the language and digital access barriers that would have existed with online scheduling.

Pharmacist Rubesh Patel said Vietnamese in Bayou la Batre are more willing to get all kinds of vaccinations.

A lot of them are patients here anyway, so they tell their family members, I get my medicine there, I trust them, he said.

At Accordia Health, a local health clinic, about 35 percent of Dr. Rajesh Gujjulas patients are Vietnamese.

Many of his non-Vietnamese patients have waited to get a shot, he said. Mobile County statistics are slightly lower the states with about 30 percent of the overall population vaccinated.

His Vietnamese patients mostly got vaccinated on their own initiative.

Their friends got it, thats the pretty standard answer you get, he said. Or its their family that made them get the vaccine.

Nationally there is little data on vaccinations among Vietnamese immigrants, said Dr. Tung Nguyen, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco.

We dont really have any survey data regarding Vietnamese Americans and COVID vaccinations, he said in an e-mail. In general, vaccine uptake tends to be higher among Asian Americans if access is not a problem.

BUDDHIST MONK SETS AN EXAMPLE

On the outskirts of town, a Buddhist temple sits back from the road. It is a yellow trailer with a red, gabled roof built over the porch. The front lawn is scattered with magnolia and mimosa trees and large statues of the Buddha.

The temple ceiling was damaged by a hurricane last fall. Theres mold growing on the roof. Monk Bon Le says if it werent for the storm damage, his congregation would be meeting again for nightly study.

They are almost entirely vaccinated. He said he believes in the science behind the vaccine and encouraged his congregants to get it. He used himself as an example, and most followed.

Our Vietnamese community has always had a belief in the U.S. government and whenever they passed out the vaccine to the community, basically we will follow the guideline.

Le says that history of trust goes back to the Vietnam War. After the war, the United States allowed Vietnamese refugees and their families to immigrate here.

We always carry the thanks, in our mind, for the help they provided for us in that time.

SPREADING THE WORD

Ana Chau works in an oyster shucking processing plant with about 30 people. Her plant limited workdays to two a week due to COVID-19, but still she was afraid of contracting the virus at work.

Once I heard the news that I would be able to get the vaccine, I went to the pharmacy where they directed me to, she said.

Chau came to the United States from Vietnam in 1992 under a law that allowed the children of American soldiers to receive priority for immigration. Her father was an American soldier.

She is a well-connected member of Bayou La Batres Vietnamese community. Shes often a volunteer to spread the word for Boat People S.O.S. when theyre trying to educate the community about something.

When I got mine, I got home and make the phone call to all the numbers I know to advise them to go schedule the vaccine to spread the word.

There were a few deaths from COVID-19 in the Vietnamese community, and some people are suffering from long-term effects of the disease. That scared a lot of people, said Boat People SOS Community Health Worker Kim-Lien Tran.

Tran was born in Vietnam, and her family immigrated to New Orleans in 1975 when she was a toddler. New Orleans, along with Biloxi, and Bayou La Batre, are centers of Vietnamese immigration along the Gulf.

Theyre very close knit, said Tran of the Vietnamese communities shes been a part of. Theyre always there for each other. Its a welcoming thing to see. I grew up in a big Vietnamese community, so I know how it feels, she said. Even if they dont know who you are, they just help you without even thinking of anything.

Still, Tran doesnt consider Vietnamese-American culture more community minded than American culture.

I think thats a stereotype. It depends where you are. American culture is very tight knit, too.

In her role, Tran helps non-English speakers access health care and translate basic documents, like tax forms. Boat People SOS as a go-between for local government and state agencies, including the health department.

She helps Vietnamese people fill out government applications for energy assistance. Many work long hours in nail salons and seafood plants and have little time to learn English, which is a barrier for their lives here.

Vietnamese-language sources spread some misinformation about vaccines, particularly on YouTube. At their office, they hand out information from the CDC in Vietnamese. Thats been mostly effective.

They think about their family members. A lot of them have chronic disease, she said of the mostly older population that lives here. And they think about returning to normal and their need to work.

Meanwhile in Vietnam, case numbers have been in the low thousands until a recent uptick in cases following the spread of a variant. The military enforced COVID-19 restrictions, shutting down residential blocks following a known infection.

Strict COVID-19 measures in Asian countries like Vietnam were a good model for the pandemic, said Phu Nguyen, a senior in the community. He immigrated in 2013 to live with his children in Bayou la Batre.

Too much freedom causes us to not be cautious about it, so COVID can easily spread through our carelessness.

Nguyen worked as an oyster shucker until last year when he got laid off due to COVID-19 Now that hes vaccinated, hes hoping to start a new job immediately.

After I got vaccinated, I feel a little safer to go out and go to work.
MILWAUKEE (AP)  U.S. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson from Wisconsin joined in a Juneteenth Day celebration in his home state only to see his speech drowned out by a chorus of boos.

Johnson made an appearance Saturday at a Republican Party booth in Milwaukee, where he drew a growing crowd once people recognized him. Some people swore at him and said, We don't want you here.
MARIB, Yemen (AP)  Heated battles have taken place in recent days between forces of Yemens internationally recognized government and the countrys Iran-backed rebels around the strategic city of Marib, Yemeni officials said Sunday. The rebels, known as the Houthis, have been trying to seize the area for months.

Yemeni military officials and tribal leaders from the area said that an estimated dozens of fighters have been killed or injured in the recent fighting. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, and tribal leaders asked that their identity be concealed for their own security.

Since Friday, Houthi forces launched attacks on several frontline areas in the outskirts of Marib, said Lieutenant General Saggeer Azeez, chief of staff for the military of Yemens internationally recognized government. He confirmed that the fighting led to casualties among Yemeni government forces.

Saudi-led coalition airstrikes responded to the attacks on Sunday, according to Maj. Gen. Nasser al-Zaibani, director of military operations of the Yemeni army, which fights alongside the coalition. Meanwhile, a Houthi official said that they have deployed at least 200 additional fighters to the frontline near Marib in the past 24 hours. He also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

The Houthis have been attempting since February to capture Marib to complete their control over the northern part of Yemen. But they have not made substantial progress and suffered heavy losses amid stiff resistance from government forces aided by the Saudi-led coalition supporting them.

This weeks fighting also comes amid attempts by Yemens neighbor, Oman, to broker peace talks between the Houthis and the government.

Last week, the United Nations outgoing special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he hoped a recent diplomatic effort by Oman, which has played a mediating role in other Mideast conflicts, would bring results. He expressed deep regret that he had failed to mediate an end to the conflict during his tenure.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when the Houthis swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government. The war has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

The fight for Marib also threatens to escalate the wider war and has stirred international outcry because the city houses over a million displaced persons, many of whom live in camps on the outskirts of the city.

Houthi missile and explosives-laden drone attacks have hit residential and civilian areas inside the city itself. Earlier this month, they hit a gas station, killing a total of 20 people, including children, according to Liz Theissen, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Responding to to a report of a shooting just after midnight on Navy Road in Hunters Point, San Francisco police found a 24-year-old man suffering gunshot wounds.

The man was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead later Saturday morning. Further details were not available.

Then, about 4 a.m., officers responding to a report of a shooting on Eddy Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood found another man who had been shot. This victim, who has not been identified, also was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text their tip to TIP411, beginning the message with SFPD.

People who call or text may remain anonymous.

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
By Kate Cimini

CalMatters

If Billy McCasland had gotten his $1,200 stimulus check, he would have moved his family out of the Modesto house the pediatrician says is responsible for his 7-year-old's lead poisoning.

L.A.-based single father Gabriel Lopez said he had hoped to take his youngest to the Selena museum in Texas, a bright spot after a tough year full of remote school and family turmoil.

And in Sacramento, Stacy Estes would have bought a car so he could get to work on his own, without scheduling shifts around his fiancee's workday. Any car would work, so long as it fit his budget.

But these fathers, all of whom owe thousands -- in some cases, tens of thousands -- in old child support debt didn't get the first federal stimulus checks. Instead, California clawed away money meant to be a lifeline for food and shelter during the worst public health crisis in a century, checks taken to repay decades-old debt.

The same thing happened when Estes applied for unemployment. His weekly checks went from about $80 to just over $60, not nearly enough to cover food, rent and utilities.

Across the state, many of California's low-income parents behind on government-collected child support payments saw their $1,200 checks that went out in the spring of 2020, along with enhanced unemployment benefits, intercepted last year. California responded with a good-faith effort to halt garnishments on the second and third round of stimulus checks. Department of Child Support Services Director David Kilgore said the state prioritized families by passing stimulus funds to custodial parents.

Still, records reviewed by CalMatters and The Salinas Californian showed the state kept a record $430 million last year, a 16% increase from the prior year, essentially taking from one government pot to pay back another.

Parents saddled with child support debt told CalMatters they never saw their stimulus checks and federally funded $600 unemployment checks -- and the money didn't always go to their kids, either.

History of child support debt collections

Based on the idea that people who tap public assistance have a responsibility to repay the government, California intercepts child support payments from custodial parents who sign up for government aid such as CalWORKS. It imposes penalties like interest and driver's license suspensions when the noncustodial parents fall behind.

As a result, California charges noncustodial parents millions of dollars in interest on past-due child support payments, making it nearly impossible for many to land employment, support their children and pay off the debt.

California typically collects about $2.5 billion from parents each year through the Department of Child Support Services. Most of that money goes to custodial parents, but the state agency holds some of that back. In 2019, it kept about $370 million, half of which went to the state's general fund.

Those numbers -- from collections to retentions -- skyrocketed in 2020, which state data suggests is thanks to the state taking funds Congress approved to catch people teetering on the edge of an eviction cliff during the pandemic. Last year, the agency kept about $430 million of the $2.8 billion it collected, sending $207 million to the state's coffers, an increase of about 25% from the year before.

Stimulus checks and unemployment benefits accounted for so much of the money intercepted that it dropped the percentage typically collected through income withholding, where the agency takes money directly from noncustodial parents' paychecks. Job loss also contributed to the drop.

Normally income withholding accounts for 75% of the billions collected, but in 2020, the percentage dropped more than 20 percentage points.

Stimulus check interceptions fell under the category of federal tax refunds, which tripled from 2019 to 2020.

Interception of unemployment benefits leapt even higher after Congress authorized the base $600 payments authorized under the CARES Act. In 2019 the state agency intercepted $33 million in unemployment benefits. In 2020, that number shot up to $193 million. The state did not address interceptions for unemployment benefits.

That means stimulus checks and unemployment benefits from Estes and others were primarily responsible for the increase in child support collections during the pandemic.

Pay the parents first

While the most recent $1,400 and $600 checks cannot be intercepted by the state on behalf of the parent, in many cases the first check was intercepted to pay old debt owed to the state and federal government, Department of Child Support Services' Kilgore said.

Interception is typical for federal funds like tax returns. It is an easy way of getting additional money to pay down a parent's debt to the agency.

Knowing that the funds would be intercepted and the food and housing insecurity the pandemic had spurred, Kilgore said, the agency worked with Gov. Gavin Newsom to create an executive order that would funnel the intercepted stimulus checks to the custodial parent first, rather than the government.

Newsom produced an executive order in April 2020 to that effect, allowing "federal stimulus checks to flow directly to custodial parents owed back child support payments."

However, if none was owed to the family, the rest went to the government to repay old debt.

Golden State Stimulus checks cannot be intercepted. However, they can still be taken through a bank levy for delinquent child support payments, according to the Franchise Tax Board.

As a result, between 2019 and 2020, the amount of child support funds California kept for itself increased from $166 million to $207 million.

Lost chances

Stacy Estes drives DoorDash to keep up with child support debt owed to the state. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

Advocates were outraged at the state's decision to keep any money for itself during the pandemic.The diversion of stimulus checks meant less money for families to pay rent or utilities, said Western Law Center Director of Policy Advocacy Mike Herald.

"There are millions of people in California who lost jobs at the start of the COVID crisis and it means those dollars went to pay child support arrears instead," he said.

Several fathers who owe tens of thousands in old child support debt shared letters they had received from the state instead of their $1,200 stimulus checks. The letters said the checks had been intercepted on behalf of the Department of Child Support Services.

To them, that lost money represented lost chances.

This article is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California.

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
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By Dr Rais Hussin / Dr Margarita Peredaryenko / Jason Loh / Ameen Kamal



Following Part 1 of the exit strategy building block released on 18 June, 2021 - which elaborated on three main objectives surrounding the immediate measures to protect lives and livelihoods alongside potential targets and success criteria  this Part 2 delves into the subsequent strategic thrusts.



Specifically, this Part 2 concerns the emergency education responses, and national reconciliation. These were developed with a key focus on Malaysias circumstances and unique context that requires inclusivity and a whole-of-government approach.

In Part 1, we reiterated, using fundamental principles of economic theory, that the current pandemic-induced crisis is fundamentally different than past crises, which requires a comprehensive strategic approach towards a gradual reopening of the economy.

Positioning its strategy in the uniqueness of the current pandemic-induced crisis, EMIR Research has suggested the following strategy based on 3+1 main strategic thrusts:

1. Protecting lives and livelihoods

2. Education emergency response

3. National reconciliation

4. National economic recovery plan

Overall, it suggests strategies and tactics to complement recently announced steps by the government towards national recovery, whereby it aims to "exit" the COVID-19 pandemic in four phases.

This article covers the second and third strategic thrusts, while the following and last release shall delve into the last strategic thrustnational economic recovery.

Second Strategic Thrust  Education Emergency response

Subsequent to the protection of lives and livelihoods, transitioning into the following phases must not leave out a crucial part of the society that has been severely disrupted  education. Thus, the second strategic thrust concerns the continuation of education despite difficulties for education institutions to physically host students, presenting new challenges to effective education delivery.

Education is the "building block" of the nation and is closely linked with the current and future economy of the country, impacting personal development and social skills, mental and emotional health of household members.

An OECD report estimated that learning loss equivalent to a third of school-year could mean an average of 1.5 per cent lower GDP. The OECD also reported an estimate of future individual income reduction due to education loss. For example, a 50 per cent school-year equivalent loss can reduce a student's future income by 4 per cent (pooled figure).

In addition, it's been reported that Malaysia's school closure duration may have surpassed 50 per cent of the annual school days as of the first quarter this year. Thus, education is a crucial and inseparable part of the "livelihoods" equation.

The five key objectives of this thrust are outlined below:

Goal 1: Provide education continuity for the education workforce and students.

Objective 1: Utilization of the existing and new infrastructure.

In ensuring that there is little to no disruption in education for all levels, education should be disseminated using existing broadcast capabilities for primary and lower levels of education.

Given that households may have limited television capacity to put on different channels for different levels, it is necessary to ensure these concurrent streams be made accessible via other platforms such as mobile devices and laptops.

The prerequisite for any other internet-based alternatives is high-speed internet connectivity and electronic human interface devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones etc.).

Objective 2: Education frontliners as priority vaccine recipients.

To prepare teachers and school administration/staff for the reopening of education institutions, there must be support for policies such as hybrid education and partial opening of education institutions. Subject to outcomes of clinical trials for vaccination on toddlers and children, these groups may have to be considered for vaccination as well.

Objective 3: Restructuring of the curriculum with innovations and teaching techniques.

It is well known that online teachings have drawbacks such as focus retention for self-learning and effective delivery of online instructions  all of which require new teaching strategies. As researchers have reported, this includes making curricular materials context-specific, responsive, and adaptive to individual needs and promoting independent learning. In support of hybrid-learning systems, this may include "take-home" modules that can be sent to students.

Objective 4: Sufficient preventive measures installed and practiced at schools.

Relevant authorities must ensure the sufficiency of sanitizers, temperature screening equipment and even air-purifiers and filters in all educational institutions before they reopen.

Private schools should be immediately incentivized to install the latest air filtration and purification equipment with the optimal settings according to the recent standards derived in consultation with the epidemiologists and experts in all of the classes designated for primary level students and below.

The same measure might be considered for the public schools; however, obviously, public schools will require heavier subsidies from the Government.

This strategic move, in combination with the above Objective 2, may allow a large number of students of primary level and below safely return to face-to-face classes as soon as possible, while secondary and tertiary students may continue online education longer.

Tracking the installation of air-filtration systems and purifiers in the schools also has easier-established targets, unlike, for example, delivery of laptops or mobile devices to those in need, which can be very difficult to estimate precisely.

From the long-term perspective, the Government should target upgrading and installing top-notch air filtration and purification systems at the premises of all the public education institutions. The presence of such equipment must be made according to education industry standard and requirement. The current pandemic underscored the importance of this overlooked area.

Objective 5: Mass testing of students  utilizing schools as mass testing sites.

Students from the younger age group could have been part of an under-tested segment of society under-looked in pandemic management all this while.

Schools are strategically located in localities and are ubiquitous in the community. These could be underutilized facilities for mass testing. A list of students from a particular can be called up in stages at schools to be tested.

This allows increased detection and isolation of cases that would add to the testing database for better testpositive representation. Positive tested students will be linked back with members of his or her households to be quarantined and tested.

The overall impact is higher testing, detection, isolation, and treatment of cases.

Upon reopening of schools, tests at schools should be done at random to continue with increasing intensity.

The following figure summarizes the proposed targets for each of the above objectives to track the progress.

Third Strategic Thrust  National Reconciliation



The current state of politics in Malaysia in itself presents significant risks to the well-being of the rakyat in the face of all the pandemic- and economic-related challenges. Therefore, managing the political climate is another essential strategic thrust to facilitate pandemic management and future economic recovery.



This strategic thrust requires the combination of the following short-, medium- and long-term goals.

Goal 1: Political sabbatical (under the Emergency  including if extended beyond August 1)  To ensure that politicking is reduced or minimized, or effectively managed.

Objective 1: Provide for a guided transition towards the ending of the Emergency and reconvening of Parliament.

Goal 2: Political stability (post-Emergency: short- to medium-term)  To ensure that post-Emergency, parliamentary democracy that has been restored will function effectively in focusing on national recovery efforts.



Objective 1: Providing for a functioning Parliament  either in full capacity or hybrid (i.e., part-physical, part-virtual) under conditions agreed upon by all parties, i.e., the ruling government of the day and the opposition.

Goal 3: Political normalization (post-Emergency: long-term)  Ensure that the general election can be held once herd immunity is achieved or (hopefully) by 2023.



Objective 1: Providing for a general election under a safe and secure environment/conditions.

The third and the last part will be discussing the strategic thrust related to national economic recovery.



(Dr Rais Hussin, Dr Margarita Peredaryenko, Jason Loh and Ameen Kamal are part of the research team of EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.)
You may come across a Malaysian girl who is fluent in Chinese, Malay, Tamil and English on TikTok and wonder about her ethnicity.



"Many people ask about my identity and I tell them I am a Malaysian," said Nadia Pang, 22.

Since the launch of Movement Control Order, Nadia started to upload videos on TikTok. Those videos of her have since gone viral and she shot to fame sharing her life stories in different languages.

Her series of video have accumulated more than 150,000 views and she has 18,000 followers.

But her identity remains a mystery.

Some say she is a Malay due to her skin tone. But when she speaks fluent Tamil and dress in saree, then those who think she is a Malay start to doubt.

Nadia grows up in a diverse community where she learns Malay in kindergarten.

She attended a Chinese primary school and went to Tamil tuition class in year two and year three. She picked up three languages since young.

"Many find Tamil hard to learn, but I find it fun. I took half a year to master the new language," she said.

Nadia is not the only person fluent in four languages in her family. Her siblings are also fluent in Chinese dialects such as Hakka and Cantonese.

Nadia is keen to learn Hakka and Korean now as she watches many Korean series recently.

Nadia's family has good relationship with neighbors made up of Chinese, Malays and Indians as the family speaks several languages.

She grew up with friends from different ethnic backgrounds and celebrates various festive seasons with friends.



When she shopped for saree with her sisters, an Indian shopper spoke in Tamil: "We celebrate new year they also want to buy our clothes."

Nadia replied her in Tamil: "It's OK. We are all Malaysians."

The Indian woman was stunned!

"When I celebrate Hari Raya with my friends, many are curious why I do not wear tudung," said Nadia, as they regard her a Muslim.

Many tend to look at her differently when she is out in her T-shirt and short pants.

"Some keep on looking at me from head to toe (thinking she is a Muslim).

"I would have explained if they ask me," she said.

Nadia once ordered non-halal food during fasting month.

When the Malay man delivered the food to her, he kept on repeating her name to verify as he was puzzled why a Malay girl ordered non-halal food during the fasting month.

Nadia is used to such encounters.

"They do not disturb me but I film them into videos to share with my fans in TikTok.

"I deliver social and racial issues through the videos uploaded in TikTok, mainly advocating unity. I share many of my encounters," she said.

After being interviewed by the media, some readers still regarded her as a Muslim and commented that Nadia should not be having the bindi (colored dot on her forehead) as a Muslim.

She insisted not revealing her ethnic background as she did not want a repeat of her unpleasant encounter of racial discrimination when she was younger.

"Regardless where we are, what we do, we are the same and all of us live in Malaysia," she said.

Nadia said she used to hear people describe Indians as being addicted to drinking, Chinese loving to gamble and Malays being lazy.

"A person's behavior does not represent the entire ethnic group nor the religion. No religion in the world teaches one to take drugs or become a criminal," she said.



These are labels shaped by many ignorant people who do not actually know the different ethnic groups well enough, she said.

Nadia stressed that she does not agree with stereotyping an ethnic group. Instead, all Malaysians are responsible in creating a better society.

Occasionally, she also speaks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group in TikTok, hoping that the society would have more tolerance and love, less bias and fear towards the group.

"Compared to the incidents I have encountered when I was younger, I think the society is improving. I see many young people who are open-minded and are not so racist. I hope the world can be a better place in future," she said.

A true Malaysia will exist when all Malaysians accept and understand one another by embracing our diversity.
























By Dr Tharani Loganathan



Recently, an unvaccinated employee set off a COVID-19 outbreak in a nursing home in Kentucky, USA with dozens of residents infected and several deaths. COVID-19 outbreaks in hospitals in Malaysia have brought home with urgency the importance of our healthcare workers being vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, and patients.

This has led to some debate on whether hospitals should require healthcare workers to be vaccinated. The answer is seemingly straight forward: vaccination is a necessary prerequisite for all healthcare workers working in a clinical setting with patients. Yet, some are concerned that mandatory vaccination may curb individual's freedom and right of choice.

Most countries, including Malaysia have prioritized healthcare workers as among the first groups to be vaccinated. This is in accordance with the ethical principle of reciprocity, in which healthcare workers, policemen, teachers, and other essential workers who face exceptional risks of COVID-19 infection are given priority in national immunization schemes.

By the very nature of their job, healthcare workers are at risk of contracting COVID-19, and yet their jobs essential for the functioning of the healthcare system.

Healthcare workers in Malaysia received vaccinations during the first phase of the National COVID-19 Immunization Program (PICK) from February to April 2021. However, some healthcare workers may have opted against vaccination for various reasons including vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccination has not been made mandatory yet in Malaysia.

In public health, the ethical principles of non-maleficence (do no harm) and beneficence (doing good to others) takes a precedence to autonomy (individual choice). Public health interventions, like vaccinations, are given at population level and utilitarian principles come into play  'do the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people'.

In the case of COVID-19, the pandemic has been devastating to society, wreaking havoc with lives and livelihoods. Several vaccines are available that been proven by real world evidence to be safe and effective. Vaccination remains the only true hope for the return to normalcy.

Nevertheless, mandatory vaccination as a public policy is distasteful, and should be used as a last resort. In Malaysia, citizens are encouraged to voluntarily register for vaccination through the MySejahtera app and are provided with necessary information to make an informed choice.

But we must consider things in a different light in the case of healthcare workers in a clinical setting. The priority here is patient safety, and the guiding principle is always non-maleficence or 'do no harm'.

Healthcare workers in a clinical setting must be vaccinated now that vaccines are available or take a non-clinical role without patient contact. It is our obligation as healthcare providers to protect patients, and it would be unconscionable for hospitals to put patients at risk, by allowing unvaccinated healthcare workers to come in contact with patients.

(Dr Tharani Loganathan is a Public Health Medical Physician at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Universiti Malaya. She teaches Masters in Public Health (MPH) candidates Ethics and Law in Health.)
A lot of journalists are obliged to deal with the darker side of life but for First Nations reporters the burden is greater because its so personal. These arent catastrophes, tragedies and miscarriages of justice happening out there somewhere. Its about themselves, their families, their communities.

Jenkins is a Gamilaroi woman from Moree in north-west New South Wales, but moved to the Lismore area  Bundjalung country  when she was 8. Growing up, I always had a book in my hand, she says. Mum used to keep me quiet in the shopping trolley by promising me a Little Golden Book at the checkout. (Apparently, Jenkins collection of Little Golden Books is pretty impressive.) Work experience at ABC Radio in Lismore ignited a passion for journalism. Working for NITV was always the dream. But it can be a pretty tough gig.

Being a young, eager First Nations reporter isnt quite like being any other kind of young eager reporter. But thats one of the reasons Jenkins  one of the young gun journos on NITVs current affairs flagship, The Point  wanted to pursue it.

I remember my first story with the Koori Mail was actually a pretty dark one, says Keira Jenkins. It was about new research into the use of chains on Aboriginal people. My mum wanted to frame my first-ever piece but when she realised what it was she was, like, actually, I dont know about that ...

Last year in particular was really hard, Jenkins says. I was working from home when all the stuff with George Floyd happened, and not being in the office and having my usual support network around made it extra tough. It was hard on so many levels.

More recently, a succession of deaths in custody has been particularly upsetting. Its been awful for all of our journos. But having a coffee with a colleague, knowing that were all doing it together and supporting each other through these tough stories makes such a difference.

Its one of the reasons Jenkins was drawn to Blak media  to cover the stories that mattered to her community, in an environment where shed be supported to do so. NITV was set up to be a voice for our people, by our people, about our people, she says. First and foremost its for us.

But its not just about preaching to the choir. We do reach a wider audience. Last year, with Black Lives Matter, heaps of people were watching. Netflix gave us a shout out  turn off Netflix and put on The Point because these are important yarns that theyre having. Our January 26 coverage reaches a really wide audience. I think mainstream Australians are starting to really take note of what were doing and thats very satisfying to me.

And its not all bad news. Jenkins has covered the Sydney Mardi Gras from a First Nations perspective, along with plenty of stories about the arts, business, sport and community leaders. Fresh out of uni, starting out at the Koori Mail, she was sent off to Uluru to cover the Statement from the Heart. It was just me, my camera, my backpack. I got to meet so many big names and ended up doing a series of five or six stories. To this day its some of the work Im most proud of, Jenkins says. I was so young and so green and I just jumped in and did it.
The situation has become so dire that the conservative federal government is now threatening to step in and overrule Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has stood by and watched the disaster unfold, evidently cowed by the fear of offending her fractious Coalition partner.

While NSW has allowed feral horses to run rampant, the Victorian and ACT governments are eradicating horses in their contiguous parks.

Scientists had been raising the alarm about the destruction of Kosciuszko National Park caused by the explosion in the feral horse population, but Barilaros bill vetoed culling. Since then, numbers have soared: 14,000 feral horses now trample through highly sensitive and unique ecosystems.

The Deputy Premier boasted in 2018: Judge me in two to three years time when for the first time in two decades you will actually see a reduction in horses weve never seen before. And in January this year, Barilaro said we must reduce the numbers of brumbies ... there are parts of the park that should have zero horses.

Now he is saying that federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who says she is going to use her Commonwealth powers, has been misled by ideological anti-brumby groups. That would be people like Don Driscoll, professor in terrestrial ecology at Deakin University, and Max Finlayson, professor for ecology and biodiversity at Charles Sturt University.

Or perhaps Barilaro is thinking of Indigenous river guide Richard Swain, who describes the valley where the Murrumbidgee rises as a horse paddock. There are thousands of feral horses and theyre destroying this environment, Swain says.

When Barilaro speaks of a war against our history and our culture, it seems Indigenous history and culture dont count. In Kosciuszko National Park, it is the heritage of a handful of brumby lovers that takes priority over that of the traditional owners, not to mention that of all Australians who have an interest in protecting this nations exceptionally valuable ecosystems.

Barilaro works hand in glove with former MP Peter Cochran, who leads the brumby protection league. Cochran is on record saying brumbies cause no damage to the park. The brumbies have in fact protected the remaining vegetation and wildlife.
Property developers are pushing ahead with sales of off-the-plan apartments even though the NSW Building Commissioner has slapped them with orders to fix or monitor defects that real estate agents are required to tell potential buyers about.

But in an apparent breakdown of communication of the powers given to the commissioner last year, real estate agents say they have not been told how the new laws work or where to find the orders.

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler and Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson a day before the commissioners powers began in September 2020. Credit:Nick Moir

The NSW building industry is under increasing scrutiny from Commissioner David Chandler after the evacuations of the cracked Opal and Mascot Towers in 2018 and 2019 respectively, and an epidemic of building companies being wound up during defect battles in court.

Mr Chandler has put five prohibition orders on projects across the city since December.
A company director who owes businesses $20 million after his company went broke on an Andrews government road project has been accused of siphoning cash from a company he partly owned.

More than 200 civil construction firms were left thousands of dollars out of pocket on the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade after a major subcontractor on the job, Civilink, ran out of funds and quit last year.

Rick DOvidio, director of Civilink, which has gone into liquidation.

Liquidators say Civilink director Rick DOvidio may have traded while insolvent when working on the taxpayer-funded road project in Melbournes west. His company owes the Australian Taxation Office more than $350,000.

The Age can reveal Mr DOvidio was involved in a dispute over the use of company funds in the years leading up to signing a $40 million contract on the Andrews government job.
The head of RSL Victoria has been stood down in the wake of an investigation into his behaviour following an internal complaint.

Chief executive Jamie Twidale is now on leave while the RSLs state leaders consider the results of an investigation into his conduct.

RSL Victoria CEO Jamie Twidale Credit:Joe Armao

RSL Victoria said in a statement that an independent investigation had been commissioned into the conduct of Mr Twidale, and any concerns regarding the behaviour of staff were taken seriously.

It said the results of the investigation are now being considered by the Victorian RSLs executive leadership team, and additional steps will be taken in accordance with RSL policy and procedures.
Brendon Wong, a GP based in West Ryde, said his clinic is due to receive Pfizer vaccines from July 5, with his clinic expected to receive between 120 and 300 doses for the first month. He has more than 2100 patients aged 40 to 60. We are expecting demand to be huge as soon as we get stock, he said. We are trying to also keep encouraging everyone who has had one AstraZeneca dose to make sure they get a second dose. A spokesperson for the federal health department said work is under way to have Pfizer available to all 136 Commonwealth vaccination centres before the end of July 2021. In NSW, there are four Commonwealth vaccination centres delivering Pfizer, with plans to have six by the end of June. Erina, Campbelltown, Cowra and Broken Hill Commonwealth vaccination centres are now delivering Pfizer vaccines, with Ballinas centre due to start on Monday. I was going to wait for the Pfizer

Hairdresser Sofia Basile, 53, said she had not wanted to get the AstraZeneca vaccine and was very relieved to now be eligible for Pfizer. I wasnt going to have that done. I was going to wait for the Pfizer, she said. I am very comfortable with making an appointment now. Ms Basile said she was nervous about the AstraZeneca vaccine because it has been linked to two deaths in Australia. Its very easy for people to say Dont worry, its very rare that you will get a brain clot, but I was very scared, she said. I am definitely one of those people who is very relieved to hear the announcement that 50- to 60-year-olds can have Pfizer now. Immunologist and emeritus professor of medicine at the University of NSW John Dwyer said low immunisation rates in Australia had made it vulnerable to a major outbreak of highly infectious strains of COVID-19. He said the loss of confidence in AstraZeneca, including in people aged over 60, was unfortunate because rare symptoms including blood clotting could be detected through blood tests and treated.

Loading Its the lack of the availability of Pfizer and the urgency of getting the population vaccinated when you have this virus circulating that I think has got us in such a difficult situation, he said. If we had enough Pfizer vaccine for everyone in Australia to get them all done in a couple of months, that would be one thing, but we dont. The world is in competition for the Pfizer vaccine. The public relations disaster for AstraZeneca vaccine is probably irredeemable, but its a great pity because no one is emphasising to people that we now understand the cause of the clots and we have effective treatment for it. Australias chief nursing and midwifery officer Professor Alison McMillan said an update on the Pfizer vaccine rollout would be given on Monday. She said it would be safer to involve GPs in the rollout of Pfizer because of changes to strict storage temperature requirements.

We need to work through the training and the logistics with the GP practices but we will see it being rolled out to them, she said. Were still working to get every Australian, everyone in

Australia who is willing to get the vaccine, their first dose by the end of the year. The federal health department said nearly 3000 GP practices across the nation had expressed interest in delivering vaccines. More than 1300 practices will transition over three weeks in July, with the first group commencing from 5 July, including a number of sites within NSW, the spokeswoman said. The Victorian government on Sunday announced it would begin mRNA vaccination trials in the hope it would lead to the local manufacturing of booster vaccines. with Summeyya Ilanbey
Everyone would know where they stood, and the most environmentally sensitive places would be placed into conservation. A mammoth draft, released in 2015, attracted vocal opposition from both environment and property groups. Environmental groups feared the habitat loss it locked in. Industry feared the development it locked out. Each argued for a suspension and review. Others thought it a worthwhile project whose issues could be resolved and the fact that no-one was happy was probably quite a healthy sign of a balanced outcome. WAtoday understands that from 2016 a team of four public servants was working through a huge number of public comments, and had done a lot of work on the revisions. Documents reveal staff costs totalled $3.1 million over the years.

But a revised draft was never released. And in March 2017, the government changed. In 2018, the McGowan government quietly published an update on its websites that it would suspend work pending an independent review. By this time Sydney-based Eco Logical Australia had been paid a total of $2.7 million. Between 2015 and 2018, an economics consultant was also paid a total of $266,000 for a cost-benefit analysis for the project and four subsequent updates. The 2018 review employed four fresh consultants, all prominent Perth individuals. A property identity and strategic advisor as chairman, plus a planning and environment lawyer, a public service veteran and an eminent scientist. Their fees for the six-month review totalled $333,000.

The review, completed in January 2019, identified legal risk, flexibility and funding as key gateway issues. Funding is the only one of the three gateway issues discussed in the public arena. The Urban Development Institute of WA in a 2018 statement suggested some experts had estimated it could cost $2 billion to implement the plan over 10-15 years. Mr Barnett told WAtoday the cost for implementation had been estimated at probably more than a billion dollars, but spread over 20 years ($1.5 billion over 20 years is $75 million a year). The government paid the same four consultants a total of $455,000 to spend the rest of 2019 on this gateway issues report.

WAtoday has obtained a briefing note to the Premier saying after a further report on resolving these gateway issues the Premier would personally take responsibility for the plan. But the states comments to WAtoday do not reflect this. In 2020, the government responded to WAtodays request for an update saying work had been suspended indefinitely due to COVID-19 pressures. The state also notified the federal government. Asked for fresh comment on the issues of the plans costs, time blowouts and its future, a government spokesman said after taking office, the McGowan government identified delays in progressing commitments under the agreement with the Commonwealth.

Any additional costs could be attributed to those delays. He said the government had set to work on resolving those delays; However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted these efforts. The plan had included an outline for the future of the Gnangara mound pine plantations across the cities of Wanneroo and Swan, which is now set to be completely cleared within three years. Credit:WWF/Pixel Pilot Asked to provide an update on what was happening next with the strategic assessment, the spokesman repeated his response above. He said government environmental approvals processes were operating as they always had and pointed to the governments work on Metronet as proof of planning achievements.

Is COVID-19 really to blame for a plan stalling from December 2019? Mr Barnett said politics were not behind the plans conception, but he believed they were behind what was happening now. He said the governments actions had left him dismayed and disappointed. It was wasted effort and ignored planning not just for land use, but environmental protection, he said. This was seen to be something done under a Liberal government and they wanted to pretend it never happened. If that was indeed the case, that is very poor governance.

Mary Gray is an environmental scientist who was involved in the public submissions and drafting process through her work with the Urban Bushland Council. Perths black cockatoos are running out of food, as their habitat dwindles across the city. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola No one was paid for this work. We look after the interests of the public and the bushland, she said. Certainly under the federal environment act it is a good idea to do a strategic assessment, but it must protect things supposed to be protected. The peak conversation groups got [involved] for the review ... and the government hasnt acted on it.

Its off the table, basically ... it was my local member who told me some ministers were in favour and some werent, so they sort of put it aside. There is a lot of despair in the community about the lack of proper governance. Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegen believed the government was under pressure from a small group of property developers who wanted to continue clearing unabated. It seems that the McGowan government has quietly thrown the baby out with the bathwater, he said. It is extraordinary to think that a small group of developers could put a halt to a decade of work and millions of dollars that has been invested in this process, but that is what appears to have happened.

Why so secretive? Not even those consulted on the review knew everything. Studies show larger planned conservation areas are the most effective, but without a wider plan, residents will keep trying to save pockets of bush in a piecemeal fashion, with minimal impact but maximum heartbreak. The Urban Development Institute of WAs Tanya Steinbeck said the review process did not disclose full details of the strategic assessment, so UDIA had some concerns regarding transparency, though it remained supportive of the principles and intent. A briefing note to the Premier in January 2019, obtained by WAtoday, said the review would not be released until the government had considered the supplementary report on the gateway issues.

It still has not been released and WAtodays Freedom of Information application to view it was denied on the grounds it would reveal the deliberations of Cabinet. I dont see any reason for secrecy surrounding this, Mr Barnett said. This was all scientific and planning work undertaken by professionals. There were always going to be disagreements, but better face these upfront and resolve them. A race against time for Perths bushland

WAtoday recently reported the stalemate could represent extinction for Perths endangered black cockatoos, given the imminent loss of their key metropolitan habitat  which one of the sub-plans to the draft plan would have addressed. Even groups that once called for the plan to be reviewed are now calling for action. The fight to clear more Perth bushland will only intensify, with UDIA highlighting potential land shortages in coming years. Credit:Lauren Pilat Given our concerns about housing supply, having an environmental approval framework to deliver the Perth and Peel @3.5m Frameworks is critical, Ms Steinbeck said. She said it was not surprising a project of this scale and complexity had taken significant resources.

Loading But she said the money the development industry had spent on environmental approvals in the past few years dwarfed these. Mr Verstegen said the Perth and Peel region was a global hotspot for an incredible array of animal and plant species found nowhere else on Earth. Decisions that are made over the next few years will likely seal the fate of some of these species, he said. The questions remain whether these decisions will be informed by science, good planning and strategic assessment of their impacts, or if we will continue to slice away incrementally at our natural heritage until it is gone forever.
Queensland People who arent Queensland residents and have travelled to an amber area in NSW, which means a declared COVID-19 hotspot, are not allowed to enter Queensland. Check the Queensland Health website for the latest amber areas. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Anyone already in Queensland from June 18 who realises they have been to an exposure site is required to self-isolate immediately for 14 days from the date of exposure, get tested, complete Queensland Healths contact tracing form and wait to be contacted by health authorities. Anyone who visited an exposure site and enters Queensland after June 18 is required to quarantine in government-arranged accommodation for 14 days at their own expense, unless it has been 14 days since they visited the site.

Loading Victoria People arriving in Victoria from the City of Sydney, Waverley or Woollahra local government areas must get an orange zone permit, get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. Those already in Victoria who visited an exposure site after June 11 are required to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. All travellers to Victoria must apply for a travel permit, even if they are in a green zone.

Western Australia Anyone travelling to Western Australia from NSW from June 19 is required to get tested for COVID-19 within 48 hours of arrival and self-quarantine until a negative result is returned and to wear a mask when transiting to quarantine premises or a testing centre within WA. Anyone already in WA who visited an exposure site in NSW is being asked to get tested immediately, self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure and present for a day 11 COVID-19 test. South Australia From June 19, anyone who has been in the Waverley local government area in the 14 days prior, but not before June 11, is not allowed to enter.

Northern Territory Anyone who has been to an exposure site since June 1 and is in the NT or will arrive in the NT is required to get tested and isolate for 14 days from the date of exposure, regardless of their result. Anyone classified as a casual contact by NSW Health must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result. Tasmania Anyone who has visited high-risk exposure sites in NSW in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania is not allowed to enter. A list of sites classified as high-risk by the Tasmanian government is available here.
The family of an Australian-Iranian grandfather who has been held in a notorious Tehran prison for more than a year has issued an urgent plea to the Morrison government to help secure his release.

Shokrollah Jebeli, 83, has been denied medication and specialised healthcare after suffering a stroke in prison following his detention over what appears to be a small financial dispute.

Shokrollah Jebeli has been held in an Iranian prison since January, 2020.

Mr Jebeli has been held in Evin prison - the same jail Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was first placed in - since January, 31, 2020.

One of the men Mr Jebeli was in a financial dispute with once claimed he was in the Ministry of Intelligence, raising concerns that he used his connections to put the dual Australian-Iranian citizen in jail.
The Australian government spied on Timor-Leste during Timor Sea negotiations for the financial gain of certain petroleum companies  major donors to Australian governments. Witness K, one of the spies, was prosecuted for conspiring to make this known, confidentially, in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, where the Timorese government was mounting a case against Australias espionage.

To any person unfamiliar with the complex saga of Australias espionage against its impoverished trading partner, such an outcome for a violation of intelligence secrets may seem extraordinarily mild and adds to the questions about the spying: who ordered, financed and enabled it? Who benefited and to what extent? What other weak and vulnerable states does Australia spy on for economic advantage? What corporate entities greatly influence government? Are there further negative aspects of Australias relationships with other nations or corporations?

Yet there are deeper questions to ask. What do the prosecutions of Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery mean? What lies beneath the political crucifixion of these two men? A particularly useful tool for interpreting human behaviour is to see it through the lens of scapegoating.

This ancient cross-cultural human convention can be more readily understood now although it is still widely practised, personally and internationally. The philosopher Rene Girard identifies certain features of scapegoating: crisis, crime  the criteria for the scapegoat  and violence. A crisis is a problem that brings threat and fear. In Witness Ks case, the revelation of the 2004-2006 spying set in train an internationally supervised process, fiercely resisted by Australia, that resulted in the 2018 Maritime Boundary Treaty.

Minister to lobbyist

The 2006 treaty that was the subject of the spying had contained the requirement that Timor-Leste refrain from even mentioning the word border for 50 years, until 2056. No wonder there was a government crisis when Witness K complained to his superiors that the spying wasnt fair, as the foreign minister who had ordered it had later become a lobbyist for Woodside, the company that was to get the largest windfall from the treaty. An unwanted border, loss of revenue, loss of face, piercing questions  a crisis indeed.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne says she doesnt want to comment on the rumoured defection to the United States of a senior Chinese spy but has urged Beijing to fully comply with the next phase of the investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Chinese vice-minister of State Security, Dong Jingwei, has reportedly defected to the US and given information about the Wuhan Institute of Virology which is at the centre of the COVID-19 lab leak theory.

Rumours are flying that Dong Jingwei may have flown to the US from Hong Kong in February. Credit:Getty Images

Dong was responsible for Chinas counter-intelligence activities and if the reports are true, it would be the highest-level defection in the history of the Peoples Republic of China.

The rumour of the defection has been spreading on Chinese language media and Twitter in recent days, which included reports that Dong fled to the US via Hong Kong with his daughter in February.
The process of building an mRNA vaccine is reasonably simple. One major advantage: the key ingredient, mRNA, is incredibly small and light. It would take less than two kilograms of mRNA to vaccinate all Australia; to make that two kilograms, just 20 grams of DNA is required.

Scientists begin with a target protein they want the body to produce. In the case of COVID-19, that is a copy of the viruss spike protein.

Scientists write the genetic code to produce the target protein using the four letters of DNA: G, C, A and T, producing a small double-helix strand of DNA about 4000 letters long.

Custom DNA is regularly used in many research projects and can be produced at many factories offshore; scientists often order it and find it at their doorstep in a small vial tucked into an envelope.

The custom DNA is then fed to E. coli bacteria, which copy it hundreds of times. Several Australian facilities to do this already.

Those copies are then placed inside a stainless steel bioreactor  this can be as small as 50 litres  along with nucleotides, the raw material of mRNA, enzymes and chemicals to control the reaction.

Inside the bioreactor, the enzymes copy the double-stranded DNA again and again into single-stranded mRNA. The mRNA is then filtered out and is ready for the next step of vaccine production.

MRNA itself is extremely fragile, and would be quickly destroyed inside the body. The secret sauce of mRNA vaccines is packing the mRNA into tiny balls of fat known as lipid nanoparticles. When these fat balls hit our cells, the cells naturally reach out and pull them inside  where they release the mRNA.

Producing the lipids for the nanoparticles is highly specialised and is generally done by a pharmaceutical chemical manufacturer. There are currently no domestic manufacturers, and the world is in the middle of a worldwide shortage. But turning the lipids into nanoparticles is relatively straightforward.

Finding a way to either make or source the lipid nanoparticles is likely to form part of the $50 million investment by the Victorian government.

Perhaps the two largest costs are running the entire manufacturing line under the highly sterile conditions needed for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and filling the vaccine safely into bottles.

One option for fast-tracking a facility: several companies produce sterile pods  similar to portable classrooms  that could be bought and installed, ready to be filled up with manufacturing equipment.

Filling the vaccine into bottles  fill and finish, as it is known  would probably require a large pharmaceutical manufacturer such as CSL.
London: Wal Storer and his wife moved to France about 40 years ago after holidaying in Cannes for a year.

Originally from Mittagong, in the NSW Southern Highlands, the 89-year-old Australian thought that hed always be entitled to his pension, just like the now-octogenarians he grew up with and worked alongside.

Wal Storer and his wife Christel in Cannes.

But 13 years ago he was shocked to discover that the reality was different and only because of where he was living in retirement.

I thought Id see if I could get my Australian pension because I worked in Australia for more than 20 years, he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age via a telephone interview from his home outside Cannes in the south of France.
Morrison also visited the church where his ancestors were married and inspected the font where they were baptised. He wrote in the visitor book: It has been wonderful to return home in memory of William Roberts. The Australian delegation then had lunch at the Three Tuns pub in the village. Morrison had a ham sandwich and a pint of Korev, a Cornish lager. I had known of his visit for about a fortnight but was unable to tell anyone about it - not even others who are also related to William Roberts that are still living and working in the village today, Richards wrote in a post on the Cornwall Live news website this Sunday. Scott Morrison at the Three Tuns pub in Cornwall. Credit:Three Tuns/Facebook Contrary to the idea that visiting the Three Tuns was part of a pub crawl, he had come straight from a meeting and was on his way to another event.

Morrison was then driven to Newquay Airport, where he held a press conference with Australian journalists before flying out to London for a dinner at Stoke Lodge hosted by High Commissioner George Brandis. The Australian press were never told about the St Keverne trip and Morrisons official photographer, Adam Taylor, did not publish any images from the pilgrimage even though he was there. Nothing was mentioned on Morrisons Facebook page or Twitter account. The trip only came to light because it was reported by Cornwall Live.

Australian media is not always invited to cover every element of a Prime Ministers international trip, but they are usually briefed about his schedule in advance, or after a visit has occurred. The Prime Ministers Office declined to comment when approached on Sunday. Loading Morrison and his dozens-strong entourage were able to travel to Europe because they had been double vaccinated and met the criteria of travelling in Australias national interest. Asked during the trip whether Australia could learn from Britain about living with COVID-19, Morrison replied: Well I would rather be living in the arrangements we have in Australia than anywhere else in the world, to be honest.

[Australians] can go to sporting games. They can go to work. They can live in an economy that is bigger today than before. That hasnt seen the terrible number of deaths that weve seen in other parts of the world. The Prime Minister also said the government had not set any target on how many Australians would have to be vaccinated before they could travel abroad like he was doing in Cornwall. Asked when Australians will be able to travel, he replied: When the medical advice suggests that we should. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Morrison was due to arrive at the summit on the morning of Friday, June 11, but heavy fog forced his Royal Australian Air Force jet to land in Oxfordshire - five hours away by road. The disrupted plans caused the postponement of a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On the drive down to the summit, Morrisons motorcade stopped for lunch at the Jamaica Inn, before visiting the Bodim Jail tourism attraction where his ancestor William Roberts was tried for stealing the yarn. Both were on the same road Morrison needed to use to get to the G7. Morrison is isolating for a fortnight at The Lodge while the rest of his travelling party will spend two weeks in special facilities at the Australian National University in Canberra. Kelsey May, an administrator of the Aussies Stranded in the UK Facebook group, said she understood the need for the Prime Minister to travel to the G7.
World powers and Iran failed after a sixth round of negotiations in Vienna to revive a nuclear deal that would lift US sanctions on the oil-rich Islamic Republic in exchange for it scaling back its atomic activities.

A day after hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi was declared the winner of Irans presidential election, diplomats adjourned their sixth round of meetings with significant gaps remaining to mend the six-year-old accord.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant has undergone a temporary emergency shutdown, state TV reported on Sunday. Credit:AP

The breakdown in talks coincided with confirmation that Irans only nuclear power plant had undergone an unexplained emergency shutdown.

An official from the state electric energy company, Gholamali Rakhshanimehr, told Iranian state television that the Bushehr plant shutdown began on Saturday and would last for three to four days.
Jerusalem: Israel has condemned Irans newly-elected president Ebrahim Raisi, saying he was its most extreme president yet and committed to quickly advancing Tehrans nuclear programme.

Irans new president, known as the Butcher of Tehran, is an extremist responsible for the deaths of thousands of Iranians. He is committed to the regimes nuclear ambitions and to its campaign of global terror, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Twitter on Sunday AEST (Saturday, Israel time).

Supporters of Iranian president-elect Ebrahim Raisi celebrate after his presidential election win. Credit:AP

A separate statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Raisis election should prompt grave concern among the international community.

Israels new government, sworn in last Sunday, has said it would object to the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and its arch-foe, Iran.
Havana: Cubas Soberana 2 vaccine candidate has shown 62 per cent efficacy with just two of its three doses, state-run biopharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma said, citing preliminary data from late phase trials.

Cuba, whose biotech sector has exported vaccines for decades, has five vaccine candidates in clinical trials, of which two  Soberana 2 and Abdala  are in late phase trials.

In a few weeks we should have the results for the efficacy with three doses which we expect will be superior, said Vicente Verez, director of the state-run Finlay Vaccine Institute, which developed Soberana 2 on Sunday AEST (Saturday Cuba time).

A pedestrian wearing a makeshift face mask amid the new coronavirus pandemic, walks past the Central Railway Station, in Havana, Cuba. Credit:AP

The news comes as the Caribbeans largest island is facing its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic in the wake of the arrival of more contagious variants, setting new records of daily coronavirus cases.
Sao Paulo: Brazil has recorded half a million COVID-19 deaths, a toll second only to the US that shows few signs of easing. Yet residents are spurning vaccines that they believe are substandard in favour of hard-to-find shots from Pfizer.

In Sao Paulo, people demand the US companys shots at public clinics and often walk out if none are available. Some health-care centres have put up signs saying no Pfizer shots to save time. Many vaccination centres are empty, and the few that have Pfizer have massive lines.



A demonstrator holds a sign in the shape of a cross with the phrase 500,000 deaths during a protest against Bolsonaros administration on June 19, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Credit:Getty Images

Maressa Tavares, a 29-year-old teacher, could have gotten her shot two weeks ago in Rio de Janeiro. But at the request of her father, shes holding out for Pfizer. For me, it didnt make a lot of difference which one to take, but my father has very strong beliefs, she said.

Such reluctance is hobbling a vaccination campaign already plagued by shortages and delays. Failure to control the disease would harm not only Brazilians, who are dying at the rate of about 2000 a day, but also threaten a global resurgence of the pandemic if the nation of 213 million becomes a breeding ground for new strains.
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MOSCOW (AP)  A court in central Russia on Sunday arraigned a suspect on murder charges in the death of an American woman who was studying at a local university.

The body of 34-year-old Catherine Serou was found Saturday in a wooded area near the city of Nizhny Novgorod, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Moscow. She had been missing since Tuesday.

Her mother, Beccy Serou, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, told U.S. National Public Radio that her daughter had last texted her: In a car with a stranger. I hope Im not being abducted.

State news agency RIA-Novosti cited the local court as saying the suspect gave her a ride in his car, then took her to the wooden area and beat her and stabbed her in the course of a dispute. Russian news reports have identified the suspect as Alexander Popov and said he had a record of violent crimes.

He faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder.

Serou moved from California to Russia in 2019 to study law at Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod, news reports said.

Beccy Serou told NPR that her daughter was in a hurry to get to a clinic Tuesday and may have gotten into a passing car.

I think that when she saw that the person wasnt driving to the clinic, but instead was driving into a forest, she panicked, Beccy Serou said.
TORRINGTON  Dr. Delois Lindsey attended Saturday mornings Juneteenth Mayor for the Day celebration, a new honor awarded to resident Shante Reynolds, in City Hall.

Its an honor to my ancestors to see this move forward, for my grandkids, for the next generation, she said. We have to stay on this and keep it moving. More young people should be engaged, because we dont know our own history. If we dont, well never move forward. We need to rectify that ... we need to understand what Juneteenth is, protect it. We have to get it right.

Lindsey, a longtime educator at the University of Hartford, now retired, joined residents and Reynolds family members at City Hall for a reception with Mayor Elinor Carbone. Reynolds, joined by her family, signed several Juneteenth proclamations in the mayors office, then helped raise a commemorative flag in front of the building.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It is also often observed for celebrating African American culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1866.

The celebration was part of a day of events dedicated to the holiday, which also featured an afternoon of speeches, dance, drumming and music on Water Street where artist Ben Keller painted a mural with the faces of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., poet Amanda Gorman and abolitionist John Brown, a city native.

This is a day of joy and love, said Effie Mwando, who with her husband Angaza is a founder of Our Culture is Beautiful, a cultural and awareness group the couple started in 2019. Were here together, all of us, no matter who we are, no matter what we look like, no matter where we come from.

The Juneteenth celebration speakers also featured Torrington Police Chief William Baldwin, Steve Temkin, who owns the Water Street building where the mural was painted, Amy Smith of Mending Art, Mental Health Connecticut; OCIB member Shawn Matel; KidsPlay Childrens Museum director Eileen Marriott; Five Points Gallerys Noel Croce; and Torrington Historical Society executive director Mark McEachern. Jacque Reynolds, host of the cable program City Views and a DJ on WAPJ, was master of ceremonies.

Sarah Frank, Nathaniel Penland, Solee Dinio and Miles Obrey, students from the Nutmeg Conservatory, performed Meditation by Florence Price. It was choregraphed by Nutmegs artistic director, Victoria Mazzarelli.

Students from the Torrington Librarys Teen Advisory Board read poetry, and Reynolds presented a speech as Mayor for the Day.

Ysanne Marshall, a member of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, sang a powerful rendition of Sam Cookes A Change is Gonna Come and Angaza Mwando played his African drums, encouraging people to share his instruments and join in.

I think its so important to have all this happening here in Torrington, Temkin said. I watched the artist do the mural, and it was amazing; he used spray paint. No measuring, no paintbrushes. It was quite something to see it come together.

The MLK mural was one of several that were unveiled in Connecticut, an effort by RiseUP, a Hartford-based organization that has set a goal to create murals around the state by 2022 on Kings birthday. Each event was recorded and will be posted online.

Our Culture is Beautiful raised $7,500 for the mural, and the money was matched dollar for dollar by Sustainable CT. The funding was used to pay the artist, and for supplies and other expenses. The Arts & Culture Commission, the Northwest CT Arts Council, the Torrington Downtown Partners, KidsPlay, and Culture4ACause were some of the sponsoring organizations, as well as Torrington Savings Bank.

Guest speaker Pam Pinto, owner of Its Only Natural health food store on Water Street, asked the crowd to be good neighbors. Be part of a neighborhood  be a part of this community, she said. We are all part of this community.
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The Supreme Courts unanimous ruling Thursday in favor of religious freedom over a hypothetical scenario in which a Catholic charity might deny a same-sex couples request to foster a child was, it would seem, a win for everyone.

Heres why: Catholic Social Services, the plaintiff in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, can go back to helping children find foster homes and will not (for now) be forced to abridge their religious beliefs or abandon the heroic work theyve done for decades.

Same-sex couples can continue to foster children through 29 other Philadelphia agencies that have no religious restrictions.

As it turns out, no same-sex couple had actually sought the services of CSS when the city of Philadelphia severed its contract with that agency following a Philadelphia Inquirer report about the organizations policy.

So, whos not happy? Oh, just about everybody.

The crux of the case was whether CSS was discriminating against same-sex couples in violation of the citys Fair Practices Ordinance. In the courts opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with CSS for the provision of foster care services unless it agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents cannot survive strict scrutiny, and violates the First Amendment. (Strict scrutiny is the legal standard that laws or regulations must further a compelling government interest and must be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.)

Roberts also noted that same-sex couples have other options. If a same-sex couple were to approach CSS, the agency would simply refer them elsewhere. In an interesting twist, CSS doesnt object to certifying gay or lesbian individuals as single foster parents or to placing gay or lesbian children. Roberts wrote that even the weighty consideration of gays rights to dignity and worth cant justify denying CSS an exception for its religious exercise.

Religious liberty advocates concede that the CSS victory ultimately may prove ephemeral. A different set of facts could be presented in a future challenge, resulting in a different outcome. This is precisely why liberal justices were able to get onboard with Robertss side of the argument and why the more-conservative members of the court  Justices Samuel A. Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas  were disappointed by the narrow scope of the ruling.

Conservatives were disappointed that the court chose not to overrule a precedent from the 1990 Employment Division v. Smith case, which held that laws that only incidentally burden religion and that were essentially neutral and generally applicable werent subject to strict scrutiny. Conservatives had hoped the court would overturn Smith in Fulton, which would have been a bigger triumph for religious liberty advocates.

Alito wrote scornfully that Robertss opinion was based on a procedural glitch and might as well be written on the dissolving paper sold in magic shops. The ruling was a wisp of a decision that leaves religious liberty in a confused and vulnerable state, he added.

Who knew? Alito is one of those guys who looks like hes daydreaming about creek fishing with his grandpa when hes really plotting an assassination.

Gorsuch similarly took aim at the courts studious indecision about Smith. He wrote: Perhaps our colleagues believe todays circuitous path will at least steer the Court around the controversial subject matter and avoid picking a side.

So much for majority unity.

On the other side, where the religion of nondiscrimination can be as uncompromising as many other faiths, city officials and LGBTQ advocates and lobbyists are upset by the outcome, even though nothing has changed by it, except that CSS can go back to helping continue to help children now. Wheres the harm? Not one gay or lesbian individual or couple will suffer because one foster-screening agency, hypothetically, would now refer them to another, nonreligious organization. This falls under the dictum: Go to another bakery.

I suppose one can conclude that when the justices rule unanimously, not much has really happened. And we may as well admit that justices are people, too. Gorsuchs contempt notwithstanding, picking sides can be agonizingly complex, especially when ones moral grounding is in conflict with secular ambitions.

This must be why the founders created a First Amendment to guide us, seemingly in the hope that future generations would lean heavily toward religious liberty as often as possible.

This go-around, Id say the justices did OK.

KATHLEEN PARKER is a columnist for The Washington Post.
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Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend, on Monday, the meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU Member States (Foreign Affairs Council), which will take place in Luxembourg.

According to Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) press release, European foreign ministers will address the latest developments in the EU-Russia relationship, the EU's role in the Middle East Peace Process, as well as the situation in Mali/the Sahel region, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and Ethiopia. They will also hold debates on developments in Belarus, Latin America and Iraq, including in an informal exchange of views with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. On the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will host an informal breakfast with Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya .

The talks on Belarus are aimed at assessing the state of implementation of the decisions of European leaders since the May 24-25 meeting, in response to the continuation of unacceptable repressive actions by the Minsk regime, including the hijacking of the Ryanair civil flight. The ways in which the EU can support civil society, including from the perspective of a democratic future of the country, will also be assessed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that Minister Bogdan Aurescu will refer to the importance of EU actions on the adoption of a comprehensive package of sanctions and the adoption of restrictive measures in relevant economic fields, in order to send a strong political message to the Belarusian authorities and at the same time so as to promote the Comprehensive Plan of Economic Support to democratic Belarus, as a positive EU measure in support of the population, a project proposed in October 2020 by President Klaus Iohannis, together with Polish and Lithuanian counterparts. The Romanian minister will also present, in the exchange of views with the Leader of the Opposition in Belarus, Svetlana Tihanovskaia, included, the actions in support of civil society undertaken and envisaged by Romania.

With regard to Russia, talks are taking place in preparation for the European leaders debate on 24-25 June, in light of the Joint Communication of the European Commission and the European External Action Service on EU-Russia relations.

The MAE mentions that the head of the Romanian diplomacy will reiterate the need for a unitary and strategic approach and the importance of the five EU guiding principles underlying the EU's relations with Russia, on the basis of which the EU's actions in this relationship must continue.

The debate on Iraq and the informal lunch with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein will focus on domestic developments, with a focus on the parliamentary elections to be held this autumn, the state of reforms, the security situation and the regional situation.

According to the MAE, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs will emphasize the importance of increased EU support for the democratization and stability of Iraq and will express Romania's support for organizing an EU mission aimed at monitoring the elections to ensure their freedom, fairness and inclusiveness. He will highlight the strategic importance of Iraq for the stability of the region and will mention Romania's constant involvement in supporting efforts in this regard.

The discussion on Turkey will take place in preparation for the European leaders' meeting on June 24-25.

"Romania will express its support for the further development of relations with Turkey, as further efforts to maintain a positive offer are needed, within the parameters defined in the March 2021 Declaration of Leaders, with a focus on resuming high-level dialogues, economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts," indicates the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As regards the Middle East Peace Process (OMPP), discussions will focus on the work of the EU Special Representative, Sven Koopmans, as well as on recent domestic developments.

"Romania will voice its support for the mandate of the the EU's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process and will welcome his efforts aimed at the resumption of the Quartet's activities," the MAE said.

The situation in Mali will be approached from the perspective of disquieting developments in the context of the second coup in nine months. Minister Aurescu will inform about the developments supported by Romania, as the presidency of the Community of Democracies, regarding the situation in this country.

The Foreign Ministers will have a strategic discussion on Latin America and the Caribbean, in the context of the strong impact of the pandemic on this region, as well as the deteriorating situation as a result of political and socio-economic developments.

"Romania will express support both for strengthening the EU's commitment to the region, in accordance with the decisions of the Foreign Affairs Council of October 12, 2020, and for cooperation at regional and multilateral level," the MAE release further mentions.
Q  We moved from North Texas to a lake in East Texas. Within the first week of living here, my husband discovered a tick on his stomach. He pulled it out, and a week later we saw a bulls-eye rash as clear as can be.

I sent him off to urgent care, and he asked for a round of antibiotics. The clinic had not seen a tick bite or rash ever! That sounds unbelievable, since the Sam Houston Forest is all around us.

He took two rounds of antibiotic and the rash went away. Luckily, he has not had any residual effects.

A  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is relatively rare in Texas. There are, however, cases reported every year. Your husband was smart to get treated promptly.

Prevention is absolutely the best strategy against tick bites. Readers of this column have praised the benefits of wearing permethrin-treated gaiters that fit over shoes, socks and lower pants legs.

One person commented: The leading tick expert at the University of Wisconsin recommends wearing rubber boots (wellies) and says that ticks dont like them at all. I spray my boots and pants with permethrin, and so far, so good. We have tons of ticks in our Wisconsin woods.
Two years later, the landscape has changed dramatically. A movement to close a historic symbol of Black oppression in St. Louis transformed itself into a political movement to elect a mayor who could accomplish the task. On Thursday, for the first time since it was built, the workhouse was empty, after the last 57 people were transferred to the City Justice Center.

The workhouse was not closed, however, as a pod will be kept available for contingencies. The citys main downtown jail is now at 95% capacity while undergoing repairs to faulty locks.

The Close the Workhouse movement didnt take a victory lap on the historic moment, but instead turned its attention to Gardner.

We are also calling upon Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner to carefully evaluate cases that are charged and prosecuted and our judges to adhere to the spirit of the bail regulations set forth by the Missouri Supreme Court, the advocates said in a statement. We look forward to the day when the Workhouse is fully shuttered and our region stops caging poor, Black residents. Until this happens, we will continue to advocate and organize to build the St. Louis we all deserve.
In St. Louis and St. Louis County weve had better data transparency than any other jurisdiction in the region in the past, Prener said. But I think its an important part of open government to make sure that that transparency continues. Its about making sure that the public knows about more than just what the crime reporters are able to get to or what comes on the scanner to show the larger trends, its especially important in a city like St. Louis where crime is as high as it is.

What is NIBRS?

The FBIs Uniform Crime Report has been considered the most reliable national dataset for crime since it launched in 1929 and regularly steers police policy and media coverage.

But beginning in 2016, the FBI announced a plan to address data shortcomings by pushing law enforcement agencies across the country to switch crime tracking programs to NIBRS.

NIBRS improves on the previous Summary Reporting System by switching from 10 offenses to 24 and giving more information on victims, offenders and the relationship between the two. The new system also eliminates the hierarchy rule, which meant that when multiple crimes were committed at once only the highest-level offense would be counted. For example, in a homicide that also included a robbery, only the homicide would appear in the statistics.
Updated Sunday morning with new figures for the number of customers without power, and an updated forecast for weather Sunday and Monday.

Heavy storms rumbled through the region Saturday evening, leaving thousands without power.

St. Peters issued voluntary boil and water-conservation orders after it lost power to critical infrastructure. Residents were urged to limit their water usage while the utilities department works on its treatment system. Status updates were available at the city website, stpetersmo.net.

At 9:30 p.m., Ameren reported almost 34,400 Missouri residents and 3,000 in Illinois without service. As of 9:30 Sunday morning, Ameren reported just under 13,000 Missouri customers and just over 2,300 in Illinois without service.

The storms dropped temperatures into the 70s, a reprieve from Fridays record-breaking heat.

But sweltering temperatures are on deck again for Sunday, with a predicted high in the upper 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

Most of the metro area is under a heat advisory until 7 p.m. Sunday, as heat index values will be between 100 and 104 degrees.
India has been the military superpower of South Asia since Britain dissolved its South Asian colonial rule in 1947, leaving behind several independent nations. India was the largest of these and has continued to be the military superpower of South Asia. India has also avoided the military governments that have cursed Pakistan and Burma since the 1950s. Democratic India maintained civilian control of the military by accepting a less-effective military but a force that was so large that no other South Asian military would defeat it. That changed in the 1960s, after China had once more taken control of Tibet and defeated Indian forces in a brief border battle that saw Indian forces suffer a humiliating defeat. China did not follow up that border victory because China had lots of internal problems that kept the Indian border quiet for the rest of the 20th century. Then China became a threat again and India found it was still inferior to Chinese forces.

India knew what the problem was, that its civilian control of the military had crippled military effectiveness and efforts to modernize forces. The Indian Defense Ministry was composed of civilian civil servants or politicians and former military personnel were not welcome. There are other problems with the military leadership. Britain recognized this after 1947 and tried to convince India that a joint staff, with the military chiefs of the army, navy and air force led by a Chief of Staff was the best way to run such a large military force. All Western nations had found the joint staff a military advantage because it improved the effectiveness of the military and made cooperation between the services practical and preferable. India felt it could do without a joint staff because it reinforced civilian control of the military.

A decade ago, most Indian politicians agreed that the Indian military would never be able to match China unless some long-deferred reforms were enacted. After 2000 it became more and more obvious that civilian domination of the defense ministry and lack of a joint staff were no longer preferable and change had to come. That took a while but the joint staff was finally established in 2019, whereupon it quickly became clear the chief of staff had little influence in the Defense Ministry, which continued to control military procurement and the military budget. The civilians in the Defense Ministry had long been an obstacle to military modernization because they often ignored requests for more effective weapons and equipment and preferred to buy whatever would benefit politicians, be it bribes or do-nothing jobs for political supporters. The Indian military procurement bureaucracy had become infamous for its ability to keep Indian troops from getting weapons and equipment they wanted or desperately needed. During the Cold War this worked because India bought most of its weapons from Russia, which had no problem building bribes into the sale price. Western suppliers would not or could not, because it was illegal for them to compete with that. The West armed the smaller Pakistan military with military aid that consisted of free or very cheap weapons that did not involve much in the way of bribes. Although Pakistan lost the three wars if fought with India, it was apparent that the Western weapons were superior to the Russian ones India preferred. This lesson was repeated frequently in the Middle East and became an issue after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 as the less powerful Russia which followed was even less able to keep up with Western military tech or afford to pay the bribes Indian procurement officials had been accustomed to.

By the late 1990s the Indian military was clamoring for more Western weapons simply because they were more effective and reliable than Russian ones. This trend continued and the opposition from the Indian Defense Ministry became an international embarrassment. This was particularly true as Pakistan obtained more of its weapons from China, which was building better versions of Russian weapons and eventually weapons comparable to what was available from Western suppliers. Then China began using its most modern weapons in border battles with Indian forces and the Indian disadvantage became very obvious.

This made it possible for the current Indian government to pass legislation that would reduce the dominance of civilian bureaucrats and politicians in the administration of the Defense Ministry, especially when it came to procurement. While you can pass laws to deal with this, changing a decades-old bureaucracy takes time. Making it possible for retired officers to compete for jobs in the Defense Ministry is a start but it will take years to have an impact. The new Joint Staff now has an official platform to make a case for needed new equipment and the Defense Ministry is obliged, legally, to at least pay attention. Every time a new Chinese weapon or military system shows up on the Indian border, or off the Indian coast, the Defense Ministry has a strong incentive to buy whats best for Indian forces, not the bureaucrats.

Persistent civilian control of the military is a clear advantage compared to other parts of British India, like Pakistan and Burma, that could not control their armed forces. Pakistan, for example, has been ruled by temporary military governments about half the time since the 1950s. Military rule in Pakistan and Burma led to less economic growth and more unrest among the population.

When Britain finally dissolved its colonial government in South Asia after World War II, it was left up to local leaders to decide what new nations would emerge from all this. Those colonies became the independent nations of India, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and several smaller states, like Nepal, on the Tibetan border. British India included modern day India and Pakistan. India is 85 percent Hindu and ten percent Moslem while what became Pakistan was the opposite. Before 1947 many residents of British India wanted one Indian state with over 400 million people and a large (over 20 percent) Moslem minority. There was a lot of opposition from Hindu and Moslem politicians, who convinced Britain that a separate Moslem state (Pakistan) with 17 percent of the British India population and two-thirds of the Moslems would be preferable. Many Hindus agreed because British India was only about 70 percent Hindu, versus over 90 percent before Moslem armies began attacking and invading over a thousand years ago. There was never a unified Moslem India because no single Moslem invasion was able to occupy, much less control, all of India. Particularly frustrating for Moslem invaders was the Hindu resistance to conversion. Too many Hindus would rather die, or die fighting, than convert. This actually made it difficult for any Moslem invader to establish an Indian empire because many Moslem invaders found it was easier to rule Indians if they just backed off on the forced conversions. This put the Moslem rulers of different parts of India at odds with each other and that lack of unity eventually made it possible for Hindus to start replacing Moslem rulers in the century before the Europeans invaders (mainly British and French) showed up. Britain proved even more adept at the divide and rule through religious tolerance games. Britain also provided more efficient administration and security. That led to a flourishing economy and fewer incentives to resist the foreign invaders, By the early 19th century Britain controlled most of India and, by the late 19th century, all of it. British rule of a united India lasted less than a century because the British were smart enough to see that the local independence movements eventually made imperial rule too expensive in economic and political terms, and that led to a somewhat orderly British departure in 1947.

This did not solve the religious problems in South Asia. In 1947 Moslem Pakistan consisted of two geographically and culturally separated parts; west Pakistan in the northwest and east Pakistan the northeast. After two decades East Pakistan Moslem began agitating for reforms that West Pakistan Moslems would not tolerate. That problem was that East Pakistan, with about 60 percent of Pakistans population, was more tolerant of non-Moslems, especially Hindus, than the more Islamic conservative West Pakistan. West Pakistan Moslems dominated the leadership of the Pakistan military and government and that led to the use of force against East Pakistan to suppress traitorous behavior. That meant massacres of East Pakistan civilians and in 1971 India intervened on the side of the East Pakistanis and the Pakistan military occupation was ended. East Pakistan became Bangladesh. It was still a Moslem majority nation but never had to worry about a military coup or Islamic terrorists. These two elements became very common in Pakistan, which now had the name (which translates as Land of the Pure '') all to themselves. While sometimes at odds with India, Bangladesh was never at war with India and continued to tolerate non-Moslems, something that still annoys Pakistanis. As a result Bangladesh has less violence and a lot more prosperity than Pakistan.
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The record investment pool in the 25th annual Edward L. Kaplan, 71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) jumped to $1.73 million this week after investors put additional money into the finalist teams.

The award from the NVC, a program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business that is run by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is the largest in the nation among business school student startup competitions.

The 12 finalist teams received $1.6 million in investment on the day of the finals June 3, a record for the contest and a major increase from last years investment total of $1 million.

Another $130,000 rolled in during the week that followed, in part as a result of a Second Look event debuted at the request of investors who didnt participate as finals judges.

Funding for startups competing in the NVC has grown markedly over the past several years. Just five years ago, the NVC investment pool totaled $285,000.

The first-place winner this year, Andes STR, which helps people invest in short-term rental properties, received $681,000 in investment.

Find the complete list of winners here.

The NVC, founded in 1996, ranks as a top seed accelerator, alongside Techstars and Y Combinator. It is both a credit-bearing MBA class at Chicago Booth as well as a business plan competition.

Nearly 370 companies that went through the NVC are still active and thriving today, including household names such as Grubhub, Simple Mills and Braintree/Venmo. They have raised more than $1.2 billion, achieved $8.5 billion in mergers and exits and created more than 13,300 jobs.

About the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation applies world-class business expertise from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to bring new ideas and breakthrough innovations to market. With a 60-person professional staff, the Polsky Center drives the creation of new ventures and commercial partnerships at the University of Chicago and beyond. As a global leader in entrepreneurship education, the Polsky Center is home of the Edward L. Kaplan, '71, New Venture Challenge, one of the top accelerator programs in the nation. The Polsky Center provides training for aspiring entrepreneurs and those seeking a career in private equity, venture capital, and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Learn more at polsky.uchicago.edu and follow updates on Twitter @polskycenter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210611005445/en/

Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, alexia.elejalde-ruiz@chicagobooth.edu

Source: Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago
BEIJING, June 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A good example is the best sermon. For Chinese President Xi Jinping, words and deeds from his father Xi Zhongxun are a great family heirloom that runs deep in Xi's outlook on life, work and governance, inspiring him to solemnly honor his duties towards the nation and the people.

Over the years, Xi Zhongxun taught his son three important lessons: maintain close ties with the people; attach importance to investigation and research; and practice thrift and hard work.

Xi Jinping has vividly interpreted what is maintaining close ties with the people.

During one summer, Xi Zhongxun visited 21 counties in the scorching heat to familiarize himself with the local situation. Xi Jinping, then a student in Tsinghua University, went to the province with his father to take part in social practice activities. He was influenced by his father's down-to-earth working approach.

On Nov 3, 2020, the proposal for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan was published. To this end, Xi Jinping successively went to Jilin and other places for investigation, and presided over seven symposiums. He said "without investigation, there will be no right to speak, let alone decision-making."

What else Xi Jinping learned from his father is thrift and hard work.

Xi Jinping once recalled his childhood life and said his worn-out clothes were patched up instead of being thrown away and he and his younger brother used to wear clothes and shoes handed down from their elder sisters.

While making inspection tours, Xi chose to spend the night in the train for several times to reduce the spending burden for local authorities. As for overseas trips, he said the living place should not be luxurious.

Xi said the spirit of hard work should be upheld although the living conditions have greatly improved nowadays. He called on all the Chinese people to pass on the treasure of staying frugal and abstaining from extravagance.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathers-day-xi-takes-father-as-role-model-in-life-work-governance-301316006.html

SOURCE CCTV+
Valissa Williams, assistant teacher, Child Development Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, reads a book to toddlers in August 2020. (Ty Greenlees/U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service  The Air Force has identified a need for a new, $24 million child care center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, to serve the bases more than 30,000 military and civilian employees, according to federal military construction documents.

The documents describe one of the bases current child care centers  a 62-year-old former school building outside the base perimeter  as having an insect and vermin infestation and one gas leak that caused children to be evacuated. No children are in any health or safety risk at the center and inspections are conducted on a regular basis, Wright-Patterson representatives said..

Federal money for the new center has not been allocated, but Dayton advocates and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner are pushing for funding, and some observers believe the project has a shot.

The project today ranks No. 6 out of 30 unfunded Air Force projects, according to Michael Gessel, vice president of federal government programs for the Dayton Development Coalition. Thats fairly high up, he said.

The Air Force selects and ranks its priorities.

What it means is, the Air Force has formally told Congress that this is a project that they want, and if they had the money, this is what they would build, Gessel said in an interview. But there was insufficient money allocated through the Air Force budgeting process.

Documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News say current child care facilities at Wright-Patterson cant accommodate the total waiting list, which ranges between 200-415 children.

Parents have to wait in excess of 90 days to place their children in child care, says one document titled FY (fiscal year) 2022 MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DATA.

The child development center in the former school building is in poor condition and is impacting the provision of child care, one of the federal documents says.

The document points to problems at the facility, including issues with deteriorating structural systems, failing utilities, and insect and vermin infestation (which) detract from the ability to provide quality care and results in excessive service calls and causing the shutdown of child care activities in some cases.

The document also identifies facility failures (including) a failing pump leading to burned and smoking rubber gaskets, resulting in a 30-minute evacuation of the child care center. A gas leak resulted in a four-hour evacuation. Failed components in the fire protection system resulted in a 24-hour fire watch so that difficult-to-obtain spare parts can be obtained and repairs made.

A recent inspection identified that child care center as one of the top two concerns at Wright-Patterson, due to its location outside the secure perimeter and along a major thoroughfare, the document says.

Failure to replace the child development center and provide additional child care spaces will leave dependent children in inadequate and undersized facilities and will negatively impact morale of personnel, the document adds.

Children are not at risk

Child care at Wright-Patterson is offered at four child development centers housed in three facilities, the document says. That includes one building at 156 Spinning Road in the Prairies subdivision, a Riverside housing area for base personnel off Airway Road. The other two facilities are on Area A and Area B on the base, according to a base web site.

The base child development centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and certified by the U.S. Department of Defense ( DoD) and the Air Force. Children of active duty military and Department of Defense civilians are eligible for care at the centers, according to a Wright-Patterson Support Squadron web site. They are regulated not by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, but by the DoD.

According to online information about the center at 156 Spinning Road, the centers DoD certification expires in February 2022. Its most recent higher headquarters inspection was dated Aug. 13, 2020. Its national accreditation expires Nov. 1.

Inspection details have not been made available, but according to www.militarychildcare.com , the site meets DoD standards in personnel management, background check, oversight and inspections, fire and safety, health and sanitation and other areas.

The three other base centers housed in two other on-base buildings have similar accreditation language at the web site.

A statement from the 88th Air Base Wing, the unit that acts as the landlord for the sprawling Air Force base, said children are not at risk at any of the bases child care centers.

The base also said the new child care center, now under design, would be built on the base, relocating children from a 60+ year old deteriorated facility.

We are committed to providing our families safe, healthy and high quality child care services, the air base wing said in a statement in response to questions from the Dayton Daily News. Children are not at any health or safety risk in any of our four child development centers (CDC) on the installation.

Each year, in accordance with Air Force regulations, each base center undergoes four local and one higher headquarters comprehensive inspections with a focus on health and safety to assure the well-being of the children and staff are maintained, the base said.

We take pride that we provide a safe and healthy environment for both the children and staff. Should a situation ever arise that jeopardizes the safety of our children, the facility will be evacuated, the base also said. Additionally, we conduct daily, weekly and monthly health and safety inspections of the facilities and the playgrounds.

Not only will the new CDC require less routine maintenance, it will be larger, accommodating over 300 children, allowing us to provide child care for more families and shrinking our waiting list for care, the base said.

Child care is a priority

Prospects for making the new child care center a reality are strong in Gessels view.

They will require a push from both the House and the Senate, he said. But because the Air Force has formally stated that this is a priority, then with a Congressional push, it can be funded. But its not automatic.

In an interview, Turner, R- Dayton, said he has asked colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee, as well as House appropriators, that money be carved out in the new budget year for the child care center.

There are a lot of priorities and requests this year, especially coming out of COVID, and the increased needs that military employees have, Turner said. So well have to see how these priorities evolve.

For a lot of these projects, federal officials pay attention to the Dayton Development Coalitions ranking of local needs and priorities, the congressman also said. Our office monitors unfunded priority requests that affect Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he said.

Turner said he is also aware of the need for a new Army Reserve and National Guard center at the base.

When Congress adds projects, they can be taken from a list of unfunded priorities for services, Gessel said. Advocates hope that happens in this case.

Wright-Patterson, Ohios largest concentration of employees at a single site, is home to a growing number of workers with children. Base spokespeople typically give that number of employees as about 30,000, but Gessel said the number is actually north of that.

The official number is actually higher, at least as of (fiscal year) 2019, he said.

With more uniformed personnel being assigned to Wright-Patterson or civilian employees being offered jobs there, child care is an issue growing in importance.

Employees are critical to the mission of the Air Force, Gessel said. Child care is a priority for parents who work at the base.

(c)2021 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio

Visit Springfield News-Sun, Ohio at www.springfieldnewssun.com

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EL PASO, Texas (Tribune News Service)  A Fort Bliss soldier was sentenced to more than 18 years in prison after he was found guilty in sexual assault cases in a court-martial.

A military judge sentenced Pfc. Christian G. Alvarado on Friday to 18 years and three months in prison along with a dishonorable discharge.

Alvarado was convicted of raping Pfc. Asia Graham, a 19-year-old soldier who died in her Fort Bliss barracks room on the morning of New Years Eve on Dec. 31, 2020, and another woman.

A military autopsy determined Graham died due to accidental mixed drug intoxication of fentanyl and multiple synthetic cannabinoids.

Grahams death occurred almost year to the day since she was sexually assaulted.

Alvarado was convicted of raping Graham while she was unconscious on Dec. 30, 2019. The assault occurred within the first month of her arrival at Fort Bliss after joining the Army five months earlier.

Alvarado was also accused of raping and groping other women at Fort Bliss and his hometown of Mesa, Ariz.

Alvarado faced of seven sexual assault charges dating back to December 2018.

Alvarado was convicted of two counts of sexual assault, one count of aggravated assault and one count of making a false official statement to investigators, a Fort Bliss news release stated.

He was acquitted on five counts of sexual assault and one count of making a false statement, authorities said.

Alvarado had been in the U.S. Army since July 2018. He arrived at Fort Bliss, his first duty station, in February 2019.

In a separate case, El Paso County court records show Alvarado still faces a state misdemeanor charge of unlawful discharge of a firearm in El Paso.

Alvarado is accused of firing an AR-15 rifle at a berm outside an apartment complex on Riley Court near Railroad Drive in Northeast El Paso on March 14, 2020. The case is pending in court.

dborunda@elpasotimes.com

(c)2021 the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas)

Visit the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas) at www.elpasotimes.com

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FORT STEWART, Ga.  A sprawling Army post in Georgia is being recognized by the military for its conservation efforts.

Fort Stewart southwest of Savannah has been chosen to receive the Army Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation for a large installation.

Home to the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River. Its 284,000 acres include vast tracts of pine forest, wetlands and blackwater rivers.

The Army has 120 training areas scattered across the largely undeveloped land, which is managed by a team tasked with balancing military readiness and environmental stewardship.

"We have an amazing team that puts this together, really managing our environmental assets so that includes wildlife management, cultural resource management and more importantly ensuring that the conditions are set for our soldiers to train and prepare for worldwide deployment anywhere or anytime they may be called," Col. Bryan Logan, Fort Stewart's garrison commander, told WTOC-TV.

The Fort Stewart property is home to seven species protected by the Endangered Species Act including red-cockaded woodpeckers, eastern indigo snakes and gopher tortoises.
An American flag is folded. (Christopher Muncy)

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  One of the first times David Pinder knocked on the door of an unsuspecting resident, he was met with an angry greeter. He had bypassed the No Trespassing or Soliciting sign after parking his Comcast truck.

Pinder wasnt at this New Castle County residence  later learned to be a Verizon customer  to solicit, rather he was there to give.

The American flag flying at the property was tattered and worn. And Pinder, a veteran of the Navy, took inventory of some visual cues that told him the person living there likely didnt have the means to replace it.

Pinder, he explained to the initially-angry man, was there to replace the flag and retire the old one, free of charge. So he did.

That flag is one of the more than 400 Pinder and others, through Comcasts Veterans Network, has replaced for free in New Castle County and one of the around 600 replaced in the Delaware Valley over the last four years.

Pinder, a Bear native and Comcast maintenance supervisor, got the idea for the VetNet Flag Program while replacing a flag at his office.

By nature Im patriotic and I was looking to respect and take care of our flag, he said.

He ran the idea up the chain of command and got the go-ahead. In just a few days, 75 flags were in his office.

What seemed like a great idea on paper, all of the sudden it was kind of like, here we go, Pinder said.

At first, Pinder would notice worn and tattered flags while out in the field or would ask others working to take notice and let him know if there was a replacement opportunity.

I suspected when I saw tattered flags, I always tried to assume the best of people, Pinder said. I assumed that there was a reason that it wasnt replaced and there was a good reason. What weve found often is maybe people didnt have the means to replace them or another thing that we see a lot of times is once it starts to tatter, theyll just go overnight.

Were there because you chose to fly a flag and we choose to give you a new one. And not only a new one but a high-quality one.

The old flags, Pinder said, get folded up and collected in a sealed box. Then, on or around Veterans Day, they are retired with an honor guard at VFW Post 475 in Newark.

More than 200 flags were retired in the three years the program existed before the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the program to halt operations for a while. But then Pinder figured he and his various flag ambassadors could keep doing things safely.

They looked like surgeons walking up to peoples doors with gloves and masks on.

We were a little worried that people were going to be concerned by our presence, but we found the opposite, he said. People not only wanted to talk, but they wanted to keep talking.

Now, many of the replacements come by way of referrals or people reaching out to Pinder or the other area ambassadors. The program is now running from Maine down to Virginia, and Pinder said he has even trained Comcast employees in California and Chicago, too.

One of the families who reached out to Pinder were the Levines, a military family who live in Newark near the Maryland state line. Momo Levine got in contact with Pinder after seeing something on a local Facebook page.

Pinder was out in November to replace their flag.

I was a little skeptical, Momo said. I was happy about it because we had a very old, tattered flag.

As a veteran, the flag means a lot, her husband, Joe, said. What hes doing means a lot to veterans, especially the older ones who cant get out, as they get older, and replace it themselves.

That was the case for the man who lived at the house with the signs forbidding trespassers. He was living off a fixed income, Pinder said, and had trouble getting around. After first showing little interest (Im a Verizon customer, he said), the man let Pinder do the replacing.

Pinder, out of the corner of his eye, could see the man watching through a window as he put a brand new flag up.

You could tell he was kind of getting emotional, Pinder said. I waved to him and he actually waved back as I was leaving.
Cpl. Emma Malonelord poses with her two mothers in this screenshot from an Army recruiting video. Army leaders praised Malonelord after a mashup of the soldier's video was criticized by Sen. Ted Cruz on Twitter. U.S. Army (U.S. Army)

This story has been updated with a response from Sen. Cruzs office.

U.S. Army leaders rallied around a soldier featured in a recruitment video clip that Sen. Ted Cruz mocked as representative of an emasculated military.

Cruz, a Texas Republican, retweeted a video Thursday that featured Cpl. Emma Malonelord, an air defense system operator stationed in South Korea.

The original video, part of a five-part series called The Calling, showed an animated depiction of Malonelords life and the reasons why she joined the military.

The Army was a way to prove my inner strength and maybe shatter some stereotypes along the way, Malonelord said in the video, adding that by enlisting, I answered my calling.

Cruz retweeted a shorter version of the ad that was juxtaposed with a video of Russian service members staring menacingly into the camera.

Holy crap, Cruz said on Twitter to his 4.4 million followers. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea.

Cruzs retweet was shared over 14,500 times and the edited video received over 3 million views. Following his viral tweet, Army leaders expressed support for Malonelord and her service.

U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams called Malonelord a superstar by any measure.

For what its worth, I met this Corporal a few months ago during a routine unit visit, Abrams tweeted Friday. Exceptionally sharp, professional, technical expert, highly respected by her peers, superiors and subordinates.

The Army Enterprise Marketing Office, which manages the services recruitment efforts, also supported Malonelords service and added that it is important that the Soldiers featured in the campaign reflect the incredible diversity of both the Army and the American public.

We are now seeing the various tweets of support for Cpl. Malonelord, AEMO public affairs chief Laura DeFrancisco said in a statement to Stars and Stripes. She volunteered to tell her story as part of this campaign with the four other Soldiers in The Calling. Were glad to see the supportive comments from those who know and work with her.

DeFrancisco added that Malonelord is grateful for the support she has received from leaders across the Army.

Cruz addressed the controversy in a separate tweet and said lefty commentators on Twitter were dishonestly claiming he was disparaging the military.

We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies, Cruz tweeted.

A spokeswoman for Cruz responded to Stars and Stripes.

Sen. Cruz passionately supports the brave men and women of the United States military and has repeatedly expressed concerns that Democrat politicians, left wing bureaucrats, and the media are politicizing our armed forces to promote a fringe woke agenda based on identity politics, Erin Perrine wrote in an emailed statement. Our military should be focused on winning wars, and we endanger our national security and our servicemembers when they focus on anything else.

choi.david@stripes.com

Twitter: @choibboy
Migrants and refugees from different African nationalities react on an overcrowded wooden boat as aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms approach them in the Mediterranean Sea, international waters, off the Libyan coast, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020. (Santi Palacios/AP)

CAIRO  When Libyan security forces rescued her earlier this year, the young Somali woman thought it would be the end of her suffering. For more than two years, she had been imprisoned and sexually abused by human traffickers notorious for extorting, torturing and assaulting migrants like her trying to reach Europe.

Instead, the 17-year-old said, the sexual assaults against her have continued, only now by guards at the government-run center in the Libyan capital Tripoli where they are being kept.

She and four other Somali teenagers undergoing similar abuses are pleading to be released from the Shara al-Zawiya detention center. It is one of a network of centers run by Libya's Department for Combating Illegal Immigration, or DCIM, which is supported by the European Union in its campaign to build Libya into a bulwark against mainly African migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

"While it is not the first time I suffer from sexual attacks, this is more painful as it was by the people who should protect us," the 17-year-old said, speaking to The Associated Press by a smuggled mobile phone.

"You have to offer something in return to go to the bathroom, to call family or to avoid beating," she said. "It's like we are being held by traffickers." The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assault, and the young woman also asked not to be named, fearing reprisals.

Smugglers and traffickers in Libya  many of them members of militias  have long been notorious for brutalizing migrants. But rights groups and U.N. agencies say abuse also takes place in the official DCIM-run facilities.

"Sexual violence and exploitation are rife in several detention centers (for migrants) across the country," said Tarik Lamloum, a Libyan activist working with the Belaady Organization for Human Rights.

The U.N. refugee agency has documented hundreds of cases of women raped while in either DCIM detention or traffickers' prisons, with some even being impregnated by guards and giving birth during detention, said Vincent Cochetel, the agency's special envoy for the Central Mediterranean.

The group of teens are the only migrants being kept at Shara al-Zawiya, a facility where usually migrants stay only short periods for processing. Human rights organizations say they have been trying to secure their release for weeks.

After their rescue from traffickers in February, the 17-year-old was brought along with eight other young female migrants to Shara al-Zawiya. Four of the others were later released under unclear circumstances.

One night in April, around midnight, she asked a guard to let her go the bathroom. When she finished, the guard attacked her and grabbed her breasts forcefully, she recalled.

"I was petrified and didn't know what to do," she told AP. The guard touched the rest of her body including her intimate parts, then unzipped his pants and tried to strip her clothes in an attempt to rape her, she said. He continued his assault while she cried, struggled and pleaded for him to get off her.

"He only stopped when he was done on my clothes," she said. "I was lucky that he was done quickly."

The guard then ordered her to clean her clothes that had been covered in his semen, she recalled, breaking down in tears.

Terrified, she returned to her cell and told one of the other girls what had happened. She soon learned she wasn't the only victim. All the girls, aged 16 to 18, had experienced similar or worse abuse by guards, she said.

A 16-year-old in the same cell told the AP she started coming under sexual harassment a few days after arriving at the center. When she pleaded with a guard to call her family, he gave her a phone and let her out of her cell to call her mother. Once she hung up, he stood behind her and grabbed her breasts, she said.

She removed his hands and started to cry. The guard only stopped after realizing other employees were at the center, she said.

"Every day they do this," she said. "If you resist, you will be beaten or deprived of everything."

The Libyan government has not responded to requests for comment by the AP.

At least two of the girls attempted to kill themselves in late May following alleged beatings and attempted rapes, according to local rights group Libyan Crime Watch and U.N. agencies.

One of them, a 15-year-old, was taken to the hospital on May 28 and treated by the international aid group Doctors Without Borders only to be returned to the detention center.

Maya Abu Ata, a spokeswoman for MSF Libya, confirmed that the group's staff treated the two at its clinic. MSF is the abbreviation for the French name of the group, Medecins Sans Frontieres.

The MSF teams "advocated for their release from detention and lobbied protection actors and different interlocutors, however, these attempts were unsuccessful," she said.

The UNHCR said it was working with Libyan authorities for the release of the five young women still held at Shara al-Zawiya and their subsequent evacuation from Libya.

The case of the teens in Shara al-Zawiya also renews questions about the EU's role in the cycle of violence trapping migrants and asylum seekers in Libya. The EU trains, equips and supports the Libyan Coast Guard to intercept people trying to cross the Central Mediterranean to Europe. At least 677 people are known to have either died or gone missing taking this route on unseaworthy boats so far this year.

Nearly 13,000 men, women and children have been intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to Libyan shores from the start of the year up to June 12, a record number. Most are then placed in DCIM-run centers.

At some of the 29 DCIM-run centers around the country, rights groups have documented a lack of basic hygiene, health care, food and water as well as beatings and torture. DCIM receives support, supplies and training, including on human rights, through the EU's 4.9 billion-euro Trust Fund for Africa.

Libya has been applauded by the West for a cease-fire reached last year and the appointment of an interim government earlier this year, prompting visits by European leaders and the reopening of some embassies. Despite seemingly growing political stability, activists and human rights organizations say their access to migrants in detention centers is becoming more restricted.

"The guns are silent, a cease-fire is in place ... but human rights violations are continuing unabated," said Suki Nagra, representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Libya, who is following the reports of abuse at Shara al-Zawiya.

Even when cases are documented and alleged perpetrators arrested, they are often released due to the lack of witnesses willing to testify for fear of reprisals. For example, Abdel-Rahman Milad, who was under U.N. sanctions and was arrested last year on charges of human trafficking and fuel smuggling, walked free in April without trial.

Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain.
This general view shows the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province, on Feb. 3, 2021, as members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus, visit. (Hector Retamal, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  China will risk international isolation if it fails to allow a real investigation on its territory into the origins of the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

Sullivans comments follow last weeks call by Group of Seven leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden for another probe into how the virus originated. Biden last month ordered the U.S. intelligence community to redouble its efforts to determine where the coronavirus came from and to report back in 90 days.

The goal is to present China with a stark choice: Either they will allow, in a responsible way, investigators in to do the real work of figuring out where this came from, or they will face isolation in the international community, Sullivan said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.

The U.S. will continue pressing in cooperation with its allies and partners until we get to the bottom of how this virus came into the world and who has accountability for that.

China has rejected the theory that the virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the first cases were reported.

The World Health Organization investigation, which previously sent a mission to China to report on the virus origins, is expected to lead a second probe separately from the U.S. intelligence effort.

We are not at this point going to issue threats or ultimatums, Sullivan said on CNNs State of the Union. If China doesnt live up to its obligations, we will have to consider our responses at that point and we will do so in concert with allies and partners, he said.

Were not going to simply accept China saying no, Sullivan said.

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Political deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, arrives in front of the 'Grand Hotel Vienna' where closed-door nuclear talks take place in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, June 20, 2021. (Florian Schroetter/AP)

VIENNA  Top diplomats said Sunday that further progress had been made at talks between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration. They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

It was the first official meeting since Iran's hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election last week.

Some diplomats expressed concern that Iran's election of Ebrahim Raisi as president could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement.

Enrique Mora, the European Union official who chaired the final meeting of the sixth round of talks between Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran, told reporters that "we are closer to a deal, but we are not still there."

"We have made progress on a number of technical issues," Mora added. "We have now more clarity on technical documents  all of them quite complex  and that clarity allows us to have also a great idea of what the political problems are."

He did not elaborate.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov said the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, "took stock of the significant progress made at the Vienna talks, including at the sixth round, and decided to make a break to allow participants to consult with their capitals in preparation for what is supposed to be the final round of negotiations."

"There are a few controversial points which require political decisions. Apparently diplomatic efforts to find common language have been almost fully exhausted. So the time has come for political decisions," Ulyanov added.

The nations involved in the negotiations have been trying to resolve the major outstanding issues on how to return the U.S. into the landmark agreement, which then-U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of unilaterally in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

Ulyanov said after heading back to report on the talks' results to their respective governments, he expected the diplomats to return for the final round of talks in Vienna in about 10 days and said they could finalize negotiations by mid-July.

"I believe we have all chances to arrive at the final point of our negotiations, maybe even by mid-July, unless something extraordinary and negative happens," he said.

In a written statement after the talks Sunday, the E3 European senior diplomats urged speedy decision-making in the capitals involved in the talks.

"Delegations will now travel to capitals in order to consult with their leadership," the diplomats wrote without giving their names, as is customary. "We urge all sides to return to Vienna and be ready to conclude a deal. The time for decision is fast approaching."

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday before the meeting that "we think almost all the agreement documents are ready," according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

"Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are," Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said.

The U.S. did not have a representative at the table in Vienna. However, President Joe Biden's administration has signaled willingness to rejoin the Iran deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments. A U.S. delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Tensions remain high with Iran and both the U.S. and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Iran's internationally criticized judiciary  one of the world's top executioners.

In Jerusalem, new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisi's election as Iranian president was "the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with."

"These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions," he said.

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Sunday he hoped the election of the new Iranian president would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

"We are very close. We have been working for two months," Borrell told reporters during a visit in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. "So I hope that the results of the elections is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process."

Grieshaber reported from Berlin. Amir Vahdat contributed reporting from Tehran, Iran; Ilan Ben Zion from Jerusalem; and Sarah El Deeb from Beirut.
Alexander Popov, a man who was arrested on suspicion of murder, sits behind the glass in a courtroom in the city of Gorodets, 60 km northwest of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Sunday, June 20, 2021. (Roman Yarovitsyn/AP)

MOSCOW  A court in central Russia on Sunday arraigned a suspect on murder charges in the death of an American woman and former U.S. Marine who was studying at a local university.

The body of 34-year-old Catherine Serou was found Saturday in a wooded area near the city of Nizhny Novgorod, 250 miles east of Moscow. She had been missing since Tuesday.

Her mother, Beccy Serou, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, told U.S. National Public Radio that her daughter had last texted her: "In a car with a stranger. I hope I'm not being abducted."

State news agency RIA-Novosti cited the local court as saying the suspect gave her a ride in his car, then took her to the wooden area and beat her and stabbed her "in the course of a dispute." Russian news reports have identified the suspect as Alexander Popov and said he had a record of violent crimes.

He faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder.

Serou moved from California to Russia in 2019 to study law at Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod, news reports said. She served in the Marine Corps and did one tour in Afghanistan, according to NPR.

Beccy Serou told NPR that her daughter was in a hurry to get to a clinic Tuesday and may have gotten into a passing car.

"I think that when she saw that the person wasn't driving to the clinic, but instead was driving into a forest, she panicked," Beccy Serou said.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, center, chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of the new government in Jerusalem on Sunday, June 20, 2021. (Emmanuel Dunand/AP)

JERUSALEM  Israel's new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett opened his first Cabinet meeting on Sunday by slamming Iran's newly-elected president and calling on world powers to "wake up" to the perils of returning to a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

Later in the day, Bennett warned Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that Israel would not tolerate even minor attacks from the territory in the wake of last month's 11-day war, saying "our patience is running out." But Israel also said it would allow limited agricultural exports from Gaza for the first time since the war was halted by an informal cease-fire.

Iran's hard-line judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, was elected Saturday with 62% of the vote amid historically low turnout. He is sanctioned by the U.S. in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Raisi has not commented specifically on the event.

At the Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Bennett said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had chosen the "hangman of Tehran" to be the country's next president, a man "infamous among Iranians and across the world for leading the death committees that executed thousands of innocent Iranian citizens throughout the years."

Raisi's ascendancy comes at a sensitive time for the region, as Iran and world powers ramp up efforts to resurrect Tehran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

For weeks, Iranian and American diplomats have been negotiating a return to the accord in Vienna through European intermediaries. Talks resumed Sunday, the first round since the election that put hard-liners firmly in control across Iran's government.

Israel was staunchly opposed to the landmark nuclear deal and welcomed then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from it. Since then, the agreement has unraveled, with Iran abandoning all its limitations on enrichment after the Trump administration restored crippling economic sanctions. Tehran is currently enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels.

Although the White House has yet to weigh in on Iran's election, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Sunday that the outcome was unlikely to affect nuclear negotiations because Iran's supreme leader wants the deal restored.

"The person who makes the decision about whether Iran will go back into the Iran nuclear deal, will assume its nuclear obligations under international law, is not the president of Iran, it is the supreme leader of Iran, and that person did not change from before the election," Sullivan said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Bennett said Raisi's election was "the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with. These guys are murderers, mass murderers."

Israel, which is believed to have its own undeclared nuclear arsenal, has long opposed arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and has vowed to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

Earlier this month, Israel's outgoing Mossad intelligence chief signaled that Israel was behind a string of recent attacks targeting the country's nuclear program.

Bennett heads a broad coalition of parties ranging from hard-line Jewish nationalists to liberal factions and a small Islamist party. His government was sworn in last week, sending Benjamin Netanyahu to the opposition after a record 12 years as prime minister.

Later on Sunday, at a memorial ceremony for Israelis killed in the 2014 Gaza war, Bennett warned Hamas that Israel "will not tolerate violence, we will not tolerate a drizzle."

He appeared to be referring to incendiary balloons launched from Gaza in recent days that have set fields ablaze inside Israel. Last week, Israel launched airstrikes on two occasions in response to the balloons sent by activists mobilized by Hamas.

Last month's Gaza war was halted by an informal cease-fire. Egyptian mediators have met with Israeli and Hamas officials in recent weeks to try and shore it up. Hamas is demanding the lifting of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the territory when it seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep Hamas from importing military resources, while the Palestinians and human rights groups view it as collective punishment of the territory's more than 2 million Palestinian residents.

COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees civilian affairs in Gaza, said that starting Monday it would allow the "limited export of agricultural produce" from Gaza for the first time since the war ended.

Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe in Washington, Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to right-wing opposition party members a day after a new government was sworn in at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Monday, June 14, 2021. (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)

JERUSALEM  Benjamin Netanyahu says he and his family will move out of Israel's official prime minister's residence by July 10, nearly a month after he was ousted from office following a record 12-year reign.

That's not nearly soon enough for critics who have long accused the Netanyahus of treating the office and its trappings as their own private property, and who see it as another way of undermining the legitimacy of the new government sworn in a week ago.

In a joint statement released late Saturday, Netanyahu and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said they had agreed the Netanyahus would move out by July 10 and that no more public events would be held at the residence until then. Bennett will begin using the residence the next day.

Netanyahu, who is now opposition leader, has a private home in the seaside city of Caesarea. Bennett will reportedly continue to reside at his home in a Tel Aviv suburb, using the official residence during trips to Jerusalem and for hosting foreign dignitaries.

The relatively modest official residence on Balfour Street in central Jerusalem has been the epicenter of weekly protests against Netanyahu over the past year, reflecting the bitter polarization over his rule and his ongoing trial on serious corruption charges.

On Saturday night, the protesters showed up with a moving truck with "Crime Minister" written on the side of it.

"They are ordering food, people are coming in to visit them, nobody knows when they are going to leave," said Ishay Hadas, one of the organizers. "We decided to come with our truck, and we are ready to help him anytime."

Some have compared Netanyahu to former President Donald Trump, who contested his election defeat with false claims of voter fraud and whose supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration but vacated the White House on schedule. Unlike in the U.S., Israel has no established protocol for the handover of the residence.

The political transition has already been more bitter than any in recent memory. After four elections in two years that largely turned on Netanyahu's character and legal woes, a coalition of eight parties managed to form a narrow majority to unseat him.

But he has not gone quietly.

Bennett's speech as incoming prime minister was repeatedly interrupted by loud heckling from Netanyahu's allies. In his own speech afterwards, Netanyahu lashed out at Bennett, calling him weak and inexperienced, and accusing him of defrauding his nationalist supporters by allying with left-wing parties. Netanyahu vowed to return to power, saying "we'll be back soon."

On the following day, Netanyahu reportedly devoted less than a half-hour to a transitional meeting with Bennett in which a former prime minister would normally discuss the country's extensive security challenges and other major issues with his or her successor.

Then Netanyahu hosted former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, a Republican widely seen as eyeing a presidential run, at the official residence. In a tweet about the visit, she referred to him as prime minister.

"Netanyahu's current status in the official residence is that of a temporary guest, staying there at the mercy of Bennett," Amir Tibon wrote in Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper. "His decision to use Balfour for a political photo op with Haley is an unprecedented act of chutzpah, even by Netanyahu's own standards."

Netanyahu has long been accused of leading a lavish lifestyle and using the trappings of office for his own personal gain. He is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.

His family's long residence at the house on Balfour Street has also been the focus of lawsuits, with several employees having accused his wife, Sara, of abusive behavior. A housekeeper was awarded $42,000 in damages in 2016, and another filed a lawsuit last year.

Sara Netanyahu was convicted of misusing state funds after she reached a plea bargain settling allegations that she overspent some $100,000 of state money on lavish meals. She'd previously been indicted for graft, fraud and breach of trust.

The family denies any wrongdoing and have said they are the target of a smear campaign by hostile media. Netanyahu has said he is the victim of a "witch hunt" by his political opponents and has compared his corruption trial to a "coup attempt."

The protests outside the residence appear likely to continue until they move out, which will be seen by his many of his opponents as the final confirmation that his time in power is truly over  at least for now.

"He thinks that if he will keep on saying I'm the prime minister, if he will stay in the home of the prime minister, people will believe that he is the prime minister," said Mordechai Avraham, one of the protesters who gathered outside the residence on Saturday.

"People will believe that he is going to come back because this is what he told them."

Associated Press reporters Shlomo Mor and Ilan Ben Zion contributed.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense weapon system, or THAAD. (Adan Cazarez/U.S. Army)

The U.S. is cutting air defense systems and force levels in the Middle East as the Biden administration realigns its military posture to focus on countering China and Russia.

Cmdr. Jessica L. McNulty, a Pentagon spokesperson, confirmed the plans but would not provide specific details, after the Wall Street Journal reported Friday that eight Patriot antimissile batteries were being withdrawn from countries including Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, also was being pulled from Saudi Arabia and fighter jet squadrons were being reduced, unnamed administration officials told the news organization. Troops were also being reduced in Iraq, where the U.S. already cut its presence in half to 2,500 early this year, the report said.

The Secretary of Defense directed the Commander of U.S. Central Command to remove from the region this summer certain forces and capabilities, primarily air defense assets, McNulty said in an email to Stars and Stripes on Saturday. Some of these assets returned to the United States for much needed maintenance and repair. Some of them will be deployed to other regions.

The Pentagon is focused on making sure the high-demand assets are ready in case of a contingency, she said. Citing coordination with regional partners and operational security concerns, she said the Pentagon would not provide details on locations, dispositions or timelines of the withdrawals.

But officials told the Journal that the reductions began earlier this month and are mostly coming from Saudi Arabia. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the drawdown in a June 2 phone call, officials told the paper.

The decision was made in close coordination with host nations and with a clear eye on preserving our ability to meet our security commitments, McNulty said.

The realignment of forces comes as the U.S. continues to wind down its two-decade war in Afghanistan and seeks to shift its military focus from counterinsurgency to competing powerful rivals, mainly China.

Some Patriot systems, fighter squadrons and thousands of added troops were ordered to the region under the Trump administration in late 2019, after Iran-backed Houthi militants attacked a Saudi oil field.

More batteries and troops were sent in January 2020 after Iran fired ballistic missiles on al-Asad Air Base and a compound in northern Irbil where U.S. troops were housed. Days earlier a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad had killed a top Iranian military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran ratcheted up following Washingtons withdrawal from an Obama-era international nuclear agreement with Tehran and as the Trump administration sought to pressure Iran into renegotiating it.

But Pentagon officials see a diminished threat from Tehran as the Biden administration focuses on negotiating a U.S. reentry into the 2015 pact, the Wall Street Journal reported. The latest drawdown follows the removal of at least three Patriot systems earlier this year.

Former defense officials told the Journal that the circumstances have changed since the U.S. decided to increase its defenses in the region.

To the extent that Saudi Arabia has improved its own defensive capabilities and the United States seeks to resolve tensions with Iran using diplomatic tools, this decision makes sense, said Kathryn Wheelbarger, former acting assistant secretary of defense during the Trump administration and a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Meanwhile, Iran-backed militias continue to pose a threat to U.S. forces in Iraq, where they have been blamed for dozens of rocket attacks targeting bases housing American troops and contractors. In recent months, the militias appear to have shifted to using small, low-flying drones armed with explosives in both Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

The Patriot batteries capable of shooting down ballistic missiles do not provide defenses against the small rockets or drones, but counter-rocket, artillery and mortar systems, or C-RAMs, deployed to protect the antimissile systems are capable of shooting down what have typically been barrages of Katyusha rockets fired from makeshift truck or ground launchers.

McNulty did not respond to a question about whether the C-RAMs would remain in place in Iraq, or what the U.S. is doing to bolster its defenses against the small drones.

Earlier in the week, however, the Marine Corps showcased its Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, a vehicle-mounted low-altitude air defense system with counter-drone capabilities, deployed to Saudi Arabia, where the services F/A-18D Hornets have been flying out of Prince Sultan Air Base in recent weeks.

Also this week, the Army said the 4th Infantry Division became its first unit to undergo home-station training on countering small drones before deploying to CENTCOM. That included familiarization with the Mobile-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Integrated Defeat System, or M-LIDS, which is similar to the MADIS.

The service will also send five-person teams of mobile trainers to be stationed in the region, the Army said in a Monday statement.

The Pentagon is confident its drawdown wont negatively impact national security interests in the region, where the U.S. commitment is evident from its range of partnership activities, such as intelligence sharing, security assistance and foreign military sales, McNulty told Stars and Stripes.

The remaining ground, air and naval footprint in the region, including tens of thousands of troops, is also significant, she said.

We maintain a robust force posture in the region appropriate to the threat, she said. We also retain the flexibility to rapidly flow forces back into the Middle East as conditions warrant.

garland.chad@stripes.com

Twitter: @chadgarland
An aerial photo taken from a helicopter shows Ain al-Asad air base in the western Anbar desert, Iraq, on Dec. 29, 2019. (Nasser Nasser/AP)

BAGHDAD  At least one Katyusha rocket fell close to the perimeter of a military base that hosts U.S. troops in northern Iraq on Sunday, Iraq's military said.

The rocket fell near the sprawling Ain al-Asad base in western Anbar province but did not explode, the military said in a statement.

There was no significant damage, the statement said. An Iraqi security official said a fence at the perimeter of the base was minimally damaged. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

An investigation by security forces found the projectile had been launched from the nearby al-Baghdadi area.

The attack is the latest targeting the American presence in Iraq. Rockets and, more recently, drones have targeted military bases hosting U.S. troops and the U.S. Embassy in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.

The regular assaults have been described as disruptive by U.S. contractors working on military bases. Recently, Lockheed Martin relocated its F-16 maintenance teams, citing security concerns.

The U.S. and Iraq are negotiating a timeline for foreign troops to withdraw from the country. Talks began under the former administration of Donald Trump and resumed after President Joe Biden assumed office.
Yemeni fighters backed by the Saudi-led coalition ride on the back of an armored vehicle as they leave the front lines of Marib, Yemen, on Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP)

MARIB, Yemen  Heated battles have taken place in recent days between forces of Yemen's internationally recognized government and the country's Iran-backed rebels around the strategic city of Marib, Yemeni officials said Sunday. The rebels, known as the Houthis, have been trying to seize the area for months.

Yemeni military officials and tribal leaders from the area said that an estimated dozens of fighters have been killed or injured in the recent fighting. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, and tribal leaders asked that their identity be concealed for their own security.

Since Friday, Houthi forces launched attacks on several frontline areas in the outskirts of Marib, said Lieutenant General Saggeer Azeez, chief of staff for the military of Yemen's internationally recognized government. He confirmed that the fighting led to casualties among Yemeni government forces.

Saudi-led coalition airstrikes responded to the attacks on Sunday, according to Maj. Gen. Nasser al-Zaibani, director of military operations of the Yemeni army, which fights alongside the coalition. Meanwhile, a Houthi official said that they have deployed at least 200 additional fighters to the frontline near Marib in the past 24 hours. He also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

The Houthis have been attempting since February to capture Marib to complete their control over the northern part of Yemen. But they have not made substantial progress and suffered heavy losses amid stiff resistance from government forces aided by the Saudi-led coalition supporting them.

This week's fighting also comes amid attempts by Yemen's neighbor, Oman, to broker peace talks between the Houthis and the government.

Last week, the United Nation's outgoing special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he hoped a recent diplomatic effort by Oman, which has played a mediating role in other Mideast conflicts, would bring results. He expressed "deep regret" that he had failed to mediate an end to the conflict during his tenure.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when the Houthis swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government. The war has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The fight for Marib also threatens to escalate the wider war and has stirred international outcry because the city houses over a million displaced persons, many of whom live in camps on the outskirts of the city.

Houthi missile and explosives-laden drone attacks have hit residential and civilian areas inside the city itself. Earlier this month, they hit a gas station, killing a total of 20 people, including children, according to Liz Theissen, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
A flooded neighborhood is seen after Tropical Storm Claudette passed through in Slidell, La., Saturday, June 19, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

ATLANTA  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 12 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in the Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the vans only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

This is the worst tragedy Ive been a part of in my life, said Smith, who drove Sunday to the ranch to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like theyre our own children.

The crash also claimed the lives of two other people who were in a separate vehicle. Garlock identified them as 29-year-old Cody Fox and his 9-month-old daughter, Ariana, both of Marion County, Tennessee.

He was a great guy and were really gonna miss him, said Aaron Sanders, who worked with Fox at the emergency management agency in Marion County. He said Fox also ran a hot tub business with his father and doted on his daughter. He just loved her to death and that was his life.

Multiple people were also injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday to investigate the crash, photos of which showed at least four burned vehicles, including two large trucks. It said the inquiry would focus on vehicle technologies such as forward collision warning systems, fuel tank integrity and occupant survivability.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were also killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit.

The deaths occurred as drenching rains from Tropical Depression Claudette pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for eastern Georgia, the southern-two thirds of South Carolina and the North Carolina coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

WBRC-TV reported that search efforts were also under way for a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham. Crews were using boats to search Pebble Creek.

Garlock said the location of the multi-vehicle wreck is notorious for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents, county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook, adding: I believe is the worst ever in our county.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at the 225-student Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

A GoFundMe account was set up for Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch to help offset the costs of funeral expenses, medical costs for the injured and counseling for those impacted.

Gulley had worked with children for years, beginning when she and her husband were house parents at the ranch for seven years.

During those years, there have been 74 girls that have come through our house and called us mom and dad, she told the Opelika-Auburn News in August 2019. She said she then became a relief parent, working on fundraising and being involved in the community, before she became the ranch director.

My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

Top winds from Claudette remained near 30 mph (45 kph) on Sunday. National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted it would strengthen back to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudettes disorganized circulation was located about 80 miles (128.75 kilometers) west of Columbia, South Carolina. It was moving east-northeast at 17 mph (28 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Aside from rainy weather, it seemed to be business as usual along North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sunday.

At Ace Hardware in Avon, shift manager David Swartwood said they were preparing for whatever might come, but the overall sense was that it wouldnt be that bad in that area. He said winds from the south dont usually cause huge flooding problems, so we dont really anticipate any bad scenarios.

Everybody here has been through it many, many times, so were used to the drill, he said. Weve been prepared.

For the hardware store, he said, that means having supplies like flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, ropes and sandbags on hand. As of Sunday morning, there wasnt a huge rush.

At Stack em High in Kill Devil Hills, a restaurant that specializes in pancakes, co-owner Dawn Kiousis said Sunday morning restaurant service was busy.

Were serving just like normal, she said.

You keep your eye on the weather and you prepare as much stuff in advance as you can, she said. Just know shes gonna win. Mother Nature is going to do what shes going to do, so you just prepare.

___

Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
CARLISLE, Pa.  The remains of 10 more Native American children who died more than a century ago at a boarding school in central Pennsylvania are being disinterred and will be returned to their relatives, authorities said.

A team of archaeologists began work Saturday at the cemetery on the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks, which also houses the U.S. Army War College. Nine of the children were from the Rosebud Sioux tribe in South Dakota and one is from the Alaskan Aleut tribe.

The cemetery contains more than 180 graves of students who attended the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School  a government-run boarding school for Native American children. This is the Army's fourth disinterment project at the school in as many years.

The school founded by an Army officer opened in 1879 and housed some 10,000 indigenous children before it shut down in 1918. Students were forced to cut their braids, dress in uniforms, speak English and adopt European names. Infectious disease and harsh conditions claimed the lives of many of the children buried there.

The Army is fully funding the cost of the project  about $500,000 per year, including travel to the transfer ceremony as well as transport and reburial of the deceased children, said Barbara Lewandrowski of the Office of Army Cemeteries. The Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery closed Monday and will likely remain closed until July 17.

"The Army's commitment remains steadfast to these nine Native American families and one Alaskan Native family. Our objective is to reunite the families with their children in a manner of utmost dignity and respect," Karen Durham-Aguilera, Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries, said in a statement Tuesday.

Since 2016, dozens of Native American and Alaskan Native families have requested that their ancestors be returned from Carlisle, Lewandrowski said.

The children's English names, and where available their Native Americans names, were: Dennis Strikes First (Blue Tomahawk), Rose Long Face (Little Hawk), Lucy Take The Tail (Pretty Eagle), Warren Painter (Bear Paints Dirt), Ernest Knocks Off (White Thunder), Maud Little Girl (Swift Bear), Friend Hollow Horn Bear, Dora Her Pipe (Brave Bull) and Alvan  also known as Roaster, Kills Seven Horses and One That Kills Seven Horses; and Sophia Tetoff of the Alaskan Aleut tribe on Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea.

The Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center archives at Dickinson College include newspaper clippings detailing the deaths of some students or identification cards with name, tribal affiliation, date of arrival and date of departure, with the reason for the latter often listed as "death," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Dennis Strikes First arrived Oct. 6, 1879 and died Jan.19, 1887 of typhoid pneumonia. A news item indicates that he was the son of Blue Tomahawk of Rosebud Agency, Dakota and calls him a "bright, studious, ambitious boy, standing first in his class, and of so tractable a disposition as to be no trouble to his teachers."

Another clipping detailed the Dec. 14, 1880, deaths of Ernest Knocks Off and Maud Little Girl, describing it as a "sad and mysterious coincidence." Ernest was sent to the hospital in October to receive treatment for a sore throat, but he wouldn't agree to take any medicine, leaving him "weak and exhausted." Maud Little Girl was said to have died of pneumonia and was called a "bright, impulsive, warm-hearted girl, much beloved by her school mates."

(Carlisle Barracks Garrison Commander Facebook)
In some parts of the world with more coronavirus vaccine doses than willing takers, attention-grabbing incentives have begun to catch on. Among them: the chance to win big.

Ten vaccinated Californians won $1.5 million each in vaccination lotteries last week. A 22-year-old in Ohio became a surprise vaccine millionaire last month. New York, Maryland and other states are also offering major winnings, and as U.S. vaccination rates slow, White House officials have praised the approach.

Other countries have begun to follow suit. Two provinces in Canada announced lotteries with hefty cash prizes this month. Moscow is raffling off five cars a week to vaccinated residents. Hong Kong residents who get the shots are eligible to win a luxury apartment or airline tickets.

Vaccine doses remain scarce in many parts of the world. But in the few countries with abundant doses, lottery proponents say the hope to receive eye-popping prizes could propel the vaccine hesitant to roll up their sleeves. Its a gamble at the intersection of behavioral economics and public health: the idea that an opportunity to roll the dice could drive healthy behavior  potentially more effectively than more equitable incentives could.

Many public health experts champion the approach, and they say theres precedent for at least some short-term success around the world.

In 1957, Glasgow, Scotland, held a five-week anti-tuberculosis X-ray campaign. The city aimed to screen 250,000 people. Every kind of propaganda is used to bring in the laggards, including signs, slogans, fliers  and entry into a drawing for a new car, a newsreel recounted at the time. More than 700,000 people signed up to be screened.

Assessing the landscape of HIV-prevention strategies in sub-Saharan Africa in 2010, four researchers realized that few interventions had shown a significant effect on HIV incidence. Cash transfers conditioned on participation in health programs were already widespread, so the group looked for innovative and cost-effective ways to persuade people to practice safe sex. They decided on a lottery drawing every four months in Lesotho.

Funded by the World Bank, the study made individuals eligible for a local lottery to win either $50 or $100 if they tested negative for treatable sexually transmitted infections.

After two years, the group found a 21.4 percent reduction in HIV incidence relative to the studys control group following the lottery intervention.

The researchers found that risk-loving people were more likely to take gambles with their sexual health and be more attracted to lotteries. It ended up that the lottery program really made the risk-loving people behave like risk-averse people, said economist Martina Bjorkman Nyqvist, a co-author of the study.

A similar study in rural South Africa found that lottery incentives shortened the median time it took HIV-positive men to initiate antiretroviral therapy, but it had an inconclusive effect on viral suppression at the end of the study.

And Quit and Win contests, popularized in the 1980s and 90s and tried in more than 80 countries, have offered incentives to smokers who quit the habit  with mixed results.

Damien de Walque, a lead economist in the World Banks Development Research Group who worked on the Lesotho study, said lotteries can be effective because humans have a psychological tendency to overestimate small probabilities. Risk-loving people often prefer a high-value prize with a small likelihood of winning to the certainty of receiving a low-value prize.

Widely publicizing the winners can amplify this effect by triggering peoples aversion to loss, said Emily Largent, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvanias medical school.

Canadian officials in some provinces are banking on that effect. This month, Manitoba launched a lottery that automatically enrolls those who have been vaccinated and will give out nearly $2 million Canadian dollars in cash and scholarships over the summer to encourage residents to get both doses. Alberta quickly followed in a quest to reach a 70 percent threshold of residents who have received their first vaccine dose and to lift public health restrictions. The top prize: $1 million Canadian dollars  about $800,000 U.S. dollars.

Public health and advertising experts in Australia are pushing for the country to launch similar lotteries. Sanjaya Senanayake, an infectious-disease specialist at the Australian National University, said novel incentives are needed in Australia as it struggles to overcome widespread vaccine hesitancy. Only about 22 percent of Australians have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Obviously, youre appealing to peoples greed with a lottery, Senanayake said. So I think its very important if youre doing something like this, that youre making sure that the prerequisite is an ethical one. And in this case, it is.

If vaccine lotteries prove successful, he said, they could be replicated to address other public health problems around the world. Lotteries  which require lower administrative costs  are cheaper than handing out small cash payments to everyone who gets a shot.

Still, both expense and optics could be limiting factors. U.S. states and Canadian provinces have faced backlash from critics who charge that there are better uses of public funds. In places more strapped for cash, lotteries may prove more difficult to justify, Largent said.

Some ethical concerns remain. In the United States, vaccine lotteries have triggered fears of a relapse among recovering gambling addicts. The World Health Organization labels gambling an addictive behavior and warns that harms caused by the gambling are significant. About 350 million gamblers around the world display problematic patterns each year, according to the WHO.

Some also worry that incentive programs may distract from efforts to close persistent information gaps and to persuade people to accept getting vaccinated for the sake of personal and public health, rather than for the tantalizing prospect of cash rewards.

Lotteries wont fix logistical problems, such as finding transportation to vaccination sites, Largent said. Nor are they likely to persuade those who are skeptical about vaccines that were developed and given the green light in record time.

We have to be very mindful of the limitations of incentive programs like this, Largent said. In the United States  and I assume internationally  there are a lot of reasons why people arent being vaccinated right now, and an incentive is not going to address all those concerns.

Nonetheless, she said, vaccine lotteries are worth a shot. The sooner we can get people vaccinated, the better, she said.
Israel's new prime minister Naftali Bennett holds a first cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on June 13, 2021. (Ariel Schalit/AP)

WASHINGTON  Their countries at crossroads, the new leaders of the United States and Israel have inherited a relationship that is at once imperiled by increasingly partisan domestic political considerations and deeply bound in history and an engrained recognition that they need each other.

How President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett manage that relationship will shape the prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East.

They are ushering in an era no longer defined by the powerful personality of long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu, who repeatedly defied the Obama administration and then reaped the rewards of a warm relationship with President Donald Trump.

Bennett's government says it wants to repair relations with the Democrats and restore bipartisan support in the U.S. for Israel. Biden, meanwhile, is pursuing a more balanced approach on the Palestinian conflict and Iran.

The relationship is critical to both countries. Israel has long regarded the United States as its closest ally and guarantor of its security and international standing while the U.S. counts on Israel's military and intelligence prowess in a turbulent Middle East.

But both Biden and Bennett are also restrained by domestic politics.

Bennett leads an uncertain coalition of eight parties from across Israel's political spectrum whose main point of convergence was on removing Netanyahu from power after 12 years. Biden is struggling to bridge a divide in his party where near-uniform support for Israel has eroded and a progressive wing wants the U.S. to do more to end Israel's half-century occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Shortly after taking office, the new Israeli foreign minister, Yair Lapid, recognized the challenges Israel faces in Washington.

"We find ourselves with a Democratic White House, Senate and House and they are angry," Lapid said upon taking the helm at Israel's foreign ministry a week ago. "We need to change the way we work with them."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Alex Brandon/AP)

A key test will be on Iran. Biden has sought to return to the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama saw as a signature foreign policy achievement. Trump withdrew from the pact to cheers from pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers and Israel. Though Iran has not yet accepted Biden's offer for direct negotiations, indirect discussions on the nuclear deal are now in a sixth round in Vienna.

The new Israeli government remains staunchly opposed to Biden's efforts to resurrect the deal. But it maintains it will discuss the issue behind closed doors rather than staging public confrontations, such as Netanyahu's controversial address slamming the agreement to the U.S. Congress in 2015.

In a conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Lapid said the two agreed on a "no surprises" policy and to keep lines of communication open.

Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, says that rather than trying to scuttle any agreement with Iran, the new government will press the U.S. administration to keep some sanctions on Iran in place and seek "strategic compensation" for Israel as part of any return to the deal.

Resolving differences over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be another significant challenge for the two leaders.

Biden has already moved to reverse Netanyahu-backed Trump policies that alienated the Palestinians and caused a near total rupture in official U.S.-Palestinian contacts. Almost immediately after taking office, Biden restored Trump-slashed U.S. assistance to the Palestinians, which in just four months totals more than $300 million. He announced his administration's intent to re-open the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, closed by Trump, that handled relations with the Palestinians. And, administration officials have spoken of the imperative that Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal measures of security and prosperity.

Yet, neither Biden nor Blinken has signaled any move to alter Trump's most significant pro-Israel steps. Those include his abandonment of longstanding U.S. policy that settlements are illegitimate under international law, his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and his recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory seized from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The administration also hopes to expand Arab-Israeli normalization agreements that the Trump administration forged in its final months in office.

In a call on Bennett's first day in office, Biden affirmed his "steadfast support for the U.S.-Israel relationship" and "unwavering commitment to Israel's security." He pledged to work together on all security matters, including Iran.

Biden's support for Israel's heavy airstrikes during last month's war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, who fired thousands of rockets at Israel, angered progressive Democrats in Congress. With newfound strength in numbers, they are demanding that the administration do more to support the Palestinians and that conditions be placed on the massive amount of military aid the U.S. provides Israel.

While well-established Democratic lawmakers remain unstintingly supportive of Israel and its absolute right to defend itself, the growing number of progressive voices in their caucus have turned the issue into a political hot potato. The change in Israel's government is unlikely to ease their calls for action as Israeli-Palestinian violence has continued in recent days.

Yet, the Biden administration has already urged the new Israeli government to ease tensions with the Palestinians. In two phone conversations with Lapid over the last week, Blinken has spoken of "the need to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations in practical ways" and pledged to deepen Arab-Israeli ties.

It's not clear that the new government will be responsive.

Centrist members like Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz clearly want to adopt a more cooperative approach with the Biden administration, while Bennett and his right-wing partners face pressure from their base to maintain Netanyahu's hardline approach, not only on Iran but on the conflict with the Palestinians.

The former prime minister, already eyeing a return to office, has branded Bennett as weak and inexperienced, and will probably pounce on any perceived capitulations.

The Israeli government already faces tough decisions, including whether to evacuate an unauthorized settlement outpost established last month and whether to intervene in the legal process through which settler organizations are trying to evict dozens of Palestinian families from their homes in east Jerusalem.

The Biden administration is pressing Israel to refrain from any unilateral steps  such as settlement expansion or evictions  that could hinder the eventual revival of the peace process, which has been moribund for more than a decade. But Washington has yet to issue public condemnations of settlement activity beyond general calls for both sides to refrain from unilateral steps that could inflame tensions or harm prospects for an eventual peace deal.

Bennett is a strong supporter of the settlements and is opposed to Palestinian statehood, but he is also seen by many as a pragmatist. He may be able to turn his weakness into a strength, arguing that any major concession  to the Palestinians or the settlers  risks bringing down the government and returning Netanyahu to power.

"The forces that brought this coalition to power are strong enough in my judgment to sustain the pressure from the right and probably also American pressure to make a major change in the policies toward the Palestinians," Gilboa said.

Krauss reported from Jerusalem.
Army Pvt. Osceola Ozzie Fletcher. (Twitter)

Osceola Ozzie Fletcher was a 22-year-old Army private delivering supplies to the Allied forces as they arrived on the coast of France on D-Day when his vehicle was struck by a German missile. The vehicle overturned, killing the driver and wounding Fletcher during the Battle of Normandy in June 1944.

But for more than three-quarters of a century, Fletcher was never recognized for being wounded in action in World War II. Instead, Fletcher said, he and about 2,000 other Black U.S. soldiers who saw action on D-Day were overlooked or denied awards because of racism and the racial inequalities of the country, including in the U.S. armed forces, which were racially segregated at the time.

Black soldiers didnt get the Purple Heart. They got injured, damaged, hurt. But they never got wounded, the Brooklyn native said to local media last year. Only the White men who were wounded got Purple Hearts.

That changed Friday in New York for Fletcher when the 99-year-old was awarded the Purple Heart, an honor that his family and military and political leaders said should have been conferred decades ago.

It was an honor and privilege to pin a long overdue Purple Heart on a great Soldier and member of the Greatest Generation, Mr. Ozzie Fletcher, Gen. James McConville, chief of staff of the Army, said in a statement to The Washington Post. This week, we were able to pay tribute to Ozzie for the sacrifices he made in service to our great Nation during World War II.

In a video message at the ceremony, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., described Fletcher as a loyal New Yorker who served this country with distinction and selflessness even while African American soldiers were treated as second-class citizens, the New York Daily News reported. After McConville awarded him the medal, Fletchers daughter, Jacqueline Streets, said, The wrong has been righted.

He was really determined in telling the story of how African American soldiers did not receive their due, Streets told The Post. It became my mission to get him this Purple Heart.

Wearing military regalia, Fletcher smiled from a wheelchair as The Star-Spangled Banner played at the private event at Fort Hamilton Community Club in Brooklyn.

Its about time, he said.

Fletcher being honored with the Purple Heart comes as some military institutions face allegations of racism. An independent investigation of the culture at Virginia Military Institute released this month found that institutional racism and sexism are present, tolerated, and left unaddressed at VMI. Half of Black students at VMI strongly or somewhat agree that the school suffers from a culture of racial intolerance, the report found, while 10 percent of White cadets said the same.

Fletcher grew up in Manhattan and the Bronx before he was drafted in 1942. Serving in the 254th Port Battalion, Fletcher boarded a segregated ship that took his fellow soldiers from Portsmouth, Va., to Europe. He recalled to the Daily News in 2019 how the segregation on the overseas deployment was particularly difficult as families gathered to send their loved ones off to war.

We didnt stay on the deck when we departed, waving handkerchiefs, he said of Black soldiers. We were on the bottom.

His service had him bouncing around England, often loading and unloading supplies off ships in the kind of labor-intensive work passed off to Black soldiers, he told Our Time Press last year.

It was everyday discrimination, Streets told The Post. It was the other American soldiers that gave them [Black soldiers] the hardest time.

Hed be wounded three times in his military career, but D-Day in northern France is still hard to forget.

The Germans were no chumps, he said to the Daily News.

Fletcher returned to New York in 1946, got married and had five children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He found a stable life with the New York Police Department, and he co-founded the Guardians Association, a New York organization for Black law enforcement professionals. He also taught at Boys High School in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn and worked in Brooklyns district attorneys office.

Streets said her father did not speak of his service much until about 20 years ago, when his friends started to die.

You want people to know what you lived through, she said. You dont want to just disappear and no one ever really knows what happened.

About seven years ago, he asked his daughter whether she could look into getting him replacement medals for his service. That would soon result in Fletcher opening up more about his experiences - and a push from Streets to get her dad a Purple Heart she says he should have received.

It would justify that he had been hurt during the war and that he had done the things he had been telling us, Streets said.

Making that happen proved difficult. Streets found out that her fathers military records had burned in a fire in 1973. After a film crew interviewed him about his experiences, the recording was forwarded to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Streets eventually contacted the Joint Chiefs to get her father his award.

Lt. Col. Scott Johnson, the Army Human Resources Commands chief of awards and decorations, explained that the fact-finding process was not easy. The Army was also reviewing a Purple Heart application for Johnnie Jones, a Black 101-year-old former warrant officer.

A lot of times, [soldiers] never received the documents required, Johnson said in an April news release. Most times, they did not even make the documents. That is the most challenging part for us.

By April, the Army had its answer: Fletcher was getting his Purple Heart. When Streets met with her father to tell him and her mother, she said Fletcher was disappointingly cool.

How do you feel about that? she asked.

He simply responded, Good.

The ceremony Friday was better than good, Streets said. Although Fletcher played it cool in his words, sometimes speaking in French to show off to those gathered, Streets saw her father cry for the second time in her life.

He was not a quitter by any means, she said. It was amazing and exhilarating.

As he told reporters that he was going to have his family frame his Purple Heart, Fletcher acknowledged the weight that had been lifted by the honor that had been long elusive.

You will remember the Fletcher name now, he said.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to provide gender-confirmation surgery through its health care coverage, reversing a 2013 ban, VA Secretary Denis McDonough announced Saturday.

McDonough pledged to overcome a dark history of discrimination and take steps to expand access to care for transgender veterans at a Pride Month event in Orlando, which this month marked the fifth anniversary of a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub, that left 49 people dead. The VA plans to begin the two-year process this summer, a VA spokesman confirmed.

This time will allow VA to develop capacity to meet the surgical needs that transgender veterans have called for and deserved for a long time, McDonough said to a crowd gathered at the Orlando event, and I am proud to begin the process of delivering it.

The change marks a significant departure from VA under President Donald Trump, who limited transgender people from serving in the military, a prohibition reversed by President Biden soon after he took office. In 2013, while Biden was vice president, a department directive said VA does not provide sex reassignment surgery, effectively preventing transgender veterans from a surgery considered medically necessary by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

The federal rulemaking process, expected to begin this summer, will include a period for public comment, spokesman Terrence Hayes told The Washington Post on Saturday.

Although the cost to VA is unknown, it is estimated that fewer than 4,000 veterans would be interested in this surgery, Hayes wrote in an email. The National Center for Transgender Equality estimates that there are about 134,000 transgender veterans.

Some people treat gender dysphoria, a feeling that the body a person is born into does not conform to ones gender identity, with medical treatments or transition-related surgeries.

Suicidal thoughts and mental illness are experienced at a far higher rate for LGBTQ veterans than those outside the community, McDonough noted. In addition to psychological distress, they also may experience prejudice and stigma. About 80 percent of LGBTQ veterans have encountered a hurtful or rejecting experience in the military because of their gender identity, McDonough said.

Transgender veterans have reported suicidal thoughts disproportionately compared with other veterans or the general population, recent studies have found.

Were making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do but because they can save lives, McDonough said in prepared remarks.

He said VA would also change the name of the Veterans Health Administrations LGBT health program to the LGBTQ+ Health Program to reflect inclusiveness.

McDonough praised the facility he spoke at, Orlando Vet Center, sharing a story about a transgender woman who struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts until she was able to seek care.

Since taking office, Biden has reoriented the federal governments posture on transgender issues, expanding protections for transgender students and reviving anti-bias safeguards in health care for transgender people.

In Florida, where McDonough spoke, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill this month preventing transgender athletes from participating in school sports, a move critics described as an attack on the community.

Noting the law signed by DeSantis, Gina Duncan, director of transgender equality for the statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization Equality Florida, told the Orlando Sentinel that her agency was thrilled to have allies at the highest level of government.

In a moment of fierce state and local backlash against the transgender community, this move by the Biden administration is a reminder that elections matter, Duncan said. Support for transgender veterans and the lifesaving health care they need to live authentically is a critical component to fulfilling our nations promise of caring for those whove served.
Matariki Tauranga Moana celebrations are in full swing this June with a great programme of events to welcome the Maori New Year.

Matariki is a special time in the Maori calendar. This year we celebrate Matariki Marama Nui  sharing stories of Tauranga Moana from 7 Piripi (June)  11 Hongongoi (July).

Residents and visitors are being spoilt for choice with more than 40 events across Tauranga Moana.

Strategic Maori Engagement manager at Tauranga City Council Carlo Ellis says the beauty of Matariki is that it is a kaupapa Maori shared with the community.

Tangata whenua set the focus each year and lead the cultural teachings, while a range of community initiatives bring their own events alive to form a calendar of activities with something for everyone, says Carlo.

Whether you are interested in culture, astronomy, story-telling, arts, social activities or all of the above, its a real invitation to celebrate Tauranga Moana.

Tauranga City Council is proud to support this collaborative initiative for another year, he says.

Matariki will end with a panel discussion on July 10 at The Tauranga Art Gallery about Te Iwa o Matariki (the nine stars of Matariki).

The panel will discuss their personal connections with the constellation and its importance on their thinking.

Panel members include Tawhai Rickard (Ngati Uepohatu, Ngati Porou) who concurrently presents The Misadventures of Te Kuri at the gallery.

In between this, there will be a number of exhibitions, live demonstrations, workshops and family-friendly events for all to enjoy.

Attendees are able to take part in a workshop learning basic calligraphy for whakatauki (proverbs), make a bamboo koauau (flute) or have a go at Mau rakau - basic Maori weaponry.

Head along to Fergusson Park to fly your kite high or watch the professionals at play.

Go on a two-day cultural training course or embark on a mission - Kohi Kari (collecting cards) - each library has a different set.

Events and workshops coming up 17  23 Piripi (June):

Matariki Cinematic Showcase  head out to the Village Cinema at The Historic Village to celebrate local Maori film makers. Every Thursday during Matariki there will be a showcase of short films, films and music videos - The Incubator Creative Hub.

Muka Pito Ties Workshop  learn how to harvest harakeke (flax) correctly. Extract the muka (flax fibre) and create muka pito ties - The Incubator Creative Hub.

Raw Form Hip-hop Workshops  these workshops are for young people aged 10  24 looking to engage in a creative outlet / form of personal expression through hip-hop culture - The Incubator Creative Hub.

Puppets with Pani  come along and make your own puppets to create your own stories, or recreate a treasured Maori story  Tauranga City Libraries.

Matariki Matauranga Maori and Modern Science  come and listen to special guest presenter, Thomas (Tame) Malcolm an award winning environmental scientist who combines indigenous practices and western science for the protection of native species and bush  See Cafe Scientifique for more information.

Gate Pa School  Pukehinahina entrance blessing  two pou (poles) carved by local artist Whare Thompson will adorn the entrance. These will be blessed at dawn on Tuesday, 22 June. All welcome  www.mymatariki.co.nz.

Iti Pounamu with Aroha  in these fun pre-school sessions Aroha will lead songs and stories about this special time of year  Tauranga City Libraries.

Nga Whetu o Matariki  Digital Canvas  come and hear the stories of the stars of Matariki. Learn how to find them in the night sky and create a piece of techie art to take home  Tauranga City Libraries.

Brush Lettering Whakatauki Workshop  bring a whakatauki with you. Learn the basics of calligraphy to write your whakatauki. All materials will be supplied  The Incubator Creative Hub.

Korero mai  Matauranga Matariki  come along and hear the stories, learn the history, and speak the names of nga whetu o Matariki (the stars of Matariki) through our Matauranga Matariki te reo Maori introductory pronunciation workshop - Tauranga City Libraries.

Take part and discover the significance of Matariki with whanau and friends. All event details and booking information is available at www.mymatariki.co.nz.

The Matariki Tauranga Moana 2021 programme of events is proudly brought to you and supported by Department of Conservation, the Incubator Creative Hub, The Tauranga Art Gallery, Tauranga City Council, Tauranga City Libraries and Te Puna i Rangiriri Trust.
State Highway 2 is open following flooding this morning.

Waka Kotahi NZTA advised, shortly after 10am, that the road was shut in both directions between Hot Springs Rd and Sharp Rd.

However, that alert has now been lifted, with an eyewitness at the scene suggesting the water level is now subsiding.

A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE number earlier today states how they struggled that to get through the road due to the flooding on their way to Katikati at around 10am this morning.

Water is running over State Highway 2 between Sharp Road and the Claymark Sawmills, they say.

The flooding is situated along SH2. Google Maps.

Police confirm they are in attendance.

I understand there are quite a few weather-related callouts in the BOP/Eastern area, says a police spokesperson.

Police will be assisting Fire and Emergency New Zealand with any weather-related callouts.

"Motorists are asked to delay travel where possible," says a police spokesperson.

SunLive will provide further updates as and when information becomes available.

At the scene?

Email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz
The search is on for the best young Kiwi filmmakers in Aotearoa with submissions now open for the 2021 International Youth Silent Film Festival New Zealand Nationals.

The IYSFF is an annual global competition challenging young filmmakers, aged 20 and under, from across the United States of America, Montenegro, Hungary, Australia, The United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand to create a three-minute silent film set to one of 10 musical scores composed specifically for the festival.

Submissions for the 2021 competition close at midnight on Wednesday, September 1.

Once submissions close, a panel will then select the top 15 films to be screened and celebrated at the IYSFF NZ National Awards Final at the Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, on Thursday, November 11.

Recently-appointed Baycourt manager Reena Snook says the Tauranga venue has been extremely proud to be the home of the IYSFF in New Zealand ever since the competition made its Aotearoa debut in 2016.

On behalf of the IYSFF NZ team and Baycourt I want to wish all our young Kiwi filmmakers the best of luck this year.

On the night of the awards final, the soundtrack for each Top 15 film will be performed live on Baycourts Mighty 1926 Wurlitzer Theatre  one of only three in New Zealand and arguably in the best condition, says Reena.

This years competition features prizes for the Top 3 placed filmmakers plus seven Best Of category awards to be won.

In addition, the top two Kiwi films will go on to represent New Zealand at the annual IYSFF Global Awards in Portland, Oregon, USA, in 2022.

Reena says the IYSFF is an amazing opportunity for young Kiwi creatives to share their stories and imagination with the world.

The IYSFF NZ is a perfect platform for young Kiwis to also express their unique perspective on issues currently facing our communities, country and the world, through a creative and inspiring medium.

The IYSFF NZ Nationals 2021 is delivered with support from major media partner The Breeze Tauranga 95.8FM.

For rules, soundtracks, or to make a submission visit the IYSFFs website at www.makesilentfilm.com or for more information about the IYSFF NZ National 2020 competition visit www.baycourt.co.nz/youth/iysff-nz-nationals
Virat Kohli finished the second day of the ICC World Test Championship Final unbeaten on 44 as India and New Zealand are evenly poised.

Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on an unbeaten stand of 58 as India battled to 146/3 when bad light forced an early end to the day, with only 64.4 overs of play possible.

After a washout on day one, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl, looking to make the most of the overcast conditions in Southampton.

The Indian players wore a black armband in memory of Milkha Singh, the great Indian athlete who passed away at the age of 91 on Friday.

And it was India who started the stronger as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill combined to put on 62 for the first wicket.

Sharma looked particularly threatening, with two boundaries through the offside in Tim Southees fourth over of the morning.

However, Kyle Jamieson made the breakthrough with a full ball angled in. It moved away late and Sharma edged to Southee at third slip for 34.

His dismissal slowed the scoring, and he was soon joined by opening partner Gill, who feathered one through to BJ Watling off the bowling of Neil Wagner for 28.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli saw India through to lunch at 69/2 but the scoring rate had dropped rapidly, and that continued into the second session.

Eventually, that pressure told and Pujara fell LBW to Trent Boult for just eight, leaving India 88/3.

Rahane joined Kohli in the middle as India tried to rebuild. The pair knuckled down and got their side to 120/3 at tea, with bad light forcing the players off.

Just three more overs were possible after lunch until another enforced break, lasting half an hour.

On the return, Rahane and Kohli continued to accumulate, taking their partnership past 50 before bad light meant an early end to proceedings.

Scores in brief

India v New Zealand, at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton.

India 146/3 in 64.4 overs (Virat Kohli 44 not out, Rohit Sharma 34; Kyle Jamieson 1/14, Neil Wagner 1/28)

- ICC
Tauranga-based electricity company Trustpower has agreed terms with Mercury for the conditional sale of its retail business.

In media releases, both companies confirm the acquisition of $441 million including the sale of its gas, telecommunications and retail electricity supply business, excluding the supply of electricity to commercial and industrial customers.

The transaction is conditional on several matters, including Commerce Commission clearance, completion of the proposed restructure of Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust and Trustpower shareholder approval.

The sale follows a strategic review from Trustpower to test market interest in its retail business.

Trustpower chairman Paul Ridley-Smith says there were several interested parties in the acquisition of the retail business.

We are pleased that our business will stay in local hands, with a future owner committed to retaining Trustpowers Tauranga and Oamaru offices for the foreseeable future.

Mercury clearly understands the business and the strategic value of a proven multi-product offering, quality customer base and opportunities for future growth, Paul says.

Mercury chief executive Vince Hawksworth says the acquisition will accelerate Mercurys retail strategy, which is centred on delivering the right product mix and value for customers.

Mercury and Trustpower are two highly complementary organisations, and this agreement would see the best of both being brought together for our customers, says Vince.

We know customers value the convenience and ease of bundled services in their home and Trustpower has deep expertise in bundling products in a way that people clearly appreciate. We see this adding material value to our customers and Mercury.

Bringing together the retail businesses of Mercury and Trustpower will also give us the scale to make meaningful investment in the underlying IT systems, driving greater innovation for our customers.

Vince says the strength of Trustpowers retail offering was underpinned by a highly skilled and motivated team, with approximately 500 staff focused on retail, based in Tauranga and Oamaru.

We see a huge amount of talent and capability across both organisations, each with a strong focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for customers. Were excited for how we can continue to build on this together, he states.

Trustpower chief executive David Prentice says the opportunities for employees has been an important consideration in this process.

The capability and performance of our people is what makes the difference for our customers, communities, and shareholders. The majority of employees will get the opportunity to transfer to Mercury and of the rest of the employees most will remain with the generation business, David says.

Trustpower state they are confident once Mercury completes the purchase it will maintain and enhance the value and quality of Trustpowers customer service.

As to the future, this is an exciting time for Trustpower. New Zealand needs to greatly increase renewable energy generation to aid the de-carbonisation and electrification of the economy and we are in a unique position to play a role in helping the country achieve its climate change targets, says Prentice.

Trustpower says it will consider capital structure, dividend policy and opportunities for re-investment of the proceeds as settlement of the transaction approaches.

A further update will be provided at the Annual Shareholder meeting on September, 22.

The sale of the business will take effect following the conditions of the sale being met, which is expected to be late 2021 or early 2022.
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Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Eight children in a van from a youth ranch for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate over the weekend  the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed a total of 13 lives in Alabama
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Highly anticipated: The AMD and Samsung partnership to bring Radeon graphics to a mobile SoC, two years in the making, is at last close to bearing fruit. While established mobile leaker Ice Universe claims that the product's release has been pushed back to July, rumors suggest it's more than capable of taking on current and upcoming Mali GPUs.

The plans for a Samsung SoC featuring Radeon graphics been talked about aplenty since the initial reveal in 2019, but its back in the limelight after AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su brought it up during her Computex 2021 keynote.

According to Ice Universe, the Exynos + Radeon collaboration was due for release this month, but its been pushed to July. However, samples are already in hand of partners and in the testing phase. If posts on Korean forum Clien are to be believed, the SoC is showing strong results against competitors after having beaten Apple's A14 Bionic earlier this year.

ExclusiveSamsungAMD GPU was originally scheduled to be released in June, but now it has been postponed to July, when we will know the performance of AMD GPU on Exynos and other details. pic.twitter.com/GM6W8l3EKY  Ice universe (@UniverseIce) June 20, 2021

The Clien thread's OP claims that, at peak performance, the mobile RDNA2 GPU was able to narrowly beat out Arms next-generation Mali GPU. It also saw harsher throttling than expected after initial rounds of testing, dropping about 20% performance after the first test and then 30% after the second -- but even when throttled this badly, the mRDNA2 GPU was allegedly still able to beat out the current top end Mali GPU (presumably the Mali-G78, unveiled last year).

The forum posts also allege that results are good enough that Samsung are abandoning their own GPU development efforts, and that Google has been eyeing up the collaboration and may have signed up as a customer.

News about AMD mRDNA2 peak/overall performance



OP https://t.co/6oPzcup7dP



The rumor of which mRDNA2 is set to be equipped in the next Exynos is overwhelming the competitor chip in peak performance, according to an actual performance test.



(1/5)  Tron  #MicrosoftEvent (@FrontTron) June 19, 2021

While these early results look promising, a drop in performance by 30% after just two test runs isn't great, especially as GPU-demanding loads like games require sustained performance rather than transient loads like many benchmarks. This, unfortunately, seems to be a product of the SoC's manufacturing process more than the chip's own design, as previous testing by Anandtech has pointed to Samsung's 5 nm node still only playing catch-up to TSMC's 7 nm products in efficiency terms.

Then again, the Exynos-Radeon collaboration has also been hinted to be coming to laptop platforms in place of Qualcomm's 8cx Gen 3, which should offer much more headroom in thermals and power management. That would see the chip pit against the 8cx's Adreno graphics, details of which Qualcomm have remained rather tight-lipped about to date.
An energy-saving program in Texas left some residents sweating inside their homes after power companies remotely raised the temperature in their smart thermostats.

Some residents are wondering as to why their thermostats' temperatures are changing on their own. It turns out that they opted in to "Smart Savers Texas," which conserves electricity by controlling thermostats to lessen energy consumption.

In the past few days, Texas is facing early heat waves.

Consequently, the state power lines are trying to keep up with the increased demand. The New York Times reported that state regulators are now warning their residents that failing to conserve power will lead to blackouts and lack of water.

Meanwhile, Chinese cryptocurrency miners are heading to Texas after being kicked out of their home country. It is to note that extracting Bitcoin takes up a lot of energy.

Smart Thermostat Energy Saving Program

Gizmodo reported that the energy-saving program of Energy Hub teamed up with Google and Amazon to increase the temperature in their smart thermostats by four degrees. In turn, it will significantly reduce the energy consumption of the residents, leading to less stress on the power supply.

Residents initially get invited to opt into the program, but they can decide to quit anytime.

USA Today noted that such thermostat adjustment only occurs once in a while. To be precise, the temperature is only raised from two to eight instances every summer.

Read Also: Google Nest Hub Will Launch Ten New Games, Making It More Than Just YouTube Screen- Games Lobby Coming!

Clueless Residents

Some residents claimed that they were not aware that such a program existed, and they are surprised to be part of it. However, it seemed that these folks agreed on something that they may have not readd in the first place, Gizmodo suggested.

In turn, a family in Houston was surprised after they lowered the temperature below while they slept, and woke up sweating on their mattress. After which, the father of the family opted out of the energy-saving program.

He even pointed out that the remote adjustment could be detrimental to the health of his loved ones.

The father was particularly concerned with his three-month-old daughter. "They dehydrate very quickly," he said.

EngeryHub Agreement

The company behind the "Smart Savers Texas" said in a statement that each participant needs to actively enroll before being part of the program.

The offer states the terms of the program either via email or a mobile app. Moreover, the endeavor targets residents that use a smart thermostat in their homes.

Elsewhere, Big Tech reportedly forced the collection of user data from Amazon Ecobee smart thermostats.

Related Article: Nintendo Power Line Returning This Weekend To Celebrate NES Classic Edition Launch: The '80s Coming Back To Life

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Electronic skins need to be exceptionally thin to practically work as they need to be unnoticeable by the naked eye. Thankfully, a group of scientists has devised a way to achieve just that with "atomically thin" transistors.

The development of electronic skins is nothing new. Even the South Korean tech giant, Samsung, is attempting to produce an electronic skin that monitors a person's heart rate. If successful, people experiencing health problems could detect potential illnesses early on.

Electronic Skin: 'Atomically Thin' Transistors

According to Yahoo, researchers from Stanford University produced "atomically thin" transistors that measure 100 nanometers long. The institution added that it is significantly smaller than other developments in the past.

It is "several times" shorter, Standford claims.

The researchers said a technological obstacle delayed the dream to engineer "ultrathin, flexible computer circuits." Previously, 2D semiconductors melted in the flexible tech as it heats up excessively.

So, the researchers used glass-coated silicon instead. It is paired with super-thin semiconductor film on top of nano-patterned gold electrodes.

With that, the produced film is now thin enough at the right temperature at nearly 1,500F.

To note, it is far from 680F, which is when the plastic starts to melt.

Additionally, the computer circuit is "bendable, shapeable, yet energy-efficient," the press release by Stanford said. And now, on top of that, it is also cool enough to be used for electronic skins.

When the transistor is complete, it will be thinner than human hair, Yahoo claimed. To be precise, it is five microns thick. And, aside from its ideally thin structure, it could also work without needing significant energy.

However, the technological breakthrough still needs some brushing up.

The researchers are looking forward to also adding wireless technology as thin as the current structure. It will then allow network connectivity, which will be important in gathering data.

Read Also: This Electronic Skin Can Help Amputees Sense Temperature And Pressure On Their Prosthetic Limbs

Electronic Skin Use

The scientist involved noted that they are also considering ways to mass-produce their invention to sell it at an affordable price.

Similar to what Samsung envisioned, the bendable transistors allow health-related monitoring and tasks. The possibilities for it are countless. But one thing is for sure, once successful, it will be a game-changer in collecting health data, which could improve illness detection.

Meanwhile, Mint reported that electronic skins could also be used in soft robotics, artificial intelligence, and futuristic prosthetics.

Even in its infancy stage, a group of researchers is finding ways to help amputees feel temperature and pressure. It is done by implanting electronic skins on their prosthetic limbs.

Related Article: High-Tech Wearable Tattoos Debut At CES 2016: MC10, 'Reshaping Healthcare'

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Windows 11 Leak is now in hot water after Microsoft reportedly complained about it to Google. The company alleges that it violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA.

The company behind the leaked operating system requested the search engine to take down the results linking to the leaked ISO of the unofficially released Windows 11.

Tom's Guide noted that the latest move of Microsoft raised the credibility of the leak. It suggested that the revealed features are indeed likely to come to the upcoming Windows version.

Windows 11 Leak

Rumors of what comes next to Windows have flooded the internet in the past few days. The leak first graced headlines on June 15. It exactly showed how the interface of the unreleased OS will look like.

Aside from the updated design, instructions on how to revert the new Start Menu to the tiled-Windows 10 version came out as well.

Also, based on the leak alone, it noticeably borrowed some design cues from the discontinued Windows 10X.

For instance, its start menu and system setup look nearly similar.

The known changes of Windows 11 are mostly design updates. The under the hood of the operating system are nearly the same to existing builds.

Microsoft Confirm Windows Leak

While some doubted the unofficial early view of Windows 11, Microsoft admitted that it was the actual copy of the future OS. But it did so unintentionally.

The statement came from a DMCA request to Google. It precisely mentioned it as a "leaked copy of the unreleased Windows 11."

So, is it actually Microsoft's next operating system? Well, yes, if you were to cite the complaint letter.

However, fans should still take it with a grain of salt as early builds could still experience revamps. So what comes next to Windows could still be a complete surprise.

Read Also: Twitch Creators Warned Against Copyright as Platform Received More Than 1,000 DMCA Claims

DMCA Complaint

According to Tech Radar, Microsoft Japan requested Google to take down links of Beebom.com, an Indian technology website that hosts the ISO download of the leaked OS.

Also, Microsoft asked Google to remove an article from the same tech news outlet, which contains the Windows 11 leak.

The DMCA complaint also noted that the Windows 11 ISO, which is up for download on the Indian website, is "copyrighted to Microsoft."

Meanwhile, Microsoft is reportedly announcing something new on June 24. Even before the leak, speculations that Windows 11 is debuting have spread like wildfire.

Related Article: Steve Wozniak Faces Copyright Lawsuit Over Tech School, the Apple Co-Founder's Recent Venture That Was Scrapped

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Price and Cornwell are the owners of the arts and culture venue and nightclub Smokestack in downtown Dubuque, which opened in 2015. Smokestacks second floor art gallery opened in 2018 with its first show being Neglected Monuments: The Parking Ramps of Dubuque, a themed satirical visual arts exhibition that they conceived after visiting Dubuque as tourists in the summer of 2013, several months before they moved to Dubuque permanently. They live, work, play and love downtown Dubuque.
Doctors at Baton Rouge General Hospital are testing a nasal spray to see if it prevents people from contracting COVID-19.

If effective, the treatment could prove a powerful tool to combat the pandemic disease from home.

The hospital is one of two sites in the U.S. conducting second-phase clinical trials for GeneOne Life Sciences nasal spray, GLS-1200. The aim: to see how well the self-administered spray prevents respiratory illness, including COVID-19.

This really stimulates your initial barrier of defense, said Dr. Henry Barham, whos heading the clinical trials at Baton Rouge General. What were looking at is whether it prevents people from getting COVID in the first place, as opposed to the vaccine that prevents severe illness.

Unlike COVID-19 vaccines that prevent severe illness by familiarizing the bodys antibodies with the novel coronavirus, the spray stimulates nasal passage receptors to prevent respiratory infections.

As part of the Phase 2 clinical trial, Barham and his team are looking for participants between the ages of 18 and 65 who havent contracted COVID-19. The study also allows people who have already been vaccinated to join.

Two out of three participants will receive the GLS-1200 nasal spray, while others will get a placebo.

+2 Is another COVID surge in Louisiana possible? Officials worry as state's vaccine rates remain low Louisiana saw the lowest number of people die from COVID-19 in April and May than any other months since the disease began tearing through the

The aim of the trials second phase is to test how the treatment blocks the virus, as well as its tolerability and safety.

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Since beginning clinical trials in February, Barham said his team has not observed any side effects from the nasal sprays.

Because the treatment could be used for people who are vaccinated against COVID-19, it also has the potential to add even more protection against it and other respiratory illnesses, like the flu.

Though still relatively early in the clinical approval process, the nasal sprays may soon help slow COVIDs spread.

Health experts have increasingly worried about emerging versions of the coronavirus that are more contagious and appear to be more severe than previous strains. In Louisiana, as many as 28 different COVID variants have been circulating in recent months, according to Dr. Lucio Miele, who chairs the Department of Genetics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine.

Though the three approved vaccines in the U.S. appear to be highly effective against known variants, health officials have raised alarms that future strains could weaken vaccines ability to protect people.

If anything, it could be used in conjunction (with vaccines), Barham said, adding that variants would not have any impact on how the spray is thought to work.

Similar trials for GLS-1200 are also underway in Philadelphia, and another is set to soon begin in Texas.

Trial participants are expected to administer the spray themselves three times a day for six weeks.

Anyone interested in the study can learn more by calling (225) 819-1181 or visiting sinusandnasalspecialists.com.
A 19-year-old from Gonzales died Saturday night in a crash on La. 621 west of La. 44 in Ascension Parish, State Police said Sunday.

Caleb Mullins was driving eastbound in his 2014 Toyota Camry when, for reasons still under investigation, he crossed into the opposing lane and hit a 2016 Toyota Camry head-on, police said in a news release.

Mullins, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene, the release said. The other driver sustained moderate injuries and was brought to a local hospital; a 9-month-old infant in her car was not injured. Both the driver of the 2016 Camry and the child were properly restrained, the child in a rear-facing car seat.

The investigation is ongoing, and toxicology samples were obtained from both drivers.
A former SBS journalist has launched legal action against the multicultural public broadcaster to get her job back after an independent investigation found she suffered workplace harassment and claims she was ultimately sacked for not being able to work under the woman who allegedly bullied her.

Journalist Pallavi Jain was hired by SBS in 2013 to work in the Hindi language team under executive producer Kumud Merani and made three complaints about her treatment before being sacked in December 2019. She is now suing the broadcaster in a general protections claim to have her job reinstated.

SBS was hit with allegations of workplace bullying and racism last year, after high profile broadcaster Lee Lin Chin revealed she had resigned due to concerns about complaints of bullying and lack of diversity within the organisation. Former Indigenous reporters have also described a toxic culture and systemic racism within SBS.

Pallavi Jain is now living with her parents in Bhopal, India, after being sacked by SBS. Credit:Pallavi Jain

An external investigation in 2016, which is referred to in the Fair Work Commission, into Ms Meranis conduct determined she had engaged in workplace bullying and harassment against Ms Jain and breached SBSs code of conduct, according to court documents. Yet Ms Jain claims SBS refused to change Ms Jains reporting line, which medical records show caused Ms Jain to suffer anxiety so severe she thought she was going to die.
Australians have known for decades that New Zealanders are the funniest people in the world: weve been claiming hilarious Kiwis as our own since John Clarke crossed the ditch in the 70s. It would seem that the rest of the world has finally started to catch on: the international comedic tsunami that began to gather force with Flight of the Conchords has in the past 10 years truly washed over the world, from former Conchord Bret McKenzies Oscar-winning Muppet songwriting, to the rewriting of the rules of superhero movies by Taika Waititi, to the slow-burning triumph of ultra-low-key supernatural cop mockumentary Wellington Paranormal, and more: odd vowels and unbreakably deadpan delivery have hit the big time. And here comes Rose Matafeo to add a vivid new splash of colour to the Kiwi comedy palette.

I dont know what it is, Matafeo muses when asked whether there is something unique about the New Zealand sense of humour that is contributing to her nations world conquest. I think we tend to have a very down-to-earth sense of humour. Because of our place in the world, we dont take ourselves too seriously. Its probably similar to the Australian sense of humour, she adds, which is very nice of her to say. Were different, and something different always gets attention.

I think we tend to have a very down-to-earth sense of humour, says Rose Matafeo of the appeal of New Zealand-raised comedy. Credit:ABC

Attention is certainly something Matafeo is adept at garnering. Rising to the top of the comedy scene in her native country by her early twenties, she made the move to London in 2015 and promptly set about dominating the rest of the world. In the past few years shes been impossible to miss, whether lighting up the stand-up stage  her Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning special Horndog dropped on HBO last year to widespread acclaim  bringing her boundless enthusiasm to an array of panel shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Taskmaster; or showcasing her acting chops in sitcoms such as Squinters and films like Baby Done. And now, her very own show: Starstruck.

Created by Matafeo, Starstruck came about only after a procession of other pitches for shows met with polite rejections. It was my last try, after a long line of No, not that one. Do you have anything else? It was on a plane that inspiration struck: while flying back to New Zealand, the auteur hatched the plot of an ordinary woman tumbling inadvertently into a relationship with a celebrity. One last-ditch pitch was made, and finally the gods smiled: Starstruck was born.
Here is one of his quiz questions: A man is wearing black. Black shoes, socks, trousers, jumper, gloves and balaclava. He is walking down a black street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its light off but somehow manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man? Answer at the end. No peeking! Not my Australia It was the obvious rejoinder when the news emerged that the Australian Club had voted overwhelmingly voted to remain as a body that required male genitalia in order to even knock on the door of membership. Defenders of the throne pointed out that there were plenty of other women-only clubs, gyms, pools and so forth, so what was the big deal? Friends, there is a difference. The Australian Club, make no mistake, is the cockpit of the state and, in many cases, the nation. The networking site to beat them all, the place where deals are done, lobbying conducted, appointments to key positions organised. And if you are running a joint where the women are restricted to serving the drinks, changing the sheets and smiling brightly at reception  or coming only as a guest of someone with the required genitalia  it needs to be called out for what it is: tragically outdated and inimical to the interests of the nation. As my Missus noted, It calls itself the Australia Club, but in 2021, it doesnt look anything like it.

Is it over, then? No. As Michael Koziol reports, Malcolm Turnbull, former Liberal MP Bruce Baird, as well as the businessman David Gonski, are embarking upon an internal campaign to admit women into the club. Only 37 per cent voted in favour of letting women become members at the Australian Club. Credit:Kate Geraghty Breakdowns no more Circa 40 years ago, at Sydney unis Wesley College, while others would simply grab their keys to start their cars, I would call the NRMA on 632 0500 and ask them to please send Bluey or Jacko over with some jumper leads and WD-40 so I could get my old mini-moke going. This week, after being with NRMA all that time, and being saved by their roadside assistance on countless occasions, I discontinued. Why? Electric cars simply never break down, bar flat tyres.

ANSWER It was daytime. Email Joke of the Week A tradesman-painter named Jack was always keen to make the extra buck where he could. So he would often thin down his paint to make it go a wee bit further. As it happened, he got away with this for some time. Eventually, the local church decided to do a big restoration project. Jack put in a painting bid and, because his price was so competitive, he got the job. So he started; erecting the trestles and putting up the planks, and buying the paint and as usual thinning it down with turpentine. He was up on the scaffolding, painting away, the job nearly done, when suddenly there was a mighty clap of thunder. The sky opened and the rain poured down, washing the thinned-down paint from all over the church and knocking Jack off the scaffold to land on the lawn. Jack was no fool. He knew this was a judgment from the Almighty, so he fell on his knees and cried, Oh, God! Forgive me! What should I do?

And from the thunder, a mighty Voice spoke, Repaint! Repaint! And thin no more! Tweet of the Week Im no obstetrician but Im pretty sure Tharnicca didnt arrive in Australia by boat. @QuentinHull Quotes of the Week BREAKING: As the Covid outbreak in Sydneys Eastern Suburbs widens, were hearing reports of panic-buying of cocaine, botox and gluten-free bagels. @Chaser

My mind is always thinking of my Biloela community, I miss them lots. I hope one day to get back to Biloela. This is [a] small freedom, but I like my community back in Biloela.  Priya Murugappan, happy to be off Christmas Island but yearning to return home to Biloela, after the government at least allowed them to go to Perth. That is our No. 1 priority, providing support and care to that family. Scott Morrison, straight faced, when asked at the G7 conference about the Murugappan family. I think you have to put in place policies that are far sighted, ones that make our biggest asset class as safe as houses. The common wealth of this nation is tied to home ownership. But we now have home ownership at its lowest level in 60 years.  Melbourne MP Tim Wilson saying that the tax system has to be overhauled to bring some balance back to house prices. Look, I get very emotional because Im 74 now and I grew up in Chinatown. My father worked at the produce markets and Ive been coming into this part of the world since I was a baby. To know that it is going to open its doors to this part of town that I have always loved, its like a dream come true.  Fashion designer Jenny Kee celebrating plans for a $500 million overhaul of Ultimos Powerhouse Museum. This weeks NSW budget will commit $4.8 million to a design competition, part of an overall $480-500 million the Powerhouse Museum says it has secured for a new entrance, public square and exhibition spaces. I think its important for the Prime Minister and any other national leader to disavow individuals either within their orbit or outside of their orbit who harbour these types of extremist views ... We all have friends and family members that have unorthodox views, but when youre put in a position of trust you have to maintain the publics trust. - The former chief of staff at the US Department of Homeland Security, Miles Taylor, speaking about Prime Minister Scott Morrisons friend, Tim Stewart, a QAnon follower.
The rise in vulnerable non-citizen labour has been supported by business, by both major political parties, and allowed to fester by the Greens, who obsess about the evils of mandatory detention but are so out of touch with working people that they cant see the blindingly obvious. Even the once-mighty union movement averts its gaze, despite the fact the fact that exploitation of non-citizen labour demonstrably suppresses wage growth. In the end we are all to blame: who do we think is picking our cheap fruit and vegetables, delivering our midnight burrito, cleaning our hospitals and staffing the late-night massage establishments that are now a feature of so many suburban shopping strips? We just dont want to know. Australians are, apparently, willing to stand up for our values when being bullied by China, but when it comes to equity and fairness and a fair go for all at work: forget it. Australians would rather cheap food and Uber Eats than workplace justice.

Peter Hogg, North Melbourne Are we losing our moral compass?

Abul Rizvi cautions us that the institution of a federal government agriculture visa and removal of permitted hours of work by international students will hasten a downward drift towards Australia becoming a society that accepts some lesser humans  usually people of colour  are needed to do the jobs we will not. In recent years our attention has been drawn to inhumane exploitation of labour brought in from Pacific Island and Asian countries. We have also been made aware of employers paying international students well below the basic wage knowing full well they had little capacity to challenge this injustice.

If we do not heed this warning by Rizvi, who has worked in immigration for almost two decades, we forgo the right to criticise other nations for disregarding human rights. As Australians are we losing our moral compass?

Henry Gaughan, Richmond THE FORUM Not helping themselves

It was good to read Peter Hartchers comment on inequality, comparing Australia with Thomas Pikettys 2013 analysis of it (Losing the Australian dream, Comment, 19/6). Piketty had many charts delineating inequality in assets, income from assets, and from work. From the 1940s to 1970s, Europe and the United States had the least unequal economies in all human history, a product of the 1930s Depression and the tax controls during two world wars. Since the 1980s, inequality levels have soared in all capitalist countries back to the obscene levels of the 1890s. For 40 years, now inequality has become far worse  the disparity between rising asset values and stagnant wages is one part of it.

Many Australian tax policies favour this inequality and accentuate it, with fierce resistance to any reduction in negative gearing, reintroduction of inheritance taxes, or serious efforts to tax trusts or assault tax havens where the ultra-wealthy hide so much of their assets. Hartcher is correct: its worse in US than here, but not by much. Here, as elsewhere, the social classes disadvantaged by all this keep electing into government people who will sustain their disadvantage.

Robert Bender, Ivanhoe East We dont have to choose

Your article Voters back net zero target, no carbon tax (The Age, 16/6) left me a little bemused. Achieving a net-zero economy isnt a choice between technology and a carbon tax. I think every expert would agree technology, new and existing, will need to be deployed to end our dependence on fossil fuels. But many would also support carbon pricing, since its main purpose is to incentivise polluting industries to innovate in order reduce, and eventually eliminate, both their emissions and their liability to that tax. It is a goal of any government levying a carbon tax to one day receive no revenue from it. Technology will get us to net-zero but a carbon tax would help to get us there quicker.

Mick Cahill, Fitzroy North

Balanced comment

Thank you for the balanced editorial comment (Tackling jab hesitancy vital after new setback, The Age, 19/6), the no blame approach was refreshing and is needed for leadership by example.

Science is not the truth. Science is about finding the truth. When science changes its opinion, it hasnt lied to us. It just has learnt more. I respect the changes and updates to the vaccination program  it is the evidence that the Health Department, medical advisers and government are on the job.

Corinne Haber, Caulfield North I wonder what comes next

The policy of eliminating COVID-19 has served Australia well during the time before vaccination was an option and the lives saved more than justified the inconvenience of lockdown. Most Australians have thankfully not experienced the pain of loss of family and friends to COVID-19. As a Melburnian who has lived outside Australia for many years, I wonder what comes next for Australia. To the eyes of those far away, Australians have been remarkably compliant with lockdown measures given the vanishingly small risk of actually catching the virus. Why then are so many reluctant to be vaccinated, when this is the only strategy that can defeat the virus? Do people not realise that COVID-19 is here to stay? Vaccination is the weapon that breaks the link between catching the virus and serious illness or death in the overwhelming majority of cases, so why would you refuse the vaccine and endanger yourself and others?

Australia has been lucky  few people have yet died from the virus. Maybe this explains in part why some people dont seem to fear it; perhaps it is the illusion that it can be kept outside. You should fear COVID-19 and defend yourselves by being vaccinated. This and only this will make you safe and enable Australia to reopen.

Kate Wolfsohn, London, England They cant justify this

No matter how the private schools and Education Minister Alan Tudge try to spin it, there is no way that the wealthy private schools, with their multimillion-dollar share portfolios and annual surpluses (Top private schools build investment portfolios, The Age, 19/6), can justify receiving any government funding. This becomes more obvious if you compare the facilities at any government school with those at our elite private schools.

Grant Nichol, Ringwood North The prospects are grim

Yet again are we reminded of the increasing inequity in our schools (Deep pockets, Extra, 20/6). An OECD report on education states that Australia has one of the most unequal education systems in the Western world, and it is a blight on Australian morality that such findings dont shock us all.

The report confirms that Australia continues to fall far behind many of its OECD peers when it comes to investment in public education, but shamefully, it continues to pour public money into private schools. This is not just an ideological argument. Nobel laureate James Heckman calculates that for every dollar invested in disadvantaged schools, $10 is saved in later costs related to health, social welfare and imprisonment. Neither is it just about who pays for what, but rather about the sort of society we want. At the moment our education system has all the moral authority of a pyramid selling scheme, and prospects are grim unless we can return to the former egalitarianism that was once a hallmark of Australian society.

Bryan Long, Balwyn First gas, now wood

A couple of weeks ago, it was suddenly news that gas appliances in homes were not good for our health and would be phased out, now we are reading and hearing that wood-burning stoves are not good for our health and should be phased out. If we take away gas and wood, we are left with electricity, most of which is currently powered by coal, which is also being phased out.

Unless the decision-makers and power brokers stop looking at everything in isolation and get serious about developing the alternatives, it is starting to look like we will be in for some cold, dark, salad-eating winters.

Claire Merry, Wantirna Elitist, not elite

Australias most expensive private schools are neither elite or top (Surge in top private schools asset value, The Age, 18/6). However, they are elitist, as they are able to select who they wish to enrol and, given that their fees range upwards of $35,000 per year, they are generally out of the reach of all but the very wealthy. These schools perform well in year 12 exams as a result of the high socioeconomic status and educational levels of the students parents. Research acknowledges that the most significant factor in a students academic performance is the parents SES. These already over-resourced schools dont need any public money, yet still receive 25 per cent of the funding per student that public schools that take all comers do. This amounts to many billions a year. No wonder they can offer a few scholarships to hand-picked high achievers from the public school system.

David Zyngier, School of Education, Southern Cross University Australia can learn ...

Better late than never, the US has declared Juneteenth as a holiday to commemorate the emancipation of slaves.

We can learn from this, instead of arguing the merits of Australia or Invasion days, with a new day in recognition of the contribution of Indigenous peoples to our society.

Peter Rutherford, Hamlyn Heights ... from Bidens declaration

US Joe President Biden, in his speech declaring June 19 a public holiday marking the end of slavery in his country (A promise of a brighter morning: Biden signs Juneteenth into law, The Age, 19/6) said:  reat nations dont ignore their most painful moments ... they embrace them. It underlines Australias shortcomings in not recognising the suffering of our First Nations people.

Elizabeth Chipman, Seaford We are all tired

GPs and their staff are also abused (15 months into the pandemic) when they ask people with possible COVID-like symptoms to not attend the clinic in person but get a swab (GPs abused as patients demand Pfizer jab, The Sunday Age, 20/6). People still attend clinics with these symptoms having not been swabbed and dont tell reception staff about such symptoms even when directly asked, happily sit in the waiting room with vulnerable others and then let the GP know in their usually small not socially distanced room.

Many GP clinics can accommodate the health needs of patients with COVID-like symptoms but we need to be warned by the people, so we can wear PPE and not have them in the waiting room with others. We are all tired. Abusing healthcare workers trying to accommodate the wellbeing of everyone needs to stop please.

Samantha Bryant, GP, Kensington Labor must stop doing this

The conviction of Witness K for exposing Australias immoral bugging of East Timors cabinet over a commercial matter is nothing short of a national disgrace and history will judge these prosecutions very harshly. Its high time the federal Labor Party stopped rubber-stamping through Parliament draconian security laws that have seen whistleblowers convicted, journalists homes and workplaces raided and trials held in secret.

Bill OConnor, Beechworth This comes under defence

The past 18 months have given us a very clear picture of what happens when a novel pandemic-causing pathogen arises.

It is certain that another pandemic will occur at some time in the future and now is the time to prepare. I propose we earmark about 1 per cent of the annual defence budget, about $450 million annually, to design, build and implement specific bodies, facilities and structures to respond to future pandemics. If defence entails the safety and wellbeing of Australian citizens and our way of life, this is certainly a legitimate way to use these funds.

Malcolm Fraser, Oakleigh South AND ANOTHER THING The Nationals

Since they seem to determine our climate policy, send Michael McCormack and Keith Pitt to Glasgow. Let their hokum demonstrate to the world how far the Coalition has fallen

Greg Curtin, Blackburn South Credit:

Scott Morrisons approach to climate change is not in the national interest, its in the Nationals interest and therefore in his.

David Mandara, Hepburn Springs After Michael McCormacks less than inspiring performance, it seems now only a matter of time until the National Party is reJoycing.

Joan Segrave, Healesville The vaccine rollout

Lets not begin to imagine what the vaccine rollout would be like if it wasnt on track, as Greg Hunt insists it is.

Annie Wilson, Inverloch Ill bet anyone who understands probability, chance and balance of risk  bookmakers, professional gamblers, mathematicians and statisticians  has been first out of the barriers for getting the jab.

Terry Kelly, Fitzroy North Vaccine hesitancy

Perhaps relaxed restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated would be an incentive for overcoming vaccine hesitancy.

Joe Wilder, Caulfield North
Several businesses have been shut down by the government for failing to comply with coronavirus restrictions, including QR code rules, as Victoria recorded no new local cases but Sydneys outbreak continued to grow.

The government said seven Victorian businesses had been shut down for blatant breaches of the Chief Health Officers COVID-19 directions.

In the past week, authorised officers reported 168 instances of businesses not complying with the QR code system.

Acting Police Minister Danny Pearson said QR code data was vital to contact tracers being able to get on top of outbreaks quickly and there was no excuse for failing to keep these details if you are required to.
London: The BBC has upgraded security practices after staff received death threats and a presenter was harangued by conspiracy theorists.

Last week, footage showed Nicholas Watt, Newsnights political editor, making his way hurriedly through an aggressive mob of anti-vaccination protesters who accused the journalist of lying about lockdowns.

BBC Newsnight Political Editor Nicholas Watt was chased by an anti-vax mob. Credit:BBC

Since then, other journalists and staff at the broadcaster have been receiving death threats from people who believe that the pandemic is made up and that vaccinations are a means of government control.

The rise in threatening behaviour has prompted the BBC to offer training on how to deal with an in-person attack and set up a working group for anyone affected by the abuse.
Kabul: The Taliban entered two provincial capitals in northern Afghanistan on Sunday, local officials said, the culmination of an insurgent offensive that has overrun dozens of rural districts and forced the surrender and capture of hundreds of government forces and their military equipment in recent weeks.

In Kunduz city, the capital of the province of the same name, the Taliban seized the citys entrance before dispersing throughout its neighbourhoods.

Kunduz was briefly taken by the Taliban in 2015 and 2016 before they were pushed back by US airstrikes, special operations forces and Afghan security forces.

Afghan security forces stand outside a USAID compound in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, after it was stormed by militants in 2010. Credit:AP

Right now, I hear the sound of bullets, said Amruddin Wali, a member of Kunduzs provincial council. The Taliban have appeared in the alleys and back alleys of Kunduz, and there is panic all over the city.
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Police officers at the scene of a shooting in Oakland, Calif., on June 19, 2021. (AIO Filmz/Screenshot via NTD)

1 Dead, 5 Injured in Shooting Near Oakland Juneteenth Celebration

At least one person died and several were wounded during a shooting near a Juneteenth Festival in Oakland, California, on Saturday, police said.

Oakland Police Department officers were already in the vicinity of the shootingreported after 6 p.m. local timeas they were providing resources in the area after a crowd of about 1,000 people gathered in the Lake Merritt neighborhood, said the department in a news release.

In all, six people were hit by gunfire during the shooting. A 22-year-old male was pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital, according to the release.

Four male victims between the age of 16 and 27 were injured, and a 21-year-old woman was hurt in the incident, said police.

Two suspects were arrested after officers witnessed them running away from the scene of the shooting, the news release said. Two guns were recovered, officials added.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and other officials said that people were in the vicinity celebrating, while local media reported that the shooting occurred near the scheduled Juneteenth celebration. Its not immediately clear if there was a connection between the shooting and the recently declared federal holiday.

Tonight a joyous occasion at our Lake Merritt was marred by a senseless act of gun violence, she said in a statement. Police in the area tended to victims, and apprehended two people with firearms near the scene. The investigation is ongoing and will determine if they are connected to the shooting. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims, and I want to thank our officers for a quick response.

Andrew Simpson, a witness, told the Mercury News that he saw a guy with a gun pointing at a car. Everyone started sprinting and screaming, adding: They were yelling were getting shot at! I didnt really understand what was going on. Hundreds of people were running. People were jumping in their cars and driving off.

According to local media reports, the shooting death was the 59th homicide recorded in Oakland in 2021. Around the same time last year, there were only 32 reported homicides being investigated.
A vandalised police van on fire outside Bridewell Police Station, in Bristol, England, on March 21, 2021. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

10 More People Charged Over Bristol Riot

Police have charged 10 more people on Friday in relation to a riot in Bristol in March that left 40 officers injured and police vehicles torched.

It brings the total number of people charged over the incident to 21, and 65 people in total have been arrested.

According to Avon and Somerset Police, all 10 people, who are due to appear before Bristol Magistrates Court on July 2, were charged with riot.

Among them are 30-year-old Matthew ONeill and an unnamed 25-year-old man, who were also charged with arson; and Indigo Bond, 19, who was also charged with outraging public decency.

The other seven are Shaun Davies, 44, Charly Pitman, 23, Francesca Horn, 24, Joseph Paxton, 29, Carmen Fitchett, 22, Richard Fox, 30, and a 26-year-old man from Bristol city centre.

Protesters smash windows of a police station during a protest against a new proposed policing bill, in Bristol, United Kingdom, on March 21, 2021. (Peter Cziborra/Reuters)

Avon and Somerset Police said that nine of the previously charged people are due to make their first appearances at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.

On March 21, a Kill the Bill protest in Bristol against the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill turned into a violent riot.

The outside of the police station was vandalised. Videos show rioters breaking the windows of the station, and trying to knock over a vandalised police van. Some police vehicles and bins were set on fire later in the evening.

Police recorded assaults against 40 officers, as well as one member of the media.

In this still image from a video, a man is seen trying to set a police van on fire in Bristol, England, on March 21, 2021. (Reuters/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Police said the protest was hijacked by a hardcore minority, while Home Secretary Priti Patel said the thuggery and disorder would never be tolerated. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the scene of officers having bricks, bottles, and fireworks being thrown at them by a mob intent on violence and property damage was disgraceful.

After the riot, Chief Constable Andy Marsh said that a huge police investigation was to be launched, and that the costs to repair the damage and carry out the investigation were expected to run into the millions.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill, which covers a wide range of policy areas, would give police new powers to impose conditions on protests that are noisy enough to cause intimidation or harassment or serious unease, alarm, or distress to bystanders, and increase the sentence for damaging memorials to up to 10 years.

The bill was introduced after several disruptive Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protests caused road closures, disruption of newspaper printing, and vandalism of statues last year.
Steven Schaerer on the way to detention in China after being illegaly arrested. (Courtesy of Steven Schaerer)

American Survives CCP Detention and Torture

SANTA CLARA, Calif.Steven Schaerer, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, is a survivor with a harrowing story to tell.

After graduating from college, he worked in Beijing for five years and founded an educational consulting firm in his 20s. In October 2016, while still in China, he was wrongly accused of illegal employment and was arrested and thrown into prison, even though he and his employees were all legally employed with visas. He said the Chinese regime often views foreigners as a threat, especially if they are successful.

Most of Chinese kind of security laws, theyre incredibly vague, dont really mean much, you dont know what they are, Schaerer told NTD television.

And so, when I was in interrogations for hours with Chinese police officers, one of the first questions, one of the questions they routinely ask was, Do you know how much money we make? And they were looking at my tax documents, and they said, Do you know how much you make? You make more than we make, kind of implying that was in and of itself illegal. I should not as a foreigner be making more money domestically in China than the police officers.

Schaerer was imprisoned in what he describes to be a full military-style detention center, with 30-foot-high metal walls and armed guards around the perimeter. Prisoners had their blood drawn, were stripped naked and marched through metal detectors, and had all belongings taken away. The cell conditions were something people living overseas cannot fathom.

You are sharing this one single, moldy, disgusting squatter toilet among 17 inmates, locked in this 24/7. You are eating out of a communal trough  they basically pour some kind of yellow sludge into a bucket, through a funnel in the door. Seventeen inmates just try to rush and try to eat this out of a bucket. Schaerer said. The conditions are horrific; theyre designed to kill you. There are suicide warning signs plastered on the walls.

They slept with blood-stained blankets on frozen wooden planks with bright fluorescent lights beaming down the whole time. They stayed up taking turns to keep watch, making sure the inmates didnt kill each other. They were also constantly told they cannot contact anyone in the outside world. He was imprisoned for a little under a month.

When Schaerer was finally deported and safely back in San Francisco, he was malnourished, sleep-deprived, and sick. He had to go through therapy to readjust to living normally again.

Schaerer wrote a book detailing his entire experience, titled Surviving Chinese Communist Detention. It was released in May this year.

In it, he shares stories about other groups of people who were detained, tortured, and executed for their beliefs: Falun Gong practitioners, Muslims, Uyghurs, Chinese Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, human rights lawyers, and political dissidents.

His experience provided him with a newfound appreciation for the U.S. Constitution and the rights that protect people in the United States.

That is kind of one of the things that keeps you motivated every day to share your story, to share my story, to share this story, with the rest of the world and to kind of warn people and say, Hey look, we dont want encroaching CCP influence here in the West, Schaerer said.

I go through great lengths to describe the difference between the Chinese people and the Chinese Party in my book and to say, Hey, this isnt a slight of the Chinese people. This is not a slight against Chinese Americans who are arguably my strongest supporters and in most instances were like, Please keep speaking, please keep talking, please keep sharing your story.

He was given a three-year travel ban from re-entry into China. He has no plans of going back anytime soon, as long as the country is still communist.

Schaerer now works in tech and is sharing his story on multiple platforms.
Antifa Harasses Attendees at Conservative Summit in Denver

Members of the extremist group Antifa targeted an annual conservative summit in Denver on June 19, with videos posted on social media showing Antifa protesters shoving and scuffling with what appeared to be summit attendees.

Two videos posted by Washington Examiner reporter Emily Brooks show a shouting match between a bearded man and the Antifa crowd. A member of the crowd is seen knocking a phone from the mans hand. The man then attempts to chase the assailant, only to be pushed, shoved, and brought to the ground by people from the Antifa crowd.

Brooks also shared a photo of a Denver Communists flyer distributed by the Antifa crowd, which reads Nazi scum off our streets.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who attended the summit, told Brooks that the Antifa protesters should get a job.

Maybe this is their job. Maybe theyre paid to do it, Boebert said on June 19. You see this from extreme leftist progressives because either this is their job, either they are paid to do it, or they have nothing better to do, theyre sitting at home collecting a check, and this is their life.

I mean, I dont have time for that. You dont see conservatives doing things like this because we have families to take care of. We have jobs to work at. We have communities to grow. And thats our focusnot to destroy, but to build.

The Antifa group harassed people entering and leaving the hotel venue and blocked traffic. A video recorded by The Blaze reporter Elijah Schaffer showed a woman confronting the crowd for throwing a bottle at her car because she honked when the crowd blocked traffic. In another video by Schaffer, Antifa protesters are seen shouting profanities at police officers guarding the entrance to the hotel.

Andy Ngo, a prominent chronicler of Antifa violence, also attended the conference. Schaffer captured a video of the Antifa crowds reaction to spotting Ngo, wearing a leg brace due to injuries he suffered in an Antifa attack. He later posted a video showing the Antifa crowd blocking a street outside the venue.

Antifa view events like this and even just this speech as extremely threatening to them, which is why theyve organized the so-called protests outside, Ngo said at the summit.
Contractors working for Cyber Ninjas, who was hired by the Arizona Senate, work during a 2020 election audit at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 1, 2021. (Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images)

Arizona-Style Election Audit Needed in Nevada: GOP Chairman

After visiting the election audit of Arizonas Maricopa County, the head of Nevadas Republican Party said a similar review is needed in Nevadaalthough that possibility appears slim, as Democrats control both houses of the state Legislature.

Hats off to the leadership here in Arizona  I think that sets the model, that sets the tone for Nevada, Republican Chairman Michael McDonald said in an interview posted to Twitter, referring to the audit efforts in Maricopa. We want to duplicate that in Nevada.

Starting in April, a private company has led efforts to audit all 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County, following an order by Arizonas Republican-controlled Senate. Democrats, including Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, have frequently decried the process, describing it as partisan and unprofessionalwhich Republicans have denied.

McDonald, who said he has a law enforcement background, told the interviewer that he believes the audits security and procedures are sufficient.

We want to be able to say the same thing in Nevada: That we looked at all the problems we had, all the anomalies that took place, to make sure that it was a clean and fair election, McDonald said. Because it wasnt.

Namely, Clark Countywhich includes Las Vegas, most of Nevadas population, and most of the states Democrat voter baseshould be audited, he said.

Democratic Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Cannizzaro told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the state Republican Party and McDonald are delusional for wanting an audit of the states election results.

The Nevada Senate isnt going to waste any time or taxpayer money entertaining their unhinged conspiracy theories, she said.

Responding to McDonalds interview, Democrat Attorney General Aaron Ford said his office defeated Republicans and former President Donald Trumps lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud. The attorney generals office will push back against any audit efforts, he said.

President Joe Biden was certified as the winner of Nevadas six electoral votes, narrowly defeating former Trump during the Nov. 3, 2020, election.

Late last week, officials said the audit of Maricopa County is projected to end on June 26, or about two months after the process started. The Arizona state Senate has control of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix until June 30.

Audit teams have previously said that after the process is completed, more work will be carried out in July. A final report is expected to be released in August.
Mexico Border City Shaken After Violence Leaves 18 Dead

CIUDAD VICTORIA, MexicoGunmen in vehicles opened fire in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, killing 14 people, including taxi drivers, workers, and a nursing student. Security forces responded with operations that left four suspects dead.

While this city across the border from McAllen, Texas, is used to cartel violence as a key trafficking point, the 14 victims in Saturdays attacks appeared to be what Tamaulipas Gov. Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca called innocent citizens rather than members of one gang killed by a rival.

The attacks took place in several neighborhoods in eastern Reynosa, according to the Tamaulipas state agency that coordinates security forces, and sparked a deployment of the military, National Guard and state police across the city. Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets.

Authorities say they are investigating the attacks and havent provided a motive.

But the areas criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf Cartel and there have been fractures within that group. Experts say there has been an internal struggle within the group since 2017 to control key territories for drug and human trafficking. Apparently, one cell from a nearby town may have entered Reynosa to carry out the attacks.

Olga Ruiz, whose 19-year-old brother Fernando Ruiz was killed by the gunmen, said her sibling was working as a plumber and bricklayer in a company owned by his stepfather to pay for his studies.

They killed him in cold blood, he and two of his companions, said Olga Ruiz, adding that the gunmen arrived where her brother was fixing a drain.

They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: son, you have to take shelter. So he asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived, Ruiz said. They stopped in front of them and started to shoot.

Reynosa Mayor Maki Esther Ortiz Dominguez demanded an investigation and said city residents must be protected.
Bottles of Australian wine are seen at a store selling imported wine in Beijing, China, on Nov. 27, 2020. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

Australia: Taking China to WTO Over Wine Tariffs Enables Negotiations

MELBOURNEAustralias complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Chinas anti-dumping duties on wine exports should enable bilateral negotiations, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Sunday.

The government filed a complaint on Saturday over duties that were applied last year and nearly wiped out exports of Australian wine to the Chinese market.

What lodging the dispute enables us to do is begin dispute consultation settlements, which actually is a bilateral discussion with China about the issues, Payne said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corps (ABC) Insiders program.

Weve seen duties of over 200 percent applied to Australian wine. We dont believe that that is consistent with Chinas obligations under the WTO. So that part of the process enables us to have that direct conversation.

The Australian government has complained frequently that China has ignored calls to ease trade tensions.

It is the second time in six months Australia has appealed to the WTO. In December 2020, Canberra launched a formal appeal seeking a review of Chinas decision to impose hefty tariffs on imports of Australian barley.

Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband networking in 2018, have worsened since Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, first reported in central China last year.

China, Australias largest trading partner, responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities, including wine and barley and imports of Australian beef, coal, and grapes, which the United States has termed economic coercion.

Asked about the fresh international push to find answers to the origin of the virus that causes COVID-19, Payne said it was important to maintain the momentum.

We are very determined to work with our partners to ensure that  the investigation is able to access the material that it needs, including within China, Payne said.

By Lidia Kelly

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
(L) President Joe Biden at the White House on June 18, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo); (R) Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani attends a panel discussion at Asia Society in Manhattan, New York, on Sept. 20, 2017. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Biden to Meet With Afghan President Ghani

WASHINGTONPresident Joe Biden will meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the chairman of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, at the White House on June 25 to discuss U.S. troop withdrawal amid a surge in fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban across the country.

In their first face-to-face meeting, Biden will seek to reassure Ghani and Abdullah of U.S. support for the Afghan people, including diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian assistance, the White House said in a statement. Biden also will repeat his pledge to ensure that the country never becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups.

The visit by President Ghani and Dr. Abdullah will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan as the military drawdown continues, the White House said.

Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (C), walks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Sapidar Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 15, 2021. (Sapidar Palace via AP)

Since Bidens decision in April to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before Sept. 11 to end Americas longest war after nearly 20 years of conflict, at least 30 districts have been seized by the Taliban terrorist group.

The group has staged a campaign to expand its influence across the country as the United States began withdrawing troops on May 1 and closed some bases and handed them over to the Afghan government.

The Taliban wasnt immediately available for comment and there was no immediate reaction from Ghanis office.

But a senior Afghan official said that the Afghan president would be seeking assurances from the United States regarding its continued support for Afghan security forces in the aftermath of the withdrawal.

The visit is coming in the face of slow progress in talks between the Taliban and Afghan government representatives in Qatar. Officials have raised concerns over the stalling negotiations and have said the Taliban has yet to submit a written peace proposal that could be used as a starting point for substantive talks.

By Humeyra Pamuk
President Joe Biden delivers remarks as Vice President Kamala Harris stands by in the East Room at the White House on May 10, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Biden Urged to Replace Harris on Border Assignment in Letter Signed by 56 Republicans

More than 50 House GOP lawmakers called on President Joe Biden to relieve Vice President Kamala Harris of her duties in handling the U.S.Mexico border crisis.

The Republicans, as they have done for months, noted that Harris hasnt yet visited the border amid a surge in illegal immigration. Some Democratic lawmakers who represent areas along the border have also called on the vice president to take more action, including a visit to the area.

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) and 55 other Republicans in the House demanded Harriss removal from her border assignment, citing recent Customs and Border Protection data that shows that 180,000 people were apprehended last month after crossing the border illegally.

Despite being in the midst of a border crisis this country has not seen in two decades, Vice President Harris has not yet shown adequate interest in observing this crisis first-hand, the lawmakers wrote in their letter. In the 85 days since the Vice President has been tasked with solving this crisis, she has yet to visit the border and meet with Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, and local law enforcement officials.

Harris has defended not going to the border and said she will visit the border sometime in the future.

When she visited Mexico and Guatemala this month, Harris said that the root causes of the illegal immigration problem should be addressed. However, her explanation to reporters in Mexico about why she hasnt visited the border yet overshadowed her trip, saying that the White House is aiming to boost economic development in the region.

She told reporters: It would be very easy to say, Well travel to one place, and therefore its solved. I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution. When pressed about visiting the border again, Harris said she did so when she was a senator from California.

Harris has also said that their mission primarily is diplomatic work focused on the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, as well as Mexico.

During a testy exchange last week between Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Mayorkas said that questions about Harris not having visited the border are quite unfair and disrespectful. Norman was one of the signatories of the letter asking Biden to relieve Harris of her duties.

Mayorkas said, Let me be very clear, the president and the vice president have requested and directed me to visit the border, which I have done on multiple occasions.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) has become possibly the most vocal Democrat in the House about the border crisis. Last week, he wrote a letter to the vice president requesting she meet with him and visit the border, but he later told Fox News that he hasnt heard back from her office.

I encourage you to join me and other Members of Congress, while we visit with the people on the ground who deal with these issues every day, Cuellar wrote. I believe it is critical that you meet with local stakeholders and residents, consider their concerns, and use their lived experiences to implement more effective policies.

The White House has been contacted for comment.
Border Towns Cry for Help; Antitrust Bills Target Big Tech; Ransomware Racket

People in the city of Uvalde, Texas, say theyre at their wits end. A constant stream of illegal immigrantsmostly young, male, and on the run from Border Patrolare wreaking havoc in their community.

(1:06) Mayor Don Mclaughlin says migrants are nothing new when you live near the border, but this is different. Longtime rancher John Sewell says the crime has affected every aspect of life and hes worried theres no end in sight.

(26:52) In America Q&A, we ask if people think Texasbearing the brunt of the border crisisshould go ahead and build its own border wall.

(30:24) Then, at a time when bipartisan cooperation sounds like an oxymoron, a group of House lawmakers dropped five antitrust bills, all taking aim at Big Tech. We speak with a co-sponsor of all five bills, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.).

(39:31) In our second America Q&A, we ask people across the country if they think Big Tech companies should be split apart.

(42:43) Finally, we look at the modern-day shake-downransomware attacks. Colonial Pipeline and JBS foods are two high-profile cases that recently made the news. But this cybercrime has a lot more to it than you might think, as we learn from Eric Cole, an ex-CIA hacker, and author of Cyber Crisis: Protecting Your Business from Real Threats in the Virtual World.
Californians Getting Unemployment Have to Start Looking for Work Next Month to Remain Eligible

Residents of California who receive unemployment benefits will have to, starting next month, show they are actively looking for workwhich was waived by the state last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting in mid-July, the states Employment Development Department will reinstate the federal requirement requiring people who are out of work to be actively searching for a job. The work-search rule was waived in March of 2020.

Starting July 11, 2021, Californians receiving unemployment benefits should begin looking for work to maintain their eligibility. EDD will send claimants notifications informing them of the reinstatement of this requirement and what it means for them, the agency wrote on Twitter.

Recipients of unemployment benefits will have to create an account on Californias CalJOBS website and post their profile on several work search websites, Employment Development Department director Rita Saenz told the Los Angeles Times. They can also let prior employers and community members know theyre looking for work, and they can apply for suitable jobs to satisfy state requirements to still receive benefits, she said.

Agency officials told the LA Times that individuals who certify they cant work, including because they provide the primary child care for their family, are exempt from the work-search rule.

California offers many resources to help people to find safe and suitable careers and training opportunities that keep the economy moving, Saenz said last week of the development. We want to make sure those on unemployment have enough lead time to start searching for work so they can remain eligible for benefits as they seek their next career opportunity, she added.

Republicans and business groups have said that the expanded unemployment benefits authorized in Congress starting last yearas well as some states waiving requirements on job searchessparked a worker shortage across the United States. About 20 GOP-led states have announced an early end to the federal unemployment benefits, which paid people $300 per week, due to the shortage.

President Joe Biden earlier this month suggested that the administration has no appetite to push for the enhanced unemployment program to continue past September, when its slated to expire.

The temporary boost in unemployment benefits  helped people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own and are still maybe in the process of getting vaccinated, but its going to expire in 90 days, Biden said on June 4, although he pushed back against the claim that its discouraged people from getting jobs.
People walk past a Ferrari and helicopters during the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition at the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on April 14, 2014. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

China Tops List of Countries for Most Millionaires Moving Abroad

A recent research report published by AfrAsia Bank listed the top 10 countries in the world that had the largest outflow of high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) in 2019. China topped the list with the most millionaires leaving for other countries in that year, followed by India.

The study only covered HNWIs with a net worth of $1 million to $9.9 million who have settled in a new country for at least six months. The report also listed the top destinations for millionaires.

China saw 16,000 millionaires leave in 2019, much more than India in second place, which saw 7,000 of its financially wealthy leave the country. Russia ranked third with 5,000 leaving, followed by Hong Kong in fourth place, with 4,200 leaving the politically troubled city. Turkey, the UK, France, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia rounded out the top 10.

According to the report, the top reasons for the millionaires to leave for other countries varied from tax, financial concerns, and work opportunities, to the environment, better education, better health care, and escaping oppressive regimes.

As for the receiving countries, Australia topped the list, attracting 12,000 HNWI in 2019. The United States was second, with 10,800 HNWI, while Switzerland ranked third with 4,000. Portugal and Greece were also among the top 10 countries attracting HNWI, as they have investor immigration programs for EU residency and citizenship.

The report also stated that 30 percent of the HNWI emigrated with investor visas, while others used traditional means such as work visas, family visas, and obtaining second passports through ancestry.

International media have reported that many rich Chinese citizens are fleeing Chinas polluted cities and strict government, while also looking to protect their wealth. A number of Chinas billionaires also left the country in 2020. SCMP reported that in 2014, a Barclays Wealth Report found that around half of Chinas rich intended to move to another country within five years.

Chinese billionaire and art collector Liu Yiqian (R) speaks at an opening ceremony in Shanghai for the exhibition of a $36 million Ming Dynasty teacup he bought and paid for with his American Express card on Dec. 18, 2014. (Chinatopix via AP)

Among Chinas rich are Chinese officials, who have been known to be sending their family members and moving their wealth to Western countries for years. As there are so many of them, the media has even given the phenomena the name naked officials. The brokers, both Chinese and Western, who help the officials move the money they accumulated in China through their official positions to offshore banks and invest in international businesses and properties are known as white gloves. Many Chinese businessmen have gotten rich through close connections with the regimes officials and the communist partybenefiting from favorable policies and treatment.

In 2015, Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched Operation Fox Hunt, sending secret Chinese agents to foreign countriesincluding those that dont have extradition treaties with Chinato locate and transfer corrupt officials back to China. Its been revealed in media reports in recent years that Operation Fox Hunt has also been used by the regime to target overseas Chinese dissidents and their family members.

Any law enforcement activity by Chinese law enforcement in the United States of America must be done with the knowledge and concurrence of the United States government and its law enforcement entities, U.S. officials said of the Chinese operation.

In 2020, the FBI indicted eight Chinese operatives engaged in Operation Fox Hunt for blackmailing Chinese dissidents.
In this Monday, July 15, 2013 photo, bottle tops of Coca-Cola 8 oz. bottles are shown in Doral, Fla. The Coca-Cola Co. reports quarterly financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Coca-Cola Diversity Policy Risks Violating Anti-Discrimination Laws, Shareholders Warn

A group of Coca-Cola shareholders are warning that the companys recent diversity policy would actually require contracted law firms to violate anti-discrimination laws.

In a letter dated June 11, the American Civil Rights Project (ACRP) noted that on Jan. 28, the general counsel of Coca-Cola demanded law firms seeking to keep the company as a client must commit that at least 30 percent of billed time would be from diverse attorneys, and at least half of that time would be from black attorneys.

The ACRP, speaking on behalf of a set of concerned Coca-Cola Company shareholders, demanded that the soft drink company either publicly retract the discriminatory outside-counsel policies or otherwise provide access to the corporate records related to the decision of Coca-Colas officers and directors to adopt and retain those illegal policies.

Coca-Colas race-specific contracting policy, according to the ACRP, has exposed the corporation and its shareholders to material risk of liability for potentially violating anti-discrimination laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

The letter further alleged that all of Coca-Colas decision makers knew, or should have known, that the policy was potentially illegal. It said those who were not so aware of the legal risks either have failed their responsibility or relied on the inexcusably flawed advice of counsel.

The diversity plan was shelved following the resignation of Bradley Gayton as Coca-Colas general counsel, after less than a year on the leadership position. Gayton wrote in January that it is a crisis that the legal profession is not treating the issue of diversity and inclusion as a business imperative.

The Stockholders therefore demand that you immediately publicly retract the policies in their entirety, the letter concluded, adding that they will be forced to seek judicial relief to protect their interests in the company if they do not receive a response to their demands within 30 business days.

Coca-Cola, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, came under fire in February, when its employees were allegedly instructed to be less white as part of a Confronting Racism training course featuring interviews with sociologist Robin DiAngelo, the author of a 2018 book called White Fragility.

In the U.S. and other Western nations, white people are socialized to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white, reads one of the slides, allegedly sent from an internal whistleblower and posted on Twitter by YouTube commentator Karlyn Borysenko. The post went viral.
Colorado Governor Signs Bill Allowing Cities to Set Their Own Gun-Control Laws

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on June 19 signed several gun-control bills into law, including one that allows cities and municipalities in the state to set their own gun regulations.

Previous state law prohibited local governments from enacting an ordinance, regulation, or another law that prohibited the sale, purchase, or ownership of a gun. The new law now gives municipalities more jurisdiction in setting their own laws on firearms, but those regulations cant be more lenient than Colorado state law.

Declaring that the regulation of firearms is a matter of state and local concern, the bill says that local law may only impose a criminal penalty for a violation upon a person who knew or reasonably should have known that the persons conduct was prohibited.

A second measure signed by Polis requires the states Office of Gun Violence Prevention to carry out public awareness campaigns to educate the general public about firearms.

The governor also signed a third statute over the weekend that prohibits gun dealers from transferring firearms to another individual who hasnt undergone a successful background check or was convicted of several specified misdemeanor offenses.

Recent tragedies around Colorado and the country demand quick and decisive action, Polis, a Democrat, said in a statement June 19. Together, these measures will make our communities safer, keep firearms out of the hands of those who would do harm to themselves or others, and get those in crisis help as soon as possible.

The flurry of legislative action on guns came after a gunman on March 22, identified later as Syrian-born Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, allegedly opened fire on a supermarket in Boulder, killing 10 people, including a police officer. Weeks later, another mass shooting left six dead in Colorado Springs, and officials identified the suspect as 28-year-old Teodoro Macias, the disgruntled ex-boyfriend of one of the six.

When Democrats in Colorados Legislature proposed the bills in March, the National Rifle Association (NRA) said the measures were pushed despite thousands of calls and emails from NRA members and Second Amendment supporters who oppose them.

The law that allows cities to create their own gun laws was panned by the NRA, which said it would generate a confusing patchwork of laws that are difficult to know and obey as well as the an expansion of arbitrary boundaries where law-abiding citizens are left defenseless.

But Colorado Senate Majority Leader Stephen Fenberg, a Democrat, suggested during the signing event that more gun-control bills may be introduced.

Although the topic of these three bills are about pain, and loss, and trauma, Im here today grounded in hope. Im hopeful because step by step, bill by bill, we here in Colorado are creating safer communities, he said.

Officials at the pro-Second Amendment group Gun Owners of America didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Delta COVID-19 Variant Likely to Become Dominant in US: CDC Director

The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the Delta variant of COVID-19 could become the most common strain of the virus in the United States.

Its more transmissible than the Alpha variant, or the UK variant, that we have here, Dr. Rochelle Walensky told ABC News last week. We saw that quickly become the dominant strain in a period of one or two months, and I anticipate that is going to be what happens with the Delta strain here.

Health officials, including Walensky, have said that current COVID-19 vaccines remain effective against the strain.

The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first identified late last year. Officials said that it spread rapidly throughout India earlier this year before spreading to dozens of other countries.

President Joe Biden, meanwhile said he doesnt believe the Delta variant will prompt lockdowns like the ones that were authorized by state and local governments last year.

I dont think so because so many people have already been vaccinated, Biden said Friday at the White House. But the Delta variant can cause more people to die in areas where people have not been vaccinated, he added. So, no, its not a lockdown, but some areas will be very hurt.

Nurse practitioner Nicole Warner prepares doses of COVID-19 vaccines during the Joints4Jabs COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Uncle Ikes White Center cannabis shop in Seattle, Wash., on June 16, 2021. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

Officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) last week said the strain has spread to about 80 countries, including the United States, while noting that it makes up 10 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the country. Thats up from 6 percent last week, according to WHO officials.

What I think this means is that there is an additional mutation that has been identified, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the U.N. agencys COVID-19 technical head, reported CNBC. In some of the delta variants weve seen one less mutation or one deletion instead of an additional, so were looking at all of it.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the Food and Drug Administration, said on CBSs Face the Nation that the Delta strain likely wont trigger a sharp uptick of cases in the United States. He noted, however, that infections are doubling about every two weeks and agreed with the claim that itll become the dominant strain in the country.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this month pushed back the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country by a month.

Now is the time to ease off the accelerator, because by being cautious now we have the chance in the next four weeks to save many thousands of lives by vaccinating millions more people, he said about the delay. The announcement drew condemnation from unions and business leaders who called on Johnsons government to compensate them over the lockdown measures.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.
Democrats Drag Feet on China Tech Restrictions

Commentary

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on June 17 proposed additional restrictions on Chinas and Russias telecommunications equipment. The FCC voted to explore a ban on all future U.S. company purchases of telecom equipment from corporations that pose a national security risk, including five Chinese companies that the FCC specifically labeled as such: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua.

This sounds great on the surface, but scratch a bit and one realizes that to really protect American tech requires much tougher and quicker action. Despite the headlines, the Democrats are going soft on China tech. They have control of the presidency, Senate, and House, so could relatively easily legislate much tougher laws against China in the technology space. But instead of deepening and broadening legislation that bans Huawei immediately, for example, the FCC is voting for more discussion. Talk not action.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (L) meets with Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe as finance ministers from across the G-7 nations meet at Lancaster House in London on June 5, 2021. (Alberto Pezzali/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The New York Times and other establishment media cover politicians who talk and legislation riddled with loopholes as a bipartisan push in Washington against China on tech issues, while omitting party differences that indicate a softer approach by the Democrats. As recently as June 16, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen warned against complete tech decoupling with China, according to Hong Kong media. Much of the U.S. media, however, spun this as Yellen arguing for some decoupling. Her comments were sufficiently vague as to lead each side to spin it their way. But Washington cognoscenti know that the Treasury Department is typically the softest part of government on China.

Democrats are slow to act against China, according to one of my Washington sources, because of their focus on compromise, allies, and unity, rather than principle. This allows just a few active Democrats or allies, if influenced by corporate interests, to soften China bills with loopholes so that everyone can claim a win.

According to a Republican staffer in Congress, who asked to remain anonymous due to potential retaliation, I think there are members on both side[s] that are working to decouple. He said that Dems and GOP see the plan ahead different. Dems and some moderate GOP see that this is a temporary issue and that eventually things will return to normal, but I believe that some Dems and mostly GOP do realize that return to normal is likely not possible.

According to Nazak Nikakhtar, an attorney who specializes in international trade and national security at Wiley Rein LLP, We see very forward-leaning calls for action by senators such as Rubio, Hawley, and Cotton, which understand that national security doesnt just happenit requires difficult choices.

Most congresspeople have an incomplete understanding of the difficult choices being forced upon American government by the Chinese Communist Party. The few who do, are usually too concerned about their careers to lean forward. This impedes American agility and progress on China sanctions and tariffs. Subsidies to protect U.S. strategic industries like technology and PPE are provided to the biggest corporate players with the most powerful lobbyists.

Sanctions, subsidies, and tariffs that protect small businesses in the strategic industry space are also required to keep the entire ecosystem of American industry from being wiped out by hostile and manufactured fluctuations in the market.

Such protection is decried by economists who cleave to an old era when Western corporations could outcompete planned economies on the global market. But those times are changing. China broke the mold on defeating U.S. corporations, including in the tech space, much of which is a strategic industry necessary for secure communications, and therefore for the maintenance of full U.S. sovereignty.

Where Chinas industrial espionage destroys shareholder value, better national systems of online security are needed. Small businesses need a national-level online security umbrella, other subsidies, and public goods that incentivize companies to enter the strategic industry space. They also need tariffs that protect that space from aggressive dumping of goods by Chinas pricing below market rates. Tariffs are needed, because subsidies can always be matched by China to zero-out their effect.

Nikakhtar, who was under secretary of industry and security during the Trump administration, wrote in an email that one part of the equation is understanding the full scope of threats facing the U.S., and very few representatives take the time to understand this at the level of depth required. The second part is proposing laws that address those risks directly, meaningfully, and in the long term. Very few in Congress have solved both sides of the equation.

The FCC is one of those U.S. agencies that has not solved the equation. Its call for public comment on China tech is evidence to that effect, as it is more of a delaying tactic, or worse, a way to rally corporate interests against further China tech restrictions.

According to Nikakhtar, The fact that the FCC unanimously voted to explore such prohibitions is impressive but, typically, requests for public comment on regulatory prohibitions by federal agencies receive resounding opposition by stakeholders. The FCC generally knows this.

The proof will be in the pudding. According to Nikakhtar, If the FCC decides to move forward with the prohibitions, notwithstanding, it would be signaling to U.S. businesses and allied nations that it is moving in line with President Bidens message to allies that threats need to be addressed.

An employee stands inside a Huawei flagship store in Beijing on April 12, 2021. (Andy Wong/AP Photo)

So far, the U.S. government has only addressed a few high-profile Chinese tech companies, like Huawei and ZTE. Many more tech companies from China are flying under Americas radar. Nikakhtar wrote, The range of existing threats is extensivefar beyond just a handful of companies.

The congressional staffer with whom I corresponded said that he is not convinced that either party (at least the mainstreams) have come to realization that this isnt China of the 1990s  this is a different China  a China that doesnt want to return to the Western definition of normal.

The mainstream wings of both parties are also willfully blinded by lobbyists and corporate cash.

Rural telecom companies, which need the cheapest 5G gear to reach far-flung customers, are protesting additional restrictions on Chinese companies that offer below-market pricing to drive out competition from the West. The telecom company lobbyists have substantial sway over legislators and FCC commissioners, who tend to rotate through corporate and lobbyist telecom jobs before and after their government service.

To effectively counter Chinas Big Tech, citizens must get more involved at the grassroots level, to ensure that their political representatives serve their interests rather than the telecom lobbyists. Those lobbyists are happy to ensure that telecom companies get subsidized by taxpayers in front, while selling high-tech manufacturing capabilities to China behind the scenes. American corporations in strategic sectors need a smart mix of guardrails, subsidies, and tariffs to defend themselves against Chinas aggressive pricing and technology acquisition.

American shareholders, too, must get more involved, think critically, and ensure that their CEOs are following shareholder interests, and not the short-term gains that max out C-level compensation while degrading the competitiveness of our tech corporations in the long-term. CEOs paid in stock options that vest in three to five years are insufficiently disincentivized against trading key technologies that have a long-term negative impact on shareholder value, in exchange for market share in China that pumps up stock values in the short-term. American shareholders must fix vesting periods to ensure that their CEOs stop trading technology for market access, which is counter to both shareholder interests and U.S. national security.

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.
WILTON MANORS, FloridaA driver slammed into spectators Saturday evening at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, killing one man and seriously injuring another, authorities said.

The driver and the victims were a part of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Mens Chorus family, according to a statement reported by news outlets from the groups president, Justin Knight.

To my knowledge, it was an accident. This was not an attack on the LGBTQ community, Knight said in the statement. We anticipate more details to follow and ask for the communitys love and support.

The collision happened during the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade. Wilton Manors is just north of Fort Lauderdale.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis had said he believed the crash was deliberate. Some other witnesses had also told local media that they believed the crash appeared to be an intentional act.

Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Ali Adamson told reporters at the time that authorities were investigating all possibilities.

Spectator Christina Currie had told the South Florida SunSentinel that she was with her family at the start of the parade.

All of a sudden there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash through a fence, Currie said. It was definitely an intentional act right across the lanes of traffic.
Everyone Needs a Dad to Argue WithA Fathers Day Tribute

Commentary

My first big argument with my dad erupted in my senior year of high school when I told him that I had decided to pursue a degree, and then a career, in journalism.

My head teacher also believes its a good decision and strongly encourages me.

No. Thats not for you, my child.

I looked at my dad in disbelief. I tried to reason with him that I had always preferred liberal arts over sciences, and was guaranteed admission to the top university in China. I pleaded with him.

My dad sat there, listening to me patiently. But he wouldnt change his mind.

Youre not going to pursue journalism as a career. Not in this society, not in this time, he quietly said to me.

Out of despair, I shouted, But why?!

Because Im your dad. I dont want you to lie to be successful, and I dont want you to die because you speak the truth.

Dads Brush With the Cultural Revolution

That day, for the first time in my life, I learned that when I was only 1 month old, my dad was forced into a three-week reeducation class for his improper discussion of the government leaders with his friends. He was forced to study Mao Zedongs Little Red Book every day and to dig deep into his mind to eradicate any not-so-red thoughts about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the revolutionary government.

Compared with those who eventually were sent to the forced labor camp or even prison, I was lucky that they let me come home after three weeks. When I held you again in my arms, I vowed that I would not let you or your mom go through this again.

That day, Dad told me what he had witnessed and gone through during the Great Leap Forward, the Great Chinese Famine, and the Cultural Revolution. He then reminded me of what had happened to my grandparents. During the Cultural Revolution, among other things, they were labeled Rich Farmers, one of the five Black Categories, and as a result had part of their house confiscated for village use so that the Poor Peasants (one of the five Red Categories) could use it for free. They suffered physically and mentally during the whole 10-year Cultural Revolution.

Im proud to have a daughter whos honest and outspoken. But simply because of that, journalism is not for you. Lets try something in engineering instead.

The Regime Persecutes Good People

My head teacher was, of course, disappointed and wanted to have a talk with my dad. He told my dad at the end of their meeting, The Cultural Revolution ended almost 10 years ago, but you are still living in its shadow.

What happened a few years later on June 4, 1989, in Tiananmen Square proved that it wasnt a shadow, but still very much a reality.

Ten years after the Tiananmen Square massacre, the CCP launched another brutal persecution against its own people, on July 20, 1999. This time, they targeted Falun Gong practitioners who believe in truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Millions have been detained or imprisoned, and untold numbers have died from torture in custody.

In particular, the CCP has mobilized the entire state-run propaganda apparatus to conduct an all-out assault on Falun Gong. To target the entire society, the propaganda was spread across every medium imaginable: state-run radio stations, newspapers, billboards, comic books, posters, movies, a TV series, and even theatrical plays.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 13, 2001, Beijing has ratcheted up the campaign to a fever pitch, bombarding citizens with an old, communist-style propaganda war.

I then realized how lucky I was to have a dad who had the foresight to save me from being part of this vicious media campaign.

It was then that I realized how lucky I was to have a dad who had exhausted his life savings to provide me with the opportunity to leave the country shortly after the Tiananmen Square massacre to study in the United States, where I can freely practice Falun Gong without risking my freedom or my life.

Another Argument With Dad, Another Brush With the Regime

I would have my second big argument with my dad soon after.

During one of my annual trips to China to visit my parents, my dad got a call two days after I had arrived. National Security agents wanted to have a talk with me. Dad got off the phone and told me: Call the airline and change your return flight to the next available one. Ill meet with them after you leave the country.

No, Dad. I wont put you through this. Ill go.

But no matter how firmly I insisted that I stay and meet with the agents, Dad wouldnt listen. It was like a deja vu of a scene 20 years ago, where I reasoned, pleaded, and eventually shouted in tears, But why?!

Because Im your dad, came the same answer.

The 10-hour flight back to the United States was the longest flight in my life. The minute I was on American soil, I found a payphone and called home. My eyes welled up with tears when Dads voice came on the other end.

The National Security agents were not happy that my dad had met with them alone. They tried to intimidate my dad by telling him how much they knew about my personal life in America. They urged my dad to convince me to stop practicing Falun Gong and to not get involved with Western political forces. They still want to meet with me in person if I ever go back to China.

Dad told them that as far as he knew, I wasnt involved with any political forces. He also told them that he had also read some of Falun Gongs teachings and found nothing wrong or political. He told them how much I had changed for the better, both health-wise and personality-wise, since I started practicing Falun Gong.

As a parent, I have no heart to tell my daughter to stop.

What a lucky girl I am!

Happy Fathers Day, Dad.

Han Zhou was born in China and has lived in the United States for more than 30 years. She uses a pen name to protect her family in China from the possible consequences of her speaking the truth.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A medical worker displays a Moderna vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital in New Taipei City on June 9, 2021. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)

Forces for Good Will PrevailTaiwan Welcomes Massive US Vaccine Aid

TAIPEITaiwan reacted with an outpouring of thanks to the United States for shipping 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the major semiconductor-producing island, more than doubling its arsenal as it deals with a rise in domestic infections.

Washington initially had promised to donate 750,000 doses but increased that number as President Joe Bidens administration advances its pledge to send 80 million U.S.-made shots around the world.

What a sight! What a gesture! Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu tweeted in thanks late on Saturday, linking to pictures of the vaccines being loaded onto a China Airlines Boeing 777 freighter at Memphis airport.

The Taiwan-U.S. relationship is rock solid, & well keep cooperating closely in combating COVID19. Forces for good will prevail!

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted she was touched by the U.S. move.

Thank you to the U.S. for this moving gesture of friendship. These vaccines will go a long way toward keeping Taiwan safe & healthy.

Thank you to the #US for this moving gesture of friendship. These vaccines will go a long way toward keeping #Taiwan safe & healthy. https://t.co/KnpN7xglyA   Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) June 19, 2021

The 2.5 million Moderna Inc. doses, due to arrive at Taiwans main international airport late Sunday afternoon, will more than double the number of vaccines that have already arrived on the island, including 1.24 million AstraZeneca Plc shots donated by Japan earlier this month.

China, which has continued threats to claim the liberal democratic self-ruled island as part of its territory, has offered China-made vaccines but the government in Taipei has repeatedly expressed concerns about their safety and efficacy.

Taiwan has accused China of blocking at least one foreign vaccine deal with the island.

Last week, 28 Chinese air force aircraft, including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers, entered Taiwans air defence identification zone, the largest reported incursion to date.

Taiwan is trying to speed up the arrival of the millions of vaccines it has on order as it deals with a rise in domestic cases, although infections remain comparatively low. Only around 6 percent of Taiwans 23.5 million people have received at least one of the two-shot coronavirus vaccine regimen.

On Friday the government said it would allow Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of major Apple Inc. supplier Foxconn, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) to negotiate on Taipeis behalf to get more vaccines faster.

By Ben Blanchard
How Politically Motivated Education Impacts California Students | Christina Sandefur

Parents in California are concerned that politics is coming into the school curriculum.

Our guest today is Christina Sandefur, an attorney and executive vice president of the Goldwater Institute. Today she explains why parents need academic transparency to know what their K12 kids are being taught.

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.

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Political deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, arrives in front of the 'Grand Hotel Vienna' where closed-door nuclear talks take place in Vienna, Austria, on June 20, 2021. (Florian Schroetter/AP Photo)

Iran, World Powers Adjourn Nuclear Talks, Resumption Date Unclear

VIENNA/DUBAINegotiators for Iran and six world powers on Sunday adjourned talks on reviving their 2015 nuclear deal and return to respective capitals for consultations as remaining differences still need to be overcome, officials said.

We are now closer than ever to an agreement but the distance that exists between us and an agreement remains and bridging it is not an easy job, Irans top negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state TV from Vienna. We will return to Tehran tonight.

After more than a week of negotiations in their latest round, parties to the pact wrapped up with Russias envoy saying no date for a resumption in negotiations had been set for now, although he suggested they could return in about 10 days.

Negotiations have been going on in Vienna since April to work out the nature and sequencing of steps Iran and the United States must take on nuclear activities and sanctions to return to full compliance with the nuclear pact.

European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora and Iranian Deputy at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi wait for the start of a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, on April 17, 2021. (EU Delegation in Vienna/Handout via Reuters)

Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner and fierce critic of the West, won Irans presidential election on Friday and will take office in early August, replacing pragmatist Hassan Rouhani, under whose aegis the 2015 deal was struck.

But Raisis rise is unlikely to disrupt Irans effort under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all major policy, to restore the nuclear pact and be rid of tough U.S. oil and financial sanctions.

Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2021. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

We have made progress this week, in this sixth round. We are closer to a deal but we are not still there. We are closer than we were one week ago but we are not still there, Enrique Mora, the European Union political director who has coordinated the discussions, told reporters in Vienna.

The United States under President Donald Trump left the deal in 2018, branding its terms too weak to remove the risk of Iran developing nuclear weapons potential, and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Iran has since breached the deals strict limits on uranium enrichment, a possible path to a nuclear bomb. It has said its moves would be reversed if the United States rescinded all sanctions.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said disagreements over how to save the deal persisted, repeating that the ultimate decision on the issue lay with Khamenei.

There is still a fair distance to travel on some of the key issues, including on sanctions and on the nuclear commitments that Iran has to make, Sullivan told broadcaster ABC News. He added that the question of which sanctions on Iran should be lifted was still being discussed.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, on March 12, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he had edited the text of a possible deal being discussed in Austria, saying it was getting cleaner and cleaner. He said there was a good possibility a deal could be reached before mid-August when the current Iranian administration leaves office.

With the talks on pause, attention will now turn to extending a separate accord between the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, and Iran. That pact, expiring on June 24, aims to cushion the blow of Tehrans decision to reduce its cooperation with the IAEA by ending extra monitoring measures introduced by the 2015 deal.

Mora said he expected the two sides to reach that deal.

Israel: Dont Negotiate With Brutal New Government

Israel, which the Islamic Republic considers its arch-enemy, on Sunday condemned Raisis election. New Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said it would be a regime of brutal hangmen with which world powers should not negotiate a new nuclear accord.

(His) election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with, Bennett said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks as he chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of his new government in Jerusalem, on June 20, 2021. (Emmanuel Dunand/Pool via Reuters)

Raisi has never publicly addressed allegations around his role in what the United States and human rights groups have called the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. He is under U.S. sanctions over that past.

By Francois Murphy and Parisa Hafezi
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks as he chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of his new government in Jerusalem, on June 20, 2021. (Emmanuel Dunand/Pool via Reuters)

Israeli PM Warns Against Nuclear Talks With Irans Hangmen Regime

JERUSALEMIsrael condemned on Sunday the election of hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi as Iranian president, saying his would be a regime of brutal hangmen with which world powers should not negotiate a new nuclear deal.

Raisi, who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Irans presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

Irans outgoing President Hassan Rouhani (L) and Irans President-elect Ebrahim Raisi (R) speak to the media after their meeting in Tehran, Iran on June 19, 2021. (Official Presidential website/Handout via Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, convening his first televised cabinet session since taking office last week, described Raisis ascent as enabled by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rather than by a free and popular vote.

Raisis election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with, said Bennett in a statement he read out first in Hebrew and then in English.

A regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass-destruction, he said. Israels position will not change on this.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett chairs the first weekly cabinet meeting of his new government in Jerusalem, on June 20, 2021. (Emmanuel Dunand/Pool via Reuters)

Raisi has never publicly addressed allegations around his role in what Washington and rights groups have called the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

The former U.S. administration of Donald Trump agreed with Israel and quit the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. Current President Joe Biden wants a U.S. return to the deal. Iran denies seeking nuclear weaponry.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey stand in front of their house holding firearms as protesters walk through the gated neighborhood in the Central West End of St. Louis, Mo., on June 28, 2020. (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Mark McCloskey Says Hell Go Out and Buy Another AR-15 After Guns Are Confiscated

After he and his wife pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, Mark McCloskey said late last week that local officials will confiscate the AR-15 that he was holding during a viral incident during Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations last year.

In an interview with Newsmax, McCloskey said that he wanted to keep his AR-15 so that he could either donate it or auction it off because it has historical value.

He and his wife, Patricia McCloskey, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges last week. He was fined $750 and his wife $2,000 for holding firearms as BLM protesters walked past their St. Louis home, according to prosecutors. Part of their plea agreement was to surrender their firearms.

McCloskey said that he has other firearms and is planning to go out and buy another AR-15 as soon as the court clears him and hes no longer under indictment. The silver-colored pistol that Patricia McCloskey was seen holding will be melted down, he said during the interview.

Mark McCloskey visits Republican headquarters in Scranton, Pa., on Sept. 30, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Security personnel stand on the balcony of the home of Mark and Patricia McCloskey as protesters gather outside their neighborhood in St. Louis on July 3, 2020. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

The AR-15 and the pistol were confiscated by local authorities last year, McCloskey said. When he attempted to recover the rifle, prosecutors said they didnt want that to happen, leading to a judge siding with him. Now, the AR-15 unfortunately will be melted down as well, he said.

The couple had faced felony charges over the incident, which were dropped. The two told media outlets last year that they were threatened with violence by the BLM protesters and accused them of breaking down a gate leading into their community.

We saved the city of St. Louis the expense of pursuing this nonsense, and then well move forward, McCloskey told Newsmax.

He noted that the charges were lowered to a new crime, which basically said I purposely placed other people in the apprehension of imminent physical harm.

The guilty plea to the new charges wont affect McCloskeys law license or his ability to run for public office. Earlier this year, he announced a bid for the U.S. Senate.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who previously charged both of the McCloskeys with felonies, was removed from the case after a judge ruled in late 2020 that she appeared to have initiated prosecution against the two for political purposes.

McCloskey didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
McCarthy Responds to Speculation That Trump Should Be Elected House Speaker

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) responded to speculation about former President Donald Trump potentially being voted as House speaker if Republicans take the House majority in 2022.

When asked by a Fox News host about rumors and speculation about Trumps future, McCarthy said Trump has told him he wants to be president.

You know, I have talked to President Trump many times, McCarthy said. He tells me he wants me speaker, and I think he should be president.

A spokesperson for McCarthys office later told news outlets to clarify that Trump has told him he wants McCarthy to be speaker and Trump wants to be president.

McCarthy meant and said he wants me to be Speaker, but I understand that might not have sounded crystal clear, a spokesperson told the Daily Caller. The Epoch Times contacted the House GOP leaders office for comment.

In the interview, McCarthy said Friday that a top priority for him is to win back the House for Republicans in the midterm elections. The party of the presidentin this case, Democratsoften loses the House majority during midterms.

What are the Democrats doing with this majority? They not only want to change the election law, they want to make Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., states, McCarthy told Fox News. Why? They are doing everything they can to change the structure and constitutionality of our country so they can maintain control illegally  Thats something we never want to see happen.

The Constitution doesnt require the speaker of the House to be a sitting member of Congress, although only elected representatives have been named as speaker throughout U.S. history. The speaker is elected during the beginning of a new Congress via a majority vote.

The speculation about Trump becoming House speaker gained momentum when the former commander-in-chief was asked about the possibility during an interview with commentator Wayne Allyn Root.

You know, its very interesting, Trump said when asked about a congressional bid in early June.

Several days ago, a statement sent out by Trumps office confirmed he will be holding his first post-presidential rally on June 26 in Ohio.

President Trumps first of many appearances in support of candidates and causes that further the MAGA agenda and accomplishments of President Trumps administration, the former presidents Save America PAC stated. During the event, Trump will endorse former adviser Max Miller, who is running for Congress against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), one of 10 Republicans in the House who voted to impeach Trump earlier this year.
Richard Torres-Estrada in an undated photograph and the USSOCOM logo. (USSOCOM; AFP via Getty Images)

Military Diversity Officer Who Compared Trump to Hitler Reinstated After Pentagon Probe

A diversity officer in a branch of the U.S. military has been reinstated after an investigation into his social media posts, which included one missive comparing then-President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, uncovered no violations of Department of Defense policies.

In March, the U.S. Special Operations Command announced the hiring of Richard Torres-Estrada as its chief of diversity and inclusion. Shortly afterward, he was reassigned as officials investigated posts hed made during the Trump administration, including one in which he made a comparison of Trump to Hitler.

That investigation recently wrapped up after finding no policy violation.

Mr. Torres-Estrada has resumed the duties of the Chief of Diversity & Inclusion for United States Special Operations Command after a USSOCOM commander-directed investigation into the circumstances surrounding his hiring concluded and found no violations of law or DoD regulation, a USSOCOM spokesman told news outlets.

USSOCOM is confident in the hiring process and Mr. Torres-Estradas potential to fill this important position.

Facebook posts reviewed by The Epoch Times show Torres-Estrada compared Trump to Hitler, who perpetrated the Holocaust. He also denigrated Trump on at least one other occasion.

In addition, Torres-Estrada posted an image expressing support for the radical theory of equity, which posits that an equal outcome among people is favorable to certain persons getting ahead of others.

USSOCOM told The Epoch Times in March that officials werent aware of the posts before hiring Torres-Estrada. The official wasnt terminated immediately after the posts were discovered because actions involving civilian personnel are governed by federal law and other regulations, a spokesman said.

Civilian employees have rights under those laws and regulations. When allegations are made about an employee, the command must determine what the facts are and what actions, if any, are appropriate under those laws and regulations before taking action, he said previously.

Torres-Estrada didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Members of Congress had expressed surprise at Torres-Estradas hiring.

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) said he was shocked, asserting that the officials comparison of Trump to Hitler shows irredeemably poor judgment and the total inability to separate fact from fiction.

What do you think, will a diversity and inclusion officer for our elite military units make America stronger? Or are China and Russia laughing at us? Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) said.
Heidi Parker, executive director of Immunize Nevada, helps to announce a COVID-19 vaccine incentive program, "Vax Nevada Days," in the Twitch Lounge at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on June 17, 2021. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Nevada to Disburse $5 Million in Vaccine Effort

LAS VEGASNevada is distributing $5 million in cash prizes to residents who have been vaccinated as part of an effort to encourage more people to get shots.

Gov. Steve Sisolak said Thursday that the new Vax Nevada Days initiative provided skeptics one more reason to get vaccinated.

His announcement adds Nevada to a growing list of states offering incentives to revive flatlining vaccination efforts and maintain demand.

Funding for the program is coming from federal coronavirus relief money, Sisolak said.

More than half the states residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine and 42.7 percentor more than 1.1 millionstatewide have completed their inoculations.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report,
Within fatherhood is the responsibility to serve one's family and pass on heritage. (Derek Thomson/Unsplash.com)

On Fatherhood

Commentary

Fathers Day became a national holiday in 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson had made Mothers Day official. Neither was a religious holiday, but when my son was in grade school, the church we attended acknowledged both days. Parents received a small gift: a flower for moms and a ballpoint pen for dads.

I was struck by the difference in tone of the different occasions. Remarks from the pulpit on Mothers Day extolled the virtues of mothers, their love, patience, nurturing, sacrifice.

Fathers received more admonition than praise, comments focusing on how far short we fell and the harm resulting in the lives of wives, children, and society. Perhaps I was already primed to notice the difference, as Mothers Day heightened my sense of gratitude and Fathers Day reminded me of my shortcomings.

As a professor of social work, I knew from a variety of studies the negative outcomes suffered at increased rates by children of absent fatherssuch as poverty, behavior problems, high school dropout, incarceration, poor health, drug and alcohol issues, and unmarried teen pregnancy.

The act of fathering a child may be a universal and necessary aspect of all human societies ever. But fatherhood as a social institutionthat is, a legally and socially recognized state of being a father with rights, duties, responsibilities, and statuseswas an achievement, a product of marriage.

Keeping Men in Line

Influential critics in the 1970s and 1980s saw the marriage license as a hitting license, marriage as a way of keeping women in their place. But as some of those same researchers came to see from their own research, women are safer from violence in a marriage with a co-resident husband than in other sexual relationships such as dating and cohabiting. And children are at much greater risk of maltreatment with a man in the house who isnt their biological father.

Perhaps marriage is better understood the other way round, as a protective factor for women and their children. Or, more broadly, as a way of meeting the need in any society to keep men in line.

Human offspring have an exceptionally long period of maturation, during which they and their mothers are vulnerable to predators. Families need the childrens father in the house not only to provide for them, but also to protect themfrom other men.

In one of the earliest legal codes, the Laws of Lipit-Ishtar (about 1860 B.C. in Mesopotamia), the king boasted, I made the father support his children. I made the child support his father. I made the father stand by his children. I made the child stand by his father.

In short, by instituting formal marriage, he created fatherhood as an institution.

Law, custom, and informal social control prepare a man to become a responsible father. Nature itself seems to prime him for his new role. It reduces a mans testosterone level substantially when he becomes a father, making him better prepared to be involved in parental care and less in other, more aggressive male pursuits such as seeking a mate.

2 Timely Books

Its clear enough what goes wrong for families and societies when fathers fail in their paternal role. Father-hunger and anger at absent or abusive fathers are intense and lasting, for sons and daughters. We see the longing to belong in such different accounts as Mary Eberstadts discussion of rap music in her book Primal Screams and Michael Brendan Doughertys book My Father Left Me Ireland.

Dougherty writes as a father of a young child. He tells the story of his own hunger for a father, tradition, and identitya longing to belong. He was raised as an only child by his single mother in a different country. Though married and about to become a father himself, hes desolate when his mother dies, never to see the grandchild she longed for.

In the form of letters to his father, who had married and raised another family in Ireland, the book shows Doughertys deep pain growing up without his father. His journey is a search for reconciliation, to heal the broken bonds between generations, and to connect his own child to her grandfather and to her Irish relatives and heritage.

In another recent book, also from the perspective of a young father, Sohrab Ahmari, who had emigrated from Iran to America with his parents when he was 13 years old, explores his worries about the world into which his son has been born. The concern isnt about material well-being but the risk to his young sons spiritual welfare of growing up in a society that has cast off its tradition and its moral wisdom, a wisdom of limits and constraints.

The book explores the need for tradition in an age of chaos, through a series of questions about the things of God and those of human life. Ahmari is a good storyteller and addresses each question by telling the story of a representative figure from a great traditionAquinas on faith and reason, Seneca on death, or Confucius on how we should serve our parents.

Both books see fatherhood as essential to families and a healthy society. Fatherhood requires sacrifice and self-giving, the opposite of a prevalent view in which children are essentially consumer items, their needs subordinated to the desires of adults.

We see how cultures fall apart as the moral constraints that sustain marriage and paternal duty give way to what scholar Carl Trueman calls infantile celebrations of sexuality and hedonistic self-assertion. Whether in the late Roman Empire, in Soviet Russia in the 1920s, or post-sexual-revolution America from the 1960s on, we see high rates of promiscuity, nonmarital births, divorce, father absence and single parenting, homelessness, abortion, and other symptoms of societal breakdown.

We humans, fathers not least, are flawed and broken. The self-inflicted collective wounds of the past half-centurythe damage wrought by law and government policy, our cultural institutions, and popular culturedont make us more aware of our moral obligations. They make it harder for us to fulfill them.

These two books in their different ways help us think deeply about the role and responsibility of fathers in serving their families and in passing on a heritage and patrimony to their children. Both are gifts to all fathers and from fathers to children. Both understand the importance of tradition and the constraints and sacrifices it calls for as the path of freedom, rightly understood.

Manhood is found in sacrifices, offered joyfully, concludes Dougherty, his baby daughter in his arms. The only liberation worth having is one accomplished in sacrifice.

Paul Adams writes on ethics, marriage and family, and social policy. He is professor emeritus of social work at the University of Hawaii. He has also taught at Case Western University and the University of Texas.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Pilots Issue Mayday As Data Suggest UK Aviation Worst Hit by Travel Rules

Pilots are calling for urgent action to help aviation because of the devastating impact of the pandemic-related lockdowns on UK airlines and airports.

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said the UK aviation industry has been the hardest hit in Europe by restrictions on international travel.

Its analysis of official European air traffic data for June showed that the number of flights into and out of the UK has fallen by three-quarters compared to 2019.

The union said its study showed that Gatwick and Manchester airports were the worst affected in Europe, with Heathrow and Stansted close behind.

According to world trade body the International Air Transport Association, 860,000 jobs in UK aviation travel and tourism have been lost or are on furlough and are at risk of being lost, said BALPA.

General Secretary Brian Strutton said: Its official. The UK aviation industry is the hardest hit in Europe, caused by the UK governments ludicrously cautious restrictions on international travel.

Hapless ministers give all the appearance of deliberately attacking aviation and tormenting the public with their mixed messages over summer holidays.

BALPA is demanding that the UK government gets its act together and opens the U.S. routes and European holiday travel destinations that it has blocked with no published evidence at all.

If the country is going to build back better from the pandemic and build new international links with partners for trade and travel, we are going to need a thriving aviation industry. There is no time to hide behind task forces and reviews.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said holidays as normal were never going to be the case given the rise of particular COVID-19 variants.

Asked if he can offer pilots any hope, Buckland told Skys Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme: I think the system we devised, Trevor, was designed to give the highest degree of hope consistent with the need to contain and control the virus.

I think that inevitably in a situation as unprecedented and demanding as this, there are going to have to be significant trade-offs and its clear that holidays as normal or travel as normal was never going to be the case, bearing in mind the rise of particular variants, most notably the Delta variant.

I think all throughout this crisis weve tried to strike the right balance between the natural need in some cases for international travel, but also the imperative of making sure that we do everything we can at home to contain and prevent inadvertent spread of new variants of concern.

This is a huge, difficult situation. I think of omelettes and eggs Im afraid. But we are doing our very best to maintain that balance with regular reviews of the regulations to allow the maximum flexibility.

A government spokesman said: We recognise the challenging times facing all sectors of transport as a result of COVID-19, which is why we have put in place an economy-wide support package, including around 7 billion [$9.27 billion] of support expected to benefit the air transport sector by September 2021.

We continue to work with the aviation sector to help them navigate this period, and encourage them to draw on the unprecedented package of support measures available.

BALPA members will join colleagues from across the aviation and travel industry to take their message to MPs in Westminster and MSPs in Holyrood, as part of a nationwide Travel Day of Action on Wednesday.

Pilots will also join action at Heathrow, Bristol, Edinburgh, and Manchester airports.

ABTA said the day of action will see calls for the UK government to allow international travel to return safely and in a risk-managed way by properly implementing the Global Travel Taskforces plan for a traffic light system.

It said this can be done by expanding the green list in line with the evidence and making restrictions more proportionate, while keeping a strong red list to guard against variants.

It is also calling on ministers to bring forward a package of tailored financial support, including extension of furlough support, recognising that the travel sectors ability to trade and generate income is much slower than first anticipated and more gradual than for businesses in the domestic economy.

By Alan Jones
Portland Police Union Blames Officials Who Criticized Officers for Mass Resignation

The main police union in Portland, Oregon, said city officials who demonized law enforcement were the primary cause of mass resignations from the police bureaus riot squad last week.

Daryl Turner, executive director of the Portland Police Association union, said that political venom caused the entire Rapid Response Team (RRT) to resign. The 50-member squad made the decision after a Portland officer, Corey Budworth, was recently indicted for allegedly assaulting a photographer during a riot last year.

Those officers put themselves in harms way to restore order and peace when destruction and mayhem struck, Turner said in a statement on June 18. Rather than acknowledging and thanking those officers, rather than prioritizing public safety and peace, politicians criticized the RRT, further fueling the fires in our City.

Aside from that, he said, local politicians celebrated the destruction of our City as if looting, arson, property damage, physical violence, and even murder were permissible and lawful First Amendment activities.

Starting in May of last year, Portland endured riots and demonstrations on a near-nightly basis, leading to hundreds of arrests, following the death of George Floyd. A number of officers were injured during the unrest.

In a statement, the Portland Police Bureau said the riot squad members left their voluntary positions but that the officers would still carry out regular assignments.

Meanwhile, Turner said that the Rapid Response Team members did not volunteer to have Molotov cocktails, fireworks, explosives, rocks, bottles, urine, feces, and other dangerous objects thrown at them. Nor did they volunteer to have threats of rape, murder, and assault on their families hurled at them.

They did not volunteer to suffer serious injuries, to be subject to warrantless criticism and false allegations by elected officials, or to suffer through baseless complaints and lengthy investigations devoid of due process.

Turner, in his statement, specifically criticized City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardestywho has frequently called on the city to defund its police department. After the resignations last week, Hardesty called on Mayor Ted Wheeler and the city council to formally disband the anti-riot squad.

Hardesty has used the occasion to promote a self-serving, anti-police, anti-public safety agenda. Instead of defending our communities and the business owners whose livelihoods were destroyed by the riots, she continues to endorse violence, the union boss wrote.

Hardestys office didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, whose office has rejected 891 of 1,108 criminal civil-unrest cases since last May, thanked the officers who resigned.

Despite these pressures, these law enforcement professionals remained professional, and their actions lawful, he said in a June 15 statement. But when that line is crossed, and a police officers use of force is excessive and lacks a justification under the law, the integrity of our criminal justice system requires that we, as prosecutors, act as a mechanism for accountability. Public trust requires nothing less.
Rethinking Tequila: Premium Brands Aim to Change Old Perceptions

Love it or hate it, tequila conjures up strong feelings in many drinkers.

Forgive us for the old memories of bad quality tequila! jokes Antonio Rodriguez, director of production at Patron Tequila. We cannot hide that we come from a history when usually tequilas were not as premium as they are right now.

Deano Moncrieffe, founder of the London tequila and mezcal bar Hacha, laments, People always blame tequila for a bad hangover, when really the fact is that they probably started the night drinking wine and then beer and then champagne, and then at some point, maybe 2 or 3 in the morning, someone said, Lets have tequila!

And Steffin Oghene, vice president of global marketing and sales for El Tequileno Tequila, agrees tequila used to be seen as the party, smash-it-down, get-wasted kind of spirit.

But, he says: Over the past 10 years, theres been a lot of effort put into educating people and making them understand that tequila isnt just the spirit to shoot. Its a really complex spirit that takes time and expertise to produce.

These re-education efforts appear to be working. Tequila is one of the fastest-growing alcoholic drinks in the United States, with consumption up by 40 percent over the past five years, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

A selection of specialty tequilas at Cantina Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Theresa Lauria/Shutterstock)

Hamish Smith, editor of the bartending magazine Class and bars editor of Drinks International, says theres growing understanding of tequilas different qualities, with 100 percent agave now the star performer, in the way single malt is for Scotch.

This awareness is set against the craft spirits movement, the appreciation of provenance, celebrity endorsement, and a cocktail industry that has been showcasing quality tequila for years, Smith says. Its not quite a perfect storm, but its carrying the category forward to year-on-year international growth.

Despite its old reputation, experts say tequila is not in fact a great choice for people looking to get drunk. While many spirits contain glucose, which causes a rapid increase in blood sugar followed by a crash, adding to a hangover, tequila contains fructose from the agave plant, which they say is broken down more slowly.

For a premium tequila, dont use a shot glass, says Nitzan Podoswa, founder of Satryna Tequila.

For a premium tequila, dont use a shot glassuse a flute. (Pacoadame/Shutterstock)

Your nose is too close to the liquid so you cannot really smell the notes right. It just makes it easier to drink. But if you are having a very nice tequila, you need to have a flute cup, she says.

And rather than down it in one, swish the liquid around the mouth to taste, she suggests.

There are three types of tequila, based on the time spent in oak barrels before bottling. Blanco is aged 02 months, reposado 211 months, anejo 13 years, and extra anejo 3-plus years.

Moncrieffe starts by asking his customers what they usually drink. If its a white spirit, he directs them to a blanco; for bourbon or whisky drinkers, he recommends a reposado; and for cognac drinkers, something more complex like an anejo or extra anejo.

An agave plant takes around seven years to mature, and once harvested, there are many ways to cook the plant and ferment and distill the alcohol.

An agave plant takes around seven years to mature. (Juan Pablo Hinojosa/Shutterstock)

What youre drinking is actually very, very special. Its very special how many years the plant has been in the earth and its very special how many people and how many agents are involved in the process, Podoswa says.

Rodriguez says current trends center on aging, experimenting with time, temperature, and barrel types.

We are not talking about whiskeys, in which the main flavor is coming from the wood, he says. Tequila by itself in a blanco expression has already a big personality. So when you age tequila, you are not looking to get over that. Youre looking to complement that.

Theres also the cristalino category, which I guess was, for tequila purists, controversial, Oghene adds. Popular in the United States and Mexico, a cristalino is an aged tequila that has been filtered to remove the color and tannins, making it crystal-clear.

Growing U.S. sales are creating interest in other countries, Rodriguez says.

Most of the rest of world has had sort of bad, cheap tequila, says Jenna Fagnan, co-founder of Teremana Tequila with Dwayne The Rock Johnson. She says that for Johnson, tequila is about togetherness.

For him, he said, when I was growing up, for our family, if something great was happening, wed get together and people would have tequila. But also if something bad happened, we still get together and have tequila, Fagnan said.

Johnson joins a list of celebrities including George Clooney, Nick Jonas, and Kendall Jenner with their own tequila brands. Thats been greeted with mixed feelings in the industry.

Almost every week you have a new celebrity tequila brand coming out, Rodriguez says, with only roughly 160 distilleries to produce tequila for thousands of brands.

That means multiple brands might be produced in the same place; while many are doing it right, he says others are just buying the liquid and putting it in a different bottle.

Podoswa advises consumers to research a brand before buying.

Are they making a good product? Are they taking care of their agave? Are they doing it the artisanal, traditional way?

Fagnan says she and Johnson work with one of the few family-owned distilleries left in Mexico. She says Johnson cares about the people, the story, the sustainability.

For new brands, star endorsements bring positive attention and make consumers question old assumptions about tequila, says Paul Hayes, British founder of Vivir Tequila.

If these people are willing to drink tequila, these major celebrities, theyre not just doing shots of it right in a bar. They must be drinking in a different way. How are they doing and why are they drinking it? he says.

And Rodriguez welcomes the competition: The way I see things is not that were fighting among tequilas. We are fighting to show the world what tequila is.

By Louise Dixon
Scottish Government Accused of Hypocrisy Over Manchester Travel Ban

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has accused the Scottish Government of hypocrisy over a travel ban to the northwest.

Nicola Sturgeon announced on Friday all non-essential travel to Manchester and Salford would be banned from Monday, but the Labour mayor said he or his administration were not contacted before the announcement.

The first minister pinpointed the areas as COVID-19 hotspots, despite figures in the cities matching case rates in parts of Scotland.

Anyone travelling elsewhere in the Greater Manchester or Lancashire area, Id ask to think carefully about whether your journey is really necessary, because we do see cases rising across that region, she said on Friday in a coronavirus briefing.

Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in an undated file photo. (Russell Cheyne/PA)

Speaking on the The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Mr Burnham said: I was really disappointed on Friday that the first minister of Scotland just announced out of the blue, as far as we were concerned, a travel ban saying that people couldnt travel from Scotland to Manchester and Salford and people couldnt go the other way.

That is exactly what the SNP always accuse the Westminster government of doing, riding roughshod over people. The SNP are treating the north of England with the same contempt in bringing that in without any consultation with us.

He added: I just think its double standards, its hypocrisy. Theyve done to us exactly what they always complain that the UK government does to Scotland.

Burnham said he would be looking for his constituents who planned to travel north of the border to be financially compensated by the Scottish government.

Ill be writing to the first minister today, he said.

Ill be asking for compensation for the individuals who might lose holidays and the businesses who might lose bookings. Why should a couple from Salford who are double jabbed who are about to go on a walking holiday in Scotland not be able to go? Its completely disproportionate in my viewwe could have come up with a different arrangement if the first minister had been in touch with us.

Burnham went on to say there should be an arrangement put in place, which would mean there would have to be consultation between Scotland and the north of England before such a travel ban was put in place.

Speaking on BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show, Scottish government trade minister Ivan McKee said a decision on COVID-19 had to be made quickly.

The virus, as we know, moves very fast, decisions are made very fast and those decisions are communicated at a four nations level, he said.

Andy Burnham  is going to write to the first minister about it, thats absolutely fine and Im sure there will be a conversation about how we can keep him better informed in future.

But Tory leader Douglas Ross, speaking on the same show, said: We know that law was made on Thursday morning to introduce these restrictions into Greater Manchester and a ban on travel, yet it wasnt announced until over 24 hours later.

If Ivan McKee says theres not good enough dialogue between the UK government and the Scottish government, there was 24 hours that passed before anyone in Greater Manchester knew of a decision taken by the Scottish government a day earlier.

By Craig Paton
Alexander Popov, a man who was arrested on suspicion of murder sits behind the glass in a courtroom in the city of Gorodets, 36 miles north-west of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, on June 20, 2021. (Roman Yarovitsyn/AP Photo)

Suspect Arraigned in Killing of American Student in Russia

MOSCOWA court in central Russia on Sunday arraigned a suspect on murder charges in the death of an American woman who was studying at a local university.

The body of 34-year-old Catherine Serou was found Saturday in a wooded area near the city of Nizhny Novgorod, 250 miles east of Moscow. She had been missing since Tuesday.

Her mother, Beccy Serou, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, told U.S. National Public Radio that her daughter had last texted her: In a car with a stranger. I hope Im not being abducted.

State news agency RIA-Novosti cited the local court as saying the suspect gave her a ride in his car, then took her to the wooden area and beat her and stabbed her in the course of a dispute. Russian news reports have identified the suspect as Alexander Popov and said he had a record of violent crimes.

Alexander Popov, a man who was arrested on suspicion of murder and surrounded by police officers, arrives at a courtroom in the city of Gorodets, 36 miles north-west of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, on June 20, 2021. (Roman Yarovitsyn/AP Photo)

He faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder.

Serou moved from California to Russia in 2019 to study law at Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod, news reports said.

Beccy Serou told NPR that her daughter was in a hurry to get to a clinic Tuesday and may have gotten into a passing car.

I think that when she saw that the person wasnt driving to the clinic, but instead was driving into a forest, she panicked, Beccy Serou said.
A French national treasure, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, stands a colossal 164 feet high, 148 feet wide, and 72 feet deep and is dedicated to the armies of the Republic and Empire. (Paris 16/CC BY-SA 2.0) )

The Patriotic Art of the Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Larger Than Life: Art that inspires us through the ages

In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte promised triumphal arches to his troops after they won the Battle of Austerlitz.

The first arch that he commissioned was the Arc de Triomphe de lEtoile (the Triumphal Arch of the Star) in Paris, commonly known as the Arc de Triomphe, and construction began on Aug. 15, 1806, Bonapartes birthday.

As a great admirer of the fine arts of antiquity, Bonaparte charged architect Jean-Francois-Therese Chalgrin to look at classical architecture for inspiration. Chalgrin looked to the Arch of Titus (A.D. 81) in Rome for his design, although the Arc de Triomphe has no columns.

The 164-foot, neoclassical arch shows scenes of dynastic life as well as battle scenes, which differs from the classical tradition of triumphal arches that depict military victories only.

The east facade faces the Champs-Elysees, which in Bonapartes time would have faced the Tuileries, or the royal and then the emperors imperial palace. (The palace was destroyed in 1871 during the Paris Commune.) A frieze runs around the arch, near the top. The east facade frieze shows French troops as they depart for new campaigns, and the west facade shows the troops as they return.

At the base of each of the archs four pillars, called piers, stands a sculptural group on a pedestal. Each sculpture shows a historic scene. The most famous is the Departure of the Volunteers of 1792 by Francois Rude, commonly known as La Marseillaise, which is also the name of the French national anthem.

King Louis-Philippe dedicated the arch in 1836 to the armies of the Republic and the Empire.

To find out more about the Arc de Triomphe, visit Arc-de-Triomphe.fr.en

The curved ceiling of the arch, called an intrados, is covered in roses. (Alvesgaspar/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Departure of the Volunteers of 1792 by Francois Rude represents the departure of 200,000 Frenchmen to defend their republic. The volunteers, ordinary French folk, are represented in the sculpture as naked or in civilian dress, the young and old respectively, united in their willingness to fight for their country. The winged woman in the scene is the Genius of Liberty, who incites the men to fight. (Public Domain)

The Triumph of Napoleon by Jean-Pierre Cortot celebrates the 1810 Treaty of Vienna. In this sculpture, Bonaparte wears classical robes and stands proudly in the center. Victoria, the Genius of Victory over death, holds a laurel crown above his head; in her other hand is a palm branch. Above them all hovers the winged Genius of Fame, who announces Bonapartes victory with her trumpet, a motif not seen in antiquity but that emerged in the Renaissance period. In her other hand, Fame holds a battlestaff topped with the imperial eagle, which Bonapartes battalions would have carried into battle. (Public Domain)

The Resistance of 1814 by Antoine Etex commemorates French soldiers who fought in the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813May 1814). (Public Domain)

The Peace of 1815 by Antoine Etex represents the end of the Napoleonic Wars, when the second Treaty of Paris was signed between France and the Allies, on Nov. 20, 1815. The high-relief sculpture is the last of the four large sculptural groups depicting historic scenes on the pillars of the arch. (Public Domain)

A detail on the left spandrel shows the Genius of Fame. (Public Domain)

A detail on the right spandrel shows the Genius of Liberty. (Public Domain)

Twelve avenues converge, like a star, on to the Arc de Triomphe de lEtoile (the Triumphal Arch of the Star) in Place Charles de Gaulle, which was formerly called Place de lEtoile (Star Place). (Eric Isselee/Shutterstock)

A furious battle scene plays out on a bas-relief near the top of the arch. And on the frieze that runs around the top of the arch, French troops can be seen both leaving for and returning from battle. (Chris Lawrence Travel/Shutterstock)

Romes ancient Arch of Titus (pictured here) inspired architect Jean-Francois-Therese Chalgrins design for the Arc de Triomphe. (Wiesdie/Shutterstock)
Therapy Dog Helps Prevent a Distressed Woman From Taking Her Own Life on a Motorway Bridge

A young woman who was contemplating taking her life found the incentive she needed to retreat from the edge of a motorway bridge when she met a therapy dog. The dog has now been hailed as amazing for his role in helping save her life.

The distressed woman was spotted standing on a footbridge over the M5 motorway near Exeter in the south of England on June 15. Following up on a welfare concern, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics closed the road and arrived on the scene around 11 a.m. to investigate.

Police negotiators approached and spoke to the woman, but the situation grew increasingly worrying, according to a Facebook post by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. A member of the crew had the idea to introduce Digby, their defusing dog.

Digby, an Australian labradoodle, has worked with the fire service since 2018, BBC reported. His role is to calm, comfort, and empower people to discuss their trauma in talking therapy.

When Digby arrived, the young woman immediately swung her head round to look, and smiled, the fire service explained. This got a conversation started about Digby and his role.

Crews asked the woman if she would like to come and meet Digby and she accepted their invitation.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police told Devon Live that the woman was taken into safe custody shortly after 3 p.m. and the road was reopened. She was taken into the care of mental health experts.

Thousands of netizens supported the rescue services decision to enlist Digby and agreed that the smart dog earned his accolade.

Thinking outside the box, Digby could be an invaluable tool, one netizen considered. Its about getting the attention in a meaningful way of the person in distress.

Maybe Digby could have a new title in his service as a diffusion and distraction fire crew member and attend more incidences like this, wrote another. People who are having their own mental health crisis will often still think about an animals welfare and story  and put them before themselves.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service wished the woman well in her ongoing recovery.

Anyone in distress can call Samaritans for support from the U.K. on 116-123 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline from the U.S. on 1-800-273-8255.

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
Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Nov. 19, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Trying to Cover Up: Chong on Feds Refusal to Send Unredacted Records on Fired Scientists, Virus Transfer

Speaker Anthony Rota ruled federal government failing to obey House order

Conservative MP Michael Chong said that the federal government is trying to cover up the firing of two Chinese scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg, research collaboration with the Chinese military, and the transfer of deadly viruses to Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

I think theyre worried. I think they realize that they have been caught failing to protect national security, failing to protect the safety and security of Canadians, Chong told Epoch Times sister media NTD on June 14.

The Liberal government has refused to submit the unredacted documents related to the matter even though it was defeated by opposition MPs in a 179-149 vote on June 2, that demanded it to send the copies to the House of Commons law clerk within 48 hours upon adoption of the motion.

Instead, Health Minister Patty Hajdu told the House on June 8 that she had sent the records to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) as its the appropriate level of security.

House Speaker Anthony Rota, in response, ruled Wednesday that the Liberal government has breached parliamentary privileges for failing to submit the requested unredacted records to the House, adding that the government cannot bypass the order of parliamentarians even those with national security implications.

It is for the House and not for the government to decide how such documents are to be reviewed and what safeguards are to put in place, if any, Rota said, while at the same time stressing there is thus no reason to allow an additional delay.

Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota rises in the chamber as he delivers a statement in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canada, on July 22, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

In addition, Rota agreed with opposition parties argument that NSICOP is not a committee of Parliament. Chong has previously said that members of NSICOP serve at the pleasure of the prime minister, meaning the prime minister has the power to review and demand revisions of any documents before they are made public.

In Parliament last week, Chong said the government has been using delay and obfuscation tactics to obstruct the Commons Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN) from finding out exactly what happened at the NML and their partnership with China.

Initially,  the government hid behind the excuse of the Privacy Act and the protection of personal information. Then it shifted its argument and started to make the argument that it wasnt about the protection of personal information under the Privacy Act, but rather about national security, Chong said.

He believes such tactics were used as there is information that it does not want to come to light because it would embarrass the government and demonstrate it was lax in its oversight of national security and policy at the Winnipeg lab.

The documents in question pertain to the January firing of scientists Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, from their positions at the NML. The couple were escorted out of the lab building by the RCMP and stripped of their security clearances in July 2019. In March 2019, Qiu was charged with shipping samples of deadly Ebola and Henipah viruses to WIV.

Moreover, Qiu had travelled several times to the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, which is part of the WIV, between 2017 and 2018, including one trip to train Chinese scientists and technicians to operate in a level 4 lab, which is the highest bio-safety standard.

During the June 14 interview, Chong said he is also aware of seven federal scientists at the NML who collaborated with Chinese scientists on some of the worlds most dangerous viruses and pathogens.

The scientists co-authored at least six studies from 2016 to 2020. We know that some of the research was paid for by Chinas government, and that some of the scientists were part of Chinas military, he said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), citing privacy issues, refused to provide the unredacted documents to the CACN on March 31 and May 10.

However, things took a turn as a majority of MPs voted in favor last week of a privilege motion submitted by Conservative House Leader Gerard Deltell on June 16, declaring the PHAC in contempt of Parliament for refusing to provide the documents.

With a vote of 176-150, the adoption of this motion also means the agencys president Iain Stewart will be summoned to appear before the Commons to be admonished on Monday and release the documents to the House law clerk.

However, Stewart showed no sign he is willing to do so when he testified before the Commons Health Committee Friday, saying he is bound by law to protect national security and privacy laws.

I find myself in this extraordinary situation in this 27th year of my career. But its not the exercise of my choice thats putting me here, its the obligations of my job, Stewart said.

Chong said he and his colleagues will continue to press on.

There are a lot of unanswered questions. But slowly we are getting some more information and well continue to fight to get even more information to get to the bottom of this matter, he said.

With reporting by Andrew Chen.
The logo of Twitter is displayed on the screen of a smartphone and a tablet in Toulouse, France, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

Twitter, California Sued for Cooperating on Censorship

A conservative influencer filed a lawsuit against Twitter, a former California secretary of state, and others on June 17, alleging that they colluded to censor election-related content, violating the plaintiffs rights to free speech, equal protection, and due process.

The lawsuit (pdf) cites emails and documents from Californias Office of Elections Cybersecurity, which show that state employees flagged Twitter posts because they purportedly contained misinformation. Twitter subsequently removed many of the flagged posts, including those written by attorney Rogan OHandley, the plaintiff.

Twitter went on to permanently suspend OHandley for a post that said most votes in American history, alongside a photo of the U.S. Capitol surrounded by barbed wire in the wake of the Jan. 6 breach.

The actions of then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, his agents, and Twitter are outrageous. Government cannot censor speech on the basis of viewpoint, but that is exactly what happened here, the Center for American Liberty, which is representing OHandley, said in a statement.

Whether it is for Rogan OHandley or for any other American, the First Amendment must be protected. Political speechthe right to express ideas and engage in the political processis core to the First Amendment; it is sacrosanct, the center stated. If we are ever going to have free and fair elections again, we have to stop Big Tech collusion with Big Government to censor your speech.

Twitter and the office of the California secretary of state, as well as the office of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), who served as the secretary of state at the time of the alleged collusion and is being sued in his personal capacity, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit cites a spreadsheet and hundreds of pages of emails (pdf) obtained earlier this year by conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch. The documents reveal the communications between Twitter and the Office of Elections Cybersecurity.

These documents blow up the big lie that Big Tech censorship is privateas the documents show collusion between a whole group of government officials in multiple states to suppress speech about election controversies, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told Fox Business in March.

Twitter permanently suspended a large number of accounts before and after the 2020 election, including that of former President Donald Trump.
The manned Shenzhou-12 spacecraft from China's Manned Space Agency onboard the Long March-2F rocket launches with three Chinese astronauts onboard at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's Gansu Province, on June 17, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Chinas Advancing Space Program Leaves US Vulnerable in Event of Space War, Expert Warns

U.S. policymakers need to come up with a better space strategy, a space and security expert warned after China sent a three-member crew to its unfinished space station.

To fight and win a space war against the Americans, the first thing that [the Chinese regime] will do is to knock out or blind our satellites in a space Pearl Harbor-type event, Brandon Weichert, author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, said in an interview with NTD on June 19.

We are not yet prepared to defend ourselves, let alone retaliate, in the way that would deter China or Russia from trying this during a geopolitical crisis.

The agency in charge of Chinas manned space program, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO), isnt a civilian agency like NASA. CMSEO is subordinate to Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC), an agency of the Chinese Communist Party that oversees the Chinese military.

Currently, CMSEO is currently headed by Hao Chun, although the countrys manned space program is commanded by Gen. Li Shangfu, who also is a department director at the CMC.

Underscoring how the Chinese manned space program is inseparable from the Chinese military, the three crew membersNie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongboare former air force pilots of the Chinese military.

They will stay in the stations main living module for three months, the longest stay for any Chinese nationals in space since Beijing launched an astronaut into Earth orbit in 2003. The Chinese space station, named Tiangong, will receive additional modules in 2022.

The International Space Station (ISS), launched in 1998, is a partnership between the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, and member nations of the European Space Agency. China has been barred from taking part in the ISS since 2011, when the United States passed a law banning space cooperation between NASA and Chinese organizations, due to national security concerns.

Chinas actions also spurred distrust leading to its ban from the ISS. In January 2007, China fired an anti-satellite missile against one of its inactive weather satellites, drawing international concern.

Weichert pointed to two Chinese space technologies that could cripple U.S. satellites. First, he said a giant robotic arm10 meters in length, which can lift objects weighing up to 20 tons, according to Chinese state-run mediais attached to the Chinese space station and poses a serious threat.

So China in peacetime could use that grappling arm to help ships dock. But in wartime, they could use that to pluck our satellites from nearby orbits and push them out of orbit or sabotage them, Weichert said.

In April, Army Gen. James Dickinson, commander of the U.S. Space Command, told a Senate hearing (pdf) that Chinas robotic arm technology in space could be used in a future system for grappling other satellites.

The second Chinese technology that poses a threat to U.S. satellites is lasers, Weichert said.

China planners have talked about installing a large laser when their [space] station is completed in orbit. Now, they say in peacetime, the laser would be used to clear orbital debris. But, in wartime, that laser could potentially be used to blind sensitive American satellites in orbit, he said.

In 2018, researchers at Chinas Air Force Engineering University published a paper proposing how a giant laser would be effective to clean space junk and old satellites.

Satellite communication is critical not only for Washington to effectively deploy its forces, but its also vital for the U.S. economy. Weichert said the United States would see its economy sent back to the pre-1970s era without satellites, given that most modern electronic transactions, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), rely on them.

More importantly, China is gaining on U.S. leadership in space, according to Weichert.

Theyre still behind us. But rather than being 18 years behind us, 20 years behind us, theyre only about six or seven years behind us now, he said.

Currently, U.S. policymakers are too small-minded with regard to their space policies, Weichert said. They need to develop systems and doctrines not just to defend U.S. satellites but also U.S. commercial interests in the future.
Workers transport Moderna vaccines shipped from the United States, to Taiwan Air Cargo Terminal at the Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on June 20, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

US Sends Taiwan 2.5 Million Vaccine Doses, Tripling Pledge

TAIPEI, TaiwanThe United States sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

The shipment arrived on a China Airlines cargo plane that had left Memphis the previous day. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan, were among those who welcomed the plane on the tarmac at the airport outside of the capital, Taipei.

Chen said that America was showing its friendship as Taiwan faces its most severe outbreak. When I saw these vaccines coming down the plane, I was really touched, he said over the noise inside a building where the boxes of vaccines, some with U.S. flags on them, had been brought on wheeled dollies.

Taiwans Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (3rd-L) and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan (4th-L) hold up thank you cards as they welcome a China Airlines cargo plane carrying COVID-19 vaccines from Memphis that arrived at the airport outside Taipei in Taiwan, on June 20, 2021. (Taiwan Centers for Disease Control via AP)

Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get vaccines. The COVID-19 death toll on the island of 24 million people has jumped to 549, from only about a dozen prior to the outbreak.

The U.S. donation also signals its support for Taiwan in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory. The United States does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan under what is known as the one-China policy, but is legally bound by its own laws to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

These vaccines are proof of Americas commitment to Taiwan, said Christensen, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy. Taiwan is a family member to the worlds democratic countries.

The United States promised 750,000 vaccine doses for Taiwan earlier this month, sending Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and two of her Senate colleagues to the island aboard a military transport plane to make the announcement. Taiwan has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.

A delegation comprised of Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) (3rd L), Christoper Coons (D-Del.) (3rd R), and Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.) (2nd L), poses for photographs with Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (2nd R) and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen (R) following their arrival at the Songshan Airport in Taipei on June 6, 2021. (Pei Chen/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen said the United States had decided to increase the donation through efforts on both sides over the past two weeks.

In a Facebook post, Tsai joined the United States in drawing attention to their shared democratic systems. The Chinese Communist Party, which has controlled China since 1949, says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and has continued to pressure Taiwan militarily.

Whether it is for regional peace and stability or the virus that is a common human adversary, we will continue to uphold common ideas and work together, Tsai wrote in Chinese.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the presidential office in Taipei on June 20, 2021. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

She has accused the Chinese regime of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, the German co-developer. The Chinese regime has offered Chinese-made vaccines to Taiwan, but the government in Taipei has repeatedly expressed concerns about their safety and efficacy. Taiwanese law also bans the import of Chinese-made medicine.

The U.S. donation follows Japans shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them.

Reuters contributed to this report
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden arrive for a summit at Villa La Grange in Geneva on June 16, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

White House Disputes Reports That It Paused Military Aid to Ukraine

The White House is denying reports that say it blocked military aid to Ukraine ahead of a recent summit featuring President Joe Biden and Russias president.

The idea that we have held back security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

Reports based on anonymous sources claim the White House halted the package, which is believed to be worth up to $100 million and include lethal weapons, after Russia began removing some troops from the RussiaUkraine border.

Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Post that Russian President Vladimir Putins drawdown should not have triggered a drawdown of U.S. support.

Psaki noted that the White House provided a $150 million package to Ukraine, including lethal assistance, before the BidenPutin summit took place.

We have now provided the entire amount appropriated by Congress through the Ukraine security assistance initiative, she said.

We have also prepared contingency funds in the event of a further Russian incursion into Ukraine. As President Biden told President Putin directly, we will stand unwavering in support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Russian and Ukraine tensions have continued for years, heightened after Russia invaded Crimea during the Obama administration. Biden was vice president at the time.

The White House earlier this month said it wouldnt arrange a Biden meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, prior to the U.S.Russia summit. Zelensky told Axios recently that he wanted to speak with Biden about Russia, noting that the White House had waived sanctions on the company and CEO overseeing the construction of Russias Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures during his annual news conference at the Antonov aircraft plant in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 20, 2021. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

The pipeline is a weapon for Russia, Zelensky said, noting that Putin has threatened to cut off access to the pipeline unless Ukraine shows good will, Reuters reported.

Zelensky also said he learned through the press the reason for the sanction withdrawal, which Biden has said was warranted by efforts to improve European relations.

Biden opted to speak with Zelensky by phone, assuring him that hell stand up firmly for the sovereignty of Ukraine, formerly part of the Soviet Union, and also invited Zelensky to visit Washington this summer.

Republicans have accused the Biden administration of being soft on Russia, citing the end of Nord Stream sanctions; the reports that the White House paused security aid drew fresh criticism.

Remember when freezing military aid to Ukraine was an impeachable offense? Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) wrote on Twitter.

Another gift to Russia. We helped Ukraine defend itself, but Biden is now taking us back to American weakness and apologies, added Mike Pompeo, former secretary of state.
White Illinois Farmers Sue Over Race-Based Farm Loan Relief Program

White Illinois farmers are challenging part of the recent COVID-19 stimulus law in court because it allocates federal benefits based on skin color.

The civil rights suit, Kent v. Vilsack, was filed in federal court June 7 by Sacramento, California-based Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a national public-interest law firm. Tom Vilsack is being sued in his official capacity as U.S. secretary of agriculture. The firm has filed two other such lawsuits against Vilsack and expects to file more.

One of the plaintiffs, Ryan Kent of Centralia, Illinois, is a white man who grows soybeans, wheat, and corn on a 5,000-acre farm started by his father. The other plaintiffs are brothersMatthew and Joshua Mortonof Kell, Illinois, who are also white. They also grow soybeans, wheat, and corn on their farm. Like many farmers, all three have been hurt by the pandemic and have a federal farm loan with an outstanding balance.

In Kents situation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved his $90,000 loan in 2010 so he could buy an additional 77 acres for his farming operations. Today, he still owes $43,000a debt that siphons away a significant portion of his monthly income and, in an industry with low profit margins in normal times, has led to economic hardship for his family during the ongoing pandemic.

But then Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law on March 11.

The statute authorizes the federal government to distribute $1.9 trillion in federal funds. Section 1005 of the act directs the secretary to pay up to 120 percent of the outstanding indebtedness of each socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher as of Jan. 1 of this year. Plaintiffs say the program violates the Fifth Amendments due process clause, which requires the U.S. government to practice equal protection.

Section 1005 assumes farmers and ranchers are socially disadvantaged for no other reason than their membership in a racial group, and categorically excludes other farmers and ranchers from loan assistance because they do not belong in a socially disadvantaged racial group, according to the legal complaint.

Farmers and ranchers who are Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander are eligible for loan assistance, regardless of whether they have suffered any racial discrimination in obtaining farm loans, farming, or elsewhere and regardless of their present economic circumstances. Farmers and ranchers who are white are ineligible for loan assistance, regardless of their individual circumstances.

USDA officials estimate 17,000 farmers of color qualify for the loan forgiveness.

PLF attorney Glenn Roper told The Epoch Times in an interview that the program, which he described as racially discriminatory, is unconstitutional.

On the customer data worksheet that you fill out with the USDA, it lists five different races and ethnicities. I think all of them are considered socially disadvantaged under this law, except for if you check the white box.

Filing the lawsuit was the right thing to do, Roper said.

I think its important to help establish this principle that the government should not be involved in drawing distinctions on the basis of race. If they want to give all farmers the aid, they can do that, but they cant say people of a certain ethnic background arent allowed to qualify, he said.

Whether or not its good policy to give taxpayer funds to all the farmers, thats one thing. But we would not have the same constitutional objection to that kind of a law.

Kent is not looking for a handout, Roper said. He took these loans with the intent to pay them back. Its just the inequality and unfairness of forgiving them for one group of his competitors, just because of their race.

In a similar lawsuit, Faust v. Vilsack, U.S. District Judge William Griesbach of Green Bay, Wisconsin, issued a temporary restraining order against the USDA program on June 10.

Plaintiffs are excluded from the program based on their race and are thus experiencing discrimination at the hands of their government, Griesbach wrote.

Congress can implement race-neutral programs to help farmers and ranchers in need of financial assistance, such as requiring individual determinations of disadvantaged status or giving priority to loans of farmers and ranchers that were left out of the previous pandemic relief funding.

It can also provide better outreach, education, and other resources. But it cannot discriminate on the basis of race.

Rick Esenberg of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which represents the plaintiffs, said the court recognized that the federal governments plan to condition and allocate benefits on the basis of race raises grave constitutional concerns and threatens our clients with irreparable harm.

The Biden administration is radically undermining bedrock principles of equality under the law. We look forward to continuing this litigation but urge the administration to change course now.

Roper described the ruling in Faust v. Vilsack as a great decision.

We actually attached it as supplemental authority in one of our farm cases, he said.

The USDA press office didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
AMMAN, Jordan (AP)  Jordan's version of a trial of the century gets under way Monday when a relative of King Abdullah II and a former chief of the royal court are to be ushered into the defendants' cage at the state security court to face charges of sedition and incitement.

They are accused of conspiring with a senior royal  Prince Hamzah, a half-brother of the king  to foment unrest against the monarch while soliciting foreign help.

The palace drama erupted into the open in early April, when Hamzah was placed under house arrest. It has since broken taboos in Jordan and sent jitters through foreign capitals, with Western powers rallying behind Abdullah, an indispensable ally in an unstable region.

The case exposed rivalries in Jordan's traditionally discreet Hashemite dynasty and spawned unprecedented public criticism of the monarch. The defendants are the most senior establishment figures to appear before the security court, which typically goes after drug offenders or suspected militants.

As far as I know, there has not been a case this big in the history of Jordan, said defense lawyer Ala Khasawneh. The state news agency Petra said the trial starts Monday.

The 41-year-old Hamzah is the central figure, though he is not facing charges. In clashing narratives, he is either a champion of ordinary Jordanians suffering from economic mismanagement and corruption, or a disgruntled royal who never forgave Abdullah for taking away his title of crown prince in 2004 in favor of the king's oldest son.

The indictment, leaked to state-linked media, alleges Hamzah was determined to achieve his personal ambition of becoming king. It says the prince and the defendants  Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a royal, and Bassem Awadallah, a former royal adviser  conspired to stir discontent.

Security agencies began monitoring them in mid-March, at a time of public uproar over an oxygen outage at a hospital in the town of Salt that killed eight coronavirus patients.

Hamzah met with bereaved families just after the king visited Salt. The indictment alleged that the prince took advantage of the families pain to spread a populist message.

Hamzah's popularity stems from ties he has nurtured with Jordan's tribes, the bedrock of Hashemite rule. Atef Majali, a tribal leader in the town of Karak, said he and other sheikhs have met with the prince more than a dozen times over the years, but denied the king was criticized at these events.

The indictment alleged that Hamzah and the two defendants were working on social media messages the prince was to post, with the aim of inciting some groups in society against the ruling system and state agencies.

Hamzah has denied sedition claims, saying he is being punished for calling out corruption and mismanagement.

On April 3, the day he was placed under house arrest, more than a dozen tribal and public figures were arrested, including his chief aide. Only Awadallah and bin Zaid remain in detention.

The prince is not in legal trouble, with the king saying the matter is being dealt with by the family and that his half-brother remains under his care. The royal court has declined comment when asked if Hamzah can leave his Amman palace or communicate with others. Atef Majali said Hamzah's staff was not allowed back to work.

Khasawneh, who represents bin Zaid, a distant cousin of the king, said his client is in shock" and plans to plead not guilty. In addition to sedition and incitement, Bin Zaid is also charged with narcotics possession after two pieces of hashish were allegedly found in his home.

The lawyer said he plans to call Hamzah to the stand  potentially amplifying the sensationalist nature of the trial. It's not clear if the palace, eager to tamp down the crisis, would allow the prince to make his case on such a public stage.

Khasawneh said his client plans to fight the charges and brushed aside questions about a possible plea deal. During security court trials, defendants stand in a courtroom cage. Awadallah and bin Zaid are expected to be confined to the cage as well, wearing the blue uniforms of detainees, said former state security court president Mohammad al-Afeef, who represents Awadallah. The defendants, who are held at an intelligence compound in Amman, face up to 20 years in prison.

In the days leading up to the trial, a broader narrative has surfaced, though it is only alluded to in the indictment.

In this version, the alleged conspirators sought foreign help to exploit the king's perceived vulnerability at a time when he was under pressure from the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to accept a now-defunct Trump administration Mideast plan often referred to as the Deal of the Century. Jordan has expressed concern that the plan would weaken the monarch's historic role as guardian of major Muslim and Christian sites in contested Jerusalem and a pillar of Hashemite claims to legitimacy.

Allegations about foreign outreach focus on Awadallah, who holds Jordanian, U.S. and Saudi citizenship, once served as the king's official envoy to Saudi Arabia and has close ties to Saudi Arabias powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

In Jordan, Awadallah has been widely blamed for economic policies seen as mainly benefiting the rich and has been dogged by corruption suspicions. In Riyadh, he had been visibly involved in efforts to draw foreign investments.

The indictment alleges that Hamzah and bin Zaid invited Awadallah to join them because of his foreign ties. At one point, Hamzah allegedly asked Awadallah: If something happened to me in Jordan, will the Saudi officials help me or not?

Saudi Arabia, a major financial backer of Jordan, immediately sent its foreign minister to the kingdom after the crisis erupted, publicly reaffirming support for the king.

Mohammed Momani, a member of Jordan's senate and a former information minister, maintained that there was a link between the alleged sedition plot and regional politics.

When you see that Jordan is under pressure from its major allies because of the Deal of the Century, then you probably saw this as an opening or as a possibility or an opportunity to solicit some support from the outside world, alleged Momani, who said he was briefed on the investigation.

Momani alleged that bin Zaid had approached a foreign embassy, trying to ask them for their reaction" if the alleged conspirators put their plan into motion. He did not identify the embassy.

Jordanian officials have said the alleged plot was uncovered in time but posed a threat to stability.

Critics said claims of a threat seem overblown, noting that any plot would have required the backing of the security forces.

I cannot find any evidence that would lead to this kind of trial, political analyst Amer Sabaileh said. He and Momani are among 92 members of a political reform committee formed by the king to deal with the crisis.

Sabaileh said the saga may have caused lasting damage.

It has opened the Hashemites' door for ordinary people to look inside, and I think this is not good, regardless of how it happened," he said. Its better for this family to be united and not to show that there is this kind of competition or sense of revenge."

___

Associated Press writers Omar Akour in Amman and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.
NORWALK  A survey asking city middle and high school students about substance abuse and their sexuality has sparked concerns among parents, while the public and medias access to the document has been restricted because officials say the material is copyrighted.

The digital survey, usually conducted in school districts every two years, is being completed this month in Norwalks middle and high schools.

In the last survey, conducted in 2018, parents were concerned about questions regarding sexual activity posed to middle schoolers, according to Margaret Watt, a staff member with The Norwalk Partnership, which funds the survey through the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Drug-Free Communities Support Program.

This year, those questions were excluded and one about sexual identity was added.

Hearst Connecticut Media was given permission to view the survey, but was not allowed a copy nor granted permission to republish it.

According to the survey, the question about sexuality asks students: Which of these describes you?

The students were given these options for answers: Straight (not gay, lesbian, or bisexual); gay; lesbian; bisexual; pansexual; demisexual; asexual; queer; I am not sure yet; and choose not to answer. The students were also given the option to self describe where they could type in their response.

Sarah Johnson, a Norwalk resident and mother of a seventh- and 10th-grader, said she understood some of the substance use questions for high schoolers but felt them unnecessary for middle schoolers.

My 12-year-old was like, I dont know how to process that, Johnson said. They were bewildered. They chuckled, but were also like, Why do they think they would do that?

Johnson said she found the sexuality question horrible.

We were told it was a school climate survey, but every one Ive done is, Do you feel safe at school?, Do your teachers respect you? Johnson said. We were given the option to opt out but no place on that email were we shown the questions. Yes, I couldve opted out but nowhere did I know what I was opting out of.

After speaking at a BOE meeting on June 8 against the survey, Johnson, along with other Roton Middle School parents, received an email from BOE member Mike Barbis stating the parents concerns resulted in a postponement of the survey being administered at Nathan Hale Middle School.

The last time a survey like this was proposed (by Norwalk ACTS), I was Chair and it was clear there were not enough Board votes to approve ... the survey did not take place, Barbis wrote in the email shared with Hearst Connecticut Media. The composition and leadership of the Board has since changed dramatically to a much more liberal, woke side. 4 of the 9 Board of Ed members will be elected on this November 2, 2021.

Barbis also said that while the central office and the company handling the survey seemed under the assumption the survey was supported by the BOE, no vote was taken on the survey by board members.

Its the issue of representation in society, Watt said. Most kids by middle school have a sense of what their identity is. Its not what they might think of as a stereotypical identity. Having options other than straight or gay can be helpful to see thats potentially normal and thats OK.

Watt said members of the public cannot obtain a physical copy of the survey because the material is copyrighted by Search Institute, which created the questionnaire.

The Search Institute confirmed the survey was not to be published, but Watt said parents can contact their childrens school to view a copy of the survey.

So far, two students have opted out of the survey from Norwalk High School, five from Brien McMahon, one from West Rocks Middle School and five from Ponus Ridge Middle School, Martinez said.

So far, the numbers are very low, James Martinez, Norwalks director of school counseling, said of the amount of completed surveys.

As of last Wednesday, Watt said three middle school parents had contacted principals with concerns regarding the survey questions.

The survey has stirred an online debate, with one Norwalk parents Facebook post generating more than 225 comments and several emails sent to city officials regarding the questionnaire. While some parents expressed concern, others supported the survey, and some wondered whether students would respond honestly to the questions.

This years survey had five modules: Developmental relationships, drug-free communities, COVID-19, racial injustice and supplemental questions. Of the five modules, the COVID and racial injustice questions were reserved for high school students, Watt said.

This provides an opportunity for student voice that complements our climate and other surveys, said Yvette Goorevitch, the school districts chief of specialized learning and student services. Adding student voice to the data we think is critical.

The results will be shared with the Board of Education and the public two to three weeks after the survey is completed, Goorevitch said.

BOE Chairman Colin Hosten said the survey was optional, pointing out some families chose not to have their children participate when it was administered in 2018.

Each school informed families last month about the survey and parents were given the option to not have their children participate, according to Watt, who said students can skip questions or opt out of the entire survey.

This years survey was administered to Norwalk students in seventh to 11th grades. In all, about 3,400 students will be included.

While the survey responses are anonymous, determining the number of students who identify as a minority group or are already using substances can help shape the health curriculum and resources the schools provide, Watt said.

We are trying to prevent risky behaviors in youth and trying to do it in an informed way, she said. We are doing focus groups and gathering data that lets us hone in on strategies the community needs. Thats the story. This data is going to help target messages and strategies, help develop plans, its already brought in money.

Sarah Waters, a parent of four Norwalk Public Schools students, said she received an email from the school district, alerting her of the survey and instructions how her children can opt out.

A nurse practitioner and mother of a first-grader, two middle school students and an 11th-grader, Waters said she understands the value of the sexuality questions.

I value mental health, the social emotional learning in the classroom, she said. I think its an integral part. I dont know how you can have a human education without that piece. I think theyre parents who are worried, and theyre parents who are confused and dont like what they saw in terms of the language that was used or questions that were asked, but this survey and versions of it have been going on for years.

The Norwalk Partnership, which works to prevent substance abuse and misuse among youth and young adults, is funding the survey through the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Drug-Free Communities Support Program, Watt said.

Following the 2018 survey and findings, the city received the Drug-Free Communities funding, which supplies the Norwalk Partnership with $125,000 annually for five years, Watt said.

The survey, dubbed the Developmental Relationships Survey, was purchased from the Search Institute, which also created the 2018 questionnaire. The base-level survey costs $800, plus $1.50 per additional survey over 500 participants, with the option to add other modules and customization, according to the companys website.

It is a typical process, Watt said of the survey. Youth are surveyed in most towns. Norwalk didnt have a grant to support it until 2018. This next go-around gives information used to inform the schools, gives a health curriculum  what do students need?

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP)  Fear has invaded the Mexican border city of Reynosa after gunmen in vehicles killed 14 people, including taxis drivers, workers and a nursing student, and security forces responded with operations that left four suspects dead.

While this city across the border from McAllen, Texas is used to cartel violence as a key trafficking point, the 14 victims in Saturday's attacks appeared to be what Tamaulipas Gov. Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca called innocent citizens rather than members of one gang killed by a rival.

Local businessman Misael Chavarria Garza said many businesses closed early Saturday after the attacks and people were very scared as helicopters flew overhead. On Sunday, he said "the people were quiet as if nothing had happened, but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people.

Its not fair, said taxi driver Rene Guevara, adding that among the dead were two of his fellow taxi drivers whom he defended and said were not involved in crime.

The attacks took place in several neighborhoods in eastern Reynosa, according to the Tamaulipas state agency that coordinates security forces, and sparked a deployment of the military, National Guard and state police across the city. Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets.

Authorities say they are investigating the attacks and haven't provided a motive.

But the areas criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf Cartel and there have been fractures within that group. Experts say there has been an internal struggle within the group since 2017 to control key territories for drug and human trafficking. Apparently, one cell from a nearby town may have entered Reynosa to carry out the attacks.

Olga Ruiz, whose 19-year-old brother Fernando Ruiz was killed by the gunmen, said her sibling was working as a plumber and bricklayer in a company owned by his stepfather to pay for his studies.

They killed him in cold blood, he and two of his companions, said Olga Ruiz, adding that the gunmen arrived where her brother was fixing a drain.

They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: son, you have to take shelter. So he asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived, Ruiz said. They stopped in front of them and started to shoot.

On Saturday, authorities detained a person who was transporting two apparently kidnapped women in the trunk of a car.

Security is one of the great challenges facing the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He has assured Mexicans that he is fighting the root causes of the violence and since the beginning of his administration in December 2018, he has advocated hugs, not bullets in dealing with criminals. He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities.

But the violence continues.

Criminal organizations must receive a clear, explicit and forceful signal from the Federal Government that there will be no room for impunity, nor tolerance for their reprehensible criminal behavior, said Garcia Cabeza de Vaca of the rival National Action Party. In my government there will be no truce for the violent.

But Garcia Cabeza de Vaca himself is being investigated by the federal prosecutors office for organized crime and money laundering - accusations he says are part of plan by Lopez Obrador's government to attack him for being an opponent.

Tamaulipas - the state where the Zetas cartel arose and where the Gulf Cartel continues to operate - has seen several of its past governors from the Institutional Revolutionary Party accused of corruption and links to organized crime. One former governor, Tomas Yarrington, was extradited to the United States from Italy in 2018 on drug trafficking charges.

__

Associated Press journalist Maria Verza contributed to this report.
The New York City Parks Department and the Japanese clothing company, UNIQLO, announced a new public art program today. They awarded grants to 10 artists to create installations in city parks this coming summer. Seward Park on the Lower East Side is one of the beneficiaries of the project.

Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong proposed, Constellation, an architectural sculpture, performance and panel series that will activate the underused plaza in front of the Seward Park Library. It will be made up of, interlocked wooden modules that will be re-arranged and transformed seasonally in three different configurations over the course of the exhibition.

The program is part of a larger city initiative to bring public arts to parks that have, according to a press release, historically lacked cultural programming. $200,000 has been made available during the next couple of years to 20 artists. They each receive $10,000.

The first wave of artists were chosen through an open application process by a committee of arts professionals, along with city and UNIQLO representatives. An application period for the second round will begin later this year.

Installation of the piece will begin in June.
Construction crews are racing to finish the first phase of Essex Crossing next year. Hundreds of apartments, a 14-screen movie theater, an NYU ambulatory care center and a Trader Joes are all part of the huge development project. But one question still remains just a few months from opening day: Who will occupy a 15,000 square foot cultural space at 242 Broome St.?

During the past couple of years, the International Center of Photography (ICP) has been weighing whether to establish a new museum in the Essex Crossing complex, and whether to relocate its school from Midtown Manhattan. Now theres a new clue about ICPs intentions. Commercial Observer reports:

The 43-year-old institution signed a contract to purchase two commercial condominium unitsone retail unit and one community facility unitin the base of the residential condo tower at 242 Broome Street, according to public records.

A check of the NYC Department of Finance database shows that ICP signed a contract for the condo units with Delancey Street Associates (the development consortium) on Oct. 3. A spokesperson for the development team declined to comment. Commercial Observer contacted ICP, but there was no response. There is, of course, a big difference between signing an agreement to purchase a property and actually acquiring the property. So its not a done deal yet.

ICP currently has a museum space at 250 Bowery. The institution has been looking to move its school and administrative offices, currently located at 1114 Sixth Avenue. Back in January, ICP Executive Director Mark Lubell told us the move to Essex Crossing was dependent on the success of a capital campaign. At the time, he said he expected the board of directors to make a decision no later than the summer of this year.

The Essex Crossing museum space sits just to the north of a 14-story condo tower at 242 Broome St. There are four levels set aside for commercial space in the residential building. This past spring, Curbed toured the construction site. The real estate blog reported, The cultural center will be separated from the main structure by what the architects call Soho Stairsa long, vertical, continuous flight of stairs that can be used to access the different floors of the institution.

The Essex Crossing cultural facility was originally going to be an annex of the Warhol Museum, but the Pittsburgh-based institution backed out of the project in 2015.
East Side Coastal Resiliency Project

New York, New York

December 6, 2019

This provides notice that the City of New Yorks Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as the Responsible Entity, as that term is identified by 24 CFR 58.2(a)(7)(i), together with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks), has issued a Joint Record of Decision (ROD) and Findings Statement that formally selects Alternative 4 as the Preferred Alternative to be implemented along a portion of the east side of Manhattan and related improvements to City infrastructure. OMB is the grantee of United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds appropriated by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Pub. L. 113-2, approved January 29, 2013) related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (Stafford Act) in calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013. OMB implements HUDs obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through duly authorized Certifying Officers.

The Joint ROD and Findings Statement was prepared pursuant to City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR), Mayoral Executive Order No. 91 of 1977, and the City Environmental Quality Review Rules of Procedure found at Title 62, Chapter 5 of the Rules of the City of New York (CEQR), and in accordance with SEQRA [New York Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Article 8 (8-0101-8-0117)]. NYC Parks, as Lead Agency under SEQRA/CEQR, together with OMB, as Lead Agency under NEPA, has given consideration to the facts and conclusions relied upon in the FEIS and determined that the requirements of CEQR and Article 8, Section 8-0109 of the ECL and implementing regulations (6 NYCRR Part 617) have been met.

Pursuant to 24 CFR Section 58.43, this Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI RROF) satisfies procedural requirements for project activities proposed to be undertaken by OMB.

Project Title: East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project

Purpose: The purpose of the proposed project is to address coastal flooding vulnerability in a manner that reduces the flooding risk while enhancing waterfront open spaces and access to the waterfront.

Location: Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York

Project Description: On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall, greatly impacting the east side of Manhattan and highlighting the need for the City of New York (the City) to increase its efforts to protect vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure during major storm events. Hurricane Sandy, a presidentially declared disaster, caused extensive coastal flooding, resulting in significant damage to residential and commercial property, open space, transportation, power, and water and sewer infrastructure, which in turn affected medical and other essential services. As part of its plan to address vulnerability to such major flooding, the City is proposing the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project (the proposed project), which involves the construction of a coastal flood protection system along a portion of the east side of Manhattan and related improvements to City infrastructure. The Preferred Alternative for the proposed project is Alternative 4: Flood Protection System with a Raised East River Park.

The proposed project area begins at Montgomery Street to the south and extends north along the waterfront to East 25th Street and is composed of two sub-areas: Project Area One and Project Area Two. Project Area One extends from Montgomery Street on the south to the north end of John V. Lindsay East River Park (East River Park) at about East 13th Street. Project Area One is approximately 61 acres and consists primarily of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt East River Drive (the FDR Drive) right-of-way, a portion of Pier 42 and Corlears Hook Park as well as East River Park. The majority of Project Area One is within East River Park and includes four existing pedestrian bridges across the FDR Drive to East River Park (Corlears Hook, Delancey Street, East 6th Street, and East 10th Street Bridges) and the Houston Street overpass. Project Area Two is approximately 21 acres and extends north and east from Project Area One, from East 13th Street to East 25th Street. In addition to the FDR Drive right-of-way, Project Area Two includes the Consolidated Edison Company of New York (Con Edison) East 13th Street Substation and the East River Generating Station, Murphy Brothers Playground, Stuyvesant Cove Park, Asser Levy Recreational Center and Playground, and in-street segments along East 20th Street, East 25th Street, and along and under the FDR Drive. The proposed flood protection system is completed on the north with a connection to the existing U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center flood protection system.

The area that would be protected under the Preferred Alternative (the protected area) includes lands within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year special flood hazard area (SFHA). In addition, the protected area also takes into consideration the 90th percentile projection of sea level rise to the 2050s. Based on these assumptions, the protected area includes portions of the Lower East Side and East Village neighborhoods, Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village as well as East River Park and Stuyvesant Cove Park inland of the flood alignment. Within the project area, the City is proposing to install a flood protection system generally located within City parkland and streets, which would consist of a combination of floodwalls, levees, closure structures (e.g., floodgates), and other infrastructure improvements to reduce the risk of flooding. The Preferred Alternative would raise the majority of East River Park by approximately eight feet and would limit the length of exposed wall between the community and the waterfront to provide for improved neighborhood connectivity and integration. In addition to providing a reliable coastal flood protection system for this area, another goal of the proposed project is to improve open spaces and enhance access to the waterfront, including East River Park and Stuyvesant Cove Park.

Subsequent to the FEIS, the City identified a phased construction approach in Project Area One for the Preferred Alternative where substantial portions of East River Park would be kept open throughout the construction period to partially mitigate significant adverse construction effects on open space resources. As with the construction schedule presented in the FEIS, activities under the revised construction phasing plan would commence in March 2020 and the flood protection system would be in place by the hurricane season of 2023. Although access and open space improvements for the entire project area would not be completed until 2025 under the revised construction phasing plan, unlike the previous construction plan, a substantial part of East River Park would always be available for public use during the construction period. The details of the modified Preferred Alternative, including the revised construction phasing plan, have been analyzed in a Technical Memorandum. As presented in the Technical Memorandum, the modified Preferred Alternative would not result in any new or different significant adverse effects not already identified in the FEIS.

A Programmatic Agreement (PA) has also been prepared for the proposed project. A draft of the PA was included in the FEIS; the PA has been executed among OMB, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (SHPO), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and also signed by five consulting parties  NYC Parks, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), The Municipal Art Society, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative (LESPI), and the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

The City has entered into a grant agreement with HUD to disburse $338 million of CDBG-DR funds for the design and construction of the proposed project. The City is the grantee of CDBG-DR funds related to Hurricane Sandy for the development of a coastal flood protection system, which would be provided to the City through OMB, acting under HUDs authority.

Estimated Project Cost: approximately $1.45 billion

Availability of Joint Record of Decision and Findings Statement

This is to give notice that OMB has prepared a Joint ROD and Findings Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 USC  4321 et seq.) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA 40 CFR Parts 1500 to 1508. This Joint ROD and Findings Statement is also prepared in accordance with SEQRA [New York Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Article 8 (8-0101-8-0117)], and pursuant to City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR), Mayoral Executive Order No. 91 of 1977, and the City Environmental Quality Review Rules of Procedure found at Title 62, Chapter 5 of the Rules of the City of New York.

Public Review: The Environmental Review Record (ERR) for this project, which includes the ROD, Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), and Technical Memorandum 001, is available online at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cdbgdr/documents/environmental-records.page. Hard copies of the ERR documentation are available for public review during regular business hours at:

Office of Management and Budget, 255 Greenwich Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10007;

NYC Parks, The Arsenal, Central Park, 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 401, New York, NY 10065;

New York Public Library  Seward Park Branch, 192 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002; and

New York Public Library  Epiphany Branch, 228 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010.

Further information may be requested by writing to the New York City Office of Management and Budget, c/o Calvin Johnson, Assistant Director CDBG-Dr, 255 Greenwich Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10007, or by emailing CDBGDR-Enviro@omb.nyc.gov. This combined notice is being sent to individuals and groups known to be interested in these activities, local news media, appropriate local, state, and federal agencies, the regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency having jurisdiction, and to the HUD Field Office, and is being published in newspapers of general circulation in the affected community and the City, in compliance with the ESCR Citizen Participation Plan.

Public Comments: Any individual, group or agency may submit comments on the ROD and NOI RROF via the following methods:

Mail comments to New York City Office of Management and Budget, c/o Calvin Johnson, Assistant Director CDBG-DR, 255 Greenwich Street, 8 th Floor, New York, NY 10007

Floor, New York, NY 10007 Submit comments online at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/escr/index.page

Submit comments via email at CDBGDR-Enviro@omb.nyc.gov

All comments should be received by December 23, 2019, or fifteen (15) days from the actual date of publication, whichever is later, to be considered by OMB prior to authorizing submission of a Request for Release of Funds and Environmental Certification to HUD. If modifications result from public comment, these will be made prior to proceeding with the expenditure of funds. Once complete, responses to comments will be published on the following website: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cdbgdr/documents/environmental-records.page.

Request for Release of Funds and Certification

On or about January 2, 2020, OMBs certifying officer will submit a request and certification to HUD for the release of CDBG-DR funds in the amount of $338 million as authorized by related laws and policies for the purpose of implementing the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project.

Environmental Certification: OMB certifies to HUD that Melanie Hartzog, in her capacity as Certifying Officer, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUDs approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows OMB to use CDBG-DR program funds.

Objection to Release of Funds: HUD will consider objections to its release of funds and OMBs certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date of the Request for Release of Funds or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of OMB; (b) OMB has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.

Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Tennille Smith Parker, Director, Disaster Recovery and Special Issues Division, Office of Block Grant Assistance, at U.S Department of Housing & Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Rm. 7272, Washington, DC 20410; Phone: (202) 402-4649. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

City of New York: Bill de Blasio, Mayor

Melanie Hartzog, Director, Office of Management and Budget

Mitchell Silver, Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

Date: December 6, 2019

*This is a paid public notice.
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Man electrocuted while repairing home jacuzzi

PHUKET: Police are investigating what had led to a man being electrocuted while repairing a home jacuzzi in Cherng Talay yesterday (June 19).

accidentsconstructiondeathpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Sunday 20 June 2021, 03:21PM

The hot tub Mr Surapol was working on when he was electrocuted. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The hot tub Mr Surapol was working on when he was electrocuted. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Capt Yannaphat Malai of the Cherng Talay Police was called to the home, in Soi Pasak 8/2, Moo 4, Cherng Talay, after the mans body was found at about 6:50pm last night.

Police together with Kusoldharm rescue workers arrived to find the body of Surapol Samthong, 45, originally from Trang, beside the sunken tub in an area under the floor.

After rescue workers safely recovered Mr Surapols body, forensic doctors from Vachira Phuket Hospital were called to examine the body. They found marks on Mr Surapols right hand indicating that he had suffered an electric shock. Mr Surapols body was taken to Thalang Hospital for further examination.

Kunpiya Ragon, 38, originally from Surat Thani, who rents the home, told police that she asked the housing project manager to call a technician to repair the jacuzzi at about 11am.

The technician, Mr Surapol, arrived at about midday and started working on the repairs, she said.

At about 6pm, her husband walked in to see the technician and found him dead, so he shut off the power to the house and called police, Ms Kunpiya said.
Tourism authorities expect 600,000 tourists from Phuket Sandbox

PHUKET: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are expecting the Phuket Tourism Sandbox reopening planned for July 1 to attract more than 600,000 foreign and local tourists to Phuket and generate a cash flow of about B15 billion in the next three months.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Sunday 20 June 2021, 06:57PM

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said the TAT predicted about 129,000 foreign tourist arrivals and 500,000 Thais will visit Phuket between July and September, said a report by state news agency NNT.

From July 1, Phuket will waive quarantine requirements for foreign tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under the Phuket Tourism Sandbox model. The main goal is to be able to revive the local economy and prevent the spread of the pandemic at the same time. The model is being touted as a model for the reopening of the tourism industry, said the report.

Governor Narong added that all parties are speeding up preparations to ensure the reopening proceeds smoothly as planned, stressing that strict disease control measures must remain in place so that the province would not be put in a lockdown again, the report continued.

According to a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket), Governor Narong yesterday also repeated the main criteria for foreign tourists to be allowed into Phuket.

According to the PR Phuket report, joining Governor Narong for the announcement were Phuket Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong.

The report marked nine criteria for accepting foreign tourists, all of which Governor Narong already announced on Friday, and have been reported previously, and have already been reported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which now appears to be the designated agency for announcing the entry criteria for foreign tourists in English. (See the full list here.)

GAPS IN CHECKING DOMESTIC ARRIVALS

While officials yesterday were focussing on the entry requirements for foreign tourists after July 1, not explained was how a student had returned home to Phuket from Yala, where he attended a school that had shut down due to a COVID cluster outbreak.

With the TAT now expecting 500,000 domestic tourists to come to Phuket from July through September, the checks on domestic arrivals entering the province becomes increasingly important

Under a provincial order issued on June 1, revising the longstanding requirements for domestic arrivals, all domestic travellers with the exception of children under 5 years old entering through any port of entry on Phuket must be fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Royal Thai Government or have documentation proving they have tested negative for the virus via a RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen Test no more than seven days before departing the province where the domestic traveller started their journey to Phuket.

Those who had recovered from COVID-19 no more than 90 days before arriving are also allowed to enter Phuket.

If the above requirements cannot be met the travellers are required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days. Where the Disease Control Officer has issued an order to quarantine in the accommodation (Home Quarantine for Phuket residents or Hotel Quarantine for Domestic visitors) the traveller is to be monitored by officers of the Sub-District Center (EOC, Sub-District, municipality, sub-district administrative organisation) throughout the period of quarantine, said the order.

According to the timeline of the students movements released by Phuket health officials on Friday, the student had returned from Yala on June 13, but then presented himself at Thalang Hospital the next day for a rapid antigen test for no apparent reason.

According to the timeline of Case 689, the 19-year-old student who lives with his family in Tambon Thepkrasattri in Phuket, received his first vaccination injection on May 22.

From May 23-26, he stayed at home in Tambon Thepkrasattri. On May 27, he travelled to Tahfisul Quran Margkas Yala School in Yala Province, staying one night in Hat Yai en route.

From May 28-June 12, the the student attended classes at Tahfisul Quran Margkas Yala School in Yala Province, said teh timeline, but noting that the school was closed on June 10 after students were confirmed COVID positive.

On June 13, the student travelled back to Phuket. He sat next to the driver. Also in the van were four fellow students, of whom three exited the van in Krabi and one exited the van in Phang Nga.

The student stayed at a house in Thepkrasattri organised by the students father. The accommodation was separate from the students family home, the timeline reported.

On June 14, the student went to Thalang Hospital for a rapid antigen test, but no rapid tests were available, so he returned home, the report said. The student did not give a reason why he wanted a test, the timeline added.

That same day the student started feeling unwell, with headaches and aches and pains, and learned that his friend who was travelling in the same van as him but who exited the van in Phang Nga had now been confirmed COVID positive in Phang Nga.The father came to stay with the student at the home, but stayed in a separate room, the timeline said.

The next day, June 15, the student went back to Thalang Hospital and told medical staff that he had had close contact with people who had been confirmed as COVID positive. He was given a rapid antigen test, and tested positive, hence medical staff took a swab sample for an RT-PCR test.

On June 16, staff at the hospital confirmed the student was COVID positive, said the timeline, which was released three days later.

Of note, also on Friday, Phuket health officials issued an alert calling for all people who may have had contact with the student to present themselves at the nearest hospital for testing.

The notice was marked, Urgent!!

People were advised to call 094-5855321 for more information.
The opening night will take place on Tuesday, June 22, and will feature a screening of the documentary Wuhan Wuhan hosted by director Yung Chang.
Lightning illuminates the sky over Ile Perrot during recent thunderstorms. There have not been too many storms this season to date, but a frontal boundary is poised to generate severe thunderstorms Monday afternoon across southern Quebec. Be alert to rapidly changing weather conditions if you have any outdoor activities planned for Monday. The strongest storms are expected between noon and 6pm.
The survey revealed that 74% of entrepreneurs plan to keep offering their employees the ability to work remotely, even once it is safe to return to the office.
05:56:50 AM

Feels Like:

Today

Sunny. High near 85F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

A clear sky. Low 61F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Mainly sunny. High 86F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Anti-government protesters took to the streets in more than a score of cities across Brazil on Saturday as the nation's confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million  a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaro's attempt to minimize the disease.

Thousands gathered in downtown Rio de Janeiro waving flags with slogans such as Get out Bolsonaro. Government of hunger and unemployment.

Brazil is experiencing a great setback. The country was an exemplary country for vaccination in the world. We have widely recognized institutions, but today we are in a sad situation , said Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who joined the protest in Rio.

Other marchers hoisted posters reading: 500 thousand deaths. Its his fault, alluding to Bolsonaro.

Similar marches took place in at least 22 or Brazil's 26 states, as well as in the Federal District, Brasilia. They were promoted by left-wing opposition parties who have been heartened by Bolsonaro's declining poll ratings with next year's presidential race looming.

Get out Bolsonaro, genocidal, yelled Rio demonstrators, some of them wearing t-shirts or masks with the image of former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva  who leads Bolsonaro in some polls.

In Sao Paulo, protesters dropped red balloons as a tribute to the victims of the virus

Bolsonaro's supporters have taken more often to the streets over the past month, in large part because many agree with his dismissal of restrictions meant to stifle the coronavirus and anger that lockdown measures have hurt businesses.

Critics say such messages, as well as Bolsonaro's promotion of disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the soaring death toll and a sluggish vaccine campaign that has fully inoculated less than 12% of the population. The country of some 213 million people is registering nearly 100,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths a day.

For the leftists, putting their followers in the streets is a way of wearing Bolsonaro down for the election," said Leandro Consentino, a political science professor at Insper, a university in Sao Paulo. But at the same, time they are contradicting themselves and losing the discourse of maintaining health care, because they are causing the same agglomerations as Bolsonaro.

Saturday's marches came a week after Bolsonaro led a massive motorcycle parade of supporters in Sao Paulo, though his allies and foes differ dramatically on the size of that event.

Bolsonaro needs to show that he maintains significant support to give a message of strength to those who are investigating the actions of his government in Congress, Consentino said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  For 20 years, Sacramentos Black community has organized a Juneteenth festival to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

The celebration features a parade, talent show, food and health fair, and even a golf tournament. Its a meaningful undertaking for Gary Simon, executive director of the event, but this years Juneteenth carried even more significance for him.

This is the first Juneteenth where its being recognized nationally and socially, by the masses and not just within our community, Simon said. Weve seen an uptick in non-Black folks coming here for the last several years, and Im seeing the difference in just the conversations taking place today.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. It was about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Southern states.

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a bill creating Juneteenth National Independence Day. Since June 19 fell on a Saturday, the government observed the holiday Friday.

Santa Clara County became the first county in the state to close offices and give employees the day off with pay to recognize the holiday.

In San Francisco, an art installation inspired by America's moment of racial reckoning was unveiled on the eve of Juneteenth. The work consisting of 350 sculptures, representing the first Africans who were sold into slavery, surrounded the site of a Francis Scott Key sculpture that was toppled by protesters angered by the police killing of George Floyd a year ago.

Juneteenth offered the first major opportunity to party in public after California lifted all coronavirus restrictions and reopened Tuesday.

In the Los Angeles area, people flocked to a car parade in Inglewood and a jubilant street festival in Leimert Park, the civic heart of the city's Black community, as it reopened Saturday for the first time in three years.
EDWARDSVILLE  Forgery charges were filed recently against a Granite City woman.

Sierra L. Carpenter, 34, of the 2700 block of Dale Avenue, Granite City, was charged June 17 with forgery, a Class 3 felony.

The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department.

According to court documents, on June 16 Carpenter attempted to pass a bad check for $290.

Bail was set at $20,000.

In an unrelated case, Kaitlyn B. Doht, 29, of Mount Olive, was charged with forgery, a Class 3 felony.

The case was presented by the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

According to court documents, on May 17 Doht attempted to pass a bad check for $1,209.25 at a local Walmart.

Bail was set at $30,000.

Other felony charges filed June 17 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office included:

 Dustin A. Singleton, 26, of the first block of Mather Street, Alton, was charged with burglary, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on May 16 Singleton entered the Walgreens at 2610 State St., Alton, to commit theft. Bail was set at $60,000.

 William L. Carter, 43, of OFallon, Missouri, was charged with deceptive practices, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Illinois State Police. According to court documents, on Nov. 23 Carter attempted to pass bad checks to R.P. Lumber Co., 514 E. Vandalia, Edwardsville. Bail was set at $15,000.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Missouri man was charged Thursday with multiple drug and weapons charges in two separate incidents in Alton.

Demontez L. Spruill, 19, of Maryland Heights, Missouri, was charged June 17 with armed violence, a Class X felony; aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class 3 felony; and, aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony.

The cases were presented by the Alton Police Department.

According to court documents, on June 13 Spruill fired a handgun in the direction of another person.

On June 15 Spruill was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Glock 19X 9mm handgun in his vehicle without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license, and more than 30 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver.

Bail was set at $100,000 for the June 13 case and at $150,000 for the June 15 incident.

Other felony charges filed June 17 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Andre W. Bell, 31, of the first block of Country Club View, Edwardsville, was charged with unlawful vehicular invasion, a Class 1 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. According to court documents, on June 17 Bell used force to reach into another persons vehicle to commit theft or felony. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Darron J. Murphy II, 41, of the 2100 block of Edison Avenue, Granite City, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony; and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on June 16 Murphy was found to be in possession of a .380 caliber handgun, and less than five grams of methamphetamine. It was noted that he has a prior conviction for aggravated domestic battery out of Madison County in 2017, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $70,000.

 Demarrea L. Williams, 30, of the 1400 block of 7th Street, Madison, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Pontoon Beach Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 3 Williams was found to be in possession of a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun. It was noted he has a prior conviction for possession of a weapon by a felon out of Madison County in 2010. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Antonio M. Brown, 20, of the 1200 block of W. 9th Street, Alton, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on June 15 Brown was found to be in possession of a loaded and accessible Kel-Tec PMR30 .22 caliber handgun in a vehicle without a Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry license; and, less than 15 grams of oxycodone. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Christopher L. Crider, 34, of the 2800 block of Buxton Avenue, Granite City, was charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Pontoon Beach Police Department. According to court documents, on April 3 and April 8 Crider violated an order of protection by calling a protected person 22 times and sending numerous text messages. It was noted he has convictions for domestic battery out of Madison County in 2014 and 2018, and a conviction for violation of an order of protection out of Madison County in 2019. He was also charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection on May 4 and June 3, both incidents were handled by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. Bail in the latest charge was set at $30,000.

 Robert J. Williamson, 31, of the 100 block of W. Lincoln Street, Collinsville, was charged with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on June 16 Williamson struck a household or family member in the face and hands and pushed her to the ground. It was noted that he has a prior conviction for aggravated domestic battery out of Madison County on Dec. 4, 2020. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Daniel R. Rice, 41, of the 1100 block of Williams Street, Collinsville, was charged with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on June 8 Rice, who was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse/bodily harm in Madison County and is listed as a non-compliant sexual predator, failed to register within three days of establishing a residence. Bail was set at $30,000.

 Robert J. Hamner Jr., 33, of the first block of Red Rose Drive, Collinsville, was charged with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on May 13 Hamner, who was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse/victim 13-16, and is listed as a non-compliant sexual predator, failed to register annually with the police department. Bail was set at $30,000.
Kathleen Bolinski has no doubt that shell shed some tears when she walks out the door on her final day with the Diocese of Scranton.

After eight years, Bolinski will say goodbye to her job as safe environment coordinator this summer and head into retirement.

It was an incredible opportunity, and I was very, very fortunate that they selected me for this job because its a huge responsibility but a very important one, she said. I know Im going to feel sad, but I hope I will also feel blessed because of having that experience.

A licensed social worker, Bolinski came to the diocese after many years working for various social services organizations. After earning a bachelors degree in psychology from Wilkes University and armed with a predilection for caregiving, she worked for Volunteers of America, followed by positions with Catholic Social Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Family Service Association of the Wyoming Valley. Bolinski also earned a masters degree in social work from Marywood University.

After shifting to the human resources field for a little while, Bolinski heard about the job with the diocese, which she thought combined her social work and HR backgrounds.

It was really a match made in heaven, she said with a laugh.

Bolinski, whose husband died in 2012, took the job and moved from her native Luzerne County to South Abington Twp. Since then, she has worked to ensure everyone who works for and volunteers in the diocese undergoes background checks and required training, and she also consults should any situations like abuse allegations arise.

The position originated around 2003 after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops moved to protect youth by requiring a safe environment program in every diocese, Bolinski said.

I like the fact that I can assist people in becoming more aware of the prevention of child abuse, to look for red flags that can indicate somethings happening and, most importantly, to feel comfortable reporting abuse when it needs to be done, she said. I really enjoy the training that comes with it.

Bolinski knows abuse can be a difficult topic, but as a social worker, its one she unfortunately has been familiar with for many years. Feeling at ease to discuss the topic, though, can then translate into other people becoming more comfortable with it, she added. And she travels throughout the dioceses 11 counties to help people feel comfortable enough to alert others should they notice a red flag.

I was very lucky in that the majority of my experience in social services was in prevention work, Bolinski said. So rather than dealing with maybe some real high-crisis situations ... I was able to look at it from the other side of the spectrum and work with youth and families on preventing those kinds of issues (from) occurring.

Bolinski, who serves on the parish council at St. Peters Cathedral in Scranton and belonged to the social justice committee at her former parish, has enjoyed traveling around the diocese and meeting new people. She reminds them that although she is a diocesan employee, she works for them. If they need help, she said, all they have to do is pick up the phone and call her.

Since Bolinski joined the diocese, it developed a youth code of conduct and has an online handbook. But Bolinski feels most proud of establishing a safe environment advisory committee, which she proposed in 2016. She reached out to parishes and schools for volunteers, and more than 40 people stepped up.

It serves as a very important purpose for me in part because Im at the level where Im creating policy, implementing policy and enforcing policy, but I need to be in very close touch with those out in the field, so to speak, she said. They are the ones out on the front line dealing with volunteers, dealing with families.  It was really great for me to get their input.

When the pandemic began and Bolinski shifted to working from home, the idea of retirement started to grow. She had seen the affect dementia had on her late mother, and losing not only her husband but also her parents in recent years made Bolinski realize just how precious life is. Deciding to try to enjoy life while still young and healthy, shell retire a few years early.

Ive spent my whole career as a social worker caring for other people, Bolinski said, adding that now is the time I can take care of myself a little bit.

Bolinski feels proud to have remained in Northeast Pennsylvania for her more than 40-year career, noting how she worked with a lot of wonderful people  social services employees she believes dont get enough credit for their hard work. Since announcing her retirement, she heard from many people who reminded her that her own work has been effective, which she called incredibly uplifting. And she has enjoyed working for the diocese and Bishop Joseph Bambera, who she described as an incredible human being who truly does care about the flock that he guides.

Its really been a wonderful way to close out my formal career, Bolinski said. Theyve been wonderful to work for.

Bolinskis last day is June 30, but she will stay on in a limited basis in July to guide her successor so they have a smooth transition. After that, the self-described planner by nature plans to not make any plans.

I just aspire to have peace and happiness for however long Im granted left on this Earth, she said.
SCRANTON  The Black Scranton Project, which incorporated as a nonprofit on June 19, 2019, held its second annual Juneteenth Jubilee on Saturday at the organizations new home in Providence Square.

Last year, the Juneteenth event was held at Nay Aug Park.

This years Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party was held outside of the Black Scranton Project Center for Arts and Culture, a 1926 landmark former bank at 1902 N. Main Ave. donated last month to the organization by PNC Bank.

Large crowds turned out Saturday at the Black Scranton Projects headquarters to celebrate Juneteenth, which two days earlier became a federal holiday with President Joe Bidens signing of legislation.

Also held as a ribbon-cutting for the Black Scranton Project Center for Arts and Culture, the Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party was promoted as an opportunity for the community to come together in love, joy and solidarity with Black people and for fundraising for the center. Gaining the building is a big step for the Black Scranton Project, but more will be needed, said organization founder and CEO Glynis Johns.

Theres a lot of people in the city that dont believe that we deserve to have it and Id love to change the narrative of that, Johns said. I would love to get more community support from the people that claim to support nonprofits and organizations like ours, because clearly we have this beautiful building that needs tons of support.

On Juneteenth, Americans throughout the nation celebrated the 156th anniversary of the ending of slavery in the United States when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, declaring slaves were free.

Though Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1866, it largely had not been widely known until recently.

Sade Larregui, 33, of Scranton, who attended the block party with her family, said her mother taught her at home about Juneteenth when Sade was a young girl.

Im very happy to see it as a holiday, Larregui said.

The 12th federal holiday, Juneteenth is the first federal holiday since the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was added in 1983.

John Jernigan, 61, of Dunmore, who grew up in Philadelphia, recalled being very aware of events surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day becoming a federal holiday. But he had not known about Juneteenth until about a year ago, and was happily surprised to see news Thursday of Biden signing the legislation.

Les Lancaster, 24, of Scranton, who helped staff an outreach table at the jubilee for the nonprofit NEPA Youth Shelter Teen Center on Wyoming Avenue, said the events turnout was heartening.

You see events like this  there are communities taking strides, Lancaster said. The diversity here and the amount of people supporting this, its amazing to see.
Grocery chain rolling out app

The Giant Co. announced it is rolling out the Flashfood app to all Giant and Martins stores following a successful pilot. The Flashfood app allows shoppers to purchase fresh food, including produce, meat, deli and bakery products, nearing its best-before date at significantly reduced prices.

First introduced in May 2020 at four Giant stores in Lancaster, Flashfood is currently available at more than 30 stores. The rollout will place Flashfood at 170 participating Giant and Martins stores by fall. The chainwide rollout of Flashfood begins with stores in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, with additional stores joining each month.

By downloading the Flashfood app (free on iOS and Android), shoppers can browse deals on fresh items like meat, produce boxes, bakery items and snacks that are nearing their best-before dates. Purchases are then made directly through the app and shoppers pick up their order the same day from the Flashfood zone located inside the participating Giant or Martins store.

Company honored by Sams ClubThird-party logistics provider Kane Logistics has been named 3PL Partner of the Year for 2020 by Sams Club. The award recognizes operational excellence and overall dedication to customer service. Kane operates three of the retailers 17 U.S. distribution centers.

Kanes top-performing distribution center for Sams Club in North Canton, Ohio, won Sams Clubs prestigious Ops Index Champion Award. The facility, overseen by general manager Chuck Ikey, had the highest cumulative operational performance index of all Sams Clubs 17 distribution centers.

Kane Logistics is a past winner of Walmarts Carrier of the Year award and this is the third time KANE has won the Sams Club 3PL Partner of the Year Award.

Panel recognizes Benco DentalThe Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission recognized Benco Dental as one of four businesses whose private investments encourage quality care and early learning, as well as innovative and excellent supports for working families.

At the 2021 Early Learning Economic Summit held virtually on June 2, former Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker introduced the four honorees and outlined initiatives and programs to unveil the commissions Investments in Caring PA initiative.

The Excellence in Caring award winner shows a sustained commitment to supporting and expanding access to high-quality early learning and leading the way to implement policies and programs that support their employees as caregivers.

SUBMIT BUSINESS BUZZ items to business@timesshamrock.com or The Times-Tribune, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.
Lake Winola

UMC rally: Zoom Out youth and family rally, Friday, 5-8 p.m., Lake Winola United Methodist Church, 326 Maple Drive, with games, small-group conversations and worship; individuals of all ages and youth organizations invited; registration required, igniteyoungpeople.org; bring your own lawn chair and bag dinner.

Luzerne County

Online auction: Luzerne County Historical Society online auction starts Thursday, featuring books, maps, lithographs and other ephemera, all items deaccessioned due to relevance, wear, duplication, etc., and no longer considered LCHS collection pieces; information and auction link, luzernehistory.org.

Mayfield

300 Club: New membership cards available for next session of St. Johns Russian Orthodox Cathedral 300 Club; 26-week session begins in August; send your name, address and $25 to St. Johns Rectory, 706 Hill St., Mayfield, PA 18433; information, 570-876-0730.

Waverly Twp.

Car show: Cars and Coffee events, June 27 and Aug. 29, 9-11 a.m., Waverly Community House lawn, 1115 North Abington Road; bring your exotic, classic, antique cars or hot rods (motorcycles also welcome); coffee and pastries provided; free, no registration required.

CLIPBOARD ITEMS may be sent to yesdesk@timesshamrock.com, Clipboard, c/o YES!Desk, 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503, or 570-348-9121.
PHILADELPHIA  More than 800,000 Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware could go to waste this summer, as states across the country grapple with millions of time-sensitive doses of the less-popular vaccine.

Thanks to an FDA determination last week that extended the vaccines shelf life, states now have until early August to use doses that would have expired in late June, a date by which most of the vials in this region would almost certainly have gone unused.

But some states are still struggling to find enough takers for the vaccine, a task that falls to them in the absence of a federal plan to collect and redistribute extra doses.

Vaccine providers continue facing low domestic demand for J&J, which has been unpopular since the FDA halted its use for 11 days in April to investigate potential side effects that turned out to be exceedingly rare. The one-dose vaccine has accounted for only 5% of immunizations in Pennsylvania since May 1.

And providers cant simply donate the doses to be used by countries who need the vaccine; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told states they cant be distributed internationally. Montgomery County, for instance, tried to give doses to a provider who could have sent them abroad, but had to scuttle the plan after the CDC told Pennsylvania officials it wasnt permissible, county and state spokespeople said.

The prospect of throwing away millions of shots is a staggering turnaround for the one and done vaccine, which was hailed at the height of U.S. vaccine demand as a key tool for speeding up immunization efforts and reaching vulnerable, isolated, or disadvantaged populations.

Instead, public perception of the vaccine never recovered after the pause.

Meanwhile, more than 153 million Americans, including more than 6 million Pennsylvanians, remain unvaccinated. The Biden administration has asked states to find ways to get unvaccinated residents to take the shots.

What the state should be doing is maximizing output, said Kevin Munoz, a White House spokesperson. Its all of our responsibility to work together to maximize the doses that [the states] ordered getting into arms.

The administration is working with states to help them use the doses they have through efforts like targeted clinics and mobile vaccination units. Those are strategies that Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware are all undertaking.

Such efforts are important, particularly for immunizing harder-to-reach people, said Lawrence Ward, president of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American College of Physicians. He said bringing the shots to doctors offices, offering them to patients in hospitals, and incentivizing vaccine providers to seek out vulnerable populations are all strategies that could be ramped up to increase use of the Johnson & Johnson doses.

We definitely have opportunity here at home to use the vaccine before August, he said.

Health department spokespeople for all three states said they are continuing to offer the shots, assist providers, and support outreach efforts to persuade more residents to get vaccinated.

But efforts to connect residents with shots are only as successful as demand for vaccine, said Pennsylvania Department of Health spokesperson Mark ONeill.

Yet Pennsylvania has no plans to offer incentives for vaccinations, he said  one of the things that could change demand. (In Philadelphia this week, a city clinic offering two Phillies tickets to anyone who got a shot drew nearly 570 people in one day.) Nor is the state health department planning to create a specific statewide strategy to use J&J this summer.

Health officials in the states and Philadelphia have consulted with the CDC, and a spokesperson for the Delaware Department of Health noted that state officials are on weekly calls with federal agencies where best practices and recommendations for dealing with expiring doses are shared.

Still, ONeill said, noting that the problem is affecting states across the country, any guidance or strategies the federal government can provide would be welcomed.

The impending issue with the J&J supply has been clear for weeks, as demand slowed and expiration dates loomed. Nationwide, some 9.7 million J&J doses have been delivered to states but not used, and could go to waste if they arent administered within the coming weeks.

That would be a really bad picture for the United States, said Ward.

It would be a total shame when much of the country still needs to get vaccinated, he said, and it looks terrible to the rest of the world, much of which would love to have access to those doses.

The White House is sending 580 million new doses abroad, with shipments arriving this week in Mexico and Canada.

Sending states doses to other countries, however, would present major logistical and legal obstacles for the federal government, largely because regulators would need to ensure the doses hadnt been tampered with, damaged, or left unrefrigerated. The Pennsylvania health departments confirmed that the CDC has said the shots cant go international.

Because they are property of the U.S. government, they are currently only authorized for use by domestic vaccine providers enrolled through the CDC.

I know local health officials would like to just say, Oh, we can ship ours to Canada because they need doses, but that would not meet a product quality standard, Munoz said.

Only 159,000 J&J doses have been given in Pennsylvania since May 1, compared to 2.9 million of Pfizer and Moderna. In the last month, for instance, Montgomery County clinics gave only 637 of the J&J shots, and Chester County administered 920  a pace that would have to increase by more than nine times to use up Chester Countys remaining stash before Aug. 4.

The stockpiled doses belong to the federal government, which allocated them to the states. When they expire, providers have to follow specific procedures to dispose of the vaccines and report it to the state.

Some are hoping the FDA will extend the vaccines shelf life again after further study, Philadelphia health department spokesperson Jim Garrow noted; New Jersey providers have been instructed not to destroy expired doses in case that happens.

Pennsylvania is coordinating opportunities to possibly send vaccine to other states, and the Department of Health has recommended that hospitals offer J&J shots to every patient. The health department has said providers with expiring doses can contact the agency and we will work with them to try to identify a strategy, such as finding another provider who can use them.

But its not clear how successful that can be. One plan, coordinated with the state and CDC, for Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties to send shots to Oregon fell through after Oregon received shots more quickly from elsewhere.

Without higher demand or coordinated incentives drawing people to clinics, the hopes of finding in-state residents to take them could fall flat.

In Philadelphia, which distributes coronavirus vaccine independently from the state, the city still offers J&J shots. But Garrow noted whether the city can use up its doses depends not only on demand and clinics but also on incentives.

In Delaware, the Department of Health and Social Services is allowing providers to return doses to the state for redistribution if they cannot use them. And New Jersey health officials are moving vaccine around between providers in an attempt to ensure that vaccine near its expiration date gets used first.

The extension of the shelf life was great news, said Donna Leusner, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Health, allowing more time to get shots in arms for the hundreds of vaccination sites in the state with J&J in stock.

Every shot counts, she said.
The coronavirus has forever changed education in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Schedules became inconsistent and unpredictable, with some schools remaining virtual until this spring, and others needing to close as soon as COVID-19 case counts became too high.

Teachers suddenly had to move all instruction online, needing to learn new skills immediately.

The achievement gap widened as families lacked internet access or computers and struggled with child care and online learning.

Some people question whether students can ever recover from the lessons lost over the last 15 months. Educators remain confident that students will  and acknowledge the lessons gained from COVID-19 may also lead to greater accessibility and more individualized learning for students.

Times-Shamrock Newspapers 21st annual Grading Our Schools report examines key educational demographics for districts in Northeast Pennsylvania. For the first time, the report does not examine standardized test scores, as the state canceled those exams for the 2019-20 school year. Searchable and comparable databases, including teacher salaries, for all Pennsylvania public districts are available at thetimes-tribune.com.

The report comes as districts prepare full returns for the fall, but remain uncertain of how many students will actually return to classrooms.

Statewide, the 500 school districts saw an enrollment decline of 50,584, or 3.3%, the report found. The 37 school districts in Northeast Pennsylvania enrolled 4,632 fewer students this year, a decline of 4.2%.

Many of those students opted to enroll in cyber charter schools or private schools, but some districts still have students officials have been unable to track.

Planning is also underway to determine individual needs of each student  from mental health supports to targeted help in reading or math.

The loss will not necessarily be made up in one year. It will take time, said Melissa McTiernan, the superintendent in Scranton, which remained fully virtual until March. Im confident that once our students get back in front of our teachers, our teachers will do what theyre best at, and thats identify the needs of each student.

Summer school

Most school buildings will not sit vacant this summer. From virtual programs that identify and then target where students need help, to in-person programs that teach local history, districts hope to keep children learning throughout the summer.

The state allocated the 37 school districts in Northeast Pennsylvania a total of $423 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The latest, through the American Rescue Plan, will give area districts $263 million. Of that, at least 20% must be spent on helping students overcome the learning losses of the last year.

Many districts will use part of that funding for the summer programs. Schools are also evaluating curriculum and finding the best ways to offer remediation.

The pandemic has been tragic for the losses and the harm it has caused our families. There is not a single family who has not experienced some kind of loss and not a single student or family who has not dealt with some kind of isolation, said Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D. Coming back in the fall, we realize that our students will be coming from very different places, all affected by their experiences over the last year. Some will be ready to learn the first day, others less so. It will be incumbent upon us to meet kids where they are and to move forward.

A silver lining

When the state ordered all schools to close in March 2020, teachers had to provide instruction in a way most had never done so before.

Districts struggled to even find laptops to purchase and many students lacked internet access. Children learned how to mute and unmute themselves on camera, as teachers taught from their dining room tables.

Even as districts plan to return to full in-person instruction in the fall, classes will continue to have an online presence and teachers will use more technology in the classroom.

This is nothing youd ever want to have gone through, but I believe there are silver linings that come from something like this, said Michael Boccella, Ed.D., Valley View superintendent. We are a lot more tech-savvy, progressive and innovative now than we were before.

Students will continue to become more tech-savvy, with both students and teachers becoming more comfortable, said Sherri Smith, Ed.D., deputy secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education within the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

We can take all the lessons weve learned the past year and we can improve upon them this year, she said.

The Scranton School District, which saw many children stay fully virtual when it began hybrid instruction, saw some students thrive in the online setting who had been less successful in a traditional classroom, McTiernan said.

The district will expand its cyber school program for all grade levels in the fall.

The pandemic will change how education is delivered moving forward, McTiernan said. Its up to us to adapt how to make sure we reach all students.

The challenging year brought forward the chance for innovation, Lakeland Superintendent Marc Wyandt, Ed.D., said.

It also was an opportunity to become accustom to new strategies and new solutions to very complex problems, he said. Coming out of this, while we all would have preferred to have not experienced something like this, there are positives to be found.

Like others, the Dallas School District saw the impact online learning and a hybrid model had on students, including an increase in below average quarterly grades, Superintendent Thomas Duffy, Ed.D., said.

But the district also demonstrated resilience and innovation as a result of the pandemic, he said.

Online and live streaming instruction allowed our faculty to experience an expanded toolbox related to methodology, and many of those methods will not disappear as schools plan for the return in the fall, he said.

Achievement gap

As some students went without technology due to shipping delays or lacked the support system to successfully learn from home, the achievement gap widened and became more pronounced, said Noe Ortega, acting secretary of the Department of Education.

The pivot from in-person to remote was not going to benefit everyone equally. There were disproportionate effects, he said.

The pandemic both exacerbated and brought attention to the issues that some students face, including food insecurity, homelessness or instability at home. Now educators must work to close the achievement gap, or the disparity of academic performance between groups of students.

In Scranton, some children failed to participate through the entire school year, missing out on a years worth of lessons and academic growth. The district will come up with targeted plans to address the needs of those students, McTiernan said.

When people ask Boccella about learning loss over the last year and whether students will be behind, he wonders what students will actually be ahead.

Its not as though this just happened to Valley View, or just Northeast Pennsylvania, he said. This is global, so who are they behind? I think its a shared experience that every child anywhere went through. I dont think its anything we cant overcome.

Mike Buffer, staff writer, contributed to this report.
One hundred and seventy miles for the environment.

Thats about how far a group of environmental activists plans to travel from Scranton to Wilmington, Delaware, by June 28 as part of the 2021 Walk for Our Grandchildren & Mother Earth, said member, route planner and grandparent Michael Bagdes-Canning of Cherry Valley. They initially planned to spend two weeks walking the entire route, but COVID-19, among other issues, caused them to shorten it to one week and about 70 miles of actual walking, he said.

The walk spans from President Joe Bidens hometown to where he spent most of his life in Delaware.

We think (Biden has) done some remarkable stuff that none of his predecessors have done around climate, but its unfortunate, we dont think its enough, Bagdes-Canning said. We have a very small window of opportunity, according to science, to take care of (the) climate before it becomes irreversible and our very existence is in danger.

According to organizers, the walk is to remind the Biden administration and others that our love for our families and their futures requires a rapid, uncompromising transition away from the unhealthy, unsafe extraction and burning of fossil fuels while embracing renewable energy, especially solar and wind power.

They held a similar walk in 2013, going from Camp David in Maryland, to Washington, D.C., Bagdes-Canning said. That walk primarily focused on the Keystone XL pipeline to pressure President Barack Obama to reject it, he said.

This time, however, they are focusing on a whole bunch of other issues while holding rallies at sites along the way, Bagdes-Canning said.

Two of those directly impact Northeast Pennsylvania: the Keystone Sanitary Landfill and a liquefied natural gas, or LNG, shipping terminal in Gibbstown, Greenwich Twp., New Jersey.

The state Department of Environmental Protection recently approved a major permit modification for the landfill expansion, giving it the capacity to triple its volume, bringing in an additional 188 billion pounds of waste over the next four decades.

The Gibbstown terminal would internationally distribute LNG produced at an upcoming $800 million plant in Wyalusing Twp., Bradford County. New Fortress Energy is constructing the plant, and when operational, it will ship up to 3.6 million gallons of LNG every day to Gibbstown.

At the plant, New Fortress will cool methane from Marcellus Shale natural gas to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, chilling it so much it becomes a liquid, which takes up significantly less space than its gaseous form.

Whether the gas is shipped by train or tanker truck, the shipments are expected to proceed through the region en route to the terminal.

Participants will meet today at Temple Hesed of Scranton, 1 Knox Road, for an interfaith prayer service at 1:30 p.m.

Bagdes-Canning was unsure of what initial turnout will look like, but he expects to build momentum. In 2013, they started with about 25 people, but on their final day, they had about 1,000, he said. While he doesnt anticipate that many people joining in this year, he said he wouldnt be surprised if they ended the march with several hundred participants.

The actual walk begins Monday when they leave from Dunmore Reservoir No. 1 at 9 a.m., with the first stop being the Keystone Sanitary Landfill, where they will hold a brief rally at the Dunham Drive entrance at 9:30, according to an event schedule. At 10, they resume the walk, going past Bidens former house and arriving at Lackawanna County Courthouse Square at noon to hold a rally to stop polluting landfill expansion plans.

Picking up the fight against the landfill, Bagdes-Canning said they contacted Friends of Lackawanna, an anti-expansion grassroots group.

Michele Dempsey, a core member of Friends of Lackawanna, said in a message that they support bringing the issue of climate change to Bidens attention and highlighting how it will affect future generations.

Climate change and environmental justice are part of the Biden Plan. Unfortunately, the first opportunity he had to demonstrate his authority in the hometown he used to lift himself up, he let us down, she said. Now, future generations will bear the burdens that come with 100 million more tons of trash dumped in their community. We hope this walk will help others, even though it may be too late for us.
June 20, 1893

Lizzie Borden found not guilty

Lizzie Borden was a free woman.

A jury found the Fall River woman not guilty of the 1892 killing of her father and stepmother with an axe in the family home.

Following closing arguments and judges instructions, the jury was sent to deliberate at 3:15 p.m. The jury returned their verdict at 4:30 p.m.

When the words not guilty were read, Bordens head went down to the rail in front of her and the tears began to flow. Bordens attorney, Andrew Jennings, turned to his co-counsel Melvin Adams and exclaimed, Thank God, while holding back tears when the verdict was read.

Following the acquittal, Borden left the New Bedford, Massachusetts, courthouse and spent the evening at the home of Charles Holmes.

The not guilty verdict reportedly changed the mood in Fall River for the better.

Jennings reportedly received telegrams and letters of congratulations from all over the country. And Borden was set to be very busy opening all her letters of support as well.

Police court busy

The warm weather seemed to have an exasperating effect on the average city imbibers and even the people from the country hereabouts wander to the city and fall into the police dragnet.

Twelve prisoners were brought before Scranton Mayor William Connell on June 19. Here were a few of the cases:

A traveling physician was found very drunk and missing $50. Connell fined him only $2.50 on the fact he lost all his money.

Robert Barnes of Syracuse walked out of a restaurant at Franklin Avenue hotel without paying his bill. Connell sent him to settle his bill.

John Smith and Tony Londy were arrested for assaulting another man at a picnic. Connell fined them each $5 plus an additional $2.50 each to cover the mans doctor bill.Around the county

In Archbald, the Presbyterian Church observed Childrens Day on June 18. An excellent musical program was presented and neat sum was raised for the Home Missions.

In Moosic, an ice cream and strawberry festival was held on the front lawn of Frank Mosteller on Main Street. In addition to the sweet treats, the festival featured singing and recitation. The festival was organized by the Ladies Methodist Episcopal Society.

In West Scranton, Bauers Band played an outdoor concert from the veranda of Fairchilds Hotel on North Main Avenue, between Washburn and Jackson Streets. It was estimated that thousands were in attendance for the performance.
The disenfranchisement of voters in the South. Questions about the electoral colleges role in picking a president. The ongoing struggle for civil rights.

They could be topics for a contemporary speech, but they were actually topics touched on in an 1885 speech given in Scranton by former U.S. Rep. John Roy Lynch, the only Black representative in Mississippi for a century.

Lynch, who served three terms in Congress and left office in 1883, spoke in Scranton as part of an annual celebration of the passage of the 15th Amendment, which says: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Annual celebrations in Scranton began a little more than a year after the 15th Amendment was ratified.

The celebration commenced with a parade through the principal streets of the town in the forenoon, which was participated in by a large number of people on foot and in carriages, the April 27, 1871, Tribune story reported. When the parade was ended the assemblage gathered in Landmesser Hall where they listened to an address by H.W. Palmer, Esq., and a sermon by the Rev. J.W. Stevenson.

That celebration ended with a concert and a ball, the newspaper reported.

Lynchs appearance at the June 18, 1885, celebration is notable because of his own history-making story. He was born into slavery in Louisiana on Sept. 10, 1847. He fought in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War and rose quickly as a politician, winning election to Congress in 1873.

The Republican made a name for himself by emphasizing his rights  and the rights of all Black citizens  both in congressional debate and in speeches.

In Scranton, Lynch touched on a number of topics, including the election of Grover Cleveland as president.

According to the June 19, 1885, Scranton Republican, Lynch said Clevelands election was accomplished by the disenfranchisement of (Black) Republican voters in Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina.

While emphasizing that he was not arguing about Clevelands legal right to the office, Lynch said the president was not entitled to the electoral votes in those states.

The political wrongs that prevail in the South are grievous to bear, but he did not despair of the future, the article reported.

Instead, he encouraged educated, skilled, intelligent and ambitious young Black men to relocate from the North to the South and occupy the fields of usefulness open to them in that section, according to the news story. He warned them, however, that such a change would involve certain sacrifices, although the compensation was sure to come later.

He also mentioned his hope that the Democratic Party, which was newly in power at the time, will so conduct itself in its policy that if a (Black) man desires to become a Democrat he can do so without feeling that he is allying himself to the enemies of his race.

In addition to Lynchs speech, the 1885 celebration of the 15th Amendment in Scranton featured a procession through Central City with delegations from Wilkes-Barre and Pittston. Liederkranz Hall served as the events headquarters.

Erin L. Nissley is an assistant metro editor at The Times-Tribune and the editor of The Valley Advantage. Shes lived in the area for 15 years.
If youre under 50, you probably dont remember when Japan was going to take over the world.

But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, many people were obsessed with Japans economic success and feared American decline. The supposedly nonfiction sections of airport bookstores were filled with volumes featuring samurai warriors on their covers, promising to teach you the secrets of Japanese management. Michael Crichton had a best-selling novel, Rising Sun, about the looming threat of Japanese domination, before he moved on to dinosaurs.

The policy side of Japanophilia/Japanophobia took the form of widespread calls for a national industrial policy: Government spending and maybe protectionism to foster industries of the future, notably semiconductor production.

Then Japan largely disappeared from Americas conversation  cited, if at all, as a cautionary tale of economic stagnation and lost decades. And we entered an era of self-satisfied arrogance, buoyed by the dominance of U.S.-based technology companies.

Now the truth is that Japans failures have, in their own way, been overhyped as much as the countrys previous successes. The island nation remains wealthy and technologically sophisticated; its slow economic growth mainly reflects low fertility and immigration, which have led to a shrinking working-age population. Adjusting for demography, the economies of Japan and the United States have grown at about the same rate over the past 30 years.

In any case, we seem to be entering a new era of worries about the role of the United States in the world economy, this time driven by fears of China. We hear new calls for industrial policy. Im not entirely persuaded by these calls. But the rationales for government action are a lot smarter this time around than they were in the 1980s  and, of course, immensely smarter than the economic nationalism of the Trump era, which they superficially resemble.

This brings me to a 250-page report on supply chains that the Biden administration recently released. When legislation and rules are drafted, that report and its analysis will lurk in the background, helping to shape details of spending and regulations.

The world economy has changed a lot since the days when American executives tried to reinvent themselves as samurai. Countries used to make things like cars and airplanes; nowadays they make parts of things, which are combined with other parts made in other countries and eventually assembled into consumer goods. The classic  and at this point somewhat tired  example is the iPhone, assembled in China from bits and pieces from all over.

The big growth of globe-spanning supply chains isnt new. But the dangers associated with fragmented production have been highlighted by recent events.

The White Houses report focuses on four sectors: semiconductor chips, batteries, pharmaceuticals and the rare earths that play a key role in much technology. The modern economy uses chips with practically everything  and the production of chips is globalized.

So we have a situation in which U.S. auto production is crimped, thanks to drought in Taiwan and a factory fire in Japan disrupting the supply of these tiny but essential components. Moreover, much of the worlds supply of rare earths comes from China, whose regime isnt shy about throwing its weight around.

A lot of the administrations report focuses on national security concerns. National security has always been recognized as a legitimate reason to deviate from free trade. Its enshrined in international agreements. Former President Donald Trump gave the national security argument a bad name by abusing it. But you dont have to be a Trumpist to worry about our dependence on Chinese rare earths.

So, the supply-chain report goes well beyond the national security argument, making the case that we need to retain domestic manufacturing in a wide range of sectors to maintain technological competence. Thats not a foolish argument, but its very open-ended. Where does it stop?

This is clear: If you thought the revival of economic nationalism was purely a Trumpist aberration, youre wrong. The Biden administration isnt in for dumb stuff like Trumps obsession with bilateral trade imbalances, but it isnt going back to the uncritical embrace of globalization that has characterized much U.S. policy for decades. Will this lead to a new era of trade wars? Probably not  but dont expect a lot of big trade deals in the years ahead.

PAUL KRUGMAN writes for The New York Times.
We might not have even the slipperiest handle on it for another 17 months and we might not get any degree of certainty about it until late 2024, but Ive started to suspect that the people trying so very hard to keep other people from voting are in for a shock.

Without pretending to understand what typically motivates humans, I presume something that the authors of voter suppression legislation in 48 states, including Pennsylvania painfully, clearly do not: If I am a member of an American minority in the 2020s, defined by any reasonable standard of oppression, systemic or otherwise, nothing could motivate me to vote more than a brazen indication that white people, rich people, connected people, people born on third base thinking they hit a triple, did not want me to vote.

Stacking obstacles in front of voting booths from coast to coast is a naked attempt to steal the only influence most Americans have on the people who govern them  to steal their only say, to steal their only voice, and by the way, to steal their Constitutional right. If you are somehow associated with any of the nearly 400 voter-suppression bills  22 of which have already become laws in other states according to the Brennan Center for Justice, shame on you.

You might be comfortable enough in your evident skullduggery, but youre being incredibly stupid.

This is why people stare at Joe Manchin the way a dog looks at a ceiling fan. Manchin is the Democratic senator from West Virginia who could facilitate the passage into law of the For the People Act, a bulwark against voter suppression in a package of reforms that would set federal standards for online and same-day voter registration, for early voting and for mail-in ballots. It would cut-off dark money contributions to campaigns from undisclosed donors and would end gerrymandering. Put another way, this For the People Act would make it easier to vote rather than harder, something many Republicans have no interest in. The more people vote, the less relevant they become.

But Manchin is a Democrat and says things like this: The fundamental right to vote has itself become overtly politicized.

What?

Protecting the right to vote should never be done in a partisan manner, and that passing such a bill would all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen.

Again, what?

Ari Berman, the voting rights expert, responded via tweet: I dont recall Republicans asking for bipartisan support before they introduced 400 voter suppression bills and enacted 22 new voter suppression laws in 14 states this year.

One historian described Manchins tortured reasoning as blaming the person calling the fire department rather than the arsonist, then saying the firefighters need to work with the guys holding the gasoline cans and matches.

Dog, meet ceiling fan.

Manchin decries arcane state laws that needlessly restrict voting rights, by obstructing legislation that would prevent arcane state laws that needlessly restrict voting rights.

This is government at work in 2021. Is it time for the next congressional recess yet?

More insidious than even the voter suppression mechanisms humming like cicadas all over the landscape are the portions of these new bills and laws that allow legislatures and judges to toss out election results they deem uncomfortable with minimal evidence of voting irregularity. This is far worse than just stealing your vote. This is saying, Were allowing you to vote, albeit reluctantly, so you better vote correctly. Its the ultimate manifestation of the Donald Trump imperative: Votes for Trump are legitimate, votes against Trump are fraudulent.

That thinking is a murder weapon for democracy. The weapon was not conceived and manufactured overnight. Its been coming for a long time and now its here.

When former President Barack Obama met playwright and former dissident Vaclav Havel in 2009, the former president of the Czech Republic told him about the dangers at hand.

In some ways, the Soviets simplified who the enemy was, Havel said, as quoted in Obamas book, A Promised Land. Today, autocrats are more sophisticated. They stand for election while slowly undermining the institutions that make democracy possible. They champion free markets while engaging in the same corruption, cronyism and exploitation as existed in the past . . . Without attention from the U.S., freedom across Europe will wither.

We used to know what to do about threats to democracy in America. I think and hope we still do.

GENE COLLIER is a columnist for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Brenda Darlene (Burnett, Witt, Bollmer) Curtin, 52, of Cincinnati, Ohio passed away June 21, 2021. She was born November 13, 1968, in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Gladys (Jones) Napier and the late Wilburn Burnett. Brenda was preceded in death by a daughter, Jennifer Witt and sisters Alta Ru
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. High 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 58F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Mystery: Regent Memorial's Kamran Saleem runs a used car dealer

T.S. writes: Have you any update on Farnham Park Cemetery?

I have heard nothing from them, and the company responsible, Regent Memorial Limited, does not respond to phone calls or emails.

Have we lost our investment? I visited the site in Farnham recently and it is basically an empty field.

Tony Hetherington replies: When I looked into this and wrote about it four years ago, all the warning signs were there.

Salesmen were marketing cemetery plots as investments for around 1,850 apiece, with predictions that within two or three years their value would have rocketed by as much as 40 per cent because of a national shortage of burial land.

In fact, Regent Memorial's website still includes a misleading picture showing headstones that belong to an adjacent genuine church cemetery.

One of Regent Memorial's directors, Kamran Saleem, confidently told me in 2017 of his experience in the industry, explaining that his father, Mohammad Saleem Akhtar, was chairman of the Birmingham mosque that runs the biggest Muslim funeral service in the city  and possibly the whole country.

What has changed since? Well, despite the sign directing traffic from the main road in Farnham, not a single burial has taken place at the cemetery.

It is a ghost town, untended and overgrown, and the shipping container that was used as an onsite sales office stands rusting.

Meanwhile, Kamran Saleem runs Motorserv-UK, a used car dealership and service centre in Solihull.

In 2017, I reported my suspicion that Saleem's real intention might be to build houses on at least part of the land.

Sure enough, a slice of land was transferred to a Channel Islands company called Rheno Property Holdings.

However, the local authority rejected a planning application for housing, submitted by a connected company, Plot (Farnham) LLP.

And this has not been the only land deal in the area. Last year, land previously regarded by the council as part of the projected cemetery changed hands for more than 2million.

The new owner, confusingly called Farnham Cemetery Limited, is controlled by the Ismaili Trust, an Islamic charity based in London. It told me it is not connected to Regent Memorial, adding: 'Planning already exists on our site for burial and we are looking to pursue that.'

Your own agreement with Regent Memorial obliges that company to continue marketing plots and to keep the cemetery clean and tidy.

Yet no marketing is being done and the site looks abandoned. Lots of investors have contacted me, complaining they feel cheated.

It certainly appears that Regent Memorial is in breach of contract. Its bosses do not even acknowledge burial applications that I understand some investors have made. Saleem is not the only owner or director of Regent Memorial Limited.

Behind him stands Henry Anderson, a Channel Islands businessman. Both were repeatedly invited to comment. Neither did so. I suggest you and other plot owners get together and sue Regent Memorial.

Saleem and Anderson were happy to take your money. Let's see how they respond when a court hears how they benefited from false sales pitches and then left you in the lurch.

Help to Buy? I need help sorting this loan chaos...

Ms H.M. writes: Four years ago, I used the Government's Help to Buy scheme to purchase my flat with a loan.

Since then, I have saved hard to repay the loan before steep interest charges start after five years.

In January, I paid 395 for a surveyor's report, instructed a solicitor, and sent all paperwork and fees to Target HCA, the company administering the loan.

Target forgot to deal with this, then refused to deal with my solicitor, and now says I have run out of time and need to pay for new reports to start again.

Tony Hetherington replies: This has been a chapter of errors. When you spoke to Target in February, staff admitted they had simply forgotten to deal with your loan redemption request.

The company said it would extend the redemption process by one month to make up for this, but then it sent all the forms, along with lots of personal information, to a solicitor who acted for you some years ago, and not to the solicitor you had told Target was acting for you now.

And when I started looking into this for you, I ran into a fresh bit of confusion, with a document saying terms and condition were set by Target Servicing Limited, company number 08896386.

When I checked, I found this number belongs to a different company, Elderbridge Limited, which is connected to Target but legally is completely separate.

I asked Target to comment, and it admitted it had got things wrong. The company has now told me: 'We have extended the redemption period for Ms M until September 2021, so she will not need to pay for a new survey or additional legal fees.'

I had to shield, but NatWest won't pay

J.K. writes: I paid 933 to book a villa in Spain, but then received a message from the NHS telling me to shield because I have a serious underlying health condition. I cancelled the booking, but was told the deposit was not refundable.

I have a NatWest Platinum account which includes travel insurance, and I pay an additional monthly fee to include cover for my underlying condition.

However, NatWest rejected a claim for my 933, apparently because I cancelled more than 28 days before departure.

Tony Hetherington replies: The message from the NHS said: 'You have been identified as someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable due to an underlying disease or health condition that may put you at serious risk of severe illness if you catch Coronavirus.'

At first, you were told to stay at home at all times. This was later relaxed slightly to allow you to go outdoors once a day, but a trip to Spain was out of the question.

At first, NatWest said it rejected your claim because its policy only allows for cancellations within 28 days of departure.

It offered to reconsider if you provided a letter from your doctor, confirming that you had been told to shield for longer than this. You provided a letter confirming you were told to shield for 12 weeks, but NatWest still turned you down.

I asked the bank to think again, and staff confirmed that they had considered your claim under the normal 28-day rule, but should have looked at it under a separate part of the policy that allows for medical cancellations. Your claim has now been met in full.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
When the UK first went into lockdown, commercial property companies were among the first to feel the effect.

Investors worried that tenants would be unable to pay the rent, businesses would go bankrupt and valuations would sink.

These things happened  but not as much as everyone feared. While some firms have suffered from low rental payments, high vacancies and tumbling valuations, others have flourished and their shares have soared.

There are also a number of firms whose resilience is yet to be reflected in their share price, offering an attractive opportunity to snap up stocks on the cheap, with generous dividends thrown in.

Growing fast: Warehouse Reit lets sites to firms such as Amazon as well as local businesses

Warehouse Reit

While most property companies have been shunned through the pandemic, Warehouse Reit has been one of the lucky ones and its shares have soared.

Midas recommended the stock in 2018 when the price was 96.5p. The shares have risen 58 per cent to 1.52 and should continue to gain ground.

Warehouse owns industrial sites close to city centres and let to companies ranging from Amazon to local businesses.

The majority are involved in ecommerce and have flourished over the past year. Rent collection has been strong, the value of Warehouse's portfolio has risen and the group has even raised money on the stock market to buy more assets.

Midas verdict: Warehouse Reit has grown materially through the pandemic and should continue in that vein. Industrial parks are in demand, rents are rising and supply is limited. At 1.52, the shares have further to run  and shareholders benefit from a 6.2p dividend too.

Traded on: AIM Ticker: WHR Contact: warehousereit.co.uk or 020 3102 9465

Ediston Property Investment Company

Ediston Property Investment Company, known as EPIC, has had a very different time over the past year, but the shares now look like a bargain.

Midas recommended the stock in June 2018, when the price was 1.11. By March of last year, it had plummeted to 45p and big investors were clamouring to know how EPIC boss Calum Bruce was going to persuade tenants to pay the rent.

Two-thirds of the company's properties are retail parks, while most of the rest are office blocks.

Many market watchers considered that a pretty disastrous combination, but they have been proved wrong.

The group collected 92 per cent of rent owed from last March to this, the figure rose to 95 per cent in the six months to this March and is likely to be even higher when Epic reports quarterly figures next month.

Epic has benefited from several clever management choices. First, edge-of-town retail parks have fared far better through the pandemic than the high street.

Second, Epic's tenants include high-performing businesses such as B&M, B&Q and Pets at Home. And third, the company focuses on areas outside the SouthEast, including Scotland, Wales and the Midlands.

The firm also set up a special team when the pandemic erupted, which talked directly to tenants and worked on plans to keep both sides happy.

Today, discussions with tenants are less about paying their dues and more about taking on new space or extending leases. Later this week, the group opens a new retail park in Haddington, East Lothian, already pre-let to stores including Aldi, Iceland and Costa. Further expansion is in Bruce's sights so new deals are likely in the coming months.

Epic pays a monthly dividend, recently increased by 25 per cent to 0.417p, equating to 5p for the year. Further substantial increases are expected as the recovery continues.

Midas verdict: Epic shares are 69p, up from their lows last year but still at a 19 per cent discount to the value of the firm's assets. Existing shareholders have had a rough ride but they can take comfort in the group's 7.3 per cent dividend yield. New investors could also grab a few shares, as the current price does not reflect Epic's prospects.

Traded on: Main Market Ticker: EPIC Contact: epic-reit.com or 0131 240 8887

Palace Capital

Palace Capital has also been poorly treated since Covid-19 hit Britain. The shares almost halved to 1.71 when lockdowns were imposed last year and even though they have recovered to 2.60 since then, they are still well below pre-pandemic levels  and below the 3.12 price at which Midas recommended them in 2014.

The decline seems unwarranted and should reverse over the coming months and beyond.

Palace is run by two of the most experienced hands in the market, 83-year-old Stanley Davis and 78- year-old Neil Sinclair. The duo have long understood the value of talking to tenants and, like Epic, this has stood them in good stead over the past 15 months.

Palace collected 95 per cent of rents owed in the year to March 2021 and raised its final dividend by 20 per cent to 3p, saying that shareholders would receive at least 12p in the current financial year.

This reflects confidence in the future. Palace has built a portfolio of properties in cities such as York, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool. Vacant space is being let, demand is brisk and sales are proceeding as planned.

Midas verdict: Palace Capital's portfolio is valued at 3.43 a share, so the stock is trading at a 24 per cent discount to the value of the group's assets. Yet the business is making progress, pays attractive dividends and should be a prime beneficiary of the Government's levelling up agenda. At 2.60, the shares are a buy. Existing investors should also keep the faith.

Traded on: Main Market Ticker: PCA Contact: palacecapitalplc.com or 020 3301 8330
Shake-up: Glaxo chief Emma Walmsley promises a 'step change' for investors

Embattled GlaxoSmithKline chief Emma Walmsley is poised to unveil a huge dividend cut that will divert billions of pounds into a war chest for growth.

Sources close to the drugs giant said the drastic move would provide Walmsley with the 'firepower' to rejuvenate Glaxo's sluggish share price.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal she will try to win over investors by promising a 'step change in growth and returns for shareholders'.

It comes after US hedge fund Elliott Management snapped up a multi-billion pound stake  and raised concerns privately about Walmsley's suitability for the chief executive role.

In what will be billed as the 'biggest corporate change for GSK in 20 years', Walmsley is set to reveal how and when GSK will spin off its consumer business  which includes Sensodyne toothpaste and Panadol pain relief  from its pharmaceutical and vaccines arm next year.

A stock market float is being mooted for the consumer division. GSK was formed when Glaxo Wellcome and Smithkline Beecham merged in 2000.

At a crunch investor event on Wednesday, bosses will also unveil a pipeline of promising blockbuster drugs, including treatments for HIV.

In addition they will provide a detailed five-year growth forecast and will outline plans for scientists in the pharmaceutical and vaccines divisions to work more closely together.

It is understood that chief financial officer Iain Mackay will discuss the level of the dividend cut, which will take place next year, and GSK's long-term goals for payouts.

The 306-year-old company has paid shareholders an 80p dividend, representing a 4billion distribution, annually each year since 2014. The payout is expected to be slashed to between 40p and 50p next year. A reduction to 45p would represent a 1.7 billion cut in the annual dividend pool to about 2.3billion.

Analysts at Berenberg described the move as 'short-term pain for long-term gain' and forecast that it could generate 5.5billion of cash by 2025.

In a letter to Glaxo's 94,000 employees, sent late last week and seen by The Mail on Sunday, Walmsley wrote: 'We will set out ambitions for new GSK: for global health impact at scale; a step change in growth and returns for shareholders; and as a company where outstanding people can truly thrive.'

She added that GSK's strategy 'continues to be to focus on the science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies to get ahead of infectious diseases, HIV, cancer and immune-mediated and respiratory diseases'.

A source close to GSK said the cash freed up by cutting the dividend would be spent on a mixture of research, acquisitions, paying down debts  notably shifting them on to the consumer business  and investing in manufacturing, particularly for vaccines. 'This will give us more firepower,' the source said.

Walmsley is expected to invest some of the savings in GSK's drugs pipeline, with patents on 14 products worth about 10billion a year due to expire in the next decade.

The long-planned investor day has taken on extra significance since US corporate raider Elliott emerged on the share register in April. The hedge fund is yet to make its intentions public, but sources have told The Mail on Sunday that Elliott has questioned the suitability of Walmsley  whose background is in consumer products  to run the business after the split.

GSK's share price has fallen 15 per cent since Walmsley took charge in 2017. Concerns over its research and development pipeline have weighed on the shares and Walmsley has faced criticism for failing to develop GSK's own Covid vaccine.

Top investors are understood to have discussed with Elliott the idea of hiving off Glaxo's vaccines arm. But insiders said GSK would emphasise the benefits of increased collaboration between pharma and vaccines. 'We definitely have a big opportunity with vaccines and that's a major part of the growth of new GSK,' the source said.

GSK is now expected to bring more closely together work on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases such as flu.

Walmsley is unlikely to announce any specific acquisitions on Wednesday, following last week's announcement of a $2 billion (1.45billion) deal with iTeos Therapeutics to sell a potential cancer treatment. She is also not expected to reveal clinical breakthroughs due to strict regulations around the release of medical data.

GSK's shares hit a nadir under Walmsley of 11.90 in February, but have recovered to 14.30.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley, which has a 15.50 target price, said: 'The key question for investors is whether the pace of change is fast enough as the business gradually evolves into a more innovative, specialist medicines operation, potentially generating higher and more sustainable returns.'
Grocery giant Morrisons has rejected a 5.5billion takeover approach by a US private equity firm advised by former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy.

Responding to speculation about a possible bid by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the Morrisons board said last night the proposal 'significantly undervalued Morrisons and its future prospects'.

Morrisons said it had initially received an 'unsolicited and highly conditional nonbinding proposal' last Monday at 230p a share.

It said a number of preconditions were attached, including the completion of detailed due diligence and the arrangement of debt financing.

Rejection: Morrisons board said the proposal 'significantly undervalued Morrisons and its future prospects'

The statement by CD&R followed a Sky News report that it had made a preliminary approach to the supermarket group's board and had already begun contacting banks to drum up financial backing for the plan in recent days.

Morrisons, which has evaluated the proposal with its financial adviser Rothschild, said the board had 'unanimously concluded' the cash offer was inadequate and had privately rejected it on Thursday.

Morrisons is run by former Tesco executives Andrew Higginson and David Potts  currently chairman and chief executive of the Bradford-based chain  who both worked closely with Leahy during their time at Tesco.

Leahy is likely to be closely involved with completing any deal should CD&R pursue its interest in the grocer.

The dramatic sequence of events is the latest seismic shift in the supermarket sector after the little-known Issa brothers acquired Asda from Walmart in a 6.8billion swoop last year. The deal was approved by the Competition & Markets Authority last week.

Private equity giants and business tycoons are attracted by the stable returns and vast property assets, which CD&R could sell to make a quick return.

But any attempt to buy Morrisons, one of the biggest private sector employers in the country with 110,000 staff, would attract intense public scrutiny.

CD&R said in its statement there was no certainty a formal offer would be made. It has 28 days to formalise its approach. It could alternatively increase its offer price in light of the rejection or else walk away.

Morrisons share price has flatlined so far this year and closed at 1.82 on Friday, valuing the business at 4.3 billion.

Despite that, it is certain investors would likely demand a significant premium to hand the business over, given the strong property asset base.

Amazon, a partner to Morrison, has persistently been linked to a possible bid. It has also been suggested that former Asda suitors Apollo Global Management and Lone Star could return with a bid for another supermarket after failing to acquire the Leeds-based group last year.

Shares in other supermarkets, including Sainsbury's where 'Czech Sphinx' billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has a 10 per cent stake, are likely to rise tomorrow on the news.
Hedge funds have taken a 162million bet against shares in property giant British Land.

Official data shows the value of British Land shares held by short-sellers  investors using contracts to make money from a drop in a company's share price  has risen to the highest for more than two years.

Placing a bet: Official data shows the value of British Land shares held by short-sellers has risen to the highest for more than two years

The situation was worsened when London hedge fund Marshall Wace, run by Sir Paul Marshall and Ian Wace, increased its short position last week.

That coincided with a Government decision to extend a ban on commercial evictions until next March  a blow for landlords but welcome news for tenants.

The rise in the level of short positions at British Land  3.6 per cent of its stock  puts it into the top ten most shorted firms. Its rival Hammerson has long been among the highest with 6.5 per cent of its shares currently in the hands of short-sellers.

Sainsbury's and Cineworld are the only stocks on the market with more investors betting against them.
GlaxoSmithKline boss Emma Walmsley will seek to defy critics this week as she sets out a vision for the British drugs giant's future.

Speaking to investors this Wednesday, she will spell out plans to separate the firm's consumer division and talk up the strength of medicines being developed by the remaining pharmaceutical and vaccines business.

The event  a capital markets day  could be a critical moment for the chief executive after a difficult two months.

Looking for inspiration: GlaxoSmithKline boss Emma Walmsley has endured a difficult two months

Following revelations that Elliott Management  one of Wall Street's most feared activists  had built a stake in GSK, Walmsley has faced questions over whether she is the right leader for the company after its consumer division is spun off.

Elliott's intentions remain unknown. But analysts have speculated that the raider could push for the chief executive's removal, more ruthless cost cuts, a speedier break-up of the business or even a sale.

Aviva, a top investor, has also warned that the 'jury is out' on Walmsley's leadership since she took over in 2017, although others including Blackrock, Dodge & Cox and Royal London are said to back her.

Questions about Walmsley's decision to lead the pharma and vaccines-focused 'New GSK' stem from her lack of scientific background, although allies dismiss this criticism as 'lazy' and she has rejected suggestions that this holds her back.

'I am not a scientist, I am a business leader,' Walmsley told journalists last month.

'The chief executive should be held accountable for results.'

On top of this, the company is seeking to allay concerns that its pharmaceutical and vaccine divisions do not have strong enough drug pipelines to stand alone without the help of the consumer business.

This is because the patents for a host of GSK's 'blockbuster' medicines  those that bring in annual revenues of more than $1billion  are due to expire in the coming years.

And GSK has been left red-faced after failing to develop a coronavirus vaccine  despite being the world's biggest vaccines producer before the crisis.

The company insists it has as many as ten potential blockbusters in the works, including possible breakthrough drugs to treat cancers, HIV and blood conditions.

But Elliott's arrival has focused attention on the concerns and piled extra pressure on Walmsley.

Analysts have speculated that one rabbit she could pull out of the hat would be plans to float the consumer business  which has been formed through the creation of a joint venture with rival Pfizer  after separating it. This, or a partial listing, could help raise more cash for Walmsley that could be spent on research, acquisitions of new medicines or used to pay down debts, Liberum said.

'It's also worth noting the arrival of an activist shareholder on the GSK register who may be pressing for a faster balance sheet fix for the business,' the broker told clients in a note.

'Thus, an element of IPO feels increasingly likely.'

Liberum estimates that the consumer business is worth around 30billion, meaning the firm's 68 per cent stake is worth about 20billion.

A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline declined to comment.
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Cresaptown, MD (21502)

Today

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 57F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 57F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Services for John Mark Rountree, 60, were held at Allen & Allen Celebration of Life Chapel on Friday, July 2, 2021 with burial following at Salem Cemetery. Mr. Rountree, was born on July 16, 1960, and died of injuries sustained in a single-car automobile accident on June 29, 2021. He was
Dave Ellick Sr. and his son, Dave Ellick Jr. are both volunteer firefighters for East Norriton.
Kingsport police cited Hawkins County District 1 Constable William Creasy for failure to exercise due care when, according to the KPD report, he backed his patrol truck into another vehicle that had stopped behind him on Big Elm Road.
Israel condemned on Sunday the election of hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi as Iranian president, saying his would be a regime of brutal hangmen with which world powers should not negotiate a new nuclear deal.

Raisi, who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Irans presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, convening his first televised cabinet session since taking office last week, described Raisis ascent as enabled by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rather than by a free and popular vote.

Raisis election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with, said Bennett in a statement he read out first in Hebrew and then in English.

A regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass-destruction, he said. Israels position will not change on this.

Raisi has never publicly addressed allegations around his role in what Washington and rights groups have called the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

Bennett, a nationalist atop of a cross-partisan coalition, has hewed to the opposition of his conservative predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, whose caps on projects with bomb-making potential Israel deemed too lax.

The former U.S. administration of Donald Trump agreed with Israel and quit the deal. Current President Joe Biden wants a U.S. return to the deal. Iran denies seeking nuclear weaponry.

SOURCE: REUTERS
MALTA  In May 2018, the GlobalFoundries Fab 8 computer chip factory in the Saratoga County town of Malta appeared to be on top of the world.

Tom Caulfield, a longtime IBM executive who had taken over day-to-day operations at Fab 8 in 2014 and turned a struggling chipmaking operation into an industry success story, had been named CEO of GlobalFoundries two months earlier, vowing to make the company profitable for its Abu Dhabi owners.

On May 7, 2018, GlobalFoundries held a lavish luncheon and elaborate press conference at Fab 8, an event attended by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the CEO of Mubadala Investment Co. as well as Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the United States. Fab 8 had nearly 3,300 employees at the time.

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko was also in attendance, as well as Howard Zemsky, New York state's top economic development official.

Al Mubarak was scheduled to meet with Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the Capitol after the luncheon and then fly to Washington, D.C., to speak with federal officials in meetings that were also attended by Caulfield.

The reason for the event at Fab 8 that Monday in May had been curious at the time. GlobalFoundries had perfected its latest 14 nanometer chip under Caulfield's leadership and was investing hundreds of millions of dollars in developing a more advanced chip based on 7 nm architecture that would be faster and more powerful than the 14 nm chips. The company seemed on the verge of becoming one of the leading chipmakers in the world.

But there had been leaks to the news media that GlobalFoundries' owners at Mubadala, an investment fund operated by the government of Abu Dhabi, was unhappy with all of the losses that the company had endured investing in research and development and was looking to possibly sell all or part of the company.

Caulfield and others didn't expressly come out and say it that day in May, but GlobalFoundries was looking to the federal government to help subsidize its operations and put it on a more level playing field with chip giants in Asia that were far outspending GlobalFoundries in the race to 7 nm chips.

If GlobalFoundries was going to build another factory in Malta - Fab 8.2 - the company was going to need a federal lifeline, and it would have to be double that of the roughly $1.4 billion that GlobalFoundries had received from New York state to build Fab 8 back in 2010.

And then, after no apparent success with the Trump administration, Caulfield abruptly announced that August that GlobalFoundries was abandoning plans for 7 nm and laying off hundreds of workers at Fab 8 along with top scientists that led its 7 nm research program at Albany Nanotech, the state-owned facility that is home to SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

After the somewhat unexplained event at Fab 8 had ushered in so much optimism and hope for Fab 8.2, the future of the factory seemed dim, although Caulfield always maintained that the dramatic shift in strategy would save the company by allowing GlobalFoundries to focus on the mass chip market, which didn't require as much of the research expenses that were dragging the company down and putting pressure on Mubadala to reconsider its investment.

Caulfield's vision proved correct - GlobalFoundries has since become profitable and has started again talking about Fab 8.2, albeit with federal subsidies being requested again. There is even recent talk of an initial public offering of GlobalFoundries that would raise $30 billion - enough to fuel growth and also satisfy Mubadala.

But what no one outside of GlobalFoundries knew back in 2018 when all this was happening was that most of GlobalFoundries' decisions at the time were being driven by a massive falling out with IBM, which had sold off its chipmaking division to GlobalFoundries several years earlier in a deal that was championed at the highest levels of government as a way to ensure that New York state would remain a powerhouse in chipmaking even as IBM decided to exit the business after receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in state support over the years for its Albany Nanotech research programs and its East Fishkill chip fab, which GlobalFoundries took over.

"This was the best possible outcome that preserves New York jobs and ensures that obligations made to the state are kept," Gov. Cuomo said. "GlobalFoundries and IBM are both world-class companies, and I look forward to working with them to continue New York's rich legacy of innovation."

But dueling lawsuits filed earlier this month by both companies against one another reveal that IBM's deal with GlobalFoundries to take over its East Fishkill fab and another fab in Vermont along with IBM's vast intellectual property portfolio, was a failure almost from the beginning after the deal closed in 2015.

And many of GlobalFoundries' public moves in the years that followed - the splashy luncheon with Mabadala and the lobbying in D.C., followed by the decision to drop 7 nm production and cancel its research programs at Albany Nanotech - were in response to its behind-the-scenes dispute with IBM.

The deal, in which IBM agreed to give GlobalFoundries $1.5 billion and its two fabs in exchange for a promise that GlobalFoundries would manufacture IBM's most advanced chips used in high-end servers and supercomputers for 10 years, appears to have fallen apart almost immediately.

IBM not only wanted GlobalFoundries to make 14 nm chips but also next-generation 10 nm chips as well.

But according to IBM's lawsuit against GlobalFoundries, IBM was never even happy with the 14 nm chips, and GlobalFoundries backed out of making 10 nm chips only to make a failed attempt to develop 7 nm. IBM eventually had to turn to Samsung to make its 7 nm chips at a factory in South Korea instead of New York state as had been expected.

"Although GlobalFoundries eventually supplied 14 nm chips to IBM, GlobalFoundries development and manufacturing efforts were delayed, plagued by quality problems, and never fully satisfied IBMs needs or requirements," IBM asserts in its lawsuit against GlobalFoundries that was filed earlier this month in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

As for backing out of making 10 nm and then 7 nm chips, IBM claims that GlobalFoundries never intended to make them even when it negotiated the deal, which was code-named "Project Next" by the two companies during secret negotiations.

"Making such a major shift in corporate priorities, and a major change in the allocation of billions of dollars in corporate resources, could not have happened entirely in the few months after the closing," IBM's suit states. "It would have required significant and time-consuming thought, analysis, debate, market intelligence gathering, and financial calculations. It is not plausible that discussions and decision-making about such a material change in GlobalFoundries strategic and technological direction only began for the first time after July 1, 2015 (date of the deal's official closing)."

GlobalFoundries, however, paints a much different picture, essentially arguing that IBM's request for 7 nm chips was unrealistic since the move to the smaller size required a major leap in lithography technology that is used to etch chips designs on silicon. And at the time, it wasn't working smoothly, and GlobalFoundries was falling behind IBM's timeline, which became unrealistic.

"Despite (GlobalFoundries') investment of over $1.5 billion to develop the 7 nm technology and despite placing hundreds of engineers on the 7 nm project, by August 2018 (GlobalFoundries) knew that it would not be able to achieve a 7 nm prototype in a timely manner," GlobalFoundries' lawsuit against IBM, also filed in Manhattan, asserts. "Development of the 7 nm technology was far more challenging and expensive than had been anticipated, which caused delays in reaching the projects targeted milestones."

GlobalFoundries said it simply could not afford the $10 billion in annual research spending that its competitors were allocating to move to 7 nm chips and beyond, and its attempts to get banks or the federal government to provide capital to perfect 7 nm chips failed.

GlobalFoundries said it needed to spend $2.3 billion on research and billions more to upgrade Fab 8 in order to make IBM's 7 nm chips. The money never materialized.

"Spending this additional money would have resulted in significant losses for (GlobalFoundries) and risked the future of (GlobalFoundries)," the lawsuit against IBM asserts. "With this backdrop, (GlobalFoundries) made the difficult, but prudent, decision to cut its losses."

IBM is seeking at least $1.5 billion through the lawsuit, in addition to "compensatory and consequential damages" that could significantly raise that amount if the company is successful at trial, although some sort of settlement would be more likely.

It's unclear how much the IBM and GlobalFoundries dispute will harm efforts by President Joseph Biden's administration and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to secure a $52 billion semiconductor manufacturing subsidy package to combat China's rise and the global chip shortage.

GlobalFoundries actually believes it - and the U.S. chip industry is better off with GlobalFoundries leaving the most advanced chips like those at 7 nm and beyond to others since it only accounts for 30 percent of the demand for chips.

"Our decision in 2018 to stop work on 7 nm enabled GlobalFoundries to focus on the other 70 percent of the market, where we were making the biggest impact," said Saam Azar, senior vice president of corporate development, legal and government affairs for GlobalFoundries. "Had we not made that pivot, GlobalFoundries may not have been viable. Flash forward three years to today, and GlobalFoundries is a vital supplier of semiconductors to the U.S. and the world."

GlobalFoundries has said it would use the semiconductor funding - originally proposed in what was called the CHIPS Act - to build Fab 8.2. IBM is also planning to compete for $2 billion in related funds that would support a new federal computer chip research lab that IBM and New York state would build at Albany Nanotech.

Neither state officials nor Schumer's office would comment for this story, saying it would be inappropriate to comment on a legal dispute between two corporations.

The legal controversy is rare among the Capital Region's high-tech and business community which typically does not turn on one another - at least publicly.

"IBM depended on GlobalFoundries after investing heavily in a long-term mutual relationship," IBM said in a statement to the Times Union in response to this story. "GlobalFoundries responded by taking IBMs money, and benefiting from IBMs knowledge, skill and assets. Though GlobalFoundries repeatedly assured IBM that it would meet its commitments, GlobalFoundries instead abruptly and without any justification walked away from IBM."

Azar called IBM's allegations "sad," adding that collectively, about 1,000 engineers from GlobalFoundries and IBM had worked on the 14 nm and 7 nm chip projects, which cost billions of dollars. He added that the agreement was only an "efforts" contract, meaning that GlobalFoundries would make its best effort to make the leap to 7 nm chips, within financial reason, a task he called "harder than rocket science."
Q: Currently the CDTA Northway Express only goes from Saratoga to downtown Albany. With gas prices high and most state employees required to return July 6th to Albany offices, does CDTA have any plans to revive the bus that goes from the Saratoga Exit 15 park-and-ride to the Harriman office campus in Albany?

Matt K., Saratoga

The Northway Express connection between Exit 15 and Harriman Campus stopped operating before the COVID-19 pandemic because of low ridership, according to Jaime Watson, director of communications for the Capital District Transportation Authority.

CDTA continually monitors and adjusts its services and routes, and if the connection is found to be necessary and ridership at a higher level, they would adjust the service to meet the demand, she said.

CDTAs third Bus Rapid Transit Line, the Purple line, will run along the Washington Avenue/Western Avenue corridor and have a dedicated busway through the Harriman campus and the uptown UAlbany campus, Watson said. That service is set to start in late 2022.

Q: With a lot of public employees being ordered to return to the Albany offices, are there any plans for CDTA to reopen the South Glens Falls park-and-ride?



A. Smith, South Glens Falls

The South Glens Falls park-and-ride was closed during the pandemic to align service with demand, Watson said.

As the pandemic eases, CDTA will continue to work with the state on the return of employees to the office, including evaluating service levels and modifying as appropriate to align service with demand, she added.

The Northway Express, which served the South Glens Falls park-and-ride, is still making several trips a day to and from the Exit 15 park and ride.

Full details of Northway Express service and all other CDTA services can be found at www.cdta.org.

I-90: Starting June 25, expect two of the four eastbound lanes on the Interstate 90 bridge over Fuller Road to be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday. Drivers on I-90 and Fuller Road should expect short stoppages of traffic while bridge components are unloaded and staged.

Pedestrian safety: A state pedestrian safety initiative will run through June 24 to try to decrease pedestrian-involved crashes.

In addition to a public service announcement, law enforcement will be watching for motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, or pedestrians jaywalking.

The initiative is part of a five-year, $110 million Pedestrian Safety Plan that runs through the end of the year. Preliminary data shows that pedestrian fatalities are down more than 20 percent statewide from 2016 to 2020 in New York state.

Have a question about transportation in the Capital Region? Email gettingthere@timesunion.com and include your name, town and phone number or tweet @abigail_rubel.
A bill awaiting action from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo would change just one word in the approval process for state Supreme Court justices who want to stay on the bench past the mandatory retirement age of 70.

But that change would be ill-conceived, costly and possibly unconstitutional, according to a top state court official who will be urging the governor to veto the legislation when it reaches his desk.

This is a really bad bill, Lawrence K. Marks, the chief administrative judge for the Unified Court System, told Law Beat.

Judges under investigation for alleged sexual harassment, racist remarks or other serious allegations of wrongdoing by the state Commission of Judicial Conduct could be approved to work beyond 70 under the language of the proposed law, Marks said.

"The way this bill reads, that couldnt be taken into consideration, Marks said.

Asked if the court system would ask the governor to veto the bill, Marks said: "We're going to write a very strong letter laying out the problems."

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor, said the bill was under review.

State Supreme Court justices are elected to 14-year terms. They earn $210,900 a year. Like all state judges in New York, they must retire at the end of the year that they turn 70. The state constitution allows the justices (and Court of Appeals judges) to receive up to three, two-year extensions to serve at the state Supreme Court level. The judges must apply for certification to the court systems administrative board, which includes Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and the presiding justices of the states four departments of the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court.

The judges, if approved three times, can stay on the bench until the end of the year that they turn 76.

Now, language in New Yorks judiciary law states that the Administrative Board may extend retiring justices who apply to remain on the bench beyond 70. Under the bill, it would state that the administrative board shall extend justices who apply and meet the criteria.

"It's a very significant thing, even though it's simple," Marks said. "It changes the word 'may' to 'shall.' It takes the discretion away."

To be extended, judges must meet two requirements: Have the mental and physical capacity to do the job, and provide services "necessary to expedite the business" of the court. Right now, the administrative board holds "nearly unfettered discretion" in determining whether to approve judges for certification, according to a 1979 Court of Appeals ruling. The board can get input from bar associations, lower-level administrative judges and the state's commission on judicial conduct. The judges seeking extensions must waive confidentiality to allow the administrative board to learn of any pending investigations.

Under the bill, that discretion would be eliminated. A judge who presided over even a handful of cases a year could meet the criteria of providing services, Marks told Law Beat.

"It would have the effect of forcing certification of judges who meet bare minimal qualifications," Marks said.

The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Bronx Democrat, and Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat. A memo supporting the legislation, included in the bill, said certification "should be virtually automatic as long as the administrative board does not find that the applicant lacks mental or physical capacity and there is a need for additional judicial services to expedite the business of the Supreme Court."

The memo called it "a matter of judicial independence." It quoted late Court of Appeals Judge Jacob Fuchsberg, who dissented in the 1979 case.

Fuchsberg said allowing the administrative board such wide discretion created a situation where a judge serving a pre-retirement term would be "ever conscious of the fact that his or her tenure may be forfeit to unpopularity or nonconformity, be it the result of doctrinal differences, a lack of gregariousness, or any other expression of personality, ideology or style. Or, perhaps, just whim or caprice."

Meanwhile, there is this: In 2019 DiFiore proposed a constitutional amendment for a massive restructuring of New York's court system, which now has 11 separate trial courts, the most of any state. As part of that plan, judges in county court, family court, the court of claims and surrogate's court would all become state Supreme Court justices. The proposed change would require two consecutively elected state Legislatures and then be approved by voters.

If that were to be approved, the state's number of state Supreme Court justices would vastly increase. And so would, the logic would follow, the number of judges seeking certification to work beyond 70.

Asked if the restructuring plan would become unfeasible in the event Cuomo signed the bill, Marks said: "There would be a lot more judges eligible and a lot more judges getting approved under this. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. It would depend on operational needs at the time, but the administrative board wouldn't be able to sort of calibrate or make that part of the analysis."

The court system was forced to cut $300 million from its roughly $3 billion budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To save $55 million over two years, the court system canceled the extensions of 46 state Supreme Court justices, which locally included Appellate Justice Eugene "Gus" Devine and Justice Raymond Elliott III, based in Rensselaer County.

The court system later rescinded those plans in the 2021 budget, but Marks defended the cuts as a tough but sound decision in a crisis. He said the court system's budget is almost entirely salaries and fringe benefits.

"If we had gone ahead and approved all those people (for certification) at the time, we would have had to lay off the equivalent of 325 people," Marks said. He said it would have particularly impacted younger employees who would have been cut due to a lack of seniority. Marks said that would have had a "devastating impact on court operations, number one, and number two, would have been inhumane."'
WATER VALLEY, Miss. (AP)  A man has been arrested for arson in a December fire that killed the sister-in-law of a former Mississippi lawmaker.

Former state Rep. Ashley Henley was found shot to death on June 13 outside the same burned-out mobile home where Kristina Michelle Jones was found dead on Dec. 26.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Jubera tells local news outlets that Billy Brooks was arrested Friday and charged with arson. However, Brooks was not charged in Jones's death. Jubera said prosecutors would make a further statement Monday.

WHBQ-TV reports Brooks lived across the street. He was jailed in Yalobusha County. It's unclear if Brooks has a lawyer to speak for him or has seen a judge.

Jones lived near Water Valley, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) south of where Henley lived in Southaven, which is a suburb just south of Memphis, Tennessee.

Relatives said the fire that killed Jones was intentionally set on Christmas.

Henley served in the state House as a Republican from 2016 to 2020. She and other relatives of Jones had contended that Yalobusha County authorities weren't doing enough to examine possible criminal charges in Jones' death. Relatives erected a homemade sign at the site with photos of Jones under the phrase, I was murdered.

Yalobusha County coroner Ronnie Stark said Henley had been mowing grass at the home before she was killed.

Henley was a teacher before she was elected to the state House, and she often took her young son to the state Capitol during legislative sessions. She sought a second term in November 2019 and lost by 14 votes to a Democrat.
Plans set for Northville arts weekend

NORTHVILLE - The 12th annual Woodworking and Fine Arts Weekend sponsored by the Northville Rotary will be the weekend of July 16-18.

Over 50 artists from around the area and state will display their art at the Northampton Town Park and Bradt Municipal Building. The weekend will begin with opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. on Friday. The show continues to 8 a.m. Hours Saturday will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include demonstrations, raffles, and a silent auction.

This years featured artists are textile artist Dan Bridge of Coxsackie, a weaver and quilter, and master wood carver Frank Snyder of Queensbury, who creates unique Adirondack pieces.

The show will be raffling a paddleboard donated by Fuel and Food in Mayfield, Amish furniture donated by The Blue Hen of Amsterdam, and a 13-foot wooden kayak built by a group of community members and Rotarians led by Ed Anker. Food can be purchased from a number of vendors.

Proceeds from this event will be used by the Northville Rotary throughout the year to provide scholarships to students, support community organizations, and projects of Rotary International.

Library plans Indian Ladder Farms trip

Guilderland Public Library is planning a farm tour for families at Indian Ladder Farms at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 8, as part of its "Tails and Tales" Summer Reading Program,

Among the highlights, Simon the Donkey may be on hand to greet the group. Registration is required on the Events tab of guilderlandlibrary.org, or by calling 518.456.2400 ext. 3.

StoryWalk installed in Ballston

BALLSTON - The Town of Ballston Community Library recently had a StoryWalk installed by a patron in Anchor Diamond Park at Hawkwood in the town.

The Sheridan Family volunteered to spearhead and construct the StoryWalk, with assistance and support from the Ballston Community Library, the Friends of the Library, the Parks and Recreation Committee, and material support from Curtis Lumber and Lowe's.

The StoryWalk will remain up through the summer, and the book will be changed out periodically. The StoryWalk might also be moved to other parks in the area as time goes on.

Shuttle system being formed for High Peaks trail access

The state Department of Environmental Conservation, Essex County, and the town of Keene are implementing a shuttle pilot system this summer that will explore how shuttles may help manage sustainable visitation along the Route 73 corridor and in the High Peaks.

Using a recently completed Volpe study to help guide planning efforts,the group said it is collaborating to develop an effective, safe, and enjoyable system that benefits High Peaks communities and visitors.

Some details remain, including hiring properly certified shuttle operators and trail stewards, as well as finalizing route information. Qualified people interested in the hiring opportunities available can contact the Town of Keene, and additional information will be made available as the shuttle system details are finalized. Contact the Essex County Personnel Department for information and required qualifications about the positions available: 7551 Court Street, P.O. Box 217, Elizabethtown, New York 12932 Phone: (518) 873-3360 Fax: (518) 873-3372.
ROME (AP)  An Italian court late Saturday convicted four African men in the drugging, aggravated sexual assault and murder of an Italian teen in Rome, a crime that spurred calls in Italy for quick expulsions of migrants illegally living in in the country, state TV and private Italian media said.

After some nine hours of deliberation, the court delivered its verdict and sentenced two of the defendants to life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest criminal punishment, and meted out prison sentences of 27 and 24.5 years to the other two, the LaPresse news agency said.

The body of Desiree Mariottini, 16, was found in October 2018 in an abandoned building used by drug dealers in a neighborhood near Romes main train station. When arrested, the suspects were found to be lacking documents granting permission for migrants to legally reside in Italy.

Right-wing leader Matteo Salvini, who was interior minister at the time of the slaying, used the case to push his anti-migrant political agenda. The brutal crime also focused attention on the degradation of some areas of the Italian capital.

Some in Italy demanded that the then-populist government speed up expulsions of immigrants who were in Italy illegally, as promised by Salvinis League party during the 2018 election campaign.

Prosecutors, who had sought life imprisonment for all four defendants, alleged during the trial that Mariottini had been drugged, gang raped and left for dead in the abandoned building. Defendants were also charged with providing drugs to a minor.

One of the defendants is from Gambia, two are from Senegal and the fourth is from Nigeria.

In the days following the slaying, Italian news reports indicated that Mariottini had told her family that she had missed the bus to her town outside of Rome and she would stay at a friends house the night she disappeared. A lawyer for the family denied reports that she had a drug problem.
ALBANY  Bishop Edward Scharfenberger doesn't support a blanket rule denying Communion to politicians who support abortion, a spokeswoman said after the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops vehemently debated that topic.

"He doesn't want to politicize the Eucharist. It's too important and sacred to us to turn into a political football," Diocese spokeswoman Mary DeTurris Poust said Sunday.

Last week, U.S. Catholic bishops approved the drafting of documents some hope will rebuke Catholic politicians, including President Joe Biden, for receiving Communion despite their support for abortion rights. The bishops voted to continue work on doctrinal rules that could determine who is denied Communion.

Scharfenbergers vote on the issue is secret, as is that of every bishop. But Scharfenberger wants to be able to continue making individualized decisions based on each congregant's circumstances, Poust said.

Ideally, he'd discuss them with the person privately, and he would never publicly announce a Communion ban, she said.

"Hes not going to announce that someones not getting communion," she said. "If Bishop Scharfenberger wanted to address the issue of Communion with a Catholic politician, or with any other Catholic for that matter, he would do so privately and confidentially. The state of ones soul is about as private as things get, and Bishop is not likely to use a public forum for a deeply personal matter."

What would the bishop do if a pro-choice politician stood to receive Communion without a private meeting?

"He doesn't know," she said, calling it a complex issue.

"There may be some bishops out there who are making pronouncements. That's not Bishop Ed," she said.

EXPLAINER: What is the Catholic Communion controversy?

She added that she had not asked Scharfenberger how he had voted on the issue.

I would not ask him how he voted, out of respect for the sanctity of the secret ballot, whether it be this issue or any issue, she said.

But she said no one yet knows what will be in the final document, which may be ready this fall for the bishops next meeting.

We would urge people to be patient and resist the temptation to form opinions or make statements about a document that has not yet been drafted, let alone approved. Doing so only sows needless division, she said. Our hope is that when the bishops document is finalized, it will renew reverence and awe for the beauty of the Mass and the power of the Eucharist  which is the real presence of Christ  to change lives.

She noted that congregants have always been expected to search their conscience and decide whether they are eligible for the Eucharist, and could go to confession and express remorse for their sins, after which they could receive Communion.

A Catholic should not receive Communion if he or she is in a state of mortal sin, she said. Fortunately, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which allows us to be continually renewed and absolved so we are able to receive the Eucharist, which is food for the spiritual journey, not a reward for good behavior.

Some conservative bishops hope new rules could lead to Biden being denied communion because while he personally opposes abortion he supports the legality of abortion.

But church law makes that extraordinarily difficult.

Currently, bishops can decide whether to offer Communion to a particular congregant, and Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C. has said publicly that he wont deny Biden.

To take the discretion from bishops on this issue, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops would need either a unanimous vote, or two-thirds voting for it plus the Popes approval. The Pope wrote to the bishops and asked them not to continue considering the public officials ban, and one-fourth of the bishops voted against continuing work on it this week.

Biden, when asked by reporters recently, said he did not think the ban would pass.

Scharfenberger's predecessor faced controversy when, a decade ago, Catholic canon law expert Edward Peters stated Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his then-girlfriend Sandra Lee were engaged in what church law defines as "public concubinage" by sharing Lee's Westchester County home.

Bishop Howard Hubbard called it "unfair and imprudent" to conclude the governor and Lee shouldn't receive Communion simply because they were living together. (The couple split in 2019.)

In January 2011, Peters wrote about Hubbard's warm welcome to the couple at Mass at Albany's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception the day after Cuomo's inauguration. He claimed that Hubbard had committed a "dereliction of pastoral duty."

Hubbard declined to directly address the issue raised by Peters, instead saying, "There are norms of the church governing the sacraments which Catholics are expected to observe."

"However, it is unfair and imprudent to make a pastoral judgment about a particular situation without knowing all the facts," Hubbard continued before concluding, "As a matter of pastoral practice we would not comment publicly on anything which should be addressed privately, regardless if the person is a public figure or a private citizen."
ALBANY  The principal of Albany High School came prepared.

Dale Getto had purchased the rings over a year prior, just in case. For months, she already knew who was going to officiate.

Getto, 53, and her partner Barbara Laven, 53, became one of the first same-sex couples married in New York  a decade ago at 12:01 a.m. on July 24.

Now, 10 years later, they can laugh that they are still married and reflect on one of the happiest days of their lives. It was a day they never thought would happen, but one, looking back, they see as a milestone in a relentless fight for LGBTQ rights.

Really what I think is important to say right now is its not over, Getto said. Maybe its just begun. There were a lot of things that weve taken for granted in these 10 years, like whoop-whoop, right? But the fight is still out there. We have the privilege and freedom of being married, but there are people locally and in America who are still fighting.

Cindy Schultz

That special day was a result of the state governments passage of the Marriage Equality Act, which, after a failed attempt two years prior, legalized same-sex marriage in New York. It contributed to a groundswell of support nationally that eventually culminated with the U.S. Supreme Court knocking down the ban on same-sex marriages.

That period in 2011 marked a rare, and ever-fleeting, moment of cooperation on a controversial bill between increasingly polarized political parties in the state. It also spotlighted the political savvy of then-newly elected Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his ability to broker a deal amid a substantive shift in public opinion that LGBTQ activists believe they helped usher in, according to interviews with politicians, activists and advocates who had a stake in the legislation.

For some elected officials and activists it was a triumph and also represented a significant moment in the transgender rights movement in New York. But for others, the political infighting, calculated tactics to turn votes and, in at least one case, the death threats that followed, have left a more complicated aftereffect.

Many look back at the passage of same-sex marriage as helping to further open up the dialogue for the transgender rights movement. Others see it as a melancholy moment when the gay rights community was unable to do enough for the transgender rights group. It wasnt until eight years later, in 2019, that transgender people saw similar protections afforded to them through the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.

There have been times when they have not been incorporated into our movements and those are times that Im very ashamed of my community, said Assemblyman Daniel ODonnell, a Manhattan Democrat who was a chief sponsor of the Marriage Equality Act and a staunch supporter of gay and transgender protections over the last two decades. Im very proud to work with the trans community on the needs that they have and to get them what they need.

Pursuing equality

Paul Buckowski

Nearly a decade prior to the passage of the Marriage Equality Act, state Sen. Tom Duane put forward a same-sex marriage bill.

It was 2002 and, at the time, it was a little bit controversial, Duane said. "The establishment gay organizations and advocates were very concerned that it might cause backlash."

It was not that he thought it would pass, Duane said, but rather he wanted to get people talking about it.

He had already pushed for several foundational pieces of gay rights legislation. The Hate Crimes Act of 2000 allowed officials to tally up offenses against the LGBTQ community. The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in 2002 provided a host of benefits to the gay community.

The marriage equality dialogue reached critical mass in 2009.

One week after Duanes mother died, the Manhattan Democrat received a message from Gov. David Paterson. He sent his condolences. He also told the senator that his same-sex marriage bill was going to be on the Senates calendar and would be up for a vote.

Duane, the first openly gay senator in the state Legislature, realized he made a terrible political mistake: He said he thought they had enough votes to secure a victory to legalize same-sex marriage.

It was disappointing and it felt like a setback, but it wasnt a shock, said Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, a fellow champion of LGBTQ rights. She noted she had seen all manner of womens rights denied, especially in the previously Republican-controlled Senate.

Duane still believes there were more than enough senators who supported same-sex marriage. Democrats and Republicans had given him their word they would vote for it. When it came down to a vote, the Republican Party decided to vote against the bill wholesale, especially with some Democrats also voting against it.

He said the votes were based less on moral objections to same-sex marriage than a desire to hold onto political power by preserving political donations.

The whole debate around marriage, even its failing and disappointment, I think actually garnered more support for it around the state, Duane said.

By 2010, Cuomo was running for office and campaigned on a platform that included same-sex marriage, which was gaining traction in political polls. Duane and other activists attribute that in part to pop culture but also to their prior attempts to pass the legislation.

Politicians and activists have given mixed credit to Cuomo for the passage of the same-sex marriage law. Some viewed it as a moment where all the pieces came together; others saw it as a major accomplishment for the now-embattled governor. But many of those supporters have steered clear of the sexual harassment allegations that have engulfed the governor this year, apparently willing to separate his troubles from his prior political accomplishments.

Cuomo, through his spokesman Richard Azzopardi, declined to comment for this story.

Looking back, some advocates view the passage of the Marriage Equality Act as Cuomo's marquee accomplishment  and a demonstration of what they see as the governors ability to navigate a politically divisive issue and flip enough votes to find success.

We came into office in 2011 with a clear objective, which was to pass the Marriage Equality Act, said Alphonso David, a former counsel and confidant of Cuomo's. (He is now the president of the Human Rights Campaign  the first person of color to serve in that role.)

David, who identifies as gay and had been a deputy secretary and chief legal adviser to Cuomo, said he and Katherine Grainger, a former assistant counsel in the governors administration, drafted the bill, which explicitly carved out exemptions for religious institutions.

It was important to make clear to Republican and some Democratic lawmakers, David said, that marriage was a civil act by the government, not to be conflated with what religious leaders may decide is appropriate.

The idea of focusing on marriage as a civil act is something ODonnell said he first did in 2009.

Beginning in January 2011, David said, the governors office convened weekly meetings to discuss strategy on how to pass the bill.

The meetings included representatives of advocacy organizations. They monitored polling and field reports. They focused on Republican senators who they thought could be swayed, especially if they provided more education to demystify same-sex marriage, he said.

We had to work very strategically and very deliberately to address those fears and concerns, David said.

Those on the ground included Marty Rouse, who was helping to manage the grassroots efforts to pass same-sex marriage for the Human Rights Campaign, which included overseeing 32 field organizers in 2011.

At supermarkets in conservative districts, Rouse remembers talking to people pushing shopping carts who were either in favor of the Marriage Equality Act or just wanted them to move to other issues, but were rarely, if ever, opposed to it.

Its not just winning over hearts and minds, you have to play hardball electoral politics as well, said Rouse, whose work was under the umbrella coalition, New Yorkers for Marriage Equality. He is now with the National Democratic Institute.

Rouse would hear from the governors team, if, for example, they learned a senator wasnt hearing much from their constituents; Rouses team or volunteers and paid organizers would head to that area and made sure that state senator heard from a lot of constituents.

We were very engaged on the ground in coordination with the leadership, of sensing what was happening in Albany, Rouse said. However you make the sausage, we knew what ingredients to put in when.

Meanwhile, David recalled days he went without sleep. He would sleep with the bill under his pillow, he said, and wake up at 2:30 a.m. to reread a sentence again.

Politicians critiqued the bill for its religious-exemption carve-outs, which Duane called very dangerous.

But David and others in favor of them saw the language that clearly exempted religious leaders from having to marry a same-sex couple as necessary to win over the needed votes to pass the monumental bill.

This would not have happened without the efforts of Gov. Cuomo at the time, Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said.

Appelbaum was on the board of the influential Empire State Pride Agenda at the time. He said he was in the room when Cuomo asked whether the administration should try to go ahead and pass marriage equality.

Cuomo's daughters played a role by encouraging him to support gay marriage, according to Libby Post, founder of Empire State Pride Agenda.

In the process of pushing for the votes, Post said, advocates assured Republicans a vote for same-sex marriage would not cost them their seat.

Four Republicans ended up voting for same-sex marriage, even though Duane said there were many more who privately were in favor of it and came up to him afterward to celebrate the passage.

He really jawboned some of the recalcitrant senators, Glick said of Cuomo. I think he gets a fair amount of credit for pushing senators.

Out of the four Republicans, only one held onto their seat in the next election, Sen. Mark Grisanti. By 2014, Grisanti lost reelection in the primary. Sen. James Alesi chose not to run for reelection. Sens. Roy McDonald, of Wilton, and Stephen Saland, whose district included Columbia and Dutchess counties, lost their bids for reelection immediately following the vote.

It was distressing that happened, Post said. Nonetheless, they were very brave and we appreciate their vote.

Cuomo later appointed Alesi, Grisanti and Saland to statewide positions.

Backlash and beyond

Jay Zhang Photography

The issue was personal for ODonnell, as it was for the few LGBTQ colleagues of his who were pushing forward on the cause.

ODonnells efforts on the bill led him to receive death threats for a period of time afterward, he noted.

Like his colleagues, he vividly remembers the day it passed, the Pride Parade in New York City that followed and the first days in which people like himself could get married.

The politics of it all left a bit of a sanguine feeling, Rouse, the Human Rights Campaign organizer, said. Others felt similarly.

What was more challenging though, they said, were the days to come in the backlash they felt from Senate Republicans who they say stymied LGBTQ legislation for seven years while in the majority.

It was a sad demarcation of moderate Republicanism and the ushering in of (President Donald) Trump, Sen. Brad Hoylman said. Instead of embracing the change that they helped usher through, Republicans turned against their colleagues who helped pass marriage equality.

Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat, came into office in 2012, riding in part the wave of the LGBTQ moment. He entered as Duane exited. And while Democrats were in the minority in the Senate until recently, he said, New York fell behind on leading the LGBTQ movement.

The backlash that progressive lawmakers saw from the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in the state Legislature in the years that followed, Hoylman and other politicians have likened to todays backlash in Republican states against transgender youth rights following the election of President Joe Biden over Trump.

It is deeply offensive and reprehensible, but it is illustrative to me of the fact that our battle for equality is intertwined, said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior attorney at Lambda Legal, a firm that has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court for LGBTQ rights. What may be seen as a victory for a subset of our community can create backlash for another set of our community. Ultimately we are all in this boat together.

The bills targeted at transgender youths in Republican-controlled states have helped provide additional emphasis to set some new agendas for the LGBTQ Democrats in charge in New York.

For us, the priorities of the trans communities are our priorities, said Rose Christ, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, which advocates for the election of LGBTQ Democrats to public office.

The priorities of the transgender and gay rights movements have not always been hand-in-hand, experts and politicians say.

The trans community was left behind, Glick said.

ODonnell and Hoylman earlier this month helped pass the Gender Recognition Act, which in part streamlines the process for trans people to update their gender on their state ID. Advocates celebrated it as a major and long-awaited milestone.

The slow push for transgender rights now a decade after the passage of same-sex marriage leaves a bittersweet taste in the mouth of Tandra LaGrone, CEO of In Our Own Voices, an Albany-based advocacy group for LGBTQ people of color. LaGrone remembers pushing for equal right for people who are transgender during the internal policy debates around the Marriage Equality Act, but those efforts fell on deaf ears, she said. The passage of same-sex marriage went around the question of gender, which was not addressed until about eight years later.

"It's not like it wasn't being told to folks at that time," LaGrone said. "I think people made the conscious decision of what was going to more palatable for people to swallow."

LaGrone recalls the time as being very focused on wealthier, white gay people and not the issues that were in front of the most persecuted, female transgender people of color.

"People that the finish line was marriage, and, well, yes, for a lot of white LGBTQ individuals, it was," LaGrone said.

LaGrone hopes that politicans put the most afflicted to the front of the line and let them lead the conversations. She said the Legislature or governor should commission a special committee, perhaps under the guise of minority health or human rights, led by people like transgender people of color.

"If you ask, 'Are we a little better than we were 10 years ago?' Yeah, a little bit. 'Are Black and brown people still hurting?' Absolutely," LaGrone said.

Other activists are looking for additional support services for LGBTQ seniors, more support for chronic homelessness among the population and additional medical support. Hoylman would like to see a museum in Greenwich Village and other memorial items for the movement. It is also not just about policy, its about equality, Gonzalez-Pagan said.

Gonzalez-Pagan, like others interviewed for this article, remembers the 2011 vote vividly and recalls the days afterward with jubilance. Younger people say it paved the way forward. For someone like Getto, the now-retired Albany High School principal, it was an affirmation that the government saw them as equal.

Im not proud because I was born gay, but Im proud because Im no longer afraid to be, said Fredy Kaplan, who in 2011 was the LGBTQ liaison for the New York State Democratic Committee. That was a key thing marriage did.

Kaplan, like Getto, was one of the first people in New York to be married after the Marriage Equality Act  a ceremony that took place in Manhattan. The various movements and accepted, progressive language within those movements can be tough to keep up with, admitted Kaplan, an attorney for the state Department of Education, but the baselines remain steady a decade later.

Allowing people the freedom to really expand their thoughts about themselves, Kaplan said, its going to be such a healing thing for this world.

For city and town clerks, who were on the front lines of marriage a decade ago, its even simpler.

Its normal, Albany City Clerk Danielle Gillespie said. Love is normal and the expression of love is normal. It is not up to us to determine how love is expressed.
Seth Wenig

Palestine has a right to exist, and the Palestinian people deserve to live in dignity yet, every day, the Palestinian people endure the hardship and humiliation imposed by the Israeli military occupation. Their homes and lands are confiscated or demolished to make way for illegal Israeli settlements.

While the United States acknowledges these settlements are illegal, our government has been unwilling to hold Israel accountable for the continuing annexation of Palestinian land where more than 600,000 are living on Palestinian-occupied territory. Palestinians must endure checkpoints and roadblocks to travel to work, school or to reach their farmlands, and they are unable to travel on new highways reserved only for settlers.
Willa L. Drake Radford of Felton, DE, died Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, Dover, DE. She was 89. She was born in Kingmont, WV, on January 17, 1932, a daughter of the late William Douglas and Rosa Mae Gower Drake. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, 
Legal experts say its unlikely that the four men convicted and ordered to pay for setting fire to a Minneapolis police station during protests over the death of George Floyd will meet their financial obligations
Montana health officials struggle with changes to state law

Legislation aiming to protect businesses from COVID-19 restrictions imposed by local authorities was signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte more than a month ago
[June 20, 2021] tcc and KargoCard are excited to announce their partnership to bring omnichannel retail loyalty programs to China

SHANGHAI, June 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China has the largest number of shoppers and the most advanced digital and omnichannel retail ecosystem in the world. To meet the opportunity and the demand, tcc and KargoCard are joining forces to deliver a market-leading seamless omnichannel loyalty and reward experience to retailers and their shoppers. tcc is committed to leading mass retail loyalty in China's dynamic, fast-paced and rapidly developing digital economy. tcc China and their partners empower our retail clients to meet their omnichannel shopper wherever they are, with the right message and the right reward. Kate Burns, Chief Digital Officer, tcc: "This exciting partnership between tcc China and KargoCard signals the deep importance we hold for the Chinese market, and the evolution of our global digital partner strategy. The combination of tcc's un-rivalled retail loyalty solutions and KargoCard's powerful, data driven platform will bring a world leading opportunity for Chinese grocers and enhance shopper experience." Ted Hopkins, Head of Digital Partnerships, tcc: "KargoCard is the right partner for tcc in China. Their scaled retail technology infrastructure integrate tcc's best in class campaigns and rewards directly into the retailer's omnichannel ecosystem. We are excited about our future opportunities with KargoCard in China."



Ashmit Bhattacharya, Founder and CEO, KargoCard: "tcc adds tremendous value to KargoCard's retail technology platforming enabling retailers to bring rewards and loyalty programs that surprise and delight their customers. We are excited to be working with tcc in bringing these solutions to market in China."

About tcc tcc is an international marketing company that specialises in creating loyalty platforms and campaigns that change the way shoppers think, act and feel. In a fast-paced retail environment which continues to be disrupted by increasing consumer choice, technology and innovation, customer loyalty remains a significant driver as the link between emotional resonance and transactional reward. Using the power of data, insight and creativity, tcc global delivers tailor-made solutions which engage and reward loyal customers whilst driving sustainable growth to retailers and brands. Active in more than 70 countries worldwide, tcc global employs more than 500 people across 34 offices. To find out more, visit tccglobal.com. ABOUT KargoCard Kargo is a retail technology platform headquartered in Shanghai, China. The cloud native Kargo platform supports millions of transactions every day across China. The Kargo platform powers mobile payments, membership and loyalty programs, in-transaction rewards and offers, third party offers and programs, direct-to-customer online services to top tier convenience store chains across Asia. KargoCard enables retailers to offer best-in-class digital services to their customers in China's and Asia's highly dynamic and high traffic digital retail environment. Contact: Ted Hopkins, Head of Digital Strategy Partnership, ted.hopkins@tccglobal.com, +86 216 375 8080 SOURCE tcc

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[June 19, 2021] Fancamp Announces Postponement of Annual General Meeting to Accommodate Court Application of Peter H. Smith's Counsel to Have Certain Matters Heard Before Shareholders Vote

Fancamp Exploration Ltd. ("Fancamp" or the "Corporation") (TSX Venture Exchange: FNC) today announced that the Special Committee of Directors (the "Special Committee") has postponed the Corporation's annual general meeting ("AGM") and will advise shareholders of a specific new meeting date in due course. The AGM was originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The postponement was made necessary by a last-minute petition filed by Mr. Peter H. Smith's counsel. Mr. Smith's counsel, weeks ago, had requested a number of changes in the conduct of the meeting that Fancamp had rejected. Mr. Smith waited for a month, until less than two weeks before the AGM, to bring the petition, making a fair hearing of the petition impossible. The only way to ensure a fair court hearing after this ambush was to postpone the meeting and the Special Committee has done so. In spite of Mr. Smith's unfair tactics, the Corporation is committed to holding the AGM as soon as possible. Fancamp thanks shareholders for their ongoing and overwhelming support. Further information regarding the new AGM date will be provided to the market in due course. ISS Recommends Fancamp Shareholders Vote FOR Management Slate Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a leading independent proxy advisory firm, recommended in its June 17, 2021 report that Fancamp shareholders vote FOR all six of Fancamp's exceptionally qualified and experienced director nominees. In the report, ISS also stated: "The dissident has failed to make a compelling case  Moreover, the cumulative [Total Shareholder Return] of the company during the dissident's lengthy tenure as CEO and on the board does not seem to suggest that the company was following a  successful strategy" Advisors Lavery, de Billy, L.L.P. and Goodmans LLP are serving as legal advisor to Fancamp. Harris & Company LLP is serving as litigation counsel to Fancamp. Kingsdale Advisors is acting as strategic shareholder and communications advisor to Fancamp. Koffman Kalef LLP is serving as legal advisor to the Special Committee. About Fancmp Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: FNC)



Fancamp is a growing Canadian mineral exploration corporation dedicated to its value-added strategy of advancing mineral properties through exploration and development. The Corporation owns numerous mineral resource properties in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, including gold, rare earth metals, strategic and base metals, zinc, chromium, titanium and more. Fancamp is also building on the industrial possibilities inherent in dealing with some of these materials, notable being the development of its Titanium technology strategy. It has recently announced the acquisition of ScoZinc, a Canadian exploration and mining corporation that has full ownership of the Scotia Mine and related facilities near Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as several prospective exploration licenses in surrounding regions. The Corporation is managed by a new and focused leadership team with decades of mining, exploration and complementary technology experience. Forward-looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements which are not comprised of historical facts and that constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe Fancamp's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that Fancamp or its management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", "foresees" or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on multiple factors, assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to Fancamp, Fancamp provides no assurance that actual results will meet the management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially or simply fail to materialize from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, information and statements relating to the Corporation's annual general meeting, and objectives, goals or future plans. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Fancamp's expectations include, among others, political, economic, environmental and permitting risks, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions, environmental and permitting restrictions and liabilities, the inability of Fancamp to raise capital or secure necessary financing in the future, as well as factors discussed in the section entitled "Risks and Uncertainties" in Fancamp's management's discussion and analysis of Fancamp's financial statements for the period ended January 31, 2021. Although Fancamp has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Fancamp considers its assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, but there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither 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 news release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210619005124/en/

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[June 20, 2021] The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi Boosts Tourism Recovery with Sojern's Co-Op Marketing Solution

DCT Abu Dhabi has successfully navigated the challenges of COVID-19 to help hotels in the emirate drive direct domestic bookings DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, a leading provider of digital marketing solutions for travel, today announced an extension of their partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to drive further traveller demand into the Emirate using its Co-Op Marketing Programme. Following a successful pilot of the joint marketing programme, which has reached more than 3 million people so far, Abu Dhabi hotels have been able to increase direct bookings through a highly targeted, digital display and social media advertising campaign. The hospitality industry has been heavily impacted by the pandemic but DCT Abu Dhabi has worked closely with the UAE government to launch a series of stimulus initiatives to support the recovery of the tourism industry. "We were looking for ways to support the hospitality industry and navigate the economic challenges presented by the pandemic, and the partnership with Sojern helps us do just that, by supporting hotels in Abu Dhabi to drive direct bookings and improve room profitability," said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. "DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to collaborative efforts between the private and public sectors within the local tourism industry to continuously support and drive tourism growt to the capital. Our efforts are aligned with the overall strategic objectives and vision  to support the evolution of Abu Dhabi into a world-class destination, while also reinforcing the capital's position as a forward-thinking tourism destination."



Sojern's Co-Op Marketing Programme is designed to help Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and their partners increase the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives through collaboration, and drive revenue for the travel industry, at scale. "Hotels in Abu Dhabi were looking to improve their direct booking volumes and reduce commission from Online Travel Agencies through these challenging times," said Stewart Smith, MD of MEA at Sojern. "As such, we are delighted to have worked with DCT Abu Dhabi, hotel partners, and Spark Foundry to design, build and deliver successful campaigns."

The Q1 pilot program with DCT Abu Dhabi is a prime example of DMOs and their partner organisations combining resources to directly reach customers with multichannel digital advertising strategies across video, display, native, Facebook and Instagram. Because of its success, DCT Abu Dhabi has expanded the partnership with Sojern through to the end of 2021 including rolling out the initiative to all eligible hotels in the city. This second phase will further support properties across Abu Dhabi and aims to attract incremental direct bookings from both domestic and international tourists for the rest of 2021. About Sojern

Sojern is a leading digital marketing platform built for travel marketers. Powered by artificial intelligence and traveler intent data, Sojern provides multi-channel marketing solutions to drive direct demand. 10,000 hotels, attractions, tourism boards and travel marketers rely on Sojern annually to engage and convert travelers around the world. About the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi's culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi's wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the Emirate's position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the Emirate's potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries. DCT Abu Dhabi's vision is defined by the Emirate's people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi's status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/249299/sojern_logo.jpg

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Right now we notice rising stars of the pr0n game pushing deeper into the mainstream as we take a peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check-it . . .

Keep Cool Kansas City

Extreme heat forces Kansas City shelter to extend hours JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- The scorching Kansas City temperatures have changed the day to day operations of people in the metro including a local shelter. "If the heat keeps up the way it is, they get word and find out they'll come in," says Chris Strube.

Summer Pop Fest Awaits

KC RiverFest announces 4th of July event at Berkley Riverfront Park by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A year after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of 4th of July celebrations across the country, KC RiverFest says its festival and fireworks show will go on in 2021. The free festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 2 from 3 p.m.

Local Lessons From Nature

Watch: Kansas City Zoo animals keep cool in the heat KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With temperatures in the metro nearing the triple digits this week, everyone is trying to stay cool, and that includes the animals at the Kansas City Zoo. "We have protocols in place, whether it be winter time in extreme cold or summer time in extreme hot," said Chief Zoological Officer Sean Putney.

Pushback Against Pr0n Contd

Pornhub sued for allegedly serving nonconsensual sex videos Dozens of women sued Pornhub and its parent company Thursday, alleging that the site knowingly profited from videos depicting rape, child sexual exploitation, trafficking and other nonconsensual sexual content.

Presidential Juneteenth Juxtaposition

Under Trump, Juneteenth was marred by controversy - with Biden, it's a federal holiday The scene at the White House on Thursday might have been hard to fathom just one year ago. A diverse crowd of lawmakers, activists and community leaders - including pop icon Usher, with whom many photos were taken - gathered in the East Room to witness President Joe Biden sign into law a new federal holiday: Juneteenth, which on June 19 commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Prez Pupper Called Home

Bidens announce their 'beloved' German Shepherd Champ has died The Bidens announced Saturday that their "beloved" German Shepherd Champ has died.

Progressive Argue Against The Church

Nearly 60 House Democrats call on Catholic bishops to stop targeting pro-abortion pols in Communion dispute Nearly 60 House Democrats are calling on Catholic bishops to cease the "weaponization" of Holy Communion and urged them to stop targeting Democrats who support abortion as being unworthy of the sacred sacrament of the Eucharist. The Catholic Democrats issued a " Statement of Principles" on Friday clearly aimed at the U.S.

Iran From Executioner

Iran's president-elect, Ebrahim Raisi, is hardliner linked with mass executions If Joe Biden thinks Vladimir Putin deserves to be called a killer, his description of Ebrahim Raisi, the 60-year-old president-elect of Iran, is likely to be unprintable. The youngest member of the 1988 Tehran death committee, Raisi has been accused of systematically sending as many as 3,000 people to slaughter.

Royal House Divided

Prince William and Prince Harry Had 'Fierce and Bitter' Argument Over Meghan Markle Bullying Claims Historian Robert Lacey, who consults on The Crown, claims the brothers split after William confronted Harry about allegations of bullying made against Meghan Markle by palace staff Sensational new claims about the fracturing of the close relationship between between Prince William and Prince Harry have emerged in a new book by historian Robert Lacey.

Royals FINALLY Rally Against Red Sox

Mondesi's big bomb leads Royals past Red Sox, 5-3 It was a great night for the Royals on Friday, as they used two home runs to take down the first-place Boston Red Sox, 5-3. The only people in Kansas City that were left sad were the many, many Johnson County Boston fans in their Walmart Red Sox jerseys.

JoCo Instagram Trap Debuts

A space for creators: Selfie WRLD opens in Leawood for amateurs and professionals LEAWOOD, Kan. - Get your filters ready: A new selfie museum is now open for amateurs and professional photographers alike. Selfie WRLD, a DIY photography studio, opened its doors in Leawood on Friday afternoon. Selfie WRLD Kansas City owner Allyson Cheney said the space isn't just for traditional selfie photography.

KANSAS CITY HOTNESS CONTD!!!

HOT SATURDAY: will feel like 100 degrees Hide Transcript Show Transcript 94-98, THE AT 100. CLAUDETTE, THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE THE HEAVY RAINFALL, WIND SPEEDS ARE ABOUT 45 MILESN A HOUR, BUT IT IS TRACKING THE COAST NOW, IT SHOULD HIT THE COAST WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO.

And so . . .



CHECK THE TKC COMMUNIQUE FOR EVEN MORE LINKS, SNARK AND FUN TIMES!!!

The Killers - Dustland is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Our community news blogging mission continues even after scantily clad angels have been denounced by corporations. And so for Sunday midday we share pop culture, community news and top headlines.

Check-it . . .

Historic Weekend Achieved

Communities around the Kansas City metro celebrate the first official Juneteenth holiday KANSAS CITY, Mo - Hundreds of people in the metro celebrated the first official Juneteenth holiday on Saturday. On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was passed in both the house and senate with bipartisan support. Juneteenth commemorates the true end of slavery in the United States.

Show-Me Fight For Healthcare

Missouri's Medicaid Expansion hearing on Monday KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The hearing on Missouri's Medicaid Expansion Lawsuit is set for Monday. The nation's new Juneteenth holiday pushed the hearing back as the courts were closed on Friday. Last August, 53 percent of voters in Missouri voted in favor of Medicaid expansion.

Kansas Anti-Police Tragedy

Cop in critical condition after being shot multiple times while conducting welfare check The suspect involved in the shooting was shot and killed. A police officer in Kansas is in critical condition after being shot multiple times while attempting to provide a welfare check. The incident occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m.

KCK Remembers History

Today in history: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at this KCK high school by: Brian Dulle Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Kan. - On June 20, 1958, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to about 1,000 people in the then Sumner High School auditorium. He spoke for the Kansas City, Kansas branch of the NAACP.

Did Prez Biden Trump Vlad?!?

Foreign policy experts divided on whether Putin-Biden summit emboldened China Some top foreign policy experts have warned that the U.S.-Russia summit may not have only been a perceived win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but could have actually emboldened China. The White House this week rejected the argument that the U.S. gained little diplomatic or national security advantages following the highly anticipated Geneva summit.

COVID Vaxx Demand Stalls As Fear Rises

'Two Americas' may emerge as Delta variant spreads and vaccination rates drop With Covid vaccination penetration in the US likely to fall short of Joe Biden's 70% by Fourth of July target, pandemic analysts are warning that vaccine incentives are losing traction and that "two Americas" may emerge as the aggressive Delta variant becomes the dominant US strain.

GOP Rebukes Progressive Voting Bill

Graham: Dems' voting bill is 'biggest power grab' in US history, will not support Manchin compromise Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., fiercely opposed Democrats' proposed voting reform bill, telling " Fox News Sunday" that even a stripped-down version from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was unacceptable. The "For the People Act" aims to give the federal government significant control over elections by imposing standards on the states such as automatic and same-day registration, universal mail-in voting, and forbidding the requirement of voter identification.

Allies Regret Forever War Conclusion

AP Interview: Former president says US failed in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan's former president said Sunday the United States came to his country to fight extremism and bring stability to his war-tortured nation and is leaving nearly 20 years later having failed at both.

Last Days Of The Angels Reported

Victoria's Secret's 'feminist' rebrand is as flimsy as a polyester thong | Arwa Mahdawi Looks like someone is getting a makeover! After a hellish few years that saw sales slump, criticism mount, and a Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Victoria's Secret has decided it's time for a drastic rebrand. The lingerie behemoth is jumping on the Female Empowerment bandwagon and has pledged to become - wait for it - "the world's leading advocate for women."

Kansas Harvest Success

Kansas wheat is set to deliver high yields and high quality Triple-digit temperatures did not stop this year's wheat harvest in Kansas. In fact, the dry weather helped the harvest along. This past week, farmers in south-central Kansas hit the fields. On Monday, according to the Kansas Wheat Commission, wheat farmers in Labette and Wilson counties mounted their combines.

East Side Payback Benefit

C2FO donates all marketplace revenue it earned Friday to three KC nonprofits for Juneteenth One of Kansas City's biggest tech startups wanted to make Juneteenth a day of "action and awareness," the company said, quietly donating the emerging fintech giant's marketplace revenue Friday to three Kansas City organizations dedicated to equity, inclusion and opportunity.

Katie Forecasts Hotness

Hot day, chance for severe thunderstorms Sunday night Hide Transcript Show Transcript NTCOINUING AT LEAST FOR ANOTHER DAY INDEED AND STARTRI DNKING YOUR WATER NOW GET PRE-HYDRATED IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT THIS AFTERNOON,T I WILL FEEL LIKE IT'S 100 THIS AFTERNOON. THE AIR TEMPERATURE WILL BE ABOUT 94. WE DID HEAV LAND FALLING TROPICAL STORM YESTERDAY MORNING IN SOUTHEAST, LOUISIANA.

Lift Every Voice & Sing by Ray Charles is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Metro police chase aftermath and a glimpse at the COVID return to normal for law enforcement vs. the criminal class . . . Check-it . . .



The shooting involved two officers, one with KCPD and one with KCKPD. It is unknown who shot the suspect at this time.



The suspect was taken to an area hospital with unknown injuries.



No officers were injured in the incident.



Read more . . .



KCPD, KCKPD officers involved in shooting of carjacking suspect late Sunday morning by: Brian Dulle Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Kan. - An investigation is underway after a possible carjacking suspect was shot by officers with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. KCPD officers were pursuing a suspect involved in a possible carjacking overnight, according to KCKPD.
Longstanding Perfect Village complaints earn a second look this week amid a surprising turn of events and local Catholic leaders working to purge their ranks of suspected creepers.



Read more . . .
Recipients of the Pennsylvania (PA) State Air National Guard (ANG) Hall of Fame Award, retired US Air Force (USAF) Major General (MGEN) Ace Hearon, left center and Senior Master Sergeant (SMSGT) Peter Volpe, also retired are flanked by USAF Colonel (COL) Stephen Sischo, Commander of the 111th Fighter Wing (FW), left and US Army (USA) Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Horace "Chad" Pysher, of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard (ANG), right, during the ceremony at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station (ARS).
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Hello Athens Forum,

I live in London and Ive had to cancel my trip to Italy since they have just introduced quarantine for people coming from the UK.

I have completed both doses of the vaccine and can show this on the NHS app, so I am able to travel to Greece without even having to do aCovid test.

Despite having to quarantine on my return to London (I work from home so whilst no ideal its ok), I would like to come to Athens instead in a weeks time (28/06), so pretty soon.

However, as I have already lost some money having to cancel flights and accommodation for my Italian trip, I am a bit reluctant to book now and was wondering if there are any romours of Greece introducing quarantine for people coming from the UK?

Is this likely to happen and if it is how quikcly do things change generally in Greece? Has something simliar happened before and things changed virtually overnight?

Romours started on Wednesday in Italy and by Thursday the decison had already been made coming into effect tomorrow (Monday 21st), so that left no time at all for re-planning or even anticpating my departure.

What do you think? Shaould I book flights and accommodation for Athens today? Most places I have seen on Airbnb are felxible but only to the 23rd, middle of next week. Flights less so as I could change dates, but not destination.

Thank you.
Conflict and persecution have forced more than 80 million people around the world to flee their homes. According to the 2020 Global Trends Report, Uganda is the fourth largest refugee-hosting country in the world. UNHCR Representative to Uganda, Joel Boutroue shares his insights on the importance of refugee inclusion and the need for more international solidarity to support refugees and their hosting communities.

20 June is World Refugee Day. Does it make sense to celebrate?

World Refugee Day is first a commemoration to remember the ordeal and tragedies millions of refugees face as they are driven from their homes and very often separated from their loved ones. It is a reminder of the failure of the international system to prevent and address the root causes of displacement and a call to action for all of us. But it also a moment to celebrate the lives that we have contributed to save and the resilience of individuals and families who keep hope alive and pursue the dream of a better future. I feel honoured to work with UNHCR and be in a position where I can advocate to help the most vulnerable.

This years World Refugee Day theme is inclusion. What does that mean to you?

Inclusion is the translation of solidarity into action. Our duty is to protect the most vulnerable people on this planet. That, the protection of the most vulnerable, is what inclusiveness means to me.

Is refugee inclusion working in the Uganda context and how?

Refugee inclusion is working in Uganda and we must note that this country is a beacon when it comes to refugee policies. Despite the COVID-19 situation, Uganda has continued to welcome refugees. Everyday, we see refugees as a central part of the development dialogue. UNHCR and District Local Governments are actively working on the inclusion of refugees through the refugee response plans. For example, refugee and Ugandan children learn side by side in the national education system as a result of the inclusive policies implemented in Uganda and the Education Response Plan.

Which example of refugee inclusion has made the biggest impression on you and why?

The biggest example of inclusion is the water system in Rwamwanja refugee settlement, Kamwenge district. The water system was constructed by UNHCR and partners and has now been taken over by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). Nationals and refugees are charged the same amount of money per litre of water. The opportunities provided to both the host communities and refugees are the same in this regard.

UNHCR would like to have more social services integrated and will continue supporting the Ugandan government in making this a reality.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities when it comes to Ugandas inclusion of refugees?

The biggest challenge is the sheer number of refugees that Uganda is hosting, approximately 1.5 million refugees, spread across 13 districts. Even with the best will and generosity, there is a big risk of fatigue from the host population and government.

Environmental degradation is on the increase  and not because of the refugees, but due to an overall increase of the population in Uganda, which refugees are part of. With more trees being cut for wood-fuel and construction by both refugees and Ugandans, deforestation is now a national challenge. The forest cover has reduced from 32 per cent in the 1980s to about 15 per cent currently. Reforestation is an important intervention, especially in the West Nile region, where the population has significantly increased due to the arrival of over 850,000 over the past four and a half years.

The high number of refugees is also taking a toll on the available resources, despite huge investments made by UNHCR, the World Bank and other partners.

That said, all is not lost. There are opportunities available thanks to the presence of refugees in many parts of the country. Massive investments in social services and infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals have been made by partners like the World Bank, benefitting refugees and host communities alike.

The refugees have also learnt to co-exist next to each other, which was not always the case in their countries of origin. There has been an opportunity for an exchange between different groups during displacement, in a way which perhaps was not possible in their countries of origin. The hope is that these new linkages between communities will help foster the transition to peace and their ability to return home one day.

According to the 2020 Global trends Report, Uganda is the fourth largest refugee-hosting country in the world, yet one of the poorest. Whats your reaction?

As an operation, we cannot be satisfied with the current level of funding. Much as services are being provided to refugees, there is need for more resources. Uganda deserves more solidarity from the international community to support refugees hosted on its soil, given its settlement model and approach of looking at refugees as an asset to development. Refugees deserve to see their children go to school, to have access to enough water, adequate healthcare as well as other essential services. As long as these basic needs are not met, it is no wonder that there is an increase in suicide rates, early marriages, and other risky behaviours among the refugees.

With the challenges mentioned, why do the host community continue to be hospitable to refugees?

Some of the older Ugandan generations were refugees at one point or another. So, they know what it is like to be a refugee first-hand and can empathise with the situation of displaced people.

In addition, communities on both sides of the Ugandan borders share common cultures, language, and ethnic ties and most of the refugees are considered to be the brothers and sisters of their Ugandan hosts. They are not regarded as foreigners. However, the generosity of the people of Uganda should not be taken for granted and the dividends of hosting refugees need to be highlighted. In addition, there should be additional support and investment for refugee-hosting districts.

Looking beyond numbers and statistics, what is the one refugee story that made the biggest impression on you?

One refugee who stood out for me is a Congolese man living in Kyangwali refugee settlement. Before coming to Uganda, he was a trader in his home country. When he arrived, he started trading on a small scale and has now grown his business to the level of being able to export goods to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I was amazed at his level of entrepreneurship and how he managed to turn his life around in a very short time.

You deal everyday with stories of poverty and people in need? What keep motivating you?

Feeling that I am useful in what I do is what keeps me motivated. Being useful to humanity and motivating people to be the best they can be, is what keeps me going.

What is your message to the Ugandan public as the world commemorates World Refugee Day?

I would like to say a big thank you to the Ugandans for their generosity in hosting refugees and sharing their resources. They understand that anybody can be a refugee.

My gratitude goes also to the Government of Uganda for being insightful, by including refugees as part of their development plans.

Despite all the efforts, I regret not being able to secure sufficient resources for refugees in Uganda. However, I would like to assure the country and the host communities in particular that UNHCR will stay and continue to support you, for as long as refugees are here.
GOUDOUBO CAMP, Burkina Faso  Im humbled to be in Burkina Faso, and by the extraordinary grace of the people I have met here.

I am here to show my solidarity with the Burkinabe people, who continue to welcome their displaced brothers and sisters despite terrible attacks and challenges; sharing what little they have, at a time when other countries with far more resources have closed their borders and their minds to refugees.

Thank you for allowing me to be here. I am so honored and grateful to be among you, and to bow my head in respect for your courage and strength.

Today is World Refugee Day.

I have marked this day every year for twenty years with refugees in different countries.

I have never been as worried about the state of displacement globally as I am today.

"It is not that we are at breaking point  this is broken."

Not only are there now over 82 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, but the numbers have doubled in a decade.

1 in 95 people  one percent of humanity  are displaced, and the numbers are rising.

We have to wake up to the track we are on globally, with so many conflicts raging and the very real possibility that climate change will force tens if not hundreds of millions of people to have to leave their homes in the future, with no possibility of return.

It is not that we are at a breaking point  this is broken.

The way we as an international community try to address conflict and insecurity is broken.

It is erratic, it is unequal, it is built on inherited privilege, it is subject to the whim of political leaders, and it is geared towards the interests of powerful countries, including my own, at the expense of others.

"...We pick and choose which conflicts to pay attention to and for how long."

Crimes committed against the women and children of Burkina Faso, or Yemen, or Myanmar, or Ethiopia, for example, are not enough to shake the established world order to its foundations as they should be  and as they would be, if they were happening in certain other parts of the world.

I have seen the conditions inflicted upon refugees globally  the hunger and suffering and insecurity and lack of aid, let alone justice - because we pick and choose which conflicts to pay attention to and for how long; because governments turn a blind eye to abuses when it is convenient; and because we as individual citizens feel powerless to change that.

There are some leaders who want us to believe that we cant take care of our own people and help displaced people; who suggest that even though the vast majority of all refugees are hosted by countries in the global south, we in rich countries have somehow been asked to do too much and would be justified in doing even less. Or that millions of people being forced to flee their homes by war and food insecurity and climate disasters has nothing to do with us and our actions or choices over generations.

All these arguments evaporate standing here.

"There is nowhere I would rather be today than here."

The truth is we are not doing half of what we could and should to find solutions to enable refugees to return home - or to support host countries, like Burkina Faso, coping for years with a fraction of the humanitarian aid needed to provide basic support and protection.

The burden is falling on displaced people, whose rights and life chances are stolen.

It is falling on children  on tens of millions of displaced children.

And it is falling on the people of countries like Burkina Faso and other developing nations.

This is where the humanity and decency of the world is measured. Where human strength and resilience are most clearly and starkly seen. Not in the worlds gleaming capitals, but in places like this.

There is nowhere I would rather be today than here, with refugees, the people I admire most in the world.

Thank you for allowing me be with you today, on this World Refugee Day.
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THE OTHER DAY I mentioned to a guy I know that some Buddhist monks in Nepal are fans of my song Slow Days of Summer, according to their ESL teacher Jennifer who stopped me on the street to tell me, and I said (which is the truth) that I felt enormously honored, whereupon the guy said that 
Some New Hampshire Republicans (and not a few Democrats) are already suffering angst at the possibility that Gov. Chris Sununu may set his sights on a U.S. Senate seat next year. What will become of New Hampshire if the young man opts to save Washington from the clutches of Maggie Hassan and
OVER THE past couple of weeks, New Hampshire Democrats have made wildly histrionic claims about the state budget recently passed by both chambers of the General Court, which Gov. Chris Sununu has said he will sign. We need only to look to the recent past to see how far off the mark the Democ
Catherine H. Lewis, 93, peacefully went to be with her Lord June 28, 2021, at Southern Pines in Thomasville, GA. She was born August 22, 1927, in Milledgeville, GA as an only child to the late Oscar P. Hodges and Annabelle Leveritte Hodges. She was married 75 years to the late James M. Lewis
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, Lt. Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa on Sunday said the pilot project of Chilli farms in the country had been completed with cooperation of the Chinese agricultural experts.

"Pilot project of Chilli Farm with100 acres is completed," he said in his tweet, adding that in the next phase, as many as 3000 acres of land would be brought under chili cultivation.

He said the Pak-China Condiment alliance had been formed with the Chinese partners CMEC and Sichuan Litong Food Group.

Asim said this project would also help boosting exports of spices from the country.

He said this project would enhance yield, improve seed quality, skill development, farm labour, and processing.

According to official sources the project chili farming is expected to produce more than 8,000 tons of dried chilies with a net income of more than 100,000 rupees per acre for local farmers.

Based on this, it will further develop downstream deep processing industries and create more employment opportunities.

The sources added that in the first phase of Chili Contract Farming Project, China-Pakistan Agricultural Cooperation Pilot Zone is to be set up in five years, while in its Phase II, it is expected to grow 30,000 acres of chilli and build pigment extracting plant, with an industrial output value of US $ 200 million.

While in the third phase, a China-Pakistan food industrial park would be established in 5 to 10 years, to promote the condiment industry in both countries.

As per agricultural cooperation under the mega project of CPEC, a plan of 20 projects is being implemented to modernize the agriculture sector in Pakistan, including new seeds to increase the crop yield, upgrading of irrigation system, promotion of agri-based industry for value addition and setting up global chain network.
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VIENNA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Jun, 2021) The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed a US$20 million loan agreement with The Gambia to co-finance the expansion of the Bertil-Harding Highway.

The upgrading of the road infrastructure will improve safety, reduce travel time and costs, and facilitate access to marketplaces, social amenities and jobs for more than 520,000 people in the Greater Banjul Area.

Gambias capital Banjul has experienced significant population growth in recent years; however, the citys road transport infrastructure remains underdeveloped, resulting in travel bottlenecks and high transport costs. The Gambian government, therefore, has accorded high priority to upgrading its road network under its National Transport Policy to improve accessibility and foster competitiveness and trade.

The 22 km-long Bertil-Harding Highway is an important stretch that provides a link between Old Jeshwang and the Banjul International Airport, vital to the connectivity of the area.

The expansion and upgrading of the Highway are co-financed with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the Gambian government.

OPEC Fund Director-General, Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, said, "The Gambias economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and tourism, which requires a well-functioning transport network. Increasing connectivity through more efficient transportation will support integration and trade and further promote social and economic activity for the citizens of the Greater Banjul Area."

In addition to the present loan, OPEC Funds public sector commitments to The Gambia total close to $128 million supporting transportation, education, energy and multi-sectoral projects.

OFID was established in January 1976 by the then 13 member countries of OPEC; including the United Arab Emirates. It is the development finance institution established as a channel of aid to developing countries.
Eugene, United States, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :Trayvon Bromell powered through his opening 100m heat at the US Olympic track and field trials in Oregon on Saturday, clocking a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds to secure his place in Sunday's semi-finals.

Bromell, the fastest man in the world this year after posting a 9.77sec at a meeting in Florida in June, got off to a smooth start and led at halfway before easing up before the line to cross first at Eugene's Hayward Field.

Bromell is widely regarded as the favorite for gold in Tokyo after battling back from a series of career-threatening injuries.

"I really believe. Doctors told me I would never run again," Bromell said. "All I had was my faith." Veteran Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m gold medallist who is bidding to make his fourth Olympics at the age of 39, finished second behind Bromell in 9.93.

"Some days at practice, I feel 39 but I live for this moment," said Gatlin.

"Today it was just going through the motions and making sure I got to the next day." World 200m champion Noah Lyles, who is targeting a 100m-200m double in Tokyo, looked unconvincing in his heat, starting slowly before finishing third in 9.95, behind Ronnie Baker (9.88) and Fred Kerley (9.93).

"I was making sure that I didn't false start," said Lyles. "I felt a little bit rusty. I'm just taking it round by round, day by day." Lyles, who said his focus this season remains the 200m, is confident there is room for improvement over the shorter distance.

"I've got a lot more," Lyles said. "I've been doing good in practice. I didn't do as good over those first 10m today as I have been doing in practice."The semi-finals and final of the 100m take place on Sunday, with the first three finishers punching their tickets to Tokyo.
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Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :France went to the polls for the first round of regional elections on Sunday that could see Marine Le Pen's far-right party make gains and step further into the political mainstream.

The election will see new assemblies elected for mainland France's 13 regions and 96 departments, with Le Pen's National Rally (RN) tipped to win at least one region for the first time in what would be a major coup.

Le Pen is not standing as a candidate, but she has been campaigning hard ahead of presidential elections next year that surveys show could end up being a close race between her and centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

"What would be great for her (Le Pen), and would spark some momentum in the pre-presidential campaign, would be if the National Rally won a region," Stephane Zumsteeg from the Ipsos polling firm told AFP.

Though far-right politicians preside over a handful of towns, running a region with a budget of billions of Euros and powers over schools, transport and economic development would lend it the sort of legitimacy that Le Pen craves, analysts say.

The one most likely to tip is the southeastern Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur -- home to Marseille, Saint-Tropez and Cannes -- where the RN is fronted by Thierry Mariani, a former minister who defected from the centre-right Republicans party.

Voting began at 08:00 am (0600 GMT), with polls set to close between 06:00-08:00 pm nationally.

The election will be held over two consecutive Sundays, with a second run-off vote on June 27 necessary unless parties win more than 50 percent in the first round.

- Prediction problems - Analysts say that results in many regions will be driven by local dynamics and a high abstention rate, limiting how much they should be seen as indicators for the larger political picture in France.

But the outcome will inevitably shape the narrative in the coming weeks, particularly with regard to the strength and electability of Le Pen, as well as the state of Macron's enfeebled party, the Republic on the Move (LREM).

"These elections are never good for the party in power. You always get it in the neck," a minister told AFP last month.

Predictions are difficult because of the two-stage electoral system and the impact of tactical voting, which usually sees mainstream parties gang up to keep the far-right out of power.

A survey by the Ipsos and Sopra Steria groups last week showed RN candidates leading in six of the 13 mainland regions in the first round, meaning results on Sunday night might suggest sweeping dominance for the party.

But because of anti-RN tactical voting, they could end up losing all of the run-off votes -- as they did at the time of the last elections in 2015.

A possible record abstention rate of up to 60 percent is also seen as major factor.

Commenting on the expectation that most French people will stay away from polling booths, Le Monde newspaper called it "a sign of a sick democracy" on Sunday.

"The more abstention goes up, in terms of the number of votes cast, the extreme ends of the political spectrum are the winners," Pierre Lefebure, a political scientist at the Sorbonne university in Paris.

Antoine Bristielle, a public opinion expert at the left-leaning Jean-Jaures Foundation, believes the vote will likely serve as another step in the normalisation of the once-fringe far right.

"You can see that it's not so much that the ideas of the National Rally are more popular or are more accepted by French society," he told AFP. "It's that the party no longer scares people enough to spark a wave of opposition." Voters have largely shrugged off a series of scandals that have enveloped at least half a dozen RN candidates over their past racist or anti-Semitic comments, or criminal records.

The vote is also seen as critical for centre-right presidential hopefuls Xavier Bertrand, head of the Upper France region, and Valerie Pecresse, who runs the Paris area, who are both running for re-election.

The election could also result in gains for the green EELV party, which performed strongly in local elections last year.
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Beirut, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :The head of Lebanon's powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah on Sunday congratulated ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi on winning Iran's presidential election, describing him as a "shield" against Israel and other "aggressors".

Raisi, a former judiciary chief, won nearly 62 percent of the vote in Friday's election on turnout of 48.8 percent, after his most prominent rivals were either disqualified or pulled out of the race.

"Your victory has renewed the hopes of the Iranian people and the people of the region who see you as a shield and a strong supporter... for the resistance against aggressors," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a statement.
Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :The driver of a pickup truck slammed into a crowd gathering for a Pride parade Saturday in south Florida, killing at least one man, US media reports said.

It was not immediately clear if this was a deliberate assault.

The incident happened at the start of the LGBTQ parade in the town of Wilton Manors near Ft. Lauderdale. The driver was later taken into custody.

The truck was lined up with floats for the parade but hit the gas and ran into people, Local 10 news said.

At least two men were hit and one died, Ft.

Lauderdale mayor Dean Trantalis, who was at the parade, told the broadcaster.

He said the truck had actually targeted the car of a Democratic congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was in a convertible waiting to take part in the procession, but narrowly missed her.

"This is a terrorist attack against the LGBT community," Trantalis told Local 10 News.

"This is exactly what it is. Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person. Luckily they missed that person, but unfortunately, they hit two other people."
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday met with Turkish counterpart Mevlt avusoglu wherein they exchanged views on latest developments in the Afghan peace process and withdrawal of international troops.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Antalya.

Qureshi congratulated his Turkish counterpart on successfully organising the forum attended by high-level global leaders.

He noted that the forum provided an excellent opportunity to discuss and to engage on various contemporary global issues.

While taking stock of the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, the two sides discussed the ongoing preparations for the 7th Session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) to be held in Turkey this year.

Foreign Minister Qureshi lauded Turkey's valuable efforts and its outreach to various Afghan parties.

Underscoring Pakistan's abiding interest in a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Qureshi illustrated Pakistan's consistent efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process.

He expressed hope that the Afghan parties would seize the opportunity and workout an inclusive politically-negotiated settlement.

It was Foreign Minister Qureshi's third visit to Turkey in three months upon the invitation of Foreign Minister avusoglu. The frequency of high-level interaction between the two sides reflects the strength of the bilateral relationship.\867
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2021 ) :Speakers at an august gathering paid tributes to the selfless and relentless services rendered by the front-line health workers against the deadliest enemy of human beings during current times which is COVID-19.

The ceremony was held at the Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) to inaugurate the Rawalpindi chapter of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine on Sunday with Ex-Head of Medicine Department, RMC, Professor Dr. Muhammad Hanif as a chief guest. Vice chancellor and President Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, Professor Dr. Javed Akram inaugurated the Rawalpindi chapter of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine and announced that an international conference would be arranged from July 30 to August 01 in the Federal capital.

He emphasized on the importance of evidence-based medicine and said that the conference would bring together international and national medical experts. Speaking on the occasion, General Secretary, Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, Dr. Somia Iqtadar said, "Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine played a crucial role for patient welfare during the pandemic by introducing services like telemedicine for home bound patients and nationwide Vitamin D campaign for all front-line health workers".

She said the unprecedented challenges faced by the health system impacted the front-line health workers directly during the COVID-19 however their determination to fight this deadly disease was unflinching.

CEO Scotmann Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Ali Ameen paid his gratitude to all the front-line heroes, while General Manager Scotmann Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Suhail Khan briefed about the immunity-driven nationwide Vitamin D campaign, executed by Scotmann Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with PSIM.

Highlighting the role of universities in medical education, Vice-Chancellor Rawalpindi Medical University, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Umar said that medical education has advanced rapidly in Pakistan over the past few decades.

However role of universities in maintaining the medical standard ensuring quality of education at par with international standards is still a challenge.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Madeeha Nazar discussed the management of diabetes in COVID-19 patients.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2021) Former Conservative member of parliament and speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow told the Observer that he has quit the "reactionary" and "populist" Conservative party and joined Labour.

In his interview, Bercow argued that today's Conservative Party is becoming "reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic." He added that he joined Labour because he shares their values and believes that this party is the only instrument that will aid the Brits to remove the current Conservative government.

"I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism. That is the Labour brand. The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced. The reality is that the Labour party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective. There is no other credible option," he said.

Bercow also called Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson a "lousy governor," who allegedly does not have any vision of a "more equitable society."

The ex-Commons speaker joined the Tories at the age of 17.
VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2021) Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will visit Moscow from June 21-24, the OSCE said on Sunday, adding that a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was on the agenda.

"OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will visit Moscow for meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, other high-level officials and parliamentarians from 21 to 24 June. They will discuss a wide range of regional and thematic issues related to security and stability in the OSCE," the organization said in a press release.

It added that Schmid will address the Permanent Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and meet with its Secretary General Stanislav Zas.

Schmid will also address the IX Moscow Conference on International Security "on trends and prospects in European Security."
YEREVAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st June, 2021) Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party is leading in Armenia's snap parliamentarian elections with 58% of votes, according to the first data published by the Central electoral Commission on Sunday.

The votes from 80 of 2,008 polling stations have been counted until now.

Ex-Armenian President Robert Kocharyan's Armenia Alliance comes second with 22% of the vote. Businessman Gagik Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia party has passing the 5% threshold to win a seat in the parliament.
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2021) Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy had described the new UN resolution on Mynamar as politicized and tendentious.

The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a draft resolution calling on all countries to stop selling weapons to Myanmar, as well as urging the country's military government to release all detained people. Russia is one of 36 countries that abstained from voting on it.

"If you talk about the content of it, then we are compelled to note that the authors were not able to show a balanced approach and an appropriate level of understanding of the complexity and multifaceted nature of the current realities inside Myanmar.

Instead of that, the text attempts to push forward one-dimensional national priorities of certain member states. The draft resolution stands out due to its politicized nature and some of its passages are openly biased or they are divorced from reality," Polyanskiy said at the UNGA meeting.

The military in Myanmar seized control of the nation in a coup d'etat on February 1, 2021. There have been mass protests since the coup was staged. On the other hand, the military authorities assert that it was justified and vow to transfer power after a new election, the date for which however is yet to be given.
The 2021 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships came to Knoxville on Father's Day weekend. This is the fourth year for Knoxville to host the U.S. Pro Road and Individual Time Trial Championships and the third year to host the U.S. Pro Criterium Championships.
Voters in Ethiopia are preparing to cast ballots Monday in what will be Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds first electoral test since he took office in 2018. VOAs Heather Murdock reports from Addis Ababa that the run-up has seen both unprecedented free expression and campaign suppression,
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Nigerian lawmakers are set to vote on a bill criminalizing ransom payments after reports that payoffs were made to resolve a series of mass kidnappings. The bill, which would impose stiff prison sentences, is being criticized by relatives of kidnap victims.
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Juneteenth is the oldest known US celebration of the end of slavery. African Americans and others mark the anniversary much like the Fourth of July, with parties, picnics and gatherings with family and friends.

Juneteenth was signed into law as a national holiday by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021.

Here's a look at Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, by the numbers:

46,713,850 - Black or African American people (one race alone or in combination) in the United States in 2019, according to the most recent Census Bureau estimate.

3,953,760 - Estimated number of enslaved people in the United States in 1860.

500,000 - Estimated number of free African American people in the United States in 1860. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, about half were in the North and half were in the South.

Almost 200,000 - African American men served in the Navy and Army on behalf of the Union during the Civil War.

901 - Days from the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and General Orders, No. 3, notifying enslaved people of their emancipation on June 19, 1865.

158 - Years since January 1, 1863, the date President Abraham Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation, freeing those enslaved.

156 - Years since Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger (Union Army) first read the proclamation, General Orders, No. 3, in Galveston, Texas, notifying enslaved people of their emancipation, on June 19, 1865..

149 - Age of the oldest Juneteenth celebration in the world, first held in 1872 in Emancipation Park in Houston.

"Every year we must remind successive generations that this event triggered a series of events that one by one defines the challenges and responsibilities of successive generations. That's why we need this holiday." -- Al Edwards (D-Texas), sponsor of the bill.

47 - States with laws or resolutions commemorating Juneteenth. The District of Columbia also commemorates Juneteenth.

41 - Years since January 1, 1980, when Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas. It had been celebrated informally there since 1865.

30.2 - Percentage of the population of Texas comprising enslaved people, or "bondsmen," in 1860.

15 - States where it was legal to enslave people before the Civil War: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

13th - Amendment to the US Constitution that abolished slavery.

8 - Consecutive years during which Barack Obama, throughout his presidency, issued a statement to mark Juneteenth: 2009-2016.
Rome band cracks UK Top 10 with I Wanna Be Your Slave.

Italy's Maneskin, fresh from Eurovision victory, has entered the top 10 of the UK singles charts.

The glam-rockers from Rome climbed to number seven on Friday with I Wanna Be Your Slave, the follow-up single to their Eurovision-winning song Zitti e Buoni.

The new track has become the biggest hit by a Eurovision-winning act for nine years, according to the BBC, after Sweden's Loreen reached number three with Euphoria in 2012.

Zitti e Buoni, whose lyrics are in Italian, peaked at number 17 in the UK charts.

The catchy track recently landed in the Top 10 on Spotify's global chart  another first for an Italian act  racking up over 100 million plays on the audio streaming platform.

Maneskin's breakthrough success in Britain comes after a feature article in The New York Times suggested the Roman band was on the cusp of global stardom.
If anyone is going to come out strongly on one hypothesis or another, the scientific method says that there should be evidence to back it. I worry when some people are very willing to be firm about one origin or the other but fail to either have the evidence or the expertise to back it up, McNutt said.
Months later, Merritt is out of crisis and living and working in Portland. He recognizes how lucky he was that day in June 2020. Lucky he didnt encounter police while raving in his bathrobe at 1 a.m. Lucky, numerous studies suggest, that he is White, since Black people in the United States are almost three times as likely to be fatally shot by police as Whites. Mostly, he was lucky to live in Eugene, birthplace of this mental health program that is starting to be replicated by cities nationwide.
When elephants pick up food, they use all four of those movements, Schulz says. They can also sweep up objects. They can use the liplike ends of their trunks to gently pluck small objects. And they can use suction (like a vacuum cleaner) to pick up foods of various sizes. They can grab a tortilla without ever breaking it, which is nuts to me, says Schulz.
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Officials described the crash as one of the worst ever in Butler County, a rural area about 60 miles south of Montgomery with years of experience in battling inclement weather. The pileup began with a vehicle that probably hydroplaned as it drove on waterlogged roads across an Interstate 65 bridge, Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock told The Washington Post. From there, he said, it was just a chain reaction, with cars and trucks careening into one another. Police said that 17 vehicles were involved and that seven caught fire.
That is the case with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Strickland. For years both men professed their innocence, but only after the Midwest Innocence Project took up their causes were they able to get any kind of traction with prosecutors. Newly established Conviction Integrity Units in the two jurisdictions, St. Louis and Jackson County, launched their own investigations. In Mr. Johnsons case, investigators found a wealth of evidence that cast serious doubt on his guilt: undisclosed payments to a key eyewitness who has since recanted his identification of Mr. Johnson; credible confessions from two other men who said they committed the murder; and undisclosed information about the criminal history of a jailhouse informant. The findings of the Jackson County prosecutor, submitted for independent review to federal prosecutors, concluded that Reliable, corroborated evidence now proves that Mr. Strickland is factually innocent of the charges for which he was convicted in 1979. In the interests of justice, Mr. Stricklands conviction should be set aside, he should be promptly released, and he deserves public exoneration.
Well, I think what we need to do in the United States is keep our eye on the ball, Sullivan said when asked about Iran on ABC Newss This Week. And that is  our paramount priority right now is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. We believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve that, rather than military conflict. And so, were going to negotiate in a clear-eyed, firm way with the Iranians to see if we can arrive at an outcome that puts their nuclear program in a box.
We will be better off without their military presence, he said. I think we should defend our own country and look after our own lives. ... Their presence (has given us) what we have now. ... We dont want to continue with this misery and indignity that we are facing. It is better for Afghanistan that they leave.
Security is one of the great challenges facing the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He has assured Mexicans that he is fighting the root causes of the violence and since the beginning of his administration in December 2018, he has advocated hugs, not bullets in dealing with criminals. He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities.
The vaccine exchange had been in the works for several months under Netanyahu. It had been made clear to all sides that the first doses shipped out would be the first to expire, as is also protocol in Israel, according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Washington, IN (47501)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 81F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Charles L. Riney, 86, of Washington, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, June 27, 2021, at 7:25 a.m. He was born in Washington on Nov. 3, 1934, to Thomas and Ann Marie (Smith) Riney. He loved gardening and spending time with his beloved dog. He is survived by one sister, Paul
Last week, a former Australian spy was convicted over his unconfirmed role as a whistleblower who revealed an espionage operation against the government of East Timor.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to right-wing opposition party members a day after a new government was sworn in, at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Monday, June 14, 2021. Maya Alleruzzo, AP
Weatherford, TX (76086)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 72F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
America hit a milestone Friday: 300 million people in the country have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. And as the number of vaccinations continues to rise, so do the signs the nation is getting back to business.
HOPKINTON, MA (WGGB/WSHM)--An arrest was made in the hit-and-run crash that injured a Massachusetts State Police Trooper Wednesday, according to Massachusetts State Police.

Massachusetts State Police said they developed a probable cause that Perry Livingston, 40, of New Haven, Conn. was the operator of the tractor-trailer that hit the Lieutenant.

According to Massachusetts State Police, an officer exited his vehicle to assist another tractor-trailer driver that had a smoking tire.

As the Lieutenant exited his cruiser, he noticed the second tractor-trailer oncoming in the breakdown lane, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The tractor-trailer attempted to pull back into the right travel lane. The trailer side-swept and spun the lieutenant and him into the passenger side of the cruiser. The impact caused injuries to his arms and hands. The Lieutenant will be on injured leave, according to Massachusetts State Police.

According to Connecticut State Police, Livingston was charged with C.G.S 54-170 Fugitive from Justice and held on a $1,000,000 surety bond. Livingston is scheduled to appear at New Haven Superior Court on June 21.

Connecticut State Police and New Haven Police assisted in the investigation.
NEW HAVEN  Nearly a dozen students from New Haven, Westport and West Hartford were lauded Saturday for their success at the recent National History Day competition.

According to the organization, among others, Claire Flynn of Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford, Zachary Brody of Staples High School in Westport and KeQing Tan and Sneha Maskey of Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven earned a top-three spot in their respective categories.

Flynn scored first in the Junior Individual Documentary category for Clearing the Air: How John Hersey Communicated Hiroshima Survivors' Stories to the World and Changed the Global Perspective on Nuclear Weapons; Brody finished third in the Senior Individual Exhibit category for Blowing Smoke: Unmasking the Persuasive Communication Techniques of Cigarette Advertising in the 20th Century: a Key to Understanding the Emergence of Regulations; Tan and Maskey earned third in the Senior Group Website category for Communicating through Code: Elizabeth Friedman's Crackdown on Nazi Spy Rings during World War II.

Marlon Coon and Young In Kim of Wilbur Cross; June Lanpher and Maya Harpaz-Levy of Worthington Hooker Middle School in New Haven; and Jeffrey Pogue of Staples High School in Westport earned the senior White House History Award and Outstanding Connecticut Awards in the junior and senior categories for their works, The Camp David Accords: How Jimmy Carter Negotiated Peace Between Two Warring Middle Eastern Countries, The Reindeer Express, and Thomas Paine, the Most Influential Man in America: A Key to Understanding Revolutionary Communication.

Other students that finished in the top ten of their respective categories included: Manxi Han of Worthington Hooker for Objective Journalism vs. Patriotic Narrative How (Mis)Information Was Communicated to the American Public during the Tet Offensive of 1968; Hannah Fiarman of Staples High School in Westport for The Freedom Rides: Communicating Injustices in Interstate Travel for a Key understanding of Crucial Change, and Michael Nealon and William Jin for America's Key to Understanding: How Uncle Tom's Cabin Communicated Abolitionist Ideals and Changed the Minds of Millions.

According to the organization, 56 students represented Connecticut at the virtual contest this year after advancing by placing in first or second place at the Connecticut State Contest last month, joining close to 3,000 students from the U.S. and overseas to compete at the national level.

Im so proud of Connecticuts students for persevering through a really difficult year to do amazing research on creative topics, stated State Coordinator Rebecca Taber. The students' hard work is reflected in Connecticut's strong showing at the National Contest. Congratulations to the teachers and students!

The National History Day contest, first held in 1974, was created by Case Western Reserve University professor of history David Van Tassel to counter the devaluation of history as a field of study, according to its website.

Van Tassel wanted teachers and students to analyze and interpret historyto draw conclusions about the ways in which historical events influenced the course of human society. He believed that asking students to relate their projects to a theme would force them to think about why their topic was important in history and why their contemporaries should learn the importance of historical perspective, officials said.

The organization said his influence resonates each year, when hundreds of thousands of secondary school students around the globe make history come alive through research and analysis for their... projects.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
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Israels new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett opened his first Cabinet meeting by slamming Irans newly-elected president and calling on world powers to wake up to the perils of returning to a nuclear agreement with Tehran
Kent Hull, a retired lawyer living in South Bend, Ind., is a long-distance member of the Historical Society. He grew up in Plainville and graduated from Seymour High in Payson.

The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County is preserving the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History Museum on the Square, the 1835 Log Cabin, the Livery, the Lincoln Gallery displays, and a collection of artifacts and documents that tell the story of who we are. This award-winning column is written by members of the Society. For more information visit hsqac.org or email info@hsqac.org.
A first-of-its-kind report on senior citizens in Connecticut is designed to help communities support healthy aging by addressing nutrition, transportation, housing and more.

Healthy aging is influenced by where we live, how we work, the health care we get and our experiences in daily living, said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation, which funded the report released Thursday during the virtual annual meeting of the Connecticut Association of Senior Center Personnel.

The report shows health disparities based on race and ethnicity among older adults in Connecticut, as well as broad differences in income levels.

The 13 communities  including Norwalk, Weston, Westport and Wilton  that scored better on various indicators than the state average are considered higher socioeconomic communities.

But the 13 communities  including the Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven areas  that scored lower than state average have lower socioeconomic status, the report found.

This level of disparity in the state of Connecticut is not a surprise, but to see it in print is pretty concerning, said Sherry Ostrout, director of government initiatives for Connecticut Community Care. But its also very motivating.

Ostrout is a lead staff member on the newly formed CT Age Well Collaborative, a group of public, private and philanthropic groups that focus on aging. The group will use the report and other input to create a blueprint for supporting healthy aging over the long term. The collaborative plans to release a plan in early 2022.

The latest report is meant to be a resource for communities to become age-friendly, which means allowing people to remain in their homes by offering affordable, accessible, and diverse housing and transportation, as well as public buildings and spaces.

Its about so much more than just health, said June Renzulli, chairwoman of the CT Age Well Collaborative. Its all about transportation and walkability and housing and just so many different components.

This has benefits for the entire community, not just senior citizens.

Were all aging, Cargie said. It is not just about older people.

We know there are people working in transportation, housing security and other sectors who will be important partners in collaborating because, after all at the end of the day, communities that work for older people work better for everyone, she added.

In addition to funding the report, the Tufts Health Plan Foundation in 2020 provided a three-year, $150,000 grant to Connecticut Community Care for the formation of the collaborative.

Researchers pulled U.S. Census, Medicare and other data sources from various years. Conducting the research was the Gerontology Institute at the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Whats in the report?

This report provides town-by-town data on how older adults fair on nutrition, mental health, housing, cost of living and other factors.

Im really excited to be able to use this report as a launching pad to create positive change here in Connecticut, said Amy Porter, commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

Data show vast differences in wealth between older adults, with 24 percent of households 65 and over with incomes about $100,000, while 7 percent of older people live below the poverty level and 11 percent rely on supplemental nutrition for food.

Most Connecticut residents 65 and over  77 percent  own their home, but the rate ranges from 37 percent in Hartford to 100 percent in Union.

Connecticut has a higher percentage of older Black and Hispanic adults than New England states. Its also the seventh-oldest state in the nation.

Older Black people have the highest rates of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, stroke and substance-abuse disorders, while Hispanic older people highest rates of asthma, depression, heart attack and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the report.

To help address these disparities, agencies could provide information and better access to services, such as food stamps and the Medicare Savings Program, Ostrout said.

Renzulli said community leaders should pick key areas to focus on in their towns.

In Bridgeport, half of adults 65 and over have diabetes. Thats the second-worst rate in the state. Bridgeport also has the second-worst rate of strokes at 14.6 percent, the third-worst rates of Alzheimers disease at 18.5 percent and the third-worst rate of hypertension at 82.2 percent.

New Haven has the third-worst rate of diabetes, with 46.3 percent of residents 65 and older.

Redding rates the worst for residents 65 and over who have had a hip fracture, with 6 percent reported. Male prostate cancer rates are second-highest in that town at 18.4 percent.

New Canaans glaucoma rate is the worst in the state, with 41.9 percent of residents having it. Thats followed by Stamford with 37.3 percent.

Colon cancer rates are highest in Norwalk, with 4.6 percent of older residents having it. Osteoporosis rates are highest in Trumbull with 27.1, followed by Fairfield at 26.6 percent.

Regional look

Researchers have conducted similar reports Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, but this is the first time this analysis is available for Connecticut.

There may be pockets where it makes sense to collaborate with your neighbor to your north or to your east, said Beth Dugan, the principal investigator and a UMass, Boston, professor.

Connecticut has lower rates in New England for tobacco-use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and mortality, but worst rates for three types of cancer, serious cardiovascular conditions, Alzheimers disease and various other health conditions.

Compared to other states, Connecticut has the lowest median days of hospice use per decedent over 65.

That may mean that older people facing the end-of-life are doing so without getting hospice care that could potentially ease their suffering and provide important support to loved ones, the report states.

Other states have used the report in various ways, Dugan said. For example, a senior center director in Newton, Mass., added tai chi programs after noticing falls and fractures were high in her community. In Rhode Island, advocates secured additional funding for free bus service for older individuals due to transportation gaps.

Communities like Danbury have been working toward becoming age-friendly communities. The Danbury Age Well Community Council has focused on problems like food insecurity among older adults.

The report showed Danburys rates of senior citizens with high cholesterol or are diagnosed with obesity are higher than the rest of the state.

Officials there plan to dive into the report.

Danbury is small enough, yet big enough, and representative of future cities of the United States nationally, said Renzulli, who is a council member on Danburys group. What we can figure out here can be easily replicated, hopefully many times over.
COOS BAY, Ore. (AP)  A man sought in the killings of three people after a hit-and-run crash near a casino and a shooting at a marijuana dispensary in a small Oregon city was still at large Saturday.

The suspect, who was considered armed and dangerous, was not found after a manhunt Friday, Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier said.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the man is suspected of killing a person and stealing their truck before running over two people Friday near a casino in the coastal city of North Bend, leaving one of them dead. He's then accused of shooting and killing someone inside a cannabis shop in the city about 220 miles (354 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

Frasier identified the person fatally struck at an RV park at the Mill Casino as 74-year-old Anthony Oyster. His wife, 73-year-old Linda Oyster, also was hit and was in critical condition at a hospital Saturday. They are a couple from Florida, Frasier said.

The prosecutor said 47-year-old Coos Bay resident Jennifer L. Davidson was fatally shot at the marijuana dispensary. Authorities have not been able to notify the family of the third person who was killed, so their name has not been released.

Officials also have not been able to identify the name and other pertinent information of the suspect in this case, Frasier said in a news release.

Authorities found the stolen truck Friday near the small community of Noti, on a highway north of where the wave of violence took place. The truck had been set ablaze, Frasier said.

Lane County sheriffs deputies and Oregon State Police troopers searched unsuccessfully for the man in the woods, and residents were asked to stay inside.
ATLANTA (AP)  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

Motorists navigate a flooded Gause Boulevard in Slidell, La., late Friday, June 18, 2021, as a tropical disturbance neared the Louisiana shore. Tropical Storm Claudette has formed Saturday morning along the U.S. Gulf Coast, bringing heavy rains and flooding to coastal states including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. (Scott Threlkeld/The Advocate via AP)

ATLANTA (AP)  Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes.

The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association. Michael Smith, the youth ranches CEO, said the van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. It caught fire after the wreck and Candice Gulley, the ranch director, was the van's only survivor  pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Shes going to survive her physical injuries, Smith said. Two of the dead in the van were Gulleys children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

This is the worst tragedy Ive been a part of in my life, said Smith, who drove Sunday to the ranch to talk to the remaining residents, who had returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the wreck.

A flooded neighborhood is seen after Tropical Storm Claudette passed through in Slidell, La., Saturday, June 19, 2021. The National Hurricane Center declared Claudette organized enough to qualify as a named storm early Saturday, well after the storm's center of circulation had come ashore southwest of New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Words cannot explain what I saw, Smith said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. We love these girls like theyre our own children.

The crash also claimed the lives of two other people who were in a separate vehicle. Garlock identified them as 29-year-old Cody Fox and his 9-month-old daughter, Ariana, both of Marion County, Tennessee.

He was a great guy and were really gonna miss him, said Aaron Sanders, who worked with Fox at the emergency management agency in Marion County. He said Fox also ran a hot tub business with his father and doted on his daughter. He just loved her to death and that was his life.

Multiple people were also injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday to investigate the crash, photos of which showed at least four burned vehicles, including two large trucks. It said the inquiry would focus on vehicle technologies such as forward collision warning systems, fuel tank integrity and occupant survivability.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were also killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside the Tuscaloosa city limits, said Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. Makayla Ross, a 23-year-old Fort Payne woman, died Saturday after her car ran off the road into a swollen creek, DeKalb County Deputy Coroner Chris Thacker told WHNT-TV.

The Us Flag flies at half mast Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Camp Hill, Ala., at the Alabama Sheriff's Girls Ranch which suffered a loss of life when their van was involved in a multiple vehicle accident Saturday, resulting in eight people in the van perishing. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

The deaths occurred as drenching rains from Tropical Depression Claudette pelted northern Alabama and Georgia late Saturday. As much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Flash flood watches were posted Sunday for eastern Georgia, the southern two-thirds of South Carolina and the North Carolina coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from the Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to the Little River Inlet, forecasters said.

WBRC-TV reported that search efforts were also under way for a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham. Crews were using boats to search Pebble Creek.

Garlock said the location of the multi-vehicle wreck is notorious for hydroplaning, as the northbound highway curves down a hill to a small creek. Traffic on that stretch of I-65 is usually filled with vacationers driving to and from Gulf of Mexico beaches on summer weekends.

Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents, county Sheriff Danny Bond wrote on Facebook.

The Tallapoosa County school system said counselors would be available Sunday at the 225-student Reeltown High School, where some of the ranch residents were students. Smith said the ranch, which is Christian-based, would likely have a memorial service later, asking for prayers as he began to cry.

Percy Ross, left, the owner, watches his son, Michael Roberts, search Ross's flood-damaged home Sunday, June 20, 2021, after the heavy flooding Saturday in Northport, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

A GoFundMe account was set up for Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch to help offset the costs of funeral expenses, medical costs for the injured and counseling for those impacted.

Gulley had worked with children for years, beginning when she and her husband were house parents at the ranch for seven years.

During those years, there have been 74 girls that have come through our house and called us mom and dad, she told the Opelika-Auburn News in August 2019. She said she then became a relief parent, working on fundraising and being involved in the community, before she became the ranch director.

My heart goes out to the loved ones of all who perished, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

Claudette was beginning to re-strengthen late Sunday, with the National Hurricane Center reporting top winds at 35 mph (55 kph) in a nighttime advisory. The depression was expected to return to tropical storm status Monday over eastern North Carolina before heading out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean.

The center of Claudettes disorganized circulation was located about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Columbia, South Carolina. It was moving east-northeast at 20 mph (31 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

Aside from rainy weather, it seemed to be business as usual along North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sunday.

At Ace Hardware in Avon, shift manager David Swartwood said they were preparing for whatever might come, but the overall sense was that it wouldnt be that bad in that area. He said winds from the south dont usually cause huge flooding problems, so we dont really anticipate any bad scenarios.

Everybody here has been through it many, many times, so were used to the drill, he said. Weve been prepared.

For the hardware store, he said, that means having supplies like flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, ropes and sandbags on hand. As of Sunday morning, there wasnt a huge rush.

At Stack em High in Kill Devil Hills, a restaurant that specializes in pancakes, co-owner Dawn Kiousis said Sunday morning restaurant service was busy.

Were serving just like normal, she said.

You keep your eye on the weather and you prepare as much stuff in advance as you can, she said. Just know shes gonna win. Mother Nature is going to do what shes going to do, so you just prepare.

Forliti reported from Minneapolis.
PARIS (AP)  Marine Le Pens far-right party stumbled, French President Emmanuel Macron's centrists crashed and incumbent conservatives surged ahead in the first round of regional elections Sunday that were dominated by security issues and a record-low turnout.

A man looks at posters advertising the upcoming regional election in Saint Jean de Luz southwestern France, Friday, June 18, 2021. Regional election will take place on June 20 and 27 throughout France. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

PARIS (AP)  Marine Le Pens far-right party stumbled, French President Emmanuel Macron's centrists crashed and incumbent conservatives surged ahead in the first round of regional elections Sunday that were dominated by security issues and a record-low turnout.

What was meant to be a vote centered on local concerns like transportation, schools and infrastructure turned into a dress rehearsal for next year's presidential vote, as would-be presidential hopefuls seized on the regional campaign to test ideas and win followers. Macron's rivals on left and right notably denounced his government's handling of the pandemic.

The wrangling appeared to turn off some voters, and less than 34% showed up, according to polling agencies. Politicians across the spectrum pleaded with the stay-at-home voters to wake up for the decisive second round June 17.

Le Pen called the low turnout a civic disaster that deformed the electoral reality of the country, and produces a misleading vision of the current political forces.

The result is a clear setback for Le Pen's National Rally, though it came in second place in most regions, according to early official results and polling agency projections. It is hoping to win control of a region for the first time to boost her decade-long effort to legitimize a party long seen as an anti-democratic, anti-Semitic pariah.

A person casts a ballot at a polling station during the first round of French regional and departmental elections, in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, northern France, Sunday, June 20, 2021. The elections for leadership councils of France's 13 regions, from Brittany to Burgundy to the French Riviera, are primarily about local issues like transportation, schools and infrastructure. But leading politicians are using them as a platform to test ideas and win followers ahead of the April presidential election. (Christian Hartmann/Pool via AP)

It had been riding high in pre-election polls and had steered campaign discourse toward its favored subjects of policing and immigration  though both are issues handled by the central government and not regional councils. The party dominated the first round of the last regional elections in 2015, but collapsed in the runoff as parties and voters banded together against it.

The result is also a deep embarrassment for Macron, whose young Republic on the Move party had hoped to establish a regional foothold for the first time but failed to excite voters.

Projections from three polling agencies show the conservative Republicans party, which currently runs seven of mainland France's 13 regions, won the most overall votes Sunday, at between 27-29%.

French President Emmanuel Macron greets voters during the first round of French regional and departmental elections, in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, northern France, Sunday, June 20, 2021. The elections for leadership councils of France's 13 regions, from Brittany to Burgundy to the French Riviera, are primarily about local issues like transportation, schools and infrastructure. But leading politicians are using them as a platform to test ideas and win followers ahead of the April presidential election. (Christian Hartmann/Pool via AP)

They were followed by the National Rally at 18-19%, then the Socialist Party and its allies, the Greens party, Macron's Republic on the Move and far-left France Unbowed. Early official results from each region reflected a similar breakdown.

Parties that win more than 10% of the vote advance to the runoff, which will determine the number of seats each party gets on regional councils.

Many polling stations stood largely empty as voting kicked off in schools and community centers from Marseille on the Mediterranean coast to Le Touquet on the English Channel. Those who did show up to vote had to stay masked and socially distanced and carry their own pens to sign voting registries.

Electoral campaign boards are pictured during regional elections in Marseille, southern France, Sunday, June 20, 2021. Marine Le Pen's far-right party is riding high on her tough-on-security, stop-immigration message as French voters started choosing regional leaders Sunday in an election that many see as a dress rehearsal for next year's presidential vote. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

The posturing by potential presidential contenders frustrated voters like Patrice Grignoux, a 62-year-old tech consultant casting his ballot in Paris.

The presidential election is a world in itself, he told The Associated Press. When you take Brittany or the Paris region, its totally different. The north is also completely different. ... There are issues you find at a regional level but have nothing to do with national issues.

A key battle was in the Hauts-de-France, a swath of northern France that includes the port of Calais, where five of Macrons government ministers joined the campaign  but his party didn't even reach the runoff, according to early results.

Another race to watch is the region that includes Provence, the French Riviera and part of the Alps, where National Rally candidate Thierry Mariani appeared to have a slimmer-than-expected lead over the conservative incumbent. Mariani has said he wants more police and no more public funding for groups promoting individual communities, which many see as targeting Muslim associations or LGBTQ movements.

Macrons party didnt exist the last time voters chose regional leaders in 2015. Its facing disillusionment with Macrons policies, including from rural voters who supported the yellow vest uprising against perceived economic injustice.

The virus played only a minor role in the voting. As infections have ebbed and vaccinations spread, the French government recently reopened long-shuttered restaurants, shops and travel possibilities. Beginning Sunday, the prime minister scrapped an unpopular overnight coronavirus curfew, just in time for the election.
FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2010 file photo, a worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr. Irans sole nuclear power plant has undergone a temporary emergency shutdown, state TV reported on Sunday, June 20, 2021. An official from the state electric energy company, Gholamali Rakhshanimehr, said on a talk show that the Bushehr plant shutdown began on Saturday and would last "for three to four days. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Majid Asgaripour, File)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Irans sole nuclear power plant has undergone an unexplained temporary emergency shutdown, the country's state TV reported.

An official from the state electric company Tavanir, Gholamali Rakhshanimehr, said on a talk show that aired on Sunday that the Bushehr plant shutdown began on Saturday and would last "for three to four days. Without elaborating, he said that power outages could result.

This is the first time Iran has reported an emergency shutdown of the plant in the southern port city of Bushehr. It went online in 2011 with help from Russia. Iran is required to send spent fuel rods from the reactor back to Russia as a nuclear nonproliferation measure.

The report came as top diplomats said that further progress had been made at talks Sunday between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration. They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

Earlier in the day, Tavanir released a statement saying that the Bushehr nuclear plant was being repaired, without offering further details. It said the repair work would take until Friday.

In March, nuclear official Mahmoud Jafari said the plant could stop working since Iran cannot procure parts and equipment for it from Russia due to banking sanctions imposed by the U.S. in 2018.

Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA acknowledged being aware of reports about the plant, but declined to comment.

Construction on the plant, on the coast of the northern reaches of the Persian Gulf, began under Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the plant was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war. Russia later completed construction of the facility.

The plant, which sits near active fault lines and was built to withstand powerful quakes, has been periodically shaken by temblors. There have been no significant earthquakes reported in the area in recent days.

Meanwhile, the European Union on Sunday chaired the final meeting in Vienna of the sixth round of talks between Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran.

The nations involved in the negotiations have been trying to resolve the major outstanding issues on how to return the U.S. into the landmark nuclear agreement, which then-President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of unilaterally in 2018. Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Tehran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

The meeting was the first since Irans hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the countrys presidential election last Friday. Some diplomats expressed concern that the election of Irans incoming President Ebrahim Raisi could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

FILE - In this June 6, 2021, file photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, President Tsai Ing-wen, right, speaks near U.S. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, left, of Illinois in Taipei, Taiwan. The U.S. is sending 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine to Taiwan, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File)

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

The shipment arrived on a China Airlines cargo plane that had left Memphis the previous day. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan, were among those who welcomed the plane on the tarmac at the airport outside of the capital, Taipei.

Chen said that America was showing its friendship as Taiwan faces its most severe outbreak. When I saw these vaccines coming down the plane, I was really touched, he said over the noise inside a building where the boxes of vaccines, some with U.S. flags on them, had been brought on wheeled dollies.

Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get vaccines. The COVID-19 death toll on the island of 24 million people has jumped to 549, from only about a dozen prior to the outbreak.

The U.S. donation also signals its support for Taiwan in the face of growing pressure from China, which claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory. The U.S. does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan under what is known as the one-China policy, but is legally bound by its own laws to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, workers unload COVID-19 vaccines from a China Airlines cargo plane from Memphis that arrived at the airport outside Taipei in Taiwan, Sunday, June 20, 2021. The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. (Taiwan Centers for Disease Control via AP)

These vaccines are proof of America's commitment to Taiwan," said Christensen, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. Embassy. "Taiwan is a family member to the worlds democratic countries.

The U.S. promised 750,000 vaccine doses for Taiwan earlier this month, sending Sen. Tammy Duckworth and two of her Senate colleagues to the island aboard a military transport plane to make the announcement. Taiwan has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.

Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen said the U.S. had decided to increase the donation through efforts on both sides over the past two weeks.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan's Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, third from left, and Brent Christensen, the top U.S. official in Taiwan, fourth from left, hold up thank you cards as they welcome a China Airlines cargo plane carrying COVID-19 vaccines from Memphis that arrived at the airport outside Taipei in Taiwan on Sunday, June 20, 2021. The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. (Taiwan Centers for Disease Control via AP)

In a Facebook post, Tsai joined the U.S. in drawing attention to their shared democratic systems. China, which has been ruled single-handedly by the Communist Party since 1949, says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and reserves the right to use force if necessary.

Whether it is for regional peace and stability or the virus that is a common human adversary, we will continue to uphold common ideas and work together, Tsai wrote in Chinese.

She has accused China of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, the German co-developer. Chinese officials have repeatedly denied the charge, and say China is willing to provide vaccines to Taiwan. Taiwanese law, however, bans the import of Chinese-made medicine.

The U.S. donation follows Japans shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them.

The outbreak, which has eased somewhat, has spurred the government to try to expand testing and vaccination. Health authorities on Sunday reported 107 new locally spread cases, the lowest in more than two months.
New research suggests wolves can be steered away from the endangered caribou herds they prey on by making the man-made trails they use to hunt harder to move along.

A female wolf, left, and male wolf roam the tundra near The Meadowbank Gold Mine located in the Nunavut Territory of Canada on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. New research suggests wolves can be steered away from the endangered caribou herds they prey on by making the man-made trails they use to hunt harder to move along. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

New research suggests wolves can be steered away from the endangered caribou herds they prey on by making the man-made trails they use to hunt harder to move along.

The recently published study adds to the debate over whether governments should depend on shooting and poisoning wolves to protect caribou, said lead author Jonah Keim.

"It's probably one of the most challenging conservation issues in the Northern Hemisphere," said Keim, an independent researcher based in New York state.

Woodland caribou herds in Alberta and British Columbia have been declining for decades. Scientists blame habitat loss  since 2000, B.C. and Alberta have lost at least 33,000 square kilometres of old-growth forest  and increasing predation as wolves and bears follow roads and seismic lines into landscapes that once offered caribou refuge.

Governments, with scientific support, have turned to maternity pens, captive breeding and killing hundreds of wolves in an effort to keep caribou around.

Maybe there's another way, Keim thought. Maybe the problem isn't the wolves  it's the artificial trails they're taking advantage of.

"How do we get at movement?" he asked.

Keim and his colleagues set up motion detector cameras on logging roads, seismic lines and game trails throughout the Parker caribou range in northeast B.C. The team recorded movements of animals past those cameras for a year.

They measured which of those features were easiest to travel by timing themselves as they walked them. They considered which ones lead into the marshy wetlands that caribou like and which went to higher ground favoured by moose and deer.

Then, they made the easy trails into the best caribou habitat harder to move through.

"We hinged trees from the sides of the features into the seismic line," Keim said. "(We) did soil mounding to create hummocks. We tried to make the feature as difficult to move down as was the adjacent habitat beside it."

They sat for another year and let the cameras roll. Then they compared the incidence of wolves or bears and caribou using the same trail on the same day to what it was before the treatment as well as to an untreated control area.

"We were able to reduce the encounter rate between wolves and caribou by 85 per cent," said Keim.

Dave Hervieux, an Alberta Environment caribou specialist, said Keim's results are consistent with other studies but only address half the problem.

"Unnaturally high and unsustainable levels of wolf predation on caribou are due to both increases in wolf travel and increases in wolf numbers," he wrote in an email.

"Linear feature restoration is a key action. However, our conclusion is that it is unlikely that linear feature restoration, as a sole action, will provide sufficient protection in the near-term for endangered woodland caribou populations."

Hervieux said the government is working with industry to restore forest cover to seismic lines, pipelines and roads.

Still, Keim said focusing "encounter management" could go a long way to reducing Alberta's and B.C.'s dependence on the annual killing of wolves.

"We know that predator removal is socially and ethically controversial and it may not be solving the true problem."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.
OTTAWA - When European explorers first set foot on the lands that are now Canada, they claimed the territory as their own, despite the presence of Indigenous Peoples who had already been occupying the lands for generations.

Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild speaks via video conferenceduring an announcement about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in Ottawa, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - When European explorers first set foot on the lands that are now Canada, they claimed the territory as their own, despite the presence of Indigenous Peoples who had already been occupying the lands for generations.

They did this using the "doctrine of discovery," a policy originally emanating from decrees issued by the pope in the 15th century authorizing Christian explorers to claim so-called "terra nullius," or vacant lands, based on the notion they had racial and religious superiority.

This doctrine has since been repudiated by many official bodies, including many faith organizations.

Now, a new landmark piece of legislation will see the Canadian government overtly reject the doctrines of discovery and terra nullius as "racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust."

This language is found in Bill C-15, which passed in the Senate earlier this week. The law aims to harmonize Canadas laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

But the addition of this potent rejection in the soon-to-be proclaimed law was not initially part of the legislation when first tabled in Parliament in late 2020.

It was added later, after Indigenous leaders and First Nations chiefs pressed the Liberal government to strengthen the original wording that simply rejected colonial doctrines more generally.

Justice Minister David Lametti, who spent 20 years teaching property law before entering politics, says he spent years "preaching" to his students about how these doctrines were "colonialist and destructive."

"So it was really a real personal pleasure for me, when Indigenous leadership suggested it, we said, 'Oh yeah, we'd love to do that,'" Lametti told The Canadian Press in a recent interview.

"It is important that we inject that into the narrative that these doctrines have no force whatsoever, no explanatory force, no legal force and no moral force, quite frankly, quite the opposite and they need to be explicitly rejected."

On Friday, Lametti and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett joined leaders from Canada's national Indigenous organizations: National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations,Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed and Metis National Council vice-president David Chartrand for a solemn ceremony marking the passage of Canada's UNDRIP bill.

"This is a very historic moment today," Bellegarde said during the ceremony.

He stressed the importance of the UN declaration in recognizing the inherent and treaty rights of First Nations in Canada and that the government's adoption of it into law is a noteworthy milestone.

"This bill is a powerful tool for building a better relationship with Canada in which those rights, our rights, must be respected and upheld and implemented. And it is part of our road map to reconciliation in this country," Bellegarde said.

The inclusion of a strong repudiation of the doctrines of discovery and terra nullius were important to include and specifically delineate in the legislation because it was those doctrines that the European settlers used to try to eliminate Indigenous rights and subjugate First Peoples, he explained.

Those colonialist ideologies are what eventually led to the creation of the residential school system, disputes about land claims and resource development rights and ongoing systemic racism within many of Canada's institutions.

"Those two doctrines are fast becoming, not only in Canada but globally, (seen) as illegal and racist doctrines. So to have them mentioned in there is very powerful. It's about decolonizing Canada's laws and policies," Bellegarde said.

"It will have a huge impact. It's always about peaceful coexistence and mutual respect and sharing this great this great land and sharing these resources. We've never surrendered or given up anything, and that's fundamental to this going forward."

Another addition to the bill that came after it was tabled in Parliament was a strengthening of language that recognizes the protection of Aboriginal treaty rights under the Canadian Constitution. Wording was added to say that "Canadian courts have stated that such rights are not frozen and are capable of evolution and growth."

Chief Wilton Littlechild, who was part of a team of human rights and legal experts who took part in a 1977 Indigenous delegation to the United Nations that helped to push for and later draft the 2007 declaration, was instrumental in getting these passages into the legislation's preamble.

He says it was of utmost importance for him personally to see this enshrined in Canada's UNDRIP law because fighting for recognition and respect of Canada's treaties with First Nations was the reason his people in Maskwacis, Alberta tasked him with going to the global community, seeking an international declaration of their rights over 40 years ago.

"It was treaty violations in August 1977 and their concerns about the daily violations of our treaties that they wanted me to go back to the international arena to remind the world," Littlechild said.

"So treaties, or violations of our sacred agreements, is why I went there and we proposed solutions, one of which is the very legislation we're talking about today."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.
Blood soaked the tan pants of a 12-year-old boy stabbed and killed on Burrows Avenue Friday evening from below his belly button to his knee, said Spencer Bucci, 19, whod been watching from his third story window. Michael Bucci, Spencer Buccis father, said the boy left a trail of blood about 80 metres long along the sidewalk and street.

Blood soaked the tan pants of a 12-year-old boy stabbed and killed on Burrows Avenue Friday evening from below his belly button to his knee, said Spencer Bucci, 19, whod been watching from his third story window. Michael Bucci, Spencer Buccis father, said the boy left a trail of blood about 80 metres long along the sidewalk and street.

The attack happened in the 200 block around 7:19 p.m.

Spencer Bucci said he heard people shouting at each other through his open window, as he relaxed with his girlfriend. When he looked out, he saw two groups of people. One group was three or four boys and a girl, he said, five total. "The oldest one might have been 15; the youngest maybe 10."

The other group was a woman and man in their early-mid 20s pushing a stroller with two children, approximately 3 and 5 years old, said Spencer Bucci. His girlfriend started recording a video, which police later took for evidence.

"The woman was yelling, Get away from us! and Dont come close to us! and it looked like she had a knife in her hand," he said.

The knife looked long, maybe 15 centimetres, and had a dark blade, said Spencer Bucci. "She took a swing at the girl," he said. "She missed."

Spencer Bucci said he then heard people yelling from down the street. He turned and saw people coming. When he looked back a moment later, he said, the boy had already been stabbed.

All along, we the neighbourhood are saying to the authorities, its escalating. Its getting worse. Its only a matter of time before this becomes a tragedy  and thats what this is, said Michael Bucci who lives on Burrows Avenue. The fatal stabbing took place on the sidewalk in front of his house. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

"He was just covered in blood," he said. "Covered in blood."

He said he called 911 right away. "I could hear sirens while I was in the middle of the call, so somebody else had already called, or they had dispatched police immediately."

He saw the boy stagger down the street, so he ran downstairs. When he got to the door, he saw a woman, who turned out to be an off-duty nurse, tending the boy in the middle of the road, he said. The boys shirt had been cut open. Firefighters had arrived. Police and paramedics soon after. Except for one or two boys who fled after the attack, the boys group remained with him.

"He was in a lot of pain and discomfort, and his friends were very, very upset," said Spencer Bucci. Michael Bucci, who had followed his son out, said: "I heard the words sucking chest wound and the kid wasnt moving. And I knew at that point that its just not good."

The boy died of his injuries at hospital.

Spencer Bucci said he saw one of the boys involved further down the street. He called to police.

"I just yelled, hey, hes down there."

Spencer Bucci said he spent the evening in a state of shock. He and his girlfriend were at the police station until about 5:30 a.m., and even after that, he couldnt stop thinking about it.

Blue chalk marks a spot where evidence was found during the police investigation. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

"Its sort of burned into my brain," he said. "I had a hard time falling asleep, just running it over in my head, everything that happened."

Michael Bucci said: "I could see it in his eyes when I talked to him before he went with the police last night." He choked back tears when he tried to say more and could not muster his voice during a long silence.

"Kids shouldnt have to be afraid," he said finally. "Were tired of feeling afraid."

This is the second homicide on the street in under two months. On May 20, police discovered the body of 33-year-old Trevor Dorion in the 300 block of Burrows Avenue. Police said hed been assaulted over a prolonged period 12 days earlier and had succumbed to his injuries.

"All along, we the neighbourhood are saying to the authorities, its escalating. Its getting worse. Its only a matter of time before this becomes a tragedy  and thats what this is," said Michael Bucci. "That poor kid. Ive seen him in the neighbourhood."

He said he didnt know the boy personally. A neighbour, who didnt want to be named, pointed out three young boys sitting on the curb with their faces cupped in their palms. Community police officers stood guard over them and escorted them around the corner. The neighbour said they knew the boy who died.

Michael Bucci said the violence in the area has taken a toll on him and his family.

"I dont feel safe," he said. His other son, who has cancer and whose immune system has been weakened by treatment, has been trapped in the house because "he doesnt even feel safe in his own backyard because of the junkies."

A police officer speaks to a youth regarding the stabbing. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Even so, the Buccis have a strong connection to their community.

"I was born in this house, raised in this house," said Spencer Bucci. His father listed many of his neighbours with ease and said: "Ive spent 20 years building a rapport with the neighbours to build a neighbourhood and community. And the good people on this block have been a part of that community for a long, long time."

The Buccis said they couldnt afford to move  maybe if they had the money they would, both said. But Michael Bucci thought about it and walked back the statement, emotion again lumping in his throat.

"I love my neighbours. I couldnt  I couldnt leave knowing theyd be still dealing with this sh-t," he said.

Spencer Bucci said: "Its not a bad place to live, theres just bad things that happen here."

Police believe the confrontation was not gang related, said Const. Jay Murray at a press conference Saturday morning. He said police believe the groups "may not have known each other" before the attack. "Numerous" community members called in to report the argument or the stabbing itself, he said.

The 12-year-olds death marks Winnipegs 18th homicide of the year. It is the 11th since May 19 and the fourth in five days. The boy is the youngest victim this year.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca
THE provincial NDPs council passed an internal motion Saturday to recognize 215 children who died and were buried in unmarked graves at Kamloops Residential School, also calling for the province to provide cash for Indigenous groups to search former residential school sites.

THE provincial NDPs council passed an internal motion Saturday to recognize 215 children who died and were buried in unmarked graves at Kamloops Residential School, also calling for the province to provide cash for Indigenous groups to search former residential school sites.

The province has been reluctant to put cash down for the searches, while Saskatchewan and Ontario governments have committed funding.

"The PC government must follow the lead of Indigenous communities and other provinces by committing to funding the search of all former residential school sites immediately," NDP leader Wab Kinew said in a statement.

The party sends its condolences to "Tkemlups te Secwepemc, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, Long Plains First Nation, Pimicikimak Cree Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation and other communities searching for their children," the NDPs motion reads.

The motion was introduced by Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew and passed unanimously.

Hundreds of pegs, each marking the possible site of a childs remains, were staked out on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops B.C., when Tkemlups te Secwepemc Chief Rosanne Casimir arrived at the site late last month.

The First Nation used ground penetrating radar over the May long weekend in an effort to determine the fate of children who went missing from the school.

The discovery led to a national reckoning over the residential school systems harms to Indigenous people.

 staff, with files from the Canadian Press
Columbus Area Historical Society

1971

The Columbus City Council granted a license to George Hasey to operate a popcorn wagon at the same location as previous years.

Drum and Bugle Corps will be the featured highlight of the annual July 4th Parade. Corps from several Wisconsin cities, other states, and Canada will compete against each other in an afternoon competition.

1981

The Columbus Community Hospital staff held a surprise party for Dr. C.F. Cheli, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of his graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison medical school.

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A 17-member group of beef animal specialists from Japan visited the Ron Paulson farm as part of their three-week tour of American farms. The group was most interested in animal health aspects.

1991

Amy Killian, a Columbus High school graduate, was serving as a police department intern in a ride along program with local officers. Killian was enrolled in a four-year police science program at UW-Platteville.
The day began a few hours earlier as thousands of mostly maskless shoppers began strolling the farmers market, which since April 2020 had been operating at the Alliant Energy Center, first at Willow Island and then in the parking lots of Exhibition Hall. But Saturdays scene in the shadow of the state Capitol felt like old times with familiar faces at more than 100 booths.

Farmer John was there from Dodgeville with his cheese, Bill Warner brought carrots, beets and green beans from his Snug Haven Farm near Paoli, and Ned Palm had tables filled with white button, shiitake and baby portabella mushrooms that he grows in rural Jefferson County. Stellas Bakery was selling its wide selection of breads, there was honey from Gentle Breeze Honey near Mount Horeb, and Xiongs Tasty Produce offered up sugar snap peas, arugula and green onions.

Mark Olson had fresh-baked cinnamon rolls from his Renaissance Farm in Spring Green. He and his family have had a stand on the Square since 1980, and while he was appreciative of the alternative sites to sell his goods over the past 15 months, Olson said the atmosphere of Capitol Square is hard to beat.

Ive been coming here since high school. So this is home to me, Olson said. This is my family. This is my community.

A Square tradition
Police arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with eight shootings near Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday in which four people were shot, including one fatally.

Ashin Tricarico of Surprise, Arizona, is charged with one count of first-degree murder for the death of a 56-year-old man who was found shot in his car. Tricarico is also charged with endangerment and multiple counts of aggravated assault and drive-by shooting, the Peoria Police Department said.

"His motive is still unknown at this point as detectives are still sorting through evidence to determine exactly what occurred," the department said in a Friday news release.

Tricarico is being held at the Maricopa County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond. CNN is working to determine whether Tricarico has an attorney. His initial court appearance is set for June 24, according to Maricopa County Jail records.

Nine other people were hurt by shrapnel and debris, Peoria Police Sgt. Brandon Sheffert previously said at a news conference.

"We have a total of eight incidents as of now," he said.

The victims range from 19 to 56 years old and are "males and females of various races," according to the release. "A 3-year-old child was in one of the vehicles that was shot at but thankfully was not struck or injured."

Police pulled over the suspect in Surprise after his vehicle was spotted by a firefighter, Sheffert said.

The shootings took place in Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise, three cities just northwest of Phoenix in a region known as the West Valley. The shootings took place over the course of more than an hour, Sheffert said.

The suspected shooter didn't resist arrest, police said, and a weapon was allegedly found in his vehicle.

Aerial video from CNN affiliate KPHO/KTVK showed a white SUV with doors open that the news station described as the suspect's vehicle.

Officials said they don't think there was more than one shooter. "There's no reason for the public to feel unsafe at this time," Surprise police Sgt. Tommy Hale said.

The FBI is assisting in the investigation.

Banner Health officials said three of their hospitals have received nine patients. Two were at Banner Boswell, three patients were at Banner Thunderbird and four were at Banner Del Webb.

It is unknown whether the patients had gunshot wounds or other injuries.

Banner Health officials, citing privacy laws, said they could not provide any additional information on the patients.

Peoria is about 9 miles east of Surprise, which is about 45 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Glendale runs south and east of the two cities.
Utica, N.Y. - The Red Cross is helping a total of 7 people who have been displaced after a fire at a multi-family apartment bulding on Lincoln Avenue in Utica early Saturday morning.

It happened around 1:30 A.M..

The Red Cross was on scene in the overnight hours to assist those in need.

No word from Utica Fire officials regarding a possible cause or extent of the damage.

The Red Cross is providing food, shelter, clothing and emotional support for 4 adults and 3 children, ages 8, 14 and 15.
Show Low, AZ (85901)

Today

Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
180 people join college for virtual celebration of the Welsh language

A popular Welsh Eisteddfod was held virtually this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taking the event online did not stop more than 180 members of the Learn Welsh North East provision participating in the Eisteddfod y Dysgwyr (Learners Eisteddfod), organised by Coleg Cambria and Popeth Cymraeg.

Entrants submitted their work and performances via photographs, videos and audio files before judges  including S4C star and the evenings MC Anni Llyn  chose the winners.

Anni then introduced them during the proceedings, having also been among the deciding panel.

Jeni Harris, Learn Welsh Manager for Wrexham and Flintshire was delighted they hosted the Eisteddfod, despite not being able to do so in person.

It was a brilliant night, with 187 people joining us for the online event, said Jeni.

Everything had been submitted online in advance and the top three in each category were showcased during the event via a slide show, as well as videos and audio clips from those singing, reciting, and acting.

Among the victors were Rachel Bedwin, who was awarded the chair for her poem on the theme of Gobaith (Hope), and Gwyneth Lewis, who on the same topic received the prose prize for her 500-word submission.

With learners from as far away and Chicago and Prague, Learn Welsh North East is one of the leading language training providers in the country.

Jeni says holding the Eisteddfod virtually brought them a whole new audience and was more accessible, though she looks forward to welcoming classes back to the college and their community venues when it is safe to do so.

Given the numbers and the positive feedback weve had theres a possibility we will continue to hold some events and classes online  its about finding a balance, she added.

Throughout the pandemic we have retained our numbers and even attracted new learners, which is fantastic, while still managing to keep standards high and classes interesting and enjoyable.

Learn Welsh North East was last year labelled Excellent by Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales.

Thousands of people in Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire have benefited from the Welsh for Adults provision, which is delivered on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

With the Welsh Government setting itself the target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050, Coleg Cambria and Popeth Cymraeg are determined to help achieve that goal.

Visit www.learnwelsh.cymru for more on Learn Welsh North East.
Clwyd South MP pays tribute to Ceiriog Valley Community Cupboard volunteers for their tireless work

SIMON BAYNES MP VISITS CEIRIOG VALLEY COMMUNITY CUPBOARD AND THANKS VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK

The Member of Parliament for Clwyd South has paid tribute to the tireless work of volunteers at a Glyn Ceiriog organisation.

On 11 June Simon Baynes MP paid a visit to the team at the Ceiriog Valley Community Cupboard in the Canolfan Ceiriog Centre with local County Cllr Trevor Bates.

The Community Cupboard is a new project which, by working in partnership with local stores, redistributes surplus food throughout the Ceiriog Valley community for free which would otherwise end up wasted.

Mr Baynes heard from Joy Owen-Jones and Kerry Mackay about their efforts and those of other volunteers to reduce food waste, care for the environment and share food with local residents. In addition to food, Ceiriog Valley Community Cupboard also offers hampers of toiletry items.

Ceiriog Valley County Cllr Trevor Bates said: We have a fantastic team of volunteers and its a big boost for us to have our local MP visit and offer support. His frequent visits to the Valley give great encouragement to those who regularly give their time as volunteers.

Following his visit, Simon Baynes MP said: The dedication of this fantastic team of volunteers means that people are being helped in the Ceiriog Valley and food waste is being reduced. The wider community and the local environment has greatly benefited from their work.

The team are hard working and caring and this is a fantastic scheme for the community of Ceiriog Valley.

I was therefore extremely pleased to be able to thank them in person for the tireless work they do on behalf of residents in the Ceiriog Valley.

The Community Cupboard is open Fridays 12-2pm at the Canolfan Ceiriog Centre. And anyone interested can contact a member of the team to arrange a drop-off on admin@canolfanceiriog.org.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- Storm Team 10 has been following the recent storms across the entire Wabash Valley. Theres been extensive damage, and people are still trying to clean up the mess.

As the storms raged through the Wabash Valley it left destruction in its path.

Rainfall accumulation reports: Terre Haute Regional Airport (Midnight Saturday morning to 9:00 AM) - 3.6 inches

5 miles south of Terre Haute, Indiana - 5.11 inches

Spencer, Indiana - 7.41 inches

5 miles SW of Paris, Illinois - 6.47 inches

6 miles S of Clay City, Indiana - 3.05 inches

Sullivan, Indiana - 1.38 inches

Powerlines were down, roads were flooded, and many cars and homes experienced heavy damage.

Driving through Terre Haute you may have noticed that many roads were blocked off due to debris covering the roads.

Many trees were torn apart by the winds and they had nowhere to go except on roads, or on top of houses.

Kim Wagley is a resident here in Terre Haute.

She said her house didnt receive much damage, but she knows others experienced worse.

Wagley said, Theres a trim piece on the side that got pulled by the wires, and the house two down from us an attic window blew in. but so far thats pretty much all were seeing

Another resident who woke up to damage was Morris Clinkenbeard.

LINK | Owen County: Emergency declaration of local disaster

He told News 10 that he woke up to the sounds of everything breaking loose early in the morning.

He said he remembers seeing a flash of light, and when he looked outside, his cars were covered.



He said, That tree went first, and after that one that went over there, then this one came down on top of my other brothers vehicle. Theres a van under there, and my jeep it got out okay, but then this car here is totaled too.

While both Wagley and Clinkenbeard experienced damage, they both said there is still a silver lining from this storm.

Wagley said, Nobodys been hurt, we havent heard any reports of anybody being injured or any pets so thats all good.

Clinkenbeard said, Im just glad it didnt go that way to the house. I thank God every day that it didnt go that way. You know vehicles can be replaced but lives cant.

Both Wagley and Morris are thankful that everyone they know is safe.

They hope that all the damage the storm has caused will be cleaned up soon.
BRYANT, Ind. (AP)  A tornado that damaged or destroyed several rural homes Friday in northeastern Indiana and toppled a communication tower packed winds in excess of 100 miles per hour, the National Weather Service said Saturday.

A weather service crew on Saturday surveyed the aftermath of Fridays storm and found that the tornado formed near the Jay County town of Bryant and rapidly strengthened to EF-2 strength, which describe storms with winds of between 111-135 mph.

The tornado damaged or destroyed several rural homes and farmsteads and felled a 100-foot communications tower, before briefly weakening and then re-intensifying into a multi-vortex, 500-yard wide EF-2 tornado.

The storm damaged several more farmsteads and destroyed farm buildings, killing several cattle, before it dissipated about eight miles southeast of Bryant, located about 30 miles south of Fort Wayne.

The tornado was spawned as severe thunderstorms swept across eastern and south-central Indiana on Friday into early Saturday, leading to flash flooding in some areas, including downtown Bloomington.

The storms Friday and early Saturday dropped heavy rainfall across parts of south-central Indiana, including more than 7 inches in the Owen County town of Spencer, said Michael Koch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

Other parts of the state saw anywhere from 3 to nearly 8 inches of rain, which is a heck of a lot, Koch told The Indianapolis Star.
For three years, Eleanor Liao and her boyfriend Aaron Leung lived about 12 miles away from each other. But the onset of the coronavirus pandemic made them feel like they were in a long-distance relationship.

Liao lived in Shenzhen, a metropolis at the southern tip of Chinese mainland, while Leung was based in neighboring Hong Kong, which, as a "special administrative region" (SAR), has different rules than mainland China.

While some of these only relate to politics and local government, many regular people -- like Liao and Leung -- have felt their effects starkly.

As Covid-19 cases rose, the border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen effectively closed in March 2020.

Prior to the pandemic, crossing the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border required travel documents, but it was relatively easy to go back and forth. Approximately 42,000 regular business commuters regularly went between the two cities by train, bus or car every day.

Cross-border relationships were also common: According to the latest figures from law firm Deacons, of the roughly 50,000 marriages registered in Hong Kong each year, about one-third are Hong Kong-mainland pairings.

Liao and Leung met and began dating in April 2018. Before the pandemic, they were like any other couple: juggling their busy schedules, taking turns seeing each other.

He would cross the border to hang out with her in Shenzhen or she would come down to his family-owned music studio in Hong Kong's Mong Kok neighborhood.

They used to see each other once a week and were never apart for more than a month, she said.

The border closure essentially forced them into a long-distance relationship, connecting online and over the phone instead of in person.

"I burst into tears when talking on the phone with him. It was very hard for me," said Liao.

Leung recalled the days when Shenzhen seemed only a stone's throw away. Living in Sheung Shui -- in Hong Kong's far northern New Territories, close to a major border checkpoint -- he found it easier to cross into Shenzhen than to commute to Hong Kong Island.

But the pandemic turned an easily crossable border into an impenetrable barrier for this couple.

Technically, the border isn't fully closed -- three of the 15 border checkpoints remain open, but with tight quarantine requirements on both sides. So, although it's physically possible for them to cross, doing so comes with weeks of quarantine time in a hotel and costs thousands of dollars.

"The pandemic forces you to choose between love and work." said Liao, an international commodity trader.

Meeting at the border

The morning of September 8, 2020, Liao got up early to catch a bus at 6 a.m.

By July of that year, mainland China and Hong Kong had been relatively successful in containing the virus, but the border restrictions remained unchanged due to the government's fear over "imported cases" from outside.

As Liao grew more and more frustrated with the border seal, she imagined going on a skyscraper near a border checkpoint and locating her boyfriend's home with a telescope.

"There's gotta be a way," Liao thought. "We were just a river apart."

That river is the Shum Chum River (or Shenzhen River, as it's called in mainland China). It has served as a natural partition between Hong Kong and mainland China since 1898 when the Qing Dynasty signed a lease with the United Kingdom and allowed the British to expand its colony of Hong Kong.

Just before World War II, a small section of the river had run dry and was turned into a street market for residents of both sides. The street -- later named "Chung Ying Gaai" or "China-England Street" -- caught Liao's eye.

Half in Shenzhen and half in Hong Kong, the street has always been a place of special interest. It was once a shopping paradise for mainlanders to buy Hong Kong's duty-free products. The street has since become a historical site and is open to tourists in Shenzhen who have a day pass. That meant that it could be the only way they could see each other in person.

However, Leung had a harder time visiting the street, as it sits in Hong Kong's restricted border area. He had to be "vouched for" by a local resident inside the zone and apply for a permit at the local police station. Luckily, he knew someone in the town who was willing to help.

Leung arrived in the street earlier than Liao. Since the pandemic, a line of red, plastic water-filled barriers had been set up in the middle of the street -- a physical boundary that didn't exist before.

In the past, visitors could tell which side they were on by checking the store's signs -- the Hong Kong shops use traditional Chinese characters, while the Shenzhen signs use the simplified version.

He walked along the red barriers and stopped at a McDonald's -- the most recognizable landmark in the street -- and waited.

On the other side, Liao got off the bus. After going through the winding customs pathway, she called Leung's phone number and looked for him.

The reception on her phone was spotty. They shouted for each other and kept asking "Where are you?" After some frantic searching, Liao finally spotted her boyfriend. With his shoulder over a barrier, Leung stood on a stool and held an umbrella with one hand as his fidgety pianist fingers tapped on the barrier.

Tears, blended with raindrops, rolled down Liao's face. Leung took out his phone to film his girlfriend, but then he started to cry too.

Over the barriers, they talked and talked, not keeping track of the time. They wanted to hug each other, but knowing the potential risks of making physical contact at the border, they restrained themselves.

After three hours, a police officer came over and asked them to leave.

"I was very touched," Liao recalled of their cross-boundary near-reunion. But she said seeing him again also made her sadder.

"I was standing in front of him, but why couldn't we hold each other's hands?"

Love in the time of a pandemic

Fast forward to March 2021. Liao has posted a video on social media announcing that she had quit her job. But that wasn't the biggest news: after securing a new job that allows her to work from home, she would be heading to Hong Kong to get married.

The couple made an appointment to wed on May 28 at Hong Kong's Red Cotton Drive marriage registry office.

It's one of Hong Kong's official wedding venues -- a small Victorian-style building within Hong Kong Park, a picturesque spot surrounded by the city's skyscrapers.

The ceremony took place in a hall with golden floral wallpaper, elaborate white columns and plaster cornices. There was a marble table in the front, and rows of seats in the back. Mendelssohn's Wedding March hovered in the air, played on repeat.

Before the wedding could begin, the official conducting the ceremony asked some guests to wait outside in the hallway, as the Hong Kong government still only allows 20 guests for weddings due to Covid-19 restrictions. Everyone was dressed in their best clothes, accessorized with the face masks that are still required by law.

Leung and Liao sat on one long side of the table, Leung's mother and brother across from them.

Led by the registrar, Leung and Liao exchanged their vows in their native Cantonese.

After signing the certificate, they officially became husband and wife.

"It was a simple ceremony. When the registrar declared our marriage, it made the whole thing very solemn," Leung said.

"I could see you wanted to cry," Liao said to her new husband.

But despite the joyous occasion, there were still some notes of sadness.

Although Liao was happy about her big day, she was sad that her family and friends in Shenzhen had not been able to join her to celebrate in person.

And unlike in storybooks, the wedding didn't bring a magical happy ending -- yet.

Shortly after the wedding, Liao returned to Shenzhen alone to re-apply for a long-term visa with her marriage certificate. The temporary visa she was on was a quick fix just for the wedding. Crossing the border also required another round of quarantine -- 14 days in a hotel and seven days at her home.

It'll still be a long while before these two can live together as husband and wife.

These days, many countries in the west are flinging open their borders and using phrases like "post-pandemic" and "back to normal." Yet Asia has generally been more conservative in its approach to reopening.

No matter what a government chooses to do, it's often regular people like Leung and Liao who feel the brunt of the decision the most.

"I hope the restrictions can be relaxed. I know there are so many families separated," Leung said.

The bride may have bought her dress online at the last minute and had to quarantine in order to say "I do."

But Leung and Liao's wedding shows that despite disease, government regulations and hardship, love still manages to find a way.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP)  The Federal Aviation Administration is considering a plan to land commercial space vehicles in Alabama.

The agency recently released information about a proposal by the Huntsville airport and Sierra Space to use a runway to land ships that resemble a small space shuttle.

The spacecraft would be launched elsewhere.

But it would land on an existing runway in Huntsville, which has the largest commercial airport in north Alabama and is a hub for the aerospace industry.

The airport authority says the FAA is conducting a preliminary review of the proposal.

A study completed in 2015 found the airport compatible for the so-called Dream Chaser vehicle.
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Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 75F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low near 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Michael Dillon on the left, an associate professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology, and Arthur Woods on the right, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Montana, were part of a research group that examined how animals ability to respond to climate change likely depends on how well they modify their habitats, such as nests and burrows. Here, Dillon bends over to examine a plant and measure microclimates at the UW-National Park Service Research Station in Grand Teton National Park. Their work, titled Extended Phenotypes: Buffers or Amplifiers of Climate Change? was published in the June 16 issue of Trends in Ecology and Evolution.
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen the week of June 13-19, 2021
Matt Baker presented the report on 'zero grazing' dairy farming on 'Countryfile'. (BBC)

Viewers of BBC's Countryfile were shocked and angered by a segment on a "zero grazing" dairy farm where cows "spend much of their life inside".

Matt Baker visited a family farm in Northern Ireland that has cut costs by bringing fresh grass to the cattle inside their barns rather than letting them out to pasture to graze.

Baker said: "[Farmer Richard Lilburn] swapped their whole way of farming to a model known as zero grazing with their cattle spending most of their year indoors in two 210 foot barns filled with all the latest gadgets.

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"Rather than grazing outdoors, they now have fresh grass brought to them."

Read more: Matt Baker swaps TV career for full-time farming after mum trampled by sheep

The former One Show presenter went on: "The zero grazing system used by the Lilburns means the cows spend much of their life inside. This way of doing things does have its critics, who feel cows should be mainly outdoors."

The cows at the Lilburn farm remain inside as part of the 'zero grazing' system. (Countryfile/BBC)

Many viewers were upset by the report, claiming it was "cruel" and "unnatural" to keep cows in this way.

Some also argued that the BBC show had been "one-sided" in its coverage of the dairy farming technique.

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Nigeynugs tweeted: "Be honest #countryfile, its factory farming cows under the banner of zero crazing. Its cruel , unnatural and not in the best interests of the animals. Shame on the farmers and shame on @BBCCountryfile for promoting and glorifying it in a very biased way."

Linda W tweeted: "I still can't see why #countryfile portrayed the cows never going outside and having the calves being taken off them at less than two hours old a positive thing. I really don't want milk from those poor cows."

Watch: How farmers can help tackle climate change

JennoRon said: "Dont usually watch countryfile but caught 2 minutes of it. Presenter was saying the dairy farm was a no grazing concern where the cows were indoors all the time. How extremely unnatural and cruel."

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Kate Peach commented: "Shocking coverage of cows which never go outside. Where is the debate? The implication that this is the future and is ok is appalling."

MaisieMooCow wrote: "Cows need space. They shouldn't be locked indoors.#countryfile"

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Elisa Allen, director of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said: "British farming paints a picture of idyllic barnyard scenes of years gone by, but thats total rubbish.

"PETA applauds the BBC for opening viewers eyes to show them that many cows on todays dairy farms spend their lives in hellishly unnatural conditions, rarely, if ever, allowed outside and deprived of everything that is natural or important to them, including the right to graze, socialise, and raise their young  in other words, to be cows.

"Viewers outraged by this mega-farm might further consider that cows on all dairy farms  even those labelled free-range or organic  are trapped in a cruel cycle of artificial insemination, in which farmers forcibly insert a metal rod into their vaginas, and their beloved calves are torn away shortly after their birth so that the milk nature intended for them can be sold for cheese instead.

"When the cows bodies are spent, theyre pushed onto a lorry and sent to the abattoir."

Matt Baker has his own family farm in Durham. (Channel 4)

A BBC spokesperson told Yahoo UK: "Countryfile has been following the Lilburn family in County Down throughout the year, and in this episode they explained their approach to dairy farming, known as 'zero grazing' or 'cut and cover'.

"This method was recognised in the Best Practice Guide of the Agricultural & Horticultural Development Board in 2019 and has increased significantly over recent years, which is why Countryfile felt it was an important subject to feature.

Read more: Matt Baker opens up on his One Show exit

"It was made clear in the programme that the method has its critics and the report also addressed the different ways this farming family feels they are ensuring the welfare of the cows is protected.

Baker left The One Show last year and moved back to the Durham Dales with his wife and children to take over running his family's farm after his mother was trampled by sheep.

The Lilburns' farm is Red Tractor- and Farm Quality-assured.

Yahoo UK has contacted the family for comment.

Watch: Jeremy Clarkson has taken up farming for his new TV show
Why am I still alive? How have I survived this long? Those are the questions on my mind four years after being handed a death sentence in the form of Stage IV colon cancer. A death sentence rendered a month before my sons first birthday. After years of fighting to survive, the moment Ive dreading came to be  chemotherapy stopped working. My fight is not over, though. Im still fighting, because Ive realized the legacy I can leave behind.

Im a Vermont Army National Guard veteran, who completed combat deployments to Iraq from 2005 to 2006 and Afghanistan in 2010. One thing they had in common was inescapable smoke emitted from burn pits outside the base where we lived. I still remember the oxygen being sucked from the air as burn pit smoke engulfed everything in its path.

Burn pits are giant trash piles in which food, human and medical waste, heavy metals, Humvees, and everything else are discarded, coated with diesel and jet fuel, then ignited.

"Delay, deny, hope you die." That was a common aphorism used by Vietnam veterans to describe the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) treated them upon their return home from a war that exposed millions of them to an herbicide that needs no introduction: Agent Orange. Decades later, the consequences of Agent Orange are still unfolding, and exposure has cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Instead of learning from the past, the VA seems content to sit idly by while a new generation of veterans die from the health effects of our generation's Agent Orange  burn pits.

I deserved better care

Ive survived this long because of my desire to fight, not on the battlefield, but in the courtroom in the hopes of causing real change to prevent one other person, one other family, from suffering the same fate as me and my family.

Wesley Black in Brownsville, Vermont, in June 2016.

Im suing the U.S. government because of the medical treatment I received from my local VA medical center. You see, after completing two combat deployments, I turned to the VA for medical care. And it failed me.

Story continues

Leave no woman behind: Female veterans served America, but the VA system doesn't serve and protect them

When I first went to my local VA medical center in 2013, I complained of diarrhea multiple times a day since my deployment to Afghanistan. I also complained of bloody stools, waking up multiple nights a week to use the bathroom, and losing significant weight in Afghanistan.

I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, which, at the time, brought me solace since it explained my symptoms, or so I thought. Unfortunately, the physician to whom I entrusted my care, did not consider any other treatment plans or causes of my illness. Several years and appointments later, I went to the emergency room in 2017 after an especially bloody bowel movement. A colonoscopy was finally ordered, but it was too late. My cancer was terminal.

I was 31 years old. My wife had just given birth to our son. My happily-ever-after was ripped from me, and was transformed into the hardest fight of my life, one I wont win.

The VA has not made that fight any easier. To obtain disability benefits, it forced me to prove that my cancer was caused by burn pits; it put the burden of proving burn pits cause cancer on me while I was fighting for my life. Talk about a backwards system. But, I won that battle. Then, after I filed a medical malpractice claim, the government argued that I was too late. It even tried to have my case dismissed, disposed of like the trash torched in burn pits.

Prevent one more death

Luckily, my case is still ongoing. But Im not fighting for myself. Im fighting for proper, environmentally appropriate health care for those exposed to burn pits. I hope my lawsuit and the work of veteran service organizations, such as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which has helped promote my cause, ultimately result in the VA acknowledging the harmful health effects caused by burn pit exposure.

Congress is currently reviewing 15 bills on burn pits and toxic exposures. But, the VA asked Congress to hold off on any legislative reform until they complete their internal review. This would delay what could be the biggest congressional health care push in years. "Delay, deny, hope you die." It is time we tell the VA enough is enough.

Misused and abused: Enough with America's 'thank you for your service' culture. It's betrayal, not patriotism.

How many must die before the VA acts to address the harmful health effects being suffered by those exposed to burn pits? How many husbands and wives must be widowed? How many children left without a parent? Diseases dont wait and neither should the efforts to address them. While it may be too late for me, it might not be too late for the next soldier. But the VA must act now. No more delays. No more denials. No more hoping our veterans die so its problems can be swept under the rug.

And so, Im calling the VA to recall their request to Congress. It is time we come together to address the health effects caused by burn pit exposure. It is time the VA develops a system of care dedicated to serving veterans exposed to burn pits, so they may be cared for by physicians with the necessary expertise, not a resident who has not heard of the cause of their illness.

A great start would be passing into law what's known as the Warfighters Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan bill establishing new benefits for veterans suffering health conditions caused by toxic exposures.

When I signed up to fight for my country, I never expected the institutions established to protect me would be to blame for my death. What this issue cost me and my family, could have been avoided. But I am just one of many going through the same plight and if my story can prevent families from losing someone they love, I will fight till my dying breath.

Wesley Black is a former infantryman in the Vermont Army National Guard.

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: Toxic: Afghanistan's burn pits are killing American war veterans
WASHINGTON  The descendants of the men and women who designed and implemented President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal gather regularly on Zoom to strategize how to keep the pressure on President Joe Biden to likewise go big and bold.

We would love to think that we have captured his attention and stirred the pot with some FDR seasoning, said Scott Wallace, the grandson of one of Roosevelts vice presidents and one of five descendants who has been urging Biden for the past year to pass a 21st Century New Deal.

Biden hasnt seemed to need the encouragement.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his first radio "fireside chat" in Washington in March 1933. The New Deal was a try-anything moment during the Great Depression that remade the role of the federal government in American life.

Theres a new bargain, Biden said in May during a trip to Cleveland to push for the trillions of dollars he wants to spend on infrastructure, education, health care, child care and more. Everyone is going to be in on the deal this time.

Many comparisons  not all of them favorable  have been made between the size and scope of Bidens ambitions and Roosevelts programs and the World War II spending that lifted the nation out of the Great Depression.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has been at the forefront of selling the infrastructure component of Bidens plan, calls it the largest jobs package since World War II.

Today's effort might be described as the big deal, Buttigieg said in May in a speech to graduates of the Harvard Kennedy School. The big deal is based on a big ambition to demonstrate how good government can indeed do big and good things and do them well.

Echoes of FDR

Beyond the wordplay, there are other Rooseveltian echoes.

Bidens plan to give all Americans access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet evokes the New Deal initiative to bring electricity to rural America.

Updating Roosevelts Civilian Conservation Corps that put millions of men to work on conservation and development projects on rural lands, Biden wants to create a Civilian Climate Corps to address the threat of climate change.

4 charts: Joe Biden wants to spend $2 trillion on infrastructure and jobs.

Story continues

FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps put men to work building a road at Camp Dix, N.J.

Just as labor unions were boosted by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 that sanctioned the right to bargain collectively, Biden has repeatedly emphasized the importance of unions, including calling on Congress to strengthen protections for workers right to organize.

Roosevelt had an Arsenal of Democracy to sell military supplies to Great Britain and France; Biden has declared that the United States will be the worlds arsenal of vaccines in the shared fight against the coronavirus.

A new New Deal? How Biden's spending plans stack up to past presidential proposals

At the start of Bidens first foreign trip this month, he and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a revitalized Atlantic Charter, updating the 1941 attempt by Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill to rally the West at a time of global crisis.

And dont forget about the massive portrait of FDR that hangs across from his desk, over the Oval Office fireplace.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris meet with members of Congress in the Oval Office on April 12 to discuss the American Jobs Plan, the administration's infrastructure proposal.

'Time is running out'

President Joe Biden discusses investments in the American Jobs Plan with, from left, Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas; Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; and Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, at the White House April 19.

After swift passage of a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package in March, Bidens hope of making generational and transformational changes is running up against the reality of a closely divided Congress and the clock.

Time is running out, said Stephen Wayne, an expert on the American presidency who is writing a book on Bidens presidency. He will not end up getting as much done as he wants to get done.

Presidents typically achieve their biggest accomplishments early in their first terms. Democrats have no room for error in the 50-50 Senate, and Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, has resisted moving forward without support from some Republicans.

A bipartisan group of senators is working on a smaller version of Biden's proposed spending on public works such as roads, bridges and broadband.

Liberals, who have been pleasantly surprised by the scope of Biden's plans, don't want to cede ground. In fact, some Senate Democrats are trying to raise the price tag.

What we are working right now is on a budget that builds on the proposals that the president has brought to us, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Thursday.

Democrats know they could lose control of the House next year unless Biden defies history. Since the 1930s, the president's party has lost House seats in every midterm election during the presidents first term with two exceptions: the 2002 midterms during President George W. Bushs second year after the 2001 terrorist attacks and the 1934 midterms during Roosevelts first term.

FDR gained seats in Congress, said his grandson, James Roosevelt Jr. People saw what he was doing to restore the health of the country, both physically and financially.

Negotiations: $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal gaining steam on Capitol Hill

Democracies vs. autocracies

Biden has repeatedly described the moment as a test of government, not just to show it can deliver for people but also that democracy works  and performs better than autocracies.

I think this generation is going to be marked by the competition between democracies and autocracies, because the world is changing so rapidly, Biden said when releasing his American Jobs Plan in April. The autocrats are betting on democracy not being able to generate the kind of unity needed to make decisions to get in that race. We can't afford to prove them right. We have to show the world  and much more importantly, we have to show ourselves  that democracy works.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Roosevelt and Soviet leader Josef Stalin met in Yalta, Crimea, on Feb. 4, 1945, at the end of World War II to chart the course of the postwar world.

Though the updated Atlantic Charter may burnish Bidens claim to Roosevelts economic legacy, a lot has changed since FDR, according to Stewart Patrick at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The two most important, relevant differences may be the diminished position of the United States and the internal political divisions that beset America today, Patrick wrote in an analysis for World Politics Review.

Trump is gone but lingering: As Biden vows, America is back, allies wonder for how long

As Biden aims to put pressure on a disruptive Russia and an economically ascendant China, Democrats have sounded the alarm about the Capitol insurrection Jan. 6, former President Donald Trumps false claims of a stolen election and laws passed in Republican-led states placing restrictions on voting rules.

When Roosevelt was elected, totalitarian states were on the rise. He faced pressure from within the United States for a benevolent autocracy to wield power sufficient to deal with the nations immense problems.

Biden's American Families Plan in charts: What's in the plan with subsidized child care and free pre-K

Joe Biden read up on FDR

That tussle was the first thing Biden mentioned when recounting in October how he was rereading "The Defining Moment," Jonathan Alters book about FDRs first 100 days.

Theres no such thing as a guaranteed democracy, Biden said in a podcast interview with author and lecturer Brene Brown. It has to be fought for every time. If you read just the first chapter, talk about how guys like Walter Lippmann were telling Roosevelt, 'We have to have a dictatorship to get it right. ... Theres nothing automatic about this.

Central to that argument is Bidens ability to get the economy back on track, not just to recover from the pandemic but to deepen federal investments in the workforce, families, infrastructure, research and development and the environment that the administration says are long overdue.

President Joe Biden arrives to speak about the economy at the Cuyahoga Community College Metropolitan Campus, Thursday, May 27, 2021, in Cleveland.

We're in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution of enormous consequence, Biden said at his first full news conference in March. Will there be a middle class? How will people adjust to these significant changes in science and technology and the environment? How will they do that? And are democracies equipped  because all the people get to speak  to compete?

Local impact: Joe Biden looks to sell child care, education plan with state-specific pitches

Biden said his long Senate career was defined more by his foreign policy expertise than work on the types of domestic spending he is championing as president.

Theyd always announce me in the past as an expert in foreign policy, he said in his Cleveland speech. Well, let me tell you something: Economic policy is harder than foreign policy. You know what the basis of foreign policy is in our stature in the world? One thing: our economic prowess.

As a sign that the nations approach  which has focused heavily on getting Americans vaccinated along with the coronavirus relief package  is working, Biden touts the fact that the U.S. economy is growing faster than any other major economy.

As big as the New Deal?

Bidens proposals arent as big a share of the economy as Roosevelts, but they're more comparable when combined with coronavirus relief passed during Trump's administration, according to one calculation. The cost of Roosevelts New Deal was roughly 40% the size of the national economy in 1929, estimated Bill Dupor, an economist and assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package combined with about $4.1 trillion in additional spending Biden initially proposed  which may get scaled back  is about 28% as large as the economy was in 2019, before the pandemic hit. But when combined with the $3.3 trillion in coronavirus relief spending that passed in the last year of the Trump administration, the total cost would be 43% as large as the 2019 economy if fully enacted.

Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers build a farm-to-market road along Knob Creek in Tennessee on March 9, 1936.

June Hopkins, the granddaughter of Roosevelts commerce secretary, sees similarities between Bidens assessment of democracy and FDRs.

The idea that democracy is at risk now is the same fear that Roosevelt had of democracy being at risk because of the Depression, she said.

Fascism was growing in Europe and in Japan. The collapse of the economy created public unrest in the USA. There were pushes from the left as well as the later rise of the America First Committee to keep the nation from entering World War II.

While dealing with those problems during the 1930s, Roosevelt kept his attention on the economy, Hopkins said.

He knew that if America would fail economically, it would also fail politically, she said.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt is presented with a cake from the chefs of the Civilian Conservation Corps in his honor during his inspection visit at their Bear Mountain camp in New York, Aug. 27, 1933. With Roosevelt are superintendent of Palisades Interstate Park, Major William Welch, center, and governor of the Farm Credit Administration, Henry Morgenthau, right.

Reversing Ronald Reagan?

The huge expansion of government under Roosevelt got another boost from the Great Society programs under President Lyndon Johnson before President Ronald Reagan declared during his 1981 inaugural address, Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.

Biden, it seems to me, is trying to put a minus sign in front of that proposition, Bill Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said in April during a discussion at the think tank about Bidens first 100 days. And everything that he does is unified by the proposition that, in the circumstances we now face, government is the solution and not a problem.

Reagans view predominated even through the administration of Democratic President Bill Clinton, in which Galston was a domestic policy adviser. Clinton declared in his 1996 State of the Union address that the era of big government is over.

'FDRs first true heir since LBJ'

President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president, faced bipartisan consensus that deficits are bad, Alter noted.

For 50 years, Dems have lacked a prez who could build on New Deal, Alter tweeted in March, calling Biden FDRs first true heir since LBJ.

Dan Pfeiffer, a former communication director for Obama, said the relative ease with which Biden passed the coronavirus relief legislation belied how difficult it will be for Biden to achieve the rest of his grand plans.

Even I  a dyed-in-the-wool pessimist  got swept up in the FDR comparisons, Pfeiffer wrote in a newsletter published on Substack. Passing a relief bill in the middle of a pandemic was always going to be exponentially easier than holding together the Democratic coalition to pass multi-trillion-dollar structural changes to the economy and electoral system.

Wayne, the presidential scholar, said fiscal conservatives' arguments against Bidens plans are potent because the nation hasnt moved that far left.

Its liberalized a little bit, said Wayne, a professor emeritus at Georgetown University. But were still closer to the age of Reagan than we are to the domestic dimension of Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.

More: Democrats say Mitch McConnell is back to all-out obstruction. He says that's 'nonsense'

Republican attacks

In May, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that for decades, the prevailing focus has been on the need to decrease and limit the size of government as a share of the economy.

This approach to U.S. fiscal policy, founded on a distrust of government motives and effectiveness, along with a resistance to higher taxes, has had profound effects on our nation and our people, she said. It is time to recommit our government to playing a more active and smarter role in the economy.

When the administration released budget projections showing that under Bidens plans, the nations debt would rise, relative to the size of the economy, to higher levels than during World War II, Republicans said it showed overreach by the administration.

The best thing you can say about this budget is that it will never happen, said Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House tax-writing committee.

Former Vice President Mike Pence charged that although Biden campaigned as a moderate, he has governed as the most liberal president since FDR.

More: President Biden's budget proposal projects debt rising past WWII levels

Trust in government remains low

A Pew Research Center poll shows public trust in government remains low. Those more likely to want the government to do more to solve problems  women, minorities and younger people  are the foundation of the Democratic base.

Under Roosevelt, that base included blue-collar workers, a bloc that has migrated to the GOP in recent years.

Biden bets that his economic programs can win back some of those voters.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt asks Congress and the nation Jan. 3, 1940, to unite for "general welfare and domestic tranquility."

The other side of the argument, and it's an ongoing argument among strategists in the Democratic Party, is that the essence of the working-class opposition to Democrats and to the Biden presidency is less about economics than it is about culture and race, Galston said.

If thats the case, then even if Biden is successful, his programs may not have the kind of political payoff that the Biden administration is hoping for, he said.

'Biden has evolved with the time'

James Roosevelt Jr. says, We believe that bold action, particularly for jobs, is exactly whats necessary.

While Republicans try to thwart Bidens plans, liberals keep the pressure on.

The descendants of the New Deal architects began their efforts during the 2020 campaign with a full-page ad in Bidens hometown paper, asking him to champion a 21st Century New Deal that will restore belief in a government that works for all Americans.

We believe that bold action, particularly for jobs, is exactly whats necessary, James Roosevelt Jr. said.

Hes pleased with what hes seen from a president who, early in his campaign, said America is not looking for a revolution.

I think Joe Biden has evolved with the time, Roosevelt said, and come to understand what is needed in 2021.

It cant just be a coincidence: Biden uses artwork to underscore his message to America

Labor shortages: Are there enough workers for the jobs that Biden's plans would create?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Joe Biden wants to go big like FDR but window may be closing
View and help identify Irwin Nash's photos

All the photos in the Irwin Nash Images of Migrant Labor Digital Collection are online. To browse the photos, visit https://content.libraries.wsu.edu/digital/collection/nash/search.

If you have information about any of the photos, ask to join the Nash Collection Facebook group by emailing Lipi Turner-Rahman at ilipi@wsu.edu or calling her office at 509-335-4849.
News

Washington, DC - The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it reached a settlement with Tecon Services Inc. (Tecon), an industrial insulation, fireproofing and painting contractor based in Texas. The settlement resolves claims that Tecon discriminated against a naturalized U.S. citizen based on her Venezuelan national origin by rejecting her U.S. passport and requiring other documents to prove her work authorization, in violation of the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

The departments investigation began after a naturalized U.S. citizen filed a discrimination complaint with the Civil Rights Division against Tecon. Based on its investigation, the department concluded that while verifying the workers legal right to work in the United States, Tecon refused to accept her U.S. passport and demanded additional and unnecessary documents, because of the workers Venezuelan national origin.

Companies cannot reject valid identity and work authorization documents because of an individuals national origin, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. This settlement makes clear that the Justice Department will vigorously enforce federal civil rights laws to protect workers from illegal discrimination.

The INA prohibits employers from rejecting documents that reasonably appear genuine or requesting more or different documents than necessary to prove work authorization, based on workers citizenship, immigration status, or national origin.

Under the terms of the settlement, Tecon will pay a $1,542 civil penalty to the United States and $4,263.75 back pay and interest to the affected worker. Tecon will also revise its policies and procedures, ensure that relevant employees participate in training on anti-discrimination requirements under the INA, and be subject to departmental monitoring over the term of the agreement.

The Civil Rights Divisions Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the INAs anti-discrimination provision. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
News

Washington, DC - The Justice Department announced Thursday a settlement agreement with the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education to resolve the departments investigation into the Rowan-Salisbury School Systems (District) programs for its English learner students. The departments investigation found system-wide failures to provide these students with the instruction and support they need to learn English and fully participate in school. The department conducted its investigation under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.

Students and parents who are not fluent in English have a right to access all of their schools education programs and activities  and access starts with meaningful communication and appropriate instruction by school districts, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department recognizes that todays English learner students are tomorrows bilingual graduates. These students will bring essential and diverse language skills into our workforce and communities. We are encouraged that the Rowan-Salisbury School System has committed to the goals of equity and fairness at the heart of this agreement and we will continue to fight to ensure that all students enjoy access to educational opportunity regardless of background.

Under the settlement agreement, the District will increase language instruction for all English learner students, including those with disabilities, so they can become fluent in English. The District will also train its teachers and administrators on how to support English learner students in academic subjects such as math, science and social studies. The District will continue to improve its translation and interpretation services for Limited English Proficient parents so all parents can fully participate in their childrens education. The Justice Department will monitor the districts implementation of the settlement agreement over the course of the next three full school years.
News

Portland, Oregon - A Colorado man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal hate crime for stabbing a Black man from Ontario, Oregon while the man was sitting in a fast-food restaurant.

Nolan Levi Strauss, 27, pleaded guilty to a hate crime involving an attempt to kill.

According to court documents, on the morning of Dec. 21, 2019, a man walked into an Arbys restaurant and adjoining Pilot Travel Center in Ontario where he planned to provide documentation for a pending job application. The man sat in a booth by himself, waiting to meet with the restaurant manager, when Strauss entered the building and approached the man from behind.

Suddenly, unprovoked and without warning, Strauss stabbed the man twice in the neck. The man tried to grab Strausss hands and take the knife, and, in the process, managed to prevent Strauss from stabbing him again. A maintenance worker approached Strauss and directed him to drop the knife several times. Finally, the stabbing victim broke free from Strausss grip and ran to the other side of the restaurant before collapsing on the floor. Meanwhile, the maintenance worker used a belt to secure Strausss hands behind his back and waited for police to arrive.

While they waited, the worker asked Strauss why he stabbed the man. Strauss replied, Because he was Black, and I dont like Black people. Strauss was arrested at the scene. He later admitted he was trying to kill the man because was he was Black.

As a result of Strausss attack, the stabbing victim suffered two lacerations to his neck. He was evaluated in Ontario and subsequently life-flighted to a hospital in Boise, Idaho for emergency surgery.

The defendant is being held accountable for his vicious, racially-motivated attack on a Black man who was targeted because of the color of his skin, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. Racially motivated acts of violence must not be tolerated in our country today. The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that individuals who commit bias motivated crimes are brought to justice for their actions.

This crime serves as a horrifying reminder that racism and bigotry still exist and threaten the safety of communities of color, said Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug for the District of Oregon. Hate crimes not only hurt victims, but spread fear across entire communities. This conviction should send a strong message that federal law enforcement will not tolerate hate-motivated acts of violence and will move swiftly to hold those responsible accountable.

Everyone deserves to go to work without fearing they will be a victim of violence because of how they look or how they live. Racist attacks like this onepowered by hate and grounded in ignorancestrike at the heart of our community, said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. We should all draw strength from our diversity and work together to protect our neighbors.

On Sept. 17, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a single-count indictment charging Strauss with a hate crime involving an attempt to kill.

Strauss faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. He will be sentenced on Sept. 9 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Ontario Police Department, Oregon State Police, and the Malheur County District Attorneys Office. It is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron A. Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division.
Yuma Library

Yuma, Arizona -

Join Justin Case of America Newscape as he presents Yuma County Library Happenings with Book Wrangler Sarah Wisdom June 16st, 2021.

Ask a Scientist As part of the Tails & Tales summer reading program, we will have the opportunity to interview Dr. Emily Durkin, a scientist who specializes in parasites and arthropods! If you have a question about bugs or parasites, or if you've ever wondered what it's like to be a scientist, send your question to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by June 30th. The full interview with Dr. Durkin will be posted on the Library's Facebook page in July.

For more information, call (928) 373-6468.

Citizen Science Kits Want to participate in scientific research in your community? Check out a Citizen Science Kit at the Heritage and Main Libraries! These kits include activities for three skill levels (easy, medium, and advanced) for ages 8 to 13. This project was supported with funds granted by the AZ State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the AZ Secretary of State, under the Library Services and Technology Act, which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Main Library Kits - Measuring Air Pollution, Exploring BioDiversity, Zombee Hunting, and Observing Pollinators Heritage Library Kit - Measuring Light Pollution

For more information, call (928) 373-6468.

Summer Reading The Yuma County Library District invites readers to explore the animal kingdom during the 2021 Virtual Summer Reading Program, Tails & Tales! Visit yumareads.azsummerreading.org/ or download the free READsquared app from Google Play or the App Store to your mobile device to get started. READsquared is an online platform and app that tracks your progress toward your reading goals. Earn badges and stickers, play games, complete missions, and more! In collaboration with the Humane Society of Yuma, pet-themed programs will be posted on YCLDs Facebook page throughout the summer. And, YCLD is hosting a donation drive to benefit the Humane Society of Yuma! Items may be dropped off at any library or at Yuma County Human Resources, 198 S Main St. Yuma, AZ 85364.

For more information, visit https://yumalibrary.org/2021-summer-reading-program/ or call (928) 373-6468.

For more information https://www.yumalibrary.org
Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 106F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 86F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 107F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
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New Delhi: With the COVID-19 situation easing across various states, leading automobile companies in the country have initiated steps to ramp up production to "normal levels" to meet pent-up demand, clear backlog and reduce waiting periods on their products.

Auto firms, which were forced to down shutters temporarily due to lockdowns and curfews, expect business activity to pick up going ahead with the opening of dealerships across states.

"With the easing of the lockdown in various states, production is gradually ramping up and likely to stabilise to normal levels by the end of the month," Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle Business Unit President Shailesh Chandra told PTI.

He noted that production at the company's passenger vehicle plants operated at about 50 per cent capacity during the lockdown period in April and May, constrained by pandemic restrictions and compliance to safety protocols as also shortfall in supplies from vendor partners located in auto clusters across various states.

The country's largest automobile company, however, added that the challenges pertaining to global semiconductor shortages continue to hamper the production ramp-up.

"We foresee the semiconductor issue continuing to adversely impact our production in the next quarter also," Chandra noted.

Mahindra and Mahindra CEO (Automotive Division) Veejay Nakra said the automaker is carefully reviewing the demand and supply situation and re-calibrating its operations accordingly while protecting the interest of its customers, dealers and suppliers.

"The endeavour is to ensure optimal level of inventory at plants and dealerships in order to be prepared for a rebound in demand once the situation returns to normalcy," he added.

A spokesperson of the country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India noted that operations at its plants have resumed with due caution and revised safety protocols in place.

"We are ramping up production cautiously. Meanwhile, we continue to vaccinate all employees and families on priority. Over 36,000 employees have already received the first shot," the auto major stated.

As per SIAM data, overall vehicle production in May declined by 57 per cent to 8,06,755 units as compared with 18,75,698 units in April this year.

Similarly, passenger vehicle production witnessed a drop of 58 per cent to 1,28,225 units from 3,05,952 units in April.

Honda Cars India Senior Vice President and Director (Sales and Marketing) Rajesh Goel said that with relaxations regarding opening of dealerships in place across states, the company expects improvement in business activity going forward.

"So far, dealers contributing to 42 per cent of our sales have opened and accordingly we are operating at less than 50 per cent of the daily production output that we had before the second wave hit the country. This is planned to gradually ramp up from next month," he added.

Similarly, Kia India Executive Director and Chief Sales & Business Strategy Officer Tae-Jin Park said that the automaker is preparing to ramp up its production in order to cater to the existing and future demands and is planning to start the third shift at its Anantapur facility very soon.

He added that the company is optimistic about a faster market recovery with the ongoing vaccination drive.

"We have received consistent demand for all our products even during the most challenging economic and industry conditions and we expect the demand to further increase as markets begin to open up in phases," Park said.

Similarly, Hyundai Motor India Director (Sales and Marketing) Tarun Garg said that the company has already initiated two shifts at its Chennai plant and the third shift would commence from Jun 21.

Luxury carmaker Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said the company is ramping up its production at the Aurangabad plant for models that are currently produced there ? the Audi A4 and the Audi A6.

"In parallel, we are also preparing for upcoming products that will be produced in India in the near future," he noted.

Like carmakers, two-wheeler makers also remained cautiously optimistic about the business scenario going ahead and are taking steps to boost their capacities.

"With progressive unlocking across different states, all our plants have resumed production with a single shift only. We are closely monitoring the evolving market dynamics while maintaining our cautious optimism. With many regions opening up and markets resuming business operations, we are hopeful that further relaxations in economic activity will follow in the coming times," HMSI Director (Sales and Marketing) Yadvinder Singh Guleria noted.

Moving ahead, the company shall evaluate its production plan and gradually ramp up operations with two shifts based on visible gain in sales momentum, he added.

Similarly, mid-size bike maker Royal Enfield noted that with the situation stabilising and easing of lockdowns, it resumed production activity on May 31.

"We are gradually ramping up production across our manufacturing facilities while supply chain disruptions are coming around, to meet the outstanding order book and current demand generation," it said.

Consumer demand continues to be robust and the company has strong order books across its portfolio of motorcycles, it added.

"The success of the Meteor and the recently launched Himalayan continues to fuel demand across urban and rural markets," Royal Enfield, which is part of Eicher Motors, stated.
New Delhi: Ahead of the scheduled 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he will be visiting Punjab on Monday.

AAP National Convenor & Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal to visit Punjab tomorrow. Punjab wants Change!, the AAP tweeted.

"Punjab wants change. The only hope is the Aam Aadmi Party. See you tomorrow at Amritsar," Kejriwal said in another tweet.

Arvind Kejriwal had earlier visited Punjab in March 2021, when the farmers agitation against the Centres three new farm laws was at its peak.

He had accused the Congress-led government in Punjab of not fulfilling any of the poll promises it had made before the 2017 elections.

Kejriwals visit on Monday comes as his party suffered a massive setback after Punjab Ekta Party, led by former AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, decided to join hands with the Congress on June 17.

Khaira had been a member of the Congress and switched to the AAP in 2015.

In the last assembly elections in 2017, the AAP was a first timer in Punjab but it still managed to win 20 seats out of the total 117. while, Congress managed to get 77 seats and formed the government in Punjab. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win only 18 seats.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: Discussing the dismal performance of Congress in the West Bengal Assembly polls, state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) polarisation politics damaged the Congress but propelled Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to power.

Further, the state Congress chief added that the political scenario was not in favour of the grand old party and claimed that West Bengals minority population chose Banerjees Trinamool Congress to eliminate communal forces.

"The political scenario was not in our favour during the West Bengal assembly elections. The BJP had put all their forces to fight Mamata but they failed. BJP`s polarization politics caused us massive damage but benefited Mamata Banerjee. The minority population felt that if there is anyone that can eliminate communal forces like the BJP, it is the TMC and Mamata," he told ANI.

On Saturday, Chowdhury held a meeting with all district presidents to discuss the Assembly election results in Kolkata. He said they deliberated on the direction of the Congress in Bengal and the course of action for the coming elections.

In the recently- concluded state elections, held in eight phases, the TMC emerged victorious with 213 of the total 294 seats, with the BJP following with 77 seats. The Samyukt Morcha, comprising the Congress, the Left and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) grabbed only one seat, belonging to the ISF.

(With agency input)

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Korba: An unusual incident of the cow dung theft from a village in Chhattisgarh's Korba district has come to light, police said on Sunday.

An officer said 800 kg of cow dung worth Rs 1,600 was stolen from Dhurena village under Dipka police station limits on the intervening night of June 8 and June 9.

"A formal complaint was lodged on June 15 by Kamhan Singh Kanwar, the head of village gauthan samiti," Dipka SHO Harish Tandekar told reporters.

The state government has been procuring cow dung at Rs 2 per kg under its ambitious 'Godhan Nyay Yojna' scheme for the production of vermicompost at gauthans- the dedicated area in villages where cattle are housed in the day time.

A case was registered against unidentified persons for theft and further investigation is underway, the SHO added.

Two Naxals were killed in separate encounters in the forests of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Saturday, a police official said.

The gunfights took place under Orchha police station limits, located 300 kilometres away from Raipur, at around 8am and in the afternoon when a District Reserve Guard (DRG) team was out on an operation.

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Chandigarh: Haryana government has extended the COVID-19 lockdown till June 28 with some relaxations as there is a consistent decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state.

Haryana on Saturday reported 170 fresh COVID-19 cases and 33 deaths, taking the infection tally to 7,67,217 and the death toll to

9,216.

Haryana government extends COVID guidelines for another week till June 28; modifies guidelines pic.twitter.com/PqV1EPWlW1  ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2021

According to the health department's daily bulletin, the latest deaths include five from Panipat, four each from Hisar and Sirsa districts, among other places.

Meanwhile, Jind reported 29 new cases, while 18 cases were from Palwal. The total active cases in the state stand at 2,677. The total recoveries so far have reached 7,55,324. The state's recovery rate is 98.45 per cent.

The cumulative positivity rate is 7.91 per cent, the bulletin said.

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New Delhi: Senior AAP leader Atishi on Saturday (June 19) said that two days of Covaxin and 14 days of Covishield is available for the youth in Delhi.

Further, she appealed to youths to book slots through the CoWin app and get themselves vaccinated.

Atishi informed that Delhi received 1.67 lakh doses of Covishield for the 18-44 age group on Friday, and now the national capital has 2.95 lakh vaccines available for the youth. There are 8.46 lakh vaccine doses available for above 45 years age category, we have 6 days Covaxin and 58 days Covishield stock available for this age group, she added.

AAP MLA stated, On June 18, 77,345 doses were administered in Delhi out of which 62,230 were first doses while 15,115 were second doses. This brings the tally of total doses administered in Delhi to 64, 26,302.

It has been observed that whenever Delhi has enough vaccine supply for the 18-44 age group the vaccination process speeds up, and when the vaccine stocks start diminishing the speed of the vaccination process also slows down rapidly, she added.

Further Atishi said, Delhi received one installment of 1,67,320 Covishield doses yesterday for the 18-44 age group. So now Delhi has 2,95,000 vaccine doses available for the 18-44 age group, out of which, there is 37,000 Covaxin doses which will last for 2 days and, 2,58,000 Covishield doses that will last for 14 days. For the 45+ age group Delhi has a total of 8, 46,000 vaccine doses available out of which; there are 80,000 Covaxin doses for 6 days and 7, 66,000 Covishield doses for 58 days.

Asking people to get the COVID-19 jab, Atishi said, The youth of Delhi must come forward and book their vaccination slots through the CoWin application. While they are stepping out to get their vaccine jab they should also take along any family member who is of age 45 and above and hasnt been vaccinated till now for their vaccination as well.

For now the most important step to save Delhi from the next possible Covid-19 wave is vaccination. Currently, Delhi has the vaccine stock available and therefore everybody must step forward and get themselves vaccinated at the earliest possibility. she stated.

Live TV
New Delhi: India will begin its free COVID-19 vaccination drive on Monday (June 21) for everyone above the age of 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an announcement that the central government will provide free vaccine jabs to states for inoculation of all adults and had also asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly towards the next month.

Here are some important facts about the COVID-19 vaccination drive:

All citizens above the age of 18 can get free vaccination at government facilities from June 21. Several states had already declared free vaccines for all.

States can make use the facilities of Common Service Centres and Call Centres to help citizens book slots for vaccination.

The Centre will buy 75 per cent of the total vaccine production from vaccine manufacturers and give it free to the state governments.

The central government also bears the responsibility of 25 per cent of the work related to vaccination with the states, an arrangement which was implemented in the weeks following the announcement.

The Centre has also taken additional measures to make the private sector a part of this drive by keeping 25 per cent of vaccines for private hospitals to procure. But they will not be above to overcharge as the price has been capped.

Though prior registration is not required, all vaccinations done by both public and private centres will be documented on the Co-Win portal.

Beneficiaries must ensure that they are registered on-site before getting inoculated.

If you are going to get vaccinated at a government hospital:

Vaccination will be free.

Prior registration on Co-Win is not mandatory, as the government allows on-spot registration starting from tomorrow.

If you are going to a private hospital:

Prior registration on Co-Win is not needed, on-site registration can be done as well.

Do not pay more than 1,410 for Covaxin, 790 for Covishield and 1,145 for Sputnik V, as the Centre has capped the maximum price of these vaccines at private hospitals.

How to verify a vaccination certificate:

As several cases of vaccine scams are being reported, it is important to check the authenticity of the vaccine certificate after getting inoculated. This is how you can verify the certificate:

Step 1: Go to verify.cowin.gov.in which has an option for Scan QR code.

Step 2: Click on the button that pops up.

Step 3: A notification will prompt you to activate your devices camera.

Step 4: Point the camera to the QR code on the certificate issued and scan

Step 5: After verification, it will show the name, age, gender, certificate ID, date of issuance, the name of the vaccination facility etc.

Step 6: If the certificate is not genuine, a 'certificate invalid' message will be displayed.

(With inputs from news agencies)

Live TV
New Delhi: The crime branch of the Delhi Police arrested a gang selling fake and expired black fungus medication.

The crime branch team has arrested 10 persons including two doctors. The gang had sold about 400 fake injections to patients.

3500 Injections of black fungus and remdesivir medication have been recovered from all the arrested accused.

The accused used to sell an injection of black fungus for Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 to patients suffering from black fungus and the needy.

Among the arrested accused Dr. Altamas and Dr. Amir are the ones who used to make fake injections.

Most of the injections were from liposomal amphotericin B, a drug used to treat black fungus disease, while some of the injections were of remdesivir, some of which had expired, while the rest were made from common fungus drugs.

According to police, on June 17, a complaint was received from the Drug Control Department of the Delhi government that fake injections were being received, after which 10 people of the gang were nabbed from different places.

Delivery boy Wasim Khan was caught from Jamia Nagar and then Shoaib Khan, owner of Khidmat Medicos, and his salesman Mohammad Faisal Yasin and Afzal were caught.

Mayank Taluja who had come to collect the injection money was also caught.

Shoaib Khan said he used to bring the injection from Medies Healthcare owner Shivam Bhatia in Saket, who was also arrested.

Shivam said he brings the incident from a man named Aftab and he was nabbed from Nizamuddin while his elder brother Altamas Hussain was nabbed from Deoria.

This was followed by the arrest of Medicare Healthcare owner Dr Aamir and director Faizan.

Faizan had done B.Tech, Dr. Altamash did MBBS from King George Medical College, Lucknow and then did his Diploma in Neurology from AIIMS.

According to police, they have registered 5 cases against them and will now investigate how dangerous these injections were.

The fake injections were being made using expired medication.

Dr. Altamas has already been arrested in the black marketing of remdesivir Injection in Ghaziabad in April this year.

The doctor's house had put up a complete setup to run the black fungus injection black marketing business.

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New Delhi: After Madhya Pradesh recorded the first case of Green fungus infection, Punjab became the second state to report a similar case of the infection in a COVID-19 recovered patient.

"The patient is around 60-years in age and has suffered from the COVID-19 infection. He is under observation. There was another case before, but it was unconfirmed," Dr Paramvir Singh of District Epidemiologist at Civil Hospital told ANI.

According to Singh, this is the first confirmed case of green fungus or aspergillosis in Punjab.

"The person diagnosed with green fungus has the same symptoms as the Black fungus. We do not need to panic but we should take precautions," he said.

Earlier on June 14, a 34-year-old patient was detected with a green fungus infection. He was airlifted from a private hospital in Indore to Mumbai`s Hinduja hospital for further treatment.

Ahead of this, several cases of black, yellow and white fungus have been reported from all across the country.

There was a surge in reports of black fungus cases after the second wave of COVID-19 swept killing several hundreds in its wake.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: India has slammed the UN Special rapporteurs who have criticized the new IT rules announced in February. In a strongly worded rebuttal, the Indian mission in Geneva highlighted that "India's democratic credentials are well recognized" and "right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution".

In the letter, the mission pointed out that the Indian Ministry of Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting had in fact took consultations in 2018 to prepare for draft rules. Also Read: Automakers initiate production ramp-up with easing of COVID restrictions in states

Along with the diplomatic note from the mission, a brief note on the new IT rules on how they are "designed to empower ordinary users of social media" and "victims of abuse at social media platforms shall have a forum for redressal of their grievances."

On 11the June, special rapporteurs on right to freedom of opinion, peaceful assembly, and privacy--Irene Khan, Clement Voule, and Joseph Cannataci in a letter said that the rules "do not conform with international human rights norms".

The letter pointed that "India as global leader in technology innovation" can develop "legislation that can place it at the forefront of efforts to protect digital rights" United Nations special rapporteurs are individuals for specific issues or countries who usually advise or report on a specific issue. The French word literally means someone who reports to a body.

In the letter by the Indian mission, salient features of the new IT rules were also highlighted. These included, Grievance Redressal Mechanism, Ensuring Online Safety and Dignity of Users, especially for women users, Removal of Unlawful Information

The new IT rules came into effect a few weeks ago but some social media platforms like Twitter haven't complied with them. Other social media platforms like WhatsApp had gone to the high court on the issue of traceability of messages as envisaged under the new IT rules. Traceability means finding the first message and who created it, something WhatsApp says violated its privacy policy. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: DA hike to come into effect from July 1, check how much raise you will get
Kolkata: National Investigation Agency has arrested an absconding Fake Indian Currency Note Racketeer in the Chikkodi FICN case.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested wanted accused Sariful Islam @ Sarifulla @ Sharifuddin s/o Abu Balkar Siddik r/o Babupura, Baishnabnagar, District Malda, West Bengal in RC- 12/2018/NIA/ DLI.

The case was initially registered as FIR No. 104/2018 dated 12.03.2018 at PS Chikkodi, District Belagavi Karnataka relating to the arrest of two FICN racketeers and seizure of FICN of the face value of Rs 82,000/-. NIA had re-registered the case as RC- 12/2018/NIA/DLI dated 14.04.2018 and taken over the investigation. Special NIA court, Bangalore had earlier convicted five accused persons in the case for their role in procurement and circulation of FICN and sentenced them to imprisonment for six years.

The investigation has revealed that arrested accused Sariful Islam @ Sarifulla used to procure FICN from absconding accused Saddam Sekh and Hakim Sekh who are residents of Bangladesh for further circulation in Karnataka along with his co-accused persons. A reward of Rs 50,000/- was declared by NIA for information leading to the arrest of Sariful Islam @ Sarifulla.

The arrested accused is being produced before the Spl Sessions Court Malda.

Further investigation in the case to apprehend absconding Bangladeshi accused persons continues.

Live TV
New Delhi: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti informed that the party will hold a meeting on Sunday (June 20) to discuss the invitation of the Centre to all regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for talks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting on June 24 with the political leaders of the Union Territory. Invitations for the meeting were sent out on Saturday to 14 political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including four former chief ministers-- Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti., PTI reported.

"There is no agenda for the meeting but I was conveyed that the meeting is being called to review the general situation and how to take the political process forward. There is no clear-cut agenda," Mufti told the news agency.

The high-profile meeting will be the first such dialogue since the Centre announced the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and its bifurcation into union territories in August 2019. The meeting is likely to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders.

After the invites were sent, the National Conference, PDP and the Congress said they will take a call on attending the meeting with the PM in Delhi only after deliberations within their respective parties.

Leaders of eight political parties including the National Conference (NC), PDP, BJP, Congress, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, CPI(M), People's Conference, and the Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party-- were invited by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla for participation in the meeting to be held at the prime minister's residence at 3 PM on Thursday.

The BJP and the Altaf Bukhari-led Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party have confirmed their participation in the meeting.

As per the news agency, Centre is eager to conduct assembly elections in the union territory as early as possible, likely to be held either in December or March next year after the Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai completes its task of redrawing constituencies in the next few months, an official said.

J&K has been under the rule of the Centre since November 2018.

Meanwhile, senior PDP leader Sartaj Madni was released after six months of detention, hours after Mufti received Centres invite. As per an official, Madni, who was under preventive detention at MLA hostel in Srinagar, was released on Saturday afternoon.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a meeting with BJP president J P Nadda and several Union ministers, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, at his official residence here, sources said.

Earlier this month, he held about five meetings with union ministers in groups, apparently to take stock of the work done by them so far.

Both cabinet- and minister of state-rank ministers were present in these meetings, sources said. All the meetings lasted for nearly five hours and BJP president J P Nadda was present in most of them.

Besides Shah and Singh, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Narendra Singh Tomar were among those who attended Sunday's meeting, the sources said.

Other than BJP chief Nadda, the party's general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh was also present at the meet, they said, adding this meeting was in line with the earlier meetings between Union ministers and the prime minister.

Political observers feel this could be an exercise before an expected cabinet expansion and reshuffle. Several ministers in the Modi government have been holding charge of multiple ministries.

The BJP is carrying out similar review exercise in various states and has been holding meetings with the chief ministers and leaders of states ruled by it.
Sidhi: A petrol tanker overturned after driver lost control of the vehicle near National Highway 39 at main road of village Amdad under Rampur Naikin police station of Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh.

The accident resulted in the tanker overturning near the side of the road and a caused a tear on the pump leading to fuel spreading all around.

As soon as the nearby villagers rushed to the spot to loot petrol in whatever containers they could manage to grab like bucket, polythene packets etc.

Surprisingly, the police who had reached the spot, made no efforts to stop the leakage of petrol and watched as mute spectators when people were robbing the fuel.

It is reported that petrol was leaking from one hole which could have been plugged but no such efforts made by anyone. Contrarily, people looted petrol, while some people and the police watched the whole incident.

The villagers managed to loot all of the petrol from the tanker.

Live TV
New Delhi: The lockdown will be lifted in Telangana from Sunday (June 20), after the state government announced to remove all restrictions in view of the declining COVID-19 cases.

The decision was taken by the state cabinet in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday.

As per the official release, the decision was taken after examining reports submitted by medical and health department officials that COVID-19 cases have come down in the state and the virus is now under control.

The Hyderabad Metro Rail will also resume services from Monday. It will operate from 7 am to 9 pm from June 21, ANI reported.

The Hyderabad Metro Rail will now operate from 7 am (first train) to 9 pm (last train from respective stations), reaching all terminating stations around 10 pm, with COVID-19 Safety protocol in place," the Hyderabad Metro Rail said in a statement. It also asked passengers to strictly follow COVID-19 protocols including wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

In view of the lifting of lockdown from all districts in Telangana, the KCR government also paved the way for reopening of schools. All categories of educational institutions will open from July 1 with students allowed to attend classes physically.

On the day the government decided to lift the lockdown from all districts, Telangana logged 1,362 new coronavirus cases, pushing the tally to 6,12,196. While the toll mounted to 3,556 with 10 more fatalities, the active count stood at 18,568, as per the official bulletin.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has relaxed the night curfew by two hours from Monday (June 21). From tomorrow onwards, the night curfew hours will be from 9 pm to 7 am. Earlier, the night curfew was imposed from 7 pm to 7 am.

The new guidelines also include allowing restaurants, eateries and malls to open at 50 per cent capacity from Monday.

Saturday and Sunday will be weekly holidays, the order issued by Chief Secretary R K Tiwari read.

From June 21, during weddings and other functions, a maximum of 50 people will be able to attend at both open and closed venues. A cap of 50 has been put on people in a religious place at a time.

As per the new SOPs, the opening of markets outside the containment zones will be allowed. Full attendance permitted in government offices, and malls will reopen.

The UP government had announced these relaxations on June 15, however, they will come into effect from Monday. The decision was taken during a COVID-19 review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. As per the official statement, the CM directed officials to make all necessary arrangements to prevent a possible third wave of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (June 19) logged 51 new COVID-19 fatalities, pushing the death toll to 22,132. The caseload reached 17,04,139 after 294 more people tested positive for the infection.

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New Delhi: Uttarakhand government on Sunday (June 20) announced that restrictions will stay in place till June 29.

In a statement to the press, state minister Subodh Uniyal said that a decision has been taken to impose a COVID curfew from June 22 to June 29 with certain relaxations in the state.

He also mentioned that the state will implement some relaxations in the restrictions during this month.

Here are some of the new guidelines that will be implemented:

People from Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi are allowed to visit Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri-Yamunotri respectively from July 1.

From July 11, people across the state can visit Char Dham. Negative COVID report is mandatory to visit.

Hotels and restaurants will be allowed to operate in-dine services, with 50 per cent of their seating capacity between 6 am and 10 pm.

Bars will also be allowed to operate with 50% capacity.

On Saturday, the state recorded 220 new COVID infection cases and 9 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers in Uttarakhand crossed the danger mark on Saturday following three days of incessant rains especially in the hills prompting authorities to sound an alert and evacuate villages along their banks.

The Ganga exceeded the danger level in both Haridwar and Rishikesh while Bhagirathi crossed the danger mark at Devprayag in Tehri district.

The Ganga in Haridwar was flowing at 294.1 metres, 0.10 metres above its danger mark, according to the data on the Central Water Commission's (CWC) website.

(With inputs from news agencies)

Live TV
New Delhi: Days after cancelling class 10th and class 12th board exams, West Bengal has now released the result date. As per the updates on Saturday (June 19, 2021), the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) will declare the results of the class 10th (Madhyamik) examination by July 20, while the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) will release the results of class 12th (Uchha Madhyamik) in the last week of July.

Earlier on June 18, the two boards had released the evaluation criteria for the results of Class 10 and 12 exams.

For class 10, the criteria will be on a 50:50 basis with equal emphasis given on class nine annual exam mark and internal formative assessment for every subject in class 10.

On the other hand, for class 12, the evaluation will be on a 40:60 ratio (2019 Madhyamik results with four highest-scoring paper marks and class 11 annual exams marks). For science/arts stream students, the marks in practical/projects in class 12 will be added to the assessment.

This is to be noted that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had cancelled class 10 and Class 12 board exams on June 7 due to the COVID-19 situation.

Over 12 lakh and 8.5 lakh students were slated to appear for the Madhyamik and Uchcha Madhyamik examinations respectively this year.

(With inputs from agencies)



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New Delhi: Amid the speculations of a possible third wave, which many experts believe will hit India soon and might affect children the most, NITI Aayog (health) member Dr. VK Paul on Friday (June 18, 2021) cleared some doubts concerning parents, children and teachers.

Speaking to reporters, Dr. Paul said that, A lot of things need to be considered while deciding on the reopening schools. This is a question that keeps coming up.

India has been witnessing a drop in new COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks. This decline in daily COVID-19 cases started after the country hit a global record high with over 4 lakh cases in a day.

The educational institutions in the country have been closed for more than a year now and as many states have begun their unlock process, and with the vaccination drive going on in full swing, every individual wonder if the schools in the country are going to be reopened soon.

Dr. VK Paul said that the government will consider reopening schools only when the majority of teachers and staff are vaccinated.

The time should come soon. But we must also consider how schools were reopened in foreign countries and they had to close after the outbreak. We do not want to put our students and teachers in such a situation, Dr. Paul said.

The NITI Aayog member explained that reopening schools before the pandemic settles or till sufficient people are vaccinated against the viral infection.

we should also remember that in many countries schools reopened, then outbreaks were reported and they had to shut them down again. We dont want to put our children and teachers in that situation unless we have more confidence that the pandemic wont harm us. Discussion on reopening of schools remains a part of the larger discourse but information that seroprevalence remains equal among children will be useful data, he said.

Earlier, AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria had stated that the third wave is 'inevitable' and it could hit the country in the next six to eight weeks, adding that it depends on how people go ahead in terms of COVID-appropriate behaviour and prevent crowds.

Meanwhile, India on Sunday (June 20, 2021) recorded 58,419 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the active caseload in the country has now dropped to 7,29,243. The national weekly positivity rate now stands at 3.43%, while the daily positivity rate has come down to 3.22%.

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New Delhi: Bollywood actress Minissha Lamba recently opened up on a shocking event in her life when she was wrongly accused of stealing by her landlady in a radio interview.

She told radio host Siddharth Kannan that when she first arrived in Mumbai, she was living in a cheap PG. However, things went south when the landlady of the PG accused Minissha of stealing money from her cubboard.

The actress said, "When I came (to Mumbai), I couldn't afford anything. I was staying in a PG, at a rent of 5,000 per month. At that time, the PG lady accused me of stealing. 'You have stolen money from my cupboard,' she claimed. I said, 'I haven't stolen money' so I vacated the PG in two days because it was a question about izzat (honour). I didn't have money, I couldn't afford anything so I rented a flat for 7,000 per month which was like a big room. The whole flat was like a big room. It was so small, so small. But I couldn't afford anything more."

The actress left the PG as she couldn't bear to live in that type of an environment anymore.

"At that time, it was about ego and pride, you know they'd accused me of stealing, I wasn't going stay in this house anymore and I left. Of course, the lady found the money in the cupboard after some time," Minissha added.

Later, the actress revealed, the owner apologised to her.

Earlier, the actress had opened about her divorce with Ryan Tham last year.

Minissha Lamba married Ryan Tham on July 6, 2015. He is a restaurateur and owner of Juhu nightclub 'Trilogy'. Ryan is actress Pooja Bedi's cousin. The couple had announced the finalisation of their divorce proceedings in August last year.
New Delhi: 52 lakh central government employees, central government servants (CGS), and more than 65 lakh pensioners are all set to start receiving Dearness Allowance (DA) benefits approved under the 7th Pay Commission from July 1, 2021.

The Central government has recently confirmed in the parliament about the rollout of stalled dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) from next month. However, many employees are still confused about how much salary they will get from next month onwards according to their 7th pay commission matrix.

Currently, dearness allowance is paid at 17% of the basic pay. The DA will be increased by 11% to 28% after it will be reinstated from July 2021 onwards.

The 11% hike comes after adding three pending DA hikes, including a 3 per cent jump in DA from January to June 2020, a 4 per cent rise from July to December 2020, and a 4 per cent increase from January to June 2021. Also Read: Delhi unlock: Curbs eased further, bars and public parks to re-open

How to calculate salary after DA hike?

In the 7th Pay Commission, the salary of a central government employee consists of three components: basic salary, allowances and deductibles. The minimum basic salary of central government employees according to the pay matrix is Rs 18,000.

On the existing pay matrix, Rs 2,700 per month will be directly added to the basic salary of the central government employees. With the hike, employees total dearness allowance will increase by Rs 32,400 on annual basis.

Will central government employees get DA arrears?

The employees of the Central government are requesting the Centre to pay DA arrears. However, the government has already made it crisp and clear that no arrears will be paid for DA hike that would have been come into effect a lot earlier has there been no pandemic. Also Read: India can't comprise with its digital sovereignty under leadership of PM Narendra Modi: RS Prasad
New Delhi: Aadhaar card has become a really crucial document in India for availing several benefits offered by the Indian government under different schemes. However, for availing many benefits, your address on the Aadhaar card needs to be updated.

If you relocated and want to update your address on your Aadhaar card then we have good news. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) recently allowed users to update their address online on the official portal. Also Read: India slams UN Rapporteurs criticism of new IT rules, says our democratic credentials are well recognised

In a tweet, UIDAI had said that the Aadhaar Card address can be updated online through Aadhaar Self Service Update Portal at sup.uidai.gov.in/ssup/. All you need to do is upload the required documents on the online portal to update your Aadhaar Card address. Also Read: Happy Fathers Day 2021: Google Doodle pops up to celebrate Fathers Day

Heres how to change your Aadhaar card address online:

1. You need to log in to the official portal which is ssup.uidai.gov.in/ssup/.

2. Select the Proceed to Update Aadhaar' button.

3. Login using your 12-digit Aadhaar card and Verify your details with a security code or captcha code.

4. You will then have to click the 'Send OTP' button. The OTP will arrive on the Aadhaar-registered mobile number.

5. Log in to the portal by entering the OTP.

6. Select the Edit Address option.

7. Enter details of your new address.

8. After entering the details, you need to upload the address proof which has the new address.

9. Click the Submit button, and your Aadhaar card address will be updated in no time.

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Washington: US Space agency NASA continues to work on the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope, which halted probably due to a degrading memory module.

Hubble, which has been watching the universe over the past 30 years, faced trouble with its payload computer on June 13. An attempt to restart the computer failed on June 14, NASA was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

"NASA continues to work on resolving an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. The operations team will be running tests and collecting more information on the system to further isolate the problem. The science instruments will remain in a safe mode state until the issue is resolved. The telescope itself and science instruments remain in good health," the space agency said in a statement.

The agency`s initial findings pointed to a degrading computer memory module as the source of the computer halt.

When the operations team attempted to switch to a back-up memory module, however, the command to initiate the backup module failed to complete.

Another attempt was conducted on both modules to obtain more diagnostic information while again trying to bring those memory modules online. However, those attempts were not successful, NASA said.

The payload computer is a NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 (NSSC-1) system built in the 1980s that is located on the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit.

The computer`s purpose is to control and coordinate the science instruments and monitor them for health and safety purposes.

It is fully redundant in that a second computer, along with its associated hardware, exists on orbit that can be switched over to in the event of a problem.

A Both computers can access and use any of four independent memory modules, which each contain 64K of Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) memory.

The payload computer uses only one memory module operationally at a time, with the other three serving as backups.

The purpose of the payload computer is to control and coordinate the science instruments onboard the spacecraft.

After the halt occurred on Sunday, the main computer stopped receiving a "keep-alive" signal, which is a standard handshake between the payload and main spacecraft computers to indicate all is well.

The main computer then automatically placed all science instruments in a safe mode configuration.

Control center personnel at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland restarted the payload computer on Monday, June 14, but it soon experienced the same problem, the space agency said.

(With inputs from news agencies)

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Facebook has decided to update its community standards to be more transparent about how it handles satirical content, after the independent Oversight Board asked the social network to do so.

Facebook said that it will add information to the Community Standards that makes it clear "Where we consider satire as part of our assessment of context-specific decisions.

"This change will allow teams to consider satire when assessing potential Hate Speech violations," Facebook said in a statement on Saturday.

On March 2, the Oversight Board selected a case appealed by someone on Facebook regarding a comment with a meme depicting Turkey having to choose between "The Armenian Genocide is a lie" and "The Armenians were terrorists who deserved it."

Facebook took down this content for violating its policy on hate speech, as laid out in the Community Standards.

"We welcome the Oversight Board selected a case on this case. Facebook has acted to comply with the board`s decision immediately, and this content has been reinstated," the company said.

Facebook said that it needs to explore the benefit to user experience that could come from informing users of multiple violations and multiple appeal opportunities resulting from a single piece of content.

"We plan to complete our assessment and update on our progress by the end of the year," it added.

Earlier this month, Facebook said it would end its so-called "newsworthiness" policy, which allowed politicians to bypass several content rules. Also Read: Hundreds of flights cancelled amid new COVID outbreak in Southern China, strict curbs imposed

"We grant our newsworthiness allowance to a small number of posts on our platform. Moving forward, we will begin publishing the rare instances when we apply it. Finally, when we assess content for newsworthiness, we will not treat content posted by politicians any differently from content posted by anyone else," Facebook had said.

"Instead, we will simply apply our newsworthiness balancing test in the same way to all content, measuring whether the public interest value of the content outweighs the potential risk of harm by leaving it up". Also Read: Samsung introduces offers on TVs, appliances! Get 20% cashback, free soundbars and more
Whenever there is a special occasion, Google always comes up with a Doodle that celebrates the occasion. On the eve of Fathers Day 2021, Google Doodle is marking the day as something that appreciated the contribution of fathers in childrens lives which ranges from upbringing, giving the necessities of life to teaching life lesson that basically helps in the childrens upbringing.

The Fathers Day Google Doodle is already there on the Google app, and Google Chrome across all devices. The regular Google logo has been changed to the Fathers Day Google Doodle.

This Google Doodle on Fathers Day is a cute stop-motion artwork that basically caricatures a kid further expressing love in a most simple and innocent form. Each and every Google Doodle comes with Google letters that convey the message. In todays Google Doodle, the G from Google shows the dad and the small g represents the kid and both the letters come out from a pop-out card where the kid is sending hearts to the dad. This has been designed by Doodler Olivia When.

Apart from that, Google has also shown some of the early sketches of the Doodle which particularly shows that the design has been inspired by pop-up cards.

Lets throw some light on the history of Fathers Day. It was originally celebrated on March 19 as Saint Josephs Day by Catholic countries in Europe and marks the honour of fatherhood and paternal bonds.

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New Delhi: Samsung has announced a slew of offers including discounts and cashback on most of its consumer electronics products till June 30. The company has partnered with several renowned banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank, Federal Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) to offer additional discounts and cashback up to 20% on its products.

Big offers on Smart TVs

If youre looking to purchase a smart TV, then this could be the right time, as Samsung is offering soundbars worth up to Rs 99,000 for free with the purchase of a 75-inch and above QLED TV model. In the ongoing offer, customers can either get a free soundbar Q800T which costs Rs 48,990 or Q900T which sells at Rs 99,000.

On purchase of Samsung QLED TVs (65-inch and above) or its UHD TVs (75-inch and above), the Korean company is offering Samsung Soundbar T450 worth INR 16,490 for free.

Similarly, Samsung is offering Samsung Soundbar T420 worth Rs 13,490 on purchase of QLED TVs (55-inch and above) and Samsung UHD TVs (65-inch and above). Also Read: Delhi Police Commissioner calls for district, thana level committees to tackle possible COVID-19 third wave

No Cost EMIs

Samsung is offering no-cost easy monthly instalments (EMIs) for up to 36 months. Customers can buy products on EMIs as low as Rs 990, and can get extended warranty benefits as well.

Impressive cashback on Samsung products

Samsung is offering its customers a chance to get up to 20% cashback up to Rs 20,000 on the purchase of a few television and other items. Customers can get an additional 10% cashback up to Rs 6000 on select Soundbars.

Great offers on Samsung Refrigerators and Microwaves

Samsung is offering a 15% cashback on Side-by-Side, Curd Maestro, Frost Free and Direct Cool refrigerators. EMIs on refrigerators start as low as Rs 990. Similarly, the company is offering a 10% cashback on the purchase of its Microwaves, along with a 5-year additional warranty on magnetron. Also Read: Petrol, Diesel Prices Today, June 20, 2021: Petrol nears Rs 100 in Patna, Trivandrum, check rates in your city
As ransomware attacks surge, the FBI is doubling down on its guidance to affected businesses: Don't pay the cybercriminals. But the US government also offers a little-noticed incentive for those who do pay: The ransoms may be tax-deductible.

The IRS offers no formal guidance on ransomware payments, but multiple tax experts interviewed by The Associated Press said deductions are usually allowed under law and established guidance. It's a silver lining to ransomware victims, as some tax lawyers and accountants put it.

But those looking to discourage payments are less sanguine. They fear the deduction is a potentially problematic incentive that could entice businesses to pay ransoms against the advice of law enforcement.

It seems a little incongruous to me, said Rep. John Katko, the top Republican on the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Deductibility is a piece of a bigger quandary stemming from the rise in ransomware attacks, in which cybercriminals scramble computer data and demand payment for unlocking the files.

The government doesn't want payments that fund criminal gangs and could encourage more attacks. But failing to pay can have devastating consequences for businesses and potentially for the economy overall.

A ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline last month led to gas shortages in parts of the United States.

The company, which transports about 45per cent of fuel consumed on the East Coast, paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin  then valued at roughly USD4.4 million.

An attack on JBS SA, the world's largest meat processing company, threatened to disrupt food supplies.

The company said it had paid the equivalent of USD11 million to hackers who broke into its computer system.

Ransomware has become a multibillion-dollar business, and the average payment was more than USD310,000 last year, up 171per cent from 2019, according to Palo Alto Networks.

The companies that pay ransomware demands directly are well within their rights to claim a deduction, tax experts said. To be tax deductible, businesses expenses should be considered ordinary and necessary.

Companies have long been able to deduct losses from more traditional crimes, such as robbery or embezzlement, and experts say ransomware payments are usually valid, too.

I would counsel a client to take a deduction for it, says Scott Harty, a corporate tax attorney with Alston & Bird. It fits the definition of an ordinary and necessary expense.

Don Williamson, a tax professor at the Kogod School of Business at American University, wrote a paper about the tax consequences of ransomware payments in 2017.

Since then, he said, the rise of ransomware attacks has only strengthened the case for the IRS to allow ransomware payments as tax deductions.

It's becoming more common, so therefore it becomes more ordinary, he said.

That's all the more reason, critics say, to disallow ransomware payments as tax deductions.

The cheaper we make it to pay that ransom, then the more incentives we're creating for companies to pay, and the more incentives we're creating for companies to pay, the more incentive we're creating for criminals to continue, said Josephine Wolff, a cybersecurity policy professor at the Fletcher School of Tufts University.

For years, ransomware was more of an economic nuisance than a major national threat. But attacks launched by foreign cybergangs out of reach of U.S. law enforcement have proliferated in scale over the past year and thrust the problem of ransomware onto the front pages.

In response, top US law enforcement officials have urged companies not to meet ransomware demands.

It is our policy, it is our guidance, from the FBI, that companies should not pay the ransom for a number of reasons, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified this month before Congress.

That message was echoed at another hearing this week by Eric Goldstein, a top official at the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

Officials warn that payments lead to more ransomware attacks. We're in this boat we're in now because over the last several years people have paid the ransom, Stephen Nix, assistant to the special agent in charge at the U.S. Secret Service, said at a recent summit on cybersecurity.

It's unclear how many companies that pay ransomware payments avail themselves of the tax deductions.

When asked at a congressional hearing whether the company would pursue a tax deduction for the payment, Colonial CEO Joseph Blount said he was unaware that was a possibility.

Great question. I had no idea about that. Not aware of that at all, he said.

There are limits to the deduction. If the loss to the company is covered by cyber insurance  something that also is becoming more common  the company can't take a deduction for the payment that's made by the insurer.

The number of active cyber insurance policies jumped from 2.2 million to 3.6 million from 2016 to 2019, a 60per cent increase, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, Congress' auditing arm. Linked to that was a 50per cent increase in insurance premiums paid, from USD2.1 billion to USD3.1 billion.

The Biden administration has pledged to make curbing ransomware a priority in the wake of a series of high-profile intrusions and said it is reviewing the U.S. government's policies related to ransomware. It has not provided any detail about what changes, if any, it may make related to the tax-deductibility of ransomware.

The IRS is aware of this and looking into it, said IRS spokesperson Robyn Walker.
New Delhi: Actress Jasmin Bhasin has planned a fun virtual celebration for her father Surpal Singh Bhasin for Fathers Day 2021 and has already sent him a gift.

However, the actress's special gift for her parents is still waiting and it is huge.

In an interview with a news daily, Jasmin shared her plan of buying a house in Mumbai and asking her parents, who currently live in Kota to relocate with her as she doesnt want them to live away from her.

Its been many years now since I have been asking my parents to move in with me in Mumbai, but they always ignored it and I never stressed on it too much since they used to visit me regularly. But they havent visited me for more than a year now and I miss them terribly, shared Jasmin with ETimes.

Former Bigg Boss contestant took to her social media last month to share the ordeal of her old father running from pillar to post to arrange for a hospital bed for her sick mother during the second wave of COVID pandemic.

After my mom recovered, I told my father strictly that I have to be around them. I would never want to experience any such situation again when I felt so helpless and had sleepless nights. It was a nightmare and it left me worried. So, my parents will soon move in with me in Mumbai and I am looking forward to buying a house where we can live together, revealed the actress.

Talking about how her parents, especially her father has been a constant support for her, the actress said, No matter what I have decided to do in life, my parents, especially my father, have always supported me and encouraged me to do my best. Being with them here will give me more strength and support.

On the work front, Jasmin was last seen in the music video Tenu Yaad Karaan produced by White Hill Music. Earlier she appeared in music videos Tu Bhi Sataye Jayega by Vishal Mishra and Tera Suit by Tony Kakkar, opposite beau Aly Goni.
New Delhi: As the Uttar Pradesh 2022 Legislative Assembly elections comes knocking, the political wind in the state seems to be taking a turn. With all parties gearing up for the polls questions are raised over who will be Bharatiya Janata Party's Chief Minister candidate.

In an exclusive conversation with Zee Media, UP's Cabinet Minister Swami Prasad Maurya gave a major hint that Yogi Adityanath may not continue as the CM and the saffron may choose another leader as the next CM. Swami Prasad Maurya calimed that all options are open for BJP in UP, and that anyone can be the next CM.

"At present, the CM is Yogi, what happens next will be seen. BJP is a democratic party." Maurya said, adding, "After the 2022 elections, the CM's face can be someone else. Everything will be decided in the meeting of the central leaders and the legislature party."

Also, in a significant move former IAS officer AK Sharma was appointed as the new UP BJP Vice President. Sharma, who joined BJP in January, has been touted as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted aide.

Earlier, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh and party vice president Radha Mohan Singh, also the party in charge of Uttar Pradesh, had met senior party leaders and ministers in the state and had submitted a report to the partys national president J P Nadda.

Based on the report, Amit Shah and Nadda are likely to chart out the next course of action in the state. However, they had refuted talks of a possible change in the chief ministership.

Meanwhile, on June 11 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi amid intense speculations of expansion of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet ahead of the crucial state assembly elections next year.

CM Yogi was on a two-day visit to Delhi and he also meet BJP National President JP Nadda.

The elections in UP are scheduled to take place in 2022. BJP had registered a landslide victory in the 2017 Assembly polls winning over 300 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Among the major parties, BJP has 309 legislators, SP 49, BSP 18, and Congress 7.

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Kathmandu: China is unhappy with Nepal after some media publications disclosed the procurement price of Sinopharm vaccine amounting to around $10 per dose which Kathmandu is planning to buy from Beijing to tackle the second wave of COVID-19. It was reported that four million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine would be bought under a non-disclosure agreement by Nepal, as proposed by Sinopharm, to keep the details including the price and delivery date under wraps.

The Kathmandu Post`s article revealed the price of the Sinopharm vaccine dose to be supplied to the Himalayan Nation based on confirmation from two ministers and two government secretaries who were present at Monday`s (June 14) Cabinet that decided to procure 4 million doses of vaccine from Sinopharm. The Post reported that the price was yet to be fixed given the nature of the agreement, but as per officials, it could be around $10 per dose.

"The way the media quoted the price of the vaccine and other logistical issues were concerning because these are very sensitive issues," Dr. Krishna Prasad Paudel, spokesperson for the Health Ministry told the Post. Multiple officials confirmed that China communicated its displeasure to Nepali agencies. The officials told the Post that Sinopharm had communicated its displeasure at the publicisation of vaccine procurement by the government of Nepal. Similarly, the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu also had reminded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the nature of the deal, according to the officials.

"There was quite a lot of interest in the media before an agreement could be reached, which worried us. We were worried if we would get the vaccine or not," Dr. Krishna Prasad Paudel, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told the Post. The Health Ministry on Thursday (June 17) issued a statement, refuting media reports about buying vaccines from China. It not only said that no deal has been reached yet but also went on to blame the media for disseminating information on vaccine procurement from China. In what was quite unusual on the part of the ministry, it issued the statement in English, specifying that Nepal has requested China to give preference to Kathmandu on vaccine cooperation.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 third wave definitely underway in UK, says vaccine expert as it adds over 10,000 cases for third day

"The government of Nepal has requested the government of the People`s Republic of China to give preference to Nepal on vaccine cooperation. The process to secure vaccines from different countries including China is still ongoing," read the statement."Media reports on quantity, price, delivery, and other relevant information about the vaccine procurement are premature, speculative and misleading. The ministry refutes such unfounded and baseless media reports."

"Since it was mostly reported by the English media, we issued the statement in English," Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the ministry who signed the statement, told the Post on Friday (June 18). He refused to elaborate. Buying vaccines from China, however, was easier said than done given the non-disclosure agreement proposal by Sinopharm. A non-disclosure agreement entails not quoting the price of the commodity, quantity in advance and mode of payments among other details. The same day Prime Minister Oli informed the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre, which he heads, about procuring the vaccine from China. Similarly, on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Mahaseth told a TV channel that the government is buying 4 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China.

Many find the Nepal Health Ministry statement, blaming the media for disseminating information about the vaccine, uncalled for, as the prime minister and foreign minister themselves were discussing the matter publicly, Post reported. Meanwhile, vaccine deal with Sinopharm, however, has stoked controversy in other South Asian countries as well. In Bangladesh, after the price was disclosed, the country`s finance ministry had issued a statement similar to the one issued by Nepal`s Health Ministry.

According to the Daily Star, the Bangladesh government on May 27 approved the proposal of procuring 15 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China. An official of the Cabinet division at a briefing told journalists that the government was going to procure each dose at $10. After the media reported about the vaccine procurement, a finance ministry official, according to the paper, requested the media not to mention the price for the "greater interest of the country".

The same paper, earlier this month, reported China was annoyed with Bangladesh for making public the price of the vaccine. "China is a little upset that the procurement price of the Sinopharm vaccine was made public in Bangladesh," said Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. Disclosure of procurement price of Sinopharm vaccine had also sparked controversy in Sri Lanka last month after reports suggested that the government was set to pay $5 more per dose compared to Bangladesh. There was similar displeasure from China at how the price was being made public in Nepal, according to a senior government official.

ALSO READ: Russia continues working on new vaccines, medication for COVID-19, says President Vladimir Putin

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New Delhi: The third wave of COVID-19 is 'definitely' underway in the United Kingdom (UK), a vaccine expert said as it added over 10,000 coronavirus cases for the consecutive third day on Saturday (June 19, 2021).

"It's going up, perhaps we can be a little bit optimistic it's not going up any faster, but nevertheless it's going up, so this third wave is definitely underway," Professor Adam Finn, who advises on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

He also said that the race is firmly on between the COVID-19 vaccine programme, particularly getting older people's second doses done, and the Delta variant (first found in India) third wave.

On the UK's vaccination programme outpacing the Delta variant with the current rate of jabs, Finn said, "No, I don't feel confident, but I think there are some grounds for optimism. The latest ONS [Office for National Statistics] figures continue to show a rise, but that rise has not accelerated quite as much as I'd feared over the last week."

Professor Finn said that the sooner they can get second doses into older people, the 'less of a hospitalisation' they'll see this time around.

"That's the critical thing, that's what's grounded us all in the past, and if we've managed to protect enough older people that we can avoid a great big surge of hospitalisations and deaths, then things will be able to move back towards normal," he added.

ALSO READ | Delta COVID-19 variant becoming globally dominant, says WHO official

On June 18, the Public Health England's (PHE) weekly COVID-19 variant cases data showed that the numbers of the Delta variant in the UK have risen by 33,630 since last week to a total of 75,953.

Data show an increased risk of hospitalisation with Delta compared to Alpha (first found in the UK). However, PHE's analysis showed that the two doses of vaccine gives a high degree of protection against hospitalisation, estimated to be more than 90%.

According to PHE's latest variant technical briefing, as of June 14, a total of 806 people were hospitalised with the Delta variant, an increase of 423 since last week. Of these, 527 were unvaccinated, and only 84 of the 806 had received both doses.

Meanwhile, the official UK data on Saturday showed that there were 10,321 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the overall weekly count to 63,764. It also recorded 14 new coronavirus-related deaths and has seen 74 in the last 7 days.

More than 200 people got hospitalised on Saturday, taking the total number of hospitalisations in the past one week to 1,413.

On the other hand, more than 4.2 crore people have taken the first dose, while over 3.1 crore have received the second jab.

The #COVID19 Dashboard has been updated: https://t.co/XhspoyTG79 On 19 June, 10,321 new cases and 14 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK. 42,679,268 people have now received the first dose of a #vaccine. 31,087,325 have received a 2nd dose. pic.twitter.com/z7jAPbn696  Public Health England (@PHE_uk) June 19, 2021

ALSO READ | Now new COVID-19 variant 'Delta plus' is out there, see what experts have to say about it
Islamabad: Pakistan said on Saturday (June 19, 2021) that it would oppose any move by India to divide Kashmir and change its demography.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stated that India must refrain from taking any further illegal steps in Kashmir after its actions of August 5, 2019.

The Pakistani statement came on a day when the Indian government invited 14 political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir to participate in a high-level meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24, which is expected to set the road map for holding assembly elections in the Union Territory.

Qureshi said Pakistan had resolutely opposed India's actions of August 5, 2019 and taken up the issue at all international fora, including the UN Security Council.

He reiterated Pakistan's resolve to oppose any Indian moves that sought to divide and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir to change the demographic structure of the territory.

He noted that he had apprised the President of the Security Council and the UN Secretary General about India's possible moves.

Qureshi underlined that durable peace in South Asia can only be achieved by peacefully resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated the Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

India has also told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.

The planned meeting on June 24 will be Prime Minister Modi's first interaction with all the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre abrogated the special status of the state and bifurcated it into union territories.

The meeting is a result of back-channel talks that were being held with all the political parties from the union territory to decide on the next course of actions, including holding assembly elections as well as restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.


Vienna: Top diplomats said Sunday further progress had been made at talks between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration.

They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

It was the first official meeting since Iran's hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election last week.

Some diplomats expressed concern that Iran's election of Ebrahim Raisi as president could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement.

Enrique Mora, the European Union official who chaired the final meeting of the sixth round of talks between Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran, told reporters that "we are closer to a deal, but we are not still there.?

"We have made progress on a number of technical issues," Mora added.

"We have now more clarity on technical documents, all of them quite complex, and that clarity allows us to have also a great idea of what the political problems are."

He did not elaborate.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov said the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, "took stock of the significant progress made at the Vienna talks, including at the sixth round, and decided to take a break to allow participants to consult with their capitals in preparation for what is supposed to be the final round of negotiations."

"There are a few controversial points which require political decisions. Apparently diplomatic efforts to find a common language have been almost fully exhausted. So the time has come for political decisions," Ulyanov added.

The nations involved in the negotiations have been trying to resolve the major outstanding issues on how to return the US into the landmark agreement, which then-US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of unilaterally in 2018.

Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions. Ulyanov said after heading back to report on the talks' results to their respective governments, he expected the diplomats to return for the final round of talks in Vienna by mid-July.

In a written statement after the talks Sunday, the E3 European senior diplomats urged for speedy decision-making in the different capitals involved in the talks.

"Delegations will now travel to capitals in order to consult with their leadership,? the diplomats wrote without giving their names as is customary.

"We urge all sides to return to Vienna and be ready to conclude a deal. The time for decision is fast approaching."

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday before the meeting that "we are now in a situation that we think almost all the agreement documents are ready,? according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

"Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are,? Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said.

The US does not have a representative at the table in Vienna. However, President Joe Biden's administration has signalled willingness to rejoin the deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments.

A US delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens. Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels.

Tensions remain high with Iran and both the US and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the US government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Iran's internationally criticized judiciary ? one of the world's top executioners.

In Jerusalem, new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisi's election as Iranian president was ?the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with."

"These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions," he said.

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said earlier Sunday he hoped the election of the new Iranian president would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

"We are very close. We have been working for two months," Borrell told reporters during a visit in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

"We have invested a lot of political capital on that. So I hope that the results of the elections is not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation processVienna, Jun 20 (AP) Top diplomats said Sunday further progress had been made at talks between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration.

They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

It was the first official meeting since Iran's hard-line judiciary chief won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election last week.

Some diplomats expressed concern that Iran's election of Ebrahim Raisi as president could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement.

Enrique Mora, the European Union official who chaired the final meeting of the sixth round of talks between Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran, told reporters that "we are closer to a deal, but we are not still there.?

"We have made progress on a number of technical issues," Mora added.

"We have now more clarity on technical documents, all of them quite complex, and that clarity allows us to have also a great idea of what the political problems are."

He did not elaborate.

Top Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov said the members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, "took stock of the significant progress made at the Vienna talks, including at the sixth round, and decided to make a break to allow participants to consult with their capitals in preparation for what is supposed to be the final round of negotiations.?

"There are a few controversial points which require political decisions. Apparently diplomatic efforts to find a common language have been almost fully exhausted. So the time has come for political decisions,? Ulyanov added.

The nations involved in the negotiations have been trying to resolve the major outstanding issues on how to return the US into the landmark agreement, which then-US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of unilaterally in 2018.

Trump also restored and augmented sanctions to try to force Iran into renegotiating the pact with more concessions.

Ulyanov said after heading back to report on the talks' results to their respective governments, he expected the diplomats to return for the final round of talks in Vienna by mid-July.

In a written statement after the talks Sunday, the E3 European senior diplomats urged for speedy decision-making in the different capitals involved in the talks.

"Delegations will now travel to capitals in order to consult with their leadership,? the diplomats wrote without giving their names as is customary.

"We urge all sides to return to Vienna and be ready to conclude a deal. The time for decision is fast approaching.?

Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said Sunday before the meeting that "we are now in a situation that we think almost all the agreement documents are ready,? according to semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr.

"Of the main issues that remain disputed, some have been resolved and some remain, but it has taken on a very precise form and it is quite clear what the dimensions of these disputes are,? Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said.

The US does not have a representative at the table in Vienna. However, President Joe Biden's administration has signalled willingness to rejoin the deal under terms that would broadly see the United States scale back sanctions and Iran return to its 2015 nuclear commitments.

A US delegation in Vienna is taking part in indirect talks with Iran, with diplomats from the other world powers acting as go-betweens.

Sunday's meeting was overshadowed by the election of Raisi in Iran, which puts hard-liners firmly in control of the government at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels.

Tensions remain high with Iran and both the US and Israel, which is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades earlier.

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the US government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well as his time as the head of Iran's internationally criticized judiciary ? one of the world's top executioners.

In Jerusalem, new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisi's election as Iranian president was the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they're doing business with."

"These guys are murderers, mass murderers: a regime of brutal hangmen must never be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction that will enable it to not kill thousands, but millions," he said.

Israel has long stated that it opposes arch-enemy Iran's nuclear program and said it would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said earlier Sunday he hoped the election of the new Iranian president would not be an obstacle to reaching a deal in Vienna.

"We are very close. We have been working for two months," Borrell told reporters during a visit to the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

"We have invested a lot of political capital on that. So I hope that the results of the elections are not going to be the last obstacle that will ruin the negotiation process

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